The Anchor Inn

On a freezing winter day, the roast was just what we needed. We both ordered mixed roasts, mine with beef and lamb and my mother’s with chicken and lamb, and everything was cooked perfectly. The staff were friendly and attentive too. I’ve always liked this pub and have so many memories of it from visits to my hometown. I forgot to take a photo, but trust me, it’s worth a visit. Thanks, Hannah!

The mussels in wine sauce were worth the wait, and my partner was very happy with his steak. My halloumi burger was disappointing, though, with so little sweet chilli sauce that most of it tasted like salty halloumi. We waited nearly an hour for starters, then mains arrived by mistake, and those weren’t what we’d ordered anyway. Our waitress didn’t know much about the food at first, but came back with an answer later. Service was very slow. The ladies’ toilets were hard to reach, down five stairs and then another three. The cubicle had disabled handrails, which seemed odd since a person with significant mobility needs couldn’t get down there. I’m semi-mobile, so I managed. We’d first stopped in to ask about booking a birthday meal later that week. Hannah, the bar lady, was lovely and spent ages chatting with us about things to see and do while on holiday in the area. She knew a lot, showed us photos of her dogs and farmland, and took time to go through the pub food menu. We came back the next evening for my birthday.

The lunchtime food was tasty and cooked well, and the pub felt comfortable with welcoming staff. There’s a nice-looking restaurant at the back, and plenty of music events were advertised. The draught options included Jail ale, Powderkeg and Salcombe. It was my first visit today, and we may return later this week if we have time.

The food was only average, though the service was second to none. We’d planned to eat elsewhere, but that fell through, and the welcome here was wonderfully friendly. Nobody mentioned that the Specials were evening-only while we were choosing alternatives, even though we could smell the Lamb Curry.