The Hop Pocket in Shepway

Owing to the long term owner selling the freehold the pub is in new ownership and is now closed at present until they have completed their refurb. This pub has had a few ups and downs like most pubs these days but i am hopeful that once established will become the local asset again. Their website was down as a result of the change.

The friendliness of the management needs to be seriously worked on as they have the position of thinking they are doing you a favour by letting you into the Pub. Have been there twice in the last couple of weeks and the second time decided not to stay and went to a friendlier local pub.

We visited the Hop Pocket whilst staying at a nearby Airbnb as our host recommended it, and ended up going back twice over the weekend. The owners and barmaid are very friendly and welcoming, the landlady gave us recommendations for the local area, and the pub itself is very cosy and well decorated. The food exceeded expectations, we both had steak there on our first evening, which it was perfectly cooked, I also tried the lemon posset and it was delicious. The pub is also home to the landlady's two dogs Daisy and Poppy, (an added bonus given we're dog lovers) who greet you when you arrive and are very sweet and friendly. All in all, a lovely place for a meal or just a relaxing drink if you're in the area.

We booked an area at the hop pocket the night before our wedding so all our friends and family could get a good meal before or big day at Lower Hardres Hall. The food was excellent and the service was outstanding. We were even presented with a bottle of bubbles to congratulate us. I would highly recommend a visit if you’re in the area. Some of the best pub food I’ve ever had. We can’t wait to go back next time we’re in the area.

We popped into here for a sit down bottle of wine after walking over from a nearby village. After sitting down and enjoying the wine, the landlord surprised us with a bowl of delicious roast potatoes, which were left over from lunch! Totally awesome and completely unexpected! A really lovely surprise and such a treat after our walk

Suddenly found ourselves kids-free for the evening so chose to sample the fayre at The Hop Pocket. Home made scotch egg was very tasty followed by a satisfying crisp belly pork with creamy mash. Will definitely be looking to return again soon!

We had an excellent reasonably priced Sunday lunch in this clean, well decorated cosy pub. The land lord and staff were very welcoming to us and our large hound. Lots of equally good comments about the bitter selection. We would certainly recommend this pub to anyone looking to have a good Sunday lunch. We will definitely be back and wish them well for the future.

Couldn't be faulted, friendly service, great food at reasonable cost and in one of the prettiest villages in the garden of England.

my wife and I ate there on a Thursday evening, which is a night they have theme nights. the evening was burger night. my wife had a bee fburger , while I had a lamb burger. my wifes was lovely , but my lamb burger was outstanding . cannot fault the staff and my wife and I loved the 2 small dogs that run and greet you as you enter .The sticky toffee pudding is to die for.

visited recently. Service was slow. The menu was quite limited and there was no dessert option for dairy intolerant people which was suprising in these days when a lot of people have allergies. They could have had sorbet instead of ice cream. Quite disappointing.

Lovely to see the Hop Pocket regaining its place as a "go to" pub. A great restaurant but also a nice place for a cosy drink. The owners Mandy and Steve will really go out of their way to please customers ......a Christmas dinner was offered after my husband forgot to book it !!!!! These little touches really make a difference. All our party enjoyed their meals ranging from the turkey , fish and chips to risotto . I have also visited on a Tuesday evening when Kim cooks her Thai styled food in the kitchen .....fantastic too. Thank you and well done.

As an update to my review of March 2017, I went for dinner with a friend who is a local. I could not believe the transformation now that it is under new management. Completely redecorated and looking very cosy and festive. On Tuesday night, the ex chef Kim, takes over the kitchen and the food is excellent with an oriental slant. I had chicken satay skewers with a chilli dipping sauce and seafood linguine. The chicken was light and not soaked in peanut sauce (which I love) and the pasta had a pleasant oriental flavour. There is plenty of choice for carnivores and veggies alike. A very relaxed atmosphere with utterly charming staff (two of them Kim's daughters). The normal menu looks pretty good too. This time, I'm happy to say that I will be going back!

Wij hebben heerlijk gegeten bij The Hop Pocket. Ontvangst is gastvrij en vriendelijk. Bediening informeel maar correct. Het eten is heerlijk. Een aanrader in Kent.

