The Potting Shed, Manorbier Garden Centre.

A flatlay of a traditional British Ploughman’s lunch served on a large, round plate. The meal features a variety of classic ingredients: thick slices of mature cheddar and Brie, accompanied by shredded ham and half a Scotch egg with a perfectly cooked egg center. To the left, a portion of pork pie adds a hearty element. The plate also includes a fresh, colorful salad with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, red onions, and bell peppers, drizzled with balsamic glaze. Creamy coleslaw is placed next to the salad, and there are pickled onions and beetroot to the right, enhancing the plate’s traditional appeal. The meal is set on a rustic wooden table, next to a napkin-wrapped fork, a cup of tea, and a teapot, evoking the ambiance of a cozy countryside café. A small condiment packet rests near the cup, completing the traditional British meal experience.

Ploughman’s Lunch at The Potting Shed, Manorbier Garden Centre reviewed

Location –
The Potting Shed, Manorbier Garden Centre

Station Rd,
Manorbier,
Tenby
SA70 7SN

Website – http://manorbiergardencentre.co.uk/

Date of Visit – 25/10/2023

The Food

OK. This was not listed as a ploughman’s, but if it’s not a ploughman’s in name, it was in spirit and substance. I don’t usually do an introduction, but I have to say, it was exceptional. Let me present:

The Potting Shed Platter.

10 – Pickled Onion and beetroot: The onions were good. Crispy, tasty, sharp—perhaps on the edge of too sharp, but not as they worked very well with the rest of the plate. The beetroot was a delight! Cooked to perfection, slightly sweet, with a hint of acidity.

10 – Pickle: Two pickles arrived. The ploughman’s fine chopped (possibly Branston) plus a chutney. The chutney was superb. Both in separate ramekins on another dish with the bread, because there was already so much happening on the plate!

A close-up view of a plate featuring two freshly baked bread rolls, halved and placed on a dark blue ceramic plate. The bread looks soft and fluffy on the inside with a lightly golden, crusty exterior. Accompanying the bread are two small white ramekins filled with condiments. The left ramekin contains a rich, dark chutney, likely a traditional ploughman’s pickle with visible chunks of vegetables. The right ramekin holds a vibrant, reddish chutney with a slightly glossy finish, suggesting a fruity or tomato-based flavor. A small packet of Welsh butter is placed behind the condiments, ready to be spread on the bread. The plate is positioned on a rustic wooden table, adding to the cozy, countryside feel of the meal. In the background, part of a larger plate featuring a fresh salad and slices of ham and cheese can be seen, hinting at a full traditional British Ploughman's lunch.
Lovely fresh bread and delicious pickles

10 – Cheese / Ham: Can I give this a 15? I wish I could!Cheese: Lovely creamy cheddar, suspected Welsh, and an equally delightful Brie at the peak of its powers before becoming too ripe.Ham: Proper home-cooked ham, so tender that it was impossible to carve perfectly. Thick slices, chunks, all sorts of shapes of the softest, tastiest ham ever.

10 – Bread: Fresh, home-baked taste, slightly warm. It reminded me of the bread rolls my Grandmother used to make.

5 – Spread Welsh butter, perfect temperature, fantastic taste. Spot on.

5 – Presentation: Beautifully presented. The bread and pickles, plus chutney on a separate plate, were genius.

5 – Salad, etc.: Fresh, tasty, nice dressing that delivered a little herbiness. Fresh-made coleslaw is executed very well.

5 – Originality: The additions of beetroot, Scotch egg, and pork pie, not as substitutes for superb ham, cheese, or pickles, were beyond the expected. The bread was knockout.

Food total: 60 – a full house.

A flatlay of a generously portioned Ploughman's lunch served on a round plate. The meal includes a variety of classic components: thick slices of creamy Brie and mature Cheddar cheese, a pile of tender, shredded ham, and half a Scotch egg with its golden yolk exposed. Alongside the proteins, there are pickled onions, sliced beetroot, and a fresh salad with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and bell peppers, drizzled with a balsamic glaze. The salad also includes a creamy homemade coleslaw. In the foreground, a piece of pork pie is visible, adding a hearty, savory element. The plate sits on a wooden table, next to a neatly wrapped set of utensils and a cup of tea with milk. A teapot and milk jug are placed nearby, enhancing the traditional British meal setting.
Potting Shed Manorbier Platter

Beverages

10 – Drinks: The tea was perfect. Their own blend is served in a teapot with china. Lots of other drinks, including some excellent milkshakes and hot chocolates.

Drinks Total: 10


The venue

10 – Service: Excellent service. Warm welcome and helpful staff, even accommodating a large group with a wheelchair. Food arrived promptly despite the group size.

10 – Atmosphere: Really nice, especially for a garden centre cafe. The dining area was spacious and pleasant, located in a capacious building with seasonal plants outside.

4 – Location: Beautiful Pembrokeshire countryside, though a bit hidden. Pleasant overall, just not picture-postcard perfect.

4 – Toilets: The toilets were good, but no fully accessible disabled toilet. However, baby-changing facilities were available.

Venue total: 28


Total Score: 98


Editors note: While this is now the top of the list for excellent ploughman’s lunch, the main reason for this project was to warn the unwary of the awful. To this day, I have not found another as truly awful as the one that inspired me to start reviewing these offerings.

Do you like a ploughman’s? Fancy doing a review? Drop me a line. It’s quite easy. You can pretty much work out the scoring regime from this review. Send me a few words and pictures, and you will be fully credited.

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