Stratford-upon-Avon

[Jen Keenan]

I will be spending a Saturday afternoon in July in Stratford-upon-Avon. None of these factors are of my choosing. I love good food, but imagining fighting the size and ugliness of crowds in that town to get to some on such a day scares the bejeezus out of me. I kind of imagine fortifying myself for Henry VI Part II with pints at the Black Swan and just eating whatever they have to keep me afloat. Or is the beer total crap as well?

Any and all survival eating/drinking strategies would be much appreciated. And feel free to add your favorite Dirty Duck joke if you think it would be nice to have them all in one place

[davebrown]

If I were you I would buy a couple of pints of Flowers Original from the Dirty Duck, and take them across the road to the park by the river, where they will go nicely with the cheese you have previously selected from Paxton and Whitfield on Wood Street.

[Jen Keenan]

Thank you davebrown, that sounds just about my speed, especially considering I just desperately purchased a ticket for Rock 'n' Roll at an extremely poor exchange rate. I'm thinking every day on my own is going to be about picnics.

Can you really take your pints away from the pub? In New York you have to have a special license just to serve alcohol outside. Back when the no-smoking-inside law passed I used to earn free drinks from the bartenders at my local by pointing out the patrons who were trying to take their beers with them when heading out for a smoke. But please don't think of me as a snitch - the owners promised to fire my bartender friends at the first violation.

[davebrown]

In practice very many people buy pints of beer in the Dirty Duck, walk outside into the garden at the front of the pub, continue through the gate, turn right and walk down the road for about five yards where there is a gate on the other side of the road into the park.

Tell the people in the cheese shop that you will be eating your purchases with beer, but look out for the very local Earlswood cheeses.

Hope you have a good time.

[Conor]

A couple from an old Stratfordian!!

One Elm on Guild Street is fairly good food for the price:

http://www.restaurant-guide.com/details/de...50,2061&cuiID=9

Also The Vintner does a decent English rustic menu on Sheep Street.

There are a few restaurants on Sheep Street of varying quality, Lambs is probably the best.

But yes, a pint on the grass by the river in front of the Duck is very difficult to beat. But whatever you do, don't order any food at the Duck, it is awful, truly awful!

Have fun!!

[Jen Keenan]

Thanks to you both! You have no idea how much more relaxed I will be walking into that madding crowd with good info in my pocket. I will pass on all of these details to my more discerning friends, and no doubt that on that one day you will feel a wave of gratitude wafting your way...