The Silver Cup

Modern British food and interesting local ales are on offer at The Silver Cup in Harpenden.

The pub, run by siblings Matthew and Olivia Reeder, has a restaurant and accommodation and is minutes from the bustling High Street and the station in Harpenden.

Established in 1838, the Silver Cup has been part of Harpenden’s Community for nearly 200 years. It was opened as a classic Victorian public house at the end of the Harpenden race course on the common - traditionally the winner was awarded a silver cup, hence its name.

The pub is renowned for its sophisticated food and features creative dishes inspired by the finest seasonal British produce and local ingredients.

Dishes on the menus include delicacies such as cornish cod, muscade pumpkin, kale and jus gras; crapaudine beetroot, goats cheese, walnut and nashi pear and fallow venison haunch, pommes anna and ragu.

This food is from chef patron Matthew Reeder, who took over the lease in spring 2020 in the depths of the first Coronavirus lockdown. He took the time to lovingly refurbish the interior of the pub and transform it into a contemporary and stylish dining space.

Having grown up in Harpenden in a family who ran The Silver Cup for seven years and with aunts and grandparents running pubs in North London, he was almost destined to enter the pub trade.

After graduating from Westminster Catering College, he travelled to Australia to discover new culinary techniques and styles. He has worked in some of the top restaurants in London and Hertfordshire including Auberge du Lac, The Typing Room, The Galvin Brothers and Anglo in Farringdon where he was head chef. 

The pub has already been listed in the Michelin Guide and also features in the Good Food Guides for both 2023 and 2024 and was 2022 winner of the Best Pub in Hertfordshire.