I ate at the newly refurbished pub in Blackheath featuring a new and upmarket menu with cocktails and delicious desserts.
I was invited along with my parents to come and try the new menu at The Crown pub in Blackheath, following a £750,000 revamp by pub owner Shepherd Neame.
The pub itself is one of the oldest pubs in Blackheath, dating back to the 16th century when it was previously a coaching inn.
I remember drinking in the pub before its revamp and I will say that on entering the new pub it’s been given a new lease of life.
The new décor is upmarket and classic, with dark wood panelled walls and green botanical-inspired wallpaper and books on the wall.
But the place still retains much of its character and old charm, from the old piano downstairs to the portraits lining the wall as you walk upstairs to the restaurant.
The pub spans across two floors, with a relaxed pub area downstairs offering comfortable seating and low tables, and a more formal restaurant upstairs with table linen and upholstered seats.
We were sat in the restaurant area which offers great views of Blackheath and Shooters Hill beyond.
We tried their Sunday menu, which features both classic British dishes and Sunday roast options, including a vegetarian-friendly option and a sharing roast platter.
The drinks menu has a wide selection of wines, spirits, ales, whiskies and beers, along with six different cocktails to choose from, including classics like a Mojito, passion fruit Martini and Bellini.
For starters, I began with the slow cooked pulled beef, gherkin and parsley croquettes served with piccalilli, whilst my dad tried the breaded herb crusted Somerset Camembert, and my mum tried the soup of the day which was roasted tomato and red pepper.
The croquettes were really good, with shredded beef and an oniony taste with the gherkin, and had a crispy texture on the outside.
For mains we all opted for a roast, my parents both tried the 30-day aged roast striploin beef and I tried the roast half chicken.
Both were served with roast potatoes, braised red cabbage, buttered green beans, sweet glazed carrots and parsnips, stuffing and gravy.
If you want value for money, I can attest that the portion sizes are very decent with plenty to eat.
Everything was delicious, and by all accounts it was one of the best Sunday Roasts I’ve eaten out in recent years, the meat especially was flavourful and cooked well and the stuffing was very well seasoned.
My parents also enjoyed their roasts and said that the beef was like eating strips of steak and cooked very well.
Finally onto desserts, I had the chocolate brownie served with summer berries, raspberry sauce and vanilla ice cream.
My mum tried the Baked Alaska with strawberry ripple ice cream, and my dad went for the double stout sticky toffee pudding served with caramelised pecans, butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream.
The dessert menu really brings the best of British desserts, offering loved classics with a more refined twist.
The dessert was delicious, the summer berries were fresh and served with a raspberry coulis, and the brownie was warm and soft and melted in my mouth.
If you’re looking for a cosy place offering classic British pub dishes with a more upmarket feel to them, The Crown encompasses all of that.
With its new look and well-thought out menu, its reopening offers both a relaxed and sophisticated dining experience in Blackheath, for anyone looking to revisit a pub that has stood the test of time for centuries.
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