So yep, my second post of ‘The London Diaries’ and I’m already moving out of London! In my defence I wanted to share this a good few weeks ago, but just never got the chance. And anyway, it’s not too far out of London (hell, this is where I’m commuting to each day!), and I can already tell that if I lived in London long-term I’d definitely be heading out to the countryside every few weeks!
Now I sound like I’m moaning. I’m not, really I’m not. I’ve discovered I LOVE living in London, really quite like the hustle and bustle. I’ve almost forgiven my landlady for not installing double glazing in a flat overlooking a bus stop with 3 24-hour bus routes. My purse is hating that shops are open late enough to pop in after work. I can go out for dinner and eat
anything I fancy. But sometimes you need to unwind and take things at a slower place. And this little lunch spot is absolutely perfect.
I lived in Redhill for just under a year and, despite being told a couple of times about this place, I visited the aerodrome on my last weekend. Confession time: I’m a transport geek. Boats, trains, classic cars, tractors, I’m not exactly a ‘spotter’ but they do all excite me a little. And planes top the list. Living under Gatwick’s flight path hasn’t dampened that down, so having lunch overlooking light aircraft whizzing around was right up my runway (gettit?!).
The Pilot’s Hub is a cutesy cafe with a large outdoor area, serving sandwiches and simple bar-type snacks (think burgers and chilli – you’ve got it!). It overlooks right onto the plane ‘carpark,’ with some about 100 yards away from the tables. The runway is the opposite side of the field, so it’s not hugely noisy, but it’s still perfectly possible to watch the planes go up and down.
We stuck to sandwiches, myself going for the Pastrami with mustard and pickles. Delicious, excellent quality bread though I would have liked an extra slice of meat. What was there was tasty and succulent though! W went for a home-roasted ham with apricot chutney – heavy on the meat it was throughout enjoyed.
We both opted for some Rose Lemonade. Light, sweet and floral without tasting like soap, this was lovely – and wonderfully instagrammable too!
We sat in the sun and watched planes (it was a lot busier than I imagined), and I looked into flying lessons. One day perhaps! The Air Ambulance was scrambled which caused excitement (and the loss of some crisps at a neighbouring table from the wind!). Tempted by the cakes but knowing we had plenty to do meant we didn’t indulge – maybe next time!
A truly unique lunch venue, and one which I loved. One which I definitely think is worth a visit, and with trains taking less than an hour from central London it’s certainly a viable option. I only wish I’d visited sooner!
Where is the most unique place you’ve ever eaten?
