Pub food and more.

[LifeOnEarth]

Hi all, I’m a long time lurker, sometimes poster but I’ve changed my username for this occasion.

if you went to a pub restaurant for lunch or dinner, what would you like to see on the menu? Would you always go for classic pub grub or would different types of food entice you in? What would make you visit the pub if you had to drive. Would you even visit a pub if you had to drive?

What would you prefer on your table? Mayo and ketchup in their original bottles or decanted into ‘nice’ bottles. Or would you prefer to have your condiments served in a separate dish?

If you’re a woman, would you feel happy walking into a pub on your own? If not, what would make you do that, how would I make you feel comfortable?

Would you take your young children into a pub for a parent toddler meet up? Would you go to an out of town/rural/village pub for a business breakfast (probably via the local chamber of Commerce).

What could I offer you to make you feel comfortable?

Thank you 🥰

Answers in bold.
If you went to a pub restaurant for lunch or dinner, what would you like to see on the menu?
Classic pub grub. A limited, traditional, menu done well beats a long “restaurant style” one any day.
What would make you visit the pub if you had to drive?
Good food, good beer, well served.
Would you even visit a pub if you had to drive?
Yes, if the food and drink were worth the effort.
What would you prefer on your table? Mayo and ketchup in their original bottles or decanted into ‘nice’ bottles. Or would you prefer to have your condiments served in a separate dish?
I’d prefer to have them off the table and bought when asked for.
If you’re a woman, would you feel happy walking into a pub on your own? If not, what would make you do that, how would I make you feel comfortable?
N/A
Would you go to an out of town/rural/village pub for a business breakfast (probably via the local chamber of Commerce).
Yes.

I would never serve anything other than a home cooked meal. Please don’t worry about that. I’m confused as to why anyone would do that! Have you experienced that before

Have you ever actually been in a pub? What do you think all those Brakes and 3663 wagons are delivering. Have you heard of Tim Martin and his hundreds of Wetherspoons pubs selling microwave lasagne and beige and chips?

Proper deep fried chips please, hand cut from potatoes. I don't intend to spend £20 a head for a portion of cheapo oven chips

I like a posh gastropub or a traditional pub food pub with good quality cooking. Gluten and dairy free options (I am both). I wouldn't feel uncomfortable going into a pub on my own, I just very rarely would. What I would dearly love to see on a menu is a gluten-free traditional beef and ale pie with mash and gravy. Always my top choice and I really miss it now I'm gf. Gf pastry is really pretty decent (unlike gf bread).

You should be able to go out for food and be catered for. What would you like to eat? Your input will help me. Glnochi, gluten free pizza, gluten free pasta? Please let me know what I don’t know about gluten feee.

I have various vegetarian and vegan dishes on my menu. Or I will, I’m still waiting for the perfect place.

I do plan on doing a Sunday roast which can sometimes be quite contentious … Yorkshire pudding with beef only or with chicken as well?!?! 😀 Either way, I’ll give you whatever you want.

Well, that won’t happen in any pub I own or run. If I have to carry you in myself then I will. However, we will always be accessible. Whatever we have to do to achieve that then we will do it.

Can you share your proposed menu?

I’ve recently moved to a small village from large city. My local pub is amazing. Locally sourced food, a meat raffle and bowls of roast potatoes at the bar on Sundays. A book club, things like wreath making at Christmas, themed evenings, a phenomenal, knowledgeable landlady, friendly bar staff, clean toilets. I go there alone regularly.

I’d like a smaller menu that’s changed seasonally rather than an extensive menu that’s always the same. Well done standard pub food and a brilliant cheese board.

off to Clarksons pub for lunch tomorrow so will report back
i love seeing a proper pie available ie one encased in pastry not a casserole with a lid
Sunday lunch should have liberal gravy
no single file q at the bar is always nice and efficient service with tips going to the server

The absolute best pub food I've had recently was in a pub that just specialises in homemade pies and sausages.
They have about 6 different pies (including 2 vegetarian ) and you choose mash or chips and select from 3 different gravies. The same with the sausages. You can choose whether to have a selection of vegetables or not and the veg was absolutely delicious - roasted parsnips, beetroot and carrots, kale and peas.
Really simple, small menu, but cooked beautifully.

As a pp said, I don't want a menu with 30 dishes on from around the world because I know none are going to be cooked from scratch. Good quality pub grub wins every time. If I want an Italian / Mexican / Indian meal I'll go somewhere that specialises in that cuisine.

@LifeOnEarth thank you very much......i can still get around Lol

I’d say a small menu of traditional pub grub done really well plus some seasonal specials and maybe local dishes. Half portions available for kids or to draw older people in with smaller appetites at lunchtimes.
Always branded bottles on the tables. Plea for salad cream please! Not everyone was raised on mayo.
Sunday roast with a choice of meats. Yorkshire pudding with everything. Huge ones not the pathetic flat or tiny stuff. If you do a good Sunday dinner you can really make a name for yourself. People flock to my local for the roasts but I personally don’t go as they use frozen veg. The rest of the menu is good.

Always have a good lasagne on and fish and chip Fridays where you do an offer. One Pub in our village doesn’t even serve fish and chips on Fridays. When asked they said their fryer is used for other things? I haven’t been back.

Traditional but less usual meats will always entice me in - such as pheasant, venison, partridge. Also exotic meats such as ostrich burgers. French cuisine is a winner for me. I don't like carveries - I like to relax and have my food brought to me.

