This is no ordinary burger, its a Duke of Portland burger.

Now, if you have never been there before, you would probably mistake the Duke of Portland for one those newly re-branded non-gastro chain pubs, DON’T! Rather enjoy the important differences between quality food and service over sneaky corporate cloaking.

There is great confusion out there at the moment with mega operator-breweries rebranding their country boozers in the “style” of gasto-pubs in a last gasp attempt to hoover up the middle market.. its clever, but sneaky.

The Duke of Portland had been in existence for years as a struggling “boozer”, but once the Mooneys waved their magic wand of food excellence over the building some five years ago a unique transformation had taken place. Since then the Lach Dennis hostelry has steadily risen to the top of the list as one of the most respected food-pubs in Britain, and yes, its ten minutes away from centre of Knutsford.

The Burger. So, why is this different from other burgers served in the area? Simple really, its the classic Mooney mantra playing its part again with “good food, cooked well” giving structure to the very DNA of their dishes. Naturally, there are other notable factors to the the success of a simple dish such as a burger.

The ingredients are all either local or regionally sourced from people who truly believe in quality, taste and their ability to grow and rear fine foods at the highest level. The kitchen treats the produce with the respect that it deserves and creates exceptional rural cuisine. The combination of these elements creates a food without compromise.

Chef Steve Roberts explained that everything is prepared on the day, nothing is kept overnight “its great to cook with good, well produced ingredients, the meat man Ken is just around the corner, quality is consistently good and there is never a problem with supply”

Over a hundred years of farming history have placed the Webb family in the premier league of Cheshire beef producers. Their range of products from steaks, joints and mince are readily selected by some of the counties top eateries. Ken’s legendary Hereford/Limousin beef is reared on the Cheadle farm in Nether Peover near Knutsford and finds its way into the Duke of Portland Burger much to the delight of anyone ordering it.

So, onto the potatoes, very local (Allostock) and pretty much out of the ground and in the Kitchen in under 24 hours according to Steve and the staff at the Duke. Pete Moseleys Maris Pipers are lovingly prepared and treated to a hot bath of beef dripping before being cooked to perfection and served hot and steaming with a variety of dishes for dining pleasure.

Ok..Ok.. at risk of this all sounding like product placement based advertising for local farmers, rest assured, it’s not. Local growers need support here against the heavy battle-hammer of discount wielded by the buying power of big chains. The Knutsford Times works closely with the CPRE to feature articles and events run by the organisation that represents local producers. The Duke, like other good food venues, supports the rural economy by buying from local suppliers. Take note!

Sadly it wasnt Beer o’clock for us but little do people know that the Duke also has a great reputation for beer as well as food. When you walk through the door, you are greeted by soldiers of pump handles brandishing the wide range of cask ales that sit proudly on the bartop in an almost beckoning fashion.

Any real ale fan would be foolish not to try a drop of some of the best hand pulled beer that the UK has to offer. REMEMBER: Please drink responsibly, nobody likes to mop up spilt beer!

The popularity of the Duke is triumphant, especially when you account for the effort that goes into managing a rural venue, sourcing of product and the maintenance of standards. With general standards and quality in the UK slipping, it is refreshing to see that the commitment to customers both regular and new are kept high and well above the mark at the Duke of Portland.

Give them a call on 01606 46264. They are on Penny’s Lane, Lach Dennis, Cheshire CW9 7SY. Get this into your sat nav and steer your waggon over to Lach Dennis for a taste of local life and great food.

Opening Hours
Monday-Saturday
Bar:  12.00pm – 11.00pm
Food: 12.00pm – 2.30pm
then from 5.30pm – 10.00pm

Sunday
Bar: 12.00pm – 10.30pm
Food: 12.00pm – 8.00pm

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