Have visited twice recently and on both occasions the food was very good. The menu is well thought out and varied. Yesterday I had their roast lamb, beautifully tender and truly delicious. Despite the Pub being very busy the service was cheerful, and attentive. There were lots of locals which is always a good sign and I really enjoyed the friendly and cosy feel about it. Situated in a beautiful part of Kent. Will certainly visit again.

A very large group of us were booked in for a Sunday lunch. Food was delicious. Just a shame we’re not local as this would definitely be on our list of favourite pubs for Sunday lunch ! Throughly recommend.

Stayed at nearby campsite and was recommended the Hop Pocket. Visited twice during our stay. Very welcoming and friendly staff. Good range of beers and good value. Food excellent on both days. Had adult and child meals and both good quality and value for money. Will return when in the area.

We’ve been here at least three times, but this is the first time under the new management. The food was generally good, but they seem to have a habit of adding mushrooms to everything and making unannounced substitutions (I got sourdough instead of focaccia and kale instead of spinach). The halibut was excellent and not over cooked, I’d come back just for that. On the other hand, service was very slow, and we didn’t stay for dessert because the live music was loud, obtrusive and not very good. We’d go back, but we’d check first that there was no band on.

First visit since new owners took over, looks better inside and out. Roast beef, roast lamb and all trimmings were perfectly cooked, best pub roast we’ve had. Great service even with 2 normally fussy kids who were also impressed

We happened on this pub after attending a charity event at the Lord Whisky sanctuary. I was completely blown away. They welcomed our two dogs and were so thoughtful with dog bowls and treats at the ready. One of our dogs has been rescued from the Lord Whisky after being starved and used as a dog football to commemorate the world cup (the person responsible needs shooting) but this friendly pub allowed our dog the space she needed to cope with her trauma.

Stopped here on our way to Gatwick. Garlic shrimp, calamari and scotch egg to start. Followed by Fish and chips in homemade batter, Feta vegetarian tart, Wildboar Tortellini and a warm pear salad. All of them were perfect. Good simple pub food done well. New landlords in since March and a great young team in the kitchen. Will definitely come again. I would have taken pics of the food but everything was eaten by the time I thought about it!

A friend and I had lunch at The Hop Pocket and can fully recommend the pub. The menu had sufficient choice without being too big, the food was freshly cooked, beautifully presented and delicious.

Had a lunch with a friend on 6th June and had the burger. It was very good and the landlady was very friendly. The new play area put the back looks great too so we will be returning as a family soon.

We are so pleased That YOU ARE OPEN AGAIN and that WE CAN STILL BRING ROSIE OUR BOXER DOG as well We had a very nice meal out in the garden back in April when the sun was out , Many thanks we will be seeing you again very soon

Had lunch here today with my sister. Warmly welcomed by all the staff and the dogs. We each had a roast which was delicious, well cooked and nicely presented. Meat was perfect and vegetables more interesting than with your usual pub Sunday roast.

We had a delicious Sunday roast at the Hop Pocket today. New Owners and a couple of really great young chefs. The food was cooked to perfection, the Lemon Posset was amazing.. We will definitely return. Fabulous little country pub and a great team of staff. Excellent

Ignore any reviews prior to josh K as they are associated with the previous tenant who lacked the skills to run a pub sadly. I ate here a week ago and am pleased to see the new tenants have a better understanding of running a pub so all signs are positive!

After a number of recent changes seems new people are going to make a go of it well done.Food good and excellent service and not overpriced.Need to perhaps think a bit harder about the menu but early days. Decoration has also transformed it from other attempts to be clever.Also good to see dogs aloud.Outside looking a bit tired but has lots of potential.Overall very good start.Well done at last!

From the moment we walked in we all commented on what a nice atmosphere it was. from that moment on the experience just got better, the waiter was lovely really friendly and the food was fantastic really tasty and all freshly cooked to order. The beer was great to drop clear which is a sign as all ale drinkers will know. The owners have only recently taken over the pub and in our opinion they really have made a winning recipe well done! we'll definitely be returning.

Just to reassure all of those below who turned up to find this place shut, it has now reopened. I know this as we went to redeem our Groupon voucher tonight and were turned away by a nervy barman who said he ‘didn’t understand how it had happened’ and that the new owners had informed Groupon six weeks ago that they were not honouring the bookings.

