The Village Pub
Our Dad had just retired, so to mark the occasion Mum asked us to “pick somewhere nice we can take the dog” (common restaurant criteria when we’re heading out with the family). We decided on The Village Pub in near Cirencester for its countryside cottage character, secluded courtyard garden and traditional English menu means the whole family will find something they’ll love.
The Village Pub is on paper, a pub with rooms, of which there are many, but it’s a cut above the average for this special occasion.
The Pub is a cosy, comfy, Cotswold hideaway with a restaurant and rooms about a 10 min drive from Cirencester. It has buckets of charm, wonky walls, wooden beams and tiny windows.
The Menu
On the menu you’ll see hearty pub dishes showcasing classic British ingredients, such as (alliteration alert) chunky chips, crab cakes, ham hock, cheddar cheese, beer batter, poached pears and seasonal soup. See the menus on the Pub’s Food page »
Starters vary between £6 and £10 and you can choose to have a starter as a main portion.
The main meals are generally priced between £15 and £21.
All desserts are priced at £7, Ice cream £2 per scoop and £9 for the cheese selection.
Starter
To start, Kerry had the Red Onion and Beetroot Tart (photo below). We agree it’s hard to identify as a tart, but can assure you there’s definitely pastry under all that cheese. The beetroot flavour was dominated by the red onion and strong cheese but added a low level of earthiness. She loved it however for the richness of the strong cheese.
Main
Onto the main course and as per, 7 out of 8 of our family ordered the textbook Sunday choice – the Beef Roast. Kerry was the odd one out with the Fish Pie.
When the meals arrived everyone did a little squee at the sight of the thickly sliced beef and the kitchen nailed it with the gigantic Yorkshires.
Nestled under the slices of beef were plenty of seasonal vegetables and two roasties. A request for extra gravy wasn’t an issue and the plates were demolished in no time!
One the Main menu you’ll see a choice of ‘best of British’ classics such as Fish and Chips, Grilled Halloumi, Smoked Haddock Fishcakes, Beef Burger, and Lamb Cutlets.
As touched on earlier, Kerry ordered the Fish Pie (pic below). It was absolutely packed with fish, although Kerry said some smoked salmon or smoked haddock wouldn’t have gone a miss and may have lifted the flavour. She did find it a little bland after a while and had to reach for the salt and pepper, but that’s her personal preference and she is a salt fiend in general.
As we were there to celebrate, we thought it apt to order a bottle of sparkly. On the wine list was an English Sparkling Wine by Bolney Wine Estate and Kew Gardens. They have combined their exceptional expertise to create a sparkling wine that evokes the fragrant sights and sounds of the Sussex countryside.
We always chose an English White or Sparkling if it’s offered on a menu. Kerry sometimes jokes she’s like an adult version of Goldilocks – she finds Prosecco too sweet, Champagne too powerful (often wincing before drinking it), but English Sparkling just right (on the whole)!
Dessert
By the time it came to dessert we were all exceptionally stuffed (one of the pleasant side effects of eating stodgy, hearty pub grub)! You don’t pick a pub for daintiness do you, you want your stomach stretched to bursting!
The Dessert menu listed lovable options of Lemon Tart, Chocolate Fondant, Cheesecake, Salted Caramel Brownie, a selection of Ice Creams, Cheeseboard and Dessert Wines.
At the time of our visit they had Banoffee pie on the menu which was a must for our Mum. And here it is…
After lunch we retired to the leafy courtyard garden to splodge out while our food digested. We appreciated not being rushed and the service from the waiting staff was just the right level of attentiveness (as in, they worked around our schedule).
We all agreed we’d return to The Village Pub which says enough!
Across the road is the Cotswold hotel behemoth, Barnsley House, part of the Calcot Collection, who also owns The Village Pub. Another destination added to the little black book!
Opening hours and contact details
Monday to Thursday: 12:00 noon – 2:30pm, 6.00pm – 9.30pm
Friday: 12:00 noon – 2:30pm, 6.00pm – 10.00pm
Saturday: 12:00 noon – 3:00pm, 6.00pm – 10.00pm
Sunday: 12:00 noon – 9:00pm
The Village Pub
Barnsley
Cirencester
GL7 5EF
Tel: 01285 740 421
Email: info@thevillagepub.co.uk
