The Red Lion, Rickmansworth

Good News - I can report it fully open... (makes a change). Beautiful looking pub opposite the cricket pitch. Although its concentrating on food - with an extensive menu and some very high quality bar snacks - its internal layout is very pubby. Two or three real ales on and my Redemption Trinity was in fine condition. Some superb walking in the area - with the Chess Valley about half a mile away.

The Red Lion is a 16th century freehold public house in the village of Chenies. Originally an old coaching inn on one of the main routes out of London towards the West, it is situated just off the A404 Amersham Road, five minutes from J18 of the M25. Externally it’s a fairly unassuming white painted building and then internally there is a plain, simply furnished main bar, a more comfortable snug dining area housed in the original cottage to the rear with a tiled floor, old inglenook and rustic furniture. And then outside there is a small seating area on the side of the pub that catches the afternoon evening sun. It is well renowned locally for its good pub food and decent range of beers and is a former winner of the Chiltern Food Pub of the Year in 2008, and has been a frequent entry in Camra's GBBG. Can vouch for the food as we took the opportunity to eat here and it was very decent quality and certainly seemed to be home cooked fare. There are four handpumps on the bar and these included Vale's Best Bitter, Hook Norton Double Stout, and the pubs own Lion Pride, which is supposedly brewed especially for the pub by the Rebellion brewery, but tasted spookily similar to Rebellion Red to me. But not bemoaning that as the Red is one of my favourite brews from the Marlow brewery. All in all a solid village pub and well worth the small detour from J18 of the M25.

Easily found, very small pub with a tiny car park out the back and some parking in the narrow road in front. Exceptional food for lunch time, great beer and very pleasant indeed.