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Oak Room - The Duncombe Arms, Ashbourne, Derbyshire
GARDEN ROOM - The Duncombe Arms, Ashbourne, Derbyshire
The Duncombe Arms, Ashbourne, Derbyshire
The Duncombe Arms, Ashbourne, Derbyshire
GARDEN ROOM - The Duncombe Arms, Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Award-winning

The Duncombe Arms

4.7
4.7
2324 Reviews
£26 to £40
British
The Duncombe Arms, Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 2GZ

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 p.m.
Booked 26 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Great for fine wines
The Duncombe Arms is a beautiful, traditional country pub situated at the heart of the lovely rural village of Ellastone on the Staffordshire / Derbyshire border. Located on the edge of the Peak District near the towns of Ashbourne and Uttoxeter it is a great place to visit providing a delightful setting in which to enjoy a drink, some lovely food, as well as a chat with friends or family.

Come inside and enjoy a roaring log fire, sample our excellent range of beers and wines or enjoy fabulous food from our award-winning chef Scott Law. Or in the summer you can laze in our large garden overlooking the view to Worthy Island Wood.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    £26 to £40
  • Cuisines
    British, European, Gastro Pub
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 12:00 pm–2:30 pm Sun 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Sat 6:00 pm–8:30 pm Sun 6:00 pm–7:30 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Scott Law
  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2023
  • Neighbourhood
    Ashbourne
  • Cross Street
    MAIN ROAD ELLASTONE DE6 2GZ
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Gift card

Gift card

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What 2,324 people are saying

The Duncombe Arms reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseEnergetic

Loved For

  • Derbyshire

    Best Overall

  • Derbyshire

    Best Food

  • Derbyshire

    Best Service

  • Derbyshire

    Best Ambience

  • Derbyshire

    Good for business meals

  • Derbyshire

    Great for fine wines

  • Derbyshire

    Good for special occasions

  • Derbyshire

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Duncombe Arms is celebrated for its "consistently excellent" food and "impeccable" service, offering a cozy and inviting atmosphere with open fires and characterful rooms. Guests rave about the "absolutely top-class" meals, including standout dishes like the apple Tarte Tatin and rib-eye steak. A must-visit gem!
2,324 Reviews
  1. Nicola

    Staffordshire2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had table for 4 people for Sunday dinner ,service food and place was excellent. Would recommend this place 100%

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  2. jodie

    Derbyshire1 review

    4.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Had a lovely meal. Pie wasn't great...more veg than meat but was ok. Beef dinner was lovely. good size.

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  3. OpenTable Diner

    Dorset1 review

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We are vegetarian but unfortunately there was only a pie or gnocchi for us which we didn’t want…we wanted something special as it was our anniversary. The waiter suggested we had the Sunday roast without the meat. Now I know this sounds daft but the vegetables were cooked beautifully and the overall taste was great.

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  4. OpenTable Diner

    Birmingham1 review

    4.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    We all thoroughly enjoyed our meals at The Duncombe Arms. The starters were excellent, with the cauliflower soup standing out in particular—rich, comforting, and full of flavour. The mains were equally impressive. The gnocchi and salmon were both excellent, and my wife described the chicken Kiev as incredible—crispy, perfectly cooked, and really satisfying. I didn’t mention that my lamb was cold, as we’d already waited a little while for our food and I didn’t want to cause a fuss. That said, the flavour was still very good. One small concern was around allergen information. While I was given a dairy-free menu and advised which dishes contained nuts, I was told to speak to the waiter for further details. I appreciate that verbal communication is permitted under current regulations, but a clear allergen matrix—covering the 14 main allergens—is a legal requirement and would be a much more reassuring approach. As someone with allergies, it was slightly uncomfortable placing responsibility for that in someone else’s hands. Overall, though, we had a great time, really enjoyed the food, and would definitely return.

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  5. Paul

    Gloucestershire1 review

    3.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    On our reservation we requested to be seated inside in the bar but were actually shown to a table in the conservatory/bordering outside (doors fully open). When we queried this, we were then given the option of eating inside. Upon arrival, the sign directed us to report to the bar to notify of our arrival. We did this and were completely ignored by three members of staff who didn't bother to ask to see if they could help us. I ended up going to find a member of staff myself after the three bar staff all disappeared. We ordered 1 x Pork Chop and 1 x Lamb steak/chop. We eat out frequently at a range of high quality places and so can make the following statement with confidence: The meals were nice but overpriced. The amount of meat on both meals was minimum as a result of the bone/fat content on both meats. The general portion size of the meal was small and somewhat inadequate. The venue charged extra for side portion of greens which, again, was small in size and really ought to have been included within the cost of the main course. The side dish of greens comprised of some cut green beans - hardly what we would call a selection. Overall, the venue was a nice place but the dining experience was rather disappointing unfortunately. We chose not to pay the additional 10% discretionary charge the venue had intended to add to our bill.

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  6. Felicity

    London1 review

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is a brilliant pub. Found whilst staying at Alton Towers as the food and service in the resort is not good. We were delighted by high quality food - especially the fish and excellent level of service. Highly recommend!

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  7. Helen VIP

    Glasgow17 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on April 8, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a tasty upmarket pub meal in very pleasant surroundings . The apple tarts tastin was particularly tasty

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  8. Carol

    Staffordshire3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 8, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    lovely food - market menu - midweek lunch - great setting in the garden room on a lovely day nice touch for our anniversary - message and little treats at the end of the meal

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  9. Jane

    Dubai6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 5, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    One of our favourite places to eat. You are always guaranteed a great meal at the Duncombe Arms

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  10. OpenTable Diner

    Leicestershire1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 3, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had wonderful food, service and wine. Well worth a visit. We will be back soon. Thanks

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FAQs

The Duncombe Arms is rated 4.7 stars by 2324 OpenTable diners.

The Duncombe Arms does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United Kingdom
  3. Derbyshire
  4. Ashbourne
  5. Ashbourne

Make a reservation


Booked 26 times today
Google Map for The Duncombe Arms

The Duncombe Arms, Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 2GZ

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2023
  • Cross Street
    MAIN ROAD ELLASTONE DE6 2GZ
  • Neighbourhood
    Ashbourne
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 12:00 pm–2:30 pm Sun 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Sat 6:00 pm–8:30 pm Sun 6:00 pm–7:30 pm
  • Price
    £26 to £40
  • Cuisines
    British, European, Gastro Pub
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Scott Law
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Gift card

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card
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