This quirky Grade II listed chippy in the Peak District is getting used to famous visitors. And having stopped off for a taste of their fry ups I can confirm why it's well worth a scenic drive here.
Toll Bar Fish and Chips in the picturesque village of Stoney Middleton has hit the headlines this week after welcoming Oasis legend Liam Gallagher.
They served him up a classic fish and chips - as well as a battered sausage - and he gave the fryer a big thumbs up according to the chippy's social media pages this week. He stopped off while enjoying a holiday in the Derbyshire dales.
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But he's not the only superstar visitor to this unusual little chippy. Toll Bar famously served up some grub when movie star Tom Cruise headed to the village to film some dramatic scenes for his Mission Impossible film a couple of years back too.
If you're wondering what all the fuss is about, then driving into this idyllic village will soon get you to see why. It's a stunning place, with the village set into the side of the spectacular cliffs of the Middleton Dale Valley.
Head along the main road, past the jutting rocks, and you'll find the chippy itself housed inside the village's old Toll House.
It has been serving up fried treats here since 1926 in the unique octagonal building. It was built originally as a toll booth to charge people who drove down this main road back in the 1800s.
Its octagonal design was built to match the unusual shape of the village church. Now, it's one of the very few Grade II-listed chippies you'll find in the UK.
In 1926 it was taken over by Herbert Ford to become the village's chippy, before being taken over in 1940 by Eleanor Hall who ran it for some 30 years before retiring. It has remained a chippy ever since, and has been run by Dr Peter Grafton and his wife Kirsten since 2018.
They serve up traditional fish, chips, sausages, pudding and pies, as well as quirkier offerings like "Yorkshire fishcakes", which layer potato with fish, and daily changing specials including halloumi fries, black pudding and haggis.
Peter told earlier this week how Oasis rocker Liam ordered a 'selection' of food including fish, chips and a battered sausage before posing for photographs with other customers. Liam posed for a picture with his wife Kirsten which was shared with the caption that Liam had "found his oasis in the Peak District".
Looking at the pictures, it appears Liam didn't get lucky with the weather on his visit wrapping up in a cagoule. But when we headed into the idyllic village to the chippy it was on a beautiful sunny day.
And one of the brilliant things about the Toll Bar chippy is its location - it really is a charming oasis.
The chippy is happily situated right next to the Grove Garden where you'll find a clear bubbling stream which runs directly underneath the Toll Bar and where you can sit and tuck into your freshly cooked chips.
As you walk into the chippy, you'll see a number of plaques attached to the doorway sharing previous awards it has received, including one from "Chipadvisor" as their reveller's choice. There's also a "happy to chat" bench positioned outside which gives you an idea of the friendly community here.
One of the plaques come from the Telegraph "Best Eating Guide" with the quote: "This tiny stone cottage always has queues out of the door as it sells the best fish and chips, not cooked in dripping. The drive to get here is lovely too."
With breathtaking views on the route from Manchester to this Peaks village, you can't argue with that statement.
We visited after walking down from the historic village of Eyam up on the cliffs from here - and there are loads of great walks in this part of the world.
Knowing there's a hot chippy tea at the end of your ramble makes it that bit more worthwhile somehow too.
My kids enjoyed small portions of chicken bites and chips for £4.60, while I tucked into a large battered plaice with chips and mushy peas which was £8.50.
I also thought I'd give the quirky "Yorkshire fishcake" a try for £1.80 and this was a rather unusual fried treat, with a layer of potato and layer of fish all in the crispy batter. I'm glad I gave it a try, but I found it a bit weighty for a regular chippy treat if I'm honest.
If you're after a large battered sausage like Liam, you'll pay £1.90. And if you did want a roll with it... you can buy bread cobs here as well to go with your chippy tea for a quid.
You can even get a chippy dessert here - there are fried pineapple fritters for £2, and you can also buy pots of ice cream for £2.20. Naturally we washed it all down with a can of fizzy Vimto.
It's a charming part of the world for a day out. And after we enjoyed the chippy's treats, it's not hard to see why visitors head here from far and wide.
Stoney Middleton is based on the A623 between Buxton and Chatsworth in Derbyshire, and is around 35 miles from Manchester city centre.
The nearest train stations are at Hathersage or Grindleford, where there are regular trains to and from Manchester Piccadilly which take around 45 minutes. Buses including the 257 connect Hathersage and Grindleford to Stoney Middleton.
The Toll Bar Fish and Chip shop is open Wednesdays to Saturdays only from 11.30am to 8pm. It's on Main Road, Stoney Middleton, Hope Valley, S32 4TF
