Anchor

Good mix of locals and visitors in well run, attractively furnished inn, fine range of drinks, appetising modern cooking, and friendly, helpful service

Emphasis at this 1920s pub is very much on the relaxed informal dining, indeed they take your order and you pay at the table. Having said that, there can be a fairly lively atmosphere here by closing time. Light and airy with big windows, the bar is simply furnished with heavy stripped tables on original oak flooring, sturdy built-in wall seats cushioned in green leather and nicely framed black and white photographs of local fishermen and their boats on the colour washed panelling. Log fires in the chimneybreast divide this room into two snug halves. They have loads of bottled beers from all over the world, 23 interesting wines by the glass including champagne and a pudding one, Adnams Bitter, Broadside and a guest such as Woodfordes Nelsons Revenge on handpump and good coffee; particularly good service, daily papers and board games. Quite an extensive dining area, stretching back from a more modern-feeling small lounge on the left, is furnished much like the bar – though perhaps a bit more minimalist - and looks out on a good-sized sheltered and nicely planted garden. A garden bar serves the flagstoned terrace that overlooks the beach and village allotments and the pub is right by the coast path. There's a pleasant walk across to Southwold and in summer there may be a pedestrian ferry. We're sure this will be a jolly nice place to stay once the bedrooms are refurbished.

Using local producers (and vegetables from their allotment), the extremely good food might include oysters, squid tempura with ginger soy sauce, salt cod galette with horseradish dressing, skate filled with brown shrimps and baked with tomatoes, garlic and capers, mutton and cannellini bean stew, stuffed rabbit with cider, prunes and pork with buttered polenta and roast butternut, rib-eye steak on potato, celeriac and parsnip dauphinoise with red wine sauce, and puddings such as hot chocolate pudding, lavender pannacotta and apple tart tartin with crème fraîche.