The full official top 100 Gastropubs list was announced on January 23, with two Herts pubs included
Two Hertfordshire pubs have been named in Estrella Damm’s top 100 Gastropub awards. The full official top 100 gastropubs list was announced on January 23, where a pub in Lancashire town Clitheroe was crowned the number one gastro pub in the UK for 2023.
St Albans’ Dylans at The Kings Arms and the Alford Arms in the Hemel Hempstead village of Frithsden were both named in the top 100 list in recognition of our county’s finest pubs. The Estrella Damm gastropub awards are voted for by top foodies and hospitality experts.
These include gastropub operators, food writers, pubco catering development managers and executive chefs, celebrity and top hospitality industry chefs, pub guide editors, industry chiefs and food operators. The voting criteria ensures the list really is decided by the industry.
Alford Arms in Hemel Hempstead was named in the “Estrella Damm” Top 100 gastropubs list along with another Herts pub (Image: Google Maps)
Dylans at The Kings Arms, which is located on George Street, opened in 2015 as the owners wanted somewhere in St Albans that they would want to eat and enjoy a drink within walking distance of home. They found a former pub in a beautiful 15th Century building on George Street which is in the Cathedral Quarter of St Albans.
The Kings Arms has a Tudor bar and a restaurant to the back, offering simple food with a focus on small family producers, as the food is matched with beers and wines in neighbourhood pub restaurant. The St Albans pub was named 94th on the Estrella Damm top 100 gastropub list.
Alford Arms is another Herts pub nestling away in a secluded wooded valley in Hemel Hempstead. It is situated in Frithsden and is on the doorstep of Ashridge Forest and has the Chiltern Hills in its backdrop.
Their food menu changes every week, as they make the best use of seasonal local produce. All of their ingredients are cooked fresh and they can cater for intolerances and allergens without batting an eyelid.
Dylans – The Kings Arms is located in St Albans on George Street (Image: Google Maps)
The owners David and Becky have been the stewards of the beloved pub for over 20 years. In the Estrella Damm top 100 gastropub awards, the Alford Arms was ranked 95th.
The Morning Advertiser editor Ed Bedington said: “Winning or being shortlisted as a finalist is an excellent way of getting your pub – and yourself – the recognition that you deserve. Getting on this list is the jewel in the crown for foodie pubs across the UK. It’s the place to be seen.”
