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Hours
Sun
12:00 - 19:00
Mon
12:00 - 22:00
Tue
12:00 - 22:00
Wed
12:00 - 22:00
Thu
12:00 - 22:00
Fri
12:00 - 22:00
Sat
12:00 - 22:00
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
4.5
Travellers' Choice 2024
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Details
Someone from this business manages this listing.
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PRICE RANGE
£7.00 – £22.00
CUISINES
Bar, Cafe, British, Pub
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
meals, features
Is this a cafe?
Details
About
The Star at cotton is traditional 16th century pub and restaurant with a modern twist, We have delightful setting in which to enjoy a drink, some lovely food or a speciality cocktail. Combining classic country food with modern twists, we are good food done right. We are Situated near Alton Towers, Alton caravan & camping club, Ramshorn holiday lodges and on the very edge of the Peak District. We Offer a wide range of drinks from a selection of Cask Ales to a variety of cocktails, over 40 spirits and a extensive wine list. We are Dog friendly in our bar area. Our restaurant & function room are available for private hire. We serve breakfast & Brunch every day from March - November.
PRICE RANGE
£7.00 – £22.00
CUISINES
Bar, Cafe, British, Pub
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, Drinks
FEATURES
Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Gift Cards Available
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4.5
917 reviews
Excellent
712
Very good
100
Average
42
Poor
31
Terrible
32
Dave P
1 contribution
Jan 2025 • family
We visited here today 5/1/25 as a family of 4, my wife and I accompanied by our daughter and her boyfriend for Sunday lunch. Absolutely beautiful food, excellent service by very friendly staff and a lovely atmosphere. I had the steak & ale pie with chunky chips, the other 3 had the 3 person Sunday lunch sharing platter all of which was a very high standard. Including a drink each the bill was only £112. I would highly recommend this place, it was our first visit but definitely not our last. Thank you to all of the staff for making our visit a very enjoyable one.
Written 5 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
t0talcrap
19 contributions
Nov 2023 • family
Lovely meal, seated in a lovely corner by the fire.
Staff were lovely, pleasant and attentive.
Only downside is a noticeable delay between the adult meals being served and the kids meals coming. Followed by a long delay in the additional sides coming which arrived just before I finished my main. Not a huge issue as I didn't really need the extra but perhaps a point to note for the otherwise fab venue.
Of note, we came here as the food at Alton towers was over priced excrement and that's being kind. The meal here was cheaper than the crap we had at the secret garden in Alton towers but this was actually quality decent food
Written 2 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Matt H
Cropwell Bishop80 contributions
Dec 2024 • family
Arrived at lunchtime 11 Dec 2024 with my wife and our two young children. We didn't have a reservation but there were plenty of tables free so they fitted us in.
We were seated in the dining room that was beautifully decorated for Christmas. We placed our order, drinks were delivered promptly and my wife enjoyed her bramble from the winter cocktail menu. I was happy with Hawkstone on draft.
We ordered from the fixed price Christmas menu. The team showed us flexibility on me having two starters and a main because I am not a dessert person. So they kindly put it through as 3 courses on the deal.
Food arrived. My wife and I had the fondue sharer which was nice but the brie wedges were terrible. We were expecting to bite into them and have lots of brie ooze out like we've had before but instead they were that overcooked - all remnants of the cheese had disappeared leaving a hard breadcrumb case which was completely hollow as all the cheese had drained out. We raised this with the server who explained that it's how they are meant to be as they are deep fried so it looks like all the cheese has gone. We sent them back with the plates, she said she would double check with the chef that they were as they should be, but that was the last we heard of it. I suppose they have the right to their opinion, but see the picture for yourself and make your own judgment.
Speaking of the lady who served us, I believe her name was Erin (apologies if that's wrong). She was lovely and great with the kids. She was also single handedly managing the restaurant which ended up being very busy by the time we left.
