Northamptonshire Food and Drink Week 2026: Three Local Pubs Celebrating with a Special Menu

If there’s one thing I love about living in Northamptonshire, it’s the brilliant food and drink scene we have right on our doorstep. And for over a week each summer, that scene gets a proper moment in the spotlight. Northamptonshire Food and Drink Week is back for 2026, running from 29th May to 7th June, and this year three of our favourite local pubs are joining in to make it one to remember.

The Brampton Halt in Chapel Brampton, The Sun Inn in Hardingstone and The Red Lion at Brafield are all part of the McManus Pubs family, and all three are running the same special menu across the week — a menu that’s all about celebrating fantastic local produce and the very best of what our county has to offer. Each dish has been crafted using ingredients from named Northamptonshire suppliers, which I think is a really lovely touch.

Here’s what’s on offer, with every dish proudly featuring ingredients from local Northamptonshire suppliers:

Starters

Northampton Charcuterie with cornichons, green tomato and fennel chutney (Northamptonshire Cheese and Charcuterie Co)

Woodland Mushrooms on sourdough toast with Farrington’s chilli oil (Farrington’s Mellow Yellow)

Mains

Pork Shoulder Sausages, potato puree, local greens, caramelised onion, thyme and cider gravy (Old School Sausage Company, Saxby’s Cider)

Slow and Low BBQ Beef Brisket, loaded potato skins and summer slaw (CR Potter and Sons Butchers)

To Finish

Biscoff Ice Cream Sundae (Gallone’s)

Cordwainer Blue Cheese with Northampton Chutney (Northamptonshire Cheese and Charcuterie Co)

The specials menu runs from 29th May until 7th June, so there’s a good window to get yourself booked in.

Each pub has its own charm and setting worth knowing about. The Brampton Halt is an idyllic country pub in the quaint village of Chapel Brampton, with stunning views over the lake and beautiful Northamptonshire countryside. The Sun Inn at Hardingstone is a traditional pub at the heart of Hardingstone village, with indoor seating, a patio garden and an outdoor children’s play area — great if you’re heading out with little ones. And The Red Lion at Brafield is a traditional country pub with both intimacy and charm, set in the pretty village of Brafield-on-the-Green on the Bedford Road just outside Northampton.

To book a table at your nearest venue, head to the links below:

• The Brampton Halt — Book here
• The Sun Inn, Hardingstone — Book here
• The Red Lion at Brafield — Book here

Northamptonshire Food and Drink Week is now in its third year and has quickly become one of the highlights of the county’s calendar. Organised by Made in Northamptonshire and the Northamptonshire Tourism Business Network, it brings together restaurants, pubs, cafes, producers and hospitality venues from across the county for ten days of flavour, creativity and community spirit. There’s plenty more going on beyond these special menus too — including the Delapre Food Festival on 6th and 7th June at Delapre Abbey, which is well worth a look if you fancy a full family day out.

If you’re looking for more things to do with the family across Northamptonshire this summer, make sure you’re signed up to my weekly what’s on newsletter so you never miss a local event or activity. And if you’re ever stuck for ideas on a wet afternoon, grab a copy of my free rainy day ideas pack while you’re here.

The events listed in this guide are run by third-party organisers, and all details were correct at the time of publication, based on information from their official websites. However, changes or cancellations can happen at short notice. To avoid any disappointment, we recommend double-checking the event information on the official websites before making plans.