12 pretty pub gardens for the longest days of the year Published 20 June 2023
Raise a glass to midsummer and linger on the longest day in a pub garden. What could be lovelier? Here are 12 we think you’ll like. Go the full nine yards with the menu if you wish – the food of course comes recommended – but these are pubs, so drinkers and snackers and passers-by are welcomed warmly too.
The Trough of Bowland is rugged terrain, stretching expansively under skies that often look a hair's breadth off overcast, a setting in which Stosie Madi's country pub with its hanging baskets and outdoor tables could almost be mi… Read more
The Trough of Bowland is rugged terrain, stretching expansively under skies that often look a hair's breadth off overcast, a setting in which Stosie Madi's country pub with its hanging baskets and outdoor tables could almost be mistaken for a gleaming white mirage. Thankfully, it's real enough, a homely, hospitable place where the culinary net is flung wide, against a solid backdrop of sterling Lancashire produce – Bowland outdoor-reared pork, Meanley Estate venison, local pheasant, Morecambe Bay sea bass, and the county's incomparable cheese. Pies may be thought an obvious pub stalwart, but what heights they achieve here, the pastrywork alone worth the journey, the fillings richly compelling – as witness a venison, mushroom and bacon stunner in a perfectly glazed pork-fat pastry case. They take their place in a standard three-course menu format (with excellent appetisers), following perhaps spätzle with roasted pumpkin cream and sage butter or citrus-cured Glenarm salmon with creamed horseradish and blood-orange sauce. Mains come with their incidentals on the side (silky mash, buttery greens), matching the likes of porchetta sauced with cider or 60-day Bowland beef fillet with wild mushrooms. Basque cheesecake has become a firm British favourite, and is rendered expertly here – or there might be apple and sultana puff with vanilla custard. Ales from the local Bowland Brewery are a heartening feature, and there's a modest wine list too.
Rattlesden is a ‘whole package’ Suffolk village. It’s got pastel-painted thatched cottages, a magnificent church, a little river running through it and, above all, this gem of a pub. Given half a chance (and a su… Read more
Rattlesden is a ‘whole package’ Suffolk village. It’s got pastel-painted thatched cottages, a magnificent church, a little river running through it and, above all, this gem of a pub. Given half a chance (and a summer weekend) you’ll find head chef Matt Avery tending Big Green Egg barbecues in the Brewers' lovely garden, turning a deft hand to Texan smokehouse flavours and the likes of pork ribs, beef short rib, loaded fries and avocado tacos. He’s a chef who likes to take his time, whether barbecuing and ember-cooking, or teasing flavour from ingredients by aging and brining meats, or reducing wine- and port-rich sauces to their essence.
Order a glass of Chalklands fizz from Kentish winemakers, Simpsons, and settle in for snacks that could include ham hock terrine with a crisp little quail’s egg or scampi, but not as you know them – these are crisp, airy puffs containing monkfish and are delicious when swooped through a warm, lightly curried sauce. Follow with a fresh beef tartare – made using the trim from the Sunday roast and topped with the classic orb of egg yolk flecked with sea salt – or prettily plated mackerel pâté with a little pile of sourdough croûtons and pickled cucumber.
Lamb rump gets a patient 48-hour brine before arriving at table, roasted – the preceding hours’ care no doubt playing a part in its tenderness and seasoning. It comes sauceless with a little chard and crisp, butter-laden panisse – these moreish chickpea-flour chips slide onto a plate of beef fillet and short rib on the evening menu too. Date pudding with salted caramel and freshening vanilla ice cream delivers every ‘sticky toffee pud’ vibe, while a chocolate crémeux, sharpened with blackberry, ticks a box silkily.
Monday evening brings a fire pit ‘MeatUp’ between the pub and chef Matt Avery's ‘Smokefire’ brand, while Sunday sees a choice of well-balanced, contemporary roasts ‘with the focus on taste’ (think pork belly with ham hock and apple). The midweek set lunch (with choices) is also a steal. A standard wine list does its job admirably.
