Food review: Andy Richardson enjoys the atmosphere, food and great service at The George, Ludlow
Well done The George. And well done Oakman Inns, the company behind one of the most remarkable venue transformations in Shropshire of the past decade.
A pub that had seen better days, located perfectly on Ludlow’s Castle Square, is now a vibrant, new, heart-of-the-town pub-restaurant, with a vast number of covers, offering all-day dining. In the space of a no-doubt-considerable sum of investment, and the vision of a go-getting pub/restaurant chain, it’s been transformed into an absolutely stunning space with great service, fairly priced comfort food, and ample space for those who just fancy a pint. Frankly, the transformation has been outstanding and The George racks up a well-earned ten-out-of-ten.
But first the context.
Located in the heart of Ludlow, The George is a historic Grade II listed property which has been restored to be a welcoming place for the local community. Its bar and restaurant is open for morning coffee with the papers, for after-work drinks with friends, and for dining with the family.
The open theatre-style kitchen is crafting a Mediterranean-inspired menu, which is filled with warming brunch dishes, authentic Neapolitan wood-fired pizza, traditional home comforts, delicious Sunday roasts, and a whole lot more. A fabulous drinks menu is there to be enjoyed, with classic cocktails, an extensive wine range as well as local ales and chilled draught lagers.
The design of The George’s logo is based on a traditional heraldic shield often found on an English pub’s swing sign. The lion traditionally symbolises courage, nobility, royalty and strength. The hops and grapes denote abundance and harvest.
The most significant element of the logo is the scroll along the bottom. It is a reference to the Ludlow Castle Heraldic Roll with dates back to 1580. The Heraldic Roll contains 42 coats of arms of some of the owners of Ludlow castle, presidents, and members of the Council in the Marches of Wales from the 11th to the 16th century. It records the arms painted in the Ludlow Castle chapel by order of Sir Henry Sidney, President of the Council in 1574. So there we have it, a sensitive restoration has been managed by a business that cares about the local community and wants to both invest and connect. Who can argue with those good intentions?
The proof of the sourdough sticky toffee pudding is, of course, in the eating – and the serving – and that’s where The George shines.
It’s not just that the transformation has been spectacular. And, on that point, there’s a delightful al fresco terrace, for instance, where once there was an unwelcoming brick wall, the theatre-style kitchen is delightful and brings the chefs into the dining area – replete with their spectacular, wood-fired pizza oven – while the nooks and crannies have been perfectly styled. It’s also that the staff have clearly been carefully chosen, well-trained, and shown considerable respect and warmth.
That rubs off on the way they engage with the customers. So when my friend and I visited for a midweek supper, we were expecting an in-and-out within an hour, having sampled a few dishes before saying farewell. Instead, we stayed for two-and-a-half hours as we enjoyed the hospitality, the exceptional service, and the warmth of conscientious, diligent, and charming staff.
Good service makes all the difference in any restaurant and, whether guests were eating fish and chips, bangers and mash, or something a little fancier, the team went out of their way to make people feel welcome. They scored top marks.
The food was pretty decent, too. The George is a pub-cum-English/Mediterranean restaurant and standards were high. I started with a fruit smoothie while my friend enjoyed a virgin elderflower mojito, a deliciously sweet and floral blend of elderflower cordial with muddled mint, lime, apple juice, and a soda top.
My starter was a seasonal dish of heritage tomatoes, with basil, mozzarella, and balsamic while my friend began with a starter of baked feta with artisan homemade bread and an arrabbiata sauce.
The heritage tomato salad was thoroughly pleasant, where the chef let good quality ingredients speak for themselves. Good quality tomatoes painted in a variety of colours were happily paired with a light, creamy mozzarella while a sweet and sticky balsamic added depth. The basil added floral notes and a taste of the summer.
My friend’s baked feta was a perfect example of elevating humble ingredients. The feta had been baked until deliciously hot in a spicy, sweet arrabbiata sauce, while small flatbreads were devoured hungrily – being much too good to leave to one side.
Our mains were even better. A Caesar salad was a celebration of the best of light, summery dishes. Vast – big enough for two – and featuring cooked chicken breast, a perfectly, soft-boiled egg, and plenty of parmesan, it made for happy eating.
My house bacon cheese burger was as good as any I’ve eaten in Shropshire. The burger was brilliantly cooked, so that the outside was brilliantly caramelised and had a discernible crunch. The inside, in contrast, remained perfectly moist, ever-so-slightly pink, and oozed flavoursome meat juices and hot, delicious beef fat. It was seasoned well and cooked the way a burger should be. A brioche bun was light and buttery, pickles added light acidulation, bacon was perfectly cooked, while a slice of cheddar had melted into a strongly-flavoured, fabulously-filthy mess. The burger sauce was on point and a sun blushed tomato added intense flavour to a seriously good dish. The fries were crisp, crunchy, delightfully golden and seasoned lightly with salt. Win-win.
We stayed for desserts, having had no intention of doing so, but having been won over by great food and service. My friend’s salted caramel ice cream was light, creamy, and indulgent, while my passion fruit and mango knickerbockerglory was dusted in biscuit crumbs and was a thrillingly appetising mix of sweet, tart, dreamy-creamy, crunch, and soft.
The George is a seriously exciting new addition to Ludlow’s dining scene, one that’s open seven-days-a-week and serves around the clock. It’s the sort of place that every town in the county could do with – its owners and its staff deserve every credit for bringing such a welcome new addition to the county.
10/10
The George, 12 Castle St, Ludlow SY8 1AT
