The Silver Cup in St Albans

The service was excellent and friendly. The food was not very adventurous, over priced and the plates too small (5 prawns on a main dish). We paid £112 for two with a bottle of wine and two gins and went home hungry.

An absolutely fantastic experience from start to finish. Lovely welcoming staff with good banter, not stuffy and happy to explain and offer advice on menu. Also nice to find out it is now run by some locals! Don't trust any of the older reviews, these guys only took it over last year and have given it a proper refurbishment, brought in an excellent chef and lovely staff.Food was to die for, we had the specials, for both starters and mains, and they were worth the supplements. My only recommendation is you book ahead of time, we have tried a few weeks in a row, clearly the cat is out the bag on how great this place is. Couldn't believe our luck for tonight, realised it was because the England match was on that we managed to get a table as the rest of the world was busy.We will be back :)

We booked for lunch at the Silver Cup on the strength of a local review. When I first saw their menu there was a sharp intake of breath at the price: £35 for two courses and £37 for three (excluding coffee). A smaller menu than two other independents in the town, with a choice of several dishes for starters & main course, plus a “special” for each course at an extra cost. Today’s special was oysters & steak tartare to start and a pork roast for mains.Any comparison ends there, though. Although other restaurants in Harpenden are perfectly respectable, the Silver Cup walks away with every prize going as far as we’re concerned. The menu looks interesting but gives no clue as to the quality of either the ingredients or the standard of cooking, both of which are streets ahead of anywhere else local, including such “fine dining” places such as L’Auberge du Lac or Luton Hoo. They’re more on a par with the standard at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons which has annoyed us for some time, ever since they adopted a policy of serving only a 5-course lunch for somewhere in the region of £100 which isn’t necessarily what one wants. It's re-opened after lock-down having been supplying us with the best takeaway burgers'n chips we've ever tasted during the bleak winter months when we weren't allowed to set foot in the door. Folks, you have to go there. The food is simply outstanding, and even though it's difficult to recruit waiting staff at the moment, and they're rushed off their feet (particularly today when there was a crowd in to watch The Match) we had absolutely no complaints about the service which was prompt without rushing us, and friendly, Michael's Mama Jo was helping out and was extremely helpful with any queries we had. She picked up on one of our party being a birthday girl and had her pudding plate inscribed with "Happy Birthday" in chocolate! Matt the Chef produced the most brilliant Sunday roasts for mains (beef, pork and chicken) as well as two fish dishes and a risotto. Starters were as per menu online with added specials of oysters and steak tartare, served as it should be with an egg yolk. That's a small point to some, but these days it's rare in this country that a)there's an opportunity to have a steak tartare and b)that it comes with the yolk. Puddings (in spite of my best intentions...) also wonderful. Just go! As soon as possible! (You know you want to...)Recently they've suffered some no-shows and last-minute cancellations; I can only commiserate with those who cancelled, for what they missed out on, and hope they re-book. We most certainly will; the Silver Cup certainly deserves to have a full dining room at every sitting. Congratulations to Michael & Matthew!

Very good food, attractive presentation interesting menu, service friendly and efficient, reasonable price . Will definitely return .

I went with a group of friends, all of our meals were excellent & really fresh. The double beef burger with bacon & cheese - was delightful and cooked to perfection. The harissa chicken special was also excellent. The staff are very friendly & attentive. A great spot with a nice atmosphere. We will definitely return.

Enjoyed a delicious lunch to celebrate my birthday. The food was outstanding and the staff were very friendly and couldn’t have been more helpful. Highly recommend.

Really great venue, nearly refurbished and offering a brilliant menu.Visited for Saturday lunch, looked after really well by knowledgable staff who took us through the menu.Food was very, very good - high recommend.All round great job and definitely a venue will be visiting again.

We booked for lunch at the Silver Cup on the strength of another review. When I first saw their menu there was a sharp intake of breath at the price: £30 for two courses and £36 for three (excluding coffee). A smaller menu than two other independents in the town, Lussmans and Rosannes: a choice of three dishes for starters and three for the main course, plus a “special” for each course at an extra cost. Today’s special was a halibut dish for an extra £8. The comparison ends there, though. Although both the other two restaurants mentioned above are perfectly respectable, the Silver Cup walks away with every prize going as far as we’re concerned. The menu looks interesting but gives no clue as to the quality of either the ingredients or the standard of cooking, both of which are streets ahead of anywhere else local, including such “fine dining” places such as L’Auberge du Lac. They’re more on a par with the standard at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons which has annoyed us for some time, ever since they adopted a policy of serving only a 5-course lunch for somewhere in the region of £100 which isn’t necessarily what one wants.There was only one other couple eating at the same time, which we remarked on and were told that they’d had eleven (11!) cancellations that morning – some three tables. I can only commiserate with those who cancelled, for what they missed out on, and hope they re-book. We most certainly will; the Silver Cup certainly deserves to have a full dining room at every sitting. Congratulations to Mark and Matthew!