Unpretentious pub offering good value for the area
* Simon Bonwick is taking over as chef-patron of the Crown at the end of March 2025, but will continue to run the Troublesome Lodger in Marlow as normal. *
It’s easy to feel sorry for the villagers of Bray (no, really). The… Read more
* Simon Bonwick is taking over as chef-patron of the Crown at the end of March 2025, but will continue to run the Troublesome Lodger in Marlow as normal. *
It’s easy to feel sorry for the villagers of Bray (no, really). They can hardly emerge from their front doors without tripping over starry temples to gastronomy and a slew of celebs. Small wonder, then, that they cherish this disarmingly unpretentious old English pub (sibling to The Oarsman in Marlow), praised for its ‘lovely local atmosphere’, its ‘articulate and knowledgeable’ staff, and its ‘superbly cooked’ Sunday roasts. Dark beams, wood-burning stoves and venerable ale-drinkers reading newspapers set the lunchtime scene. Outside, a large beer garden beckons in warm weather.
The food follows suit, with a brief set menu (a bargain for Berkshire) augmented by a concise carte of mostly pub classics, executed with care. A neat, tasty square of ham hock terrine, well-matched with piccalilli, might precede steak or something fancier such as our succulent little slab of hake on orzo with seafood bisque, which we teamed with a side of grilled hispi cabbage, truffle mayo and crispy shallots – a dish that would have made quite an appealing vegetarian dish in its own right. To finish, a slice of dense, creamy strawberry cheesecake did the trick. Only the drinks list hints at the moneyed locale, with a batch of extravagant fine wines tagged on to the otherwise moderately priced list. Oh, and the odd Bentley lurking in the car park.
A centuries-old village local atop a hill midway between Hadrian's Wall and the conurbations of Tyne & Wear, the Feathers continues to provide sustenance for locals and visitors alike. Inside, it looks the part with beams, log… Read more
A centuries-old village local atop a hill midway between Hadrian's Wall and the conurbations of Tyne & Wear, the Feathers continues to provide sustenance for locals and visitors alike. Inside, it looks the part with beams, log-burning stoves, Northumbrian ales and old-fashioned pub games as part of the offer, although the place has built its current reputation on locally sourced seasonal food, industrious home production and a commitment to ethical practices. The kitchen cures its own charcuterie, makes black pudding and pickles North Sea herrings (‘as good as most I’ve had in Scandinavia,’ noted one visitor) – as well as producing bespoke spirits including mulberry gin. They have a published list of more than 60 local suppliers, including foragers and growers, Northumbrian farmers specialising in rare breeds and day-boat fishermen catching sustainable species off the East Coast. An outdoor fire pit works its magic on flatbreads, grilled vegetables (used for vegan meze) and Haydon Bridge beef patties (slotted into brioche buns with Gorgonzola piccante and dill pickles). Otherwise, the kitchen’s eclectic approach sees battered haddock and fillet of wild halibut with chilli and rosemary velouté alongside braised local roe deer with celeriac purée, English lentils and emmer wheat or Spanish-style home-cured pork chop with fried potatoes and bravas sauce. For afters, the Northumbrian cheeses are well worth a punt, as are the homemade ices and homespun desserts such as blackberry and apple sponge with custard or steamed gingerbread pudding. To drink, vermouth-based cocktails and keenly priced, well-chosen wines fit the bill nicely.
Part of Charles and Edmund Inkin’s 'Eat, Drink, Sleep' trilogy – which also includes the Gurnard’s Head and the Old Coastguard in Cornwall – this ever-popular pub with rooms is, in many ways, an archet… Read more
Part of Charles and Edmund Inkin’s 'Eat, Drink, Sleep' trilogy – which also includes the Gurnard’s Head and the Old Coastguard in Cornwall – this ever-popular pub with rooms is, in many ways, an archetypal dream of a country inn. It transports you to a half-imagined heyday of fireside sofas, knobbly brickwork, low beams and quarry tiled floors, with craft ales at the bar and fresh, home-cooked food buoyed up by produce from the kitchen garden.