Had booked for Saturday 24 February. After an hours drive arrived to find the pub closed for refurbishment. No phone call to advise us despite them taking a number when we booked. The pub also is for sale on right move!

Similar to others, we purchased a Groupon, booked using the Groupon online booking system and turned up on Saturday 3rd February to find it shut, no notice outside and no answer on phone.

My son booked a table for my wife and myself to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Well we arrived at the Hop Pocket we were the only car in the their carpark and thought very strange. Walked round to the front entrance to find that the door was locked then saw the sign CLOSED FOR REFURBISHMENT. There we stood all dressed up and no where to go. To say we were very disappointed would be an understatement. My son booked this through Groupon so don't know where the blame lies for this cockup.

Was gifted some groupon vouchers so booked for lunch online. Turned up after a very long drive for our lunch booking and pub was closed for refurbishment!! Have since gone on to their social media pages and there is no mention of a closure anywhere. A phone call or email to say you were closed wouldn’t have gone amiss. Utterly disappointed and won’t be returning.

Turned up with Groupon voucher and booking to find it closed for refurbishment! met a young man who explained that he worked there before it shut and had heard that those who booked via Groupon, as per the voucher, had not be contacted as the pub did not know the contact numbers of those who had booked. BUT Groupon did! Groupon had been told that the pub was closed but did NOTHING TO ALERT any customers hence my 60 mile round trip and an hour and £50.0 trying to find somewhere else to eat on a Saturday night

We had made a Groupon booking for The Hop Pocket on 7 February. When we got there, it was in complete darkness with a 'Closed for refurbishment' sign in the window (SEE PHOTO). We called the restaurant and got a message asking us to leave details if we wanted to book a table! We checked the Groupon page and the restaurant was still accepting bookings for that night and future nights. We left a message with our phone number asking for an explanation. No reply of course.

I bought a dinner voucher for my brother for a Christmas present. He called in today to see me before taking his partner for dinner to The hop pocket. He booked a table on line with the restaurant for today at 7 pm. I have just had a very disappointed brother who turned up for dinner and a note on the door to say closed for refurbishment!!! Do you check the bookings for tonight! What a good start !! You had his email so no excuses.

We are locals and have been coming to this pub for over 20 years. We visited today for Sunday roast after not visiting for a while and we were shocked at how much it has deteriorated. The soul and warmth of the pub has disappeared along with the character of the previous decor and owners.

It was a wet and windy evening but as soon as we entered the pub the warm log fire and friendly greeting warmed us up.

Didn’t live up to its review score

Ate here on a Groupon deal with my other half on a Saturday evening.

We decided to go out for a meal last minute; printed off the voucher and off we went. On a dark wet Saturday evening; we weren't sure what we would find in the middle of nowhere. The pub was quite the staff were welcoming, you are never sure what reception you will get in a small village local. We both went for the starter, I had the pate which was very nice, the wife had prawn cocktail; which was ok. We were aloud to order steak from the menu; some places charge extra for this. Both steaks had a few chewy pieces, however overall they were nice. We plan on going back in day light to enjoy the scenery on route.

Ate here with friends on a Groupon deal. I was disappointed to find that the menu we were given was totally different to the one on line on which I based my booking. The food was good pub food but we drove a long way expecting more. Our meal was good and the service was fine. The portions were excellent and it is a lovely pub.

Acudimos en familia y aunque un poco fuera de otras zonas mas visitables es muy recomendable comer o simplemente pasar el rato allí con unas pintas de cerveza, ambiente acogedor con dos chimeneas y servicio amable y atento

Had lunch here for 7 people and 2 small children, The fish was small and under cooked. The duck and lamb was well over cooked and tiny. 3 people had duck and it looked like one duck breast cut up between the 3 people. Some of the chips were almost raw. The bill came not itemised so we had no idea what we were actually paying for. The bill was £250 for an under average pub meal. I would not recommend this place at all.

