We recently visited The Lime Tree in Bollington, a small village on the Cheshire side of the Peak District, having been for a walk around White Nancy, a local hill! They offered a £35 three-course menu which provided excellent value for the standard of food on offer. The restaurant has a warm, welcoming atmosphere, with the conservatory at the back of the dining area offering a lovely, relaxed setting.
To start, Elliot had the cream of celeriac soup, truffle mushrooms, and mushroom croute (v). The soup was beautifully smooth, with a subtle background note of truffle that elevated the flavor without overwhelming it. The crostini and slices of bread provided a pleasant accompaniment. The bread was fine, though it wasn’t warm – little details.
Elliot’s main course was the roast rump of beef, slow-cooked chuck, chimichurri, caramelized onion, roast carrot, French fries, and red wine jus. The beef was cooked perfectly—tender and flavorful—and the chimichurri, while present, wasn’t too overpowering with strong herbaceous flavours and worked really well. The French fries were an interesting choice, replacing the usual roast potatoes – but worked really well with the beef. It was kind of a steak-frite-come-roast dinner vibe! The caramelized onions were sweet, and the red wine just added a deep, savory flavor that tied the dish together.
Kirsty chose the baked goat’s cheese crostini, honey and sesame seeds, beetroot salad, and balsamic dressing (v) to start. The goat’s cheese was rich and smooth, and the honey and sesame seeds paired nicely with it, adding sweetness and texture. The beetroot salad added an earthy, fresh element, and the balsamic dressing, while tangy, complemented the other flavors well.
For her main, Kirsty had the traditional roast Cheshire turkey breast with seasonal accompaniments. The turkey was tender and juicy, and the vegetables were cooked perfectly—not overdone and still maintaining their texture. The seasoning was just right, with everything well-balanced. Good roasties and a really quite large portion!
For dessert, Elliot had the Cropwell Bishop Stilton with Cheshire honey and crackers. It’s difficult to be critical as it really did do what it said on the tin, but it wasn’t overwhelmingly good – possibly the Stilton lacked that “take the top of your mouth off” flavour that a really strong blue has and the honey became the main taste.
Kirsty opted for the Christmas sticky toffee pudding, toffee sauce, and Christmas pudding ice cream. The sticky toffee pudding was a real highlight—moist and full of flavor, with generous toffee sauce that soaked into the cake. The Christmas pudding ice cream added a festive touch, bringing a slight spiced flavor that worked well with the toffee sauce. The dessert as a whole was indulgent and comforting, a great way to end the meal.
Throughout the meal, there were a couple of occasions where we had to wait for drink refills, but this was not a significant issue and didn’t take away from the overall experience. The relaxed atmosphere, along with the quality of the food, made for a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
For £35 per person, the meal offered great value, with each course well-executed and thoughtfully prepared. There were no major issues with any of the dishes, and we would definitely return for an evening meal in the New Year.
