The Crown at Pantygelli

At a picturesque location nestled within winding country lanes, between both the Sugar Loaf and Skirrid mountains in Abergavenny, lies The Crown at Pantygelli; a 16th century pub/restaurant who were recently named in the Wales Online list of top 50 pubs in Wales 2023.

Following a Sunday morning plod up the Skirrid to watch the sun rise, I headed over for a roast dinner.

As aforementioned, The Crown is in a beautifully secluded spot at the base of the black mountains - the apricity (a word I learned today from my friend Eamon, meaning the warmth of the sun on a winters day) ensured that the first thing I noticed upon arrival to the building, was how pleasant it would be to sit outside the front on a warmer summers evening.

And as I spin around from taking a picture of the venue, I can gaze upon the mountain which I conquered a couple of hours prior (it’s more a hill than a mountain so ‘conquered’ is a bit of a stretch).

The charm and allure of The Crown continues upon entry; a rustic country pub setting with wooden timber frames stretching across the ceilings, thick slabs laid on the floor around the entrance/bar area, and stone walls propping up the bar, my mind begins to consider how fitting these surroundings are for a cosy winter meal.

The Sunday lunch menu is simple, with plenty of pub classics including chicken liver pâté, and leek, potato & cider soup. These in company with some more innovative options: tempura prawns with a hoisin dipping sauce, and baked tarragon red mullet as an option on the roast mains.

Myself and my girlfriend like to share starters, so we opted for the chicken liver pâté, homemade chutney & toasted ciabatta (£8) and the baked mozzarella bites wrapped in Parma ham, with rocket & a balsamic reduction (£9).

Both simple enough starters, both executed excellently. I was expecting something deep-fried with the mozzarella bites dish, so was pleasantly surprised when light bites of creamy mozzarella cheese arrived wrapped in a salty Parma ham, on a bed of peppery rocket with a tangy balsamic glaze.

The pâté was smooth, rich & tasty, and another welcome light bite to start with when spread across the subtly toasted ciabatta. The homemade chutney provided sweetness with a tinge of spiced cinnamon.

These two dishes set us up perfectly for our pork roast dinners (£16 per person) - the portions of the starters were not too much and not too little (think Goldilocks).

Our pork loin arrives with roast potatoes, crackling, a generous helping of apple sauce, and gravy. Accompanied by a dish of baby carrots, parsnips topped with onions, and red cabbage.

I was impressed by the amount of pork on the plate, certainly no skimping on the portions, the meat was juicy & tender. Roast potatoes fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside (although not immensely), the parsnips followed suit as they were soft but not mushy with a crisp outer layer.

The crackling was perfect for my taste - plenty of crunch but not so hard as to damage my teeth! The baby carrots had a slight bite to their texture which I enjoy.

I liked the fact there was a healthy amount of apple sauce already served on the plate, which meant I didn’t have to ask a poor member of staff to do a lap of the restaurant to fill a ramekin.

The gravy was plentiful, we were kindly offered extra by staff if we wished but declined. I did ask for a Yorkshire pudding which traditionally is only served with beef, and with minimal fuss this was on our table within 30 seconds of the request.

Roast dinners will of course split opinions with what they should/should not contain. I would have personally liked to see the addition of green cabbage, cauliflower cheese, or cheesy leeks (I want to stress this is one of, not all three!), to elevate this meal from a superb tier of roast dinner, to an elite tier. Although it is also important to note that I can eat more than an average diner, so this could be considered as a gluttonous opinion on my behalf.

Once the mains were finished, I felt in good shape for a dessert. Again, as with the starters, I think the mains consisted of a well measured portion size - not too heavy as is often the case with roast dinner, but certainly not lacking either.

There were so many classics on offer that it took me several minutes to decide: sticky toffee pudding, apple crumble & custard, brioche bread & butter pudding, creme brûlée, and a chocolate brownie with ginger ice-cream all held serious appeal.

I finally decided on a sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce & a scoop of vanilla ice-cream (£8.50).

I made the right decision.

This may have been the best sticky toffee pudding I’ve ever indulged on: a hunk of warm, moist sponge covered in a sweet, rich butterscotch sauce which puddled at the bottom of my bowl, all brought together with the vanilla ice-cream which melted into the sponge and the puddle of butterscotch. Truly amazing! Everything a sticky toffee pudding should be.

Millie ordered a chocolate brownie with ginger ice-cream (£8).

I had a spoonful of the ice-cream, it was done properly - no subtlety in the flavour of ginger, but a bold, strong taste running all the way through.

In total, with three courses, a glass of wine, and a coffee each, the bill was £83.

Some may balk at this as leaning towards the expensive side, but as I always say, I have no issue with paying money for something which is worth it, and this absolutely was. Another point I would like to make is that after a difficult period for the hospitality industry during Covid, they now have to deal with the rising costs of energy bills, hospitality goods cost supplies with inflation, and a whole range of other factors, local independent businesses such as The Crown need us, as consumers, more than ever.

Service was exceptional from every member of staff, all courses arrived swiftly, the whole experience was so warm and welcoming.

Food is served here daily, although opening times vary. Lunch & evening menus are available, with the addition of breakfast on a Saturday & Sunday.

From my perspective, if you’re in need of a Sunday lunch in Abergavenny, this is one of the best the town can offer.