Stanley Gate Inn

A nice, spacious pub with a choice of different seating areas. It’s had a makeover which means the style is not terribly unique (a mixture of ‘New England’ wooden panelling and brick rustic) but it is well done, and there are plenty of tables. The food was reasonably priced we had a veggie and a 6oz steak burger, which came with plenty of chips, for £8 and £8.25 respectively. (In fact I think the veggie burger came with sweet potato chips delicious, though I wouldn’t want them all the time.) You didn’t need a starter or dessert! They also had an excellent beer on from Marston’s, ‘Single Hop’, made with New Zealand Wai-​iti hops, which was simply amazing cistrussy and dry, but not especially bitter. Very, very drinkable. London Pride was the other real ale. The only downer is the staff weren’t fantastically attentive, but were friendly when you’d got their attention. But I’d happily go back there again.

I took my husband for his birthday treat and he thoroughly enjoyed his three course meal from the ‘Festive Menu’ which consisted of a delicious soup called ‘Cauliflower Tickler’ followed by ‘Vegetable Wellington’ and ‘Winter fruit crumble and custard’. Then he washed it all down with a hot cider which was a touch on the sweet side for his taste. I enjoyed the ‘Vegetable pesto and mozzarella burger’ which was accompanied by chips or one could request a jacket potato which i did. The barbecue relish was very tasty too. Hats off to Stanley Gate Inn for a superb service by extremely polite staff and the superb vegetarian choice on offer. Also the amazing smokeless coal fires that warmed the cockles of our hearts and brought back such pleasant memories of our childhoods growing up with coal fires. It had snowed for the first time on our visit to the Stanley Gate Inn but we were oblivious to it as once inside one felt such a warm and hearty welcome at this homely eating establishment.