The White Horse, Kings Sutton, Northamptonshire launches its new Spring menus

Northamptonshire is still referred to as the county of “spires and squires”, for good reason, it is still home to many wealthy landowners, aristocratic families and several fine medieval church spires. I travelled across the county to the delightful village of King’s Sutton in West Northamptonshire, 4.1 miles (6.6 km) south-east of Banbury, Oxfordshire. The parish includes the hamlets of Astrop and Upper Astrop, and the shrunken villages of Great and Little Purston.

Recent research has shown that over thirty pubs a week are calling time on last orders with the closures worst in the rural areas of Britain. There are many reasons why so many of our village pubs are continuing to close. Competition from supermarkets offering cheap deals on alcohol, fewer people visiting our pubs, the increasing costs of energy & finding suitably qualified staff, so it is very encouraging to come across a pub which is thriving within its local community during these very difficult times for the pub & hospitality sector.

The village has two public houses: the Butchers Arms and The White Horse, the pub I was visiting. Rather surprisingly, the village also has a train station offering regular, direct mainline services from London Marylebone, journey time one hour, and Birmingham New Street. The station is a five-minute walk from The White Horse.

I was visiting the villages award-winning pub, The White Horse, which has just launched its new Spring menus, offering a new range of dishes that celebrates the very best of the season. There is a small car park at the rear of the pub reserved for pub guests and there are a number of on-street parking spaces available, outside the front of the pub, around the village green.

On the day I visited, a Saturday afternoon in May, the pub was very busy. There was a wonderful vibrant atmosphere with lots of people enjoying food, drinking with friends in the traditional bar and others making the most of the afternoon sun on the terraces at the front of the pub.

The White Horse is obviously a very popular pub & restaurant with both locals & visitors from outside the village. Whilst enjoying our meal, I noticed several people coming into the pub, not only to eat in the restaurant, but to sit and enjoy a drink and snacks with friends, in the comfortable bar, and outside spaces at the front and rear of the pub. Visitors to The White Horse with families can expect a warm welcome too, from their team of well-trained staff, with a dedicated children’s menu, highchairs, games, and drawing materials available.

It is obviously still very much a community hub for the whole village community, and visitors with their canine friends! I noticed several of our four-legged friends, leading their owners into the pub, from the village!  Man’s best friend are always welcome in the bar, at The White Horse, with dog biscuits on the counter and water bowls provided.

In 2022, The White Horse was taken over by and is run by highly experienced hospitality operator, Hannah Dickson, who works alongside General Manager, Tunisian Youssef Mlaiki. Together they bring years of shared industry experience to this popular community hub and foodie destination. The White Horse is one of four pubs within Hannah Dickson’s boutique ‘Copper Pot Pubs Company of small and historic inns. Each pub in the group has been carefully selected for their idyllic village locations, abundance of original architectural features and unspoilt rural surroundings, yet within easy reach of local towns.

The Copper Pot Pubs Company also includes the newly acquired and re-opened Chequers at Berrick Salome, Oxfordshire, The Crown at Benson, also in Oxfordshire, and Warwickshire village hostelry, The Red Lion at Ilmington, Hannah is currently overseeing the completion of two, new self-contained luxury cottages (each sleeping 4), in what was the old village forge right next door to the Red Lion.

Head Chef, Polish born, Dominika Piotrowska has worked at The White Horse since 2022, when she joined The Copper Pot Pub Company. Dominika’s passion is to champion local suppliers of fresh, seasonally relevant produce for her flavourful modern British dishes with French and Italian influences, elevated pub classics and incredible Sunday roasts. Dominika’s work has been recognised with an AA Rosette for culinary excellence, which the pub has held for the past four years. Dominika, has created a range of vibrant, innovative dishes and elevated pub classics for her well-considered Spring menus, celebrating the season’s fresh produce sourced from the best local suppliers.

The food served during our visit was excellent. Care had obviously been taken to source only the best ingredients. The food was well cooked and served by knowledgeable and friendly staff, thank you Jools. The serving staff were all very friendly and helpful throughout our meal. The high-quality level of service really does make you feel very special. The staff were efficient and polite, and nothing was too much trouble for them, which was very much appreciated. The White Horse celebrates an increasingly vibrant food culture with a clear focus on using seasonal ingredients and sourcing local suppliers wherever possible.

Our Meal:

Small Plates:

(1) Lamb Kofta, Greek Salad & Tzatziki.

(2) Courgette Fritters & Lemon Mayonnaise.

Mains:

Today’s Special: Fish of the Day:

Sea Bass with seasonal vegetables, asparagus, green beans, sauteed potatoes, dressed with a slice of lemon and water cress. Several pieces of moist, tender white, fleshy fish of medium-sized, firm flakes with a mild, slightly sweet flavour and crisp outer skin. Simply delicious.

