A Foodie's Guide to Matlock Bath, Derbyshire (The Good, The Bad & The Hungry)
Matlock Bath: What to do, where to eat, and why you must visit the Fig Coffee House.
There's something wonderfully absurd about a seaside town with no sea. Matlock Bath, tucked into the Peak District gorge near Ashbourne in Derbyshire, has fully committed to the coastal aesthetic – arcades, fish and chip shops, ice cream parlours – all completely landlocked in the heart of the Midlands. It's easily reachable from Birmingham, Nottingham, Sheffield, and Derby, making it a popular day trip destination, and it's not hard to see why.
What's interesting is that this identity as a leisure destination is nothing new. Warm springs were discovered here in 1698, drawing visitors for their supposed medicinal properties – and at its peak the area had over 20 hydrotherapy centres. Word spread, access improved, and by the 1800s it had become one of England's first true tourist spots, attracting some seriously famous names. Lord Byron compared it to alpine Switzerland, earning it the nickname "Little Switzerland." Princess Victoria visited in 1832. John Ruskin came. Erasmus Darwin recommended it to Josiah Wedgwood. The most celebrated hydro, Smedley's, drew royalty and celebrities alike before closing in 1955 – its grand building now houses Derbyshire County Council offices, which feels like a very British ending to the story. The arcades and chip shops came later, but the tradition of making a day of it here goes back over three centuries.
And that spirit of seaside-ish, slightly kitsch, everybody-welcome fun is very much alive today – complete with an aquarium that is, honestly, quite charming. We spent a good while in there – it's small but genuinely interesting, with a solid variety of sea creatures and some cool amphibians that had the kids completely captivated. Entry is reasonably priced (£6 per person) and it makes for a great mid-morning activity, particularly if the weather is unpredictable (and in Derbyshire, it usually is).
We'd chosen Matlock Bath for a specific reason: we were spending the day with another family, close friends of ours, and this was the occasion for our kids to properly meet their kids for the first time. A proper family introduction day. Matlock Bath sat conveniently in the middle – the perfect geographical compromise between our two houses – and it had enough going on to keep children and adults entertained in equal measure. On paper, a great shout. But if you're the kind of person who has opinions about food – and I absolutely am – Matlock Bath can be a bit of a culinary obstacle course.
The Great Lunch Debacle
I'll be upfront: I'm fussy about food, and chips in particular. After nine years living in the Black Country, I have been thoroughly spoiled by proper battered chips, and every other chippy has suffered by comparison ever since. And fish? Don't get me started. Growing up in Mauritius, I had an uncle who lived on the coast and he had a way of finding the freshest catch – he'd fry it simply, and you'd eat it with freshly squeezed lemon juice on top. The salty, crispy skin. The tang of the lemon cutting through it. I can still taste it now. So a battered fillet from a chippy in a landlocked Derbyshire town is always going to have a lot to live up to. Call me a snob – it won't be the first time.
We'd been to Matlock Bath before and struggled to find somewhere decent to eat, so this time we arrived armed with Google and low expectations. After much reviewing, we made our way to Rose Cottage, which looked lovely in photos and had the reviews to match. We walked in hopeful.
Unfortunately, we quickly found out that the chef had called in sick.
The contingency menu was, shall we say, a greatest hits of kitchen-free cooking: scampi, burgers, a ploughman's sandwich. Orange food and sandwiches – the universal signs that nobody is actually cooking today. We thanked them politely and went back to our phones.
So there we were – two families, four adults, four children (rapidly approaching hangry), standing on a pavement in Matlock Bath at 2 pm, furiously Googling.
The Thirty-Minute Hunger March
Our research pointed us firmly towards Matlock – the actual town, not the Bath – about a thirty-minute walk away. Now, you might think that half an hour on foot, past the point of lunchtime, with hungry children, might cause some mutiny. And yet. The desire for a good meal is a powerful motivator.
On our walk along the River Derwent, we could see the cable cars high above us, swaying gently up towards Abraham Heights. They looked, to put it diplomatically, precarious. The Heights of Abraham has been drawing visitors up that hillside since the Victorian era – the cable cars themselves have been running since 1984 – but none of that historical context made them look any less terrifying from below. There was a brief group consensus that none of us would be setting foot in one any time soon, and we carried on walking with a renewed appreciation for solid ground.
On the walk, I had the genuine pleasure of being given a detailed and enthusiastic account of Henry VIII's wives and their various tragic fates by the 9-year-old. I could not have asked for better company.
Our destination was The Remarkable Hare, and the moment we arrived, we knew we'd found the right place. The walls were lined with coasters from IPA breweries – my love language – and the whole pub had that buzz of a genuinely beloved local. The kind of place where people book weeks ahead.
Which is exactly what everyone had done.
Fully booked. Of course it was. The food looked incredible in the photos. We will be going back, properly booked, at a sensible time.
Buddy's Joint Saves the Day
Fortunately, the next option from our earlier Google session was literally next door – Buddy's Joint, an American-style smokehouse. We went in, sat down, and promptly over-ordered – as one does when hunger has reached critical levels.
When the burgers arrived alongside a generous portion of chicken wings, a collective calm descended over the table. We were going to be fine.
The food was hearty and generous rather than transcendent, but after the day we'd had, it absolutely hit the spot. My husband's burger deserves special mention: an architectural marvel the likes of which I have never seen. Turkey burger, pork belly, steak, boar sausage – if you're wondering what wasn't on it, so were we.
And crucially: they had IPA. Proper IPA. Earlier in the afternoon I'd made the mistake of asking a barmaid in Matlock Bath for something close to an IPA. What I received was not close to an IPA. It was not close to anything I'd voluntarily drink again. So finding a cold, actual IPA at the smokehouse felt like a small personal victory.
