The Crown at Ley Hill occupies one of the most picturesque spots in this part of the Chilterns, overlooking the common in a village that rewards those who seek it out. The pub has been recently renovated to very good effect — welcoming and refreshed without losing any of its village-pub character — and the Wednesday Wallet Watchers offer (two courses for just £12) has made it something of a destination for midweek lunches, the dining room reliably full of satisfied regulars eating well and paying sensibly.
The kitchen sends out steak and ale pies and fruit crumbles with custard that earn genuine enthusiasm, service is friendly and efficient even when covers are high, and the beer selection demonstrates the right instincts. Pub food that over-delivers on value, a charming setting, and a team that makes visitors feel properly welcomed: The Crown at Ley Hill is the kind of local that makes the Chilterns what it is.
