The Brisley Bell, Norfolk

The Brisley Bell: a country lunchtime idyll

Pulling into the car park at the Brisely Bell on a sunny January lunchtime, I shouldn’t have been surprised to see so many cars. This traditional 17th century coaching inn in the Norfolk countryside, surrounded by grazing sheep, is a lovely way to spend a couple of hours – whether that’s for lunch or dinner.

This wouldn’t have been possible 8 years ago. Having seen their local pub decline and start to fall to rack and ruin, couple Marcus Seaman and Amelia Nicholson took the plunge and committed to a complete renovation and extension to the pub. A lot of blood, sweat and two years later, the Brisley Bell was reopened, and it’s a delight.

I came here in 2021, post lockdown, for dinner with my in-laws. Given that I’d read mixed reviews of the place on various websites, I was a little reluctant but I’m glad I didn’t shy away from giving this place a go. Dinner is a different affair from lunch, and you’ll be able to read about that soon in another article.

Immediately on crossing the threshold of this gastropub, you enter the bar area. And it’s as you might expect – wood floors, a wraparound bar with high stools, no less than two welcoming open fireplaces on opposite sides of the room (which must be the most popular spaces on a really cold night!) and tables dotted around the room. It has an air of cosiness, with muted paint and furnishings that make you feel immediately at home.

The staff are friendly, and before even finding a table we were greeted warmly and offered a drink. As a freehouse, the Brisley Bell offers a great selection of real ales and ciders from local Norfolk breweries. We hadn’t made a booking but no matter, whilst the dining room to the rear of the bar was fully booked, we were invited to take a table in the bar area which was streaming with sun. Glass of crisp white wine for Mrs HB and a coke for me (I was driving), we settled on to the bench seats and peruse the menu.

The lunchtime menu is fairly simple but that doesn’t mean it’s not been carefully thought through. Michelin trained Head Chef Hervé Stouvenel creates meat led, fresh and seasonal dishes, full of fantastic flavours, combining classic English cuisine with global influences. Starters include some delicious sounding British ingredients: cauliflower & smoked haddock gratin with Lincolnshire poacher; pork & leek stuffed cabbage with a sage jus; black pudding, bacon & poached egg.

The main courses all sounded tasty too, with a range of dishes including steak, salmon en croute and quiche. There’s something about this place, it’s got me craving comfort food. So I opted for the homemade beef burger topped with Binham blue cheese, onions, bacon and served with fries and salad.

We didn’t need to wait long for the food to arrive. The fries were light and crispy, and the salad – well, it was just salad. Tell me something though…why do pubs all think that a honey mustard dressing is what everyone wants slathered all over their salad? Please, I implore you, put this in a small jug on the side and let people choose whether they want it or not. It’s a small thing, but it matters to me.

I couldn’t fault the burger though. Encased in a lightly toasted brioche bun, it was juicy and tender, and robust and you could taste the fresh herbs mixed in with the meat. The blue cheese was delicate and oozy and balanced well with the burger. I could take or leave the caramelised onions though – they verged on being too sweet and threatened to topple the balance of the rest of the flavours.

Despite this, I ate the whole thing before retiring to a comfy armchair in front of the fire for a coffee. The large beer garden would be a preferable way to spend an afternoon, pint in hand and nothing else to think about. But it’s January, with a brisk fresh breeze outdoors despite the sunshine, and I have to get back to business. Marcus and Amelia always aimed to create a ‘destination’ pub; they’ve achieved it with aplomb. And I thoroughly look forward to returning again soon.