Berkshire

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-lowdown">THE LOWDOWN</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-dragon-10.jpeg" alt="Review: The George &amp; Dragon, Swallowfield pub" class="wp-image-66837" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-dragon-10.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-dragon-10-800x534.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-dragon-10-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-dragon-10-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Glide through the winding lanes of fairytale Swallowfield and find <a href="https://www.sirencraftbrew.com/our-venues/george-and-dragon" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The George &amp; Dragon</a>. It&#8217;s a village pub renowned for its hearty grub, convivial atmosphere, and of course, great lineup of beers. But for a pub owned by local award-winning brewery Siren Craft Brew (based in nearby Finchampstead), you&#8217;d expect nothing less.



Whether for a casual pint in the quaint garden, or curled up by the roaring fire, it&#8217;s a family-friendly pitstop foodie dreams are made of. On the seasonal menu find a tempting list of traditional, warming British food. There&#8217;s a pinpoint focus on supporting local producers here, so expect to see wares from award-winning Village Maid Cheese, hand-crafted in the next village on in Riseley, and 28-day aged steaks from a butchers in Yateley.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-and-dragon-siren-craft-brew-july-2023-170.jpg" alt="Review: The George &amp; Dragon, Swallowfield pub" class="wp-image-66844" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-and-dragon-siren-craft-brew-july-2023-170.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-and-dragon-siren-craft-brew-july-2023-170-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-and-dragon-siren-craft-brew-july-2023-170-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-and-dragon-siren-craft-brew-july-2023-170-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



It&#8217;s a distinctly British fare. Pie and mash, battered fish and chips, and sticky toffee pud. But for something a little different, the weekly specials board offers a rotating offering from curries and pies to pastas on alternative days of the week. The simple kids menu is made for picky eaters, and the roasts on Sundays are well worth your while. Bringing the pooch? There&#8217;s even a gourmet dog menu featuring goods from Sir Woofchesters too. Yappy days!



For real stonking value, the set menu is criminally good. Grab two courses for £17.95 or three for £21 which includes a complimentary drink of either house wine, half a pint of draught beer, or a soft alternative. Available Mon &#8211; Fri (12pm &#8211; 2.30pm &amp; 5.30pm &#8211; 7pm). As for the beer, well, it doesn&#8217;t get fresher, with a range of Siren&#8217;s best on tap, plus a fabulous wine list and a tempting selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-vibe">THE VIBE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-dragon-13.jpeg" alt="Review: The George &amp; Dragon, Swallowfield pub" class="wp-image-66840" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-dragon-13.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-dragon-13-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-dragon-13-400x266.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-dragon-13-768x511.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



A real pubby pub, but far from having that dingy feel often associated with the olde worlde types. The grade II listed building, dating back to the 17th century, is pretty much like stepping into a Grimms&#8217; fairytale. Not the creepy kind though. It&#8217;s a place that oozes character, and history hums within its walls. The vibe is overwhelming British and incredibly cosy. Think open fires, original brickwork, low ceilings (mind your head!), and exposed dark wood beams with quirky country-inspired paraphernalia and prints hanging off the walls. 



On winter nights, you&#8217;ll find me flame side. But when those golden sunny days call, there&#8217;s a small, but perfectly formed garden to the rear of the pub with a handful of tables overlooking the sweeping country fields beyond. To the side of the building, there&#8217;s more bench seating, plus ample parking for designated drivers.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-dragon-3.jpeg" alt="Review: The George &amp; Dragon, Swallowfield pub" class="wp-image-66832" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-dragon-3.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-dragon-3-800x800.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-dragon-3-400x400.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-dragon-3-768x768.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/george-dragon-3-500x500.jpeg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Immediately, the sense of community is palpable here. On the Thursday night I visited it was a jovial mix of Swallowfield locals popping in for a liquid dinner, plus couples and friends working their way through the menu. It&#8217;s super casual, so no feeling like you need to don your best frock to pop out for a midweek bite. From the moment we arrived, the incredibly lovely staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome. We were talked through the specials board, drinks appeared before I could even blink, and throughout the night, service was efficient and delivered with a big smile.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scoff-amp-quaff">SCOFF &amp; QUAFF</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-15.jpg" alt="The George &amp; Dragon, Swallowfield pub" class="wp-image-68626" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-15.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-15-800x600.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-15-400x300.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-15-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Cheesus! Picking the starter was a no-brainer, although the Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Wings and Seasoned Halloumi Fries also sounded delightful. However, the round of Baked Maida Vale Cheese from Village Maid was calling my name. I don&#8217;t quite honestly think you could get your cheese-fix more local than this. It was a dish to share and came with Warrings toasted sourdough (another local gem of a bakery) plus a lovely pickled chutney. Served, warm, gooey, and bubbling, it was deeelicious. 



