Bungay Pub Day – Green Dragon

This was the third pub that Julian and I visited on our day trip to Bungay and I think it’s the only one in the town that I’ve been in before. I can’t claim to have been a regular, but it’s near to where we’ve been canoeing before and I also came here whilst I was waiting for a bus to Southwold. If it had a major bus interchange hub like North Walsham I might not have needed to find a pub to wait at, but I won’t digress here.

Formally the Horse & Groom pub, these are the bar and smoke room entrances.

The beer options, the one hidden by the light is the Gold and I don’t think that they had any guest beers on when we visited. As the board suggests, they’ve been trading under this pub name since 1991 when the pub brewery was established by brothers Robert and William Pickard. Their brewing equipment is at the rear of the pub and they also do tours if contacted in advance. Given the number of former brewpubs that used to exist, this feels like a particularly veritable venue where beer is brewed on-site and it’s the only one now remaining in the town.

What I assume is one of the pub’s earlier signs.

I went for the Strong Mild.

I felt that a food and beer pairing was essential here. The beer was smooth and rich, a very agreeable mild and a beer style that I’d like to see more of. I liked these crisps incidentally, I’ve never had them before.

Julian in his alcove and note that he’s always ready to take a photograph with minimal notice.

The food menu, served between Thursdays and Saturdays, although they seem to also have food trucks on some Sundays. There look like some suitably interesting options on there, but we had already eaten in the Fleece and so didn’t partake on this occasion.

This is the only pub in Bungay which is listed in the Good Beer Guide and it has also won numerous CAMRA awards. Well-reviewed on-line, it’s a traditional pub which doesn’t feel unnecessarily staid. The service was polite and helpful, there was a relaxed and inviting feel with plenty of customers in the large outdoor drinking area. All rather lovely.