The Fig Coffee House: The Reason I'd Walk Thirty Minutes in the Rain
Here's the thing about the Fig Coffee House – I've been before, and it has lived rent-free in my mind ever since.
Last time, I came with my mum. We'd both independently decided, without telling each other, to try something we wouldn't normally order. She got the matcha. I got the traditional cocoa with chaga. I'd always been curious about ceremonial cocoa – what even is the fuss? – and then I had it, and I understood.
It made me feel happy and fuzzy and warm in a way that no hot drink had ever managed. I'm a double espresso person. I don't buy tea when I'm out. I'll occasionally treat myself to a dirty chai but even that's becoming too milky for me lately. I am not someone who gets emotional about hot milky drinks. And yet. That cocoa.
So I was absolutely determined that this day would end at The Fig Coffee House.
We arrived at 4:55pm. The café closes at 5. And it was packed – absolutely buzzing. I asked apologetically whether we'd need to take our drinks away, and the staff just smiled and said they'd stay open as long as there were people in, and to take our time. No rush.
That's the soul of the place, right there.
We settled in, ordered drinks, and I had a slice of carrot cake that tasted genuinely homemade – not the slightly plasticky, uniform kind you get from a box. The café has art on the walls, little displays from independent makers selling jewellery, crystals, makeup, dog treats, artwork. It feels like a proper community space rather than just somewhere to buy coffee.
The woman who served us – I'm fairly certain she was the owner, though maybe she's just a deeply invested member of staff – made everyone feel genuinely welcome. Warm without being performative. I thought about my mum, and how much she'd loved it the first time, and felt that particular bittersweetness of experiencing something lovely without the person you shared it with originally.
Outside, it had started raining on the walk back from Matlock, and walking into The Fig Coffee House feeling damp and tired and a little bit cold made the whole experience even more perfect. The kind of comfort that wraps around you.
Coming Home with a Happy Belly
By the time we drove home, I was in that lovely mellow state that only comes from a full day of walking, talking, eating well, and finally – finally – drinking a good hot drink.
I was in bed embarrassingly early. Completely content.
Matlock Bath will test your patience if you care about food. It will make you walk further than you planned, past the point of hunger, on a gamble that something better exists around the next corner. But it also has The Fig Coffee House, which alone is worth the trip.
Come for the landlocked seaside vibes. Walk to Matlock for the food. And whatever you do – save room for the cocoa.
A quick cheat sheet for anyone heading to Matlock Bath with a hungry family
🐠 Matlock Bath Aquarium A genuinely lovely little stop, especially with kids. Don't expect something grand – it's compact – but it's well worth an hour of your morning. Sea creatures, amphibians, and enough novelty to keep children properly entertained. Good value and a nice way to break up the day before the lunch hunt begins.
🐟 Matlock Bath itself The fish and chip shops and arcades are part of the charm, but if you're fussy about food, manage your expectations. Good for a casual stroll and an ice cream, less reliable for a proper sit-down meal.
🌿 Rose Cottage (Matlock Bath) Looked great on paper, lovely reviews – but worth calling ahead to check there's a full kitchen in action before you make it your plan A. When it's on form, it's probably lovely.
🍺 The Remarkable Hare (Matlock – 30 mins walk) IPA coasters on the walls. Buzzy, beloved atmosphere. Food that looks genuinely excellent. Book in advance – this place fills up fast and for good reason. Firmly on the list for next time, properly planned.
🍔 Buddy's Joint (Matlock – next door to The Remarkable Hare) A solid plan B (or plan C, in our case). Big hearty portions, great wings, and they stock proper IPA. Don't go if you're not very hungry – the portions are enormous. My husband's burger contained what felt like every animal in the Northern Hemisphere.
☕ Fig Coffee House (Matlock Bath) The unmissable one. Go for the ceremonial cocoa with chaga – trust me on this, especially if you consider yourself a coffee person. The cakes and pastries taste genuinely homemade, the independent maker displays are lovely to browse, and the hospitality is the kind that makes you want to stay for hours. Open until 5pm but flexible if the café is still full. Do not skip this.
The Happy Bellies verdict: Matlock Bath is well worth a day trip – just come prepared to walk a little further than expected for your food, book The Remarkable Hare in advance, and always, always save room for The Fig. 🍫
📋 Practical Info
Getting there: Matlock Bath is in the Derbyshire Peak District, just off the A6. It's around 1 hour from Birmingham, 45 minutes from Sheffield, and 30 minutes from Nottingham. There's a train station on the Derwent Valley Line with services from Derby.
Parking: There are several pay-and-display car parks along the main road through the village. It can get busy on weekends, so arrive earlier in the day if you can.
How long to spend: A comfortable day out is around 5–6 hours — enough time for the aquarium, a wander, lunch (with the Matlock detour factored in), and a proper wind-down at The Fig.
Best for: Families, couples, friend groups looking for a relaxed Derbyshire day trip with a mix of quirky atmosphere and good food (if you know where to look).
Have you been to Matlock Bath? Or found a hidden gem in an unexpected place? I'd love to hear about it in the comments.
About me...I'm Lorna Rose and, by day, I work in the tech industry, but in my heart of hearts, I've always been fascinated by the story that food tells. The magic of a well-cooked meal, the way a simple dish can bring people together, spark conversation, and create lasting memories. On Happy Bellies, I set out to explore and find hidden gems, so that I can indulge in telling stories around food that will make you want to go out and create your own foodie adventures.
Keep reading:
Lorna Rose
