Review: McLarens, Weybridge

The summer holidays are over!

I feel like I’ve just lived through a Mad Max movie. I’m driving across the wasteland and into the sunset – bruised, scarred and forever changed by the chaos of the past six weeks.

Earlier, in a bid to tire the kids out, I took them to Weybridge’s water playground: The Splash. While looking for somewhere to eat, I recalled a kind member recommending McLarens (thanks, Peter!), so we popped in for lunch.

McLarens is an independent family-owned bakery. It used to be more of a deli, but they have since pivoted, refurbed and started focusing more on sandwiches. Popular with locals, the place was abuzz on a Tuesday lunchtime, and the two chefs looked rushed off their feet.

There’s an extensive menu including simple sarnies, burgers and smoked barbecue meats on Saturdays. We opted for the ‘Hot Sandwich’ menu, and decided to share everything.

Backyard BBQ Pulled Pork (£8.50) Honey roast ham, pulled pork, pickle slaw, grilled cheese, lettuce and crispy onions.

This sandwich made me lose any sense of shame. I couldn’t eat it without making embarrassing noises. I had sauce smeared around my mouth like a toddler in a high chair.

The kitchen clearly care about the details. The pork is incredibly soft. The heavy melt of the cheese is a triumph, locking the bottom half of the sandwich together. You get the loud crunch of the toasted bread resting against the sharp bite of the pickle slaw.

Fantastic.

The New York Deli (£8.00) Peppered pastrami with gherkin, yellow mustard and grilled cheese.

A gooey, melting ooze with a flicker of mustard igniting the cheese. Pastrami can be a little dry at times, but this meat dissolves on contact.

I have eaten some divine versions of this classic in America, and this is right up there.

Crispy Buffalo Chicken (£6.95) Breaded chicken, Frank’s hot sauce, mayo, lettuce and tomato.

A zingy combination of moist chicken and mayo with freshness from the tomato and a kick from the hot sauce. The meat appears breaded and baked rather than deep-fried, which makes for a satisfying sandwich that avoids feeling heavy.

This one is not toasted – and that deliberate choice highlights the level of thought going into these sandwiches.

What’s The Damage?

For the quality on offer, McLarens is superb value. Finding a lunch this good, for this price, usually requires a time machine.

The Verdict

The fifteen minutes while my girls ate their sandwiches was the only period of peace I experienced that day. Just two children quietly demolishing what they declared to be the “best sandwiches ever”. I considered ordering another round just to keep them quiet in the car.

McLarens is doing something special. There is superb technique and a thoughtful combination of ingredients. Weybridge locals are incredibly lucky to have an operation like this on their doorstep. And haven’t they had enough luck already? They live in Weybridge. Life is not fair.

If you pop in next half-term, and you see a frazzled parent hiding in the corner, seeking emotional refuge in a pulled pork sarnie, come and say hello.

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