places to eat around chertsey / penton hook

[thamesS23]

We will be having our first guests onboard our boat this sunday (the parents) and they want to treat us to lunch afterwards. Does anyone know of any good restaurants or pubs in the penton hook area (not chains, ie beefeater type places). As we are in penton hook marina, I assume that Chertsey might be a better place to head to rather then Staines.
By the way it wont be a place we will be visiting by boat, as we not confident to go through the locks yet, so looking for somewhere within a short car journey

 

[boatone]

The Boathouse by Chertsey Bridge is good.
If you want a bit more upmarket go a little further and try the Runnymede Hotel next to Bell Weir Lock - ring and book into Charlie Bells Restaurant for reasonable prices or they also have a posh restaurnt as well.

 

[bradtarga34]

I was keeping an eye out for you on Saturday as popped onto the vistors pontoon to give the swindlery a raid while friends of our went to the poop tube and fuel up, although the fuel pump is apparently out of order... Must say, with the wind and weir stream, makes it quite an interesting manoeuvre. The Swan in Staines is really good and moorings out the front. They charge you £10.00, but that comes straight off if you spend more than a tenner there, so just stops people using their mooring when they have no intention of actually spending in the pub. Watch out for the Gavi raiding party though! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Doolittle]

Sorry Boatone, I can't agree with you about the boat house - over priced frozen mass produced disappointment on a plate. We were there a couple of weeks ago and by comparison to the new Italian restaurant in Chertsey called Caspari's it couldn't hold a candle.

I would recommend the Three Feathers pub. Moor at Laleham warf (opposite Harris Boat Yard) - no locks, gentle amble down the river and easy mooring, and walk up Vicarage Lane and the pub is opposite to the right. Further, if you stay overnite you can go back there for a full English breakfast for £3.50!

Also opposite the Boat House at Chertsey Bridge is the standard fair of Vintage Inns Kingfisher but poss a bit too Beefeaterish.

If you really have to drive then Caspari's is excellent and cheaper and more civilised that the Boat House!! Or a bit further is Edwinns in Shepperton Square.

 

[boatone]

Well all I can say is you must have gone on a very bad night then. Usually eat there several times during a season and their Cod and Chips is excellent. Our marina is just across the road so lot of others eat there as well and rarely hear any complaints....on the other hand the Kingfisher.......no ta!

Thats the problem with restaurants ..one bad experience and theyre doomed for life.

BradTarga is fond of The Swan...had a meal there a year or two back and vowed never to go again.

Runnymede Hotel has always been A1.

 

[thamesS23]

thanks for the advice and tips - don't know if I'm brave enough to moor the boat up on a public spot and leave it unattended yet!
might give the Runnymede hotel a try

 

[bradtarga34]

The Swan used to be woeful, but every visit we have been there have never had a duff meal (touchwood). That is in the last year or so, so you might have gone prior to it sorting itself out. The fish and chips are excellent, and some good proper beers on tap as well!

 

[bradtarga34]

Hi Mike, nice to meet you on Saturday, I hope I wasn't talking too much jibberish, not like Mr Targa 38! Will have to check out the Italian, whereabouts is it in Chertsey?

 

[Gavi]

Ah, food in these reaches.

At Chertsey, we've found the Kingfisher to be consistent and enjoyable, if a little Beefeatery. You cannot moor up right outside, though you can stop just before the waiting area (coming down from PH) before the lock. It is a shorter walk than the place B1 mentions, but as B1 spends a reasonable amount of time around there I would follow his recommendation - if only for a discussion point /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

We'd support Doolittle's local knowledge.

The Swan is a great pub with a hit and miss restaurant, but probably the nicest view locally. SWMBO has put it on the "suspend" list due to 3 continuous bad experiences recently. Sorry, Brad, but it has changed management since last summer. Avoid the 3 eateries on the other side of the river at all costs. The Swan does still get raided by some bloke up river from time to time though /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

The Runnymede is very nice if a little pricey and you tend to need to book.

