The Swan inn in Breckland

Since we moved to Mattishall in Feb 2018, we have used the Swan for family and friends visits. The food is to die for and, the menu is always changing so, no getting the same boring stuff week after week. Sunday in autumn, winter is carvery and, what a carvery. One price gets you a large plate plus, a sweet of your choice. One thing i like is, being a vegetarian, there are always several meals to choose from including a massive quorn veggie burger. The portions are way above normal as my Dad can vouch for and all freshly cooked. Their speciality pies are much sought after and, if you don't get in quick, they're gone. Sonia and Peter run an excellent pub restaurant with a cheerful, friendly and helpful staff for which nothing is too much trouble. If you're passing through, I recommend stopping at this friendly eatery.

Lovely pub with good home cooked food - never disappoints, and always a warm friendly welcome from Sonia and Pete. We have eaten here many times, just the two of us with our dog and as part of a larger group with the dart team. The most recent meal being in mid-September. Food as always was fresh, home cooked, good portion size and most importantly tasted good too. Personal favourite are the hunters chicken and steak with a Stilton sauce. Partner favours the homemade burgers or a pie, and always a peanut stack for dessert (a must try). Always happy to recommend to friends and family. Lovely pub we will continue to return to.

Staying locally on holiday and ate in this gem of a pub twice. The welcome was great, service quick and all the food was delicious with good quantities and value for money.

Stayed in the village for a few nights and went to this pub a few times , twice for dinner and it was great, made to feel welcome and the pub is dog friendly. We had our dog, Harvey, who was made welcome also and got lots of fussing. The food was really good and good value and a good selection of drinks behind the bar. The Sunday they had a charity day with bands playing and stalls to buy crafts and bits and pieces and a hog roast. Really good afternoon. The staff are great and the service was excellent. Well worth a visit and nice to be made welcome, Harvey loved the fuss he got!

Great drinks and delicious food. They are generous portions and good pub food. There are lots of different beers to choose from as well as their cider tap. A great local business which we like to support.

We had a great lunch at this lovely village pub. Good, tasty food at reasonable prices. Would definitely recommend.

Great meal, lots of choice on the menu good prices and lovely atmosphere Would highly recommend a visit Friendly staff Dog friendly too

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT FROM Nov 2022. This pub has recently been re-opened. Newly decorated, friendly atmosphere, reasonably priced. Worth a visit.

The pub looks like it is now under new management. i went there on a saturday night and there was no one in there ! I asked for the menu but the grumpy barman said they dont do any anymore, looks like you have to pay cash only for your drinks too.mmm ? there wasn,t even any music playing, at least the "slaughtered lamb" had some locals drinking in it ! I wont be visiting it any more thanks.

Having seen the previous 2 reviews we went with a little trepidation, it was quiet to start with but we went early, it soon filled up with locals of all ages. No bad language at all. The food was just what you expect from a village pub, steaks, burgers, fish and chips, curry and a reasonable selection of proper puddings apple crumble etc all with custard. All homemade. Big helpings. Good well kept beer from a local brewery. Ok the decor is a bit Spartan but don’t forget the hell pubs have been through for the past 2 years, so it great to find one still open. Don’t be precious when visiting just go with the flow.

Was staying local so was somewhere we could eat .On arrival I felt a bit part extra from the scene in American Warewolf without the Moors background. Asked about food was told From 5:30!No problem as was half an Hour Away from Starting. Unfortunately A Local decided to Entertain us with Loud Constant Belching and Obscene Language which The Barmaid found amusing that by the time she came round at 5:27 enquiring if we would like to see The Menus we Had both not surprisingly lost our appetites 😠

Gives weird social club vibes, weird lighting inside and just generally poor for a ‘local’ pub. Just generally a bit boring... compared to other pubs in the area like the buck.

Best to avoid if you want a good atmosphere, or good food. Poor lunch selection, disinterested staff.

What a great meal great company was felt very welcome as soon as we got in I recommend the squid starter

One of the best meals we have ever had, brilliant staff and a lovely chilled country pub atmosphere. Hats off to the chef Paul, awesome meal thankyou

We had Scampi & hand-cut chips. Good size portion & perfectly cooked. Friendly & efficient service. Highly recommended.

