A huge congratulations to my former coworkers for opening up their own restaurant!

Chef George Dingle (you can read an excerpt I wrote on him years ago for his visa) and his wife Anissa, worked at Monsieur Benjamin for many years until our closing in summer 2024 (which I’m still not over). I had the pleasure of dining at Dingles Public House, an ode to British pub food, during their preview weeks, and then again last month for our company holiday party.

Tucked inside the Inn at the Opera in San Francisco, they did a wonderful job capturing the cozy charm of a British gastropub. Think a warm fireplace, leather booths, and an inviting lived in feel that makes you want to linger over another pint. Somehow, I completely forgot to take photos of both the exterior and interior on both visits so these are a few images I found online.

During our preview week visit, we ordered almost everything on the menu since we were a party of four.

We ordered all the items under the snacks & starters section though I didn’t photograph everything (I somehow missed the oysters on the half shell and the radicchio and gem lettuce salad). While we don’t typically eat raw oysters, these were deliciously fresh and crisp. The radicchio and gem lettuce salad was bright and refreshing, a much needed palate cleanser between all the richer snacks.

We ordered two sausage rolls and honestly each person could have eaten their own. The buttery pastry encased a plump well seasoned sausage and paired perfectly with the pungent brown sauce. These were also served at our holiday party and I definitely ate a few too many that night!

A beautifully executed Scotch egg: the hard boiled egg still had a jammy yolk while the exterior was crisp and golden. The English mustard mayo was the perfect sharp yet creamy accompaniment to this classic pub staple.

The final snack we tried was welsh rarebit which I had heard of but never actually eaten. Essentially a rich melted cheese sauce, often flavored with mustard, ale, and Worcestershire, served over toasted crusty bread. Comfort food at its finest. Who wouldn’t love this?

For the mains, we ordered everything except one dish and it was more than enough food.

I love fish and chips and these did not disappoint. The cod was moist and flaky inside with a perfectly crisp batter and I especially loved the curry sauce on the side.

Another standout was the beef and Guinness pie with its flaky crust and deeply rich filling. The pie was hearty and unctuous and the mashed potatoes were velvety smooth, exactly what you want with a dish like this.

I had never had chicken Kyiv before but once you cut into the roulade, the garlic parsley butter oozes out in the most satisfying way. The chicken was juicy, flavorful, and was paired with a classic Caesar salad which I’ll always love.

The final savory dish was their “Sunday Roast,” complete with an impressive spread of sides. The Yorkshire pudding was a highlight and the horseradish cream was downright addictive.

An epic spread to say the least.

Once again, I somehow forgot to take photos of the desserts. I was able to find an image online of their sticky toffee pudding.

This is a perfect dessert and I might be biased since sticky toffee pudding is one of my all time favorite desserts. The sticky date cake, the rich stout caramel, and the luscious brown butter ice cream all came together beautifully. I could go on and on about this one.

We also tried the raspberry sorbet with cucumber granita and chili lime salt which completely surprised me. It was bright, refreshing, and exactly what we needed after such a rich and hearty meal.

I had an incredible time eating my way through Dingle’s Public House and every dish truly hit the spot. It’s a thoughtful and much needed addition to San Francisco’s dining scene especially since British food is so rarely represented here. More than that, it’s special to see former coworkers bring something personal and well executed to life. You can feel the care, warmth, and intention behind every detail and I couldn’t be happier for them as they embark on this next chapter!