Jeremy Clarkson's 'proper English pub' menu sparks debate about what's missing

Jeremy Clarkson is set to open his pub The Farmer's Dog this weekend and has unveiled the food menu for those keen to pay it a visit.

But while some fans called the simple menu "proper English pub food", others complained about missing food choices - including fish, vegan and gluten-free dishes.

Clarkson bought the pub in Burford village, Oxfordshire for less than one million and had already shared that he was aiming only to offer British produce, ruling out avocados and Coca-Cola.

The Farmer's Dog will feature in season four of Clarkson's Farm, currently filming but if you're hoping to pay it a visit before the documentary airs, here's what you can expect.

Read more: What we know about Jeremy Clarkson’s pub opening over Bank Holiday weekend

What's on the menu at Jeremy Clarkson's pub?

Clarkson's new venture has had a very speedy turn around and now the TV presenter has proudly introduced the menu he has been working on for The Farmer's Dog's launch.

He posted on Instagram: "The menu is starting to come together ready for the weekend …" along with a photo of the pub's menu.

On weekdays, bar snacks include sausage rolls and pickled eggs or soup and a roll, while options with toast are chicken liver pate, pressed ham or garlic mushrooms and a poached egg.

Main meals offered are sausage and mash, gammon steak with bubble and squeak, Lancashire hotpot, steak pie and mash, or vegetable and cheddar crumble.

Desserts are apple crumble, cheesecake or strawberry meringue, while on weekends the pub will go carvery only.

Clarkson also shared a photo of a food truck called The Farmer's Puppy which will deal with the expected high demand by setting up in the pub's garden and serving "delicious British farmed burgers and lamb sandwiches".

How did people react to Jeremy Clarkson's pub menu?

People were quick to pick up on the food options that Clarkson did not seem to have included, although the menu may not be the final version available.

One follower commented: "No vegan or fish or gf," as someone else wrote: "Pls try to offer a gf option."

Many of the complaints were about the lack of fish and gluten-free options, but one person wrote: "Totally get why no fish on there, local produce only and pub is no where near the sea."

Others asked why there were no Scotch eggs, steaks or sticky toffee pudding, but many praised Clarkson for his choices.

A fan commented: "Proper English pub food. No fancy plates where nobody knows what’s in it. Brilliant. Best of luck with it - I’m sure it’ll be a success."

However, someone else repeated the same complaint levelled at Diddly Squat's farm shop, predicting: "Burford is chaos on a bank holiday weekend this will completely gridlock the place."

Many also asked what the prices would be as one person commented: "Looks great but the absence of prices makes me twitchy," and someone else added: "You know it's expensive when they don't include the prices."

Jeremy Clarkson aims for British produce only menu

Clarkson has spoken many times about his aim to include only British produce on the pub's menu, although he admitted he had made one exception.

He said: "I have tried my absolute hardest to make sure that every single thing you consume in The Farmer’s Dog was grown or reared by British farmers. And I have failed. Yes, the pork, the beef, the lamb and the venison are all British. And so is pretty much everything else. The milk, the butter, the eggs, the vegetables and the fruit. We even cook in British oils. But there have been some problems like, for instance, the simple G&T.

"You can’t have a pub that doesn’t offer a gin and tonic. But there is quinine in tonic water, and you can’t grow that in Britain. Sure, I could have served gin and water instead, but I didn’t think you’d enjoy it very much. Especially as, instead of a slice of lemon, you’d have been given a slice of turnip, or some potato peelings."

Clarkson has ruled out other menu items, saying: "You can, however, run a pub that doesn’t serve avocado or Coca-Cola, so we don’t." Instead, he's going to be offering fizzy drinks made with British grown fruit. There will be British grown tea, wine and Hawkstone beer, too.

He concluded: "We’re delighted to be doing all we possibly can to support British farming and we’re delighted that you’re here to help us. Thank you."

Earlier this month, he asked on X: "We are attempting to go all British for the food at my pub. But we are struggling to find black pepper grown here. Can anyone help?"

He later added they had found some, writing: "Cornwall is providing our tea and now our black pepper. Go Cornwall."

Clarkson has spoken many times before about his dislike of avocadoes, saying he would ban them being imported if he could and claiming that they are damaging to the environment because of the air miles of bringing them to the UK.

What can The Farmer's Dog customers expect from Jeremy Clarkson's pub?

When Clarkson first bought the pub premises, he set out his vision in his Sunday Times column writing: "I also wanted a room I could turn into a clubhouse, which, on wet weekdays, would provide a mental health forum and a free pint for the nation’s farmers. I wanted dogs and families round the fire. And a restaurant where absolutely everything had been grown or reared in Britain. Even the salt, pepper and wine. I had even decided there’d be no coffee or Coca-Cola."

The TV star added: "A place where I can go on a Sunday with my granddaughter for some gammon, egg and chips. Well-priced, British-grown food with a pint of Hawkstone beer. And a warm fuzzy feeling inside."

However, West Oxfordshire District Council councillor Liam Walker has put something of a dampener on the opening of his new local, telling Yahoo UK: "Bank holiday weekend, couldn’t have picked the worst weekend to do it if I'm completely honest, but you know that's Jeremy, isn't it?"