I went there with my wife for a sunday carvery, the meat was cooked to perfection there were plenty of vegtables on offer, the staff were friendly and helpfull,i will definitely be going again.

Went for a Sunday carvery for my birthday we got loads of meat of our Choice two Yorkshire puddings six different veggies stuffing. And gravy to die for. And finished of with a lovely lemon meringue cake with cream. We will be back .

Went to the swan for Sunday meal it was perfect the beef melted as we ate it can not fault it in any way it is great to see the pub thriving great new owners glad the pool teams are coming back on a Monday night and there is APPLE CRUMBLE on the menu again 5 stars from us

Came he for a nice carvery with my husband. I had the Turkey very moist and fresh. Lots of nice vegetables fresh and tasted very lovely. We both shared the dessert. Chocolate fudge cake, very big felt very satisfied and full up would definitely recommend and come back again.

Having used this pub on and off for years, we went Saturday night for a friend’s birthday. There was football on the telly, it was really rowdy, we couldn’t talk to each other because of the noise. We were served our meals, which were borderline ok. When we finished eating our main course, we were asked if we were staying for the quiz or leaving, because they needed the table for a team of quizzers. We had decided to have mains and dessert rather than starter but we didn’t even get asked if we wanted dessert. The woman was said she had allocated another table for us, but the people on that table didn’t leave so if we weren’t doing the quiz we would have to leave the table. All during our meal we were being watched by a group who had reserved this table as though we had no right to be there. Not once were we asked if everything was ok. Food nowhere near as good as when Sonia and Pete were there, which is ironic as the chef had worked there for them before and put out really tasty food. We left without paying as there was nobody behind the bar and we were all fuming at how we had been treated. Today (Sunday) one of our party went back to pay for our meal and the woman still couldn’t see why we were annoyed. Please Sonia and Pete come back. This is now a drinkers pub and certainly not a food one. WE WILL NOT BE GOING BACK.

Was quite looking forward to trying the local since under new management. Managed to get a seat, ordered food then waited, and waited... waited around 50 minutes in total. Luckily if we wasnt hungry before, we were when the food got there! I had ordered steak medium rare, when it arrived half was well done and the other was medium rare which was quite an achievement! Partner's scampi was basic and nothing spectacular. During the meal there was a football match on which meant that the bar was busy so much so that a man decided to sit at our table on a bar stool making us both feel very uncomfortable mid meal. Decided on dessert, menu was off the top of waitresses head, chocolate fudge cake was bog standard shop cake barely warmed up. When we had just finished eating we were then asked if we could move to let others sit down, not even given time to digest our food. Overall I would not recommend, tables too close together and too close to the bar. Food was mediocre, could really do much better, other village pubs have done much more. Fine as a pub not as a place for food.

Went to my local today for Xmas lunch. £20 set menu price.Sadly recently changed hands but new people seemed ok, however got turned away from last booking as chef was ill but got given complimentary meal for inconvenience.Place a bit quiet but I assume being a Monday may be the reason. I opted for the deep fried camembert starter, which came out with a pot of redcurrant jelly and a couple of baby gem lettuce leaves garnished a bit on the timid side.The camembert was just done enough but came close to being under.Next our mains came with help from the chef in jeans, hoodie & apron...I was a bit concerned.My potatoes were dark in the middle, stuffing not edible,bought in Yorkys,3 parsnip strands...oh dear...where is the previous chef?The gravy was runny and came out in a ridiculous large jug which was a health & safety worry for my kids, and the Turkey was ok but I had to send my meal back as cold.Oh dear what gas happened here? The veg was plain and tasteless...oh dear I hope this was a one off.The barmaid was very nice about it and not surprised though..when I mentioned my complaint...big big improvement needed here I'm afraid.Had some lovely meals here in the past but today's visit was a major concern.