It&#8217;s worth noting it&#8217;s nowhere near as punchy as Camembert if you like your cheese strong, but I loved the creamy flavour and the toasted bread was terrific. In fact, so much so we ordered some more to mop up the rest of the molten goodness.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-17.jpg" alt="The George &amp; Dragon, Swallowfield pub" class="wp-image-68622" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-17.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-17-800x600.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-17-400x300.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-17-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Up next: the main event. We both couldn&#8217;t resist the lure of their 28 day dry aged steaks from the grill which are served with skin-on fries (although we changed them to chunky chips), grilled tomato, garlic flat head mushrooms, and a house salad. I went for the 8oz Ribeye, meanwhile my foodie friend got the Sirloin with peppercorn sauce. Both served medium, cooked to absolute pink perfection, and just incredibly tasty. 



Popping the first morsel into my mouth was like a flavour bomb going off. I genuinely think you&#8217;d be hard pressed to get a steak with much more flavour. I don&#8217;t often tend to go for ribeye as I&#8217;m not a fan of the sometimes fatty texture of the cut. But the amount of fat I had to whip aside was so minimal. It was a full-on meat feast. The chips were also perfection &#8211; beautifully seasoned, crispy, and fluffy.



Out of pure unashamed gluttony (well, maybe a tad bit of shame) we got a side order of the Mac &#8216;N&#8217; Cheese, because our daily quota of cheese consumption hadn&#8217;t quite yet been met. The portion was very generous. And quite frankly, it went down a treat. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-19.jpg" alt="The George &amp; Dragon, Swallowfield pub" class="wp-image-68624" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-19.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-19-800x600.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-19-400x300.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-19-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



The stomach was crying out in surrender, but these gals weren&#8217;t throwing up the white flag just yet. After a short interval, we put in our pudding order. Across the table from me, a double chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream appeared with a very seasonal strawberry (that I nabbed). Feedback was that it was very enjoyable, but perhaps slightly on the dry side. The strawberry, though? Juuuuuicy.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="997" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-20.jpg" alt="The George &amp; Dragon, Swallowfield pub" class="wp-image-68625" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-20.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-20-800x798.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-20-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-20-768x766.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/george-dragon-20-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



For me, it was the Lotus Biscoff Sunday that consisted of vanilla ice cream, a Lotus biscuit, marshmallows, cream, and lots of gooey Lotus spread. Yum. Very few words were uttered as I worked my way through that bad boy. It was stunning. 



Punishment for all that indulgence soon came knocking though, because as I stood up at the end of the meal, my trousers ripped. Yes, RIPPED. And right down the middle seam too. So when I say I was contentedly stuffed to the brim, well, you get the picture. I&#8217;ll just take it as a sign of a very good meal. Silver linings and all that.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-out-amp-about">OUT &amp; ABOUT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2019/06/Wellington-Farm-Shop-Animals.jpg" alt="Wellington Farm Shop Welsh black mountain flock reared on Wellington Estate Berkshire Hampshire borer" class="wp-image-22052" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2019/06/Wellington-Farm-Shop-Animals.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2019/06/Wellington-Farm-Shop-Animals-150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2019/06/Wellington-Farm-Shop-Animals-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2019/06/Wellington-Farm-Shop-Animals-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2019/06/Wellington-Farm-Shop-Animals-720x480.jpg 720w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Breathe in all that Swallowfield fresh air! The George &amp; Dragon is the perfect pitstop before, after, or during a stomp around the surrounding countryside. There&#8217;s great walks and sweeping rural views right on the pub&#8217;s doorstep. It&#8217;s in easy reach of Reading for shopping &#8217;til dropping and top flight comedy and theatre shows at The Hexagon. Make sure you check out Siren&#8217;s brand new <a href="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/restaurants/review-siren-bar-reading/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">flagship bar</a> in the town too. Nearby Wellington Country Park is always a great day out for the whole family, and literally just five minutes down the road. Easy peasy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-verdict">THE VERDICT</h2>



Good for: The casual pub crowd who enjoy a truly local feel, service with a smile, and just decent British grub. It&#8217;s perfect for families.



Not for: Gastropub enthusiasts who like food that challenges their palette. No frills, foams, or plush interiors here. It&#8217;s crowd-pleasing and simple. 



The damage: Very reasonable these days. Starters from £7, mains from £11.95, sides are around £5, and puds start from £7.50. 



Words by Ellie Ball



<a href="https://www.georgedragonpub.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The George &amp; Dragon</a>, Church Road, Swallowfield, Reading, RG7 1TJ. 0118 988 4432.

Review: The George & Dragon, Swallowfield

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