Pub lunches have come a long way from the days of chicken in a basket or a sad-looking ploughman’s. These days, pubs are giving restaurants a run for their money, and becoming the place to find some of the most exciting chefs, and most amazing food, in the country. So gather your mates and turn a visit to the pub into a proper event. Whether it’s a traditional Sunday roast with all the trimmings, or something more adventurous, here are four gastropubs that are taking the pub lunch to a whole new brilliant level.
The Pipe and Glass, East Yorkshire
The Pipe and Glass has won a Michelin star for its food, but you’ll find nothing pretentious or snooty about this warm, welcoming and cosy pub in South Dalton, Beverley. The prices don’t suggest fine dining either, being very reasonable indeed. But when you taste what’s on their menu, you’ll get why this pub’s food has won so many fans, from loyal locals to those who’ve travelled from miles away.
The Marksman, Bethnal Green, London
This recently refurbished pub deep in the heart of Hackney combines all the charm of a proper old school pub with some seriously sexy cooking. You can either eat in the bar or in the very nice dining room upstairs. Either way you’ll be treated to an array of mouthwatering dishes from things like smoked haddock fritters and treacle cured Tamworth pork belly to traditional lamb shoulder and mint sauce and a chicken and mushroom pie.
The Greyhound on the Test, Hampshire
One of the many brilliant things about this award-winning 600-year old, oak-beamed country pub is that, as well as doing things you don’t normally find in pubs like buffalo carpaccio and pumpkin and truffle risotto, it also has all the pub classics like scotch eggs, steak and chips, fish and chips, and a burger – but done to an incredibly high standard. And whisky fans won’t believe their luck – there are 19 different selections available behind the bar.
The Jugged Hare, Barbican, London
The big concrete brick of London's Barbican is the last place you expect to find a pub with oak floors and a stag’s head on the wall, but that’s exactly what you’ll discover with The Jugged Hare – named after an old English recipe of cooking a hare in a jug (a dish that’s on the menu if you’re curious). It has won rave reviews for the food, which features traditional dishes, cooked with fine-dining precision, including the ever-popular steaks and pies.
Best casual dining
Once you’ve sorted where you’re going for lunch, you can focus on looking decent for when you rock up. For effortlessly casual style that’ll suit every location, you’d do well to check out the new Tu collection featuring a great selection of casual shirts, autumn jumpers and quality jeans and chinos.
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