We ate here for my birthday lunch, before going on The Polar Express at The Mid-Norfolk Railway. I would give them 10 stars if I could. The service was very friendly and good paced (not too fast, not too slow.) At 2pm on Sunday they were serving roast dinners, beef, turkey or gammon. They were extremely accommodating with all our requests: a child’s portion even though my mum is an adult, and fries for my son even though they weren’t offering them. The food was hot and delicious. The desserts were great. We will come here again. Friendly service, great atmosphere and good, home cooked food.

Friendly pub with fantastic food,well worth a visit,friendly staff always,second visit in a year and will be back soon

We recently moved to Dereham and decided to try this pub. What an absolute Gem! Looks under-stated from the outside but the food is really quite exceptional. Home made beef and onion pie was to die for and my sister loved her KFC style chicken. Possible the best garlic bread we've eaten in years. Listen to the reviews and check this modest little pub out you will not regret it! We are going back for Sunday roast in two weeks time. Finally we've found a great dining pub in the area. Would give it more stars if it were possible to do so.Adding in that we did go for Sunday lunch and it was fabulous. First class, attentive, friendly service from a magnificent 'pocket rocket' waitress, the best roast potatoes I have had in a pub for a long time. A choice of beef, pork, turkey or nut roast (which comes with Yorkshire puddings, roast parsnips, roast potatoes, and side bowls of cauliflower cheese and vegetables). We whiled away a very happy afternoon eating tremendous food and with a bottle of wine, diet coke and a Guinness the whole lot came to £59 for 3 people. Great value for such hearty, well-cooked, delicious fare. A great chef, wonderful staff and we are now happy to call the Swan our local.

Sometimes you come alone a gem this is one,stopped on the of chance turned out one of the best Sunday lunches I’ve had,£9.99 for 3 choices of meat plus desert included,This is a set lunch not a Carvery as others have stated.friendly staff better to book in advance will eat here again.

Ate well. Food plentiful AND well presented. Good menu. Staff friendly and customer focused. What more does one want.

We visited this pub as we visited friends and this is their local. Have to say what a lovely pub, everyone from the bar staff to the landlord and landlady were so welcoming. We had food here which was really nice, hot and reasonably priced and the desserts were amazing. It couldn't have been that bad of a pub as our tab finished at £277!!!!!!

Could be great BUT seems to lack identity. Decor needs sorting quite a bit to make it warm and inviting. Rather open plan(cold) dinning. Locals seem to dominate,watching sport. The food was simple and fresh, cooked to order. Lovely homemade pie but burger overcooked, scampi OK but chips under cooked. The landlord lit the fire halfway through the meal which helped the atmosphere.

Lovely village pub serving pub food, bar snacks and also carvery. Generous portions, great atmosphere, two TV screens showing sport, pool and darts available. Nice back garden, weather permitted but there are also patio with tables. It is not a restaurant with separated tables distanced apart. If you fancy a local pub this is a great place to visit.

They sell the most amazing tasty pies & frequently change the flavours. Also vegetarian wraps with fries & salad to die for. If you have room for a pud you will be lucky.

Its been a while since we last came here, so we decided to try it again and wow what a great steak!

Tables to close together when eating can hear other people's conversations food OK. Really a old spit and sawdust pub good for locals

We went on the 18/11/18 and had a fantastic meal it was one of the best meals we have had . Great atmosphere friendly staff anyone looking for somewhere to go try the swan

Went there for lunch today with my wife and our friend. It was one of the best meals I've had out for a long while. I had a herb & Stilton burger which was delicious with homemade onion rings & coleslaw. Our friend had the steak & Stilton pie and my wife had the chicken which was all lovely. A pub I'm proud to call my local. Well done Pete & Sonia

We have been here a few times and the pub has a very warm and welcoming atmosphere and even better when the log burner is on in the winter.

Good find whilst out for drive. Very friendly welcome and good choices on the Bar/Pizza/Main Menus & special board. We had a baguette & wrap with a portion of chips. The meal was lovely and piping hot. The pub has been brought up to a good standing and the outside/garden seats are good. I would recommend a visit.

