Chatsworth Kitchen — Restaurant in Derbyshire Dales

I took a drive specially here once I saw they had vegan options for breakfast. I was so looking forward to it but it left a lot to be desired! Beautiful decor and friendly lady led me to my table on arrival. I ordered a pot of tea but when I tried to pour it, it dribbled out.. thought it was just a rubbish teapot but when I looked in the spout for the source of the issue I saw something was wedged in there.. I don't know what but it appeared organic in nature. The lady apologised and got me a new pot so no big issue there and then I ordered my full english breakfast. It arrived after 15 minutes and looked decent enough, the vegan sausages were tasty but the mushrooms and spinach were so soggy and flavourless, like the type you get at premier inn buffet brekkie! So disappointing. Half way through eating it I realised the avocado was missing! I asked a waitress if it was meant to come with avocado and she said she'd check and then came back with a bowl of it saying 'yes sorry about that'. I'd already eaten my one slice of toast by this point so didn't have much use for a bowl of avocado.. and then as I was finishing my sausages and hash browns I saw someone at a nearby table tucking into vine tomatoes.. It dawned on me they should also have been on my plate! I stood up to find a menu to check and yes, both avocado and tomatoes were mentioned. Why on earth was I being drip fed food?? There was no one around to ask so I just finished my plate and when a chap came to ask if I was done I told him yes but I wasn't happy to pay full price for it since half of it was missing. No hint of an apology he said 'ok, i'll let the Bonnie know'. I'm not sure if I was expected to know who Bonnie is but I awaited her arrival or a bill to pay.. In the mean time the table next to me got their food served, both of which they immediately sent back because it wasn't what they had ordered. Shambles. After 15 minutes of nothing I asked him again if I had a bill to pay and he said Bonnie on the till had sorted it. I went to the till and Bonnie did manage to muster an apology though there was no explanation and she took 20% off my bill as well as the pot of tea. All in all, I shall not...

Firstly let's talk about aesthetics. This place looks amazing, it's both aspirational and inspirational in equal measure...

The place is half eatarie half shop and you instantly feel at ease it's definitely a place that you can relax.

The food is good, produce as you would expect is top quality.

Here is my feedback to make this 5 star rather than 4 star...

The service is a bit confused and confusing. You wait to be seated, which is fair enough but not when the host goes missing and your awkwardly stood there next to a staff member just waiting to take payment but not really doing anything.

The service once you sit down is just not efficient, I don't think it's slow it's just not slick, we ordered and then people who came in 10 mins before us got their food first. Despite us ordering simple things.

We also ordered cake to take away, that took an extra 15 minutes to organise.

We asked for a kids menu, because the main menu says to do so but there isn't one. Also a bit odd. We just had to remember what the options are.

The staff are however polite and friendly and helpful while you have them.

The food I mentioned is good quality from ingredients up. The steak was flavoursome and tender in the sandwich. Just it didn't come with much and I would have expected some nice crisps or a light salad to accompany.

My wife has the flatbread and hummus. As it sounded amazing. In reality it was like a pizza base with garlic on and some hummus to dip* so dry on dry. Again no side salad or anything else. I'd remove this option from the menu if I was them.

The cake at £5 a slice is extortionate it's not hand made and the slices are small. This price needs a rethink or vast quality improvement.

Then finally and bizarrely following the table service experience you have to wait to get your receipt and then walk up to the shop till in order to pay. Totally bizarre.

I think this place has potential to be superb, the menu needs a little widening and the service fine tuning and hope when I return I can give it 5 stars. With the chatsworth name above the door you expect 5 stars as you would guess it's not...

Deeply disappointed in this place. It looks fabulous and, as with Chatsworth itself, is pricey. But the eye gouging prices are not matched by the quality of service which was just okay or the food, which was a sad affair.

I went there for brunch with a friend who had had a bad experience trying to go there at lunchtime earlier in the week. At that time she and her husband had faced a long waiting time for a table, then witnessed several other groups who had joined the chaotic queue after them, being seated ahead of them. They had decided after an hour of being pushed around, to push on to Bakewell for something to eat. But she still wanted to give the place a try.

And so, brunch, where as the only customers in the entire place, we were at least able to get a table.

Service was, as I said, acceptable though it would have been nice to be permitted to read the menu before being asked for our order. The waitress was clearly so keen to get us to buy that we ordered coffee's first and asked her to come back with those to give us time.

The coffees arrived. My skinny milk was not skinny and the coffee was bitter. But I winced its down and ordered from the food menu.

Both of us chose the corn fritters with barbecue beans and smashed avocado. But my friend asked for a poached egg instead of the avocado, which might have been a good idea (though it was met by consternation and a price adjustment).

When the food arrived, the beans were dry, hard and undersauced. The sauce was underseasoned. The corn fritters were adequate - I could have knocked out better from my pantry staples.. And there was a tablespoon of mashed avocado on mine, which wasn't enough to moisten a dry dish. The poached egg at least contributed a runny yoke to help alleviate the dryness.

In all, a disappointment. By the time we left, one other customer had been seated and a few were browsing the gift area.

At the moment the chatsworth brand is ensuring queues at peak times but this place seriously needs to...