The Brisley Bell
Brisley, Norfolk
Ivy-clad and handsome, the Brisley Bell presides over a pretty village common, part way between Norwich and the north Norfolk coast. It’s a confident operation, somewhere between a family-friendly local pub (dart board, cosy snugs, pints of Adnams) and a destination country inn with two acres of garden, a covered patio, and six stylish bedrooms. We arrived to find it close to full at lunch, with customers of every generation digging into generous portions of very respectable traditional pub food (we lost count of the number of plates of gammon, egg and chips that passed by our table). Come hungry – this isn’t the place to to be on a diet: beetroot and feta salad with salsa verde or crayfish and avocado cocktail with marie rose sauce are about as light as it gets. Other first courses range from confit duck leg with lime and ginger sauce to a salad of black pudding, pancetta and poached egg with pickled red cabbage. There’s a choice of steaks (say, rump with Stilton sauce or fillet with green peppercorn), while salmon en croûte and aubergine parmigiana with a drizzle of balsamic glaze (more baked aubergine than painstakingly layered parmigiana) feature among the non-meat options. Desserts, as you might imagine, are old school – sticky toffee pud, banoffee pie, summer pudding, all served with a retro mint-leaf garnish. The drinks list has cask-conditioned ales and a choice of wines in the £20-£50 bracket.
Dining Information:
Accommodation, Private dining room, Separate bar, No background music, Wheelchair access, Parking, Electric car charging, Dog friendly
The Green, Brisley, Norfolk NR20 5DW
01362 705024
