Restaurant in Matlock, United Kingdom
Riverside Michelin cooking at pub prices.
Stones Restaurant holds a 2025 Michelin Plate and a 4.8 Google rating for confident Modern British cooking on the banks of the River Derwent. At ££, it is the most compelling reason to eat well in Matlock. Book the riverside terrace when the weather allows and expect focused, ingredient-led dishes rather than elaborate tasting menus.
Stones Restaurant earns its 2025 Michelin Plate on the strength of honest, high-quality cooking in a setting that few riverside restaurants in the Derbyshire Dales can match. At the ££ price point, it is one of the most compelling reasons to eat well in Matlock. If you are visiting the Peak District and want a meal that goes beyond pub food without demanding a special-occasion budget, book here. Google reviewers back this up with a 4.8 rating across 473 reviews, which is a reliable signal of consistent delivery rather than one-off brilliance.
Getting to Stones requires a little commitment — the restaurant sits at the bottom of a steep flight of steps on Dale Road, right on the bank of the River Derwent. That physical approach, slightly inconvenient as it is, sets the tone for a place that rewards effort. Once inside, the front room runs floor-to-ceiling windows along the riverside wall, and the rear terrace puts you close enough to the water to feel the difference between a restaurant with a river view and one that is genuinely part of the riverbank. For a first visit, ask for the terrace in warmer months; the front room works well year-round when the weather turns.
The kitchen works within the Modern British framework without apology. The Michelin description is accurate and worth quoting directly: the cooking does not reinvent the wheel, but it does not need to. What you get instead is confident execution of classic combinations built on high-quality ingredients. The occasional Mediterranean touch keeps the menu from feeling too formulaic, but the overall register is one of clarity and restraint rather than novelty. At this price tier, that is exactly the right call — technique in service of the ingredient rather than technique for its own sake. The sourcing choices do real work here. In a region with access to strong British produce from the surrounding countryside, a kitchen that leans on ingredient quality over decorative complexity will consistently outperform one that tries to dress up average sourcing. Stones, on the evidence available, belongs to the former group.
The atmosphere is warm rather than formal. The Michelin inspector flags the "contented diners" and the "lovely team" as defining features of the room, which in practice means this is a place where the front-of-house reinforces the cooking rather than working against it. For a first-timer, expect a welcome that is attentive without being performative. The small scale of the restaurant means service tends to be personal, and the room fills with a crowd that is there to eat and enjoy the setting rather than to be seen. That makes it a strong choice if you want a real conversation at the table.
Booking is direct , this is classified as an easy reservation to secure. Still, given the small size of the dining room and a reputation that has been building steadily, booking ahead is sensible rather than optional, particularly for weekend evenings or if you want the terrace. There is no evidence of a weeks-long wait list, so planning a few days ahead should be sufficient for most visits.
For a first-timer managing expectations: the price point is ££, which in a Derbyshire town context means accessible rather than cheap. You are paying for Michelin-recognised cooking in a riverside setting, and the value case is strong. This is not the place to come if you want elaborate tasting menus or a long list of theatrical courses. The format is compact and the dishes are focused. That is a feature, not a gap. Stones fits the profile of a restaurant where a well-chosen two or three courses will be more satisfying than a drawn-out parade of small plates.
For broader context on eating and staying in the area, the full Matlock restaurants guide covers the wider dining options across the town. If you are making a trip of it, the Matlock hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide are worth checking alongside this page.
Among Michelin-recognised restaurants in Britain's smaller market towns and rural settings, Stones sits in good company. Places like hide and fox in Saltwood and Hand and Flowers in Marlow show how much headroom there is for serious cooking outside London. Stones operates at a more accessible price tier than either, which is part of its appeal for the Derbyshire visitor. Further afield, Moor Hall in Aughton and L'Enclume in Cartmel represent the leading of the northern England dining register if you are planning a wider itinerary. For destination dining in rural settings with a similar ethos of place and produce, Gidleigh Park in Chagford and Ynyshir Hall in Machynlleth are the benchmark comparisons, though both operate at significantly higher price points and booking complexity.
