Now owned by the Metropolitan Pub Company, this elegant Edwardian building suits most occasions with its generous drinking and dining terrace, spacious front bar and separate rear restaurant.
Staff are very welcoming, and there is plenty of room whether you want to sit in the capacious restaurant, cheerful bar or outside on the stylish alfresco terrace. The menu packs a punch, with full-flavoured starters (Merguez sausages with cucumber salad; Scottish salmon sashimi with pickled ginger) and more ‘trad’ puds (sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream) either side of pubby mains (fishcakes, burger, fish and chips). The roasts all come with roasted roots, Yorkshire pud and duck fat roast potatoes – there’s Dexter topside of beef (£15), Devon rump of lamb (£16), or Suffolk chicken, which you can have as a half (£14) or a whole ‘sharing’ version (£26). Vegetarians aren’t forgotten – there’s a mushroom and nut roast, with the potatoes cooked in olive oil (£14).
We can’t fault the bar – the interesting range of frequently changing ales is well-kept and the wines are good value.