You may have read my blog post, Wine Bar Tuesdays, although it was some time ago now. Well, this write up is a review of a pub called The George & Dragon which has been revived and reopened by former Stamford Wine Bar front man Ralph Offer.

You’ll find this cosy little pub in Seaton, which is located in between Stamford and Uppingham if you were to take the slightly longer scenic route to see the stunning Harringworth viaduct. A pub always needs something a little bit extra if it requires a short drive, and The George and Dragon has views aplenty where you can take the dogs for a walk, go out on your bike or even just put your photography skills to the test.

Now, lets get into the food and wine. The pub serves food from Wednesday through to Sunday and as it’s already quite popular, you’re safest to book in advance as all the food is very fresh and prepared each day.

I visited on a Wednesday evening, it was a chilly one with a light dusting of snow coming down, so to be greeted with a roaring fire and lots of friendly locals was perfect. Ralph’s done a great job with the old stone building, he’s returned all of the former charm which had been covered up… and added some modern touches here and there, mostly with quirky lighting fixtures.

We decided to eat in the bar area as I struggle to leave rooms with fires in them…they’re just such a treat aren’t they? I went for a glass of Rioja from the nicely varied wine list, “The wine list has been chosen from numerous tastings held by our wine supplier Hallgarten Druitt,” says Ralph. “They’re wines for drinking with or without food,” always a bonus. My friend opted for the Fili Prosecco which we are already huge fans of from The Wine Bar, I think I’ve reviewed it several times already.

We got sat down with the menu which is refreshingly quite small; four starters and five mains to choose from. As long as they shake this up regularly, it works really well to have a shorter menu because you don’t agonize for ages trying to decide, plus it’s proof everything is fresh. I went for the Sirloin of Beef and Harriet chose Egg Tagliatelle with Pheasant Ragoui, isn’t it great to see local pheasant on a menu, finally!

Harriet and I agreed the meal was delicious, she polished off her Ragoui in record time and my perfectly medium-rare steak vanished (I did save some for my doggies.) The food is so fresh that it leaves you feeling full but lively, ready for a dessert or another glass of wine, or both! Tis the season, so we both went for Christmas pudding and ice cream, it was the perfect finish to a scrumptious meal.

Alas, it didn’t finish there! The chef, Omar, came out of the kitchen to chat to everyone and he treated us to a homemade chocolate and biscotti, if you’re a coffee drinker, please get one because they were perfetto. Omar is Italian and has an air of confidence but he’s not arrogant and very keen to impress, the perfect balance really. He’s been given free rein by Ralph to create a menu that keeps people going back for more, and he’s absolutely nailed it. “I wanted to take the pub on because my sole enjoyment is making a memorable visit to a pub and blowing people out of the water with the quality. The classic under promise and over deliver,” says Ralph.

It certainly was memorable, I will 100% be going back at some point and a I recommend you go for a visit, walk off your meal in the beautiful surroundings and take in the rural charm of Rutland. There are also three rooms available if you don’t want the hassle of sorting out a designated driver.

For more, there are some great photos on The Rutland Blogger’s site, here.

To Book

Call: 01572 747418

Email: info@thegeorgeanddragonseaton.com