Last Updated on July 27, 2025
Could this be the perfect fusion pub? A classic 18th-century pub with tapas and more in Surrey
4.8 out of 5.0 starsTucked away in the leafy village of Claygate, Surrey, The Swan Inn offers a unique blend of rustic British charm and vibrant Spanish flair. Under the direction of Spanish chef José Pizarro, this lovingly restored 18th-century pub has been transformed into a culinary destination where traditional pub warmth meets the vibrant flavours of Spain. With a menu that celebrates both tapas-style sharing and hearty classics, and a welcoming drinks list with cocktails, beers and wine, it’s the kind of place where you’ll pop in for a quick bite to eat and end up staying for hours. There are even rooms if you want to spend the night.
The Swan Inn invites guests to linger, whether for a relaxed afternoon by the fire in winter, a sunlit garden lunch, or a weekend countryside retreat with a gastronomic twist. For us, already admirers of José Pizarro, it was a chance to spend a relaxed evening in the pub garden feasting on tapas.
The menu comprises tapas, BBQ tapas and ‘big dishes’ (two types of paella, perfect for sharing, or fish and chips made with Estrella Damm batter). We selected our favourites and a couple of recommendations from the two tapas menus while enjoying pre-dinner drinks. A non-alcoholic Pentire coastal spritz (one of my favourites) made with tonic and orange and a glass of José Pizarro’s own label cava, a super dry José Pizarro Brut Nature ‘Gran Reserva’, Cataluña.
Padrón peppers and Iberico ham croquetas were the first to arrive. Nicely plump and lightly dressed with flakes of sea salt, the peppers were an excellent way to start our meal. Croquetas, too, were on point, with the silkiest of filling laced generously with well-flavoured morsels of Iberico ham, all coated in a deliciously crispy crumb shell.
By now, my companion had moved on to a Spanish wine that she was thrilled to find on the menu. El Ilusionista, Verdejo, Rueda, España. Wines from Rueda are not as well known in the UK as Cava or Rioja, but she’d just been to a wine pairing lunch and learnt all about this crisp, dry white wine made from the Verdejo grape.
Meanwhile, I was happily sipping on another Pentire Coastal cocktail – this time a non-alcoholic spicy margarita. For anyone trying to avoid alcohol, I can heartily recommend Pentire Adrift and Coastal – complex, fresh and light non-alcoholic options that make a range of excellent drinks (I enjoy the Coastal at home with ice, tonic and a sprig of rosemary when I’m trying to save my liver).
More food arrived in the form of a plate of beautiful, plump, grilled wild white prawns accompanied by a watercress, samphire, and radish salad, along with a lemon dressing. This is the kind of food I could graze on all day – cooked on the Big Green Egg grill behind us, each prawn a mouthful of deliciousness.
Also from the BBQ was ‘Chistorra a la parilla’ – grilled chistorra sausage served with chargrilled plump spring onions, morsels of pickled rhubarb and toasted walnuts. Chistorra originates from the Basque region of Spain and is a long, thin, fresh sausage made from minced pork or beef, seasoned with garlic, salt, and paprika. It needs to be cooked before eating and was perfect grilled on the Big Green Egg and served with tender, delicately flavoured spring onions, slightly bitter toasted walnuts and sweet pickled rhubarb.
My companion has an intolerance to tomatoes, so our patatas bravas were served with the brava sauce and allioli on the side. Needless to say, even triple-cooked fried potatoes don’t look that interesting, and I decided to try plating up a portion. I’m not sure I’d get a job in the kitchen at The Swan Inn, but I can promise that the beautifully crisp potatoes contrasted perfectly with the sweet paprika-laced brava sauce and the creamy allioli laced with garlic and chives.
We rounded off the savoury part of the meal at The Swan Inn with a palate-cleansing green salad with radish, fennel and chives.
Dessert for me was a luscious chocolate mousse with clementines, honeycomb and spiced icing sugar.
My companion opted for the fabulous Crema Catalana with home baked shortbread. With a fine, crisp caramel top hiding a sweet, silky custard below, this spanish answer to Creme Brulee was a winner.
Finally we both enjoyed an excellent coffee before heading back to the station. The Swan Inn is in between Claygate and Esher, a short hop from Guildford and just half an hour from central London by train. It really does have the ambience of a country pub and there’s plenty of parking if you want to travel by car.
We loved the food and found the team at The Swan Inn truly friendly and charming, even when we insisted on taking photos! Both of us agreed it’s somewhere we’ll go back and visit again – and both of us loved the Spanish twist on the traditional British pub.
The Swan Inn
2 Hare Lane,
Claygate,
Esher,
Surrey
KT10 9BS
Looking for more Surrey pubs? We can also recommend The William IV in Albury, Surrey Hills.
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