Stapley - The Good Pub Guide 2018

AMPTHILL

Prince of Wales

(01525) 840504 www.princeofwales-ampthill.com

Bedford Street (B540 N from central crossroads); MK45 2NB

Civilised and with neat dcor and up-to-date food; bedrooms

ALTHOUGH PERHAPS MORE of a bar-brasserie than a straightforward pub, there are plenty of chatty customers in this attractive red-brick place and they do keep Charles Wells Bombardier and Eagle on handpump, plenty of wines by the glass and good coffee; service is notably good. Its set on two levels with comfortable, stylish furnishings and modern prints on mainly cream walls (dark green and maroon accents at either end). The slightly sunken flagstoned area with wooden tables and chairs and a log fire in the exposed brick fireplace leads to a partly ply-panelled dining room with dark leather dining chairs around a mixed batch of sturdy tables; also, plenty of church candles and big burgundy leather armchairs and sofas at low tables on bare boards. Background music. The nicely planted, two-level lawn has picnic-sets, with more on a terrace by the car park.

Quite a choice of good food includes lunchtime sandwiches (not Sunday), tiger prawn skewers marinated in chilli, garlic and lime with avocado pure, chicken liver and brandy pt with home-made piccalilli, chargrilled courgette and aubergine with marinated feta, olives and roasted red pepper sauce, salmon en crote with white wine and dill, chicken breast filled with chorizo and a rich tomato sauce, pork belly with apple, sage and celeriac and cider jus, and puddings such as crme brle of the day and salted caramel tart with chocolate ice-cream; Thursday is steak night. Benchmark main dish: pie of the day 11.95. Two-course evening meal 19.00.

Wells & Youngs ~ Lease Richard and Neia Heathorn ~ Real ale ~ Open 11-11 (midnight Fri, Sat); 12-5 Sun ~ Bar food 12-2.30 (3 weekends), 6.30-9 (7-9.30 Fri, Sat); not Sun evening ~ Restaurant ~ Children welcome ~ Dogs allowed in bar and bedrooms ~ Wi-fi ~ Bedrooms: 55/70 Recommended by Richard Kennell, Susan and Jeremy Arthern, Maggie and Matthew Lyons, Susan and Tim Boyle

BEDFORD

Park

(01234) 273929 www.theparkbedford.co.uk

Corner of Kimbolton Road (B660) and Park Avenue, out past Bedford Hospital; MK40 2PA

Civilised and individual oasis a great asset for the town

CUSTOMERS DROP IN and out of this bustling and cheerful pub all day. There are all sorts of seating areas to choose from, each with appealing dcor and thoughtful touches: a more or less conventional bar with heavy beams, panelled dado and leaded lights in big windows, a light and airy conservatory sitting room with easy chairs well spread on a carpet, and an extensive series of softly lit rambling dining areas, carpeted or flagstoned. Charles Wells Bombardier Burning Gold and Eagle and Courage Directors on handpump, inventive bar nibbles and an excellent choice of wines by the glass; background music. The sheltered brick-paved terrace has good timber furniture, some under canopies, and attractive shrubs.

Enjoyable food includes breakfasts (8.30-10.30am Thursday, Friday; 9-11am weekends), sandwiches, sharing boards, brie parcel with fruit chutney, chicken and tarragon terrine, a pasta and a risotto of the day, sausage and mash with onion gravy, steak and coriander burger with toppings and chips, trout fillet with roasted beetroot pure and blood orange, fennel and almond salad, pork belly and chorizo casserole, and puddings such as dark chocolate brownie with white chocolate ice-cream and rhubarb and ginger crumble with Grand Marnier crme anglaise; they also offer a two- and three-course weekday menu. Benchmark main dish: steak in ale pie 12.00. Two-course evening meal 21.00.

Little Gems Country Dining Pubs ~ Manager Steve Cook ~ Real ale ~ Open 8am-11.30pm; 9am-11.30pm Sat; 9am-11pm Sun ~ Bar food 12-3, 6-10; 12-10 Sat; 12-8 Sun ~ Restaurant ~ Children in one bar and restaurant ~ Dogs allowed in bar ~ Wi-fi Recommended by Ruth May, Tony Smaithe, Charles Todd, Belinda Stamp

FLITTON

White Hart

(01525) 862022 www.whitehartflitton.co.uk

Village signed off A507; MK45 5EJ

Simply furnished and friendly village pub with bar and dining area, real ales, interesting food and seats in the garden

THERES LITTLE DOUBT that the main emphasis in this friendly village pub is on the extremely popular food, but they still keep B&T Golden Fox and Shefford Bitter on handpump and 20 wines as well as champagne and prosecco by the glass. The minimally decorated front bar has dark leather tub chairs around low tables, contemporary leather and chrome seats at pedestal tables, and Farrow & Ball painted walls; TV. Steps lead down to a good-sized, simply furnished back dining area with red plush seats and banquettes on dark wooden floorboards. The nice garden has neat shrub borders, and teak seats and tables on a terrace shaded by cedars and weeping willows. A 13th-c church is next door.

Their renowned steaks and daily fresh fish dishes dominate the menu and include crab, lime and chilli bruschetta with fennel, saffron and red pepper dressing, gilt-head bream with avocado, mango and chilli salsa, turbot with lemon and brown shrimp butter and aberdeen angus steaks with a choice of butters; they also serve sandwiches, home-made liver pt with caramelised onion marmalade, sticky spicy pork ribs with chorizo, coleslaw chicken breast with creamed leeks, bacon, brie and pernod sauce, chargrilled lamb chops with feta and tomato salad, and puddings such as butterscotch pudding with butterscotch sauce and lemon, lime and ginger posset. Benchmark main dish: grilled whole lemon sole 12.95. Two-course evening meal 20.00.

Free house ~ Licensees Phil and Clare Hale ~ Real ale ~ Open 12-2.30, 6-midnight; 12-3, 6-1am Sat; 12-5 Sun; closed Sun evening, Mon ~ Bar food 12-2, 6.30-9 (9.30 Fri, Sat); 12-2.30 Sun ~ Restaurant ~ Children welcome ~ Dogs allowed in bar ~ Wi-fi Recommended by Colin Humphreys, Diane Abbott, Andrea and Philip Crispin, Mark Morgan, Charles Todd

IRELAND