Previously located at Old Blacksmiths Yard in Derby’s Cathedral Quarter, The Palfrey relocated to Milford in autumn 2021. I’d seen and heard good things about this multi award winning restaurant and was looking forward to my visit. My friend Sarah and I have discovered a shared love of a Sunday roast and were looking forward to a girly catch up.
Interested in my recommendations for the best places for a Sunday roast in and around Derbyshire? Click here.
We were warmly welcomed and shown to our table. I love the Scrabble racks and letters to denote the name of the booking.
The Palfrey is housed in an old inn. The lovely old building has been thoughtfully renovated and we both approved of the décor, particularly the comfy leather seating. The room we sat in had lovely views of the surrounding countryside.
We didn’t order starters. The older I get the more three courses is getting a bit much, but I definitely don’t think it’s required for Sunday lunch. When I dine out with my husband we invariably do three courses and then I end up stuffed as an egg (or I have to consciously go for lighter choices). Whereas, in my mind at least, the joy of a roast dinner is a huge plate of delicious, comforting food.
I can’t comment on the starters other than to say that the choices looked appealing. I caught a gorgeous whiff of truffle which I assume was the roasted Jerusalem artichoke tart, an intriguing vegetarian option.
I ordered the beef (which I’m embarrassed to say I ordered well done. I know the done thing is to have it pink, and hopefully one day I will train myself to enjoy meat this way, but it’s just not my preference.)
My friend Sarah ordered the chicken. There was also an option of roast belly pork. Or you can order all three meats for a £4 supplement. There’s also a vegetarian nut roast (with a vegan option also available).
All the roasts come accompanied by herb roast potatoes, roast root vegetables, kale, tenderstem broccoli, a pig in blanket (yes, they’re for life at The Palfrey – not just for Christmas!), a sage and onion stuffing bon-bon, a huge homemade Yorkshire pudding and gravy.
The roast potatoes had beautifully crisp exteriors and were fluffy on the inside. The green vegetables were perfectly al dente. I don’t normally enjoy stuffing in restaurants (having been raised on Paxo, which I adore. That’ll be the nail in my coffin for the serious foodies won’t it?!) but the stuffing bon-bon was utterly delicious. Overall a wonderful plate of food.
The dessert menu was equally tempting. There were several options I could have happily picked, but plumped for an all time favourite, sticky toffee pudding. That proved a good choice as it was the best version I’ve eaten in a long time. And a huge portion! Beautifully dense, moist sponge, a rich sauce and the tastiest muscovado sugar ice cream. My friend ordered the apple and rhubarb crumble served with homemade custard which she said was delicious.
The service was good throughout, and they were particularly helpful in helping select a wine. Overall it’s a great restaurant and one I would definitely choose to return to. It’s a brilliant option for Sunday lunch and I’d love to return to sample the evening menu. Even the toilets were lovely (complete with Molton Brown handwash and cream!).
Go for:
Delicious food in a relaxed, attractive setting.
Details:
Sunday lunch menu is served at The Palfrey from 12 to 7. Two courses are £22.95 and three are £28.95. We had two courses and a glass of wine each and the bill came to £60.
Booking recommended.
Car park. Be aware the restaurant is up the equivalent of a flight of stairs so not pram/pushchair/wheelchair friendly.
Dog friendly – not in the restaurant but always welcomed in the bar area.
New Inn, Milford, DE56 0RL
01332 293 135
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If you’ve enjoyed this post, why not read my Ultimate Guide to the Best Derbyshire restaurants? Or my guide to the best places for a Sunday roast.
2 replies on “Sunday lunch at The Palfrey, Milford REVIEW”
What a lovely place to eat! I discovered your blog on planebeauty.co.uk and I’m glad I did. I don’t get an opportunity to travel very often, but this is just the kind of place that I would want to go. I can’t get over how HUGE that Yorkshire Pudding is. It makes me laugh because I tried making them once and they were so, so small. Nothing better than a comforting meal with good company.
~Cassie
Aw, thank you so much! It was a gorgeous place of food. And I’m with you on the Yorkshires! I pride myself on being a fairly competent cook but I have never ever made a decent one myself. I’ve given up now!