A food reviewer has given his verdict on Jeremy Clarkson’s pub, and noticed one popular food item was missing.
The Farmer’s Dog in Asthall, Oxfordshire, opened its doors in August last year and has since been widely acclaimed by fans. In the latest series of Clarkson’s Farm, the television personality and former Top Gear host shared the work that went into opening the popular venue.
Clarkson, 65, paid less than £1m for the building, which was previously the home of The Windmill. The new watering hole quickly became a hit, mirroring the warm reception he received when he launched his Diddly Squat farm shop in 2020.
Fans swarmed the pub, with lengthy queues forming at the bar filled with eager guests. However, many have claimed that the food or drink they received was worth the wait.
To see if The Farmer’s Dog is worth the hype, TikToker Phil decided to check out the pub and see if it lived up to its reputation. Known for his candid and occasionally scathing reviews, Phil didn’t hold back when it came to Clarkson’s pub.
“We’ve all seen videos of people queuing for two hours for a pint after a three hour drive there on the off chance they see their imaginary friend Jezza,” Phil said in his video, before adding that he “had a much better time than I was expecting.”
However, there were some downsides. “The Farmer’s Dog is a right pain to get to,” he said. “It’s 10 miles outside of Oxford, so someone will have to drive, and the parking shows that.”
He went on to show a sign that said that the pub charges a £2 parking fee, which goes to the farmer who owns the land.
Phil set off on a two-and-a-half mile trek to the pub, and quickly saw the appeal. He explained: “There is the pub, a restaurant which you will need to book, the Grand Tour tent which is full of merch, a butchers, and the farm shop.”
“And then there’s an outdoor bar and the Farmer’s Puppy where you can just roll up and get food, but the wait at busy times could be days,” he pointed out.
Phil picked out a £14 burger and £6.75 pint, commenting that it was a ‘really fair’ price given how popular the pub was. He also felt lucky that the queue time was short. However, he advised: “If you’re going to come on a weekend in the summer then good luck!”
As evening came, Phil watched queues forming and pointed out: “It turns out the restaurant is a little bit of a hotspot.”
However, Phil found himself puzzled by one unusual rule of the establishment – there was ketchup due to strict sourcing policies. He said: “Jeremy is publicising a lot about the overheads of running a pub, which is brilliant.
“They do have a lot of self-imposed rules, though. All ingredients and products must be British, so there’s no ketchup or coffee or lemonade or anything like that.”
Concluding his review, Phil couldn’t help but share: “The pub is quite fun, the conversation with other people there wasn’t too surreal, and some of Hawkestone’s beers are genuinely top tier.
“If you’re a fan of the TV show, then take a day off work to come here,” he suggested. “Book a hotel, so you can rattle through the full Hawkestone offering and stay away from the weekends and the bank holidays.”