Mains came and they were perfect. Steak cooked well, chicken / pigs in blanket burger was really tasty. The kids food went down well too.
I would recommend the place just maybe avoid the brie wedges. Would have been 5 stars if it wasn't for the brie weirdness.
Written 11 December 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris C
21 contributions
Oct 2024 • couples
We have been to the Star many times and always previously enjoyed it, This time however it was a really disappointing experience. It started when we had to wait over 30 minutes to even be seated at our table, Then there was a further hours wait before we finally got any food. If you book a table for 7:45 you don't expect to be eating after 9:15.
I had the smash burger which to be fair was very nice, My wife had the Char Siu pork, which came without any sauce and was bland and tasteless.
By this time we were so hungry we just accepted it as we couldn't wait any longer. I did raise my complain with the very pleasant waitress who was apologetic explaining that they had taken on far more covers than they could possibly manage.
If you take a successful restaurant and try to massively overbook then you can expect reviews like this, and to lose regular customers
Written 6 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Emma Hall
Hi Christopher
I am so disappointed to hear that you did not enjoy your visit with us and we would like to be able to look into this. If you would be able to send us an email with that date of your visit this would be much appreciated.
We always try and give the best service here at the star so hearing you got less than the 5star expected service and quality is frustrating but we do hope you still return to us for another meal and let us give you the service all our customers know us for.
Written 7 October 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mark P
1 contribution
Aug 2024 • family
Something didn’t feel right right from the moment we entered this place, it was the least welcoming place I’ve been to in a long time right from the drinks order which was wrong when it arrived! My steak arrived with a peppercorn sauce which tasted awful and ruined my whole meal. After eating only a few mouth fulls, I was told by the waiter that they would take 50% of my Meal off, which was an insult considering I’d spent £32 on a steak and barely eaten any of it, one of the other younger waitresses had already said the chef said there was something wrong with the source and it didn’t taste right.
I demanded that I wouldn’t be paying for my steak, which was not nice at all but I was happy to pay for everything else, in the end a random person from the bar arrived with the bill with the steak taken off, no apology or anything about the problem we’ve had.
We paid the bill with no arguments and left the restaurant, my wife advised the staff on the way out that She was happy with their service apart from the waiter who never returned to apologise about the situation. The manager then followed us out of the restaurant shouting at us being extremely rude. I booked this place after several nights searching lots of Internet reviews for my twin girls 11th birthday. No consideration was given to this by the staff and in the end they were extremely threatening to us upon leaving the premises to the point where I actually thought the manager was going to slap me. I have never witnessed anything like this in my whole life and I would urge anybody who is looking for a nice pub near Alton Towers resort not to go and eat at this as you will be making a big mistake! What an absolute letdown on my daughter’s birthday’s, but I can honestly say they’ve learnt a valuable lesson and understanding when to speak up when something is not right. Once again so disappointed star at Cotton, could be an absolute gem but so far from it with this management.
Written 22 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
emma hall
Hi Mark,
I really hope other future guests can see past this shocking review and look at all our 5 star reviews.
There really is no need to slate our business online just because you do not like the fact we use our vegetable stock in our homemade gravy, which we then use to make our HOMEMADE peppercorn sauce.
The only issue with your evening is that you did not like the peppercorn sauce, that is it!
We have an absolutely amazing team, and we strive to make the star a welcoming, family orientated establishment.
I really do not appreciate grown menu being passive aggressive to our team, especially younger members who you made cry!
To say you paid for the bill with no arguments is a complete lie, you refused to pay for drinks and desserts all because you poured the peppercorn sauce that you did not like over your steak! Which you ate half off, then continued to order desserts, so it cannot of been that bad. That is like ordering a curry from an Indian restaurant and not liking the way they make it, as establishment believe it or not do not always buy sauces in.
I am all for taking on constructive criticism but to threaten our team and make them cry because was not to your liking we will not put up. One of the tram member considered calling the police you was that vile.
