Brockenhurst, New Forest, Hampshire:
Just over the road from The Forester’s Arms, and named for local celebrity Brusher Mills.
Outside for some reason led us to expect less, but inside there’s a tidy gastropub interior, fairly traditional but clearly not that old.
Good food, a step above average pub food. Ale on offer, friendly staff. Normally there’s be a good AF choice but all except the gin was sold out..
Emery Down, Lyndhurst, New Forest, Hampshire:
We were heading off in search of pigs (which we totally failed at), got stuck in traffic, and took a diversion. We needed lunch, and were passing.
It’s a pleasant roadside pub, now a free house. Traditional inside and out. Very pleasant landlady, decent food, a real fire, good beer including cask and AF.
Cadnam, New Forest, Hampshire:
We were meeting a friend for food and drink and she’d suggested this, a short drive up through the forest, and on what was previously the main road, but now a cul-de-sac when the M27/A31 junction got dropped in.
It’s a beautiful thatched pub, originally 3 cottages, and the inside is traditional beams, but looks contemporary and traditional at the same time.
The difference with this place is the food: they offer a dual menu, Indian and traditional pub food.
Now there’s nothing unusual about Indian food in a pub, especially if you live in the West Midlands like we do, where the Desi Pub thing is normal but here in the New Forest is’ a bit more unusual, and the menu itself isn’t a standard Indian one; there’s a few unusual dishes.
Service was great, the food was excellent, and they found us a nice quiet table.There’s real ale on offer, AF options too.
Milford on Sea, Hampshire:
We were driving around the nearby coast and needed lunch. This place was handy and there was parking, so we went in.
Inside was modern gastropub: very much a food bias, stripped and waxed old wooden furniture, old beams. Friendly, pleasant staff coping well with the lunchtime rush, decent food, good beer offering.
Real surprise from the child watching something on a tablet nearby, who’d been given headphones, so didn’t disturb the rest of us.
Brockenhurst, New Forest, Hampshire:
Traditional village pub, nearest to our holiday property and close to the station. We were staying very nearby, and dropped in for tea with a friend. The bar was noisy and crowded, but the lounge was quiet and relaxed, though it did busy up later. I’d guess that at peak times this could get very busy.
Really helpful, friendly barman, decent beer on offer including an AF on draught, decent food, and a nice atmosphere.
Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire:
Historic pub in a medieval building sympathetically converted in 1996. Originally gifted to Anne of Cleves by Henry VIII as part of her divorce settlement, apparently.
Traditional inside and out- beams, tapestries, low doorways, stone floor.
Pleasant staff, cask ale and alcohol free on offer, good food, nice outdoor space. Very busy on a bank holiday Sunday lunchtime, but we got served in a reasonable time.
Enderby, Leicestershire:
Traditional pub in the village centre. Pleasant landlady, traditional inside and out, decent outdoor space, cask ale and alcohol-free available.
Enderby, Leicestershire:
Our nearest pub while on a short break. Near as in “opposite our rental property”.
This place impressed from the start. We walked in at 13:55, and were still able to order food (the kitchen closed at 14:00), the landlady was friendly and pleasant, there was decent beer and an alcohol-free choice.
Inside is multi-room and traditional, and there’s outside and semi-outside space (a roofed-over area at the back). Outside is traditional and thatched!
Fantastic pub with great food: they only usually do food at lunchtime at the moment but are trialling evening food. Opening hours aren’t all-day every-day, being more like traditional hours, so check before visiting.
We had been in The Drill once or twice since the last blog entry nine years ago, but it had been a while again: the bus route no longer goes nearby, but not to worry, we were in the car.
A small celebration saw us eating out in the week again.
The Drill really feels like a country pub, tucked down a lane. Plenty of parking, a kids area, outside space. Inside is fairly traditional but with some modern shabby-chic decor. There’s a strong food bias with a pretty decent menu- the food is great and reasonably priced, and the staff friendly
My last post about The Shire Oak was almost a decade ago, just after the refurb, and I visited maybe once or twice after that, but it’s been some time since I visited.
We drove up, as it’s too far for us to walk these days. We’d no plans for tea and with one thing and another, hadn’t been out in the evening for some time, and we’d not eaten here this millennium (!)
Now the refurb is 10 years old, it’s looking a bit dated: very red, and reminiscent of a slightly tired Highlands pub with the tartan-ish carpet.
However, things were actually pretty good. Alcohol-free lager on draught, pleasant young chap serving, and decent, reasonably-priced food. Would have preferred the 90s dance music to be quieter or absent, but it wasn’t too bad.