Had an amazing meal with great hospitality can’t wait to go back

Service was slow, very, very slow. We got drinks from the bar and sat down and waited but no menus were forthcoming so we got some from a pile on the bar. We ordered from the Wednesday pasta specials and waited and waited. After one hour of sitting down our food appeared. Two of us had the 'Spicy Arrabiata Penne', spicy being a world-class understatement - I like spicy food but I don't recall ever trying to eat anything so over-dosed with chili! We sent them back and after yet more waiting got replacements. I have reviewed The Hop Pocket before and it is usually very good so I really don't know what had gone wrong that night!

Generally very good waitresses were excellent my lamb was cooked perfectly burgers great so all good.Must however have vegetable available.Still possibly requires some refinement but tried very hard well done.Cant say I love the interior now not sure how that fits with Country pub!

We went with a Groupon voucher and were amazed and delighted at the quality of the food. All beautifully cooked from scratch with locally sourced ingredients. We will definitely go back again - without vouchers

We have been for several meals at the Hop Pocket and have not once been disappointed. Today may have been the best lunch ever. Pigeon breast was a cracking start, scampi and homemade chips was perfect and the sticky toffee pudding... oh that pudding! The chef has almost certainly sold his soul to be able to create such a masterpiece. Quite simply the best dessert we have ever had! Thanks for a memorable lunch - we will be back soon.

Excellent cod and chips. Portion of fish smaller than usual but adequate for me. At a price of £7.50 I could not complain. Service friendly.

Had a very nice Sunday roast here. Staff friendly and efficient. Food was well worth waiting for. Would recommend others to try.

Lovely food and friendly staff.Nothing is too much!Would recommend the burger, very filling but delicious!Would highly recommend.

We booked a family birthday meal on line at the pub as could not get through on the phone. We checked the website and looked at the on line menu. Liked what they offered and the younger members of the group were looking forward to the fajitas. On arrival we were seated in the conservatory which was okay as it was quiet however it lacked atmosphere being quite bare and a little dark it did help when they put on the outside lighting. The menu arrived which was completely different to the one on line. When asked if about the menu change the girl behind the bar explained that they had a new chief and had not updated the website. We were also told that the fish was not available. I had the mushrooms to start which were tasteless and greasy. The Camembert was good and the scotch egg and black pudding also good.For the main meals we had the burgers which were good. The belly pork was okay if you like very garlicky mash potato. The steaks were okay however all supposedly med rare but no two steaks were cooked to the same level with some rarer than others. The peppercorn sauce lacked peppercorns and was more a cream and mustard sauce. To finish on a high the chips were good. Puddings were limited to five choices. The Eaton mess was okay not wow. The sticky toffee pudding was light and enjoyable. The other four puddings ordered were chocolate fondants. The sticky toffee arrived out, one Eaton mess and then the waitress ( who was the only one covering the tables as well as the only one behind the bar) came out and explained that the chocolate puddings had gone wrong and were no longer available. The other Eaton mess then arrived a little later. The bill arrived as a total no break down so we had to ask for the breakdown which the girl behind the bar had to write out as the till did not give a breakdown of items ordered . All in all the meal was disappointing however the girl behind the bar was like super woman keeping everything moving. serving behind the bar changing barrelstaking orders serving food Well done you deserve recognition for you work.

Brilliant America night, amazing food and service. 10/10 recommend. No night is a bad night to enjoy the Hop Pocket.

Today, a group of 10 cyclists called in for a quick lunch. We had not booked in advance.We secured our bikes in the good sized rear garden, and proceeded inside, where we were warmly welcomed, and our orders efficiently taken.The food was excellent, the service friendly and the prices very reasonable for a quality product. The bathrooms are kept to a high standard, and in the men's for example, there are "linen" individual hand towels, which is a nice touch, rarely seen these days.Well worth a visit, and yes it is open on a Monday ( many Kent pubs are closed on a Monday)

Our Campervan broke down on our way home from a festival in Sandwich..it was taken to a specialist garage and needed to be there overnight. We three adults were tired and hungry and could not get a mobile signal or internet access on our phones We came upon this little eatery wow !!! What a place...the young woman who was waitressing etc Danielle was amazing charged our phones for us...found us some numbers to try regarding somewhere to stay for the night...we did get fixed up thanks to her..she really went beyond the call of duty...the chef also came out to try and help us..and thank you to him to The food was delicious..I had the burger..juicy and full of flavour, my partner had the steak just cooked to perfection and our friend had the slow roast belly pork on mash. All the meals came at the same time very well presented and really deliciousI would recommend this eatery to you if you are out near Canterbury

Fantastic food. The burger I had was likely the best burger I have ever had. Great service. This place used to be poor (previous owners) but now it is well worth a visit.

