The Yorkshire Dales and The Lake District are two of England’s most beautiful areas. Moors, valleys and hills in Yorkshire morph into fell mountains and (of course) stunning lakes across the border into Cumbria. Smack bang in the middle of these two stunning parts of the world lies the pretty market town of Sedbergh, which is where you’ll find Nina Matsunaga and James Ratcliffe’s one-of-a-kind restaurant with rooms, The Black Bull.

Originally a seventeenth-century coaching inn, the building has been lovingly restored by James and Nina, reopening the business in 2018. It’s now home to a bar area, restaurant and eighteen rooms. The interior is sleek, dark and more contemporary than your average gastropub – but the original character of the premises has been retained and combined seamlessly with the more recent renovations.

The menu is a celebration of both Nina and James’ backgrounds – both have worked in food and hospitality throughout their adult lives, but where things get interesting is how James’ background of rustic British cooking using the best local ingredients meets Nina’s love of pan-Asian flavours and the odd nod to her time growing up in Germany. The à la carte menu namechecks all sorts of ingredients sourced from the immediate area – Howgill Herdwick lamb, Mansergh Hall pork and game when in season – but these fresh ingredients can come accompanied by the likes of kimchi, XO sauce and laphet (Burmese fermented tea leaf salad) – all made by Nina herself.

The bar area has its own menu of sandwiches, platters and simpler mains, but they’re all still made with the same top-quality produce. There’s also a children’s menu and roasts on Sunday. For those staying the night, breakfast offers all the usual suspects but made with the best quality ingredients.

When it comes to wine, there’s a decent amount to choose from, both by the glass and bottle from all over the world. The bar area always has local ales on tap, and there’s also a separate sake menu for those looking for something out of the ordinary.

Even if The Black Bull offered the sort of food you’d expect from a Cumbrian gastropub, it’d be one of the best in the area. With Nina’s unique cooking style, however, it has become a destination restaurant in its own right, serving deeply creative dishes unlike anything else we’ve really seen. It’s a must-visit when you’re in the area.