The Richard Onslow
"The new Spring menu is well-conceived with a wide range of mouth-watering choices"
Address: 113-117 High St, Cranleigh GU6 8AU. Get directions.
Our verdict
A night away in a Surrey gastropub can feel like a mini holiday without all the stress of travel.
The staff work as a team and clearly take pride in what they do
A night away in a Surrey gastropub can feel like a mini holiday without all the stress of travel. This was our experience of staying at The Richard Onslow in Cranleigh's High Street. This was our second time visiting a ‘Peach’ pub and it confirmed our impression of a well-run pub group that goes out of its way to delight customers with excellent service, great food and a very friendly atmosphere – an unbeatable combination.
At The Richard Onslow, it’s clear that the staff work as a team, are highly trained and clearly take pride in what they do. It’s the little touches that make a difference, like the roaring log fires, the gleaming surfaces and the barista-style coffees.
The surroundings
The furniture is stylish but comfortable and without that sense of being in a hotel lounge.
Every room is delightfully designed by someone with a special eye for complementary colours, with charming textiles and William Morris-style wallpaper.
There are a variety of spaces including a beautiful restaurant, a comfortable bar area and a cosy snug - all with lovely soft lighting. There’s also a smart outdoor courtyard drinking area. In spite of being very busy in the evening we were there, we never got that feeling of not being able to hear ourselves talk - even with a large 50th birthday party taking place in one area of the bar.
This is definitely a real pub, but one where regulars and first-time visitors can all feel instantly at home.
Choice of beverages
As an ale drinker, I appreciated the wide range of craft ales on tap and Deputy Manager, Matthew clearly knew his stuff about cellar management. I tried the reliably excellent Shere Drop from Surrey Hills Brewery and the also very good Firebird Heritage Sussex Best — both were well-kept and perfectly poured. Hogs back ales were also on offer and Purity IPA. In addition, the pub has an impressive wine list chosen from sustainable vineyards and a very decent range of cocktails, speciality gins and alcohol-free choices.
1 of 8
2 of 8
3 of 8
4 of 8
5 of 8
6 of 8
7 of 8
8 of 8
The Spring menu
The new Spring menu is well-conceived with a wide range of mouth-watering choices. Starters were an easy choice as if they already knew our personal favourites. I went for the Watercress, Broad Bean & Pea Soup which had just the right peppery tang and was served piping hot with crème fraîche & ciabatta. My wife had the Hand-picked Devonshire Crab with Cured Salmon, Apple and Cucumber, fresh, light and not too filling.
For mains, I was tempted by the special menu — the Confit Merrifield Duck leg, Nduja Cassoulet with Kale, which was tasty and generously portioned. My wife couldn’t resist the Cornish Lamb Cannon with Spring Greens, Pea Purée & Rosemary Jus which also proved an excellent choice, lean and perfectly seasoned. We added the purple sprouting broccoli as a side, which came with a hollandaise sauce.
We didn't really need a pudding but managed to find room to share a special Tarte Tatin, with Vanilla Ice Cream, another well-established favourite.
What we ordered
- Watercress, broad bean & pea soup 6.75
- Crème Fraîche & Ciabatta
- Hand-picked Devonshire Crab 12.50
- Cured Salmon, Apple & Cucumber
- Cornish Lamb Cannon 28.00
- Spring Greens, Pea Purée & Rosemary Jus
- SPECIAL Confit Merrfield Duck Leg, Nduja 23.00
- Cassoulet, Kale
- Purple Sprouting Broccoli 4.75
- Miso Hollandaise
- SPECIAL Tarte Tatin, Vanilla Ice Cream 8.00
TOTAL: 83.00
Recently renovated accommodation
We were looking forward to staying in one of their newly-refurbished bedrooms and we were certainly not disappointed. Our bedroom suite was large and beautifully decorated with a decent size sofa and comfortable bed.
The shower room was clean and stylish, although lacking a shaving/make-up mirror and some may find the shower cubicle slightly restricting.
Well-behaved dogs who bring their own beds are also welcome, which was appreciated by our Schnauzer who doesn’t like to be parted from us.
The pub has 10 rooms altogether, each of them individually designed to the same high standard.
Recently promoted General Manager, Camilla has worked in the pub for many years and is clearly committed to maintaining its excellent reputation for quality and friendliness.
The staff appear to be one big happy family, unlike so many pubs that struggle with high staff turnover where you wonder why you didn’t just stay at home. We’re already looking forward to our next visit.
