Emily Cotton enjoys lunch at The Greyhound, Ipswich, saying the pub’s homemade chilli has to be her highlight.
Food
My boyfriend and I had planned to visit The Greyhound for lunch one weekday, and while we thought it would be relatively quiet during the two hours food is served (12pm to 4pm), we were pleasantly surprised to see the pub full of life. Once we had found ourselves a table (many were full and a couple were reserved) and we’d found ourselves a couple of menus (on a shelf near the bar), we chose our dishes and went back up to the bar to order.
We chose a starter from the specials board, which sits on the wall opposite the bar. There were three choices; two were soups and the third was chicken liver pate with granary toast and salad which we chose to share. The pate wasn’t too sweet or sickly like ones I have eaten elsewhere, but was velvety and smooth. The portion was sufficient – although an extra slice of the toasted granary bread may have been handy with two people sharing.
At the same time as ordering our starters, we ordered our mains. I chose the Thai coconut bean burger and chips, which was on the pub’s lunch menu for only £6. The actual burger was really enjoyable. It was soft and cooked perfectly – often bean burgers can be over cooked making them dry but this wasn’t at all. The burger did fall apart a little when I tried to eat it but this wasn’t too much of an issue.
While the burger itself was full of flavour, it was a tad spoilt by the bun it came in. The bread was soft yes, but it was just a bread roll and being quite thick, it took the attention away from what should have been the main focus. The chips that came with the meal were fluffy, but were again a little bland. In my opinion, this burger may have been better on a bed of salad or rice/pulses, or even with seasoned sweet potato fries.
My boyfriend chose the chilli con carne with rice (other options included with chips or bread). I had slight food envy when his dish appeared. The portion given was very generous and it was presented really well for the dish that it is. The pub’s homemade chilli is said to possibly be its most popular meal, and I can see why. The chilli was thick and creamy, and rich in flavour.
Desserts at The Greyhound are up on another board by the bar. With a sweet tooth that goes for anything even slightly chocolatey, I chose the chocolate brownie. I was given the option of custard, cream or ice cream, choosing the latter. The brownie was warm and gooey, with a heavenly drizzle of what tasted like dark chocolate sauce over the top. The ice cream alongside was creamy and smooth and complemented the dessert well. My boyfriend selected the sticky toffee pudding and chose cream to accompany it. It was brought to the table steaming, tasting luxuriously sweet and sticky.
Drinks
The Greyhound is a proud Adnams pub, serving many of the local brewery’s beers regularly and as guest ales. Regular Adnams ales include Southwold Bitter, Broadside and Ghost Ship, while guests also include Old Ale, Oyster Stout and Adnams Extra. The pub also serves a range of gins such as Adnams Copper House, Gordon’s, Bombay Sapphire and Tanqueray, as well as having an extensive wine list.
Service
When we first walked into the pub (through the beer garden, from the car park) we were greeted with hellos from a couple of members of staff from behind the bar. The pub doesn’t have table service, so after finding menus which were on the side, we chose what we wanted and went up to the bar to order. Each dish was brought to our table with a smile and we were asked after each if there was anything else we would like.
Ambiance
The pub was a lot busier during the day than I thought it would be, especially as it’s only open for a few hours at lunch time, before closing again until the evening. I’ve only been to The Greyhound before for drinks in the evening, where the atmosphere has a pleasant buzz, with people chatting, eating and having an all round good time. It was lovely to see this same buzz at lunch time too.
Price
The prices of all meals at The Greyhound are extremely affordable. All meals on the bar menu, as well as the daily special board, are between £9 and £12. There is also a lunch menu of four dishes – some of which are on the main menu for evenings too – that are only £6 during lunch opening hours.
Location and parking
The Greyhound is situated on the outskirts of Ipswich’s town centre, opposite Christchurch Park. The pub has its own car park around the back for customers, however only a short walk from the centre, means it is also accessible to those who travel by bus or train.
Highlight
The chilli con carne was the highlight of our meal – it was thick and creamy and served with plenty of rice.
Summary
The Greyhound is a family friendly pub, with good food and a great atmosphere. It’s the ideal location for whatever your occasion may be; whether that’s a family meal, Sunday brunch or after work drinks.
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