The Charleston Reveals Menus
Bakewell’s new £2.6 million venue, The Charleston, has unveiled its menus featuring creative brunches, refined dining, cocktails and live music, creating a vibrant all-day destination expected to open this summer.
BAKEWELL — A highly anticipated new bar and restaurant is preparing to open its doors in Bakewell this summer, promising an all-day food, drink and entertainment experience unlike anything currently available in the Peak District.
The Charleston, a £2.6 million development by Longbow Venues, has unveiled its menus for the first time ahead of its launch, offering a glimpse into a venue designed to seamlessly transition from speciality coffee house by day to vibrant restaurant and live music destination by night.
Occupying the former Royal Bank of Scotland building in the heart of the town, The Charleston aims to bring the energy and sophistication of major city dining scenes to one of Derbyshire’s most popular visitor destinations.
Drawing inspiration from London, New York and Manchester, the venue will feature inventive brunch dishes, contemporary dining, handcrafted cocktails and regular live jazz, soul and swing performances.
Elevated Brunch Experience
Brunch is expected to be one of The Charleston’s standout attractions, with a menu that reimagines familiar favourites through a creative lens.
Signature dishes include The Royal Muffin, featuring cured scallops, poached eggs and hollandaise tartare, and The Benedict Twist, made with tea-smoked duck pastrami and chimichurri. Other highlights include the Florentine Gatsby—a golden waffle topped with spiced avocado, spinach mousse and crispy egg—and a decadent Waffle Sandwich filled with buttermilk chicken, maple bacon and coffee-infused bacon jam.
Alongside the food offering, guests can enjoy speciality coffees developed in partnership with Sheffield roasters Roastology, as well as matcha lattes, chai, turmeric lattes, freshly baked pastries and traditional afternoon tea.
A New Evening Destination
As the day progresses, The Charleston will shift gears, transforming into an atmospheric restaurant and cocktail bar accompanied by live music performances.
The evening menu features a selection of refined brasserie-style dishes and modern classics, including Derbyshire beef fillet with red onion and blue cheese chutney, crayfish and lobster ravioli, slow-cooked rabbit wrapped in pancetta, lamb loin with pomegranate chimichurri, and pan-fried cod served with walnut and chicory velouté.
Smaller sharing plates and bar snacks will include venison carpaccio, scallop and chorizo skewers, duck bonbons, wild mushroom and truffle pâté, and Brazilian cheese bread.
For dessert, guests can indulge in homemade Bakewell tart, pistachio and mango cheesecake, flourless chocolate brownie, and The Charleston Gourmand—a theatrical sharing platter featuring miniature desserts paired with espresso, sparkling wine or dessert wine.
Cocktails and Local Partnerships
The drinks menu has been designed to play a central role in the overall experience, offering everything from espresso martinis and spicy margaritas to Aperol, Hugo and rhubarb spritzes, alongside a curated selection of wines, premium spirits and after-dinner cocktails.
A strong emphasis has also been placed on sourcing local produce, with suppliers including Winster Foods, R G Morris & Son, Middleton’s Dairies, Roastology, Bluebell Dairy and Bakewell-based Hattersley Wines contributing to the menu.
Creating Something Different
Rob Hattersley, founder of Longbow Venues, said the vision behind The Charleston was to create a venue with a distinct all-day identity.
“We wanted to build a venue that changes throughout the day,” he said. “Somewhere you can meet for coffee in the morning, enjoy brunch with friends, stop in for cocktails after work, celebrate over dinner, or simply enjoy live music with a drink in hand.
“There are some fantastic places to eat and drink across the Peak District, but we felt there was room for something with a bit more energy, a bit more theatre and a real all-day personality.”
General Manager Josh Butler added that variety would be one of the venue’s defining features.
“You can come in for a quick coffee and pastry, settle in for brunch, enjoy a long lunch, meet friends for cocktails or spend an evening enjoying great food and live music,” he said. “The atmosphere will naturally evolve throughout the day.”
Looking Ahead
Expected to create around 60 jobs, The Charleston will become the sixth venue in the Longbow Venues portfolio and one of the most significant hospitality openings in the Peak District this year.
Further details on opening dates and bookings are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
