White Horse lunch

We hear a lot of hospitality failing, pubs failing,  constant whining, calls for government bailouts.

White House lunchtime early afternoon, busy, and not punters downing a pint, eating.

The last time I visited , it was busy.

I questioned this. Always busy, I was told.

No wide screen TV, no drunks, no pub bores hogging the bar. Excellent selection of craft beer, excellent service , excellent food. Cocktails expertly crafted using quality spirits. Not screwed by a pubco.  Local art on the walls. And very unusual for either a bar or restaurant, locally roasted specialty coffee.

Reputation is not happenchance. An owner who cares, staff who care, are passionate about what they do.

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Lunch, an excellent burger with salad. Fresh made to order.

Craft beer, very tropical. I think I had on my last visit.

Diagonally opposite, The Cheese Society, once upon a time excellent cheese lunches, always busy. Not any more, no cheese lunches, takeaway coffee and sandwiches, gimmicky baked goods. No surprise, deserted.

Lincoln is a food swamp, crap corporate chain eateries, disgusting junk food takeaways and binge drinking bars.  The White Horse, a rare exception.

The White Horse is located at the top of the High Street ,  turn left. It used to be located in a little foodie cluster, Slow Rise was the top pizza spot, knocked off by Liberty Slice, The Cheese Society no longer cheese lunches, The Mindful Mug organic specialty coffee closed due to poor state of repair.

White Horse burger salad and craft beer

Not been in the White Horse for a while. Usually quiet late lunchtime early in the week. To my suprise packed, more like a Saturday than a week day.

craft beer White Horse #craftbeer #cocktails #pub #restaurant #Lincoln

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-30T17:11:58.492Z

AI? White Horse #craftbeer #cocktails #pub #restaurant #Lincoln

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-30T17:18:17.304Z

craft beer White Horse #craftbeer #cocktails #pub #restaurant #Lincoln

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-30T17:21:12.888Z

burger and salad White Horse #craftbeer #cocktails #pub #restaurant #Lincoln

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-30T17:44:16.734Z

I noticed The Cheese Society was open  Never used to be open Monday and Tuesday. But less said about The Cheese Society the better. Used to serve excellent cheese lunches, closed, renovation, now sandwiches and takeaway coffee and gimmicky baked goods.

Staff in White Horse equally surprised how busy. Maybe because many places closed over Christmas and New Year.

Hospitality is failing. Constant whining, pleading for government bailouts. Contrast White Horse with the High Street on Saturday. Usually packed with gangs of marauding drunks. Not busy. A price war has broken out. Half price drinks.

On the other hand, White Horse, just off the High Street, lunch time, early in the week, heaving.

Hospitality where they care, is not whining.

I looked in The Cheese Society. As I thought, not  usually open Monday and Tuesday. I wished them a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Told them I missed their lunches (as do many others).

Then to Coffee Aroma for a coffee. Though worth noting, the White Horse serves speciality  coffee. Quality matters. 

• PHOTOS White Horse

cappuccino Coffee Aroma #coffee #coffeeshop #Lincoln

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-30T17:28:08.578Z

White Horse lunch

Late lunch at the White Horse.

Burger and chips and Brew York Coney Hazy Session IPA. Excellent.

Brew York Coney Hazy Session IPA White Horse #craftbeer #pub pic.twitter.com/Cu7Hd7rKuv

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) April 18, 2025

Brew York Coney Hazy Session IPA White Horse #craftbeer #pub pic.twitter.com/4TtC0eqzGk

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) April 18, 2025

burger and chips White Horse #lunch #craftbeer #pub #Lincoln pic.twitter.com/C5vA8LOYsX

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) April 18, 2025

White Horse burger and salad

Early Saturday afternoon, lunch at White Horse, burger and salad, washed down with a half of craft beer, followed by another half of Salt Huck a Back NEIPA.

burger and salad White Horse #burger #Lincoln

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-01-04T23:40:10.088Z

Salt Huck a Back NEIPA White Horse #craftbeer #Lincoln

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-01-04T23:48:27.857Z

craft beer White Horse #craftbeer #Lincoln

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-01-04T23:52:02.721Z

I timed it right. A couple of empty tables. It then began to empty, when I finished my second drink, once again busy.

I was too late to find anything open in Bailgate, but decided to walk uphill anyway.

A pleasant walk in the dark. Few people about.

Luckily, Bailgate Deli I caught as they were closing, picked up two almond croissants.

Walking back down, binge drinking bars were empty. Unusual for a Saturday. No gangs of drunken scum roaming the streets.

Cappuccino at Coffee Aroma.

I then wandered around to Lincoln Jazz Cafe and had an espresso martini.

White Horse burger and salad

I was lucky, Thursday afternoon last week, I caught the White Horse before the kitchen closed.

A cold dull damp day. Candles lit by mid afternoon.

https://twitter.com/keithpp/status/1853208749999038580?t=msxF_oem12bEk0IlsWnSGA&s=19

https://twitter.com/keithpp/status/1853209297473183908?t=Rx26chvXUNup24e6k_Q_kw&s=19

A meal deal, burger and a drink for £15.  Always good food, always excellent beer.

Each time I visit, excellent craft beer. Always different.

