Last Updated on February 15, 2025
A Country Gastropub in the heart of the Surrey Hills
4.8 out of 5.0 stars
For Londoners, the magnetic pull of a proper country pub like the William IV is almost primal. There’s a deeply satisfying pleasure in stomping through fields and bridleways, getting a bit muddy, and then landing triumphantly in a postcard-perfect village hostelry. You know the type—a pub with flagstone floors, low-slung beams, roaring fires, and a snug where the locals huddle with their dogs, settling in for the long haul.
Now throw in Michelin-quality dining for good measure. Enter the William IV in Albury, Surrey, a sixteenth-century pub brought back to life by its new owners, David and Lisa Lubbock. They’ve lived near the pub for over three decades, and it feels like they’ve crafted their dream watering hole—quintessentially English and utterly irresistible. I can’t decide if I envy their vision or just their proximity
Chef Luke Speir who heads up the kitchen at William IV has a stellar CV having worked across the Gordon Ramsay Group and at the Savoy, before a stint at Roganic and most recently as the Michelin-starred head chef at The Clock House in Guildford.
At the William IV, Luke is aiming to create one of the best food-led pubs in the UK, with casual but great dishes and complementary wines. With the kind of due care and attention to sourcing and seasonality you’d expect from a chef of his calibre and with a kitchen equipped with an open-fired grill and a wood-fired oven, anticipate some excellent, flavour packed dishes.
We picked delicious seasonal dishes from the menu. For my companion, grilled scallop with cauliflower and almond satay was a stunningly presented dish served in a shell on a bed of bladderwrack seaweed. A plump grilled scallop with a light cauliflower puree and a rich satay sauce was topped with slivers of what I believe was steamed cauliflower.
The crab ravioli with turnip and dill is a dish that Luke has created to make the most of the different flavours and textures of brown and white crab meat. The plump ravioli was stuffed with flavoursome white crab meat, while the pasta was bathed in a rich tomato and brown crab meat sauce, almost like a bouillabaisse, was laced with tiny cubes of turnip and garnished with dill and chives.
I was curious to see how the halibut with brown shrimp, Jerusalem artichokes and mizuna would be served. In fact, the Jerusalem artichokes were presented as a side dish, beautifully crispy and utterly moreish with a soft nutty centre. The halibut came sitting on an artichoke puree, with a beurre blanc laced with more tiny morsels of artichoke and chives and topped with bitter mizuna.
It was a light, beautifully flavoured dish that I’d love to be capable of making myself! Halibut is one of my favourite fish – especially when it’s cooked to perfection.
My companion’s venison loin and haunch with celeriac, caramelised onion and bone marrow was a picture on a plate, with a perfectly rare and tender loin of venison that had a great char (presumably from the Josper), a tiny croquette of pulled haunch, a roasted banana shallot roasted celeriac and a rich red wine jus.
We also enjoyed sides of skinny fries (totally unnecessary but worth the indulgence) and sprouting broccoli with preserved lemon and chilli which I will be trying to recreate at home.
Our only restraint was limiting ourselves to a glass of wine each. For me, an Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2022 worked best with the Halibut, with a refreshing mouthfeel and those signature gooseberry notes. And, for my companion Santa Rita 120 Merlot – a blackcurrant and fruity red wine. In true pub style, there are limited wines by the glass, though a comprehensive list by the bottle. And, there’s a good range of cask, draft and bottled beers. There’s also a full list of spirits including a lovely local artisan gin, Silent Pool
Of course, we didn’t need dessert. We hadn’t been for that pre-lunch walk that would have made the indulgence a justified one. But, we just had to try! The miso and honey custard tart was rich and creamy with a luscious honey taste, a beautifully caramelised top and an indulgent side of whipped cream
My Rhubarb and Earl Grey crumble was a dainty and almost healthy dessert if such a thing exists…the lightest of crumbles with a dainty portion of what I’m optimistically hoping was creme fraiche laced with rhubarb coulis.
If you happen to want a meat dish from the grill, the Josper and in-house meat ageing fridge will ensure your choice of steak, lamb or chicken should be spot on. My companion has been before and recommends the sirloin!
The William IV nails it on location alone. Nestled in the dreamy Surrey Hills, with scenery that could inspire a watercolour. Despite its bucolic charm, it’s tantalizingly close to Guildford—just three and a half miles east—making it an easy escape from the city grind. Albury, the village it calls home, is a scattering of picturesque hamlets, with William IV sitting snugly in the delightfully named Little London.
The nearest train stations to the William IV, Chilworth and Gomshall are just a mile or two away, reached via countryside so picturesque you almost forget you’re working up an appetite. Word on the grapevine is that the Sunday roast is unmissable, so naturally, we’ll be back to put that to the test.
William IV,
Little London,
Albury,
Near Guildford
Surrey
GU5 9DG
email: [email protected]
website: https://www.thewilliamivpub.com/
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