My family and our grandparents ate here recently after all other restaurants in the surrounding area were full and we are so glad they were. This little pub in Bossingham offers fantastic food, cheerful surroundings and service that is second to none. Dishes we had were their chicken and pesto pasta (this was an absolute star of a dish) oven baked camembert, the hop burger and slow roasted pork belly to name of few, all of which were freshly cooked and beautiful. All dishes were delivered quickly by a fantastic lady that could not have been more attentive and pleasant. We found this place at the end of our holiday so did not have the chance to go back again. Had we had more time, a second and even third visit would have been made.

Genuinely delightul bar staff - most welcoming. The food: just what you needed. Tasty af. Your body will thank you. Good prices too. Daniella (staff person) has a delightful laugh, and really friendly. Happy days!

Good selection available for Sunday lunch (more than just roast dinners). Staff were very welcoming and helpful. Main dishes were fine; puddings were scrummy (would recommend the lemon posset). No doubt we'll visit again during our stay in this part of Kent.

Have been past but have never entered. Wished I had, a lot sooner, as the whole bundle from the food to the dining was excellent. The steak burger served medium was amazing (the chips fantastic) along with the pasta chicken. Didn't have starters but the chocolate fondant was to die for and just enough to finish off the meal. Will definitely eat there again. So good my dining partner re-booked a table for a Sunday celebration and her family.

We have eaten at The Hop Pocket several times but this was our first Sunday lunch. A pleasant pub with friendly staff. Full marks for the copper bar top and panels on the walls which look really good but are in fact radiator covers! (Sadly there are also some fox hunting pictures.) Other interesting touches include the chef calling for service by banging on the kitchen door with a broom handle!We began with pints of real ale and selected the onion soup which was very good and followed with the traditional roast sirloin. As promised by the landlord the beef was indeed rare and accompanied with a good selection of vegetables - asparagus, carrots, cabbage, mange tout, a delicious parsnip puree, roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. All most enjoyable.

My partner and I both had pigeon starter, which was delicious. Plenty of it with a lovely fried black pudding accompaniment. For the main course, we had beautifully cooked steak. In fact, everything on the plate was cooked to perfection. The waitress was delightful. And this all with them being a chef down. We will definitely visit again and again.

Th Hop Pocket is een sfeervolle Pub, dat in een dorpje op 15 minuten van de snelweg ligt. The Hop Pocket serveert een aantal internationale en nationale bieren en de menukaart kent diverse lokale en heerlijke gerechten. Het personeel is er uitermate vriendelijk en gaatvrij. Zeker een aanrader!

What a find. Amazing food, well cooked and presented. Very attentive service and made very welcome. It was very quiet but somewhere that deserves to be very busy. High quality at a good price. Highly recommend the Hop Pocket, so please support them.

Superb pub grub in the middle of The garden of England. 18th century pub. Superb walks around here. Nice beer garden very rural Kent near Canterbury

We went to the Hop Pocket last Sunday up on the recommendation of friends.Well firstly, what lovely people! They made us so welcome, the food was excellent and plentiful, it is obvious the place is really valued by the local community as most of the other guests seemed regulars. To top it off, they organised a really great Easter Egg hunt, designed to suit kids of all ages, brilliant idea. Will be returning again for sure.

Had a fantastic lunch. Lady serving was amazing. So polite and helpful. Happy to accommodate my dogs in their garden and it really was a pleasant experience for us all. Thoroughly recommend.

Had a super spring evening eating at this gastro pub we stumbled upon... and what a lovely surprise it was. I ordered the Steak with was cooked to perfection, and my wife had the Lamb - what tasty fare this was and beautifully laid out. Drink was very good too - I had some local Ale which was recommended to me by the Barman who seemed to know his stuff. Will be returning for sure.

