
Dominated by the rugged tourist hot-spots of the Peak District, Derbyshire is also a county of lush Midlands pastures ideally suited to sheep - although pork is the meat of choice among local butchers.
Buxton and other spa towns have exploited the therapeutic qualities of the region's springs for years, and were in forefront of the great bottled water revolution.
The county has produced a number of famous local specialities, notably Bakewell tart and Ashbourne gingerbread - both of which turn up in pubs and hotels.
Callow HallStanding proud in 44 acres of grounds on the edge of the Peak District National Park, Callow Hall looks every inch the grand Victorian pile, with its bell tower, tall chimneys and leaded windows.
Mappleton Road, Ashbourne, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern British
The Dining RoomAshbourne's Dining Room restaurant is a delightful unassuming gem in the heart of this bustling Derbyshire village. Housed in a seventeenth-century building, the restaurant makes a virtue of cosy intimacy.
33 St John Street, Ashbourne, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern British
Riverside House HotelThe Riverside House in the picture-postcard village of Ashford-in-the-Water is a charming ivy-clad building, located in the heart of the magnificent surroundings of the Peak District by the banks of the River Wye.
, Ashford in the Water, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Anglo French
Hassop HallThe grand Hassop Estate can trace its roots back to the Domesday Book, although the present hall dates mostly from the seventeenth century.
Hassop, Bakewell, Derbyshire - Cuisine: International
Piedaniel's RestaurantEric and Christiana Piedaniel are well-known to the diners of Bakewell, having run this restaurant as Renaissance for a number of years.
Bath Street, Bakewell, Derbyshire - Cuisine: French
The Monsal Head Hotel, Longstone RestaurantA godsend for tourists, walkers and climbers exploring the Peak District, this privately owned hotel overlooks the beautiful Monsal Dale and is within striking distance of Bakewell, Chatsworth House and Haddon Hall.
Monsal Head, Bakewell, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Eclectic
The Square at The Rutland Arms HotelBuilt in 1804 on the site of an old coaching inn, the Rutland Arms stands proud in Bakewell's market square and is very much a local landmark.
The Square, Bakewell, Derbyshire - Cuisine: International
Fischer's Baslow HallSet back from the road at the end of an avenue of chestnut trees, Baslow Hall looks for all the world like a historic manor house with its gabled wings, leaded window panes and tall chimneys.
Calver Road, Baslow, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern European
Rowley’s Restaurant & BarIn 2006, Max and Susan Fischer and their head chef Rupert Rowley from Michelin-starred Baslow Hall ventured into town and opened a bright new venture next to the local church.
Church Lane, Baslow, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern European
The Cavendish Hotel, Gallery RestaurantSituated on the northern fringes of Chatsworth Estate, this privately run hotel is an eminently civilised, comfortable retreat for visitors to the Peak District.
Church Lane, Baslow, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern European
Devonshire ArmsPart of the Duke Devonshire's stable, this revitalised eighteenth-century stone inn stands right at the heart of Chatsworth Estate. Built as a row of cottages, it has been catapulted into the twenty-first century, with bold colours, funky furnishings and vivid design features (including a glass-fronted wine store) setting just the right mood in the brasserie.
Devonshire Square, Beeley, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
The Waltzing Weasel InnDramatically situated on the fringes of the Peak District National Park, the whimsically named Waltzing Weasel has been dancing to its own tune for a goodly length of time, and continues to make the most of its moorland setting.
New Mills Road, Birch Vale, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
Druid InnNestling beneath the extraordinary matrix of fissures, passageways and rocking stones known as Row Tor, this famous inn takes it name from the eighteenth-century obsession with druids and the belief the area was an original mystic habitation.
Main Street, Birchover, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
Ye Olde Gate Inne'Well-off-the-beaten-track' (to put it mildly!), 'The Gate' is reached via lonely roads with nothing but the hills of the Peak District on either side.
Well Street, Brassington, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
Carriages Italian RestaurantLittle Sicily in the heart of the Derbyshire countryside is what you can expect at this unusual Italian restaurant a few miles from Buxton.
