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The Silver Cup

Hertfordshire, Harpenden - British - Pub, Restaurant with Rooms - £££

Elegant modern cuisine in a revitalised hostelry

Overall Rating: Good

Uniqueness:Does the establishment stand out in the context of the local area? Good

Deliciousness:How delicious is the food? Very Good

Warmth:How warm is the service and the hospitality in general? Good

Strength of recommendation:How enthusiastically and widely would you recommend the establishment? Good

The sensitive renovation of traditional pubs has become one of the design achievements of the UK hospitality trade, and here, in a historic white-fronted hostelry on the edge of Harpenden Common, is another triumph of the art. There is a traditional bar area for well-kept beers, ciders and superior bar snacks, but the main dining room plays host to Matthew Reeder's artfully crafted and elegantly presented modern cooking, offered in the form of fixed-price set menus at lunch and dinner. A gathering sense of anticipation distinguishes the repertoire as it progresses, hitting one highlight after another – perhaps encompassing tuna crudo with red pepper, capers and pine nuts, a fish course of Cornish cod with salsify, Parma ham and pecorino, and a main dish teaming Old Spot pork with oyster mushroom and black garlic in Madeira. The intermediate offerings are not to be scanted either, from the fine sourdough with yeast butter to a pre-dessert of blood orange and yoghurt, prior to a g...

The sensitive renovation of traditional pubs has become one of the design achievements of the UK hospitality trade, and here, in a historic white-fronted hostelry on the edge of Harpenden Common, is another triumph of the art. There is a traditional bar area for well-kept beers, ciders and superior bar snacks, but the main dining room plays host to Matthew Reeder's artfully crafted and elegantly presented modern cooking, offered in the form of fixed-price set menus at lunch and dinner.

A gathering sense of anticipation distinguishes the repertoire as it progresses, hitting one highlight after another – perhaps encompassing tuna crudo with red pepper, capers and pine nuts, a fish course of Cornish cod with salsify, Parma ham and pecorino, and a main dish teaming Old Spot pork with oyster mushroom and black garlic in Madeira. The intermediate offerings are not to be scanted either, from the fine sourdough with yeast butter to a pre-dessert of blood orange and yoghurt, prior to a gathering of Yorkshire rhubarb, buttermilk and ginger to end things on a high.

Sunday lunch has its devotees too, none more so than the reader who was won over by principal roast dishes of dry-aged Hereford beef and Sutton Hoo chicken that came with salt-baked carrots, tangy cauliflower cheese, ‘great roasties’ (always essential), and more besides. A dessert homage to the Snickers bar has them gratefully returning.

The wine list finds space for such relative rarities as Canadian Chardonnay and one of the unsung Beaujolais crus, Saint-Amour. Sparklers, meanwhile, include a white and a rosé from Sussex's Rathfinny Estate. 

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A Cvetkovic

26 January 2025

We visited The Silver Cup for a family Sunday lunch and we had an excellent experience. The service is warm and friendly, and the food was delicious from start to finish. We had Jerusalem artichoke soup, ham hock terrine...
We visited The Silver Cup for a family Sunday lunch and we had an excellent experience. The service is warm and friendly, and the food was delicious from start to finish. We had Jerusalem artichoke soup, ham hock terrine and venison Scotch egg to start – all very tasty and elegantly presented. The main event was superb – roast beef and chicken with great roasties, Yorkshire pudding, salt-baked carrots, greens and tangy cauliflower cheese. It was beautifully cooked, with a lovely balance of r...
We visited The Silver Cup for a family Sunday lunch and we had an excellent experience. The service is warm and friendly, and the food was delicious from start to finish. We had Jerusalem artichoke soup, ham hock terrine and venison Scotch egg to start – all very tasty and elegantly presented. The main event was superb – roast beef and chicken with great roasties, Yorkshire pudding, salt-baked carrots, greens and tangy cauliflower cheese. It was beautifully cooked, with a lovely balance of refinement and heartiness. We haven’t had such an enjoyable roast dinner in a long time. Pudding was equally delicious – we will be returning for “The Silver Cup Snickers bar”. Heartily recommended
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VENUE DETAILS

5 St Albans Road
Harpenden
Hertfordshire
AL5 2JFGB

01582 713095

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OTHER INFORMATION

Accommodation, Separate bar, Counter seating, Credit card required

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