Next stop for The Railway Inn

This welcoming venue in Thorpe on the Hill offers a fresh take on classic pub menus and space for community and leisure, as Yusef Sayed finds out.

When we visited on a Wednesday evening, we arrived to find the bar area busy with locals, enjoying the friendly conversation and cosiness, a retreat away from the inclement weather outside. The walls of The Railway Inn as you enter pay tribute to the building’s connection to the railway line which runs close by, evocative illustrations and signs harking back to the age of the steam train.

There are familiar, traditional ales and local staples on tap such as Batemans, with the once beloved Bass Ale even recently making a reappearance. Behind the pumps, owners Dave Clark and Mike Quinn have invested heavily in high quality lines and washers to ensure their customers are poured the perfect pint any day of the week.

There are also proud reminders of the recent successes that the pub has enjoyed. Since Dave and Mike took over during the pandemic, passionate about keeping alive the local that had become so important in their lives, and those of many in the local community of Thorpe on the Hill, they have received a Lincolnshire Business Award and Pub Aid award for their hard work and community focus.

Table time
We were shown to our table by host Courtney, the ambient lighting, dark wood furnishings, floral patterned wall decoration and simple, elegant table settings giving the dining room a relaxed, homely feel. One side of the room looks out onto an outside courtyard with more seating to enjoy on brighter days.

Settled in and given time to look over the menu, my guest and I were immediately drawn to certain choices, with the railway theme carrying over to some of the dishes. Our waitress Gemma highlighted the soup of the day, which I decided to try, anticipating that the mains would be generously portioned. The Tomato and Basil soup was served with delightfully soft sourdough bread. There was a pleasing kick to the soup, with black pepper added to the roasted tomatoes making it all the more warming. My guest opted for the whitebait and commented on the “delicious” lemon mayo that only elevated this popular pub snack. Other choices on the menu included bourbon whiskey BBQ infused Pork Belly Bites with blue cheese mayonnaise, Bruschetta, and Chicken Caesar Salad.

As we awaited our mains, the dining room was becoming busier, a testament to The Railway Inn’s popularity throughout the week. We were also told that midweek saw the venue host a regular Ladies’ Night, when friends could come together and put the world to rights over a drink. Mixed age groups were patronising the inn, the hosts and waiting staff making young adults, families and older customers alike feel comfortable.

Main event
The Railway Inn has long been established as a hub in the local village, hosting meet-ups, music nights, charity fundraisers and also drawing visitors from further afield who can enjoy the campsite to the rear of the pub. Their latest success has been wedding events, with the Marquee space offering ample room for any couple’s special occasion. Dave, Mike and their partners Sue and Marie continue to show a tireless commitment through all these activities.

The kitchen meanwhile is run by a team passionate about revitalising pub classics with a broad appeal, and provides a specials menu that changes each month. On the evening we visited, chefs Dan and Neil were hard at work, the pair sharing a long-term professional bond, having previously been colleagues at another venue. They have recently been testing small plates, which means that diners with a smaller appetite, or wishing to sample a wider array of menu items, can opt for a tapas-style meal. Specials for May include Sea Trout, Shredded Duck Salad and The Railway Ploughman’s.

The smaller plates were certainly tempting but we decided to try two of the main menu items. My guest chose the themed Station Stopper Burger, a rich, substantial portion served in a brioche bun, with a well-flavoured Stilton and smoked bacon relish which greatly impressed my guest. This was accompanied by nigella seed onion rings, another simple but effective lift on a pub staple.

While I would have been happy to try any number of the main items, which range from Landlord’s Beef and Ale Pie, Sirloin Steak and Fresh Grimsby Haddock to vegetarian options such as Red Lentil and Spinach Dahl, Lasagne and a selection of ciabattas too – I requested the Chicken Schnitzel, something a little out of the ordinary for me. The visual appeal was strong, with an array of colours on the plate, from the side salad with red cabbage coleslaw and across the different layers and textures of the schnitzel itself, with mozzarella, strips of bacon and green herbs scattered on top.

The sides served with both dishes were almost the same, a shame as we would have wished to see more of what the chef team were capable of. Similarly, the vegetarian options are somewhat limited by comparison with the main menu, with two meat-free variations on the same when we visited.

Nevertheless, the pairing of the succulent chicken and the crisp bacon, with the tang of the coleslaw and fluffy chips to balance the smoky meat flavours was hard to fault.

Final flourish
After our satisfyingly filling main courses, we wondered whether we would manage any of the enticing desserts, but were invited to try a smaller portion. We went halves on the Sticky Toffee Pudding. Also awaiting sweet tooths are classic Bread and Butter Pudding, Passionfruit Eton Mess, Triple Chocolate Brownie, Bramley Apple and Raspberry Crumble, as well as Biscoff Cheesecake. This is no-fuss, but far from no-frills food. Established favourites made full of flavour.

I expected a heavy, oozing slice of cake that would be an effort to get through – even halved – but we were brought a wonderfully light serving of date sponge. The addition of vanilla ice cream and strawberry as a garnish made for a very refreshing end to the meal.

It’s clear that the team at The Railway Inn have been working non-stop to make every visit a pleasure, whether you are seeking a lively night out with music and like-minded enthusiasts, the perfect place for a big celebration event, or a quiet meal in warm, charming surroundings to enjoy the comfort of hearty pub food prepared and served with attention and care. The Railway Inn is a destination to visit, and if you wish to stop a while, there are guest rooms available.

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