There is a great atmosphere in this pub with a good selection of Gins. We tried a few and are looking forward to going back soon to try some more. The food was very tasty with a good selection for vegetarians. We met the owner, Nick, very pleasant young landlord who made us very welcome.

I was lucky to be here on the launch night and the food was 1st Class and of all the samples put on for free i might add the Scotch eggs stood out for me.hats off to the chef.(different class)i mean don't get me wrong you can go to these chain pubs and have the same food over and over looking out the window at shoppers go by, but if you are looking for something a little special and a fair price,i recommend this Pub in its rural setting.great for a summers day.with a nice garden for a cheeky drink and a nice seating area.also the toilets are Very Quirky (in a good way) a reflection on the owners taste no doubt,

What a great place for food and drink great staff and a great place food and drink is at a very reasonable price we will be back

we were a group of 4 2 weeks ago, apologies for the late review.We arrived without booking and managed to get a table even though they were very busy. excellent beers in the bar first then we were seated. I had the Goats cheese to start which was exceptional and the pork for main course, the presentation was perfect for both dishes. Highly recommended, staff were excellent and not to intrusive and we can't wait for alfresco dinning in the Summer.

The food was lovely and very reasonably priced. Service was good and they have an excellent selection of real ales - well worth a visit!

Food was amazing, staff smiling and happy, a very pleasant surprise to stumble upon this little gem. If i lived nearer i would become a regular. Great place.

There were 8 of us on a Wednesday evening, there was a shortage of staff but the super female student just flew around with great service to the owner, they should pay her more! The food was cooked well and a good selection of beers, will go again.DM

:-) Good fayre, fair price, friendly service.BUT A FEW COMMENTS.:-)The burgers are the thing to go for, the pub has been known for them for years even though it's changed hands.:-(Roast pork and beef really nicely cooked but the presentation was really off putting. All the veg, meat and yorkshire artfully arranged, unfortunately put on top of a PAT OF BRIGHT ORANGE PUREE, then the whole (everything) covered in gravy. The assemblage turned into a soup and it was impossible to enjoy the very tasty elements individually. I didn't like the flavour, colour or texture of the puree pat and as it stuck to everything so I didn't finish the plate. Suggestions. Serve gravy separately. Serve the puree pat as a portion on the side of the plate. Also, a big please, get some proper horseradish sauce, or you could grow the stuff by the truck load in the garden!

We were a party of 8 on a Wednesday evening on a Travel Zoo deal.We were greeted with a welcoming smile from Daniella, the orders were taken with a full explanation,what a surprise when they arrived all three course were excellent in fact the best Travel Zoo meal we have every had.Daniella was the only person serving both the bar and restaurant which was packed she did an amazing job.

We went for lunch with a Travelzoo voucher (£25) . This was for 2 courses followed by a coffee of your choice.We ordered a drink at the bar which were very reasonably priced and my husband commented on a "well kept ale".We chose to eat in the conservatory as it was a nice day. We ordered from the menu which had a very good selection.We chose the Oven Baked Camembert and the Atlantic King Prawns with chilli, lemon and garlic. The prawns also had a nice salad with them. Both starters were delicious. Our main courses were the Slow Roasted Pork Belly & Cod with creamy seafood sauce. Again both meals were delicious and nicely presented.We didn't have room for dessert although we had considered having one at the beginning of the meal.The gentleman who served us was charming.All in all an excellent meal which in the future we would be happy to pay full price for.Having visited the ladies loo, this was spotless and had individual hand towels and a basket below for the used ones. A nice touch.

I visited here for lunch yesterday. The title of the review gives a hint as to its content. As you drive in to the car park, the first thing you see is the garden and quite frankly, its a mess. The grass could do with a cut and there is "stuff" (empty barrels, the bbq, gas cylinders etc piled up all over the place). We sat in the conservatory, which has a view over the garden. Not good. The table had not been cleaned, there was dust on the salt and pepper grinders, and I would not like to say when the window sills had last seen a duster. The windows needed cleaning too. I'm sorry to say that when you notice these niggly things you start to look, The tap in the ladies needed mending, had no cold water and that, again, could do with a good scrub. As for the food (ham, egg & chips, nachos and ice cream) was standard fare and nothing to write home about but accurately priced at £10 for two courses. I was reading the main lunch menu and could not for the life of me understand how you can charge the same price for halloumi and vegetable fajitas as you do for the steak????? Bit of a head scratcher that one. Such a shame and I'm not planning to go back in a hurry.