I really hope other reviewers can see past this narcissistic untrue review and even more i hope other establishments look out!
Enjoy your bank holiday!
Written 23 August 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Michael D
Stoke-on-Trent26 contributions
Feb 2024 • family
Lovely old building with loads of character. There was 8 of us. We were given a table for 6 with 2 places added at the end, giving very little room. we ordered the Sharing Board Sunday Lunch x 4 and pointedout there was not enough room. We were told they could adjust things so we got three Sharing Boards, two for three people and one for two. There was half a chicken missing and only mash for two on the boards for three. The Yorkshire Puddings were well overdone and were hard and crispy. Everything ecept the gravy was just warm. A tiny slice of Pork each. The missing chicken arrived after we pointed it ouy but it was running red juices so it had to go back. It finally arrived after we had finished our meals. On leaving our waitress commented “We didn’get it quite right did we?” What an understatement.
Poor value and profit seems the driving force here.
Written 25 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
emma hall
Hi Michael,
Thank you for your feedback, which we anticipated. We are a small family run business not a chain establishment, we are definitely not driven on poor value and profit, I wish we could say times are amazing in hospitality but unfortunately profit is the last thing that is on our minds at the moment, we are trying to get by paying extortionate bills, suppliers, vat, tax, wages, suppliers, music license, cleaning products, rent, bins. I think the main issue is the size of the table, which is from pepper mill interiors and is classed as a table of 8 not 6. I can attach the link.
I can agree the chicken was mistakenly missed off. We sold 200 Yorkshire puddings Like we do every week and nobody else said they was bent, as you can see from the review below ⬇️.
Our small team work so hard to give the best to our guests, and to receive a comment saying we are all about profit is offensive and upsetting.
As a director sometimes we don’t even get to take a wage!
I hope this gives you a little insight into what actually goes into running a business and how detrimental comments like yours can be.
Thank you
Written 26 February 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Chris H
Stoke-on-Trent6 contributions
Jul 2024 • couples
My wife and I wanted to try somewhere different on a rare night without the kids so travelled about 15 minutes from Leek to eat here on the recommendation of a friend.
We managed to park in the relatively small car park and headed inside where we were greeted by a wonderful lady who showed us to our table. The atmosphere was lovely and the dining room we sat in was small, well decorated and relatively spacious for its size. Service was friendly, open and honest and after much deliberation, we settled on what to order (with the help of the same nice lady).
The smoked cheese and onion beignets were delicious and the crispy pork belly starter was so incredible that my wife and I both agreed we could have easily kept ordering plate after plate of the stuff! For the main course, we both decided to have the doner meat and chips which in itself does not sound special in writing but what arrived was beautifully presented and light years away from what would be served in a takeaway on a Friday night. The doner meat itself was thick, well cooked and seasoned, as were the bountiful amount of chips. Both were drizzled with mint yoghurt and sweet chilli jam and the accompanying pitta was perfect for building your own gyro/kebabs with extra sauces and salad also included.
To drink my wife had the 'posh pimms' from the specials board which I'm told was excellent and the beer selection seemed great though I was restricted to their better-than-average 0% offerings.
Price wise we both left feeling satisfied and that we had got our money's worth. Overall I would not hesitate to recommend The Star and will no doubt be back over the summer holidays to explore more of the menu!
Written 7 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Emma Hall
Hello. Wow what an amazing review and we really do appreciate you taking the time to write it. Please do come and visit us soon and enjoy some meals from our new menu.
Written 9 September 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Graemeeee
Ashbourne15 contributions
Nov 2024 • couples
Sunday Lunch.
We came for the first time to the Star on the Friday and had burgers which were not too bad, so we thought we’d try the Sunday roast two days later.
Never again. I’m sorry but it just wasn’t very nice.
