Hog Penny Restaurant & Pub - Bermuda

The Hog Penny on Burnaby Hill in Hamilton is my personal favorite place to eat when in Bermuda. If you happen to claim English nationality, you’ll know exactly what I mean when I say this is what the pubs used to be like "back in the day" in England. Unfortunately these days, you’ll need to travel the length and breadth of England to find anything that even comes close to the once prevalent English pub. And, if you are English, and can remember the old-style pubs, you’ll also understand the feeling of déja vu I had when I walked into the Hog Penny a few weeks ago. It was like stepping back it time, in another place, on a different continent, so authentic was the atmosphere.

The name of the pub is taken from the old Bermudan Hog Money, which was “the earliest British Colonial currency, and, as written by Governor Nathaniel Butler in his 1620 account The Historye of the Bermudaes or Summer Islands, was given its name because of it “having a hog stamped upon it on one side (in memory it should seem of the great number of wild swine found upon the Islands at their first discovery in 1609 by the shipwrecked crew of the Sea Venture), and was, in a scoff, termed by the people hogge money.” The coinage included the Shilling, Sixpence, Thrupence, and Two pence, and were all of similar design bearing on the obverse side the inscription “Sommer Ilands”, a wild boar on a bed of corn cobs, and the coin’s denomination. On the reverse was a three masted ship under full sail.” Today, hog money is found only in museums, and rarely even then. The pub that carries its name, however, is quite a different story.

Established in 1957, the Hog Penny Restaurant and Pub was cobbled together from old Watney’s pubs in England that were being withdrawn, and many of the mirrors and benches you see in front of (and underneath!) you date back to the early 1900’s. Interestingly enough, the Hog Penny is the actual original inspiration for the “Cheers” Pub in Boston.

The Food is a mixture of typically Bermuda and English "pub grub" and includes, to name just a few of my favorites: Dark & Stormy Rock Fish: Pan fried rockfish with Gosling’s Black Seal rum and ginger beer sauce, served with basmati rice and sautéed vegetables – $26; seafood Mixed Grill: three types of market seafood with a lemon-caper-parsley butter, basmati rice and daily vegetables - $23; Roast Rack of Lamb: rubbed in an island spice mix of allspice, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon, served with a sweet potato mash, sautéed vegetables and finished with a tamarind shallot demi glace - $29; English-style Fish & Chips: fillets of grouper coated with beer batter and then fried crispy brown, served with French fries, fresh vegetables and tartar sauce $21; Shepard's Pie: ground sirloin is used in this most traditional of English dishes, seasoned to perfection and topped with gratinated fresh mashed potato - $18; No authentic English pub would be complete without the inevitable Steak and Kidney Pie: beef and kidney cooked in a rich red wine sauce in a short pastry crust and served with French fries and mixed vegetables. As always, the prices quoted here were correct at the time of writing but are subject to change.

The Hog Penny is 0pen 11:30 am until 3 pm for lunch, and from 5:30 pm to 10 pm for dinner. Reservations for dinner are a good idea –
it’s a busy pub.

$ The Hog Penny, Burnaby Hill, Hamilton, 441-292-2434, www.hogpennypub.com.

Return to main Restaurant Listing


Bermuda - How to Get There:

For visitors arriving by air, Bermuda is served by most US airlines and by international airlines from Canada and Europe. Bermuda is also a major destination for the cruise ship industry.

Look for the best deals and hot travel offers with these aggregators, which provide travelers with an up-to-date and comprehensive search tool to compare prices on travel, airfares, and accommodations:

Look for the best deals and hot travel offers with these aggregators, which provide travelers with an up-to-date and comprehensive search tool to compare prices on travel, airfares, car rentals and accommodations:

Compare Rates for Flights to Bermuda.

Compare Rates for Hotels in Bermuda.

You can also use this link to check for Hot Travel Deals to Bermuda.

Know Before You Go!