The Oakley Arms, Harrold

This beautiful pub set in the charming village of Harrold is oozing with rustic charm and serves up the best of what Bedfordshire has to offer.

The menu changes with the seasons and champions local produce, offering exciting twists on classics and elevated pub grub. It is safe to say this one of my favourite places to go for a meal as there is always something new to discover.

I have visited the Oakley Arms too many times to count, I grew up round the corner and have seen it change hands many times over the years. Andy and Lizzie took the reins in 2021 and have taken the pub from strength to strength.

The pub is now a food haven with a regularly changing menu that is always innovative and exciting with practically everything made from scratch in house too. There are regular special events and feast nights that will certainly tantalise your tastebuds and, of course, their Sunday roast which is certainly one to add to your list.

I have been on the hunt for the the best roast dinners that Bedforshire has to offer, so my last visit to the Oakley Arms was for a spot of Sunday lunch.

‍Find out more about my hunt for Bedfordshire's best Sunday roast here!

The menu was so enticing that we all ordered starters, not something I usually do before a roast but it was too good to miss out on! We shared the selection of cured meats with freshly baked bread and the Pavenham beef tartare served with moreish beef fat hash browns. Simple flavours, elegantly presented and executed perfectly.

On to the main event, I ordered the sirloin of beef which was cooked perfectly pink and served with crispy roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, and a mountain of lovely, vibrant veggies too.

They very kindly offer sides to order as extra which not enough pubs do in my opinion. We opted for the pork and sage sausagemeat stuffing and the cauliflower cheese, delicious with an excellent addition of a herb crumb on top.

And yes, we even went one step further and order dessert. Every dessert sounded absolutely delicious, luckily I was with my family so there were lots of different desserts ordered and I could try them all!

The deep fried milk toast was naughty, served with salted caramel ice cream, a quenelle of chocolate crèmeux, chocolate popping candy and banana purée - it was a grown up version of my childhood dream dessert. The Kraken rum sticky toffee pudding was glorious, I'm not sure I've ever seen one look so delicate either. And they always have a gorgeous crème brûlée on the menu, this one was served with seasonal spiced stewed plums.

I positively implore you to visit the Oakley Arms at your earliest convenience. It is perfect for big meals with family, they even have a private dining room available for bigger groups, or foodie date nights too.

It's not my local pub anymore as I no longer live nearby, but I really wish it was. I think I'd be there every day!

For more information, check out their website here.

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