For all its heritage vibes, the Griffin is also a slick, modern operation, with polished service and a properly cheffy kitchen (headed by Gwenann Davies). Her repertoire includes traditional ideas such as broccoli and Stilton soup or lamb rump with faggot, peas and red wine gravy alongside more contemporary dishes – perhaps a sticky glazed BBQ short rib with sweet, spiky kimchi, luscious sriracha mayo and fresh herbs, ahead of pearly, crisp-skinned hake with a crunchy, breadcrumbed crab and chorizo cake, set on an intense, velvety, red pepper purée.
Each dish is carefully considered, right through to dessert. A voluptuous white chocolate mousse with berry ice cream, fresh raspberries and crunchy, bittersweet honeycomb provided a satisfying end to our most recent visit. Sunday lunch is an ultra-traditional feast featuring meat from the lowland hills, greenery from the garden and plenty of homely touches. In addition to real ales, drinkers can pick from a fair-sized wine list that has been annotated with personality as well as knowledge; the numerous options by the glass are well worth considering.
Relaxed village local with a long-standing reputation
A ‘tip-top’ local asset since 2004, James and Bianca Rix’s relaxed, unstuffy pub a few miles from Ware combines its roles with great panache. The casual bar serves as a dedicated drinkers’ den (real ales bu… Read more
A ‘tip-top’ local asset since 2004, James and Bianca Rix’s relaxed, unstuffy pub a few miles from Ware combines its roles with great panache. The casual bar serves as a dedicated drinkers’ den (real ales but no food), while the restaurant is airy, spacious and lit by an ornate gold chandelier – although most plaudits are reserved for the ‘fabulous’ ever-attentive staff. Outside is a pretty garden for all seasons, and the kitchen is also noted for its calendar-driven approach.
Contemporary, ingredients-led Anglo-European cooking is the style, with springtime menus delivering everything from whole Cornish plaice with Jersey Royals and salty fingers (aka ‘jellybeans’, a cousin of marsh samphire) to perfectly pink, crisp-skinned French duck breast with gratin dauphinois and green peppercorn sauce. To start, readers have praised the three-cheese and hazelnut soufflé with spinach, and a dish of sautéed rabbit livers with fairy-ring mushrooms, peas and wild garlic on toast. To finish, a 'beautiful' saffron-poached pear and an almond tart with crème fraîche have gone down a treat. Roast rib of dry-aged Hereford beef with Yorkshire pud and all the trimmings is the highlight on Sundays, when lunch meanders on until 5pm.
The kindly priced wine list favours France, with a decent smattering of organic bottles and by-the-glass selections. Also check out the owners' pop-up shop, a handy spot for coffee, pastries and deli produce.
With its neat mop of thatch, crowned with figures of a fox chasing a pheasant, this thoroughly spruced-up, contemporary pub – a country cousin of The Ginger Pig and The Gingerman (in Brighton and Hove) – is an idyllic-… Read more
With its neat mop of thatch, crowned with figures of a fox chasing a pheasant, this thoroughly spruced-up, contemporary pub – a country cousin of The Ginger Pig and The Gingerman (in Brighton and Hove) – is an idyllic-looking place right out of central casting. With the Downs looming in the distance, it boasts a pretty garden shielded from the road by tall trees, a smart children's playground tucked away in a corner, and a proper bar with cask ales and keg lagers. But dining is king here (booking is advised), with a menu of modern British food reflecting current trends. ‘It feels smart but not overly posh.’ Crispy jalapeños with Brighton Blue cheese is a snack to get you fired up, before a starter of, say, ham hock and cornichon terrine, where traditional flavours get the gel and pickle treatment (piccalilli and cauliflower, respectively). Monkfish tail with paprika crumb is the closest you'll come to fish and chips here (served with a cassoulet of haricot beans and chorizo), although you can get a fix of duck-fat chips with a 35-day aged rump steak. Daily specials might include a pie (chicken and mushroom, say), and fish is a winner judging by a perfectly cooked fillet of hake with summer vegetables and fish velouté. Sunday roasts such as leg of lamb and belly of pork are crowd-pleasers, while non-meat eaters fare well across the board. Finish with cardamom frangipane, poached apricots, apricot gel, honeycomb and clotted-cream ice cream. Classic cocktails and an intelligently gathered wine list support the beers at the bar, with Sussex vintages getting proper appreciation; a dedicated local flight truly celebrates its fabulous terroir.
