St Albans - a Top Food and Drink Destination
A slice of foodie heaven just 20-minutes from London
Farr Brew The Elephant & Castle pub in St Albans serves top quality food & drink ©FarrBrew
Planning your next foodie getaway? Make sure St Albans in Hertfordshire is on your list. It's jam-packed with award-winning placesto eat and drink, from its legendary Charter Market, historic pubs and niche independents tucked away in beautiful old streets and courtyards. Here are 8 reasons why you should work up an appetite and tease your tastebuds with a visit to sumptuous St Albans!
1) A rich history with food and drink
St Albans has a remarkable history with food and drink.It is said that the Alban Bun, the precursor to the famous Hot Cross Bun, originates in St Albans where Brother Thomas Rocliffe, a 14th Century Monk at St Albans Abbey, developed an original recipe and would distribute these buns to feed the poor on Good Friday. The original recipe remains a closely guarded secret, which you can taste for yourself at St Albans Cathedral from Ash Wednesday. Handmade in the Cathedral's very own Abbot's Kitchen, the bun is baked to a traditional recipe and follows the older custom of cutting the cross-shape onto the unbaked dough with a knife, not piping it on.
The Abbots Café Kitchen in St Albans Cathedral is the perfect spot to enjoy tea and cake ©Cecelina Tornberg
2) Variety is the spice of life
Eat your way around the globe! With over 100 cafes and restaurants, a visit to St Albans is sure to satisfy every tastebud.Enjoy incredible flavours from around the world with street food stalls on the weekly markets offering everything from Paella to Pizza, Brazilian, Peruvian, and more- with plenty of plant-based and gluten-free options available. For a real treat, wander down to theWaffle Housefor scrumptious Belgian waffles located in the idyllic 16th Century Kingsbury watermill overlooking the River Ver.
3) Pub Heaven!
Did you know there are more pubs per square mile in St Albans than anywhere else in the country? St Albans is also home to one of England's most loved pubs‘Ye Olde Fighting Cocks'which isreputed to be the oldest pub in England.The 11th Century pub building sits on an 8th Century site and has fantastic views of Verulamium Park and lakes. Discover the huge array of historic pubs tucked awayVisitors can discover the best of St Albans pubs by following a Local Pub Trail. Download maps fromSaveStAlbansPubs.co.uk
Ye Olde Fighting Cocks in St Albans ©Stephanie Belton
4) Vibrant Foodie festivals and events
The city showcases its incredible food and drink scene with legendary food markets, festivals such asGin and Jazzand theSt Albans Beer Festival- and to top it all off there is the livelySt Albans Feastivalevent where tens of thousands of locals and visitors join the city for a huge street festival. The annual foodie event takes place on the 25thof September this year and will be an afternoon of delicious food and drink from around the world, brilliant music, fantastic chef demonstrations, activities for kids and craft and artisan stalls.
George Street in St Albans comes alive at the Gin & Jazz Festival in October ©KL Creative Photography
The annual St Albans Feastival event in September attracts tens of thousands of locals and visitors ©Stephanie Belton
5) Award-winning venues
The array of award-winning venues is proof of its foodie success status.LussmannsSustainable Kitchen offers incredible dining in a stunning location next to the Cathedral and have a series of awards under their belt in recognition of their commitment to sustainability.
Farr Brew's flagship pubThe Elephant and Castleis no stranger to awards and is a finalist in the Great British Pub Awards 2022 Best Country/Rural Pub category. Another award-winning venue isDylans - The Kings Armswhich has earned an enviable reputation for serving delicious food using excellent ingredients matched with beer and fine wines. Winners of the Top 50 Gastropubs 2022 Best Front of House Team of the Year, they are a finalist in the Great British Pub Awards 2022 Best Young Chef category.
Farr Brew The Elephant & Castle pub is a finalist in the Great British Pub Awards 2022 ©FarrBrew
Award winners, Sean Hughes & Drew Knight at Dylans The Kings Arms ©DylansTheKingArms
6) Legendary Charter Market and Farmers Markets
The thriving twice-weekly Charter Market offers fantastic street food to locals and tourists - but it also supports and nurtures local businesses, acting as a fantastic springboard for their new ventures.Peddling Pizzais an example of a start-up which has grown into a thriving business. Founder, Adam Atkins worked on the market as a youngster after school and his Grandad sold toys on the market in the 1940s- with this deep-rooted knowledge, Adamrealised there was an opportunity to launch a pizza business making and selling from a novel bike trailer... and Peddling Pizza was born. Today, he has over 72K followers on Instagram and Adam serves his classic Neapolitan-style pizza with a modern twist in a custom-designed 1972 Chevrolet Van kitted out with his amazing Gozney Domes ovens- globally, it's the very first of its kind and his customers love its quirkiness.Darlish Ice Creamwas first served by founder Laura at the St Albans Feastival event and monthly Farmers Markets. After a fantastic response, they opened a shop in French Row in St Albans in 2018. Demand grew for their unique handmade ice cream inspired by Middle Eastern flavours and in 2020, their famed Baklava Sandwich went viral on Tik Tok! They now have stores in St Albans, Covent Garden and Hatfield House and are stocked nationwide at Waitrose.
Peddling Pizza serving classic Neapolitan-style pizza with a modern twist at St Albans Market ©Richard Preston
7) Only 3 AA rosette restaurant in Hertfordshire
Enjoy fine dining in St Albans with a visit toThompson,which boasts 3 AA rosette awards Their fine dining restaurant situated in the heart of St Albans is recognised for its quality ingredients, creative dishes and Head ChefPhil Thompson. Theirever-changing menus are dictated by the seasons and a selection of fine wines are carefully chosen to match each dish. Expect excellence asyou enjoy thebest quality seasonal produce combined with Phil Thompson's classic training, culinary style and flavour combinations with his own modern twist.
8) Lunch with a view
Everywhere you turn in St Albans there is a fantastic view to enjoy.
- For spectacular views of the Cathedral head toGeorge Street CanteenorThai Rackon George Street.
- Marvel atSt Albans' Clock Tower - the only surviving medieval town belfry in England - as you dine atHavinon High Street.
- Soak up the sensational views of Verulamium Lakes atInn on the Park
- Bring order to the day with lunch in the breath-taking historic Courtroom inSt Albans Museum + Gallery
- TheAbbots Café Kitchenis the perfect spot to enjoy tea after you visit the Cathedral
- Admire and appreciate the beauty of the grand ‘Old Library' building with a reservation atMiller & Carter
Enjoy freshly made hot and cold lunch options at St Albans Museum + Gallery Café ©ElyseMarks
Plan your trip and discover more atwww.enjoystalbans.com
@EnjoyStAlbans
About St Albans
- St Albans is a must-visit UK destination. A historic gem of an English Cathedral City just 20 miles and 20 minutes by train from London is easily accessible by road with links to the M25, M1 and A1(M)
- The city's colourful history and heritage can be seen in the Roman remains and the beautiful medieval architecture and picturesque buildings that look spectacular all year round.
- A fabulous shopping destination, St Albans is home to an array of innovative independent retailers and well-known chains
- The city is famous for its café and pub culture with a fantastic range of award-winning eating and drinking establishments, including Britain's oldest pub, Ye Olde Fighting Cocks
- Enjoy lots of green, open spaces and parks - making St Albans a family-friendly destination.
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