With a fascinating history, a guest list that includes stars of stage and screen, and a reputation for award-winning food and accommodation, The Hopping Hare has much to offer locals and visitors to Northampton.
David George bought the family-owned and run Duston pub and restaurant after it had been badly damaged by fire in 2006. With its new roof in place, the George family set about giving it a new lease of life, transforming the menu into one offering high- quality, contemporary food, and opening up nine bedrooms for overnight stays.
The building was once a country manor house, surrounding by open fields. It was often home to a whole variety of circus animals, as it proved the ideal location to house the animals safely whenever the circus was in town.
As Northampton expanded and new housing appeared, the manor house became a pub and restaurant, and the rest is history.
Today, The Hopping Hare is a two AA Rosette restaurant with 20 boutique bedrooms and, in October, took Gold in the Restaurant of the Year category in the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards. David George said:
“We’ve been entering the Food and Drink Awards pretty much since the start, and we’ve had some success, winning Pub of the Year in 2018, and Young Chef of the Year. We are delighted to have won the Restaurant of the Year title this year.”
The Hopping Hare was among an impressive list of finalists. Hibiscus at Delapré Abbey also took a Gold award and the shortlist included The Falcon at Castle Ashby and The Cedar Restaurant at Fawsley Hall Hotel & Spa. David said:
“Our aim is to off er excellent food and accommodation, as well as the very best customer service. Executive chef Karl Penny oversees operations in the kitchen and he is supported by a very strong kitchen team, and together they are determined to come up with something impressive.
“We buy in venison from the Althorp estate, and all dishes are prepared and cooked on site, including all our bread and ice creams. The results speak for themselves, we get excellent reviews from overnight guests, and from locals, who come in just to enjoy the food.”
Guests have, over the years, included some famous faces including Friends star Matt Le Blanc, when he was filming at Silverstone. It’s Derren Brown’s favourite place to stay whenever he’s in town, and Jenny Ryan, better known as The Vixen from The Chase quiz show, is also a regular.
Other local suppliers make regular appearances too – a Warner’s gin night recently was a roaring success and more such events are planned for the future, and The Hopping Hare holds regular wine tasting nights and, of course, is currently gearing up for Christmas. The restaurant is sold out on Christmas Day but there is availability on Boxing Day, while the Christmas Fayre menu, available throughout December, is ideal for companies, friends and families to get together for a pre-Christmas meal with a seasonal touch. There’s also the Christmas Afternoon Tea, which is available from November 25. David George said:
“We describe ourselves as a two-rosette restaurant with letting rooms but we’ve worked hard to get The Hopping Hare to where it is today. It’s on one of the main roads out of Northampton, so we are ideally placed just minutes from the likes of Sixfields or the Saints, or from the Royal and Derngate, but away from the town centre itself.
“I think that’s part of its appeal, especially with those celebrity guests who want quality, but also somewhere they can relax and feel comfortable away from the spotlight. And it’s also perfect for anyone who’s staying in Northampton and wants easy access to the likes of Silverstone or Althorp. When the weather is good, we have a lovely, secluded patio garden area with seating for 30, which is a great sun-trap, while at this time of the year, we get a lot of bookings from those visiting relatives over the Christmas holidays. But really, it’s perfect at any time for anyone who wants to stay here and explore the area.”
The Hopping Hare has recently introduced a Tasting Menu that is available every Friday evening and is priced at £45 per person. Full details of all the menus and accommodation, including Christmas menus, can be found on the website.
For more information, call 01604 580090, email info@hoppinghare.com or visit the website
