The Old Buttermarket, Canterbury

Although the previous reviews of this pub in Canterbury town centre seem a bit old, I would suggest that they're also somewhat out of date; and 'out dated'..... Going on a day trip with the in-laws, we did have to wait for lunch (the pub was justifiably very busy!), but then, that's often the best time to sample a few of the pub's really good ales, and I vote Hopdaemon Incubus as a real find. Then, the food!! Fish And Chips is a very easy dish to make bland and uninteresting, but I can't praise the staff and the chef here enough. They were incredibly courteous, the fish tasted great, and the service was very good...... Surely not in accordance with the previous review... It's a Nicholson's pub (and I know some reviewers get prickly when large pub groups come into these kind of places?), but if all Nicholson's pubs train their staff to be this good, and this accommodating, then you can't fault it!! The nature of our trip meant that we didn't hit other places in town, but as an idea of what a pub should be like in Canterbury, you can't go far wrong with the Old Buttermarket.

31 Aug 2013 12:36

The Wheatsheaf, Oakham

Picked the Wheatsheaf because of it's 8.6 rating on here....., and now need to raise that even higher!

Oakham is a beautiful village in what was Rutland and the Wheatsheaf fits in perfectly to the picture postcard-like view of the village with a wonderful garden and a great ambiance; low ceilings and a really pleasant landlord and landlady (who are I found out really quite new to the pub - but, didn't appear so!! Very well respected by the locals....) make for a pub which really defines what a country pub should be.

When you get here, dive into the food - it's the best roast beef I've had in years - and the beer is wonderful. It's an Everards establishment which means Tiger - the Beer Of The Gods(!) - but a lovely Banks And Taylor Mild made for a perfect Sunday afternoon.

The pub has the 'old' opening hours, which means a 3pm close, but as we were eating it was very relaxed, and I would thoroughly recommend this place to ANYONE visiting Oakham or staying locally in the area - the pub is a stone's throw from Rutland Water - so should be checked out at least once!!

If only all pubs could be like this!!!

21 Jul 2012 12:54

The Round Oak Inn, Wombourne

Picked The Round Oak for a trip out of Bilston with the Mrs., with the intention of having a good Sunday lunch and a few very nice beers, and even though it's clearly a very 'locals' pub, I cannot find a fault with how we were received, the food (a lunch to die for!), and the wonderful Banks Mild which went down so smoothly.
The team here are very courteous, the service is excellent, and thanks to them for a great afternoon. The view of the canal is very relaxing and the pub has a big screen for football, but is still big enough to accommodate everyone.... Wombourne has a couple of pubs listed here, but The Round Oak should definitely be on your radar if you're thinking of a pub out there for Sunday.

21 Jul 2012 12:43