It’s highly likely that you have driven past The Victoria in Oxshott on multiple occasions, perhaps to avoid roadworks or take a shortcut between A3 and M25. You might have thought of it as just another ordinary county pub. However, I would encourage you to stop next time because it is much more than just a pub.
Matt Larcombe, the former head chef of The Crown at Bray, and Simon King from Igniting Hospitality had the idea of opening a pub that not only offered gastronomic delights but also served as a hub for the community. They discovered The Victoria and in 2021, their idea became a reality. Within just two years, The Victoria has been awarded the prestigious 3 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence and has also been listed in Britain’s 100 Best Local Restaurants for 2023 in The Good Food Guide. We were thrilled to have been invited to try out the restaurant and to chat with the co-owner, Simon King.
Upon arrival, you are warmly greeted with a friendly welcome. The restaurant has a pleasant and comforting ambiance, resembling a cozy country pub, with an inviting open fire, perfect for chilly winter nights.
The menu changes seasonally relying on fresh local produce, so I won’t go into much detail about what I had. Our waitress was amazing and well-informed about the menu. We followed her recommendations and she even selected a wine that paired perfectly with our meal. For the current Menus CLICK HERE
At this point before our starters arrived I got to chat with co-owner Simon King and asked him Why Oxshott? he replied ” We’ve actually had our eye on the pub for quite some time, we think it’s a great pub that means so much to so many, we love the idea of bringing an elevated experience to Surrey and feel very blessed to be in Oxshott.”
I then asked about working with local businesses. He replied ” we use local businesses for both food and beverage, we work with Surrey Hill Butchers, who are next door with our burgers, Silent Pool for our local gin and Surrey Hills Brewery for our ales.”
January is a tough time for pubs and restaurants but over the last year with the increase in food cost and cost of living I asked how this was affecting the restaurant? Simon informed me “It is having an impact, the frequency of people eating is on the decline, but when they do they want to make the most of it. We truly appreciate them choosing to visit The Victoria and will continue to offer value for money and look at ways to further enhance the guest experience.”
There have been a lot of reviews regarding The Victoria but I asked Simon what it was like when I’m a celebrity and food critic Grace Dent visited, is she a fan? “It’s always flattering to attract an elite journalist from London to the Surrey countryside. She was very passionate about the industry and we are delighted that she loved her time with us.”
Finally I asked what the plans are for 2024? Simon was excited to announce “We’re looking forward to making the most of our new garden bar in 2024 and plan on adding guest bedrooms to the pub which will give us an extra dimension.” looking back at images from 2023 the garden looks amazing and we will be back in the Summer
So what about our dinner? It was amazing, I’m not just saying that it really was. I started with Pickled Mackerel with grilled cucumber, and I hate cucumber. The taste wasn’t what I was expecting and I was blown away. Next I went for the Slow cooked Pork with hispi cabbage, apple sauce, black pudding with pommes anna with saffron aioli. Again cooked to perfection.
For dessert I love a cheese board and all I can say is if you order one of these there is enough for 2 people. Has to be the best cheese board I have ever had. with a great selection of cheeses, grapes, apple cider chutney and crackers.
On the advice of our waiter we had a bottle of Four Vines Old Vine Zinfandel. A wine I have never tried before but surprisingly a red wine with a fish starter and pork main worked really well. To round the evening off we had a coffee with truffles and marshmallows.
Cost? well we don’t know we were guest of The Victoria and the evening was complimentary. A quick calculation at the table and we worked it out without the wine to be about £50-£55 per head for a fine dining 3 course meal.
Conclusion: Would we go back? that’s a definite YES. Is it a place you would go every week? I would love to but likely only once a month or on a special occasion. The food is worth what you are paying if this was in London you would be paying a lot more. The food is amazing, the people are lovely and the whole vibe of the place is wonderful. In the bar side of the pub they also have live music nights.
We like to end with a big THANK YOU to Simon, Matt and the team at The Victoria, Oxshott, for a wonderful experience and we will be back soon.
For More details and to see their fabulous menus CLICK HERE