Crown Inn, The
8 Duck Street, Elton, nr Peterborough, PE8 6RQ
The Crown Inn is a sixteenth century freehold, a family-run, thatched inn situated overlooking the village green in probably the most beautiful village in Cambridgeshire, some five miles west of Peterborough. Not far away is the River Nene, reputedly the source of inspiration for that all-time best seller, Wind in the Willows. The whole surrounding area is sheer old England and a walk down to Elton Mill and Lock make a good prelude to lunch or after dinner on velvet summer evenings. An extensive but sympathetic renovation programme has resulted in the Inn being awarded 5 stars in the Inn Category from the AA. Those who knew The Crown of old will be delighted to hear that the great inglenook fireplace and oak beamed ceilings are alive and well.The Crown Inn is a sixteenth century freehold, a family-run, thatched inn situated overlooking the village green in probably the most beautiful village in Cambridgeshire, some five miles west of Peterborough. Not far away is the River Nene, reputedly the source of inspiration for that all-time best seller, Wind in the Willows. The whole surrounding area is sheer old England and a walk down to Elton Mill and Lock make a good prelude to lunch or after dinner on velvet summer evenings.
An extensive but sympathetic renovation programme has resulted in the Inn being awarded 5 stars in the Inn Category from the AA. Those who knew The Crown of old will be delighted to hear that the great inglenook fireplace and oak beamed ceilings are alive and well.
The restaurant and bar have been refurbished in traditional country style, and there are five luxury en suite bedrooms, three under the impressive thatched roof and two in the courtyard. Names of all the rooms bear relevance to local villages or places of interest nearby and they are decorated sumptuously with due thought to every conceivable comfort, right down the wi-fi which never lets you stray too far from the Internet.
A string of distinguished links includes the Michelin Red Guide 2009, Michelin Eating Out in Pubs 2007, 2008 and 2009 and Alistair Sawday's Special Places to Stay 2009. Two dining areas can seat up to 60, with 40 in The Orangery and 20 in The Snug. In summer, the old chestnut tree provides ample shade to those who enjoy their food al fresco.
Chef proprietor Marcus Lamb produces menus that are loyal to Britain, and most of his suppliers are local. They include Cambridge Smokery, Grasmere Pork farm, and Normans of Oundle, who supply vegetables, fruit and flowers. Smiths of Oundle are responsible for the excellent cheeses, and fresh fish is from the not so distant North Sea.
The à la carte is the principal working menu and covers lunch and dinner. Starters of chicken liver and brandy parfait with homemade chutney and toast, or parpadelle pasta ribbons in a creamy slow braised ham hock, mushroom and Parmesan sauce make regular appearances on the menu. Those with a love for fruits of the sea will favour the North Sea lobster and cucumber salad marinated in sesame oil with mango, radish, coriander and lime salsa.
A beef and ale pie with carrots and mushrooms is well topped with melt in the mouth puff pastry. For those who like their steaks the roasted rump of Stilton butcher's beef served with celeriac and potato mash, spinach and confit shallots with shitaki mushrooms complete the enjoyment.
The Elton Swan provides a dessert that is hard to resist; swan shaped profiteroles stuffed with vanilla ice cream, swimming on a mill pond of dark chocolate sauce. A fine cheeseboard is supported by some decent port, and together these twin indulgences make that walk to the Mill almost obligatory.
In the bar six real ale pumps dispense Cask Marque accredited beers, including Golden Crown Bitter, to keep the discerning drinker happy and guest beers could yield Timothy Taylor Landlord, Exmoor Gold and Caledonian Deuchars. All wines are supplied by Concept Fine Wines of Harrogate, a name that guarantees reliability.
Weekends are busy at The Crown with so many attractions in the locality. Booking is strongly recommended for dinner on Saturday, and for Sunday lunch which is taken very seriously and offers tremendous value.
The addition of five luxurious bedrooms with en suite bath and shower facilities, flat screen TV with DVD player and a library of DVDs upon which to draw, wifi enabled and such everyday items as iron, hairdryer and tea and coffee making kit has proved to be a much overdue improvement - be sure to book in advance.
Details of more such special events nights, the splendid new accommodation, and menu changes with the seasons can be viewed in more detail on the Crown's attractive Website.
Gastropub
: 18:30 - 21:00
: 12:00 - 14:00 18:30 - 21:00
: 12:00 - 15:00
Reservations: 01832 280232
8 Duck Street, Elton, nr Peterborough, PE8 6RQ [Map]
£18.00 £32.00
£12 (2 courses) to £16 (3 courses), Tues - Fri, £12.50 (1 course), £16.50 (2 courses), £19.95 (3 courses), Sun
(Avg Price is the average cost per person for two courses, coffee, half a bottle of house wine and tip/service)
REVIEWS OF Crown Inn, The
Kevin Hard (14 January 2010)
Best food we have had in years. Great service and lovely location! High class food with country style ambience is where anyone would want to be. As a real ale drinker, I was in heaven!
Paul and Zoe Rogers, Yaxley. (15 February 2009)
We booked there for the Valentine’s night offer. From the outset the service was brilliant, as soon as we walked into the cosy bar it was quickly established that we had a table booked and could order drinks to put on the table. Three courses for £25 and each course was faultless, with service and attention to match. All the ingredients were obviously fresh and superbly cooked. I do not jest when I say we went to Claridge’s in December and enjoyed the food in The Crown as much! A great evening, well done all!
See more reviews of Crown Inn, The
Write a Review for Crown Inn, The
Have you eaten at Crown Inn, The? Then why not write a review for Crown Inn, The! It only takes a few moments, no registration is required.
Not sure what to write? Have a look through all of our restaurant reviews for inspiration!
More Info for Crown Inn, The
Children welcome
Air condition
Reservations
Groups allowed
Outside seating
Cover charge
£15.95
£15.95
Not included
Other Restaurants You May Like
Brampton Mill, The
English, Gastropub, Modern British in Huntingdon
The Horseshoe Inn and Restaurant
British, Gastropub in St Neots
The Exhibition
Family, Gastropub, Gourmet in Huntingdon
The Cock Pub and Restaurant at Hemingford Grey
Gastropub, Pub in Hemingford Grey
The Riverside Restaurant at The Swan
Gastropub, Modern British in Ely
Kingston Arms
Gastropub, Modern British, Modern European in Cambridge
Featured Group Restaurant
Brewers Fayre - Hampton, Peterborough
Brewer's Fayre restaurants offer a warm welcome to those who want a reliably tasty meal in pleasant surroundings, with plenty of choice, minimal fuss and friendly service.
Recently Added Restaurants
Get Great
Dining offers & Tips
Sign up to our newsletter now!

Special Offers
ASK - Peterborough
Peterborough
Valentine's Set Menu: 3 courses and a glass of Prosecco - £16.95 per person.
Cafe Rouge - Cambridge
Cambridge
Valentine's Menu: 3 courses and a glass of Crémant de Bourgogne - £25 per person
ASK - Cambridge
Cambridge
Valentine's Set Menu: 3 courses and a glass of Prosecco - £16.95 per person.
Selected Restaurant
The Boathouse at Ely
Ely
Located on the riverside in the centre of the lively cathedral town of Ely, offering quality eating and drinking in perfect surroundings, The Boathouse is steeped in history. King Canute and Hereward ...







Share Restaurant Guide