The Crown

If you’re looking for an old-fashioned country pub with free-house beer, outdoor summer seating and open fires in the winter, The Crown at Swallowfield is certain to delight. Owners Wayne and Dawn took over the establishment two years ago, bringing with them extensive hospitality experience.

For the past two years the owners have taken great pride in the creation of their menu which consists of well-conceived, traditional pub fare that’s exceedingly pocket-friendly. We opted for breaded Alaskan pollock with tartare sauce and grilled mushrooms in a sumptuously creamy white wine and Parmesan sauce served with crusty bread. For the main course we tucked into some of the house specialities, the steak and ale pie served with mashed potatoes, peas and rich red wine gravy, which was sensational, and the chilli-glazed pork escalope with a generous helping of crispy skin-on fries, which was perfectly cooked and tasted absolutely divine.

We simply couldn’t resist the pudding menu and devoured the gluten-free chocolate, coffee and almond brownie with ice cream, and the gloriously unctuous chocolate fudge cake with chocolate sauce and cream. A beautifully made latte and macchiato made for a perfect ending to our delightful threecourse meal. We’re looking forward to coming back here to try even more of the delicious dishes that feature on the menu.