The George at Alstonefield
“Thoughtfully constructed small plate dining.” - AA Inspector
ALSTONEFIELD, STAFFORDSHIRE
Our Inspector's view
The George is a lovely period building with plenty of original features, all enhanced by beautiful, stylish interiors. There are three dining areas with antiques and mis-matched farmhouse furniture, the larger mostly used for dinner while the smaller room and bar have a nicely intimate atmosphere at lunch. Service throughout, is informal and charming. This is good modern British dining, offering small plates in a tasting format (a shorter version is available at lunch) and a proper roast menu on Sundays. The main menu changes monthly, or even weekly, depending on what’s available from suppliers or the garden. Maybe Shorthorn beef tartare, served with pickled daikon in a cannelloni style wrap, followed perhaps by a piece of Cornish cod, topped with a lovely little quenelle of crushed salt-baked swede. Rhubarb compôte, jelly and purée come with honey cake and a refreshing, vibrantly green lemon balm custard. The wine is a daily selection, carefully chosen to go with what’s on the menu.
Awards, accolades and Welcome Schemes
3 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
Facilities – at a glance
Credit cards accepted
Private dining
Tasting menu
Vegetarian menu
Wheelchair access
Features
- Seats: 45
- Private dining available
- Wheelchair accessible
- Accessible toilets
- Assist dogs welcome
- Closed: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, 25–26 December
- Wines under £30: 8
- Wines over £30: 30
- Wines by the glass: 22
- Cuisine style: British Modern
- Vegetarian menu
Also in the area
About the area
Discover Staffordshire
It was Staffordshire that bore the brunt of the largest non-nuclear explosion of World War II, when a munitions dump at RAF Fauld went up in 1944. It was also the county’s regiment that once boasted within its ranks the most decorated NCO of World War I, in the person of William Coltman (1891-1974). Going back a little further, George Handel penned his world-famous masterpiece The Messiah on Staffordshire soil. During another chapter of Staffordshire history, the county was home to the first canals and the first factory in Britain, and it had front-row seats for the drama surrounding one of the most notorious murder trials of the 19th century, that of Doctor William Palmer.
In outline, Staffordshire looks not unlike the profile of a man giving Leicestershire a big kiss. The man’s forehead is arguably the best region for hillwalking, as it comprises a significant chunk of the Peak District. This area is characterised by lofty moors, deep dales and tremendous views of both. Further south are the six sprawling towns that make up Stoke-on-Trent, which historically have had such an impact on Staffordshire’s fortunes, not to mention its culture and countryside. This is pottery country, formerly at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution and the driving force behind a network of canals that still criss-cross the county.
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