Our review of critically loved The Anchor in Walberswick

So when we reported last month that The Anchor had been named among the best pubs in the country worth travelling for, it seemed the next stop for a food review. 

I visited just before Easter on a calm Wednesday lunchtime. There was a steady stream of dog owners, ramblers, families and couples sitting for meals.

A clear day for a food review at The Anchor in Walberswick. (Image: Clarissa Place)

I think that tells you that the pub has built a reputation for being somewhere for everyone.  

After reading the specials and hearing what was the pie and soup of the day, it was decision time and it was a hard one to make. 

Inside the restaurant at The Anchor in Walberswick. (Image: Clarissa Place)

My rule of thumb is to go for a dish I would never make myself, so oysters immediately stood out when I picked out the menu. 

What I chose instead was the fillet of Blythburgh pork, with sage mash potato, creamy leeks and Jerusalem artichoke crisps (£22.50) which was a special on the day. 

What I loved most about my dish was the creamy leeks, as its sauce with the pork and the mash was very warming on a slightly chilly day.  

I chose the Blythburgh pork for my main course at The Anchor during our recent visit. (Image: Clarissa Place)

The artichoke crisps lost a little bit of their crispiness for me but the part it plays on the plate is very clear.

When I did get that crispiness it added a necessary crunch to offset against tender pork, fluffy mash, and the creaminess of the leeks. 

My boyfriend chose the fish and chips (£18.50) and ventured for the pear and white chocolate cheesecake (£8) which was the dessert of the day. 

We also ordered the fish and chips. (Image: Clarissa Place)

From where I was sitting, I was impressed by the size of the fish and did nab a taste of the very zesty mushy peas that accompanied a hearty dish. 

On offer was the white chocolate and pear cheesecake. (Image: Clarissa Place)

For dessert, I opted for the chocolate fondant with salted caramel ice cream (£10).

I love salted caramel so this was always going to be a winner and the strawberry coulis added a nice sharpness to the dish. The chocolate fondant fell away nicely to reveal the warm but not mouth burning chocolate sauce. 

A tasty treat to end the meal. 

The chocolate fondant and its accompanying salted caramel ice cream was a tasty way to end the meal. (Image: Clarissa Place)

What you will get at The Anchor is beautifully presented and tasty food and ultimately that is what you want from your dining experience.

But it feels harsh to leave it at that when I ate such a lovely meal and experienced quick and effective service.

The chocolate sauce centre was warm but not mouth burning hot. (Image: Clarissa Place)

Yet when asked to summarise how I felt, it comes down to one thing, expectation. 

Hearing and reading so many wonderful things ultimately robbed me of feeling wowed because I really, really wanted to love it. 

It can be the small things like sitting in a quiet restaurant compared to a slightly busier bar, being split on your food choices and wondering what if I had that other dish, or if you did like we did, which was solely to go Walberswick for a meal before going on elsewhere did it feel special enough in that moment?

On the day, not quite. 

There will always be something new to try as the specials change regularly and the offerings on the day we went showcased alot of locally sourced produce.

A side note, one aspect that made me smile during our visit was as we were waiting for our food, another couple were choosing and mentioned a special that had been a couple of days before.

Staff looked to see if they could accommodate that even though it was not on the menu that day and while it wasn't to be, if that had been me, I would have been touched by that effort and the small touches sometimes matter more. 

So while it may not have been absolute love at first try for me, you will no doubt have a tasty meal in a lovely pub in a beautiful part of Suffolk and it's always worthwhile travelling to see our county isn't it? 

Our food reviews are always independent. They are the opinion of the reviewer based on their experience of the venue when they visited. The establishment is not aware of our visit, is not informed we intend to write a review and bills are paid by the reviewer.

The choice of places reviewed is also independent and is not based on venues which do or do not advertise in our publications.