"Two Sundays ago our youngest granddaughter invited us to eat pizza with her on her birthday at the Jolly Gardener. This smartly presented pub stands proud and tall on the corner in Moneyrow Green, Holyport, On entering, the first impression is of how high and spacious it is inside. There 's also a glowing, real fire and a long, polished bar with stools, where discerning regulars sit over their beer and chat. I 'm told that the beer is always well kept here. The shabby chic furniture matches the pub and the ambiance is warm and welcoming for clients across the age range. Whether you 're seeking a 3 course meal, a snack or simply a drink and a chat, you 'll find it here. The menu is not large but this inn knows its three generational clientele so the range caters for everyone from the smallest burger eater to the most mature lover of proper puddings! There are cosmopolitan dishes as well as traditional English roasts. We began the meal with a spicy Mexican touch a sharing plate of nachos covered in a cheese sauce with salsa. This was followed, for four of us, by pizzas, which are very special because the Jolly Gardener has its own pizza oven and offers 5 different types which you can vary by adding or subtracting eg chilli flakes, garlic etc. The delicious pizza base is the thinnest and crispest I 've ever tasted. We shared a superbly dressed side salad between the four of us. The pizzas were too large to finish, so they were packed up for us to take away and eaten with great pleasure next day by the senior members of the party!From the other choices on the menu, one of our party had roast beef and Yorkshire pud, and one chose roast pork again Yorkshire pud , with lashings of crispy crackling. The fresh veg served with the roasts looked lovely and al dente. To follow, we even managed scrumptious puddings. The wines a crisp prosecco and a smooth and warming House red Merlot were excellent and well priced. Jolly staff served the meal with care, attention to detail and lovely smiles! The birthday cake provided by the parents no pub surcharge for serving! entered, and the 9 candles were promptly blown out. Then, happy and replete, the table was cleared and we stayed there and en famille played The Game of Life , a blend of Monopoly and Snakes and Ladders computer game for an hour, in which no one hurried us away. The Jolly Gardener is, as its name suggests, jolly and welcoming in atmosphere; offering a thoroughly modern menu at very reasonable prices. Its young management team has built up a strong family clientele, making it a real asset to the village community. Our visit to the Jolly Gardener was really enjoyable and we 'll be back. If you 're looking for a new place to eat out that combines the best qualities of a traditional pub with the stimulus of a new approach, we do recommend that you try the splendid Jolly Gardener."
