19 Aug 2025
James Cameron heads off down the Alban Way for an unforgettable Sunday lunch…
To be clear, this is a review of The Plough at Sleapshyde. The reason I make the distinction is that there are two Ploughs in St Albans, both in very close proximity. You’d think that they could have spread them out a bit, but I guess that this is an area where a lot of ploughing goes on.
The staff are probably very adept by now at giving directions to their namesake as soon as they see that look of confusion start to spread across the punter’s face.
The other Plough, at Tyttenhanger, is quite a different prospect. It is a great place to sit in the garden with the family on a summer afternoon with a drink and a packet of crisps, but I think it’s fair to say that the menu there is at the cheap and cheerful end of the spectrum.
Here the food takes centre stage, which isn’t to say that you are ill-served for drinks. There is a wall of keg with plentiful options, plus multiple ciders and perennial favourite Landlord on cask, and remarkably well kept it was too.
Although possibly not as well kept as we were. Service was friendly and immediate, and water appeared without even being asked for, a really welcome touch. We visited on a Sunday, which for many pubs is roast day. When we booked we had checked that they could cope with a vegan, and on arrival we were presented with the off-menu option of a vegan roast. It’s great to see a place that is willing to really put in the extra effort to look after their guests.
It wasn’t just an after-thought dish, either, but a really well put together meal of a pepper stuffed with lovely creamy rice, roasted aubergine and asparagus. On the side was some of the best cabbage I’ve ever had, not because of anything that was added to it but purely because it was cooked to perfection.
There were of course the standard roast options on offer as well, from an amazingly crispy slab of pork belly to a rich, pink and lovely roast beef. Potatoes need to have a shout out as they had fantastic inherent flavour but pick of the trimmings was the side of cauliflower cheese that we ordered. This had such a creamy depth of cheese flavour that I was absolutely delighted to be eating vegetables.
If you visit some pubs on a Sunday and are not in the mood for a roast (inconceivable as it may seem) then you will be plum out of luck at a lot of places, but not The Plough.
They had a range of options that were enough to tempt some of our party away from the standard meat and veg.
These included a massive chicken schnitzel, covered with a garlic butter that gave it a kiev-like air, and swordfish for the seafood-lover. This was slightly tough but this was compensated for by a fresh and light tomato sauce.
There were a range of vegetarian options as well, and the veggie member of our party was able to assemble a lovely meal from the starters.
There was a generously large ball of burrata, and really you can’t go wrong with burrata, plus a hummus that was lovely and smooth, without overdoing the garlic.
You might not have much call to visit Sleapshyde generally, but the pub is but a short detour from the Alban Way so can be incorporated into a number of scenic circuits around the area that to some small degree would justify such a prodigious calorie intake.
The Plough really is approaching the platonic ideal of a country pub, with low beams and large fireplaces that exude rustic charm and an ample garden for those long and lazy afternoon sessions. You are paying to an extent for such perfection, but our bill was £200 for six diners and drinkers which is surprisingly reasonable given what a classy gaff it was.
If you can find a way to slot The Plough at Sleapshyde into your Sunday then it will more than obliterate the looming spectre of Monday morning, at least for a few hours.
