Featured Restaurant

Anchor Inn

Bury Lane, Sutton Gault, nr Ely, CB6 2BD

The 17th century Anchor Inn is an established award winning riverside inn full of charm and character. Concentrating on fine, locally fresh yet unpretentious food and serving quality local beer as well as a superb wine list, the Anchor is an example of what is good about the independent modern British gastropub. Should you fancy a longer stay they have four guest bedrooms, described by Paddy Burt in her Daily Telegraph column as'...a little bit of heaven anchored in Fenland'. Those living in the Fens will know exactly what she means. Sensibly, a word that often comes to mind when looking at the Anchor Inn, they have one à la carte menu for dinner every day except on Sunday during December, when it is replaced by a special celebratory version.

The 17th century Anchor Inn is an established award winning riverside inn full of charm and character. Concentrating on fine, locally fresh yet unpretentious food and serving quality local beer as well as a superb wine list, the Anchor is an example of what is good about the independent modern British gastropub.

Should you fancy a longer stay they have four guest bedrooms, described by Paddy Burt in her Daily Telegraph column as'...a little bit of heaven anchored in Fenland'. Those living in the Fens will know exactly what she means.

Sensibly, a word that often comes to mind when looking at the Anchor Inn, they have one à la carte menu for dinner every day except on Sunday during December, when it is replaced by a special celebratory version. At other times an excellent lunch, two courses for £12.95, three for £16.95 is on offer.

A nice touch is provided by the pre-meal arrangements, enabling the menu to be considered over a glass of champagne or a glass of Barbadillo Manzanilla extra dry sherry, with a bowl of olives and roast cashews or sea salt and Balsamic crisps.

Dishes on offer could range from starters like chicken liver pâté with red onion marmalade and melba toast; grilled dates wrapped in bacon in a mild grain mustard cream sauce, or warm cranberry and brie filo parcel.

The same inspired approach persists into the choice of main courses, with pan-fried free range chicken breast on forestière potatoes and herb pesto. Ballotine of pheasant and Parma ham with chestnut stuffing, roasted new potatoes, winter greens and red wine jus carries with it a blend of flavours that brings the taste buds smartly to attention. Pan-fried sea bass is always popular, served here on chilli, herb and horseradish linguine with steamed pak choi.

From a list of five desserts the double chocolate brownie with Mandarin ice-cream stands supreme, or there's vanilla cheesecake with black cherry compote. For many, a well kept cheeseboard is an essential and here the selection of unusual British farmhouse cheeses does not disappoint.

This is a great spot for Sunday lunch when the menu might contain starters of seared king scallops on pea puree and baby fondant potatoes with crispy bacon and lemon dressing; mozzarella and tomato salad with fresh basil pesto, roast sirloin of Ouse Wash beef with full accompaniments, or fillet of sea trout on a bed of sautéed new potatoes, creamed leeks and broad beans with sauce vierge. Denham Estate venison steak also makes an appearance.

For dessert many folk would need a lot of persuasion not to opt for the raspberry and amaretti terrine with crème fraîche. With serving hours now extended to 2.30pm there is simply no excuse for not taking the family out for a real treat.

A well varied and comfortably priced wine list, with some 60 choices, well described and helpfully categorised; is in keeping with this well-run yet relaxed and friendly place. Due attention is paid to the needs of those who wish to confine their drinking to by-the-glass.

Menu variations follow the seasons and the markets, and a quick click on their attractive Website will keep you up to scratch.


Read more

Modern British

: 12:00 - 14:00 19:00 - 21:00
: 12:00 - 14:00 18:30 - 21:30
: 12:00 - 14:30 18:30 - 20:30
: 12:00 - 15:00 19:00 - close
: from 18:30

01353 778537

Click here to visit

Bury Lane, Sutton Gault, nr Ely, CB6 2BD [Map]

£20.00    £35.00

£13.95 (2 courses) to £17.95 (3 courses), Mon - Fri

(Avg Price is the average cost per person for two courses, coffee, half a bottle of house wine and tip/service)

REVIEWS OF Anchor Inn

Geoff Lambert (19 July 2011)

We had an excellent meal here in July 2011. Our party of eight all enjoyed the lunch - the food was superb and the service, first class. They have got a nice little keg beer here, too. Five stars!

Jean Haines (2 August 2007)

The two of us went searching for the Anchor as we were asked by friends to find out if it would be a nice place to stay when they visit Fenland later in the year. We hadn't booked and the place was reasonably busy given that the road was partially closed due to the floods. After a nice friendly welcome followed by a glass of merlot and a pint, we settled down to read the interesting lunchtime menu, so reasonable at £10.95. We liked the scrubbed pine tables and the feel of the place, cosy and atmospheric. We were warned that there would be a delay of ten minutes or so as they were busy but, in fact, we were there an hour and a half before seeing any food. (Other later arrivals were served before us which made us wonder... and then the waitress admitted that our order had been overlooked). Once the starters eventually arrived, they were nice, baby figs and goat’s cheese and smoked salmon on blinis. The main courses weren't so good. I had a vegetarian dish with pine nuts and parmesan in pastry, which was not seasoned enough and was quite bland, and it was garnished with exactly the same salad leaves as the starter which was disappointing. My husband had chicken crumble which he said was too dry, hardly any sauce in it and not browned off on top so it looked rather anaemic. We then got the bill and had been charged for a pint of beer and a glass of merlot that we hadn't had! Oh dear.

Having said all that, we actually liked the place a lot and will go back for another lunch as well as having dinner with our friends when they visit. It just had a really lovely feel about it and I don't think our long wait and slightly disappointing mains were indicative of what they usually achieve there. So all in all, worth another visit.

See more reviews of Anchor Inn

Write a Review for Anchor Inn

Have you eaten at Anchor Inn? Then why not write a review for Anchor Inn! It only takes a few moments, no registration is required.

Not sure what to write? Have a look through all of our restaurant reviews for inspiration!

More Info for Anchor Inn

£15.00

£15.00

Not included, 10% for 10 or more




Other Restaurants You May Like

The Boathouse at Ely

Modern British, Modern European in Ely

The Maltings

Modern British in Ely

The Red Lion

Modern British in Ely

The Riverside Restaurant at The Swan

Gastropub, Modern British in Ely

The Merry Monk

French, Modern British in Ely

Free Online Booking

Cancel your booking.

Special Offers

Prezzo - Peterborough

Peterborough

Prezzo Valentine's Menu: 3 Course for £18.95, add your first glass of prosecco for £1

ASK - Cambridge

Cambridge

Valentine's Set Menu: 3 courses and a glass of Prosecco - £16.95 per person.

Chiquito - Cambridge, Leisure Park

Cambridge

Book for Valentine's day and enjoy a bottle of prosecco for £10

De Luca Cucina & Bar

Cambridge

Valentine's at De Luca - 4 Course Set Menu for £34.95

Selected Restaurant

The Boathouse at Ely

Ely

Located on the riverside in the centre of the lively cathedral town of Ely, offering quality eating and drinking in perfect surroundings, The Boathouse is steeped in history. King Canute and Hereward ...