Fine ales & good grub!

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A Day Out in the Capital

Now that we have finally had a spot of good weather it’s time to round up your friends and head out for an evening of drinks, food and good company. Your friendly neighbourhood Littlewoods Bingo has put together this handy little pub guide, so you can sample the ales and grub at some of the best boozers in the country.

The Sun Inn, Colchester

For those of you who like your pubs to feel ‘old school’. This great establishment ticks all the boxes for character and age – with timbered ceilings, wall panels and roaring log fires. Everything is not as it seems however; underneath the period features you’ll find a pub that is packed with popular ales and contemporary modern food to make your mouth water. Chef Piers Baker prides himself on only using seasonal ingredients, which is just as well because his wife runs a shop selling locally grown fruit and veg next door.

Italian dishes feature aplenty, so if you are a fan of Mediterranean classics such as slow-cooked beef ragu and parmesan, grilled rib-eye steak with artichokes and numerous tasty pasta dishes, The Sun Inn should be on your ‘must-see’ list. Very popular with tourists at this time of year, it’s best to book a table if you intend to eat.

Main courses range from £8.50-£16.50, with bar meals from £4.50.

The Parrot, Dorking

Charles and Linda Gotto are no strangers to the UK pub scene. They owned a mini-empire of London boozers until 2006, when they traded it all in for a life in the country and a chance to run The Parrot. Overlooking the village green and cricket pitch in nearby Forest Green, the setting is the perfect place for the Gottos to indulge their passion for good food and drink. The menu features meats reared on their own farm in the Surry hills, so it’s perfect if you like a taste of the country. Game pie sits proudly next to lamb rump and roast belly pork, and you also purchase a range of meats, eggs, pickles and cheeses from the farm shop.

With 16 wines at the bar there’s always a glass of vino to match your meal.

Main courses range from £9.25-£13.50, with Sunday roast £11.

Black Bull Inn, Frosterley

A village pub just how it should be! Superbly lit, you’ll find the atmosphere in the Black Bull is second-to-none Owner Duncan Davis was a photographer before he acquired the pub (so that explains why the light falls in just the right way!). With olde-worlde features a-plenty - ticking clocks, stone flags, solid tables and high-back settles – you’re sure to be in good spirits as soon as you enter the pub. If you’re an early bird, tea, coffee and scones are served from 10.30am, but for those who prefer something a little harder, local ciders and beers are always available. The food was also right up our street. Inexpensive and locally sourced, the beef braised in ale on root vegetables with dumplings and roast potatoes was delicious as it sounds.

Main courses go up to £10.50, with a Sunday roast £7.50.

Old Poets’ Corner, Ashover

A great retreat after a day in the Peaks, Old Poets’ Corner sits in the quaint town of Ashover in Derbyshire. With so much going on, it’s hard to squeeze all the necessary info into this small article. To give our bingo buddies a brief overview though, you’ll find everything from food drink, roaring fires, the local cat, music and poetry (as befits a pub called the Old Poets’ Corner). Try the Old Poets ale brewed locally by Leatherbritches and Towe or Broadoak Moonshine cider, both go down far too easily!

The menu is also similarly well stocked, with chillis, pastas, meat and potato pies, casseroles and a tasty carvery on Sundays. Few pubs can give so much and succeed, but here they manage to pull it off!

Main courses range from £4.25-£14; bar meals £.3.25-£9.50; the Sunday carvery £6.95.

Duke of York, Winkleigh

For a true taste of an authentic country pub, the Duke of York delivers in spades. Make your way past the parked tractors, through the doors and park yourself next to a genuine Devon farmer at the bar. Sample the delicious Sams Cider or our personal favourite, Cotleigh Tawny tapped from the cask. Landlord Jamie Stuart and his wife have created a homely, rustic atmosphere in the Duke, with scrubbed oak tables, village photographs on the walls and rocking chairs by the blazing log fire. The menu features locally sourced beef, lamb and pork. If you’re feeling especially hungry, the all-day breakfasts are the most filling we have ever come across!

The 3 course set menu is £22, with bar meals ranging from £4.50-£13.