The Beech House

Set in the heart of St Albans, a convenient ten-minute walk from the train station, you’ll find the 1930s Art Deco building that’s home to The Beech House. Within a year of opening its doors in September 2014, this wonderful establishment was named Best New Pub at The Publican Awards, and since then The Beech House has gone on to win The Best Place To Do Business two years in a row at St Albans Food & Drink Awards. Owned by Oakman Inns, the pub’s interior is stylish and industrial – think metal girders, slate, and a monochrome colour palette. The expansive bar area boasts a variety of comfortable seating options, including intimate corners for quiet conversations, as well as large sofas where friends and family can catch up at any time of the day.

Move through to the restaurant and you’ll find a relaxed atmosphere paired with a hint of theatre from the open kitchen, where the chefs and pizzaiolos can be seen hard at work preparing dishes from the all-day mediterranean-inspired menu. Every plateful served from breakfast through to dinner is made from responsibly sourced, high-quality ingredients that are all traceable from farm to fork. Starters such as calamari marinated in yoghurt, lemon and chilli and served with chipotle mayonnaise, and bruschetta topped with burrata and tomatoes marinated in garlic and basil are sure to hit the spot. For your main course, choose from a selection of charcoal-grilled British meat and fish options including mouth-watering burgers and steaks, or opt for a hand-crafted Neapolitan pizza baked in a traditional wood-fired oven. There’s also a range of carefully constructed sharing platters and salads, as well as mouth-watering desserts whipped up in a maelstrom of viewable activity.

Early-birds will be pleased to hear that breakfast is served every day from 8am. Tasty options include eggs Benedict and full English breakfasts alongside the likes of sweet potato, avocado and feta hash, with spinach, chilli, toasted pumpkin seeds, and poached free-range eggs. Like the food menu, the extensive drinks menu provides a tipple for every time of the day – from morning tea or coffee made with Rainforest Alliance coffee beans, and handmade hot chocolate crafted from callebaut chocolate shavings, to the carefully selected range of craft beer, spirits and expertly chosen wine.