The White Lion

Our group of thirteen went for lunch to celebrate my wife’s birthday, and someone in the party surprised us with a cake at the end of the meal. The barman wouldn’t give us a knife to cut it, saying it would have been nice if I’d told the pub beforehand. Why? Plenty of places are happy to host a celebration, especially when your group has spent around £200 there. It’s good PR. The cake really was a surprise, so we had to try it somewhere else. Such a shame. It was a busy bar on New Year’s Eve. The food is good for a country pub, but the bar staff were unsmiling and unfriendly. None of us will return somewhere with such an unfestive attitude. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

The Asian beef salad is delicious if you want something lighter, and the roasts are great too. The food is good quality and reasonably priced. There aren’t many tables inside, so I’d get there early, book, or visit when the weather’s good and use the garden seating. Parking can be tricky since there’s no pub car park.

We chose this tucked-away Countryside pub for a celebratory meal, and it was a great choice. It looked welcoming outside and even more so inside, with a roaring fire in the dog-friendly bar. The manager, Stephen I believe, greeted us warmly and showed us to a table in the nicely decorated restaurant. The three-course menu had plenty of choice, including lots of vegan and gluten-free options. We had the Hampsire beef burger in a brioche bap with fries, which was clearly homemade, juicy and tasty. The fillet steak with thick-cut fries was cooked perfectly and full of flavour. Two double chocolate brownies with vanillice cream finished off a lovely meal. The portions are generous, the food is very good quality and the prices are reasonable. They don’t add a discretionary tip, which feels old school. They let the diner decide, and they deserve it. Highly recommended.

My wife booked us a table at The White Lion after it was recommended to us. We were celebrating the 11-year anniversary of when we first met and staying in a little lodge in soberton. The hosts made us feel very welcome, and the food was lovely. Booking is recommended.