 The Wellington Arms 
Fancy A Roast In Weymouth?
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Recommendation added: 03/08/2006 11:58
By: dewberry (YSUK rating +825)dewberry has been thanked 4 times for this contribution
"By 5pm on our first day in Weymouth I was starving. In the six hours I'd been there I'd eaten my body weight in rock, ice cream and cockles and I needed some proper food. Luckily, this craving came on just as we were passing the Wellington Arms and I just had a feeling they'd serve food so I dragged my fella in.
I wasn't disappointed, a quick glance at the large chalkboard told me that this pub specialised in roast dinners among many other things. I immediately decided on a Roast Beef dinner with 'all the trimmings' and sat down with a bottle of Magners cider to wait for my meal to be served. I didn't have to wait long, around twenty minutes later one of the chefs brought our meals to the table.
We'd chosen to eat in the bar, but a non smoking restaurant is located at the back of the pub. Children are allowed in this restaurant area as long as they're eating, but no under 18's are allowed in the small bar. Smoking is allowed throughout the bar so if you decide to eat in here then don't expect other pub goers to pub their fags out when your meal is served – if there's an ashtray on a table in this pub someone will use it, regardless of whether you're eating your dinner inches away! I quickly shoved the ashtray under the table when our meals came because I didn't fancy someone's fag ash floating in my gravy!
The food was delicious. I could have chosen lamb or turkey, but opted for beef as I had a sudden craving for Yorkshire pudding. The portion size was so big that the fluffy roast potatoes and Yorkshires had to be served on top of the beef. Perfectly cooked veg completed the meal; a large pile of carrots, cabbage and peas really added some substance to the roast. They were also very generous with the beef; three thick slices were hiding on my plate, all of which were cooked beautifully and so tender I could have cut them with a spoon. My roast potatoes were, however, the making of the meal. Deliciously crispy on the outside but fluffy enough to melt in my mouth on the inside – and the thick, rich gravy was the perfect accompaniment giving the spuds a real meaty flavour.
I visited with my partner and his aunt and uncle and everybody was very impressed with the food. We all ate roast dinners; although Mark chose turkey and his aunt went for lamb. The turkey was buttery and fresh – the stuffing came onto my plate as Mark can't stand it and it was deliciously traditional, of the sausage meat variety. The best recommendation I can give the food is to tell you that every one of us cleared our plates.
The menu in the Wellington Arms is wider than roast dinner, however, and other diners were eating delicious looking salmon, lasagne and good old fashioned sausage and mash. Prices are around £5 a meal, although there's an offer on roast dinners where the more dinners you buy the cheaper the cost. A single dinner costs £5.95, but because four of us ordered at the same time we only paid £4.50 per meal which is a good saving between us.
An excellent dessert menu, if you've got the room, completes the meal. I shared a portion of apple pie and ice cream with Mark and it was gorgeous. As with the main meal, the dessert was massive with the apple pie tasting wonderfully homemade with a fantastic cinnamon aftertaste. This cost just £1.99 and was worth every penny. I could also have chosen from a selection of chocolate cakes, ice cream and waffles.
Staff in the Wellington Arms are laid back and friendly. The chefs were sitting in the bar with the customers and the barman who was serving at the time of our visit was chatty and helpful. They were constantly collecting glasses and emptying ashtrays to keep the bar looking as clean and tidy as possible.
All the usual drinks are available; a good selection of lagers and regional ales both on draught and bottled, Guinness is a popular drink here which is probably because of the £1.75 a pint promotion which I believe is long running. Also my current favourite, Magners cider which is available at the slightly high price of £2.75 per small bottle. All the branded spirits and good quality wines are also served at prices consistent with other pubs in this area.
The atmosphere in the Wellington Arms is nice; it's a good mix of tourists and locals, with no clickiness at all as can often be found in seaside pubs. It wasn't too busy when we visited, and we managed to get two tables next to each other as all the bigger tables were in use. It's pleasantly quiet and a good place to sit and have a chat while enjoying a drink and a plate of good food.
The Wellington Arms is fully accessible to visitors using wheelchairs; tables are widely spaced and chairs are pulled neatly against the walls, meaning there's plenty of room to get round in. The spotlessly clean toilets have wide doors and there's a designated disabled loo if you can't manage the tight turn into the Ladies.
The pub is located in one of the back streets behind the Old Harbour. At the main Old Harbour roundabout walk along North Quay and onto Trinity Road, turn left onto St Edmund Street, left again onto Maiden Street and after a final left you'll arrive on St Alban Street. The Wellington Arms is located roughly 100 yards down this narrow road on your left. You can't miss it, and really don't want to.
The Wellington Arms
St Alban Street
Weymouth
DT4 8PY
Tel: 01305 786963"
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