The Tickled Trout Hotel in Preston is a peaceful restaurant with breathtaking views across the River Ribble, just the ticket for those looking to escape the daily grind and relax in nature. Although, it's not too far away from Preston's town centre, which is particularly handy for an afternoon out.
You'll also be well connected via rail, and the M6, M55 and M61 motorways are closeby. Even though we’re talking about the restaurant, you may be intrigued to learn that The Tickled Trout is also a luxury hotel, with cosy rooms that provide a welcome retreat. Consider pairing the two and set yourself up for the ultimate weekend out. Riverside Bar and Restaurant is the main place to eat at The Tickled Trout, with an offer of traditional a la carte dishes, pre-dinner drinks in the bar, and picky dining on the terrace. The group executive chef, Richard Dickson, is particularly keen on using beautiful, British and Scottish ingredients, and is really open about where they're sourced from. For example, the restaurant shares that its wild and sustainable fish, landed in Peterhead, Scrabster and Shetland by Fish Brothers, and cheese and chutneys are proudly provided by Taste of Arran.
Order some nibbles before dinner, like the Stornoway black pudding bon bons with mustard mayonnaise, before enjoying your starter, which may be the monkfish scampi with curry oil, pickled onions and pea puree, and then dive straight into the mains - where, like many other restaurants, the dishes really shine. We love the sound of the Cumberland sausage ring with mashed potato, caramelised onions, an onion ring and red wine jus, for an elevated take on a hearty classic. The slow cooked belly of pork with potato rosti and vegan Greek salad both sound delightful, and we were impressed to see a whole section dedicated to flavours of India (designed in partnership with Michelin-star chef, Atul Kochhar).