Ramsbottom planted its flag on the foodie map a good few years ago now.
But while relative newcomers such as Basque-influenced Levanter, its sister pinxto bar Baratxuri and Neapolitan pizza specialists Tre Ciccio have been taking the plaudits recently, the pub that arguably kicked off Rammy's food renaissance is still quietly churning out some stonking cooking.
Once voted the UK's best pub, the Eagle and Child hasn't rested on its laurels.
A floor to ceiling glass extension has been added on the back, giving cracking views across the valley to Holcombe Hill and Peel Tower.
The beer garden, already one of the best around, has been slowly expanded and improved, with a great little kids' playground, an absolutely massive deck chair and cool wicker dens for the little 'uns to hide in.
And of course you can still feed the chickens running around in the coop.
But it's in the kitchen they're still quietly doing what they've always done best - serving up A1 pub food.
What's cooking?
Modern Lancashire pub grub with a focus on locally-sourced ingredients - many grown right in the beer garden.
The sizeable menu is four pages long - including a decent sized vegan and vegetarian section.
There's 'Lancashire tapas' at £4.50 each including vegan black pudding, duck and goats' cheese spring rolls and Lancashire rabbit fondue with sourdough soldiers.
There are starters, a main courses bit, where dishes won't leave you with much change from £20, a more keenly-priced selection of 'pub classics', which are still just shy of £15, plus sandwiches and soups.
With five of us eating - three adults and two kids - we take in bits of each.
Thick slices of Goosnargh duck breast (£19.95) are pink, rich and moist, but it's the sweetness of the peach puree and the tang of the braised fennel that really sets it apart.
The haddock in the fish and chips (£13.95) is pearly white and flaky, just like it should be, encased in crisp, golden beer batter and is so large it hangs off the sides of the plate.
If that wasn't enough, the chips are proper dripping-fried ones as well.
We make sure the deep fat fryer earns its keep by also ordering the spiced buttermilk chicken burger (13.95).
Topped with bacon and Lancashire cheese, it's a north west version of the mind-bendingly spicy Korean contraptions which have people queuing round the block on the Arndale market.
It's good, but the fairly light batter struggles to cope with the toppings, meaning you're left with a slick of grease by the end.
The kids both order cheeseburgers (£8.95 with dessert and a drink) and there's the same care and attention shown here as there is in the grown-ups' dishes.
Can I get a decent pint?
It's a Thwaites boozer, so the beers lean heavily in the direction of the Blackburn brewery.
Cask ales include a standard bitter and an IPA, but I order a pint of Thwaites' crisp and citrusy Gold - quickly followed by two more.
Lager drinkers get to choose from a fairly standard of Amstel, Estrella or Moretti.
It's not exactly beervana but it does the trick.
It's a family pub, so there's also a fair range of kids' drinks - but it's also worth taking a look at the vast and exotic selection of cordials, including lemon and limegrass, sarsaparilla and rhubarb and rose, concocted by Mr Fitzparick's based just up the road in Haslingden.
Should I save room for pudding?
Of course you should. In for a penny and all that.
Carrot cake with nutmeg ice cream is a sticky, fruity, creamy wedge of pudding heaven, while the fruit crumble is just the right side of tart.
A nutty topping - hazelnuts, perhaps - added a welcome bit of extra crunch.
Are you being served?
Done up in white shirts and black ties, the waiters are brisk and friendly.
A juice spillage is cleaned up with a smile and a small disaster with the tomato ketchup is also taken in their stride.
One slight caveat is that we ordered a side of broccoli to go with the duck, without our waiter or the menu mentioning that it already came with it.
Landlord Glen Duckett has been applauded for his employment programme, which offers training and work opportunities to marginalised and disadvantaged young people living locally.
What's the damage?
Hefty. Our bill comes to £113.40. A glass of 'wine of the week' bumped it up by £8.95, the kids' cordials were £2.50 each, while the extra broccoli added another £3.25.
The verdict?
Good but pricey. For comparison you could drive half an hour up the A56 to Northcote, which has held a Michelin star for 23 years, and get a main from the lunch menu for £18.
That's the kind of league the Eagle and Child is playing in price-wise.
It's a fair chunk to pay for a pub meal, by any standards, but it just about gets away with it.
