“Nina and James have a simple food ethos: to use only the best seasonal ingredients available from what they refer to as the neck of Britain, the counties of Yorkshire, Cumbria, Lancashire, Northumberland, Durham, Derbyshire and Cheshire. They insist that they use native breeds, sourced in most cases no more than twenty miles from the kitchen door. They prefer to use animals that are farmed traditionally on small farms across the Lune Valley, on the banks of the River Lune from Lancaster to the Sedbergh fells, to guarantee the provenance of what they are serving, which is important in reducing food miles, creating local jobs and limiting the stress to the animal. Ultimately, this results in a product with great texture and taste.”

Pheasant with parsnip, Yorkshire parkin, and sea buckthorn; Herdwick lamb pie with mashed potato and red cabbage; British White ribeye and brisket with bone marrow potato, mushroom, and chard.

Dubbed “fine foodie territory” by The Times, The Black Bull, Sedburgh is one of north-west England’s must-visits. Believing in the power of seasonal ingredients, this elegant establishment serves fresh, flavoursome dishes crafted with produce sourced from the surrounding landscape. Locally-reared beef, sheep and pigs are championed, along with wild venison, rabbit and grouse, sustainably-sourced fish from the North Sea and foraged ingredients including ramsons, wild mushrooms and hedgerow greens. The dining room, fitted out with wooden floors, earthenware pottery and mossy foliage completes the overall experience of dining at The Black Bull, Sedburgh: stylish yet full of substance.

“Hyper-local yet audaciously worldly: Manchester street food stalwarts Nina Matsunaga and James Ratcliffe bring Asian culinary flair to a chic 17th-century inn on the Cumbria-Yorkshire border.” –National Geographic Traveller (UK)