The Railway, Calverley Review: Pub, pie and pint perfection

From fine dining to fish and chips - Leeds has it all covered when it comes to food but sometimes you just want proper pub grub.
By YEP Reviewer
Published 6th Mar 2022, 11:45 BST
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And on a wet and windy winter Wednesday in February, it would have to be something pretty appealing to tempt you out of an evening, but the suggestion of not cooking after getting in from having started a work commute again did the trick.

I am never quite sure whether The Railway is classed as Rodley, Calverley or Horsforth as it is nestled right between the three just a stonesthrow away from the Leeds and Liverpool canal.

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It has always been a popular pub with, in my experience, very good pub food but with a change of ownership at the start of the first national lockdown in 2020 and a whole raft of changing guidelines ever since, I did wonder whether it would be the same now.

The Railway pub at Calverley where the atmosphere of a traditional local has been retained.The Railway pub at Calverley where the atmosphere of a traditional local has been retained.
The Railway pub at Calverley where the atmosphere of a traditional local has been retained.

The menu has been trimmed down but this is not always a bad thing, no need to over complicate matters and on offer were fish and chips, chilli and rice (with a veggie option), Thai green chicken curry (also with a vegetarian alternative, scampi and chips and pie of the day or a few burger and stone-bakes pizza options.

In addition to the usual sides of chips or onion rings, you could also get halloumi fries or nachos and smaller versions of some of the mains.

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When our food came, it was a proper plateful - and more importantly proper pie pastry.

Pie of the day served at The Railway pub at Calverley.Pie of the day served at The Railway pub at Calverley.
Pie of the day served at The Railway pub at Calverley.
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There was nothing ready rolled here and it was a deep-filled home-made chicken pie (it changes regularly) served up with chips, gravy and mushy peas. I have seen smaller house bricks than the size of the slice of pie so we definitely didn't leave hungry.

Pastry was thick yet light and the filling was meaty and chunky with herb flavours and a jug of extra gravy served on the side.

We are not talking fine-dining, finesse and flair but who cares. It was delicious and old school pub food done really well.

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Related topics:LeedsHorsforthThaiLiverpool