The new Silver Cup restaurant is a refreshing and powerful addition to the local food scene. I was impressed by the makeover, offering an understated ambience with friendly service and great food options. Simplicity done really well and can’t wait to go back for the next iteration of the changing season menu. A very impressive addition to the local scene which I am sure will attract visitors from afar soon enough.

So here’s the thing. The Silver Cup has an old reputation of decentish pub grub. But since the new owners have gotten their hands on it, it has become something rather special. A unique menu that mixes flavours of truffle with deep beefy dishes, creamy celeriac with fish freshly caught - and the omg’ness of pumpkin ice cream? And that’s not even expressing the perfection of the arancini balls, which quite frankly having spent time in Italy, you’d be pushed to find better. If you want a hidden gem, this is it. If you’re used to menus that open the palate from new and familiar dishes to a London’esque maturity - look no further. Strong leadership in the kitchen and front of house firmly concrete The Silver Cup as the new place to eat, see and be seen. I’m impressed.

Service was spot on and we all agreed after, it was probably the best roast dinner we have had in Harpenden. Our youngest is a fussy eater but nothing was a problem and they were very helpful. Thank you for a lovely visit.

Wow, just had the tastiest Sunday roast I’ve ever had. So much flavour and the presentation was spot on. The potatoes were perfectly crispy and the salted carrots were so tasty. I had the apple strudel for dessert which was delish. The service was also fantastic - 10 out of 10

Had a very pleasant Sunday lunch here. All the food was delicious, and the staff were attentive and friendly. Highly recommended.

Wow, !! The new chef owner certainly knows his profession, we’ve been a few times now and the food service and atmosphere is too good to be true, last week we had sort of tapas dishes which would put many top restaurants in in the shade Just one little bit of disappointment we didn’t have the steak for two and was drooling over the table next to us can’t wait to go back .thank you Matt and the team Pgeorgi

A friend had recommended The Silver Cup and explained it had new owners and a revamp. We went for lunch and although the menu is small, don’t let this put you off because the food was exceptional. I’m not a fan of walnuts so I asked for the pickled walnuts to be “on the side” of my beef cheek dish. They won me over. The richness of the beef with the pickled walnut was such a great balance. Our waitress was very informative, I was able to try a red before I chose which one I would like by the glass. Fantastic customer service. Covid compliant, hand sanitizers on every table. A one way system inside the pub that works well. Bathrooms were very clean. Light and airy decor. We asked about the pub being dog friendly as we live in Redbourn and often walk to local pubs. Again the waitress was very accommodating about whereabouts in the pub dogs are allowed and what table to request if we are wishing to eat and bring our dog. From start to finish, our lunch experience was faultless. Thank you and we will be back.

Took my uncle in a week or so ago (77 years old) booked a table for steak night and it was fantastic. The food and service was brilliant not to mention we felt very safe all the staff were wearing masks which I was a bit worried about with my uncle. Enjoyed it so much we went for Sunday lunch the following weekend and have to say it was one of the best roasts I’ve had in a long time. Harpenden has been crying out for a proper place to eat out for a long time and they’ve definitely filled the gap! Looking forward to going back... 5 stars!!

Went for a business meeting, food was not great trying to be something it’s not. Chef to fixed on stars then serving proper pub food. Place needs a good clean and not Covid self at all. No face masks to be seen. Place needs a good clean. Take a step back look then do it. See what other great pubs are doing Around here. Young boys not a clue how to run a place clearly using daddies money but this time as not worked out.

Really great food. Friendly staff and lively atmosphere. Would highly recommend it. Best pub food in Harpenden.

A bold claim, but probably the best Sunday roast beef dinner we’ve eaten in a pub/restaurant. Whilst the menu may seem small, don’t let this put you off. A credit to the chef, who produces exceptionally high end food and the staff/owners are super attentive and really friendly. If you live in Harpenden or the surrounding area, this place is and absolute must visit. Outstanding.