SWMBO does a good steak but you are more likely to find us in a pub on a rugby weekend /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Elessar]

The Swan did youngs discovery last time i was there - who needs to eat?

A trip to shepperton is nice from PH and I think the anglers (think that's what it's called, it's opposite shepperton marina just downstream of walton marina) is great - it was so busy 1 time we couldn't sit outside so the admiral asked the waitress if they'd serve us on the boat - which they did no problem!

As for the lock, tell the lock keeper and any other boaters that's you're new and they'll get you through. I've only come across 1 unfriendly boater on the Thames.

The secret is to do it slowly. Drift, see which way you're going, turn the wheel a bit the way you want to go and put it into gear and out again then see what happens - repeat. 20% in gear max, gentle and slow. You have to try it sometime so give it a go!

 

[Doolittle]

[ QUOTE ]
I would recommend the Three Feathers pub. Moor at Laleham warf (

[/ QUOTE ]
Silly sod, I meant to say Five Horseshoes! The Three Feathers is around the corner and is being refurbished at the mo. Doh!!

[ QUOTE ]
Well all I can say is you must have gone on a very bad night then.

[/ QUOTE ]
I expect you're right. We should have stuck with the fish n chips.

[ QUOTE ]
Will have to check out the Italian, whereabouts is it in Chertsey?

[/ QUOTE ]
Was good to meet you too Brad, and Rod. You know it's quite something when you can go and bang on a perfect strangers boat window and be invited in for a glass of wine! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Caspari's is amongst the new offices/flats built between the mainline station and the old fire station. Park at the station then walk 100yds towards Chertsey and it's on the left.

 

[bradtarga34]

Bummer about The Swan, just when I thought they were getting their act together... Has anyone been to The Cypress Donkey, thought it looked as though it might be worth a visit?

 

[Brayman]

I gather it's changed hands again and may not still be the Donkey any more.

 

[DogsBody]

Re: Cypress Donkey

It changed to "Sam's Bar & Grill" in January this year.

Had an enjoyable meal there a year or two ago, while it was the donkey, although Brayman wasn't keen on the food if I recall correctly.

Not been there since it changed but it would appear that the manager is still the same person as he emailed an invite to the opening.

Will probably pop in there next time we are down that way.

Darren.

 

[Brayman]

Re: Cypress Donkey

I knew Darren would know, wasn't sure his was awake yet.

Sam's Bar & Grill sounds more inviting than the dry old stuff they served up before!

 

[TrueBlue]

A bit of topic drift but,

Has anyone tried the Italian restaurant "behind" the layby upstream of Bell weir / downstream of Runnymede? You know - walk through the twitten (that's what they call them down here) and you're in the rear of its carpark.

The menu looks genuine even of the surroundings are a bit, well rustic.

Not quite Chertsey, but the topic had drifted a bit upstream anyway.

As to locks, as well as you're well fendered and go on the lockkeeper's side, you should be OK. The man at PH is friendly even if Dave at BW is a bit laconic...

 

[boatone]

Re: A bit of topic drift but,

I think you're referring to the now called 'Sams Bar & GRill' mentioned in previous posts in this thread.
It used to be an italian before it became the Cyprus Donkey etc.

 

[Ramage]

Re: A bit of topic drift but,

That restaurant became "The Cyprus Donkey" and is now "Sam's Bar & Grill".

We are waiting for Dogsbody to try it out!

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[DogsBody]

Re: A bit of topic drift but,

Having checked my diary, its likely to be mid-end of May before I get down there /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Hopefully by then, someone else will have tried it to let me know if its worth the effort /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Darren.

PS Brayman I caught you remark about not being up, of course I'm awake, some of us have to work for a living - not all retired like you /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[ms1]

Re: A bit of topic drift but,

Sams Bar and Grill is a burger and rib establishment