Creating a gastropub experience at home is all about capturing the perfect blend of casual comfort, elevated flavours with a touch of sophistication. Whether it’s hosting an intimate gathering for friends or indulging in an upscale night in with a loved one, you don’t have to venture out to enjoy the gastropub experience.
The atmosphere
Everyone loves the feeling of stepping into a pub, the wooden tables, stone floors, mismatched furniture and cosy feeling of a home away from home. To bring a gastropub to life, you must first start with warm, low lighting to recreate that homely night-time feel. Create comfy nooks with plush pillows on dining chairs, add a touch of sophistication with linen napkins and, of course, candles to bring elevate the warm glow.
Whatever your desired environment, it’s always key to consider all the senses, including sound. Perhaps your home pub is a central London hotspot with clinking glasses and chatter, or maybe you’d prefer a traditional country dwelling with crackling fireplaces and the gentle sounds of the countryside. What kind of music would elevate this experience? Soft instrumentals, jazz covers of crowd pleasers – the choice is yours.
No pub is complete without a bar. Set up a dedicated area with a small bar counter, bar cart or even a vintage cabinet stocked with your favourite drinks. Include glassware, a selection of spirits, garnishes and cocktail-making accessories.
The food
Possibly the most important part of the event is the food, do you want to serve a seven-course tasting menu, sharing platters, a Sunday roast or three simple, but flavour-packed, courses? Whatever you choose, we have some outstanding dishes from renowned chefs across the UK for you to take your pick from.
Why not kick things off with a little bar snack? Roasted almonds, olives, and for a real challenge why not try your hand at making your own Scotch eggs like The Pack Horse’s Manchester egg made with black pudding and served with pickle or The Cornish Arms’ ham hock Scotch egg with pickled chicory and blue cheese.
To start, game lovers can enjoy a rabbit and bacon terrine from award-winning Dominic Chapman’s The Crown in Burchett’s Green, serve with toast and pickles. For a veggie-friendly option, you can always challenge yourself to making The Pyne Arms’ twice baked vintage cheddar soufflé, its sure to wow your guests.
The main should be a real showstopper packed with flavour, might we recommend The Oarsman’s pork wellington, a twist on the classic dish. If pastry isn’t your calling, then The Cross at Kenilworth has a delicious charcoal grilled grass-fed Irish rib-eye with a stout and pickled walnut Bordelaise sauce. For a fish-focused main, current number one, The Unruly Pig, has a gorgeous wild sea bass dish served with capers, raisins and brown butter hollandaise.
Pudding rounds off the meal nicely and we’ve got an excellent array for you to choose from, which are all British pub classics we might add. Who could say no to Adam Handling's strawberry and ginger trifle, perfect in the summer? Charlotte Vincent created a delectable roasted vanilla panna cotta, honey and orange blossom sauce with a sea salt tuille guaranteed to wow your guests. Want to keep it homely and simple? Dylans at The Kings Arms has the most sumptuous sticky toffee pudding recipe for you, be sure to serve it with smooth vanilla ice cream.
The drinks
Central to this experience is pairing delicious, creative dishes with the right drinks. Kick things off with an aperitif or a homemade cocktail as your guests mingle and you add the final touches to the meal.
It’s good to offer a choice when pairing whether it is a curated wine list to match the dishes, deep reds for rich meats, delicate whites for fish and desserts. Or, for a true gastropub experience, we recommend a high-quality beer. Estrella Damm brings just the right balance of smoothness and complexity, elevating your homemade dishes and adding an authentic touch to your gastropub-inspired night.
For those looking for a low and no option, you can offer a delicious crisp Free Damm, a 0.0% alcohol-free lager with all the same beloved flavour of Estrella Damm. A non-alcoholic cocktail adds a fun spin to your usual soft drink offering by adding syrups and flavours to spruce up a soda or lemonade.
Bringing it together
Creating the right ambience, inviting the right guests and taking time to curate both your food and drink offering will help you bring the true gastropub experience home. Most importantly, you should have fun with your night – maybe add an interactive element by mixing your drinks in front of everyone or creating some theatre with serving your main, especially if it’s a showstopper.
The key ingredient to bringing the gastropub home is cooking with love in a homely environment, so bring your passion and enjoy yourself.
