Peak District Openings Everyone’s Talking About
- Jen Bell I Editor I Good Life List Peak District
- May 19
- 5 min read
Updated: May 23
Something is clearly happening in the Peak District food and staycation scene at the moment.
One minute you’re going for a quick coffee and the next you find yourself standing in a queue for a cinnamon roll in Hartington, hearing rumours about the return of Pizzakebabwell, or discovering a biker café with motorcycles hanging off the walls.
From giant brunch waffles and Mediterranean cocktails to hot tubs and biker nights, here are the openings, launches and local spots everyone seems to be talking about right now.
FatBuns, Hartington
There is currently a very real cinnamon roll situation happening in Hartington.
FatBuns has opened in one of the Peak District’s prettiest villages and people already seem slightly obsessed with it.
The small bakery and café is run by chef-turned-baker Jordan Allcock and started life as a home bakery business before growing into a proper bricks-and-mortar shop.
The cinnamon rolls are the thing everyone is talking about first. Warm, soft, properly fresh and often still coming out of the oven if you get there early enough.
There are breakfast options, homemade bakes and lunch specials too.
Porter Bakery & Café, Bakewell
Porter Bakery & Café might be responsible for one of the best croissants we’ve eaten in a long time.
The Sheffield bakery favourite has officially opened its first site outside the city in Bakewell, bringing silky smooth coffee, proper European-style pastries and other fantastically good flaky, crumbly things to the Peak District.
The rhubarb and dark rum Danish topped with toasted meringue and ginger crumb deserves a moment of appreciation on its own. Deep, rich, sharp, sweet and almost annoyingly good.
There is also:
an excellent pain suisse au chocolat
savoury Danish pastries
sourdough loaves
extremely good coffee
hoardes of people leaving with more pastries than they originally intended
Basically, if you’re going to Bakewell anytime soon, prepare to leave carrying a loaf...and maybe an armful of croissants. Follow Porter on their socials here.
Bramble Barn at Peak Edge Hotel
Peak Edge Hotel has opened the doors to a beautiful new four-bedroom self-catering property called Bramble Barn. We think it would be perfect for a relaxed weekend with hot tub soaks, countryside walks and long lunches at the acclaimed Red Lion restaurant at Peak Edge. Or ask the hotel to organise an e-bike tour or casual round of golf at nearby Stanedge Golf Club for you.
Sleeping up to 11 guests, the barn sits a stone’s throw from the hotel and restaurant and comes with:
hot tub
large open-plan living area
countryside views
Highland cows around the corner
We think it's a fantastic addition and sure to be especially popular with couples and families. Find out more and book here.
Pizzakebabwell Is Coming Back
After closing back in 2019, Pizzakebabwell is officially returning to Bakewell and local people already seem emotionally invested.
The original takeaway served the town for years before closing, and was very popular, but the owners have now confirmed a brand-new site will be opening in the centre of Bakewell very soon. You can find it on Market Street next to Flossy's and The Bakewell Cheese Shop.
No exact opening date yet, but a little birdie tells us it should be opening very soon - within the next few days - so keep an eye on their socials if your ideal Friday night involves garlic sauce, meat and hot chips.
It is also very conveniently located to The Peacock, Red Lion and The Queens, and we're sure it will be open late. Just saying.
The Charleston, Bakewell
Probably the most anticipated opening in the Peak District right now.
The Charleston is the new 1920s-inspired bar and restaurant taking over the old Royal Bank of Scotland building in Bakewell town centre.
Expect:
cocktails and jazz
brunch dishes inspired by London and New York
waffles with buttermilk chicken and maple bacon
French brasserie-style evenings
baby grand piano
huge courtyard
private dining inside the original bank vault
Longbow Venues, alongside landlord Coverland UK, has invested more than £2.6 million into the project, and if the food and drink previews are anything to go by, people are going to be talking about this one a lot this summer.
Low On Fuel, Near Matlock Bath
A brand-new biker café and pub has opened near Matlock Bath and it already seems to have found its people.
Low On Fuel has taken over the former Plough Inn building in Brackenfield and turned it into a laid-back biker community hub complete with retro signs, music memorabilia and actual motorcycles hanging from the walls.
The venue is run by Derbyshire biker Andy Martin, who spent months renovating the 16th-century building with help from his family and local community.
There are already weekly Friday bike nights planned throughout summer, but the important thing to know is this:
you absolutely do not need to own a motorbike to go.
There’s coffee, beer, cakes, lawn space, dog bowls and plans for family-friendly summer events too.
Elif Rose Bar & Grill, Buxton
Buxton is getting a new Mediterranean restaurant and we're very excited.
Elif Rose Bar & Grill is taking over the former Sushi Zen Boba site and promises Turkish and Mediterranean dishes, cocktails, seafood, steaks, pasta and themed evenings including belly dancing nights. Which sounds fantastic.
Head chef Ali specialises in Turkish cuisine, but the menu is expected to mix Mediterranean classics with locally sourced ingredients too.
There’s no official opening date just yet, but the restaurant’s social pages have already attracted a lot of attention, with locals enthusiastically submitting menu requests before the doors have even opened.
HF Holidays Purchases Lee Wood Hotel, Buxton
There has been less fanfare around this one but it's potentially a big deal for Buxton and the wider Peak District, and great news for anyone wanting more car-free travel.
HF Holidays has confirmed it is buying Lee Wood Hotel in Buxton and transforming it into a new permanent country house base opening in early 2027.
The walking holiday company says the move will strengthen its Peak District offering, particularly for walking holidays accessible by train.
The beautiful 40-bed Georgian property sits close to the station and will eventually become part of HF’s wider collection of countryside houses across the UK.
The Springs, Buxton
This one is less 'opening now' and more 'watch this space.'
Plans are moving forward for a huge £100 million transformation of The Springs shopping centre area in Buxton, with ambitions for:
indie shops
bars and eateries
riverside hangouts
new homes
greener public spaces
improved links from the station
There are even plans to uncover part of the River Wye and create proper alfresco riverside areas (oh la la!)
If it all comes together, it could completely change the feel of this part of Buxton over the next few years.
The idea of more independent food spots and riverside cafés in Buxton sounds pretty good to us so we're hoping it gets the green light. You can drool over the full plans here.
We’ll keep adding to this list as more openings and launches appear across the Peak District. Let us know if we've missed anything by dropping us a line at hello@thegoodlifelist.co.uk.
