Stockists • Posted by Andy Cross • 14th October 2021
Locally roasted coffee and elevated pub dining at The Red Lion
Enjoy smart, seasonal pub food and speciality coffee at The Red Lion.
Modern food in West Deeping
The Red Lion pub is owned by husband-and-wife team, Emma and Frazer King. The beautiful, exposed brick building nestles in the village of West Deeping, only a short drive from Market Deeping and Stamford. London-trained Frazer heads the kitchen, serving up quality dishes that will leave you hungry for more. And thirsty for more, too, because Frazer and Emma have recently started serving Two Chimps coffee! Great coffee, great food, great service: The Red Lion ticks every box!
A new venture after Lockdown
The couple grew up in the area and returned in 2021 to realise their dream of opening a pub. Frazer has 15 years of top hospitality experience under his belt and trained under the acclaimed chef and restauranteur Mark Hix. Frazer worked in restaurants and hotels before taking the role of Head Chef at the award-winning Gunton Arms in Norfolk.
Emma is also a through-and-through foodie with a passion for great dining. She has recently completed her WSET Level 1 Award in Wines.
When the pandemic hit, Frazer and Emma decided to return to their Lincolnshire roots. Frazer worked at Barnsdale Lodge and The Olive Branch in Clipsham before the couple took the lead at The Red Lion in April 2021. Big challenges, great times and lots of tasty food were to come!
Local produce makes top-class pub food
Frazer and Emma source their ingredients as sustainably as possible. Working with local suppliers and nearby farms helps to keep the air miles down and ensure excellent produce at every stage. The pub’s meat and fish are sustainable and organic, and they use eggs from their own hens. Real ale fan? Then be sure to sample The Red Lion’s bespoke house ale from the innovative Hopshackle Brewery.
What’s on the menu?
Frazer describes his style as ‘elevated pub dining’ and steers clear of gastropub gimmicks. Whet your appetite with a ploughman’s platter or proper sausage roll before browsing the (impossibly tempting) main menu. Choose from classic dishes like cider battered hake with triple cooked chips or Grasmere Farm sausages and mash. Or, opt for one of the seasonal specials. Frazer’s roast haunch of venison with pickled blackberries is autumn on a plate, while a crayfish and heritage tomato salad or pretty plate of mint tortellini capture everything we like about summer.
Dessert is equally delicious. Try the lemon curd with blackcurrant sorbet for a zingy end to your meal, or go for the dark chocolate mousse tart if your taste buds are calling for chocolate!
Newly decorated for 2021
During lockdown, when the pub could only serve outside, Frazer and Emma gave the building’s interior a tasteful facelift. Paintings and stylish ornaments brought a fresh personality to the décor, while new garden furniture allows diners to enjoy the outside beer garden. We love the charm and character they have created. It’s everything we want from an English pub: unmissable dining in classy surroundings!
Top coffee to match
In accordance with their sustainable values, Frazer and Emma wanted to source their coffee beans from an ethical, local roastery. Enter, Two Chimps Coffee! Based in Oakham, Rutland, we’re perfectly positioned to keep the team topped up with freshly roasted artisan coffee. Frazer and Emma selected our green-labelled coffee to serve in the pub. Great choice! This all-day coffee is full-bodied and 100% irresistible. Prefer decaf? You’ll find our chemical-free decaffeinated coffee at The Red Lion, too.
We offer an all-encompassing service at Two Chimps and rent espresso machines to small businesses up and down the country. The Red Lion team are currently renting a specialist machine from our roastery, allowing them to serve barista-standard speciality coffee to their lucky customers. What better way to bring a good meal to a close?
Book a table!
The Red Lion is open for dinner from Wednesday through to Friday and from noon at the weekend. Book a table today and look forward to top-class dining from a friendly, family-run pub.
Need coffee fast? Check out our full range and order now!
Meet the chimp behind this article!
Head Chimp founded Two Chimps alongside Laura in 2016 after being self-employed from the age of 21. He caught the coffee bug from using an at-home roaster, and the rest is history!
What Andy does outside of the treehouse:
When the weather’s nice, Andy loves going on bike rides with his trusty sidekick, microchimp Felix (who always leads the way, of course). Andy also enjoys spending time tending to the family’s vegetable garden, and looking after their at-home farmyard, which includes a cat, two guinea pigs, and six chickens!
Andy says…
“I believe every day is a school day, and I’m always looking for opportunities to stick my head in a book and absorb new knowledge. I also love a problem to solve and fix – there’s no such thing as problems, only solutions.”
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