In my opinion the Yorkshire was borderline burnt. The presentation was poor - it was pretty much in a bowl, which on reflection may have been a good thing as it was swimming in gravy. I don’t mind gravy, but this was very salty. The vegetable didn’t taste the best - however the meal WAS edible.
We asked for condiments which took forever to come, and when they did it looked like they’d just come from another table who’d used them already.
When we mentioned our disappointment to the sever she was very apologetic and commented that the restaurant was renowned for their roasts which is odd.
The staff there are lovely and perhaps it was just a bad day for the place, but unfortunately I wouldn’t be able to recommend the roasts here.
Written 14 December 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark AAin
83 contributions
Oct 2024 • family
It's a normal looking pub, in a lovely location. But once inside you are in an immaculate pub. It has been done up to a ridiculously good standard. It is a mix of traditional and modern, done to an amazing standard. We guessed that it would be good we got there before 12noon and there were 2 other groups queuing up to get in. Oh nostalgia!
The staff were attentive and obviously extremely proud of the place. We had a couple of pints at lunchtime and booked in for an evening meal.
In the evening we arrived with Rosie, my brothers dachshund, what a star she was. The staff all love dogs and made a fuss of her. There is a large area of the restaurant that is dog free. The meals were good value pub grub. However they were cooked to the highest standards and the service was most attentive
The food, I had a chicken, bacon and leek pie, was lovely, beautifully cooked, professionally presented and served.
This is a place we will definitely be returning to and one I can recommend most heartily to anyone. An amazing find.
Written 10 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Emma Hall
Good Afternoon
thank you so much for your amazing review. See you soon
All the team at The Star
Written 21 October 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lovethegrub
Staffordshire17 contributions
Feb 2024 • family
We visited for the first time today and loved it, only thing I'm gutted about is that we've only just found the place!
Beautiful inside, the ambiance of the place was spot on. Not crammed on top of each other table wise and decor was nice.
Staff were all friendly and really helpful - nothing was too much. Kept on top of drinks being topped up, no big waits for next course or the bill etc. Didn't make us feel rushed off the table and made the effort to talk to us.
Food was amazing and although slightly higher in price than some establishments we felt it offered good value for money given how nice it all was the portion sizes. Two of us had the roasts and they were hands down the best we've eaten out in a long time. The other three had both pies and the fish and chips. Couldn't fault a single aspect of any of them.
Cannot wait to come back, is our new fave!
Written 25 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
christopher cooke
Stoke-on-Trent1 contribution
Dec 2024 • family
We visited in October and had a really bad experience (see previous review), But we were hoping it was a one of as prior to that visit we had always had a lovely time. Unfortunately this time the visit was even worse. Previously it was just my wife and myself, This time I took my Son daughter in law and two grand children.
We booked the table for 4pm and turned up on time. Only to have to stand for a full 34 minutes min a cramped area with staff squeezing past all the time (alongside at least ten other people also waiting to be seated). All of this with two very distressed children who could not understand what was going on (apologies to the other diners who had to endure this).
The restaurant was clearly massively overbooked and they simply could not cope and didn't really seem to care about the fact.
We were eventually seated at a table for 4 when we booked for 5. We then waited an age for the drinks order which when it did turn up was wrong. Suffice to say things did not improve and they delivered the food without any cutlery!
We ate the meal (which was at best average) as quickly as we could and then left, what was supposed to be a nice Xmas meal following a visit to Alton Towers completely ruined.
I don't know what has happened to this place, It used to be lovely, with a creative menu and attentive staff, Now it just seems like a cattle market where they cram as many people in as possible, Such a shame, maybe its not so bad mid week but I would avoid at all costs on a weekend
Written 9 December 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Emma Hall
Good Afternoon Christopher
We are very disappointed to hear that you have not enjoyed your visit to the star on Sunday. We unfortunately had some last minuet staffing problems during service and this is defiantly not the norm for us. We are looking at our staffing levels and have also made some changes to our Sunday bookings going forward to combat some of the other issues you have shared with us.