Don't be put off by the rather uninspiring outside appearance ... lovely staff who provided great service with warmth and good humour. The food (we had Sunday lunch, pork belly x 4) was superb ... generous portions with great flavours ... I never knew carrot puree could be so amazing! For a starter go for the deep fried camembert...

We had booked with friends on a visit to Kent. It was a Monday so not too many people in the pub. The food was well presented, extremely tasty and reasonably priced. We had good banter with the landlord.The log fire was blazing away & the decor pleasant & welcoming.

We had eaten a lunch here about a year ago whilst on a walk and decided we would return in the future. Having had our kitchen ripped out, we thought it a good time to pay another visit. The menu wasn't hugely extensive but I found it really hard to choose between 3 of the main dishes (the others looked good as well). I could have really enjoyed any of the puddings! The beer was good too.The staff were all very friendly and helpful and the pub itself is warm and welcoming.We will return!

Reasonable price good Sunday roast, good location in small village, unfortunately we were sat near a table with a number of very loud kids which put us of a little but would try again when back in the area.

we went here on a special deal so it wasnt too expensive, the mushroom starter was nice, the fajitas weren't that brilliant, the veggies, guacamole and frijoles were a bit bland and the tortillas a bit doughy. We eat it all as we were hungry and hate food waste.Our friends' meat dishes were nice enough apparently and the home made ice cream for dessert was fine.The young waitress was pleasant and helpful - it wasn't the greatest meal but we weren't paying full price and it was a pleasant enough evening

Obviously a skillful chef - quality of ingredients was excellent and presentation equally good. Duck breast starter was cooked to perfection - virtually alive still in the middle and melting tender, mushrooms and Gruyere flavoursome - there was an element of over seasoning in parts that just prevented perfection. Bass fillet main was also slightly over seasoned with salted greens/spinach but the slow cooked lamb was stonking good. Sticky toffee pudding and apple/rhubarb crumble took us into some kind of pudding nirvana from which it's hard to return. Service from young girl (Daniella?) was absolutely spot on. Loose a bit of salt and this place could be the serious food venue for miles. Good luck!

We ate here on an early Monday evening, the pub restaurant was very quiet, we sat beside a warming open fire which was great as we drove through a heavy rain storm to get there. This is a real old pub in the countryside, not themed and nothing fancy but authentic and more like the pubs I remember from childhood. When we arrived the barman was friendly, good at his job and welcoming, very efficient too. The menu not huge but with plenty of interesting options. As a starter I had battered Cornish squid rings on a bed of salad leaves (lovely dressing) served with a chilli dip, My partner had duck breast served with tiny sweet piccolo parsnips really, really good, the duck beautifully pink and tender. For main course my partner had belly pork, a melt in the mouth generous portion with a superb crunchy crackling top, this was saved on a bed of mashed potatoes, smooth and delicious with roasted vegetables. I sneaked a taste and agreed with my partner who was raving about the pork, it was just lovely. My main course was pan fried cod with a really good creamed seafood sauce heavy with dill, it was light and beautifully seasoned it came with new potatoes and greens. All the puddings looked good. I had the home made tart of the day, a rich dark chocolate confection with chocolate shards and chocolate soil, it had a hint of orange, and the pastry case was really thin and crisp, the test of any chef. The tart was served with a good home made ice cream, a real indulgent pud and not one I'd eat every day (or even once a month because of my waist line) but a real treat , the kind where the chocolate reaches melt point and goes cool, as good as I have eaten anywhere. My partner could not resist the home made sticky toffee pudding, a generous portion which he was very sad not to finish because he was so full.This is a young chef with the potential to greatness, a really instinctive ability to balance flavours, his seasoning is spot on and he has a very light touch. I'd liken him to the chef at the Sportsman in Seasalter when we first found him years ago, with a special self taught talent we recognised back then (now with Michelin star). This chef has the potential to become a great chef and providing he aims high has so much time to continue to hone his skills. We intend to return and will try Sunday lunch.