Newhaven, Buxton, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Italian
Columbine RestaurantKim and Steve McNally's popular local restaurant Columbine, occupies a Georgian house behind the King's Head Hotel, within striking distance of Buxton's renowned opera house.
7 Hall Bank, Buxton, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern British
Simply ThaiSince opening in 2004, Simply Thai has proved a great hit with Buxton locals, tourists and visitors to the renowned Opera House.
2 -3 Cavendish Circus, Buxton, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Thai
The Priest House HotelAffectionately known as the Priest House on the River, this idyllic modern hotel stands in 50 acres of grounds on the banks of the Trent.
Kings Mills, Castle Donington, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern European
Buckingham's, The Restaurant with One TableNick Buckingham's 'Restaurant with One Table' is a remarkable venue, and there are no prizes for guessing why it is so extraordinary - the name says it all.
85-87 Newbold Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire - Cuisine: European
Darleys RestaurantDarley Mill conjures up images of Victorian England and the Industrial Revolution, but there's nothing archaic about the elegantly contemporary restaurant.
Waterfront, Darley Abbey, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern British
Masa Restaurant & Wine BarA rather imposing 200-year-old Wesleyan Chapel is the setting for this enterprising mix of restaurant and wine bar close to the centre of Derby.
The Old Wesleyan Chapel, Derby, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern British
Thai DusitOne of a Midlands-based mini-chain of Thai restaurants offering genuinely authentic food in pleasing, relaxed surroundings. 'Dusit' translates as 'Buddhist paradise' and the dining room certainly tries to live up to its name with lots of native artefacts and waitresses in pretty national costume.
8 Bold Lane, Derby, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Thai
The Blenheim HouseThe sleepy Derbyshire village of Etwall is the setting for the delightful Blenheim House Hotel and restaurant. A popular stopping-off point for business travellers, holidaymakers visiting the attractions of the Peak District and loyal locals, this inviting hotel can cater for any dining occasion whether it be a working lunch, a quick bite, a corporate event or a more formal three-course dinner.
56 Main Street, Etwall, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern British
The Miners ArmsThe village of Eyam became known for an isolated outbreak of the Great Plague in the 1660s, and the white-painted Miners Arms is said to adjoin one of the plague burial grounds - the place also plays host to the ghosts of two young girls, so beware.
Water Lane, Eyam, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
Chequers InnOriginally four eighteenth-century cottages, the Chequers Inn is now an immaculately maintained pub/restaurant-with-rooms below the steeply wooded Froggatt Edge. No wonder it's favourite with walkers and tourists exploring the Peak District.
Froggatt Edge, Froggatt, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
The MaynardA long-standing favourite with walkers, tourists and sightseers, the Maynard is a mightily impressive building set in glorious countryside in the Derbyshire Peak National Park.
Main Road, Grindleford, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern British
The Sir William HotelThe traditions of 'innkeeping' are alive and well in this refurbished hotel in the heart of the Peak District. UK Restaurant Guide users have been bowled over by the new Terrace Garden Restaurant, which offers 'exemplary' food and 'hearty portions without fuss' in a lovely setting with outstanding views over the lawned terrace across the valley towards Froggatt Edge.
Sir William Hill Road, Grindleford, Derbyshire - Cuisine: International
The George HotelOver the centuries, this 500-year-old grey stone inn has been transformed into a top-class hotel that still exudes a sense of tradition - although grown-up chic is the prevailing mood once you are through the door.
Main Road, Hathersage, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern British
The Millstone InnIn the heart of the Peak District National Park, with stunning views of the Hope Valley, this refurbished coaching inn is a great favourite with tourists and travellers exploring the delights of Chatsworth House, the Blue John Caves, and of course the nearby Millstones at Bole Hill (just round the corner from the pub).
Sheffield Road, Hathersage, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
The Plough InnSet in glorious grounds by the banks of the River Derwent, this converted sixteenth-century corn mill and lead smelting house is the kind of pub that sets Peak District tourists drooling.
