By Katie Wilson
Sedbergh in Cumbria is known for being England’s official ‘book town’, but The Black Bull pub with rooms makes it well worth a trip for foodies too.
Set on the edge of the Lake District and within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, The Black Bull is a contemporary coaching inn and dining room serving award-winning food.
You might have spotted head chef and co-owner Nina Matsunaga on the BBC’s Great British Menu – and she was recently named one of the top female chefs in the UK.
Her German and Japanese heritage influences the food, that cleverly fuses British, European and Asian flavours using a variety of local producers located within 20 miles of Sedbergh.
Though The Black Bull has been open since 2018, Nina has just launched her first ever tasting menu and The Boutique Handbook team were among the first to try it.
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FIRST IMPRESSIONS
There’s no doubt about it, The Black Bull is one of the prettiest buildings in Sedbergh. While it retains all its traditional charm on the outside, inside it’s unlike any pub we’ve ever been in.
There are nods to chef Nina’s heritage and life now everywhere you look. In the cosy bar area, which has more of a ‘pub’ feel, Japanese artwork, vintage posters and cooking utensils adorn the walls. A lucky cat waves at you from the corner, local books and artefacts from times gone by are dotted all around, and there is a huge eucalyptus wreath lit up with fairy lights. On the other side, booth seats surround a fire that roars from a stylish log burner.
Opposite is the main dining room that is rustic and botanical in style. Japanese plants in the window create an almost rockery effect. Above, more plants hang from a branch suspended from the ceiling. Terrariums are dotted around the upper part of the restaurant, where dried plants and flowers are also displayed in vases or hang from the walls.
THE ROOMS
Above The Black Bull there are 18 boutique rooms, but all are uber stylish. Choose from Classic, Superior, Luxury or the Suite. There are also dog-friendly rooms and dogs are welcome in the bar area downstairs.
If you want to treat yourself, opt for a Superior or Luxury room. Some have comfy seating areas or balconies if you’re visiting in the warmer months. Others boast big glass bathrooms with standalone baths and walk-in rainfall showers. One even has a Japanese-style tub.
The Suite is the most spacious room in the house, with a super king-sized bed, separate living room and large bathroom with freestanding bath. Higher tier rooms come with added comforts, such as soft fluffy bath robes and slippers. Tea, coffee, milk and welcome cookies were left out for our arrival.
In keeping with their ethos of using local suppliers, you’ll find ‘Petrichor’ toiletries in every room, made exclusively for The Black Bull by The Sedbergh Soap Co, which you can buy to take home. British wool blankets and carpets from Wools of Cumbria and Laura’s Loom, local artwork by Rob Whitrow, and handmade ceramics from Rebecca Callis Porcelain also feature in the rooms.
FOOD AND DRINK
The Black Bull has been loved by locals and visitors to Sedbergh for a few years now, but 2024 is the first time Nina has offered a Tasting Menu to go alongside the à la carte and bar menus.
Guests are free to choose which menu they would like to eat from. All focus on the best local produce as the seasons change, with traditional dishes given a unique twist inspired by Nina’s German and Japanese heritage.
If you are wanting something a bit special, or haven’t eaten at The Black Bull in a while, we’d recommend the new Tasting Menu, which is £79pp for seven courses and served from 6pm to 9pm Wednesday to Saturday and 12pm to 3pm Saturday lunchtime. Add wine pairing for an extra £49pp.
Inventive dishes, all beautifully presented, include a rabbit dumpling, scallop bite with bergamot and Herdwick lamb with kimchi when we visit. A vegetarian version of the Tasting Menu is also available.
Nina said: ‘Many of the dishes I’ve created are specifically designed to introduce new flavours and ingredients to our diners, including things that you might not expect to see on the menu in a historic coaching inn in the Yorkshire Dales.’
On the main menu you’ll still find hearty dishes such as pheasant, beef pie, white beef brisket and braised napa cabbage with beetroot. The bar menu is more casual with soups, sandwiches and cheese and meat platters. In keeping with the traditional pub vibe, Monday is pie night, Tuesday is curry night and you can get a roast with all the trimmings on Sundays.
Kids are welcome too and have their own menu. While breakfast, included in the price of the rooms, ranges from porridge and yoghurt and granola to a full English, with welcome extras such as mackerel and scrambled eggs and Welsh rarebit on toast.
EXTRAS
In the warmer months, guests should make a beeline for the Stables & Meadow area, The Black Bull’s pretty suntrap terrace.
With plenty of seating, some covered, relax with a drink in the garden. The bar menu is served here. You’ll also find fruit trees, a herb terrace, plenty of flowers to attract the resident bees, plus chickens and two mischievous pigs. When night falls, cosy up by the log burner.
OVERALL VERDICT
For super stylish rooms and seriously tasty food showcasing the finest seasonal produce between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales, book a stay at The Black Bull in Sedbergh.
Rooms start from £149 a night, including breakfast
Book a stay or meal at The Black Bull here
*The Boutique Handbook visited as part of a complimentary PR stay, but we always give honest reviews
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