The Rat Inn
Anick, Northumberland
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‘Great food, great atmosphere, proper pub,' declared one reader who lives locally. This revamped 18th-century drovers’ inn atop a hill also offers spectacular views of the Tyne Valley and proves its worth as a local watering hole, with an atmospheric bar, up to six ales from North Country microbreweries on tap and 'lots of quirky items to look at'. The cooking has real character too, and it's obvious that the kitchen is passionate about provenance and Northumbrian produce – check out the board detailing the local farms and herds that supply its meat. You can sample the results by ordering from the regular ‘seasonal menu’, which puts the emphasis firmly on steaks – sold by weight and served with the pub’s own ‘steak sauce’. Even more alluring is the list of daily specials, which might run from pork and black pudding terrine to griddled sea bass with roasted cauliflower, lemon and caper butter. Skilfully fashioned desserts could be anything from Basque cheesecake to Manchester tart, although the rhubarb crumble with homemade ice cream has also gone down a treat. The personally selected wine list includes a dozen selections by the glass.
