Tarvin, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

2021 Review: Just a short drive outside Chester, a smartly appointed “bar and bistro in an old family grocers shop retaining much of the original features and fittings of the Georgian building” (The Gunnery). “A straightforward menu is well realised” and weekend brunch is a feature.

“Been several times and it is just the perfect neighbourhood bistro…” – no-one would seek the roots of a famous chain in Hoole (a gentrified but easily-missed inner suburb near Chester’s train station), but Gary Usher’s well-known Elite Bistros group has grown from these modest beginnings: a small backstreet operation founded in 2011. What is it that makes this “local brasserie style restaurant” a cut above? It’s the “consistently good food, wine and engaging and knowledgeable service”. “The ambience might depend on the clientele for that evening, as it’s fairly small – upstairs was very quiet on our visit, but that made it easy to have a conversation with our friends without competing noise”.

Another characterful pub in the Brunning & Price chain (a red-brick former warehouse with plenty of reclaimed décor including a bar made of old mahogany doors) in an appealing canal-side location between the train station and city centre. It’s a “noisy” and sociable sort of spot and the food is of “good dependable quality”.

Feedback is more limited than we would like, but is enthusiastic over this grey-hued boutique hotel dining room, run from afar by game expert Mike Robinson. Chef Dan Regan oversees the preparation of a menu that majors in 40-60 day, dry-aged beef steaks from a selection of sirloin or ribeye cuts.