Amazing food! Pub has been taken over and transformed. Great staff. Lunch or dinner, all excellent! Wednesday nights is steak special!

Haven’t been here for a while. What a transformation! The food is amazingly good and the staff were really friendly and helpful too. Faultless. It’s a concise menu but all the dishes we had were spot on. Great wines too. It’s not pub food but really high quality restaurant style (taste and presentation), loved it.

This restaurant takes too long . Food ordered for 8.15 and still waiting at 8.40! New owner has no idea of timescales

Excellent Sunday LunchGreat ingredients treated with respect to produce a real treat. The “snacks” should not be missed as they really bring out the best in the food and are a fine introduction to the rest of the menu. Sunday Lunch was a meal to enjoy. A good wine list and friendly knowledgeable service. Don’t tell anyone else as we want to go back again & I am sure tables will be hard to get ....

The pub has been been refitted and has a fantastic new atmosphere. The Sunday lunch was the best I've ever had in a restaurant. Anyone looking for a great new dining experience in Hertfordshire I recommend they try this place before word gets round and you can't get booked.

Have not been there for a drink for some time. The pub itself has not changed but it is comfortable in the old style, staff are friendly and prices are reasonable. Will return for that pre dinner glass of wine. Enjoyed my short visit.

The landlord here is excellent in his approach to providing a hospitable and welcoming place to stay, and at short notice.The breakfast is delicious which includes white pudding sunnside up eggs, fried muffin and portabello mushroom with tomato.Germans sausage and the finest tea I've had in a long long time.The room was exceptionally tidy and I really enjoyed a good night's sleep here.10/10

Great traditional pub. Great location, very easy to get into London. Landlord couldn't help us enough and great breakfast.

Tony’s cooking is Harpenden’s secret! Monthly Steak or Fish night specials are outstanding both for quality and value. . Food is not served all day (no waste here) so you need to ask Tony in advance...you won’t regret bringing a dinner party to the Silver Cup.

I go here for lunch occasionally to meet a friend and they always do a very good baguette and pint. The baguette is well filled, fresh and very tasty. Beer is always good

Brilliant quality food cooked to perfection. More top class restaurant than pub. A very pleasant evening and the landlord tony is charming.

This pub is in a good location being only 5 minutes walk from the town centre, the beer is well kept and the food is fine. Service mainly good but variable.

Visited with family. Staff very friendly, the roast beef dinner was fresh and homemade gorgeous. Would definitely recommend a visit.

Another stopover continuing our bar crawl in Harpenden. Very old pub, even down to the décor - all that was missing was the 90s smoke you used to get. Not many people inside the venue - actually just one when we arrived at 10:30pm. After our drinks, we all decided to organise an uber to our next destination - we thought we will wait outside, the last member of our party followed us outside and then decided they wanted to use the toilet, when he went to open the door - they had locked us out. Lucky for us the uber wasn't too far away from the venue. I just found it funny how they locked us out when there were still people in the venue....

Not many places in Hertfordshire have a crisp menu, a 4-5 options daily on locally made pork pies, AND homemade beef biltong - that is an improvement on the pre-bagged variants available generally.Add in friendly, international staff, tolerance and a well-run family business - and recommended if passing through (its a B&B too) or wandering away from the local Cricket Club in search of better snacks than the clubhouse offers.Tony's always good value too.And worth listening to when it comes to wine. Not for everyone. But ticks most of my boxes.

good portion, very succulent, good colour and very tender, no grissle bits all cooked well. and a couple of desserts to choice from were good.

We celebrated my wife's birthday with 40 friends with a Spanish theme. Tony could not have been more helpful. He decorated the pub with Spanish flags, put on great Tapas and cooked a proper Paella.

Having grown up in the area, I worked at this place many moons ago. Nice to see it's still going strong.

Yesterday, we visited the Silver Cup as a party of 9 for my wife's Birthday. The welcome, setting and ambience were all fab; it sits opposite Harpenden Common. Tony Reeder and his team run a tight ship and the roast was DIVINE. We all head either the beef or pork (some of us had both!) and it was genuinely like having a home cooked meal. The restaurant was very well dressed with fresh flowers and very clean too. The main bar next door was lively with an excellent choice of ales. Very child and dog friendly too.

