Dinner at The Chequers, Eversley Cross

Ad The Chequers in the north of Hampshire is a traditional, historic gastro pub serving up classics and a mix of dishes with a fusion twist.

Take a look around and a peek at the menu…

Location

📍 Reading Road, Hook RG27 0NS

Hook in the north of Hampshire is home to Eversley Cross, a picturesque and quintessentially English village and home to popular pub, The Chequers. As it’s in the depths of Hampshire, it’s highly likely you’ll need a car to visit if you’re not local.

The pub itself is very historic. Watch out for the low ceilings and original features, especially in the main bar area. If you like that more traditional feel, this is the place for you.

Outside the front of The Chequers is an incredible open extended bell tent. It’s full of fairy lights and seating which is great in the Spring, Summer and Autumn. My visit was in late Autumn but I’m definitely going to head back when the weather is better to take advantage of this great outdoor spot.

If you like to combine your pub visits with a stretch of your legs, you’ll find plenty of great places for a walk nearby. If you don’t know the area, try Bramshill Forest, Warren Heath Wood Lake, or Castle Bottom. I think the closest place for a trail is Lower Eversley Cross. All of these are a very short drive away or a big stomp.

Starters

It was a seafood starters that caught my eye as soon as I saw the menu. In fact there are so many good sounding starters it was hard to narrow it down.

When I finally made a decision I shared the garlic and paprika king prawns with roasted tomatoes on toasted sourdough.

If I’m honest I wasn’t sure about the sourdough part because usually I find bread before my main meal fills me up too much. But actually this really worked as it soaked up all the juices and captured all of the flavours.

I think the only change would have been to up the king prawns from three to maybe five and bring the sourdough down to one slice. Am I greedy? Probably. I like prawns a lot.

The other starter shared was the monkfish tempura with a Vietnamese dipping sauce, mooli and pickled ginger. Mooli, for those not in the know, is a type of white radish popular in China and Japan. I love trying new things and loved trying mooli for the first time.

Ooof, tempura monkfish, get in my life. What a delight, teamed with the mooli and sauce well, I could have eaten this twice over.

Mains

There’s lots of classic dishes on the menu but there’s also a selection of fusion meals with Vietnamese, South Indian and Nepalese influences. And, there’s a really solid steak section to the menu too.

I went for the vegan South Indian cauliflower and sweet potato curry topped with crispy chickpeas and served with basmati rice and chapati.

This was a lovely tasty curry, not spicy but well flavoured with spices and it was a very healthy portion. The chick peas added a nice bit of crunch too. And, a fantastic vegan option, it felt that it had been well thought out and was a bit different to the normal meat free options.

My partner had the partridge saltimbocca with spinach, pearl barley and shaved fennel and this dish was a bit of a surprise. I didn’t think I would like it but I stole more than a few mouthfuls because it was really good.

A saltimbocca directly translated is ‘jump in your mouth’ originated in Brescia and is often found on the menu in southern Switzerland and across Italy. Usually it is veal wrapped in prosciutto and sage which is marinated in wine, oil or saltwater but the veal was replaced with partridge.

Also, we’re heathens and we also ordered a side of chips because who doesn’t want chips when it’s cold out? Well these were big, fat, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, I’ll-fight-you-for-the-last-one kind of chips. Extra mayo for dipping required, naturally.

Pudding

Warm pear and almond tart and an apple tarte tatin? Oh go on then!

Served with Jude’s ice cream (dairy or with non-dairy available) these were two excellent choices to end the meal on. There’s something about warm seasonal fruits that really hit in the late Autumn. But, there were lots of choices if you were looking for something chocolate or cheese based too.

The Chequers

We had a lovely, cosy evening on a very rainy day and I’d like to go back, do a walk and head here for a meal after.

I probably should have mentioned this earlier but The Chequers has a seasonal changing menu. It also has a great selection of specials but be quick because they sell out fast.

It’s part of the Peach Pub group, a collection of market town pubs across England which were awarded the Sustainable Restaurant Association’s Food Made Good award in 2021.

The Food Made Good Awards celebrates and pioneers sustainability progress in the hospitality industry. I love that the pub and the group behind it are thinking how to build sustainability into every part of its business.

It makes such a difference to my dining experience when restaurants make an effort when it comes to dealing with allergies too. The team were great going though the menu with me and pointing things out on my partners dish that I wouldn’t be able to eat should I wish to try it.

Visit The Chequers website

A big thanks to manager Laura who gave us a warm welcome and made sure we had a nice and relaxed evening.

Things to know, before you go

Vegan, vegetarian and dairy free options available
Dog Friendly
Free parking
Outdoor space
Regular events throughout the year – look out for the seasonal offerings

If you liked this, take a look at these other great places to explore in Hampshire…