The Sloop Inn, Wootton, Isle of Wight
Stonehouse Pizza & Carvery
Everybody loves a Sunday lunch out, don’t they? I don’t believe Sunday is just the day of rest though: I believe Sunday is also the day of food. In my opinion, it’s the day where you stuff yourself silly and casually claim: “Well it is Sunday!”
And last Sunday we well and truly fulfilled this ethos!
We went to The Sloop Inn (Wootton, Isle of Wight) which has recently been re-branded and refurbished as a Stonehouse Pizza & Carvery.
When we arrived we made a bit of an entrance with our 'wagon' (AKA double pushchair) because my Husband was pushing it in what I would call 'the ploughing method' (he is from a farming background, after all...) However, the friendly staff greeted us and instantly went above and beyond to accommodate us. Straight away they made us feel comfortable , and this remained a theme throughout our experience (more on that in a min...)
The refurbishment was positively noticeable as soon as we entered. The Sloop Inn now has a brighter, much more contemporary feel, whilst still retaining that classic pub look with beams and dark wood tables.
As we went to leave, our lovely waitress wished us well and pointed out where Tot could grab a balloon on her way out: the stuff toddler dreams are made of!
The car park had a few spaces free when we left about 3pm, which I am only mentioning as a little 'heads up' as it was quite packed when we'd arrived (but it was 1pm Sunday lunchtime, in fairness!) I can imagine at any other time and day, there'd be no issue. There's also a bus stop very literally a stone's throw from the 'Stonehouse' pub which is ideal for having a drink or two! (Talking of which, there was a drink that sounded right up my street- I really want to go back and try next time- frozen rosé- roll on frosé summer!)
And so, overall: good grub; leisurely atmosphere; great service and fab 'tummy-filling' meals! We look forward to our 'day of food' at The Sloop Inn again soon!
For more info, menus, and to book, follow this link to The Sloop Inn.
We had booked and were shown to a lovely table at the back of the pub, with views overlooking the river. Fabulous! There's also a large beer garden at the back and I will definitely remember this for future reference. True Island life is the sights & sounds of lapping water, boats and beer, right?!
My parents and brother joined us (*Top parenting tip here: when eating out, invite along people who love cuddling your Tot and Baby- this is your chance to eat your dinner HOT and with BOTH HANDS!!) We ordered drinks then set about browsing the generous menu! The Sloop's always been famed for its 'all week' carveries, but now under 'The Stonehouse' brand there's an additional selection of pizzas and burgers. We began our meal with a sharing starter to try a bit of 'everything': it's a recommended dish on the menu, which gave us the option of different starters to munch our way through together. You can’t go wrong with a selection of classics!
My Husband, Mum and I then opted for a classic carvery- had to be done! When I went up to collect mine and Tot's, I must say how personable the carver was. He made an effort to have a conversation with each customer, and on my turn he did the same- he asked how my day had been and we ended up chatting about the Walk the Wight event on that day (which was ironic really- considering I'd only walked from car to pub that day!) We opted for beef and got turkey for our toddler's child carvery, but our carver suggested we could've had a bit of all four meats available if we'd wanted! I was impressed by the generous and varied amount of vegetables and sauces available, and happily filled our plates to the amount we wanted.
The roast dinners were cooked well and very yummy! The meat was tender; potatoes soft; veggies 'just right;' and the yorkshire was very tasty too!
The pizza (pepperoni with extra mushrooms and peppers) and beef burger were nicely presented, and I would like to quote my Step Dad who sensibly said: "Delicious! Nice to have proper stonebaked pizza too!"
My 20 year old brother said of his burger: "It was decent, geezer- a crowd pleaser!" Make of that what you will...?!
With main meals you also receive a salad side plate- there's a salad bar to go and fill your plate as you please! Another 'plentiful' touch included in the affordable food prices!
Come dessert, we were so full up that my husband and I decided to share a chocolate fudge cake. Oh boy. Good plan. It was beautiful: a large slab of thick, gooey, chocolatey brilliance.
As mentioned earlier, throughout our meal the staff were absolutely excellent. The staff member we saw was fantastic at checking in on us, with a genuine smile on her face. She was also suitably amicable and had a lovely chat with us about our little ones! Spot on!
Those of you that know my Mother will know she likes a good chat, and half way through the meal my husband asked her:
"So, how do you know the waitress then?"
To which my Mum replied: "Oh, I don't! I've just got chatting to her today!"
Brilliant!
When the booking was made, the staff were aware we had little ones and thoughtfully sat us near to the colouring and drawing area for children- a perfect detail that occupied our Tot when she got fidgety!
