The Tenby, St Brelade

Blessed with a dream sea-front location overlooking St Aubin Harbour and just off the main road, the Tenby is perhaps unsurprisingly a food-led pub set up mainly to cater for tourists rather than for the local population. Having popped in here for some lunch, we found ourselves escorted to the compact dining room to the left-hand side of the pub. This is a carpeted room with a button backed banquette down the right-hand wall and very comfy tub chairs elsewhere. The room has bright, modern décor including walls painted in various bold shades, decorative light features, plain mirrors and a large display case on the rear wall with giant letters spelling the ‘word’ “Delish”. It was a decent spot for a meal, but it didn’t feel very ‘pubby’ and having had a quick nose around the rest of the building, I’m not sure anywhere truly fits that description. The bar area is your best bet if you intend to visit just for a drink, although seating is limited to some high tables and stools and a rear space with tables and chairs under decorative wallpaper and an exposed stone rear wall. A purple room to the right had a more open-plan feel to it and some mixed seating, but it looked like quite a few people were eating in here as well, whilst out the front there is a fairly large decked area which would give you nice harbour views in the summer months. The waitress was a bit vague with her description of the ale selection and I neglected to go to the bar and confirm the options afterwards, but I think they had something called Tenby Trawler, which may be a rebadged Skinners beer, plus a guest ale which sounded like it might be Fullers London Pride. Either way, the Tenby Trawler was a solid if unspectacular pint and in better condition than I’d feared. The menu was pretty good, with some interesting dishes alongside more traditional pub fayre, although prices reflect the location and you can expect to pay £12 – 15 for a main course. As a gastro pub, this place leans a little too far to the ‘gastro’ end of the spectrum, perhaps forgetting that it is also supposed to be a pub, and as such, probably wouldn’t have got a look in from me had I not wanted to grab a bite to eat. Your best bet here would be a pint out on the decking if the weather permits, but otherwise, I wouldn’t recommend unless you intend to eat.

Official site of The Tenby - www.randalls-jersey.co.uk

Official site of The Tenby - www.randalls-jersey.co.uk