2024 review: This article describes a menu served at the time. For current food and opening information, visit RedWillow Buxton.
Whilst other bars have come and gone, RedWillow has become a staple of Buxton’s West End (the area around the Opera House). Duplicating its success in Macclesfield where the RedWillow Brewery is based, the bar has become a welcome feature in Buxton since opening in 2017. Earning multiple CAMRA Pub of the Season awards and consistently winning SIBA accolades over the years speaks for itself.
Perhaps it was the novelty of the former bank building, the laid-back atmosphere or the choice of drinks, but RedWillow had found its own identity. Its then-new menu paired small plates with flavours from India, China, Thailand and elsewhere.
RedWillow had become known for pizza, but in 2024 it was offering something different. We sent the Explore Buxton team along to try the menu.
Despite being five o’clock on a cold Thursday, the bar was bustling and a few people had evidently beaten us to trying the new menu. The initial challenge is the choice! Everything on the menu looks like it’s going to take your tastebuds to another dimension. Not only this, you’ll have to decide which wine, beer/ale, cocktail, etc. will go well with it. We guess this is all part of the fun in a bar already synonymous with fun.
Small dishes to share suited a night out, especially before a visit to the nearby theatre or cinema.
We tried a handful of the new vegetarian and meat dishes and met chef Sunitha Southern. Her Indian Goat food truck had featured on The Hairy Bikers, and she had opened Kira in Bollington before collaborating with RedWillow on the 2024 menu.
Kira’s former website manager reports that the Bollington restaurant ceased trading on 31 May 2025.
The review referred to the Indian phrase Atithi Devo Bhava, meaning “the guest is akin to God”, while praising Sunitha’s welcoming approach.
Brewery owner Caroline McKenzie said: “Teaming up with Kira to complement the drinks range helps take RedWillow Buxton to the next stage in its journey. The new menu draws inspiration from some of the world’s top food destinations – Japan, China, Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka. Our ales are all about bold flavours, so we wanted to offer food that pairs perfectly with that same focus on taste.”
Sunday Lunch
In 2024, Sunitha’s team also served Sunday roast lunches.
We genuinely loved all the dishes we tried. We’re not experts on where all the different flavours originate from but all agreed on one thing: They were tasty! In fact, we’d even go so far as to say we’ve never had food quite like it. We enjoyed the dishes we tried.
Visiting RedWillow
For current food options and opening hours, see the RedWillow Buxton website.
RedWillow Buxton, 1 Cavendish Circus, Buxton, SK17 6AT
T: 01298 807582
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