The King's Head Pub, Lanchester | Review

This is an advert based on a visit in March 2022. Please check direct with The King's Head Pub for the most up-to-date information. 

At age 14 weeks old, it was time for Fozzy to join us for a pub lunch on a Sunday for the first time last week. Fozzy has been inside of pubs with us before but just for drinks and not food. As mentioned in previous posts, he can be greedy at times and although he is definitely improving with this and nowhere near as bad as he was, there is still work to be done so I was a little nervous about our first extended trip out and balancing eating a meal alongside looking after a puppy. 

I've never been one to shy away from experiences and for me, the best way to deal with any nervousness is to just jump in and do it. So we did just that. 

Our venue of choice for this first meal was The King's Head Pub in Lanchester, County Durham. The pub promises 'Honest, locally sourced food in a stunning setting' and they specialise in award-winning homemade pies during the week (see here for menus). Their pies look epic and I'm sure we'll be back to sample them at some point but on this occasion, we were there to sample their Sunday Lunch. 

The pub is easy to find in the heart of Lanchester Village, there is a large free car park to the rear. I'd recommend booking in advance on a Sunday as they were fully booked on the day of our visit. Dogs are welcome in the lovely bar area or outside. On arrival there is a little check in station where you are greeted by staff and shown to your table. 

Our drinks order was taken straight away which I always appreciate and within a few minutes we were sipping on beer and wine as we browsed the menu. Well as best we could with a puppy under the table. 

The bar is a beautiful area with a variety of seating and some quirky little features. We loved looking at the dog paintings. 

Fozzy was made to feel very welcome. Once we were settled, the staff asked if we'd like a bowl of fresh water for him and they really made a fuss saying how cute he was. We didn't feel like an inconvenience at all and were all made to feel super welcome. 

There was a choice of seven different meats plus a nut roast to choose from with the Sunday menu plus a children's option or fish and chips for those looking for an alternative. A vegan option was also available. Some of the sides are extra however I think the number of sides a regular roast came with was more than enough and I'd only really recommend adding extra if you particularly wanted something.

Sunday lunches are mostly £12.95 with a children's option coming in at £6.95. The startes did look very appealing but as this was Fozzy's first time dining inside a pub with us, I kind of wanted to be in and out so we stuck to the one course. 

What is the etiquette for dogs being on seats in a pub? I honestly never know. It doesn't bother me at all (ever pre-dog) and Fozzy is hypo-allergenic and doesn't shed any hair. Sometimes I go places and see dogs on seats and think it's cute but then other times I see comments in Facebook groups saying it's disgusting, unhygenic and shouldn't be allowed. Fozzy was a little tetchy under the table at first so I picked him up and sat him on my knee for a cuddle until the food came. He didn't touch the table and tables are cleaned between guests anyway so I am thinking this is a happy compromise? 

As soon as our food arrived, I put him back under the table on his blanket with a long lasting chew and that occupied him throughout the meal. I didn't want to peak with this too soon. I'm glad I waited until our food arrived as it did mean I could eat in peace. We did bring him some toys too but he wasn't bothered with them. Too much else was going on. 

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and as Fozzy was so into his own chew treat, he didn't bother us while we were eating and I got to enjoy every last bit. I ordered the beef brisket which is my absolute fave and it did not disappoint here. It was so soft and just melted as soon as my fork touched it. 

Roast dinners are clearly homemade with fabulous roast potatoes, root veg mash and giant yorkshire puddings. We were given an extra jug of gravy and seasonal veg to share too. 

Eating my roast with a dog tethered to my wrist wasn't too bad at all and The King's Head Pub was the perfect first experience for us. 

If you are looking for something to do afterwards, you could try this Lanchester Roman Walk. Lanchester Garden Centre, Beamish and Tanfield Railway are all dog-friendly places to visit nearby. 

Find out more: https://thekingsheaddurham.com/