On a perpetual quest to find the best Sunday Roast dinner in Buxton, the EB team were only too happy to receive an invitation from the Palace Hotel, and not just any old roast, but their esteemed carvery no less. Here at Explore Buxton, we don’t usually recommend anything until we’ve tried it ourselves!
You can’t miss the Palace Hotel, it’s a large grand building on a hill, overlooking the centre of town, as prominent as Buxton Crescent Hotel or The Dome. At night, the words Palace Hotel are lit up on the roof of the hotel, which is really handy if you’re staying there and are not sure of the way back. Built in 1868, The Palace has preserved Buxton’s heyday as a spa resort.
Despite the Victorian splendour, the hotel is by no means stuffy. You get the wow factor of a sophisticated bygone age but the staff are down-to-earth and very welcoming. In other words, you don’t have to be royalty to stay in this palace. Nor do you have to be an actual guest to visit the Restaurant or bars. Other facilities such as such as their health and leisure club are also open to non-guests. It’s funny how many of us have a mental block which tells us you can’t go to a hotel unless you’re staying there.
The prices are equally as accessible. The three-course carvery is just £14.95 per person. Many pubs offer a roast dinner for around the same price but three courses in a magnificent restaurant is a great deal. Why settle for being crammed into the corner of a crowded pub when you can unwind in the roomy luxury of a hotel? What we loved about the Palace restaurant was the amount of space around us whilst we were eating, and the height of the room. On a warm Summer’s day, having a bit of air around you felt like a … well, a breath of fresh air! The ambience contributes to an unfussy and unhurried experience, which surely is how any dinner should be. Some of the tables are enormous so if you’ve got a big party in need of a feed, this is the place.
But the big question is: Does the nosh match their excellent service? We sampled the starter, a tasty broccoli and Stilton soup, so far, so good. We moved on to the main event with the assistance of a very friendly chef who helped us to load up our plates with carved slices of turkey, a (homemade) Yorkshire pudding, pigs-in-blankets, roast potatoes, roast veg, cranberry sauce and of course gravy (there are veggie options). It felt slightly odd to have what was essentially Christmas dinner in the middle of Summer but we’re not complaining. The meal was scrumptious, with a special shout out to the roast potatoes. They may be the best roast potatoes we’ve ever had. The Palace are closely guarding exactly how these earthly wonders are created.
If this is all wasn’t enough, we couldn’t really leave without trying the desert and as it turned out, skipping it would have been tantamount to a crime. There were half a dozen choices for desert but the obvious option seems to be the parkin and custard. Tasting like something your gran would make, it had a real homemade vibe, and completely astonished us with its delicious nostalgia. It was like a big hug and a perfect end to the culinary journey. As you can imagine, by now, we were feeling rather full, but we reclined into our chairs and enjoyed the view of town. Luckily, the way home was downhill!
The Palace carvery is a contender for one of the best Sunday roast dinners in town and will take some beating. However, if you believe different, please get in touch. We’re always keen to promote what makes Buxton a special place.
Palace Hotel Buxton & Spa, Palace Road, Buxton, SK17 6AG
T: 01298 22001 (Direct) / For Bedroom Reservations T: 0871 221 0253
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