The Princess Charlotte, McMullen Brewery | Review

Friday night I was lucky enough to be invited down for a complimentary meal at the brand new Princess Charlotte pub opening in the upcoming Tollgate Village, in Stanway Colchester.

The pub is currently the first and only in the UK to be named after Princess Charlotte, which is a really sweet touch - as McMullens who own the chain of restaurants, also have a Prince George!

We were invited to enjoy a complimentary three-course meal as part of a training evening, a chance for all the staff to get into the swing of things and for the chefs to perfect the menu.

I took along Lewis and my parents - as they're both huge foodies and I just knew they (my Dad in particular!) would be very excited about the prospect of a free meal. We were all really pleasantly surprised when we arrived and were told we could literally choose anything off the menu.

The menu is really vast, they're part of the 'Chicken and Grill' chain owned by McMullens so chicken and steak are their specialities. However, they also have lots of delicious pub classics that you'd expect, such as Hunters Chicken and Pie and Mash. There's also a range of vegetarian and healthier options, perfect for when you're not feeling quite so indulgent! Take a look here.

We had a really lovely waitress, who was very chatty and talked us through the menu, pointing out things she personally recommended. Considering all the staff were brand new, you couldn't fault the service at all.

WHAT I ATE:

 Starters - Breaded mushrooms with garlic mayonnaise

Main - Californian Burger (with cheese, jalapeños and guacamole)

Dessert - Cookie Dough Sundae

The food was delicious! Portion sizes were absolutely huge, even my Dad and Lewis struggled to finish their burgers which is very very unusual. The prices were really fair too, so you definitely get value for your money. We couldn't decide between sundaes, so shared a Cookie Dough Sundae and a Cherry and Chocolate Brownie Sundae. The latter was definitely the best - it tasted just like a Costa Black Forest Hot Chocolate!

If you live in Stanway or Colchester, I'd definitely recommend paying the Princess Charlotte a visit! I live and work nearby, so am VERY happy to have another food option so close by. I can imagine I'm going to be spending a lot of sunny lunchtimes in the beer garden by next Summer.

Let me know in the comments if you're thinking of paying a visit!