This week we were invited to visit The Colcot Arms, a pub restaurant located in Barry, to try their menu. They had a refurbishment at the end of last year and are part of the Sizzling Pubs chain, with an extensive menu serving a wide range of British favourites. They’re located on the outskirts of Barry, accessible easily from Cardiff (30 minutes drive from West Cardiff for us) as well as Rhoose, Barry and the surrounding areas of South Wales. The restaurant is located about a 10 minute drive from Barry beach, making it an ideal stop after a day playing in the sand, walking along the cliffs or enjoying the funfair and arcades.
We spent a glorious morning whilst the sun was shining on the beach, working up a big appetite!
The Colcot Arms is easy to find (Colcot Road, Barry, CF62 8UJ) and has a large car park next to an extensive beer garden (some of which is under gazebo style cover) and a big lawn for the family. Sadly it had started to rain by the time we got here, but I imagine in the summer it will be lovely to sit outside with a drink or some food.
Heading in we were greeted warmly by the staff and found a seat. You can reserve tables or just turn up, although I’d definitely recommend booking at busy times. Wooden highchairs were plentiful. We were eating at noon because William, at almost two years old, still has a nap in the early afternoon so we eat quite early when we’re eating with him. They do serve breakfast from 9am, but we were some of the first people in at 12. By 1pm the place was bustling with almost all the tables taken. It’s clearly very popular with the locals, with quite a few young families in here despite it being a week day. Dinner is available until 9pm.
You can check out the menu yourself and see if anything tempts your taste buds, but here’s what we ordered for an extremely filling lunch:
House Sharer to Start – Southern fried chicken, beer-battered mushrooms, BBQ Chicken Wings, Onion rings, Garlic Bread and three types of dip £8.49
Big Breakfast – A massive plate of Sausages, Bacon, Eggs, Tomato, Mushrooms, Chips, Beans & Toast – £7.29
Backyard BBQ Burger – Beef burger topped with BBQ Pulled pork, cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion rings, in a brioche bun with chips. Included a soft drink in the price too! £7.59
Kids Mini Mixed Grill – Chicken, Burger, Sausage, Tomato, Egg and Chips, £3.49 or £4.99 with a dessert and a drink
As you can see the portion sizes are very large – more than we could handle, we definitely didn’t need that starter but it’s nice to sample different things and indulge once in a while. The kids portion was absolutely huge and there are smaller portions available for under 3s. William had burned quite a lot of energy racing up and down Barry Beach for two hours before our meal, but could still only manage half of it, but he really enjoyed having a little bit of everything.
Other things that I was debating ordering included Lemon Peri Peri Chicken Skewers, Messy Mexican Chicken and Haddock Fishcakes, but the burger tempted me in the end as I’m a sucker for pulled pork.
As someone who used to be a vegetarian and who has a lot of both vegetarian and vegan friends and family, I always take a look at the V options available on a menu when I visit a new restaurant so I know whether to recommend it to them. There would be plenty of choice if you are a vegetarian with pasta dishes, quorn and halloumi, and vegan options in bean burger, vegan chilli and jacket potatoes. So I definitely think this is a menu that would suit all ages and requirements.
Of course, can you really have a good meal out without throwing the diet to the side for a moment and enjoying some dessert? There were options for those wanting a small dessert as well as larger.
Vanilla Ice Cream – Something light for those who were very full (like me!) £0.99
Cadbury Lovers Sundae – Belgian chocolate sauce, Cadbury’s Flake and chocolate buttons £3.99
Kids Fresh Strawberry Sundae – Vanilla Ice cream, whipped cream and fresh strawberries £1.49 or included in the £4.99 kids deal
He wasn’t quite sure what to do with it, as he doesn’t usually get dessert or ice cream. He picked out the strawberries and let daddy eat most of the rest. I can firmly say all three of us were absolutely stuffed after all that!
We were very impressed with the speed at which we were served. Despite Colcot Arms doing a bustling trade at lunch hour, with most tables full, food was brought out extremely quickly. This is pretty important when you’ve got a hungry toddler who is determined not to wait! We took William outside a few times as he hates just sitting in a highchair, and the food had come before he’d even had chance to run across the large lawn to the rear.
Everything was well presented and cooked perfectly. Staff were attentive, efficient and friendly. The toilet facilities were perfectly clean, with a large disabled / baby changing room available with space for a full pushchair and plenty of extra room.
We will definitely be back after our next day out at the beach!
Disclosure: I received a complimentary meal at The Colcot Arms and was invited to share my honest experience.
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