What an absolute gem of a find! We went to this lovely country pub for dinner with friends and couldn't have been more impressed. The food was outstandingly good with what could be described as the best fish and chips I've eaten in years. I chose the homemade ice cream for dessert and what a good choice it turned out to be, heavenly...!!! The service was excellent throughout our visit and the overall atmosphere was friendly and welcoming. The roaring log fire was just perfect on a chilly damp February evening. We'll definitely be back.

High quality food, well cooked & presented, good portion size at a sensible price. Washed down with fresh cask ale. Job done!

I had a travel Zoo deal so decided to give The 'Hop Pocket' a go, so 4 of us went We had :Starters : 3 x Cooked Brie & Bread 1x King PrawnsMains: 3x Beer Batter Fish & Chips Triple cooked Chips 1x Belly Pork in a JusPud : 2x Assorted Ice Cream 2x Chocolate Fonduewell what a fabulous Meal we all had, it was excellent !!!all the food was top class Michael the Chef did an excellent job we congratulated him personally too.The Brie was all gooey, the Beer Batter Fish was Huge, & the Belly Pork was top notch very good crackling too.The Fondue was sooo nice with, fruit & Marshmallows, choc biscuits, & meringuethe 5 ice creams were very nice too.The service was excellent too all well done !!! I can recommend this gastro Pub all day give it a try we will be back

Went there Saturday 11th February for a valentine's night , excellent food , lovely log fire , Nick and staff created a lovely evening , good choice of real ales , good traditional style public house , well worth a visit .

Really enjoyed returning to The Hop Pocket, after several years away. Had a really good meal...the steak was really beautiful. The deal of 3 courses for 2, with bottle of wine included, was brilliant. Service was excellent and we were made to feel very welcome. Only criticism was the deconstructed Eton mess dessert...hard to get this wrong, but it wasnt great. The rest was fab. Would return.

Excellent food cooked to order. Friendly service, lovely log fire.Simple country pub.Would eat there again

We went for lunch on a Monday afternoon and the food was cooked to perfection! The chilli prawns were some of the best we've ever eaten and the burger was superb. Nice cosy pub with good service, will definitely be back.

I have now eaten at the Hop Pocket four times and it has been consistently good on every occasion.The lunch menu offers great value but does not compromise on the quality of the food where two people can eat for £12. We have also had Sunday lunch which just as good as the previous time i have eaten at this superb country pub. The roast Sirloin of beef served pink was really nice and the service was just as good as the food.On Christmas day my family of 17 had the best Christmas day lunch we have had eating out.The service was good and the food was excellent and very good value.Well done to Nick and his team

The staff were very welcoming, but the lack of menu choice and the food was disappointing. That is the verdict of three of us in the group of five. The burger was raw in the middle and the duck was tough. Our table was booked for 6.30pm and we didn't get our food until after 7.30pm. Probably won't go there again unless they change the menu

We were a party of five who had pre-ordered a Christmas menu. All the courses were very well cooked and all of us were very impressed.

Having arrived slightly early we were allowed in to sit by the open fire and enjoy a drink. The real ale is very good.The food was very good, but was slightly disappointed there was not a cheese board option for desert, however this was not a problem and i must say a most excellent cheese board was presented. Mexican chilli cheese a must!Overall fantastic service, friendly and great real ale.

Lovely food excellent service with a smile. Roaring fire on a cold winters evening. Nice friendly atmosphere. Good price..

We visited on a Sunday hoping for roast, my partner had beef it was tough. I had fish and chips because I Don't eat red meat.The fish was repulsive and had an ammonia smell. I just turned it over and obviously could not eat it.The Landlord is pleasant and seems to like to encourage eating that's why we went back there as we had only called in for drinks before.We felt really uncomfortable and embarrassed that we left our meals after our expectation was so high. We did feel like we was being watched all the time which makes for an uncomfortable experience, I am sure the Landlord is new to this business and hasn't quite mastered making people feel comfortable.I really could not eat there again but looking at all the reviews I just can not understand how we managed to get such awful food, it's a mystery.We waited forever too which was annoying as we was late to meet our friends afterwards.This is a true account of our experience but don't be put off because I am confused how our meals went so terribly wrong.