Excellent service, staff very polite and helpful, we were made very welcome including our Jack Russell, I had Homemade Cottage Pie with fresh vegetables, it was the best cottage pie I have had for a very long time, my husband had Cheese & Ham Ploughmans with all the pickles, warm baguette, and salad/apple which he enjoyed too, both reasonably priced, we will definitely be going back. It is well worth a visit.

We arrived for Sunday lunch after a long walk, and were greeted warmly by the staff. I was offered a taste of the cider to see if I liked it. The roast lunch was delicious, with lovely rare beef and well cooked selection of vegetables. The portions are large, and staff are very friendly. Altogether exactly what we wanted and we would return.

Siempre nos alojamos en el Silver Cup cuando nos visita esta zona. El propietario Tony y su personal es estupendo, la comida es fantástica y no te pierdas los desayunos de Tony! Mientras que las habitaciones son espaciosas y el pub en sí está a poca distancia a pie de la estación y la calle alta, están un poco anticuadas. Así que no esperes un Hilton, pero para unas pocas noches de estancia - no tenemos ninguna queja. Me encanta este lugar.

La bienvenida fue cálida y el servicio muy amable. Tuvimos enormes porciones, un plato no era necesario, pero sin embargo nos comimos todo. El delicioso paté seguido de un buen bistec y masas de platos secundarios. Volveríamos de nuevo cuando estamos realmente hambriento.

El servicio de atención al cliente es perfecto! Mi hija es vegetariano y el chef hizo de ella una comida especial. El propietario es muy amable. La comida era buena. Sin duda volveremos.

El personal es encantador, buen aspecto antiguo pub con carácter y buena comida. un gran lugar para ir con una gran ubicación, en común.

Vine aquí de Beaujolais noche y me hicieron sentir muy bienvenido

Only popped in for a few drinks so can't comment on the foodI did look at the menu and it looked a great choice and good pricesBeer was lovelyStaff were welcoming Great looking pub

Good atmosphere in here, and the food is great. Being vegetarian, the chef has often cooked something up special just for us. Friendly place, good staff and has that slightly odd country pub feel to it. The main road is right at the door so it's a bit noisy to sit outside but on a chilly night it's great indoors.

Great Sunday lunch with family. Good choice of starters and mains. Lamb and beef cooked to perfection and all served with a fantastic selection of mixed vegetables. All washed down with plenty of wine!

Nous avons loge 4 nuits et avons apprécié tant les petits déjeuners ( of course le full english breakfast ) que les dîners très variés depuis le lamb curry jusqu'au traditionnel t bonne steak .Tout était fort goûteux et de prix très raisonnable

ugh never again. Turned a 4 night trip into a 3 night sleepless nightmare. avoid at all costs an look at other local locations to stay.

Fantastic hospitality, always looked after. Food was excellent and catered for the whole family. Fully recommend.

This place oversells itself, needs to be refurbed, only had a snack and can't really give an opinion on it, was not good or bad, if say average is on a scale of 5 my snack was 4.Can't recommend and won't revisit.

Had the most horrendous experience here at the week end. Went to a friends party that was being hosted here, and i also had a room booked to stay the night. The landlord was THE MOST aggressive, horrible, argumentative man i have ever come across. All because i ordered pizza. Through ordering pizza he then threw me and my friend out on the street at 12.30 in the morning!!!!!!! NEVER, EVER STAY THERE!!!!!!! The place itself is old, dated and in desperate need of decoration. I even saw rats in the carpark, so god knows where they were heading to or where they went!!

I had my 30th Birthday Party in the main part of the pub. Tony the landlord was happy to set the room up how I wanted and decorate! There was a projector with photos on the wall which was a nice touch. The food provided was not standard 'pub buffet' but creative and delicious, catering for all dietary requirements. I was allowed to create a playlist of music for the night! Perfect place to enjoy a party to remember with family and friends! We even went back for a family breakfast the next morning which was brilliant! I highly recommend this pub for food, atmosphere, friendly staff and dog friendly in the front of the pub too!

They used to make homemade ice cream, so, we visited again only to be told the place had been taken over so half the menu had changed. The food was still of good quality, but they need more choice like they used to have

popped in for a beer - real ale well cared for and delivered - and had an unplanned meal. Chilli King Prawn with chiabatta was well received by my wife, while I had a first rate halloumi kebab with exceptional couscous and fresh skewered vegetables - all for under £20. Nice ambiance, not too busy though with a slight buzz - recommended. No idea what the naysayers are on about.

Atmosphere was always good in here. Good local boozer that does some lovely food too. It always has a welcoming feel.