The Hop Inn — Restaurant in London

As you maybe aware I’m a big foodie who loves dining out in the finest of restaurants. But when it comes to choosing wine we either go for the countries that we know or we leave it to the recommendations of the sommeliers. So with this in mind we wanted to broaden our horizons let’s say by learning more about wine in general ie taste , smell , tannins , acidity etc. with the additional knowledge of knowing what wine wine is good value for money and which style of wine goes with which style of food.

So we gave it some thought and approached our good friend and drinks expert Alison Taffs at the Hop Inn Hornchurch our local micro pub to see what she thought and because it was only going to be the two of us if it would be worth her while. But after a little chat we discussed a budget so it would make her time and effort worthwhile. We gave her a couple of weeks to put together a format and gather some wines to taste and talk about.

This led us to sunday when our tasting would take place. We arrived at the Hop Inn and our table was laid out in the corner. You could see straight away that Alison had put a lot of effort into this to which we were very grateful. She had laid out tasting note sheets , an iPad screen displaying various information and a list of the six wines we would be tasting.

She decided that we should keep the discussion to european wines and in particular Portugal , France , Austria & Germany. Her knowledge was incredible as she guided us through the different stages of tasting wine. This begins with appearance which will include the colour. This is followed by smell , condition , intensity and the character. Then it’s time to taste to find out if the wine is sweet or dry as well as how much acidity , length , body and tannins. To finish you would decide what type of food you would match the wine with.

We followed this by talking about pricing and what wines from specific regions when you look at a wine list are good value for money. This information really was invaluable and will certainly help us in the future.

We’d personally like to thank Alison for a fabulous wine tasting afternoon. To listen to her knowledge and passion really was a pleasure and we definitely got more out of this than we first thought. I would highly recommend if your interested in wine to arrange a session yourselves whether your a couple like us or a larger group you will certainly benefit from her vast experience in the industry. We’re certainly looking forward to booking another session...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Perfect Wedding Day Pit Stop – Full of Love and Cider!

The Hop Inn will always have a special place in our hearts! After our wedding ceremony at Langtons House and before the reception at Ardleigh House, we had a pre-arranged little “secret” stop at The Hop Inn — just the two of us, newly married, taking 10 quiet minutes to breathe, reflect, and raise a pint of their amazing Apple Pie cider together. It was our tiny slice of calm on a whirlwind day.

Well, imagine our surprise (and theirs!) when 12 of our wedding guests had the exact same idea and showed up too! It turned into the most heartwarming, impromptu mini celebration — hugs, laughter, and cheers all around.

We’ve always loved The Hop Inn, and it meant so much to include it in our big day. The team were friendly, welcoming, and totally embraced the unexpected moment with us. Honestly, it couldn’t have been more perfect. Great drinks, great vibes, and a memory we’ll treasure forever.

Thank you to everyone at The Hop Inn — you were a beautiful part of a...

The Hop Inn, Is honestly the best, pub, bar, micro-pub - Drinking establishment I have ever visited. All for 2 very simple reasons firstly, the drinks, They have the finest and most interesting versions of everything you can imagine from incredible craft beers to mind blowing whiskeys. If you are looking for something special this is the place to go.

And secondly, perhaps surprisingly, the best thing about the Hop Inn is the staff. Alison, Phil, Andrew, Danny & Fraser are true experts, in every sense of the word. From remembering (most of,) the abundant and ever changing menu, Incredible warmth and friendliness, to their eagle eyed empty-glass detection.These guys know their stuff.

I've wanted to write a review for a long time about the hop, but at a time when they're about to re-openish, due to covid restrictions, there couldn't be a much better time. You just have to go there. Long Live the Hop Inn...