Very friendly welcome on our first visit. Great choices on the menu, we all had the Combo meals, what a great idea. Food lovely and piping hot. My steak was tender and perfectly cooked. Nice puddings too. But best of all very dog friendly, our Springer loved his sausage, which came ready cut up in a little tray....brilliant. A great choice and we will visit again when we are next in Norfolk.

We are very local to this pub and love it. Beer garden is lovely to sit in for lunch with the family, food is always really good, they cater really well for gluten free and intolerances which is handy for me as I have many.

We had used Mattishall for a seven mile circular walk to and around East Tuddenham and back and were looking for a light lunch and a pint.

Recently moving to this village, we decided to try the Sunday carvery at the Swan Inn. First impressions were that all the staff were very welcoming and, this continued throughout the visit. The carvery was amazing with beef and Turkey on the menu with a wide range of vegetables. As a vegetarian, I usually end up with a plate of vegetables and yorkshire pudding but, not here. I was offered a 5 Bean roast and accepted it. It was HUGE ! I just had enough room for my lovely cooked roast potatoes, carrots and runner beans !!!

Standard Village pub but with really good home made food and friendly staff.

Lovely cooked Sunday Lunch with a great selection of meat & veg... comes with a free dessert of huge proportion! I struggled to finish my Rhubarb Crumble with custard! Excellent value for money!

Visited for a Tuesday lunch. Steak and ale pie is probably the best pie I have ever had. Suggest you to take a doggy bag as the pie is large and very filling. Large menu choice. Really friendly staff willing to chat and suggest local places to visit.

Evening walk to the pub with my family and our 6 dogs! We were all made welcome and enjoyed a snack of chips and onion rings! Delicious! We enjoyed them so much we booked in for the Sunday carvery!

Went for lunch here on Saturday. Staff were friendly and welcoming. Large choice of food and a specials board. Portions were huge and well cooked. So huge that I couldn't manage a dessert and the choices of dessert looked lovely!! I would definitely eat here again and would happily recommend.

Visited here twice when staying nearby, lovely food and really friendly staff. Dog friendly and has a pool table for over 14, which meant we stayed longer after dinner.

We popped here on Sunday afternoon for a Sunday afternoon session not to be disappointed with the selection of beers on offer, we then all came back on the Wednesday night for a family meal not to be disappointed again the food was fantastic I had the lamb and mint pie which was amazing everybody else's food looked great aswell. This pub also offers sky sports which is great for anyone that likes sports this pub is well worth a visit.

Si vives cerca de este es un pub como su local. El propietario amable y casera, personal encantador y la gente de hacerte sentir bienvenido. Selección razonable de cerveza y la comida es buena cosas hogareño.

Paré en la última semana, después de un viaje de compras con amigos, a un bar acogedor, ventiladas y limpias. Tuve ale que estaba limpia y perfectamente conservado. Mi amigo y yo tuvimos comidas, que eran de un nivel superior. Mi hamburguesa era deliciosa, y...

Visitamos este pub mientras estar con amigos. Recomendaría las hamburguesas! Eran deliciosos, servido con patatas fritas de camote y de col, carne de hamburguesa propiamente no hay cosas. El personal era atento y amable, y ofrece un buen servicio.

Es refrescante encontrar que todavía puedes conseguir comida sabrosa, tamaño y porciones decentes a precios muy razonables. El número de opciones en el menú es impresionante. Todo lo que tenía estaba bien cocinado y servido rápidamente. Que volveré la próxima vez que estemos en la zona

6 de nosotros fuimos para una comida familiar antes de ir al cine. La comida nos trajeron en buen tiempo y todo recién cocinado. Fue muy sabroso y abundante. El personal es atento y amable. Puede ser un poco ruidoso por la zona de comedor y bar no están separados, pero no es un gran problema. Buena relación calidad-precio, y utilizar de nuevo.

Enjoyed a Sunday carvery here with the family. Good quality fresh food and friendly staff would def recommend.

Ate out here with friends. Great choice of foods on the menu, good portion sizes and excellent quality tasty food. Leave room for dessert as they were delicious! Staff very friendly, helpful & welcoming. Will happily visit again & recommend to others.

