Part of the Grosvenor Pubs, The Cricketers On The Green – Surrey , opened recently after a huge refurbishment.
Ambiance and service
Set on the edge of Pirbright’s village green, complete with a duck pond and historic cricket pitch, the pub has been lovingly restored and has that countryside feel.
With over 25 years of experience in the trade, business partners Jason and Shara Myers wanted to create the perfect welcoming environment to enjoy great food and drink at affordable honest prices, whilst catching up with friends and family. They are both so passionate and this reflects in the attention to details gone into this beautiful pub they have created. From carefully selected pictures to beautiful light fittings made with crystal decanters and cricket balls, this place wowed me from when I entered.
Customers can choose just to have a drink in the bar section of the pub (which they have tried to keep as casual as possible), or dine in the restaurant or even hire out the private dining room. The pub caters for different needs and the well-thought layout has made it possible to go this.
The service is warm and the staff are knowledgeable and there to ensure you are going to have a good time.
Drinks
The drinks are carefully sourced from respected producers with an obsessive commitment to quality and provenance. Spirits are all premium pours too.
Their carefully picked (and some locally sourced) beers range from craft beer to draft and you can be sure they will be perfectly poured by the bartenders.
The wine list boasts an extensive range of wines from local vineyards and around the globe. They have a “Buttery” which displays and stores these amazing wines.
We started the evening with the English Garden and the Golden Duck which are priced at £8. The English Garden was made with Brokers Gin, elderflower syrup and apple juice, garnished with snap peas and cucumber, and served in a gin goblet. The Golden Duck had Brokers Gin, pineapple juice and craft IPA. Something I would never put together but equally a drink I would easily sip again.
We tried some wine with our meal. I am not a big wine drinker however their local Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc was just so beautiful and will definitely be buying some.
At the end of the evening, we had a showstopper tree..cocktail tree! Perfectly made Espresso Martinis and Pornstar Martinis. I cannot think of a better way to end an evening.
Food
The Cricketers on the Green is an individual pub for an individual community and has a strong focus on locally sourced food. They use seasonal ingredients and support local suppliers whenever possible. They also believe in ethically sourced produce too.
Their menu consists of hearty food that is cooked with care and delivered with love. Shara even ensures the Sunday Lunch is full and always vibrant looking until they stop serving it (late afternoon). From private dining menus to Sunday Lunch, they have something for everyone.
There is no microwave onsite and they have an open kitchen to show off their pride in cooking. On the evening we were treated to a selection of items from their menus. It was a feast that I will never forget. Every dish presented so well and cooked to perfection.
STARTERS:
- Grosvenor collection prawn and crayfish cocktail with a spicy bloody mary sauce, avocado, cucumber & iceberg lettuce. This fancy prawn cocktail was served with soft bread and had the perfect flavours
- Warm salad of roast fennel and blood oranges: A beautiful combination of flavours and textures combined to make a great salad
- Brixham scallop and crab Mornay: This came with some samphire and chopped chives. The seafood was the cooked just right and the sauce had the cheese sauce perfect consistency.
- Twice-baked Wookey Hole Cheddar soufflé with English mustard & chive cream: A warm souffle is a winner for me and this one met that standard especially with the creamy yet flavoured sauce
- British Charcuterie with Cornish Coppa, rocket, parmesan and fig dressing: The meat was sliced well and the fig dressing combined the ingredients together
- Jersey rock oysters: The fresh oysters went down so well especially with that squeeze of lemon and chopped onion sauce
- Mushroom parsley and garlic crostini: Bite site and flavoured well, the crostini’s were bite sized and finished before we knew it
MAINS:
- Rack of Ramsay Lamb with sweetbread and olive jus: The lamb was cooked well and was tender. With the olive jus it was beautiful.
