I've been wanting to try Rose & Crown since I moved to Newhall a year ago and once I learned they have London Pride on tap. (An English bitter I had quite a lot on a trip to England a number of years ago so it has some muscle memory on my tongue.)
I finally got to go! The London Pride was just as I remembered it (though pesky US health codes require it to be a bit colder than it's served in the UK.) The atmosphere inside is nice and "British" with the bar being the main gathering spot with a decent amount of seating in the dining areas. One of the reasons it took me so long to come here is they close early for a pub. It's really more of a restaurant in this respect so don't plan on coming here as part of a late night pub-crawl. If you can get over that, show up for dinner or an early drink and your golden.
I came for dinner, so in addition to the London Pride (and there are plenty of other beers on tap to choose from) I got the one vegetarian item on the menu which was the Cheese and Onion Pasty. I got it as a meal meaning it was served with peas (not mushy) and a side of my choice (fries chosen over mashed potatoes and salad.) It was good, indulgent, lots of cheese in a pastry crust...this and the peas and fries satisfied me.
I do wish they had other vegetarian options. Maybe a vegetarian version of a shepherd's pie made with Impossible or Beyond Meat, or anything really...much of my experience dining in England was informed by how vegetarian friendly they are. Lots of choices at pubs and restaurants, usually helpful labeled so they were easy to spot in menus. Newhall, or the Santa Clarita Valley as a whole may not be a mecca for vegetarians, but I live around the corner so, well, I'm here. I also couldn't really get away with taking my gluten-free wife here as there was nothing on the menu for her.
All that having been said, I really enjoyed the experience of being there and would happily go back for another pint of bitter.