The sign outside this whitewashed 17th-century inn – and its logo – reference the local custom of curling on the frozen waters of nearby Loch Kilconquhar, although most attention focuses on the output of the pub's… Read more
The sign outside this whitewashed 17th-century inn – and its logo – reference the local custom of curling on the frozen waters of nearby Loch Kilconquhar, although most attention focuses on the output of the pub's kitchen these days. This part of Fife feels fairly remote, but chef/co-owner James Ferguson is plugged into local supply lines – not least from the Balcaskie Estate, which oversees 2,000 acres of mainly coastal farmland hereabouts. Menus change daily, depending on what produce arrives at the kitchen door, so expect anything from refined seafood dishes such as steamed razor clams in oloroso to a starter of Shetland lamb offal, fired with pickled chilli and served with yoghurt flatbread. Line-caught mackerel might take its place among mains, grilled and served with horseradish-infused baby beetroot, while russet Tamworths provide the pork chops that are cooked with fennel, onions and sage. When it comes to finishers, homemade ice creams with oaty shortbread are hard to beat, or look further afield for a sorbet of Amalfi lemons soused in Polish vodka. Drinks include craft beers and cider, plus a short but enterprising wine selection. There are tables outside for the balmy seasons, and an air of simple rusticity within (complete with candlelight in the evenings) – thanks to co-owner Alethea Palmer, who runs the place with appreciable cheer and a breadth of welcome that extends to pre-advised dogs in the bar area.
Impressive locally sourced food in a proper Yorkshire inn
Located in an impossibly charming village about an hour's drive east of York, this delightful inn has been home to James and Kate Mackenzie since 2006, and it has gone from strength to strength over the years. Happily, the ow… Read more
Located in an impossibly charming village about an hour's drive east of York, this delightful inn has been home to James and Kate Mackenzie since 2006, and it has gone from strength to strength over the years. Happily, the owners have never lost sight of their original vision of an informal country pub dedicated to impressive cooking with a local accent – ‘not fine dining but brilliant consistent food,’ according to one fan. There’s a commitment to Yorkshire’s bountiful larder, the same menu is served in the bar (no bookings) and restaurant, while afternoons bring sandwiches, soup and savouries. They even look after your children nicely with a sensible menu of roast chicken, sausage and mash, risotto and lots more.
James Mackenzie doesn't trade in dolls-house portions or superfluous smears; instead, his dishes are hearty and substantial – as in a generous serving of Dales lamb (BBQ rump and a crispy croquette of belly meat) alongside a delicate tartlet of spring vegetables and Yorkshire Fine Fettle cheese, plus nettle and mint purée, beer and barley jus. Our springtime visit included grilled asparagus served with a dressing of Yorkshire’s own chorizo, followed by a substantial dish of cider-braised rabbit topped with a wild garlic crumble containing pancetta, black pudding and cannellini beans. Asparagus turned up again in a special of wild halibut with Jersey Royals (doused with seaweed butter and served in a mini copper pan). Desserts are hard to resist, especially the exceedingly lemony, lemon curd parfait and meringue ice cream. And if you just fancy a little sweet something, try the ‘treats’ – a trio of macaroons or mini salted caramel doughnuts, hot from the pan and rolled in sugar.
The thoughtful wine list is a fine match for the food, with plenty by the glass and half bottle (including a Pomerol and Margaux at £38), plus a selection of ‘fine and rare’ vintages; there's also a selection of Thomson & Scott non-alcoholic tipples. Five luxurious bedrooms are located in the pub and a further four are close by in the village.
