Try battered sprouts, fried turkey curry or vegan beetroot Wellington this Christmas

Battered sprouts, fried turkey Katsu curry and vegan beetroot Wellington are all available at pubs in Suffolk this Christmas.

If you are looking for alternatives to a traditional festive roast, Hungry Horse, which is owned by Bury St Edmunds-based Greene King, has revealed a Christmas Specials menu with a range of unusual ideas.

They include a festive turkey burger, fried turkey Katsu curry, Christmas mac and cheese and a seasonal twist on Hungry Horse’s ‘Mix It Up’ Big Plate Special. The specials are available at all open Hungry Horse pubs nationwide until January 1, including the Thrasher in Ipswich, Greengage in Bury St Edmunds and Crown in Claydon.

Sides include battered sprouts and pigs in blankets, plus Christmas pudding sundae for dessert - warm Christmas pudding layered with chocolate and vanilla flavour ice creams, drizzled with toffee sauce and topped with whipped cream. A main meal off the Christmas menu starts at £5.99, but prices vary.

Rob Calderbank, business unit director at Hungry Horse, said: “We’re really excited to launch our Christmas menu with some of the most creative Christmas dishes available.

“We know our customers are feeling the pinch a little more at the moment and after the year we’ve all had truly deserve something to make them smile. As well as being a creative take on Christmas dinner, and tasting incredible of course, our Christmas specials offer families a well-earned meal out without breaking the bank, helping your funds stretch a little further over the festive season.” 

Chef & Brewer, which runs the Red Lion at Martlesham, is also offering some unusual dishes as part of its three-course Christmas menu including festive burgers and nut roasts and a vegan beetroot Wellington - beetroot & butternut squash with cranberry sauce in puff pastry. 

Other goodies include beef bourgignon and a tomato and basil-crusted cod loin, Bloody Mary King Prawn Cocktail as a starter option and gingerbread cheesecake and festive berry choux bun among choices on the pudding menu. Traditional roasts and Christmas pudding are also available as part of the menu.