From Pie to Pide

05/06/2026

05/06/2026

We decided to try the The Trafalgar Restaurant in Fleetwood and, after reading the reviews, thought we’d ignore the drama and make up our own minds. Very glad we did.

The place has a full-on nautical theme , like dining inside a fisherman’s daydream ,there was so much to look at I nearly forgot to read the menu. Being a seafood restaurant, expectations were high, and thankfully it delivered.

The staff were lovely from the moment we walked in, warm welcome, attentive throughout, and just the right amount of checking in without making you feel like you’re under surveillance.

I had the fish soup to start, which was absolutely gorgeous, packed with flavour and probably the best I’ve had,for main, I chose the mixed fish in garlic and wine sauce, fresh, tasty and the sort of meal that makes you mop the plate with bread .He had burrata followed by fish and chips, which he thoroughly enjoyed.

Safe to say there were two very empty plates and absolutely no room for pudding. We had to walk it off along the beach afterwards, partly for the views and partly because we definitely pigged out.

We’ll definitely be back.

23/05/2026

We went to Illy Bistro at Cleveleys today after seeing a great review and thinking “we must try that” and I’m so glad we did.

The menu had so much choice it was hard to decide, so I asked the waitress for her recommendation between two dishes. With her help, I went for the hot beef sandwich with onions, blue cheese chips and gravy. The gravy was proper homemade gravy too, not the usual granules, and it made all the difference. Everything was incredibly tasty, fresh and the portion size was huge.

He had the halloumi and red pepper sandwich with salad and chips, which was also absolutely delicious, fresh and very generous in size.

The staff were welcoming, friendly and polite, which really topped off the experience. I would definitely recommend not just walking past this little gem, go in, it’s well worth it!

23/05/2026

Birthday meal out tonight at Miller & Carter and it certainly lived up to expectations as usual.

I had the 16oz T-bone, which was cooked to perfection, full of flavour and undoubtedly one of the finest steaks I have enjoyed in a long time. He chose the 10oz Wagyu steak for his birthday meal and thoroughly enjoyed every bite rich, tender and truly worth the price.

The service from Andy was exceptional from start to finish; professional, attentive, making the evening feel especially memorable without being intrusive. Plus we got a birthday treat.

Excellent food, a wonderful atmosphere and the ideal for a birthday celebration. This is the place we go for a good steak, and service, we will return.

16/05/2026

Brunch in Hexham today and with so many places to choose from, we finally settled on Small World Café and we’re so glad we did.

The menu had so much choice it took us ages to decide, especially with the tempting display of fresh pastries, cakes and sandwiches staring at us from the cabinet. Everything looked homemade and far too good to ignore.

I went for the Eggs Florentine with a side of avocado, while he chose sausage roll, chips and beans. Honestly, every bit of it was delicious. You could tell everything was freshly prepared the hand-cut chips were actually hand-cut, not tipped out of a freezer bag, and the sausage roll was excellent with proper tasty meat filling and lovely flaky pastry.

The cakes looked too good to leave behind, so of course we bought some to take home… although choosing which ones nearly caused another crisis.

Definitely recommend this little gem. We were already planning what to order next time before we’d even left the table.

10/05/2026

Saturday’s lunch plans took us to Mama Gina in Lytham, and after wandering up, down and around the town searching for somewhere a little different, it turned out to be the hidden gem we didn’t know we were looking for.

Like many seaside towns on a sunny weekend, most places were packed with pavement tables, dogs, dog leads and people weaving in every direction. Trying to get through some of the outdoor seating felt like an Olympic hopscotch event. After reading what seemed to be the same menu over and over again, fish and chips, burgers, pies and pizza, we were just about ready to give up hope of finding somewhere memorable.

Then we stumbled across Mama Ginas, a small authentic Italian restaurant tucked away on the main street. At first, we were the only people inside, which did make us wonder if we’d made the right choice, but thankfully we trusted our instincts and stayed. Within the hour the restaurant was steadily filling up, and by the time we left, it had a lovely atmosphere.

The menu was refreshingly simple enough to feel exciting, but not so overwhelming that you spend half your meal debating what to order. We were also offered the specials menu, which immediately caught our attention. I chose the crab and prawn linguine while he went for the beef ravioli.

The linguine was absolutely outstanding. Packed with fresh seafood flavour, beautifully balanced and rich without being heavy, it was one of those dishes where every mouthful makes you stop and appreciate how good it is. As someone who loves seafood, this was exactly what I hoped for when ordering a pasta dish, fresh, full of flavour and cooked perfectly. The beef ravioli was equally impressive, rich and comforting with a delicious depth of flavour.

Of course, no visit to an Italian restaurant is complete without trying the cannoli, our personal test of any Italian dining experience, and Mama Ginas passed with flying colours. Freshly made, crisp delicate pastry and a perfectly sweet filling; honestly one of the best we’ve had.

The restaurant itself was tastefully decorated, spotlessly clean and full of little details that gave it warmth and character. The staff were genuinely friendly and welcoming without being overbearing, which made the whole experience feel relaxed and authentic.

In fact, we enjoyed it so much we ordered a second coffee just to stretch the experience out a little longer.

A wonderful find in Lytham and somewhere I will absolutely return to. If you’re tired of the same old menus and want proper authentic Italian food made with care and flavour, I can highly recommend Mama Ginas.

08/05/2026

We went out for the evening and decided to finally try the Bourne Arms at Knott End. It’s one of those places we’ve driven past countless times saying, “We should go there one day.” Well… one day finally arrived.

First bonus point, they now have an app for booking. Very fancy. I’ve tried ringing before and got as much response as shouting into the sea breeze, so the app is a great idea.

We didn’t actually book though, we just rocked up and managed to get a table straight away. The atmosphere was lovely, friendly, welcoming, and best of all the music was just quietly humming away in the background instead of trying to burst your eardrums. We like a night out where you can have a conversation without leaning across the table shouting “WHAT?” every thirty seconds.

Service was quick, menus arrived straight away, and there was plenty to choose from including a specials board that nearly had me ordering enough food for a small fishing crew.we had chicken burger and pie with chips.

Now the food… it’s proper pub grub. Nothing pretentious balanced on slate tiles with a drizzle of confusion. It’s reasonably priced, portions are huge, and everything arrived hot.

The pub sits right on the seafront too, so the views are brilliant. Perfect spot to sit and watch the world go by while contemplating whether you really did need that extra side of chips.

Would we go back? Absolutely. In fact, it was probably the friendliest pub we’ve been in around the area. No awkward “who are these outsiders?” stares when you walk in — just a genuinely relaxed and welcoming place.

Definitely worth a visit…