Restaurant review: Find out what we thought of new Italian bistro in Derbyshire village

Now expert chef Angelo has launched a new venture, a bistro which has opened as an extension of Duffield’s King’s Head pub.

I had enjoyed dining at the Milford restaurant, Angelo’s at The New Inn, on many occasions, and with the bistro’s website promising ‘an authentic Italian menu’ with ‘plenty of quality local produce’, I jumped at the chance to try out the new bistro.

The fledgling venue’s popularity was already obvious when I enquired about a table a week earlier and was told 5pm was the only available time.

So it was an early dinner for my partner and I when we arrived at the King’s Head, on the main road through Duffield, one Saturday recently.

The bistro is located in a light and airy extension to the pub and we were quickly shown to our table by the waitress.

The friendly atmosphere was clear immediately with families and couples of all ages enjoying an Italian feast. We ordered some bread and olives for an appetiser and needed plenty of time to select our starters and mains from the extensive options.

Being a massive fan of shellfish, I opted for deep fried squid followed by a seafood risotto, while my partner chose brie wedges followed by farfalle salmone.

Although the bistro was very busy, the starters arrived promptly and were beautifully presented. My partner commented that the brie was deliciously creamy and my squid was crispy and excellently complemented by the lemon tartare sauce. Both helped to whet our appetites for the main courses.

The risotto was packed with tasty seafood and the rice was wonderfully textured.

My partner was also delighted with her pasta and said the salmon was fantastic.

It was obvious from our visit that Angelo’s move to Duffield has not seen any dip in the quality of its food and it remains one of the best places in Derbyshire to enjoy an Italian meal.

Our rating: 9 stars