New Masons Arms

The portions were generous and the food was really nice, but I was disappointed by the dog policy. The pub says it's dog friendly, yet dogs can't come inside. They're only allowed in the outdoor seating area, which isn't much use when it's raining. We found it by Googling ‘dog friendly pubs near Oulton Hall’. I'm sorry Google sent us the wrong way, but we'd only come to this pub because we travel with our dog.

The staff were welcoming and chatty, and this felt like the kind of friendly local we'd happily visit again. I've lived nearby most of my life but had never tried the food before. The menu is familiar pub fare, burgers, lasagne, pie and the like. We ordered steak pie, gammon, Cajun chicken, and a burger. The salad and veg sides were ordinary and a bit dull, but the chips were homemade, not frozen, and so was the mash. The main dishes were the highlight: a thick homemade burger patty, moist and well-cooked gammon, spicy tender chicken, and especially the steak pie, with very tender steak and a generous portion.

I popped in for a quick beer. It was packed with people having food, and the dishes looked good.

Friendly service, good value food, and decent-sized portions.