Please do come and see us again soon and we can show you normally exceptional service.
Written 13 December 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ELVEE
Greater Manchester51 contributions
Aug 2023 • family
What a lovely, cozy, clean, intimate, tasteful and tasty experience!
The food was phenomenal. We're 3 veggies with varying likes and dislikes and all 3 of us LOVED our meal. The menu is thoughtfully designed in that being a veggie doesn't feel like an afterthought money maker.
The food was so good!
The service was up there with some of the best ever!
All of the staff are lovely, friendly, helpful, well presented, genuinely pleasant but Charlotte is an absolute credit to the establishment; nothing was too much trouble, she went above and beyond, chatted but didn't awkwardly linger and made us feel like old friends, what a star!! Possibly The 'Star' at Cotton? Thank you Charlotte!
We were actually visiting and staying at Alton Towers Splash Landings but having read the reviews we knew the food wouldn't be good bang for your buck, particularly with the veggie needs. The meal for 3 of us with drinks was still cheaper than at Alton Towers....honestly, book this pub for a meal, you won't regret it! Oh and THE BEST vegetarian gravy of your life!
Written 8 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
emma hall
Wow, what’s lovely review! Thank you so much, I will pass on your thanks to Charlotte and make sure she knows ❤️. Come back soon xx
Written 8 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
John D
5 contributions
May 2024 • couples
Staying on a nearby campsite and this is the nearest pub. Walked into a wonderful reception from Erin, who guided us to the best seats for drinks. We weren't intending to eat, but the menu is so extensive that we decided to take advantage. We were served by Harry, who again was attentive to our needs and genuinely interested in making sure we enjoyed the drinks/food. I would highly recommend this pub but also recommend that you book ahead because it does get extremely busy. Plus , it's very near Alton Towers and dog friendly. All staff were friendly and extremely helpful.
Written 4 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Emma Hall
Thankyou for coming to visit us and we are so happy to hear you enjoyed our food and service. I have passed your kind comments back to Erin and our team and we hope you come and see us again next time you come to the area.
Written 10 September 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kat L
1 contribution
Jul 2024 • family
Our reservation was for 19:15 and we were asked to return the table by 21:00. Our main courses didn't arrive until 20:40! The staff were friendly but obviously under pressure, repeatedly reporting things from the kitchen which didn't happen. When the main course arrived, two of them were clearly over cooked, one being largely inedible. I understand that they were busy but they took the bookings, so I don't really feel that is an excuse - if you can't look after the customers you have already, don't take more in! We were not the only table who experienced really slow service.
On the plus side, the starters were prompt and very delicious, the staff were nice and the ambience very pleasant. We also had the price of one main course deducted from our bill. But to be honest, I would rather not have left hungry and paid the full amount.
Written 30 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
emma hall
Good Afternoon, Thankyou so much for visiting us at the star and taking time to leave us a review. All your feedback has been fed back to our teams and we are looking at ways to improve in these areas. We hope you will come and see us again.
Written 31 August 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
marmaladekitty
Woore21 contributions
Aug 2024 • family
Delicious Sunday lunch, a bit more than I’d normally pay but there was lots of it and like I say was delicious. Took my parents for a treat and my mum is a coeliac and having seen on Facebook that their chef is also coeliac I thought it would be a good choice. She did get a lovely Sunday lunch but was disappointed that she couldn’t have the cauliflower cheese, Yorkshire pudding or sausage and no alternative was offered (or discount) and in my opinion these 3 items are quite simple to do gluten free.
Also not impressed that a service charge is added to the bill, I’m all for leaving a tip but it should be a choice not mandatory.
Written 27 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Emma Hall
Good Morning,
Firstly I would like to thankyou for visiting us and taking the time to leave us a review. We will take on board and see what we can do to address your concerns as we do strive to be inclusive with dietary requirements in our menu.
Regards
The Star
Written 30 August 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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