The Warrener – Thetford
The Warrener pub and restaurant is located just off the A11 in Thetford. A Whitbread PLC owned establishment that we have driven passed it many times knowing that it was a hidden gem ready to be discovered. Last week we were invited over to The Warrener on our way to visit Granny to a look at their recent refurbishment and to try out the menu.
Walking into the The Warrener you are immediately welcomed by snug and cosy feel of the bar area, a really homely feel to the area. After giving over our reservations details we were shown through to main restaurant area which is a brighter space filled with windows and little nik naks on shelves dividing up the space allowing each table to enjoy their own privacy when enjoy their meal. Quirky quotes are written above the doorways and lintels providing something interesting to read whilst you are looking around the restaurant.
Main Menu
Depending on what time of day you visit The Warrener there are different promotions available, with a great 2 courses for just £9.99 after 6pm on weekdays. As we were booked in at 5.30pm we did miss out on the promotion however the main menu is reasonably priced and with a great selection of foods to choose from along with a specials board it can be difficult to decide on what to eat. I have to mention the menu itself, as the cover was simply beautiful and really tied in with the feel of the restaurant.
I seem to have a thing at the moment for chicken caesar salads (pregnancy craving) so I was pleasantly pleased to see that alongside the range of steak and fish dishes I was able to order a chicken caesar salad with the option to add bacon as an extra (I decided not to add bacon).
I have to confess that I’m always unsure about ordering a salad dish in a restaurant that I haven’t been to before as it could be a small portion which I’m then left still feeling hungry at the end of the meal. I needed have worried as I was presented with a large bowl full of fresh lettuce, cheese, caesar dressing and sliced grilled chicken breast – it was delicious (one of the best I’ve had).
Having a sweet tooth I am someone who looks at the dessert menu and ponders more about what to have for dessert than I did when it came to my main meal. With a selection of sundaes, chocolate fudge cake, brownies and cheesecake I opted for the baked lemon cheesecake served with raspberry sauce – yum, yum!
Horrible Histories Measly Middle Ages Kids Menu
Like any family when you eat out the kids menu is an important part of whether or not you opt to eat there or look elsewhere. The Warrener kids menu is themed around the Horrible Histories Middle Ages and kids can ask for a free activity pack to complete whilst the food is being prepared.
With kids meals priced from £3.99 for a main meal and dessert it offers good value for money and starters can be purchased at 99p each.
What I particularly liked about the children’s menu was that it was broken up into segments so they could pick their main from a range of cod cubes, pasta, pizza, hot dog and many more. They then get to choose two sides to accompany their main from chips, mashed potatoes, vegetables, beans etc.
Roo loved being able to select the different components to her meal instead of being forced to have peas with her meal when she prefers baked beans. As the children’s menu is so reasonably priced she was allowed to have a full three-course meal and by the end of it she was stuffed – even leaving half of her sundae (which is unheard of).
I’ve not forgotten about Tigger, being the fussy eater that he is he opted just to have little chips (skinny fries) but he was more than happy with the big bowl full that he received.
Service
Good service is something that we don’t often hear about as we are all too ready to complain about our experiences, however I couldn’t fault the service we received at The Warrener. We were served by a lovely waitress called Sarah (must be something about the name) who happily chatted to both Roo and Tigger. Tigger was especially taken by her (he has a thing for blondes) and was chit chatting away and telling her all about how we were on our way to Granny’s house and about her dog etc. It’s so lovely when wait staff take the time to interact with you as a family rather than just the generic ‘may I take your order’.
Next time you are in Thetford or simply passing by on the A11 I recommend stopping and enjoying a meal at The Warrener.
The Warrener – contact details
The Warrener
Lynn Wood Road
Thetford
Norfolk
IP24 3PG | Tel: 01842 826120
Opening times: Mon – Fri 6:30 am – 11 pm | Sat 7 am – 11 pm | Sun 7 am – 10:30 pm
Disclosure: We received a complimentary meal for the purpose of review
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