My parents live in Mattishall and we visit The Swan when we pop up. Last time we played darts and pool this time (unexpectedly) ended up playing Bingo on a Sunday night, had so much fun. Its lovely to see a country pub doing well and getting support from the locals. Can't comment yet abut food as we have nWell done and looking forward to coming up again soon

Potential here to do good things. Decor needs sorting quite a bit to make it warm and inviting. Get the fire going, It's December. Quite a bit of room so I guess if the food was simple and fresh, cooked to order it could be a decent food and drink pub. From what I saw it seems to lack identity. I'm guessing it's owned by a pub management company and leased so it's probably not the tenants fault.

I went to the Swan today, with my wife and the gentleman who she looks after every week. The pub was quiet but was kind of expected for a weds, but I don't think they do much of a lunchtime trade to be honest.The menu was quite basic and there was some specials on offer. I decided to go for a bbq burger which was quite pricey espescially if you wanted extra sides (9.95 with chips) which were meant to be handcut but we're not. Instead frozen potato wedges and not fresh.My wife and friend both had chicken breast which they said was nice. My burger was very disappointing and certainly not worth 9.95!!The burger was not fresh and did not taste of bbq sauce, infact was in my bun in pieces and very dry. So obviously had been frozen as when I bit into it, water was dripping out!!For that price a burger should be cooked to order and fresh!!I should've said something but was very hungry and someone's guest, and didn't want to make a scene.I also want this pub to do well and stay open!! So if anyone is reading this then it's purely my opinion to improve, not to criticize, I'm a chef by trade and really expected better as the first time I ate there was really good so I hope these criticisms will help and not cause any problem.This is a lovely pub and I hope will do well. Just think about cooking fresh food because todays for me only, was not very good at all.

Went here for a Sunday calvary. The staff were all lovely and the calvary and deserts were lovely. The decor needs a little work, but the pub is under new management and are obviously working hard at building up a great pub! There is a pool table and darts available too! Will definitely visit again.

Visited Sunday for food. Carvery was great. Great taste, good quality, can't fault.Selection of puddings too - all served with cream, ice cream or custard. Plenty of parking at rear of pub. Owners friendly and welcoming.Recommend.

Stayed in Mattishall for a week on family history research and spent many nights in the fab Swan Inn. Would have to say that the Steak and ale pie was THE best pie we have ever had. Sonja made us feel right at home from our first visit. Dont go past the Swan inn if you are in Norfolk.

Très bon accueil. Plats traditionnels anglais, mais noter particulièrement la viande de boeuf, absolument excellente. Et bien sur les traditionnels plats, mais tout fait maison comme l'excellente Steak and Kidney Pie, fraichement préparée.

Their burgers are pretty good:) plenty different flavours and tastes amazing. I have to admit that I've tried several flavours and they have not failed me once:) The owners are very friendly as well.

Great friendly pubGreat food at good prices, lots of choices. Worth a visit.Some parts dog friendly =}

Love the food, all home cooked, good variety, prices comparible with other pubs in the area.Definitely one on my favourites.

Visited this pub with a walking group. Friendly welcome and really good pub food. The homemade pies are excellent. The service was very efficient even though two groups of people had to be catered for. The pub is clean and cosy with a patio for outside dining. Nice to visit a really well run pub in the heart of Norfolk. Worth making a detour to visit.

Had a fantastic meal in here, kind, friendly, warm, good prices too. brilliant menu, staff were very attentive

Noticed sign on the A47 so took a drive. Is a little further than expected and we were about to turn back as presumed we had missed it (a sign halfway between a47 turn off and pub might be good). Lovely and bright and clean. Very friendly welcome and nice pub- pool, sky sports etc. We Both had food- large portions and very good. Husband had steak, me chicken and both cooked beautifully. Chunky chips amazing! Would def recommend.

Food was lovely, generous portions couldn't fault it really. We didn't really go in with high expectations as there was a football match on, service was great, was very pleasantly surprised!

