Dylan’s at The Kings Arms is located in a beautiful 15th century building on George Street in the heart of St Albans. The previous pub at this location, ‘The Old Kings Arms’, closed in the late 1990s. After a stint as a French restaurant, it became a pub again in 2014.
Owner Sean Hughes and his family decided to bring back the original pub name. But as Sean had a cheeky chocolate labrador called Dylan at the time, the name ‘Dylan’s at The Kings Arms’ seemed right!
Dylan’s, as it’s known locally, is a superb venue. A stylish, but charming community pub at the front, with a number of tables in the back for food. Drinks include an excellent wine list, a good range of keg beers, plus a couple of cask ales on tap. The negronis are superb, and champagne fans always look forward to ‘Poptober’ when the pub serves premium bubbly by the glass.
The kitchen is run by head chef Josh Searle who puts his own style simple quality dishes. The menu is adapted to make the most of seasonal produce from local independent suppliers. Midweek there’s a simple well-priced 3-course option including soups, pastas, meats and fish dishes. There is also a snacking menu so drinkers can enjoy a bite too. Favourites include beef dripping chips or wild boar & beef chilli dogs.
But the main menu is definitely worth booking in advance. Whether you’re kicking off with ham hock croquettes, buffalo burrata or the scotch ‘bonnet’ egg; your meal will be off to an excellent start. Main courses include BBQ poussin, onglet steak or venison pie. Plus there are sharable steaks too.
The food is consistently high quality. Dylan’s has appeared in the Top 100 UK Gastropubs and is also in the Good Food Guide. It may feel like a high-end gastropub, but the service and the atmosphere makes it feel like a relaxed community venue. Well worth a visit!
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