It’s pizza perfection at new-look Milestone
PIZZA IS LIFE is one of the positive slogans painted on a wall-mounted pizza paddle at The Milestone pub in Hinckley, which has reopened following a major refurbishment by Marston’s.
Ten new full and part-time staff have joined the team at the transformed Stoke Road eatery which boasts a new grill and pizza menu alongside more traditional pub fare.
Its freshly painted woodwork, eclectic furniture and designer lighting create a relaxed but buzzing atmosphere.
Upstairs is a quiet dining room beneath chunky timbers and metal stanchions but the focal point of the main restaurant is an open-to-view pizza kitchen surrounded by more relaxed seating and eating areas including soft banquettes around refectory size tables for larger groups.
The made-from-scratch pizzas range from classic mozzarella and tomato (Lovely Rita) plus other vegetarian and vegan options, to the meat-heavy (Butcher’s Block) and even an over-thetop Asian version complete with a piece of poppadom (A Pizza India).
For diners with food intolerances, toppings can be chosen individually and pizzas can be whole, half-andhalf, reduced-size for fewer calories, or folded over to form calzones - a kind of pizza version of a pasty.
Non meat-eaters are also catered for at the grill with halloumi cheese, houmous and mushrooms featuring alongside heavyweight steaks, barbecue ribs and buttermilk chicken. Manager Fay Hunt, who has run The Milestone with husband Ken for the past 13 years is delighted with the transformation which also includes a refreshed bar offering cask ales, wines and spirits, coffees and tea and even bubbly on-tap.
She said: “We’re really excited to show our new pub off to customers old and new.
“The pizza kitchen really adds a unique dining experience to the pub and alongside our new menu.”
The pub was built by Marston’s who bought what was then disused piece of scrubland in June 1997.
Its period-style and reclaimed materials, along with its traditional architecture, suggest an older building but the reason for its distinctive windmill feature remains a mystery: My theory is that an architect misread Milestone for Millstone and designed it accordingly.
Mock mill aside, The Milestone revamped is worth re-visiting - and with all pizzas, grills and main meals offered on a two-for-one basis - with the cheaper option of any two-dish order served for free - it need not break the bank.
A basic pizza starts at £11.95, burgers from £10.50 and steaks from £15.75.