I have just had the most fantastic homemade pie I have ever tasted. Thank you Peter and Sonia . First class food excellent service in a nice family friendly pub atmosphere

Stayed in rural retreat which is a 20 minute walk from the pub. The swan inn is a nice quiet local pub were your made you feel welcome. The couple that run the pub are very friendly and love dogs, as they have 2 of their own. The food is good and the beer is cold, what more could you ask for.

Popped in here yesterday lunchtime for a quick drink. Barmaid very friendly. We're not from the area so exploring different places to eat and drink. This seems to be a pub for locals. Apparently it had been closed for couple of years - not the sort of pub we would normally frequent. Bar menu for food very limited but OK if you like burgers or jacket potato.

Mattishall Swan was always a no go pub until new management. The food is very good and portioned very generously. The whole meal was amazing but was slightly disappointed with the desert. The pear tart was a bit tasteless but hey oh the rest of the meal excellent.

Booked for Sunday lunch. Staff were very friendly and accommodating. Food was great when it arrived and with a wood burner the atmosphere was spot on.We will definitely be back.If only all pubs and restaurants were like this life would be simple.

Have been to the Swan twice over the last month, once for a meal with friends, once with teenage children. On both occasions we had a great meal out. They have a new menu with a good variety of home made burgers, including some unusual but tasty flavours (such as Thai) and a good selection of sides. The portions are good sized. On the special's board there is range of other dishes and always a home made pie - mine was game including pidgeon and pheasant. The pie was excellent - good crispy shortcrust pastry, no soggy bottoms, with the filling hot and succulent. The also have a good selection of puddings. We will be returning.

Went to this pub for a meeting with a group of friends, arranged by a third party. As it was a big group, we had a limited menu: it was a pie, peas and a natter evening, but this limited menu did not detract from enjoyment. The steak and ale pie was delicious. It was stuffed full of tender beef in a rich, flavoursome gravy in a generous portion. It was also very reasonably priced. The food was served promptly, was piping hot and served by helpful, friendly staff.This was my first visit to the pub and I will happily go back

The time and investment the new owners have put in is showing.A massive improvement over how it used to be.Nice food ( I love the Chicken Burger with Hand Cut Chips)Nice atmosphere now. Have 2 large screen TVs showing Sky Sports in the bar area which don't encroach on where people are eating.A major revamp on the outside seating area makes it very enjoyable sitting outside on warmer days to eat and drink. Free WiFi & Dog friendly in the bar area and outside too.Only improvement I can think of would be to have higher volume on the TVs when popular matches are on and the bar is busy. Hearing the crowd and the commentary boosts atmosphere in my opinion.Keep up the good work.

First visit for a meal at our village pub. Very impressed, good choice of food and reasonably priced. Meals cooked well and served by friendly staff. Deserves to do well.

Went with a friend for a meal. Good choice of food. Served quickly. Food out fast. So delicious. Chef is amazing. Im pretty sure I'm still full from the meal and its be weeks!

This has been done up nicely and I like the fact they stick to basic pub grub and don't try to produce food beyond their capability. It would be nice if the owners paid some attention to non regulars - he was very attentive to the drinkers at the bar but not so much with us - a smile wouldn't hurt either!Well worth a visit for a drink (lovely outside area) or for some good pub grub - a bit more personality from the owners would make this a destination place.........

If I had known my starter was going to be so huge I don't think I would have chosen it as it filled me up and I had problems eating my main course. However, my starter of whitebait was very tasty. My main of gammon served with pineapple AND egg was also very nice. My husband was not too keen on his choice of steak as he felt the cut was not of a high quality. However, he really enjoyed his starter of garlic mushrooms which again was a very ample serving and he said the sauce was very creamy and garlicky. The two women who served us were very friendly and made us feel very welcome.

We actually ate with them twice in the week beginning 8th March. The first night they were having an American theme night and all their tables were booked but they made room for us and the food they supplied was very presentable. On the second occasion, unfortunately, we felt the place lacked atmosphere and the food was just OK. They have only had The Swan since about October and seem to be working hard to gain some character. I feel they need more local support to help create a better atmosphere, but that needs to earned