Stones Restaurant is at 1 Dale Road, Matlock DE4 3LT. Access involves a steep descent of steps from street level to the riverside entrance, which is worth knowing before you arrive, particularly if you have mobility considerations. The front room has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the River Derwent; the rear terrace is the better seat in good weather. No phone number or website is listed in current records, so booking via a third-party reservation platform or direct enquiry through available local directories is the practical route. Hours are not published in current data, so confirm before travelling. For the wider Matlock area, the Matlock wineries guide covers any wine-focused stops worth combining with a visit.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stones Restaurant | Negotiate the steep steps down to this small riverside restaurant and you’ll be rewarded with a warm, welcoming atmosphere courtesy of your fellow contented diners and the lovely team. The well-kept front room features floor-to-ceiling windows, while the delightful rear terrace is in prime position for views of the River Derwent. The cooking doesn’t reinvent the wheel but nor does it need to – instead, the chefs confidently execute classic combinations of high-quality ingredients, resulting in satisfyingly flavoursome dishes.; Michelin Plate (2025); Negotiate the steep steps down to this small riverside restaurant and head for the front room with its floor to ceiling windows or the delightful rear terrace which offers wonderful views. Unfussy, modern British dishes are attractively presented and display the odd Mediterranean touch. | ££ | — |
| Restaurant Gordon Ramsay | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | ££££ | — |
| CORE by Clare Smyth | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | ££££ | — |
| The Ledbury | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | ££££ | — |
| Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | ££££ | — |
| Dinner by Heston Blumenthal | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | ££££ | — |
Side-by-side comparison to help you decide where to book.
The venue data does not confirm whether Stones offers a formal tasting menu. What the 2025 Michelin Plate does confirm is that the kitchen executes classic Modern British combinations with confidence and high-quality ingredients at ££ pricing — making any set format here likely to represent strong value for the standard. If a tasting format is a dealbreaker, call ahead to confirm current offerings before booking.
Specific dietary policy is not documented in available venue data. At a small Michelin Plate riverside restaurant like Stones, the menu is relatively focused, so contact them directly before booking if you have restrictions — smaller kitchens can often accommodate with notice but rarely without it.
The entrance involves a steep descent of steps from Dale Road down to riverside level — that's a practical consideration, not a minor footnote, especially for anyone with mobility limitations. Once inside, the front room has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the River Derwent, and the rear terrace puts you directly above the water. The cooking is unfussy Modern British with occasional Mediterranean touches: this is not a theatrical dining experience, it's a well-executed neighbourhood restaurant that holds a 2025 Michelin Plate.
Stones is described as a small restaurant, which typically limits group flexibility. The space is split between a front dining room and a rear terrace, so larger parties should check the venue's official channels to confirm whether a group booking is feasible and whether the terrace can be reserved. Don't assume walk-in capacity for parties over four.
Yes, with the right expectations. A 2025 Michelin Plate, riverside terrace with River Derwent views, and ££ pricing make it a compelling option for a birthday or anniversary dinner in Derbyshire — particularly if you want recognised cooking quality without London-level spend. It's not a white-tablecloth occasion venue; it's warm and relaxed, which suits some occasions better than others.
Stones is the only Michelin-recognised restaurant documented in Matlock at this price point, which makes direct local comparisons limited. For Michelin-level Modern British cooking elsewhere in Derbyshire, you'd need to look toward the broader Peak District or Sheffield. If you're set on Matlock and Stones doesn't fit — whether due to the steps, group size, or format — the local pub and bistro scene is the realistic alternative, without the same culinary credentials.
At ££ pricing with a 2025 Michelin Plate, Stones is among the stronger value propositions in Derbyshire dining. The Michelin recognition signals kitchen consistency and ingredient quality, and the riverside setting on the River Derwent adds to the case. Compared to Michelin-recognised restaurants in London — where ££ rarely gets you past a set lunch — Stones delivers meaningfully more for the spend.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
