This Pub is Older Than the United States…but the food is fresh!

When we stayed at the Octon Lodge the first time, we asked the landlord where we could get dinner, having arrived fairly late in the day. He pointed out two pubs, each about the same distance. One of them was the Greyhound Inn, in Staple Fitzpaine. The pub was only 5 minutes from the Lodge, so we headed there. Being adventurous, Jake ordered the Lamb in Lavender sauce that was on the menu. While enjoying our meal, the owner came to the table to ask how it was. He said he wanted to return the inn menu to what might have been found in the 16^thcentury. Local legend says that Henry VIII—the one with all the wives—had visited and hunted in the area, and may have even stayed at the Inn. So, the owner’s desire was to find recipes from that era and re-create them.  Lamb in Lavender sauce was one of those original recipes. And it was delicious.

We’ve been back to The Greyhound twice, once for dinner and again on another trip for lunch. The menu has changed over time and is now a more typical menu of more modern tastes, but the food was fresh and tasty all three visits. In fact, for the third visit, the one for lunch, we arrived about ten minutes after the lunch service had ended. The young lady who gave us the bad news checked with the kitchen and said that if all we wanted was sandwiches, they could manage with no problem.  We were served a combination of ham, chicken and cheese sandwiches, which came with crisps (potato chips) and we toasted our simple but delicious lunch with lemonade and ginger beer!

The Inn also has accommodations and, though we have not stayed there to be able to comment on the rooms, the location is lovely and very secluded. Staple Fitzpaine is about five miles from Taunton in the middle of open Somerset County countryside. If you are in the Taunton area and want to enjoy a meal at a unique location, try The Greyhound Inn, Staple Fitzpaine. Check their website for operating hours and the current menu.