Ale Battered Fish & Chips, homemade tartare sauce and two small pots containing sweet peas and creamy tartar sauce. The cod had a crisp, light outer crust and was beautifully tender and flaky on the inside, with a delicate, mild, flavour that melted in the mouth.Dressed with a sprinkling of water cress, the fish sat on several thickly-cut chips, fluffy and soft on the inside and golden crisp on the outside, served with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, salt, and malt vinegar. Who doesn`t like a traditional plate of fish and chips? I simply loved it!

Dessert:

Classic Creme Brulee and homemade shortbread.

My wife, loves a Creme Brulee, the classic French dessert. This one had all of the essentials, a rich silky custard base and crisp hard caramelized sugar topping. Served slightly chilled with a little heat on the top of the custard, but with a cool centre, garnished with a strawberry, blueberry and raspberry. She absolutely loved it!

Chocolate Truffle Torte, Citrus Creme, Strawberry, Blueberry, Raspberry & garnished with a sprig of mint. A very rich, dark brown dessert that had the velvet, silky texture of a chocolate truffle but with the structure of a single layer cake. A glossy sheen with an incredibly smooth, strong deep flavour of cocoa and chocolate, which just melted in my mouth. Pure Heaven!

Drinks:

I enjoyed a pint of Brakspear Gravity, An Amber Ale with a malty flavour and bitter sweet fruity finish. My wife savoured a glass of Passo Doble, Malbec from Corvina, Argentina, a full-bodied, fruity red wine, perfectly matched with her Ale battered fish & chips.

The White Horse has a great deal of character, with plenty of restored original features, such as the rendered Cotswold stone walls, polished timber floors, exposed oak beams and a gentle palette of muted greens and matt black, scrubbed farmhouse tables, rustic chairs and old bench seating with cushions covered in washed linens enhanced by William Morris wallpapers and contemporary art.

A village hub and destination gastropub, open for lunch and dinner, meals are served in its traditional bar and in one of two oak-beamed dining rooms, both seating twenty-four. Long, thick ceiling to floor curtains can be drawn across to section off individual rooms. One room offers a light and airy space with an oak beamed vaulted ceiling and wood burner. The adjacent Library Room with rendered stone walls and polished timber floors, can be set up with long tables for larger gatherings. There’s also a private dining room seating six, and to the rear of the pub, a large, heated marquee with its own kitchen and garden bar is also available to hire for private events, including weddings, all year-round.

Packed with history and character, the pub’s light and airy traditional bars provide a cool spot in which to relax with drinks or enjoy a meal. Visitors can choose a pint of locally produced, cask-conditioned craft ales from local breweries, local guest beers or a seasonal bespoke classic cocktail or mocktail. An excellent range of thirty-nine carefully selected, old and new world fine and easy drinking wines, sparkling wines, and champagnes, are also available with twenty-two of them available, by the glass.

To the front of the pub, a sunny patio terrace with tables and chairs looks directly onto the village green and across to the late Medieval church of St Peter & St Paul. Historian and Architecture critic, Sir Nikolaus Pevsner considered the church spire, “one of the finest, if not the finest, spire in this county of spires”.

The White Horse is a wonderful example of a traditional English village pub with loads of character, where the community comes together, and visitors are made to feel very welcome. For tasty food, quality ales & fine wines in a local friendly pub atmosphere, The White Horse is a smart choice. If we are to halt the closure of our village pubs across the country, this is how it will be done, a well-managed pub being supported by the local community, and other patrons.

I would not hesitate in recommending The White Horse, if you are planning to visit South Northamptonshire or simply passing through the county. Why not stop and experience their superb food and hospitality, you will not be disappointed. The overall The White Horse experience was very enjoyable and satisfying. The White Horse offers superb restaurant meals and excellent table service in an exciting large village destination.

Have you thought about visiting a new pub restaurant, for that special dining experience?

Why not visit The White Horse for that special occasion. You won’t regret it. I had a great time, and I hope to be going back very soon! The White Horse is a great local village pub with a top-quality restaurant. By providing such excellent quality food and drink, combined with the warm, friendly hospitality, this classic village pub is sure to win many more awards for its food and hospitality over the next couple of years.

It certainly comes highly recommended from me! Why not check it out for yourself?

Disclosure: My visit was courtesy of The White Horse and Bridget Stott PR

The views and comments expressed are as usual my own.

Photography Credit: Isabel Murphy and myself, mainly of the food and a few of the exterior shots.

The White Horse, 2 The Square, King’s Sutton, Northamptonshire, OX17 3RF https://whitehorseks.co.uk

Tel 01295 812440, email hello@whitehorseks.co.uk

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