Jolly Waggoner

The Jolly Waggoner is a quintessential country pub, nestled in the village of Ardeley, near Buntingford. Led to by winding lanes, the feeling of being enveloped by the peacefulness of the countryside begins long before your arrival. On first glance of the pub, you will notice a welcoming front garden with courtesy blankets for guests and a fire pit so that customers can still make the most of the space, even with the incoming autumnal weather. On parking at the rear, you will find an additional garden area that may be better suited to guests with dogs and / or children as it is more enclosed from the quiet road which runs alongside the pub. Both gardens were very attractive and well kept and looked like the perfect spot to while away an afternoon or evening. The Jolly Waggoner is situated directly opposite Church Farm. For those who haven’t heard of it, Church Farm is a working farm, open to the public for day visits and camping. They also run a farm shop which supplies 90% of the produce that the chefs at the pub use for their delicious kitchen creations.

As we entered the bar area, we were warmly welcomed by both Landlord; Tom Smith and a roaring open fireplace. The inside of the pub felt smart and homely, with some thoughtful extra touches like a collection of board games on display, ‘help yourself’ dog treats and comfortable armchairs next to the fire. On looking around and speaking with Tom, you really do get a sense that the customer’s experience is of paramount importance and that nothing is too much trouble. We were led through the beams, to the other end of the pub where there was a lovely table waiting for us, just up a step and slightly separate to the other tables, which would be the perfect place for an intimate gathering or special occasion. We were given menus and Tom excitedly shared the special with us and talked us through some of his and regular customers’ favourite dishes. The menu was a mixture of dishes, from traditional pub meals, like fish and chips and ciabattas to some more adventurous options like the Korean fried chicken nuggets with kimchi butter, aioli and coriander - which were a standout hit with all of the STONES team.

Above: Salt & pepper squid with a sweet chilli dipping sauce

Right: Brimming with character, Open fireplaces and beams throughout

Previous page: Idyllic setting: fire pit and blankets for guests to enjoy in the chillier weather

Above: The best seats in the house

Left: Landlord; Tom Smith

Above Right: Plentiful portions of freshly prepared food.

Tom mentioned that his chef had spent some of his career in a specialist burger restaurant and so the burgers on the menu are top notch. We didn’t need much persuasion so made sure there were a couple included on our order. We were not at all disappointed - they were incredible! The spicy and succulent chicken burger was not for the faint hearted and was packed full of flavour. The portion sizes are very generous and sadly, none of us left any room for dessert. That just gives us an excuse for another visit though, and we are looking forward to it already! The pub was taken over by the current owners, at the end of 2021, and the tasteful refurbishment was carried out in January 2022. It has been transformed from the previously tired and outdated state it was in and has been given a fresh and traditional look, restoring it’s former glory. As we are all too aware, the hospitality industry has received many blows over the last couple of years, but we believe that this gem of a place and the ‘he who dares’ attitude of the team are a recipe for success. The Jolly Waggoner is very well supported by the people in the local community, who enjoy the welcoming service, great food and varied events and menus. Tom explained that there is a street food van offering every Tuesday and that they have a guest chef coming for a kitchen takeover with a tasting menu, this Autumn. We highly recommend a visit to The Jolly Waggoner; soak up the ambience, enjoy being looked after by Tom and his team and feed your soul with a hearty meal.

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