Tripadvisor reviewers call it an “absolute gem” - so we decided to see how a well‑known Northumberland pub measured up.
We called in at The Manor House in Haltwhistle for lunch while staying nearby at Herding Hill Farm Camping and Glamping Site, after walking into town via Haltwhistle Burn.
This pub and bed and breakfast has won numerous awards, from Channel 4's reality show Four in a Bed to winning the Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Awards every year since 2018.
We were quickly seated at a table in one of the cosy snugs adjacent to the bar, and received our drinks within a few minutes.
I picked a pint of Madri, while my partner had a large Pepsi Max.
The waiting staff were great - both of them were attentive, informative and genuinely happy to help.
Following some deliberation over the food menu, I chose beer-battered cod with homemade chips, served with either mushy peas (my choice) or garden peas, and tartare sauce.
My partner picked the steak and ale pie, which could be served with either mash or homemade chips (his choice), plus gravy and seasonal vegetables.
Both dishes were priced at £18.45, and when we tucked in, we thought this was very reasonable due to the high standard of cooking.
My first impressions of the fish and chips were that the batter was very crispy and the chips were cooked just right to be fluffy inside.
The waiter brought me a pot of garlic mayonnaise, which was a nice touch.
The fish was lovely and flaky - a sometimes challenging task to perfect - and it was tasty enough to finish the whole lot.
Portion sizes were more than generous, and we both thought we wouldn't finish them.
My partner said his pie was filled to the brim with steak that just 'fell apart' in a crust that was not too stodgy or wafer-thin.
We challenged ourselves with ordering a sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce and custard, priced at £7.45, to wrap things up.
Luckily, we got this to share as it was a whopper of a dessert - a slab of moist sponge pudding filled with dates, rich toffee sauce, and a full gravy boat of boiling, creamy custard.
This was too good to waste, and we even polished off all the custard it came with.
The sticky toffee pudding is one of the best I have tried for a long time (and I've tried a few).
After we paid the bill, a modest £59 for what we thought was very good service and good quality of food, we wandered back to our campsite at Herding Hill Farm.
One Tripadvisor review of The Manor House said: "What an incredible experience. 10/10. From the establishment through to the super staff. This is an absolute gem. Dog friendly with great food and location."
Another said they had 'the most amazing food'.
"We were a group of 10 adults, all with healthy appetites," they said.
"Staff were super friendly and helpful. Would definitely recommend and return again."
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