St Mary’s Inn, Stannington, isn’t far from the A1 but (wonderfully) still feels a bit like the middle of nowhere – if you ignore the new fancy housing estate immediately surrounding it of course! The last time I visited was in November, the week it opened. I got very lost because I stupidly followed the sat nav, not the directions I was given. I was panicking that I would have the same issue this time, but actually, it’s only 15 minutes from my house and very easy to find!

When we arrived, I wasn’t surprised to see that it was relatively busy, with people in the bar, the outdoor courtyard and restaurant area. We got seated in a different area than last time, it was much brighter which made me happy.

To start we both ordered the Potted Pork with House Pickles and Sourdough (£6.50).

It was delicious, I’d certainly order it again. The pork was mouth-wateringly good and the sourdough was perfect, especially with the pickles. I could have done with a few more pickles (I’m a pickle fiend). I was dining with my friend (from France), who informed me that this is served with gherkins in France. I wouldn’t have said no to a gherkin or two 🙂

For mains we went with the Ribeye Steak with Béarnaise sauce with Fries (£16) and the Aberdeen Angus Cheeseburger (£10.50) with Bone Marrow and Parsley Fries (£3.50).

Both were good choices and we enjoyed our meals, especially the Bone Marrow and Parsley Fries which I would definitely recommend ordering! So much flavour. Julie’s steak was not as rare as she’d hoped for and she was a bit disappointed with the Béarnaise sauce, it was almost foamy.

For dessert, this Chocolate Brownie Sundae (£6.50) was calling my name and did not disappoint although I nowhere near finished it. It tasted even better than it looks. The rest of the dessert menu looked fantastic and there was a delicious sounding yoghurt panna cotta on the specials board, which I would have ordered had I not already set my sights on the Sundae!

The service was as good as my last visit, staff were attentive, friendly and helpful but not overbearing. We had a few people serve us, including Victor Castro, the General Manager,  who was busy throughout our visit, chatting to diners whilst serving.

I really enjoyed driving out to St Mary’s Inn, I love the ambience and cosiness (who doesn’t love a wood-burning stove?) of the place as well as the attention to detail with the furnishings. It’s also really nice to go somewhere out of the city centre for a change (with no parking traumas). The menu has plenty to choose from and has recently changed, you can check it out here.

Have you been to St Mary’s Inn yet? I’d love to know what you ordered and what you thought! If you’re thinking of popping in, I’d recommend calling up to book beforehand. Next on my list is the Sunday Lunch which I’ve heard great things about.

* Our meals were provided free of charge for review purposes, but as with everything on my blog, my opinions are 100% honest.