- Puff pastry Galette with Somerset Brie, Cavelo Nero, truffle all baked in a delicious melt in your mouth pastry
- Peppered flat mushroom steak with spinach: This went down with the vegetarians. They said it had a lot of flavour in it which is always a bonus
- Surrey Farms Beef Wellington, potatoes, seasonal greens, red wine gravy: When the chef brought the wellington out we were wowed. It smelt amazing and those who had it said it was one of the finer wellingtons they have tried.
- Whole roasted Eastbourne turbot with warm saffron potatoes and samphire: The turbot fell off the bone and had so much flavour to it. Combined with the saffron potatoes and samphire it sure was delicious and a good show stopper
DESSERTS
There is always space for dessert and we had a good selection here too
- Raspberry and whiskey baked Alaska: The flavours were just amazing and it was the best baked Alaska I have tried. It also looked so perfect
- White chocolate pannacotta: I am not a fan of pannacotta but this again was put together so beautifully and topped with the raspberry sauce it went down well with the others
- Rhubarb eton mess: The crunchy meringue and tasty rhubarb worked really well together
- Chocolate and date mousse: Some of my favourite things created a smooth but lovely textured dessert that was irresistible
- A British cheeseboard with Norbury Blue, Sussex Charmer & Lord of the Hundreds served with chutneys: Despite having tucked into so much food, I had to have a bit of cheese just to finish off the meal. The quality of the cheese was really good and it was nice to know it was locally sourced
I hope to return to The Cricketer on the Green in the summer (if not sooner) because they have a lot of great ideas, including a Fire and Ice Room. Imagine picnic baskets, secret cinema and a table with ice in the middle to chill that perfect wine.
The pub definitely gives you a unique drinking and eating experience at an affordable price.
The Cricketers on the Green, The Green, Pirbright, Surrey, GU24 0JT
Tel: 01483473198
Email: thecricketers@grosvenorpubs.com
Disclaimer: My meal was complimentary however all opinions and photos are on my own.
1dish4theroad says
Wow, what a feast Neha! Looks delicious! And Pirbright is such a beautiful little village too..
bejalgosai says
Sounds and looks like a lovely pub serving the heart of the community! Some very delicious looking food!
Boo Roo and Tigger Too says
The refurbishment looks wonderful, I do love that there is a separate private dining area available to hire for parties etc. rather than being within the main restaurant.
Sam says
This pub sounds so cosy, and the food looks delicious! It’s good that they have options for vegetarians too. I’d probably choose the roast fennel salad to start, followed by the mushroom steak, and chocolate and date mousse for dessert.
Sarah Bailey says
What a great sounding pub, it seems like the refurbishment has gone so well and the food looks absolutely delicious. There’s nothing quite like a cosy pub to grab a meal in sometimes is there?
sarupashah says
It does look really lovely – love open kitchens, kinda makes it feel more homely for some weird reason, which is great for a pub – though the food looks a few notches above normal pub grub!
MELANIE EDJOURIAN says
I love it where places have an open kitchen so you can see the food being prepared. The food there must have been lovely. It’s great there was such a varied and delicious-sounding selection.
Elizabeth Williams says
It really does look like it has been lovingly restored. Adore the countryside look. The food looks delicious.
Kristine Nicole Alessandra says
I love the cozy ambiance of this place. The food and the wine they offer at this place is fantastic. I also like that the place has a private dining room. Perfect for small family gatherings!
Valerie Gray (@valmg) says
This sounds like a lovely place to dine whether you are a fan of cricket or not. The dishes look like they have a nice presentation.
ChelseaMamma says
Love the decor and the food looks amazing. Perfect place for a night out
Eilidh Gallagher says
Oh wow this place looks beautiful and the food looks amazing too! Great that they had plenty of veggie choices too.
Jess Howliston says
Oh wow what a beautiful restaurant and the food & drinks look and sound absolutely delicious! I love that they have catered for those who may just want a drink and those who wish to dine too.
Crystal (Busy Mom Diary) says
The new looks is fab. The food spread looks delicious as well. It’s definitely somewhere I’d stop for dinner.
Laura says
Wow the food looks delicious! You were definitely treated to a feast! Love the cocktail tree!