Old Spot Inn

The Old Spot Inn review

The cosy surroundings, relaxed atmosphere and hearty grub at The Old Spot Inn in Dursley providing the perfect setting for the traditional Sunday lunch SoGlos went in search of.

There are a few things that make Sundays special in my mind and a visit to a country pub has to be up there as a favourite pastime. While Cheltenham is by no means a bustling city, it’s nice to get out of town on the weekend and a visit to The Old Spot Inn in Dursley certainly provided the antidote I was craving.

The award-winning pub is situated near the walker’s paradise that is the Cotswold Way, making it the perfect stopping point for hungry ramblers. I can’t pretend to have worked up an appetite from a morning of walking but my partner and I were more than ready to sample the Sunday lunch offering at the traditional pub.

As soon as you walk through the door the welcoming home-from-home atmosphere greets you – with the roaring open fires and gentle hum of locals chatting, not forgetting the numerous ever-so-friendly dogs, adding to the ambience of the laidback pub.

The building dates from 1776 so expect low ceilings and beams galore, which give the hostelry its truly authentic and cosy feel – offering the perfect setting to while away the whole afternoon.

If you’re a fan of real ale then the 2013 CAMRA Gloucestershire Pub of the Year is the place for you, and with its ever-changing selection from national and local independent breweries you’ll be spoilt for choice. The pub’s walls are adorned with ‘breweriana’ from times gone by, emphasising its passion for offering customers an extensive range of craft beers.

After getting drinks at the bar we perused the chalkboard menu and settled into our snug spot in the corner of the pub. Roasts are the order of the day on Sundays at The Old Spot, with West Country beef and roast leg of lamb both vying for attention. Don’t despair if you’re not a meat and two veg-lover, as whole baked sea bass stuffed with lemon and herbs served with new potatoes, along with a tomato and roasted vegetable risotto topped with Parmesan, we’re also up for grabs on our visit.

We did go for the traditional choices, however, and the accompanying cauliflower was a proper treat with my lamb – I absolutely love the stuff – while my partner was bowled over by his man-sized roast beef dish.

The plates were topped with a generous serving of meat, giant roasties, a Yorkshire pudding for the beef and a sea of gravy, and that’s before we piled the vegetables, including carrots, broccoli and yummy braised red cabbage, on. The ample portions make the £12 roasts exceptional value for the hearty home-cooked dishes.

Despite being pretty full we couldn’t bypass pudding – it being a Sunday and all! – and we’d both spotted desserts arrive at a neighbouring table. I’d even offloaded a few spuds onto my partner’s place to save all-important room.

We shared a sticky toffee pudding and chocolate almond sponge – both classic puds done well and pretty epic, and quickly polished off to the last spoonful.

While The Old Spot is a hub of activity all week round, for me it was the perfect Sunday pub. There really is no nicer way to ease out of the weekend and get ready for Monday than a spot of classic pub grub in relaxing surroundings. I’m often partial to a post-lunch walk but on this occasion, with a full belly and a grey rainy day greeting us when we left the pub, the sofa and a box set binge was calling.

By Anna McKittrick

© SoGlos
Wednesday 01 April 2015