Sole Bay Inn Southwold — Restaurant in East Suffolk

PROS: Bar Staff! Lovely - friendly, accommodating, welcoming, charming with children and dogs... the pub's stand-out feature. Having such lovely bar staff made us stay and drink a bit more. Clean, bright, a lovely place to eat unlike the Lord Nelson, which was unpleasantly pungent when we visited. The 'tasting plates' of mix-and-match Adnams beers. Three for £9. All tasted great and we loved sharing one another's drinks. Burgers and macaroni cheese and parmesan fries. Food not cheap but you come to realise that's Southwold for you, rather than any one establishment trying to rip you off.

CONS: Potentially selfish/gormless co-patrons. We turned up at 4pm and whilst there were three tables that could accommodate all six of us, two tables were being used by couples. Luckily we didn't have to wait more than 10 minutes for a table to become free but you have to swoop as soon as you see the incumbent diner stand! Adnams beer... I know I put that as a strength BUT as good as this freshly-pumped ale tastes, majority of their cask beer turns the tummy. Drink four pints of Stella and wake up with a normalness in your stomach, drink any four pints of Adnams and wake up with sea-sickness and needing to sit on the bog!

All-in-all, I'd give the pub a 5/5 for the employees, atmosphere and afternoon light streaming through its windows.

(Tips for Eating in Southwold Pubs:

YOU CAN'T BOOK A TABLE ANYWHERE. Of the four pubs we went into, none allowed us to book a table, instead all operated a first-come-first-served policy, which was fair enough given how busy things were during this Easter break.

HARD TO GET SEAT IF YOUR GROUP IS 6+: if you're in a big group, indoor seating is very limited. All pubs have plenty of tables for 2-4 but maybe only one or two big tables. The Lord Nelson's outdoor area has large tables so is the best of the pubs we went into.

OUTDOOR SEATING IS WINDY AND COLD SO WRAP UP: Whilst outdoor seating might look sunny and look inviting, that North Sea tears up through the streets. If you intend to sit outdoors in a Southwold pub, wrap up lots and watch for your glass...

If you're looking for a truly authentic British pub experience, look no further than the Sole Bay Inn in Southwold! This charming pub is a gem, offering everything from delicious food to a warm, welcoming family atmosphere.

First and foremost, the food is simply outstanding. Their fish n' chips are delicious, featuring fresh, succulent fish and perfectly crispy chunky chips that will leave your taste buds singing. If that's not your thing, they have many other tasty dishes to choose from.

But it's not just the food that makes the Sole Bay Inn such a special place. The atmosphere here is truly one-of-a-kind, with a warm and welcoming family vibe that makes you feel right at home from the moment you step inside. The Sole Bay Inn is dog-friendly, so you can bring your furry friend along for the fun.

And if you're in the mood for a bit of sightseeing, the pub is conveniently located right next to the famous Southwold lighthouse and across the road from a charming, sweet shop.

Of course, as with any popular pub, the Sole Bay Inn can sometimes get quite busy. But even when it's crowded, the friendly staff work tirelessly to ensure everyone is cared for.

If you're looking for a fantastic pub experience in Southwold, you can't go wrong with the...

Have been here several times when staying at Southwold and generally like the food but there could be more light snacks such as sandwiches, whilst they do serve "sandwiches" these are as part of a meal and not as a smaller snack that other pubs serve them as. One issue when we were there was they appeared to serve locals before us though this may not have been intentionally. The child's menu burger appeared to be very basic and was similar to frozen meat bought from Iceland and had a thin layer of processed cheese rather than fresh cheese. Also it came with a choice of either beans or peas but no one asked us which we wanted and as such we had to go have it sorted out.

On my first day in Aldeburgh I had the Goujon sandwich here with fries and a salad and it appeared nice and tasty but as mentioned it could do with more of a selection of light snacks.

No problem with drinks and it was very nice to have Southwold Bitter by...