Condiments in ramekins, please.

I don't feel hugely comfortable walking into a pub on my own. Paradoxically as I don't have children I would feel more comfortable if there were indications it was a family type pub - a children's area serves both that purpose, and also contains the children from running around the pub and being disruptive.

N/A to young children meet ups.

Business breakfast - I'd be up for it but my company tends to do them in house as all our larger offices have their own kitchens.

Other: nice clean smelling toilets with posh soap always make me feel welcome.

George Orwell said the secret of a good restaurant is sharp knives - I don't disagree but for me it's also comfortable chairs. Nothing is more likely to make me say no to eating there again than being perched on some tiny wooden chair that makes my bum numb!

Good luck with the venture!

Food I want to see on the menu is a ploughmans at lunchtime and omelettes with salad. Interesting sandwiches with a side of coleslaw and give the option to add a bowl of chips for £1 or £1.50.

I'd rather have fewer options done well. And vegetarian options that aren't vegan. I'm not veggie but don't eat meat often and I love cheese!

DH and I were just saying the other day that we haven't seen a Chicken Kiev on pub menu for years but would both definitely order one.

If you do roasts on a Sunday then don't pour the gravy on the meal but provide lots of it in a separate gravy boat.

I prefer sauces, salt and vinegar and paper napkins on the table stored with the menus so I don't need to ask.

I'd like dogs not to be in the area serving food. Or at least a separate area for people to eat without other people's dogs being around. This is what puts me off one of our otherwise lovely local pubs!

More than happy to drive, we usually do and will happily drive to a good pub.

Dacanted bottles are breeding grounds of germs imagine how many people have touched that bottle

Cosy pub flickering lights ,if you don't light a fire put somerhjng flickering into the grate .
Make it cosy not a sea of cheap chairs and tables mix it up.
Local relevant. Pics at least somewhere

Good music a juke box if possible !!good music on a good quality sound system.

Books ,board games...quirky stuff famous pubs do this so google images.
Cosy cave like environment

And ...ventilation ventilation ventilation .
Even every now and then open a window ,have a window and door open

Above all train staff ,no one walks away from a table empty handed.

The best pub I went too was in Yorkshire...beautiful soft white walls, some cosy pics and chairs with sheep skin rugs

Immaculate beautiful tables , candles ,low glistening lights and brilliant music.
Fantastic staff and really excellent pub food done brilliantly

Oh and sometimes I want a steak sandwich at night be brave have an all day menu .
Many times I want a hot sandwich with chips and no where ronto and
And I'm sick of crisps.

Give me something to have with wine like Spain little cheep tapas bites...

Oh, yes - I second this!

@HowyoualldoworkmeI go to two different pubs regularly, either on my own or with friends (I'm a woman of a certain age!).

One of the offer a ploughmans. I thought I'd have one recently as I've not for years (we're talking the meal, btw!). Good lord! Everyone had finished their meals and one friend shouted down the table to ask another friend opposite if I'd started eating mine yet. There was masses! I had to ask for a doggy bag.

But yes, happy to go to a pub alone.

Not happy with kids running around at lunchtimes or evenings. However, there are pubs that cater for families and I choose not to go to them. Been there, had the ketchup coated, gravy soaked, crayon scribbled tee-shirt. I may reconsider if I ever have GC.

Food. I think a core menu of staples/pub classics with a specials board is always good. If you have local providers of pies, cheese, whatever, get them on board.

Yes to the soup! I love soup and is my first choice at lunchtime but only if its something that's not tomato, mushroom or leek and potato. Something different with fresh bread and lots of butter.

HTH!

EVERY roast should have a Yorkshire - I hate beef, but the Yorkshire pudding is the best bit!
A small kids roast too with maybe free choice of any 3 or 4 things from the main roast menu.
Always gravy separate - not poured all over the plate.

Yes, you could do it like traditional Spain where each drink (smallish wine or a half pint or so of beer) comes with a slice of tortilla, bread with topping or olives and cheese.

Gosh even different packets of snacks why only crisps !!

My OH is a chef in a local (and v successful) pub. Seasonal menu. As far as possible all is homemade. There are about 6 starters, 8 mains plus local butcher's burgers and steaks and maybe 5 or 6 pudding/desert plus ice-cream sorbets.

Mid-week lunch & dinner 'two/three course' offerings at a good price. Specials like Moules when cheap & in season.

Ditto Sunday lunch. Plenty of extra proper gravy available please - not bisto! Always include a great yorkie pud too.

You could do worse by studying Raymond Blanc pubs/Brasserie Blanc offerings.

He has it spot on - really great food/service/pricing. Check them out.

A proper cheese sandwich or ploughman’s.

Vegetarian food not vegan.

Not too much choice, which always makes me think it’s not freshly cooked.

A small menu that changes seasonally is better than pages and pages.

Classic options with the odd left field dish is my preference, along with some lighter options, good business too now that WLI are so widespread.

if you have a parkrun I love a post parkrun breakfast and I’d go to a business networking breakfast in a pub.

if you are quiet in the day some WFH options, a deal with a light lunch (sandwich and crisps, jacket, or salad) unlimited filter coffee, tea or cordial and good wifi for 3 hours would be amazing for a change of scene.

I love when somewhere offers a mini pud and coffee as an option instead of a full sized pudding.

Mayo and ketchup in original bottles brought on request and wiped between customers.