The Badger, Ponteland | Sunday Lunch & Children's Menu Review

*This is a collaborative post

The Badger in Ponteland has had a little spruce up and we were invited along to sample a family Sunday lunch last weekend. The Badger was already on our ever-growing list of places to try for Sunday lunch after reading this review by Here Come The Hoopers a few months ago so the invitation was very timely.

The Badger is part of the Vintage Inns chain (The Snowy Owl and The Falcon's Nest are others you may recognise) but I always feel like Vintage Inn pubs never feel as if you are visiting a chain - there's no identikit layout, menu or set routine with service, it all very much feels unique and every pub has it's own charm. The pub is just outside of Ponteland next door to Dobbies Garden Centre and super convenient for the airport. We arrived in time for our 1pm reservation and found that the car park was completely full - The Badger certainly is popular and I'd definitely recommend booking a table if you can. So we parked at Dobbies next door (where we did also visit to pick up some pet food) and walked over to the pub.

I LOVE that The Badger is dog-friendly. There's a bowl of water by the door along with a basket full of dog blankets you can borrow for the duration of your stay. I know The Adventures of Fenton and Holly Bobbins would appreciate these touches.

The Badger is everything you'd like from a country pub. Exposed stone walls, candles, country fabrics, art featuring various local wildlife, lots of nooks and areas and of course, a lovely roaring fire. Built in the 1700s, the building is full of history and charm. It's perfect. We ordered our drinks and the kids settled down with the complimentary children's activity booklet which is packed with jokes, puzzles and anecdotes.

Fireplace goals..........

The children's menu is super easy to navigate - £5 for a main course, £6 for Sunday lunch and £1 for pudding. You won't find any complicated pricing structures here. Heidi and Harry ordered tomato pasta which was served steaming hot with plenty of sauce and two pieces of garlic pizza bread. They enjoyed the dish and once it had cooled a little, it didn't touch the sides.

Jack asked for his favourite fish and chips and was disappointed that they weren't available due to stock issues. He settled for sausages instead and is actually pleased he did as he declared them to be 'lush'. The next day he told my mam that badger sausages were his new favourite. She didn't know what to think! haha! I was obviously not allowed to taste them and try for myself but they looked to be good quality.

I think the kids are missing out by not choosing to eat Sunday lunch when it's offered. There's no way Steve and I would ever select an alternative but there are plenty of options to choose from at The Badger. Should we go for the Roast Trio for Two, the Roast Beef Duo which includes Short Rib of Beef or perhaps we could squeeze in one last Turkey Dinner??? Sunday lunches are served with a homemade Yorkshire Pudding, fluffled Roast Potatoes, Honey & Thyme Roasted Carrots, Pasnips, Seasonal Greens and as much gravy as you'd like. There are alternatives too if you're not in the mood for a roast and they have an allegen menu available on request (which I noticed the staff took the time to go through with customers when they weren't sure of something). In the end we opted for the Roast Trio for two which was served as a giant platter of meat and potatoes and an oversized dish of vegetables for us to share. 

We both decided that the roast potatoes and yorkshires were absolutely spot on - perfectly cooked and very moreish too. The carrots had no hint of honey or thyme to them so I'm wondering if they were missed on this occasion/ I would have liked to have seen some of those caramelised crispy bits you normally get when roasting with honey but they were still nice all the same. 

The real star of the dish was the meat. There were four generous slices of each type for us to share. The thick slices of herb crusted pork loin with lemon and thyme were lovely and flavoursome, the beef was served a tiny bit rare so nice and tender and the turkey was perfect too - not at all dry and I actually think it was my favourite meat on the plate. We were also treated to a pig in blanket each too. Can't believe I've already had my first pig in blanket of the year! haha! 

The portions were generous and our plates were loaded with food but there wasn't so much food that we ended up feeling too full or bloated - it was just the right amount for a couple with a normal appetite I would say. There wasn't anything left on our plates as it was all delicious.

One thing that really sets The Badger apart is the wonderful service we received. We were served by Anne who was kept super busy with a full service but still had time to chat with all of the customers around us. She asked our plans for the rest of the day, played Peppa Pig with the toddler on the table next to us, helped an elderly lady with her coat, managed to keep the fire going AND serve food and take orders all at the same time. If I was going to run my own pub, Anne is exactly the type of person I'd like to have working for me. She's a star. Extra gravy was not too much trouble, in fact nothing was.

There was a brief rest between courses and with the children's desserts costing just £1 it would be rude not to take them up on this deal. Pretty good marketing if you ask me as of course, Steve and I had to order one too. We wouldn't normally order dessert after Sunday lunch as it's just not needed but on this occasion, we agreed to split a slice of Apple Pie which is served with ice cream and custard (I think it was £5.95).

The children enjoyed their warm chocolate brownies and ice cream sundaes and our dessert was just the right amount between the two of us. I couldn't be sure if it was homemade/bought in - it was borderline! Still nice though and a nice way to end our meal.

Our total bill was £61 for the 5 of us. This is for 2 courses and one round of drinks (including a large glass of Merlot for me). I think this offers excellent value and we all said we'd definitely be back soon. Jack can't wait to try some more Badger sausages! Haha! (to clarify - they are Pork sausages, not actual Badger). After our meal, we had a potter around Dobbies Garden centre which is obviously what Sundays are made for once you hit a certain age. If the weather was a little warmer I'm sure we'd have enjoyed a walk around Ponteland Park too.

Have you paid The Badger a visit recently? Are you tempted? 

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