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Can anyone recommend a pub or chippy to get some grub before the overnight sailing?
Leaves Harwich at 11 but will need to check in at 9pm.
Thanks
I got the overnight from HvH last year - onboard dining is decent and reasonably priced as I recall. If you can wait I’d eat on board.
If you don't mind eating a bit early there's some nice pubs on the Shotley peninsula leaving you with a 30 minute ish drive (just double check that as that might be at my relative's rapid pace).
Really it depends where you're coming from as there's a bunch of villages between the A12 to the South / West or A14 to the North and Harwich. Suffolk is definitely not short of decent rural food pubs.
Iirc Harwich itself is less scenic.
We have used the ferry route a few times usually with an pub tea Shotley / Ipswich side as we have family nearby.
I wouldn't eat on board as it can be late once loaded and a full gut before cabin beds followed by Don't Worry Be Happy at 6am does not make a good night's rest!
yeah the Pier Hotel/Resteraunt does very nice posh grub, failing that Pepys pub round the corner from that does nice food too!
* both in the "old town" part of Harwich. Not been to either for years, but was a regular to both when i worked over that way.
The Alma in Harwich is worth a look
Thanks. We'll leave home in W Yorks about 2pm so should be down by 7-8pm ish
I get a Dominos and take it on board, scoff that down and then straight to bed as you'll be woken very early so don't expect a lie in!
Don't go into Dovercourt!
Lucca in Manningtree is a very nice pizzeria. We stopped there before catching the Harwich ferry last year before a big European trip.
top tip - manningtree town centre car park gets locked at 6pm and doesn’t have very good signage. Made for a VERY stressful start to our trip 🤣
You could stop in Dedham at Milsoms if you want a break before getting to Harwich. Sister place to The Pier in Harwich and a little less formal (no table reservations). There's also The Sun Inn and Marlborough Head in the village centre. The latter pub is less formal than the former (Sun Inn has been in Sunday press a couple of times just recently).
We were late due to a traffic incident last time but found a drive-thru Maccy (I think) at the port. Life saver!
found a drive-thru Maccy
There's also a Morrisons there as well near the port entrance.
As a regular visitor to Suffolk for family ... The A14 is prone to complete carnage at peak season/times as it carries a lot of cross country freight from the Midlands to Felixstowe and the bit of the A12 south from Copdock can be miserable too. Factor that into your travel timings.
IIRC Stena are funny about "picnics" in many public parts of the boat especially close to the bars and in the cafe area. Cabin will be fine.
The food on board was reasonable and you can pay in GBP I think.
The answer was Zer fish and chips at Great Dunmow. We stopped at the Tesco nearby for fuel and went to Zer on the way back to the A120
It was excellent!
Wasn't expecting to find a recommendation for the new chippy in town. Ta @elshalimo 😉
When working down that way I always used to go to the old town; nice restaurant on the front, couple of nice pubs and the Thai was always good as well. Only a few minutes by car or train from the ferry terminal.
The Alma Inn in Harwich is a solid choice—good pub food, decent beer, and only a short walk or drive from the port. If you’re after fish and chips, Pieseas on Kingsway gets good reviews and is close by too. Either should have you fed and sorted before check-in.