Set just off Hitchin’s historic High Street, The Cock has quickly established itself as one of Hertfordshire’s most exciting gastropubs and a destination for modern British dining with a serious focus on seasonality, provenance and standout wines. This summer, the pub steps into the new season with the opening of The Courtyard, a newly revamped garden space with its own bar menu, dedicated drinks list and live music on weekends.
Designed for light lunches, sunset drinks and relaxed grazing suppers, The Courtyard offers a more relaxed way to dine, bringing Executive Chef Joe Walker’s cooking outdoors with a new garden menu built for sharing.
Dishes include the likes of milk bread with marmite and black pepper butter; rich beef fat potato sm’ash browns with dripping mayo; cod cheek scampi with curry sauce and pickled chilli; and Dorset brown crab crumpets with cucumber and brown butter alongside a dry-aged Herefordshire beef rump with peppercorn and watercress.
Drinks are suitably summery with a nostalgic Rhubarb & Custard Sour; Hibiscus Mezcal Paloma; and a refreshing Strawberry, Cucumber & Elderflower Spritz while the Cock’s extensive wine list is also available al fresco, showcasing English producers such as Artelium and Henners, alongside standout vintages served by the glass via Coravin.
Surrounded by greenery, The Courtyard brings the warmth of the pub outside with rich oak wood furnishings, festoon lighting, mixed booth seating and covered areas for the unpredictable British weather. At weekends, local musicians take centre stage with live performances throughout the summer.
Inside, The Cock’s A La Carte menu has also been refreshed with new dishes echoing the same seasonal focus. Expect plates from The Cock’s twist on ‘Prawn Toast’ with hot honey, green chilli and spring onion; and cured seabream with pickled fennel; to Blythburgh pork with forced rhubarb, creamed kale and crisp pork quaver; and North Sea cod in a burnt lemon, roe and dill sauce. New puds include a rhubarb and custard éclair; and a baked dark chocolate with ‘cookies and cream’.
Whether it’s a spot of lunch in the sun, a lively evening with friends or simply unwinding for the weekend, The Courtyard at The Cock is now open and available for bookings and walk-ins from Wednesday to Sunday. To book, please visit www.thecockhitchin.co.uk.
