(This is a paid partnership with The Cart & Horses - see disclaimer)
A few weeks ago, The Cart and Horses in Kings Worthy opened their doors after an extensive renovation. The 18th-century building has been lovingly restored bringing to life the best of British pub dining in an oh so beautiful Grade II listed building.
From stunning new interiors beside original exposed brickwork to the beautifully landscaped garden perfect for bees, the pub will be the place to be this summer and beyond. With parts of the building dating back to 1760, the design has been sympathetic to its history by building on its character with warm lighting, soft furnishings in rich colours, beautiful wallpapers and art from local artists in Hampshire such as Green Magpie.
I recently spent a wonderful evening at The Cart & Horses recently for a summer garden party and couldn't wait to share all about it.
The intimate al-fresco dinner allowed us to enjoy The Cart & Horses beautifully landscaped gardens and take part in a floral workshop hosted by Sustainable Flower Farm and Floral Studio, Stem & Green. Greeted with delicious cocktails made with Chase Distillery Gin and platters filled with succulent pork belly, warm breads and olives, the evening had such a pleasant midsummer feel about it.
We dined in their large beer garden and outdoor bar area - it's a fully covered pergola making it a delightfully cosy area for drinks while still being sheltered by the elements; You can't trust British weather after all! The space also has heaters, blankets and a roaring log burner - perfect as we go into Autumn, if I close my eyes I can almost imagine sitting there with a hot chocolate with the leaves falling around me.
The team had laid the most beautifully floral table for us - table scaped to perfection with tiny vases of posies from Stem & Green, delicate candles and named menus with each of our course choices. The attention to detail was not missed and was so incredibly appreciated.
After sipping on refreshing Raspberry & Basil Gin cocktails we joined Stem & Green for our floral workshop. James' mission at Stem & Green is to make sustainably grown cut flowers that are accessible to everyone. They embrace the season and enjoy blooms when they naturally flower, being kind to natural habitats and working with nature, not against it. 100% of their blooms are British grown, most of the time by them, but sometimes by other English growers.
James talked us through the steps of creating a perfect bouquet, advising us what type of cut flowers to use and what height to lay each stem so you're left with a gorgeously spaced-out bouquet. We had a huge selection of flowers to choose from and James was on hand to help at any point - it was such an enjoyable way to spend the evening and we were able to leave with our beautiful creations too.
Soon, we were walked to our table for dinner and as the sun began to set the table was delicately lit up with candles, shadowing the petals of each flower against the light. Whilst we awaited our first course, we were served chilled glasses of prosecco and chattered amongst ourselves, I don't think we wanted the evening to end.
I enjoyed Burrata paired with Sweet Nectarine, Truffle Oil and Basil followed by a perfectly Pan-Fried Sea Bream on a bed of New Potatoes and Samphire in a Chorizo and Gochujanga Aioli sauce. I cannot fault the food, it was delicious and the mix of flavours worked so well together - I would order the Sea Bream in a heartbeat. Dessert was Lemon Curd Parfait with Blueberries, Sherbet, Vanilla Cream and Meringue - light with a deliciously sweet sharpness. Top marks on the foodie front from me and there were plenty of appreciative sounds around the table - a sign of a fabulous foodie night!
The evening was such a joy to experience - the service was friendly and they were on hand at all times, the food really was a high point and our dreamy flower workshop was the icing on the cake. The Cart & Horses had thought of everything and we couldn't have been more looked after if they tried. I already can't wait to go back, I have one of their delicious roast dinners in my sights.
Bookings are available to be made now, just hit this link here - Book your table here!