Leadmill Bridge, Hathersage, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
Red Lion InnA short walk from Carsington Water (Britain's newest reservoir) on the fringes of The Peak District National Park, this well-tended seventeenth-century inn is a gem of a pub.
Main Street, Hognaston, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
The Crown InnTucked away in a beguiling hamlet on the southern fringes of the Peak District (some eight miles from Ashbourne), the Crown at Marston Montgomery still bears all the hallmarks of a traditional country inn with its Georgian farmhouse features, beamed ceilings and old fireplaces.
Riggs Lane, Marston Montgomery, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern British
Tavern at TansleyIn the heart of the Derbyshire countryside, the stone-built Tavern at Tansley is a fiercely loyal set-up, supporting its local producers, dispensing traditional beers and ensuring its punters are entertained with everything from wine tastings to live jazz.
Nottingham Road, Matlock, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern British
Thailand No.1Designed to look and feel like a 1920s Gare du Nord brasserie – complete with a balcony – this lively local venue has also retained much of its original décor (it started as a Victorian bank) and has been enhanced with artefacts from an old cinema of the period.
43 Dale Road, Matlock, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Thai
Bay TreeThe Bay Tree Restaurant, located in the centre of the village of Melbourne, opened its doors in 1988 and over the last 21 years co-proprietors, chef Rex Howell and Vicki Talbott, have gained an enviable reputation for offering 'new world cuisine at its best'.
4 Potter Street, Melbourne, Derbyshire - Cuisine: International
Menzies Mickleover CourtMickleover Court is ideally located for Nottingham's East Midlands Airport, about 30 minutes away, as well as all of the attractions of Derbyshire and the Peak District.
Etwall Road, Mickleover, Derbyshire - Cuisine: International
Morley Hayes Hotel, Dovecote RestaurantOriginally the farmstead attached to nearby Morley Manor, this family-run complex now incorporates a hotel, several restaurants and parkland golf courses deep in the Derbyshire countryside.
Main Road, Morley, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern European
The Old VicarageIt's often billed as 'Sheffield's only Michelin-starred restaurant', although Tessa Bramley's converted vicarage is actually surrounded by woodland walks and wild-flower meadows a few miles south of the city.
Ridgeway Moor, Ridgeway, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern British
Risley HallStately Risley Hall offers an oasis of tranquillity and calm amid 17 acres of stunning landscaped gardens in the Derbyshire countryside.
Derby Road, Risley, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern European
East Lodge HotelConveniently placed for a visit to Chatsworth House, this enchanting hotel is set in ten acres of beautifully landscaped grounds and gardens by the banks of the River Derwent, with glorious views of the Derbyshire countryside all around.
Rowsley, Rowsley, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern British
Peacock at RowsleyOriginally the dower house for nearby Haddon Hall, the Peacock was recently acquired by Haddon's owner Lord Edward Manners and has been inventively refurbished as a small luxury hotel.
Bakewell Road, Rowsley, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern European
Shottle Hall Hotel, The OrangerySituated within the grounds of Chatsworth Estate on the edge of the Peak District National Park, Shottle Hall is a splendidly ornate Victorian mansion noted for its glorious gardens, leisure facilities (including falconry) and country-house trappings.
White Lane, Shottle, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern British
Izaak Walton Hotel, Haddon RestaurantNamed after the author of 'The Compleat Angler', this converted farmhouse in the heart of the Derbyshire Peaks has its own stretch of fishing rights on the nearby River Dove.
Dovedale, Thorpe, Derbyshire - Cuisine: Modern British
Peveril of the Peak HotelDating back to the 1830s and taking its name from the novel by Sir Walter Scott, this delightful hotel is in a uniquely charismatic and romantic spot, surrounded by 11 acres of grounds and with the towering Thorpe Cloud as a backdrop.
Dovedale, Thorpe, Derbyshire - Cuisine: International