Normally we try to keep our Pub Reviews London centric but we’ve found a real gem for you this week. The Stag at Offchurch is well worth a visit if you ever find yourself in Warwickshire and has a host of awards to back this up. The Stag has been awarded the Publican’s National Food pub of the year 2010, Les Routiers’ Newcomer of the year 2011 and was featured in Budweiser’s Top 50 Gastro Pubs 2012.
Awards are all well and good but does it live up to its reputation? The food is fantastic. Many of the chefs have worked for Raymond Blanc and the quality shows. The prices are not outrageous either, with the most expensive steak meal costing £24.99 it is at the pricier end of the spectrum. The service was second to none, friendly and efficient staff is all we can ask for.
The décor is very impressive and it is a luxury to be able to prop yourself up with cushions if your seat is not quite comfortable enough. Grabbing a seat next to the open log fire is also a good shout in the coming winter months. We observed the pub is a brilliant lunch meeting spot for couples, families and businessmen alike.
However there is one criticism. It’s not really a pub. It’s a restaurant. It is a very good one, with a nice bar area but probably not somewhere you would go for a pint. The focus first and foremost is food and everything else is secondary. This is not a bad thing by any means, it just makes us that little more cautious in recommending this as a great “pub” to visit. It is probably not the place to meet for a casual chat with some old friends, unless you’re planning an extensive meal accompaniment.
Pub Rating: 4.6/5.0
Debate Rating: 0.9/5.0
The Stag, Welsh Road ,Offchurch, Leamington Spa. CV33 9AQ
