Name: The Dog and Gun Inn

Where: Skelton, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 9SE

Website: www.dogandgunskelton.co.uk

Tel No: 017684 84301

Opening hours: 5pm-10pm Thursday and Friday, 5pm-11pm Saturday and 12pm-10pm Sunday

Owner/chef: Ben Queen-Fryer

History: Bought in March 2017. Have been Cumbria Life Food and Drink Awards finalists twice and were given a Michelin Bib Gourmand in the 2019 Michelin Guide. This denotes good quality, good value restaurants, which we try at all times to be!

Style of food: A simple style, focussed on flavour. We cook what we like to eat and hope there’s something for everyone on the menu. Everything is made here from scratch by Ben, meaning all pasta, pastry, stock, sauces, ice cream and more.

Menu sample: Starters feature saffron and mozzarella arancini with romesco sauce and salsa verde (£5.50); hot-smoked salmon, potato scone, pickled cucumber, buttermilk and horseradish (£6.25); twice-baked Lancashire cheese and chive soufflé (£6.95); spiced west-coast crab cake, curried brown crab mayonnaise and pico de gallo (£7.50).

Mains include Jersey royal, pea and mint agnolotti, agretti and parmesan (£13.95

Roast chicken breast, bubble and squeak potato, poached egg, crispy bacon and herb butter (£14.95); Venison suet pudding, triple-cooked chips, winter greens and black truffle vinaigrette (£15.50); Line-caught skrei cod, wet polenta, crispy onions, purple sprouting broccoli and Caesar dressing £16.50.

Puddings feature Skelton apple cake, cherry and amaretto ripple ice cream (£4.95); Bakewell tart, clotted cream ice cream (£4.95); Dark chocolate nemesis and whipped cream (£5.50); Affogato: Clotted cream ice cream with espresso shot (£3.70) or amaretto shot (£4.50)

In their own words: We are an independent dining pub at the heart of the north Cumbrian village of Skelton.

The kitchen team consists of one chef, Ben. All food served at The Dog and Gun Inn is made by Ben on the premises. We don’t label anything as ‘homemade’ on our menu because we believe that everything should be and that this is implicit in what we do and in what we serve. Many hours each day go into the preparation of our menu and we hope that there is something for everyone.