The Dale Tavern

The Dale Tavern
Worsbrough, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 5PG

Unfortunately on this occasion one of the Judges (Emily Hewitt) could not be there as she decided to go back to The Station Inn. So this verdict had to be decided by the remaining 3 of us.
The Dale Tavern is my local and I have always heard good reviews about the carvery but had never actually experienced it for myself. And decided for my choice of where to go I would choose here. For people who live in Worsbrough The Dale Tavern is always a popular choice for locals and is one of the largest in the area. Again like The Station Inn it has the same look as any other pub but instead of walking into a bar the carvery and the bar area are separated so people who are eating aren't amongst those just drinking.
The room was large and the tables were nicely spaced so it didn't feel stuffy.
Although slightly dated and with a 'Bingo hall' feel to it the room was spotless and plates that had been used were quickly moved and the tables wiped.
Again you paid at the bar and once paid for you were free to sit where ever and given a token to get your carvery when ready.
There was a choice of 2 meat; Pork and Beef. Unlike many places visited the fat was cut off in front of you which was nice. There again was a varied selection of vegetables including sprouts which weren't present at any of the other places visited, Which is good if you like sprout.

Our verdict;

We all agreed the food was to a really nice standard. The staff were really friendly and engaging and at £5.95 we couldn't complain. The meats were lovely and the choice of veg were nice. The roast potatoes were quite small and the carrots were watery but apart from that there weren't any complaints. The stuffing alone is worth a visit as is was just how stuffing should be and the gravy was really thick and tasteful with also the choice of different sauces including Heather Taylor's personal fave, mint sauce.

All in all we gave The Dale Tavern a 9/10 as apart from a few personal preferences to the way the veg was cooked there wasn't anything we could find fault with, but didn't have the home cooked authenticity The Station Inn had. The price was a bargain, and drinks were cheap with a good selection of ciders and largers.
Another local that is probably overlooked but boasts a fantastic carvery.

The Station Inn

The Station Inn
1 Knabbs Lane, Silkstone Common, South Yorkshire S75

This choice caused some divide between the four of us. Two of us wanted to give it a go and myself and Emily Hewitt were apprehensive. On arrival The Station Inn looked like your bog standard local, and when entering myself and Emily didn't have high hopes. It was full on men, drinking pints and just a typical scene of a local pub on a Sunday. There were about 5 tables were you could you sit to have your lunch so we picked a table and proceeded to order. Unlike the two previous Sunday dinners The Station Inn isn't a carvery. Quickly we were told that there wasn't much beef left but they had chicken. 3 of us ordered chicken on 1 beef. The food was brought out and we were slightly disappointed as there didn't seem to be a lot and asked for a extra portion of mash.
But to our amazement the food was delicious. Two large home made roast potatoes a home made Yorkshire pudding and chicken or beef were all ready on the plate with the option if cabbage, carrots, peas and cauliflower as well as mash and a jug of gravy.
Everything was lovely.

Our verdict ;
A hidden gem. From the outside it doesn't look much in comparison to Burntwood but the food was delicious. The atmosphere was friendly and the staff were really helpful and attentive. To say it was a pub atmosphere there were no drunks annoying you whilst eating. We all agreed that it was really, really nice, and a pleasant surprise.

All in all we gave The Station Inn a 9.5/10 as we couldn't really fault anything apart from the portion size of the vegetables.
Thoroughly enjoyed by all and proves you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Well worth a visit!

New Wheatsheaf

New Wheatsheaf Ltd
Altofts Lane, Wakefield, WF10 5

For our second choice we went a little further a field. This was Emma Louise Livesey's choice as she use to go frequently with her family. From Barnsley in is about a 30 minute drive but relatively easy to find.
The Wheatsheaf is decent in size , it is smaller than a hotel sized venue like Burntwood but bigger than your average pub. Upon arrival you can pay for your drinks and carvery at the bar and are given a ticket. Is it then up to you to find a table. First come first serve.
There was confusion at there were two carvery's. one on one side in the and one on the other. Dividing the pub. This we can only assume was for people who had pre-booked. But seemed strange having two exact same carvery's but for different people and at first we weren't sure which one we were meant to go to. On a positive the queues for both were made relatively short.
The table we choose to sit at was still mucky and I had to find and ask a waiter to clean it, which he did quickly but it was still a bit of an inconvenience. Once seated we made our way to the carvery. Unlike most carvery's I've been to there was also a option of a pie e.g meat and potatoe, which was nice for people not keen on the standard carvery meats. There were a varied selection on vegetables and also added extras such as 'paupers pickle' and mixed veg in a cheese sauce.
The plates were quite small and the stuffing had onions in, which isn't to everyone liking. The gravy was rich and meaty and the meats were cooked well but the beef was slightly fatty and for anyone who likes there beef medium/rare would of been over cooked.
Unfortunately on our visit, the family across from us had an issue with a high chair and were quite verbal about it (Sick had not been clean off it) and when a member of staff was informed they too were very verbal about the details which isn't especially appetising to hear when your about to eat.

Our verdict;

We found there wasn't as much choice of vegetables and meats as expected but what there was, was nice.
The divide of the carvery's caused confusion and the incident with the high chair but a bit of a damper on the experience. Also the chef who cut the meats was a little over familiar and the toilets were a bit creepy.

All in all we scored It an overall 6/10 the price is reasonable at £7.50 and the drinks are also reasonably priced. The service is quick and the food is enjoyable.
If in the area maybe a good place to try but not to everyone's liking.

Burntwood Court Hotel

Burntwood Court Hotel
Common Road, Brierley, Barnsley S72 9ET

The first place we visited on our quest. Burntwood is in Brierley and for people without access to a car could be quite difficult to get to as it is quite out of the way. It is a large Hotel and always gets really busy on a Sunday. The busiest time being between 12-4, the Carvery is on while 6 and starts at 11.30
Car parking is normally okay.
The lay out is quite strange. You walk in and are greeted by a member of staff and are told how long you are expected to be waiting and from there are left to your own devices. Finding a seat can be difficult at busy times and you can't just sit anywhere as there are always people waiting to be seated and tables and chairs are normally already spoken for.
Once seated you can then make your way to the carvery. We've visited Burntwood on a view occasion and on all occasions there has always been a really long queue for the carvery.

Our verdict;

The meats from Burntwood were all really tasty and good quality.
A good variety of vegetables and cooked to a good standard.
The gravy is lovely and the plates are a good size, the mash is really nice and there is a good combination of
cauliflower/broccoli cheese. On the down side the Roast potatoes aren't home made and the Yorkshire puddings are overdone and although mint sauce was available it had all gone, and took a while to be replaced. Also, we were sat very close to the carvery, which was good for walking distance, but very warm.

All in all together we came up with an overall score of 7/10 and would recommend.
The price is slightly in the higher
end at at £8.95 but is worth it taking into consideration the place. Drinks are also quite expensive.
Worth a visit for a good standard of food and nice surroundings. Just be prepared to wait and queue.

A bit about The Food Blog

We are on a quest to find the ultimate Sunday dinner. A Sunday dinner that has all the elements needed to be crowned the ULTIMATE plate to be in front of you on those hungover Sundays.
Beside the actual food, we will also take into account the price, The location and the general atmosphere of a place.
To do this we have taken it upon ourselves to scourer South Yorkshire and rate each dinner we have to help others find there ultimate Sunday dinner. This won't be an easy quest and myself, Emily, Emma and Heather take it very seriously and will keep everyone who is interested updated on our findings.

The Judges


Heather Taylor
Emily Hewitt
Emma Louise Livesey
Lauren Remington