Some of the best meals happen in the most unlikely places. Down a quiet lane in the tiny village of Griston, a few miles south of Watton in the Breckland district, sits a pub that most people drive straight past without ever knowing what they're missing.
The Waggon and Horses
The Waggon and Horses has been standing on Caston Road since 1741, and walking through the low front door feels like stepping back a couple of centuries. Duck your head under the original oak beams (seriously, tall visitors take note), settle into one of three cosy drinking areas, and you'll quickly understand why the locals guard this place so fiercely.
With a 4.7-star Google rating from around 140 reviews, this is a pub that punches well above its weight. While the celebrity gastropubs along the North Norfolk coast charge city prices and require bookings weeks in advance, the Waggon and Horses quietly gets on with serving genuinely excellent food at prices that won't make you wince. Main courses sit comfortably in the ten to twenty pound range, and the portions are the kind that make you wish you hadn't ordered a starter.
The menu changes regularly and leans into proper pub cooking done well, with locally sourced ingredients and generous portions. Steaks are a highlight, cooked with real care, and the daily specials are worth asking about. On Sundays, the roast is a proper affair: think generous slabs of beef, crisp roast potatoes, and Yorkshire puddings that mean business. Book ahead for Sunday lunch, as word has got out among those in the know.
Behind the bar, you'll find Greene King cask ales alongside a rotating guest beer, and the staff have that rare gift of making everyone feel like a regular from the moment they walk in. The atmosphere is warmly traditional without being stuffy. Families are welcome, dogs can join you in the garden, and there's a popular quiz night on Tuesdays if you fancy testing your general knowledge.
Out the back, a large beer garden catches the afternoon sun, and there's additional seating at the front for watching village life drift by at its own unhurried pace. Parking is straightforward, as you'd expect in a village this size.
The Waggon and Horses is open Tuesday to Sunday, with food served at lunchtime and in the evening (Sundays are lunch only, noon until three). Booking is strongly recommended, especially at weekends. Call 01953 883847 to reserve a table.
You'll find it at Caston Road, Griston, Thetford, Norfolk IP25 6QD. It's a five-minute drive south-east of Watton and about 40 minutes from Norwich. If you're exploring the Breckland countryside or heading to Thetford Forest, this is exactly the kind of detour that turns a good day out into a great one.
