The Bakers' Arms has been garnering a lot of good press recently. It was the 'Hampshire Life' Dining Pub of the Year 2007 and has local webzines such as MyPetersfield.com have given it rave reviews. I took the vicar to lunch there on a wet Palm Sunday and found it a charming place, simply furnished and with a welcoming open fire. The original small public and saloon bars have been opened up so that the pub now consists of one large L-shaped room, one wing of which is at a lower level.
Being a Sunday, the menu was short - basically roast beef, pork or chicken with all the trimmings. Our Gloucester Old Spot pork with cream mustard sauce came commendably quickly and was delicious, with ample crackling, a tasty Yorkshire pudding and superb roast potatoes. There were no less than five additional vegetables, including red cabbage and parsnips, all fitted comfortably on a large square plate. Slices of crusty brown bread were served automatically, all for £16.95 each. Puddings were apple crumble, bread and butter and brownies, all with cream. We failed to tackle any of them.
The wine list is short and we allowed Anna, (who with the chef, Adam Cordery are the proprieters) to recommend an excellent Rioja at £17. No service charge was added to the bill, which I find a little tiresome as you the have to calculate it, but the service itself from Anna and her team of two young girls was exemplary, and the pub was full. read more