The Saracens Head, Country Pub & Kitchen — Restaurant in Derbyshire Dales

I recently had the pleasure of dining at the Saracens bar and restaurant in Shirley, and I must say that Candice provided exceptional service throughout the entire experience. From the moment I walked in, she greeted me with a warm smile and made me feel welcome.

Candice was attentive and efficient, ensuring that all my needs were met throughout the meal. She took the time to explain the menu and even made excellent recommendations based on my preferences. It was clear that she had a strong knowledge of the dishes and was passionate about the food being served.

Not only was Candice attentive to me, but she also demonstrated excellent teamwork with her colleagues. She seamlessly coordinated with the kitchen staff and other servers to ensure that all orders were prepared correctly and delivered promptly. Despite being busy, she managed to provide each customer with personalized attention.

What impressed me most about Candice was her genuine friendliness and willingness to go the extra mile. She engaged in pleasant conversation and made me feel like a valued guest. She consistently checked on me to make sure I was satisfied with my meal and offered additional assistance when needed.

Overall, Candice's service at the Saracens bar and restaurant was top-notch. Her attention to detail, knowledge of the menu, and friendly demeanor made the dining experience...

Visited here for the first time, for lunch, today, & was very impressed.

All the food looked to be cooked from scratch, and the ingredients were fresh- it was clearly made with care & attention.

For a starter, I had the smoked mackerel on horseradish waldorf, which was fantastic. I also snuck a taste of the asparagus soup, which was delicious.

More fish for my main- sea-bass with prawns & garlic butter. The sea-bass, fillet, like the mackerel, was much larger than you get in chain pubs, & it was cooked perfectly. That is, it wasn't overdone.

No room in my belly for dessert, but the pavlova looked very impressive.

The staff were very courteous & attentive.

My only niggles are there was background music playing, not loudly or overly intrusive, but it's there.

Also, it's not brilliant for wheelchair access. It can be done, but you need to open a large wooden gate in the car park, & navigate a short, but steep, slope. Otherwise, there are a few steps at the front & rear.

There's a good range of wine & artisan gin, & a few different ales, & there is a constant real fire on the go.

The atmosphere is smart, yet relaxed. Decor is a very pleasant mix of modern & traditional.

Will I go back? (2 hour round trip) Definitely.

Highly...

Visited for Sunday lunch on 22/0522. This venue has been our ‘special occasion’ place for the last two decades and we would normally only visit four or five times each year as it is a 38 mile round trip from our home. Our recent visit, following the change of ownership was a real disappointment and certainly not worth the long drive. I left most of my starter and roast lamb shoulder dinner. The lamb shoulder was very poor quality and very stringy. To be fair the vegetables were obviously fresh and plentiful but very under cooked for my taste. The pork pate starter was not really pate at all but a solid lump of compressed meat (terrine?) and was really lacking in flavour . I did eat the sticky toffee pudding as I was obviously still hungry but this was poor too and quite unlike the popular perception of this classic pudding. No sticky toffee sauce and very small! My wife was happier with her meal (Roast Beef) but agreed that we have many pubs much closer to home offering superior food. One improvement is that dogs are welcome at more tables than previously. The two serving staff were excellent by the way. There were several vacant tables and parking spaces which I am sure reflects the drop...