The Royal Peasant is More Than Pleasant
You are in a pub, sitting outside with a street view and a light breeze on your skin. There is a television in the corner playing a soccer game in Liverpool. Your eyes dart that way every once in a while, but you would have preferred the pub was playing a rugby match instead. It’s an overcast day with very little humidity and it feels like it might rain later in the day. That’s why you and your friend decided you would rather sit outside today, even though you initially sat yourselves down in the quaint, wooden interior of the pub. The menu is set up on a folding chalkboard in the center of the small outdoor seating area. On it are items like fish and chips, ploughmans, and bangers and mash. The only dessert item is English toffee, and appetizers include a basket of chips or a bag of crisps.
So? Where do you think you are? A traditional British pub, right? Maybe somewhere in Bath, or perhaps Edinburgh or Galway?
In fact, you are in Five Points in Athens, Georgia, on Lumpkin Street just between the Earth Fare and the bottle shop. On the building’s unassuming façade, a peeling and worn-down sign reads “The Royal Peasant.”
It doesn’t feel that way when you are sitting in The Royal Peasant, though. As someone who has dined in pubs in Bath, Edinburgh and Galway, I say that the Athens restaurant offers a truly authentic UK experience. If you focus on the pub and forget about your surroundings, the only thing that may tip you off to the fact that you’re in Georgia, rather than on the British Isles, is the Creature Comforts beer menu.
Dining at The Royal Peasant in fall means that even the weather resembles that of the UK. Add to that the ambiance of an English soccer game, the British terminology on the menus and even the sport scarves hung up inside the establishment, and it’s hard to remember that you haven’t just been transported out of your hometown. At this time of pandemic, when travel is practically nonexistent and hopping on a plane to the UK is not an option, the Royal Peasant offers the next best thing to Anglophiles wanting to experience a good meal.
The fish and chips were served on wrap paper with newspaper graphics printed on it, paying homage to the tradition of serving fish and chips wrapped in a real newspaper. The dish, itself, was excellent, with crisp breading and a moist, flaky fish. The chips, aka French fries, looked and tasted like the fries you could find at an In & Out Burger on the West coast, but the resemblance to the American restaurant did not do much to take away from the authenticity of the dish. I enjoyed the fish and chips so much that I was sad to have gotten too full to finish my plate.
Bangers and mash is another traditional British meal that The Royal Peasant serves. The bangers, aka sausages, were full of delicious spices and the potatoes tasted fresh and creamy. While I usually don’t prefer to eat either sausage or mashed potatoes, I tried both and would recommend the dish to any meat and potatoes fan. I, personally, am too much of a flexitarian to order the dish for myself, but it would be worth it for a regular meat eater.
The Royal Peasant’s menu offers a variety of UK inspired foods, including a special of hearty stew, but also other dishes like a simple grilled cheese and crisp, golden samosas. The drink menu includes Guinness, Creature Comforts and other beers on tap.
While the service is a little slow, the staff are friendly and will perk right up when you mention that you are dining at the restaurant for the first time. They are happy to show you the ropes of the place, point you to the menu and help you decipher the British terminology. The space itself is quaint and rather small, even with the addition of outdoor seating spilling out into the dirt driveway next to the building. Covid-19 precautions are in place, but even so it can sometimes feel like you are very close to other patrons. Anyone who is anxious about being around many other people might want to choose another restaurant for their lunch or dinner, because The Royal Peasant gets busy very quickly. But, if you aren’t so worried about the space, I would highly recommend the restaurant. For those who may never have traveled to the UK or who may be longing to go back during this time when that is impossible, the Royal Peasant offers an authentic UK dining experience, while still paying homage to their hometown of Athens.
Visit the Royal Peasant’s Website to Check Out Their Menu and Hours:
