Review – Bluestone National Park Resort – Food and Drink

In my next series of reviews about Bluestone National Park Resort, I’ll be looking at the Food and Drink offering available to those who want a night off self catering. As I’ve mentioned in my accommodation review, you can happily feed yourself in the Lodges. That said, if you’re on holiday – you probably want to leave the cooking to someone else. Bluestone have your covered and there are a decent selection of outlets to feed you. In this review, I’ve looked at five of the most popular establishments.

First up – the Farmhouse Grill.

Farmhouse Grill

“Good food served simply, fresh local meats and fish grilled to your liking in a relaxed, family friendly atmosphere. A children’s area will occupy your little ones whilst you sit back and wait for dinner.”

The Farmhouse Grill is a large restaurant, that has a slightly ‘barn’ feel to it. The furnishings and finishes are fabulous, and it has a cozy, homely feel. Whilst it boasts local meats and fish – and the menu is certainly ‘meat heavy’ – there are a good choice of dishes for veggies too.

Personally, I’m not sure how I feel about the ‘play area’ within the restaurant. We were sat next to it, and whilst the kids were having a ball. They weren’t my kids. I didn’t really want to have my meal interrupted by squealing oiks. I think kids should get used to the fact that restaurants don’t have play areas. It’s nice to sit down as a family and enjoy each others company. The service is slick and friendly, and there was only a very short wait for dinner too.

The Farmhouse Grill is a great place to grab dinner, in a family friendly environment. However, I think the play area is a but too much. If you want a quieter meal, perhaps try..

Oak Tree Restaurant

“Flickering candlelight, a glass of red and a few hours to nourish yourselves. Fine food making the most of local and seasonal produce with a daily changing specials board.”

This little gem is above the Knights Tafern. It’s a quieter, smaller restaurant, there’s no ‘theme’ or ‘styling’ it’s a more sedate experience than the Farmhouse Grill. On our first trip in 2015, the menu was a lot larger, this had been reduced for our visit in February 2017. The food was utterly exquisite on the the first trip, on our second it was, again, very good. However as a veggie, the choice wasn’t as vast this time. The food choice is very Italian inspired, lots of Pasta and Pizza.

I love the calm, quieter atmosphere of the Oak Tree, it’s a chilled-out dining experience. It’s still a family restaurant, with a good children’s menu – however most families seem to dine at the Farmhouse, or Knights Tafern. Speaking of which..

Knights Tafarn

“Grab a pint of local ale, meet your neighbours, watch the game and enjoy a meal with the family. Roaring log fire, locally sourced dishes and entertainment most evenings.”

I like the Knights Tafarn, it’s a proper pub. It’s ideal for a quiet pint during the day, and a little lunch. Or you can return in the evening for a proper meal, some entertainment, and a few more beverages. It’s a bit louder of an evening, more so when there’s some sport on. Whilst the ‘pub’ feel is there, the quality and offering of food is better than you’ll find in your average ‘Spoons.

It’s all presented well, and served quickly – there’s lots to choose from too. Think of it more of a decent ‘gastropub’ than a ‘pub with a line of microwaves’.

The Chippy

I *love* The Chippy – it’s in a large demountable unit (a bit like a festival food van) on the outskirts of the village. You just queue up, order your food, and it’s prepared, cooked, and packed in front you. There’s no pre-ordering, or phoning ahead – you just get in line and await deliciousness!

We chose to try The Chippy on a horrible night – there was gale force winds, and heavy rains. However the warmth and charm of the two chaps working in there was wonderful. It’s fair to say all the staff in Bluestone are excellent, however these two were fantastic.

There’s not much choice for veggies (there isn’t much in any fish and chip shops) – however the Stilton and Asparagus pie was SO good.

It was nice to battle through the horrid weather, back to the lodge for a piping hot Pie and Chips in front of the television. Even if you’re keen to keep the cost down by cooking for yourself, I highly recommend trying The Chippy at least once.

Ty Coffi

“Nothing beats the smell of freshly ground coffee in the morning! Visit Ty Coffi in the heart of The Village for fresh coffee, cold drinks, sweet treats and delicious local ice creams. Also on offer are a selection of tasty cakes, soups, baguettes and sandwiches.”

I love my Coffee. I was tempted to take my Nespresso machine to Bluestone – however it stayed at home, largely due to Ty Coffi serving great coffee. It’s had an expansion since our last visit, and it’s a charming place to grab a drink and a light bite to eat. It’s a super cute, bright and airy coffee shop, ideal for a pit stop whilst exploring the village. Or, do as we did – grab a takeaway and enjoy your coffee overlooking the views from your Lodge.

These aren’t the only Food and Drink places within the Bluestone National Park Resort – there’s Camp Smokey which offers freshly cooked barbecue food (it’s open seasonally). As well as the Blue Lagoon Cafe within the Blue Lagoon swimming complex, and as the super cute WildWood Cafe in the Adventure Centre. The Well Spa also has the ‘Caffi Mor’ which is a great place to grab a light bite or a glass of bubbles when you’re using the Spa facilities.

Overall

There’s a fantastic selection of places to eat and drink within Bluestone National Park Resort. Generally, you’ve got all your bases covered, and it was encouraging that most of the staff asked if we had any allergies or dietary requirements. I think the play area within the Farmhouse Grill slightly detracts from what was an otherwise pleasant dining experience. The Oak Tree could do with a larger menu as it felt a little small, however, it’s a great place to dine if there is just two of you and you want a more relaxed experience.

Throughout each establishment the staff are lovely and the service on the whole is excellent. It’s good to see Bluestone have taken the route of doing food and drink in house, rather than farming it out to franchises and chains. All the food and drink was incredibly good value for money, so you can afford to treat yourself for a few meals.