* Chef-patron Gordon Scott has announced that the pub will be closing its doors for the last time on 27 January 2024.*
The Purefoy, which sits discreetly on the highway through an unsullied village to the south of Basingsto… Read more
* Chef-patron Gordon Scott has announced that the pub will be closing its doors for the last time on 27 January 2024.*
The Purefoy, which sits discreetly on the highway through an unsullied village to the south of Basingstoke's fleshpots, takes its role as a community hub seriously. Its dining area feels more pub than restaurant (notwithstanding the appearance of a tasting menu), with a working fireplace and walls in sober nautical blue. A certain flourish distinguishes the cooking: the crustacean contents of an open crab doughnut spill over into its surrounding shellfish sauce, while beetroot tart is pointedly matched with apple sorbet. Local pork with celeriac, bacon and mash demonstrates a readiness to refine classic pub food without transforming it into something puzzling, and an inspection dish of sea bass had its skin properly crisped, with a 'gammon-thick' slice of bacon and silky fennel cream as companions. Chocolate délice with pistachio and yoghurt sorbet might await at the finish line. Service could do with a little sharpening up, according to one reader, but the overall ambience is pleasing indeed. To drink, Hampshire ales and locally distilled gins line up alongside a wine list with some English representatives (including bottles from the nearby Danebury Vineyard).
Back on form as one of the finest hostelries in the country, the Star is somewhere to come for a slap-up restaurant-style supper or a simple bar lunch. For all its fame – the walls are plastered with awards as well as photos… Read more
Back on form as one of the finest hostelries in the country, the Star is somewhere to come for a slap-up restaurant-style supper or a simple bar lunch. For all its fame – the walls are plastered with awards as well as photos of chef-owner Andrew Pern with celeb-chefs and King Charles – this reborn 14th-century inn is still Harome's village watering hole with strong local credentials on the food front. On the plate, Whitby lobster and organic salmon ravioli are just as worthy of attention as maple-glazed mallard. To begin, a snack of Yorkshire custard tart laced with honey from the pub’s hives and matched for sweetness by the golden raisins embedded in its savoury cream is an unabashedly rich introduction to the unusual flavour combinations to come. Pern’s signature starter is a slice of pan-fried foie gras sandwiched between two patties of grilled black pudding; to follow, there might be herb-roasted crown of red-legged partridge with haggis and a peat-whisky bread pudding, in which the metallic tang of the game is echoed by the iodine of the spirit. Banoffee pie, meanwhile, is successfully reinvented as a sort of chocolate gâteau flavoured with Blue Mountain coffee and Madagascan vanilla: a sugar-rush of sophistication. None of this comes cheap: the 10-course tasting menu costs £125, while three courses clock in at around £60. But the skill of the cooking is matched by the professionalism of a friendly team of Yorkshire youngsters out front, who are not only well-drilled on the finer points of the menu but are able to offer impressively knowledgeable wine advice. The surroundings are charming too, from the beamed warren of rooms filled with oak furniture crafted by Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson to the new lounge bar in the medieval eaves of the building where an engraving marks ‘The great fire of Harome’. If budget is an issue, a weekday menu offers two courses for £25: slow-roasted pumpkin soup followed by a steamed suet pudding of local venison, say. It’s served in the bar, which is where you’ll find the locals, pleased as punch to have their pub back at the centre of village life.
It may look like just another brick-fronted village pub, but the Victoria is a hostelry endowed with unusual flair and character. Inside, it’s smart but not showy, with lots of wood and heritage shades, although the fact tha… Read more
It may look like just another brick-fronted village pub, but the Victoria is a hostelry endowed with unusual flair and character. Inside, it’s smart but not showy, with lots of wood and heritage shades, although the fact that the place is now helmed by Simon King (a big name in hospitality) and chef Matt Larcombe (formerly at the Crown at Bray) gives notice this is a serious operation. Expect a combination of excellent service and high-quality food based on local and seasonal produce. Matt injects vivid flavours into his cooking, offering a menu that runs from pub classics (superb fish and triple-cooked chips) to mushroom parfait with sweet-and-sour onions, Herdwick lamb rump with caramelised sweetbreads, morels and broad beans or slow-cooked cauliflower with goat’s curd and kale. To finish, look for updated staples such as apple pie soufflé or a ‘Victoria’ sponge made with Yorkshire rhubarb. Matching the food is a well-spread wine list with a very decent selection by the glass. Locals have embraced the place wholeheartedly, especially as drinkers are welcome to congregate in the bar for pints of ale and nibbles (perhaps crispy pig's head or devils on horseback). Children are happily accommodated too, and Sunday lunch is booked up weeks in advance.
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