Then a walk down to Coffee Aroma for a coffee. Though first, a slight etour to Forage and Fill.

https://twitter.com/keithpp/status/1853216284386713955?t=kM9IOhDxBS5VGY0rifyW6g&s=19

White Horse roast Sunday lunch

It’s very rare I find myself in Lincoln on a Sunday due to the poor Sunday bus service.

I therefore decided to make the most of the opportunity and try Sunday dinner at the White Horse

Roast collar of pork with mashed potatoes and roast potatoes, carrot and sprouting broccoli. Plus a little side dish with cauliflower cheese. Excellent gravy, already on the plate not a gravy boat. My only gripe to an otherwise excellent meal, the roast potatoes could have been better. To be fair, criticism taken on board an an offer to bring a second helping. I probably should have taken it up.

For a comparison, better than Sunday roast dinner at Petwood Hotel (where mid week steak and vegetablesare excellent).

The craft beer I had mid week no longer available. The new addition, another excellent craft beer.

I should have at that point called it quits. I decided to try what I can only describe as a weird cocktail on the menu. I was pleasantly surprised

Flipping through the menu, I was surprised how extensive.

White Horse has built on the reputation of Kine, and their reputation well deserved.

I would also add, and not as an afterthought, very helpful and pleasant staff.

This is the difference between an independent business that cares about reputation and a chain whose only interest is what wealth can they extract out of a local economy.

breakfast

Glass of kefir

Muesli strawberries wild organic blackberries Greek yogurt.

tea

Soup

Moroccan spicy vegetables stuffed brioche bun

Coconut tart.

Carajillo

A two ingredient Mexican cocktail, Licor 43 topped with a layer of fresh brewed espresso.

Looks pleasant, but does not taste good, the drink will mix. Stir. The result is a murky brown, lukewarm cocktail, that neither looks good nor tastes good.

carajillo

– 30ml Licor 43
– 20ml Borghetti coffee liqueur
– two shots of espresso
– 3 dashes of cacao bitters

Shake with ice, add three dashes of cacao bitters into chilled glass, strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with grated cacao.

Credit Ben @ White Horse. pic.twitter.com/uHjIxMh1J9

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) January 21, 2024

What can we do to improve the Carajillo? Turn it into something more like an espresso martini.

– 30ml Licor 43
– 20ml Borghetti coffee liqueur
– two shots of fresh espresso
– 3 dashes of cacao bitters

Shake with ice, add three dashes of cacao bitters  into chilled glass, strain into a chilled  martini glass. Garnish with grated cacao.

Credit Ben @ White Horse.

Always use fresh brewed espresso.

Licor 43 and glass chilled (ideally in a freezer).

Improved if omit the grated raw cacao. Already have cacao bitters which give a chocolate note.

The Italian liqueur is less sweet than Kalua. Already have the sweetness from the Licor 43.

Can substitute Mr Black Amora for the coffee liqueur.

Thanks to Ben for the explanation.

#cocktails #Licor43 #espresso #carajillo

White Horse burger and salad

Kine is no more, hello White Horse.

Kine has sadly closed, to be replaced by the White Horse. Once upon a time a rough pub, where sawdust on the floor would have been an improvement. Closed down, sat derelict for years, months of renovation, now reverted to it’s original name the White Horse and opened as a restaurant.

I looked in a couple of weekends ago, but packed, I walked back out. Today, not too busy, I decided to stay and eat.

The original Kine staff retained which is good as they provided excellent service. Two new staff, who appeared lost. The kitchen I don’t know, as before an open kitchen (if sat at the bar), now hidden away upstairs.

White Horse #restaurant #Lincoln pic.twitter.com/5kJc9eqJ7n

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) December 9, 2023

Several rooms lead off from the main room served by the bar. A little Snug, a very smart gents toilet, an Orangery, and a little outside garden. Stairs lead upstairs to the female toilets, whether more seating I do not know as I did not explore.

wheat beer White Horse #restaurant #Lincoln pic.twitter.com/MxZDWklXlI

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) December 9, 2023

burger and salad White Horse #restaurant #Lincoln pic.twitter.com/5cHxgf8OeJ

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) December 9, 2023

My burger and salad was good, though not as excellent as Kine. I think though I was at fault, when asked how I wanted, I asked medium tending to well done. A big mistake on my part. I always asked for medium rare at Kine. Why I made this stupid mistake I do not know. At least explains why my burger was a little on the dry side.

I chose a wheat beer (I did not note the name) which was excellent. Interesting fruity citrus notes. I was tempted to order another, but thought better of it.

It was not too busy when I walked in, late lunchtime, else I would not have have stayed, but what surprised me, it slowly filled up.

The downside, if there is a downside, not as cosy as Kine and feels like a pub.

I would have liked to have seen Kine turned into a specialty coffee shop, top class coffee, equipment, skilled barista, guest coffee. Nottingham has upped its coffee game, Lincoln needs to do the same. At night, a cocktail bar.

Kine could have operated in parallel, when one full, refer to the other.

But as always, staffing is an issue.

On leaving the White Horse I walked uphill and past Cask Kitchen. It was empty.

Jason and his team, especially Ben and the young lady behind the bar, have done an excellent job, of which they can be justifiable proud of themselves.

A little cluster of foodie places, just off the top of the High Street. Slow Rise, The Cheese Society and now the White Horse.