The Ship Inn

The Ship Inn
61 Bridge Street, Milford
908-995-0188

Hours: Sun–Thurs, noon-9 pm; Fri and Sat, noon-9:30 pm; bar stays open as long as there’s a crowd.

Price: $$

Style: Victorian building with big oak doors that open into a dimly lit, traditional English pub with tartan-patterned carpet and assorted nautical decor, including table tops that are rough-hewn hatch covers.

Don’t Miss: The freshly brewed ale ($5.62 for a 20-ounce glass). A traditional British-style, cask-conditioned pale ale, the Best Bitter is a medium-bodied brew with a floral hop aroma, light caramel flavor and texture, and smooth taste. Have a lighter palate? Try the Golden Wheat Light. Made with a blend of malted barley and wheat, this ale has a sweet smell, slightly fruity taste, and smooth texture. The Ship’s hot wings ($10.95) are the perfect bar staple. Served with raw veggies and blue cheese dip, an order amounts to a pound of crisp, meaty chicken wings, coated in the house’s special sauce with a medium-to-hot kick. Or try the galley burger ($10.95), a juicy, 8-ounce, grass-fed beef patty served on a brioche with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, and an ample amount of fresh-cut English chips. The dinner menu offers traditional English fare like shepherd’s pie ($13.95) made with sautéed grass-fed ground beef with diced onions in a seasoned beef gravy and topped with mashed potatoes and melted cheddar. The beer-battered and deep-fried Winstanley’s fish and chips (two pieces, $14.25) served with English-cut chips and “mushy peas” is another good choice. Add a salad, such as the small spinach salad ($4.95) dressed with creamy Dijon vinaigrette. The greens are tossed with grape tomatoes, red onions, sliced mushrooms, toasted pine nuts, and crumbled feta cheese.

Heads Up: The Inn doesn’t have its own parking lot. Turn onto the narrow road next to the building and you’ll end up on a back mountain road. A municipal lot off Bridge Street offers free two-hour spots.

The Scoop: On January 3, 1995, the Ship Inn became the first establishment in New Jersey to brew beer for consumption on its premises since the days of Prohibition. Lift your glasses in celebration at Happy Hour, held Monday through Friday, 4-6:30 pm and 9-11:30 pm, when house brews are half off (except for the Triple IPA).