Last month, we were invited to review The Retreat, Staines which underwent major refurbishment last year. It tied in perfectly with our plans to visit Thorpe Park that day and was less than a 15-minute drive away.

The pub has an open plan dining and bar space and the decor is bright and modern. There is a reclaimed timber feature and exposed brick walls and decorative pieces of art dotted around and quirky pieces of furniture. It felt like a good place to relax and enjoy some food.

It was a sunny early evening when we arrived and the boys made good use of running around in the enclosed beer garden. You wouldn’t think that they’d spent the day at a theme park already!

We were seated inside close to the entrance to the garden. There were big windows looking out though so we could easily keep an eye on the boys whilst enjoying our drinks.

Whilst the boys were happily occupied, we had a look at the menu.

There was a good selection of food on offer ranging from pizzas (from the wood-fired oven) burgers, salads and classic dishes such as Fish and Chips, Pie and Bangers and Mash.

We opted to all share a platter to start which consisted of flatbreads, ribs, squid and a delicious Crayfish Cocktail.

The boys chose to have Ham, Egg and Chips and a burger for their main and the portion sizes was spot on for the kids.

Mr H opted to have the 7oz Wagyu burger with onion rings, swiss cheese, bacon, jam in a brioche bun. It went down a treat and he told me that the Wagyu was perfect, not too beefy and the chips that came with the meal were nicely seasoned too.

I went for the Lamb Henry with Lyonnaise Potatoes, Kale and Rosemary Jus. It was good heartwarming food, although I did find the sauce was very rich after a while.

For pudding, the boys had their favourite – chocolate brownie with ice cream! Mr H couldn’t resist either and chose to have the adult portion. I didn’t get a look in so I think they hit the spot!

I was slightly disappointed with my Summer Berry and White Chocolate Cheesecake as the biscuit base was a little soggy but the actual cheesecake itself was tasty.

If I had one slight niggle, I would say that some activity sheets and colouring pens are needed to keep children busy whilst they are waiting for their food. It wasn’t an issue when we visited as the boys were happy to play outside. However, with the colder weather approaching the garden area won’t be an option.

Overall, we enjoyed our visit to The Retreat. The staff were attentive and friendly and the food is of a quality you’d expect from a gastropub. I can see it being a popular place for local families to visit on a weekend.

The beer garden is a great addition for the summer months and I can see it being a good venue to organise a get together for special occasions too.

The Retreat, Staines is open seven days a week, including Christmas Day. There is a good sized car park available and dogs are welcome in the bar area. If you happen to be in the area, pop in for a drink and a bite to eat.

*We received a complimentary meal at The Retreat, Staines in exchange for this review.

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