The story
Kings Head Blofield offers a taste of Norfolk's countryside through its modern British menu, earning a spot in The Good Food Guide for its commitment to local sourcing and generous portions. Located on Yarmouth Road in Blofield, this family-run gastropub balances roadside convenience with a kitchen that prioritizes flavor over fussiness.
Richard, Steven, and Archie Hogg lead the brigade alongside owners Kevin and Sue, turning the pub into a hub for the extended Hogg clan. The kitchen draws heavily on Norfolk and Suffolk suppliers, securing meats and seafood from trusted neighbors like Swannington Farm to Fork. This proximity allows the team to feature items such as Swannington pork fillet and belly with a freshness that defines their approach. The Good Food Guide notes the focus remains squarely on cooking well and welcoming guests with ease rather than chasing trends.
The modern British cooking style prioritizes ingredient integrity, as seen in seared Cornish scallops resting on cauliflower purée, finished with chorizo crumb and puffed potato for texture. A chicken, leek and bacon pie provides comfort, set on mash with a jug of gravy, while the Aberdeen Angus burger delivers molten smoked Norfolk Dapple cheese and bacon jam. Meat forms the backbone of the service, highlighted by tender Gressingham duck breast served crisp-skinned alongside a croquette of leg meat and pickled endive. Rump steak arrives with burnt apple ketchup and bubble 'n' squeak, and the Sunday roast features giant Yorkshires with loin from Swannington. Sticky toffee pudding and spiced apple crumble close the meal.
Families and dog walkers gather freely in the space beyond the kitchen, which functions as a community hub. A spacious beer garden hosts a play area for children, extending the dining experience outdoors under the open sky. Inside, the bar stocks Norfolk and Suffolk casks including Beavertown and Brixton Ales, complemented by Aspall cider and gluggable wines. Live music most weekends showcases regional bands, reinforcing the pub's reputation for accessible modern British pub dining. Hayley Hogg manages the front of house, ensuring the atmosphere remains as welcoming as the food arriving from the pass.
Recognition
Details
History
2 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
Sitting squarely roadside in Blofield, a village that all but touches Norwich’s eastern flank, is a pub that you’d quite easily drive straight past. Don’t. Freshened up and run by members of the Hogg family (which includes two brothers who are chefs), the focus is more on cooking up good food and looking after guests with easy warmth rather than cutesy prettification. It’s the right priority. Start with scallops, seared just so and arranged on cauliflower purée with a dash of attitude from chilli oil and chorizo crumb, plus some crunch from puffed potato. Follow perhaps with a well-loaded chicken, leek and bacon pie, set jauntily on a pile of mash with veg and a jug of gravy; it’s as generous as the Aberdeen Angus burger with properly molten smoked Norfolk Dapple cheese, pickles and bacon jam. Our Gressingham duck breast was tenderly pink and crisp-skinned, served with a croquette of leg meat and a fine fricassée of cabbage and carrots, alongside some pickled endive to cut sharply through the rich meat – a welcome detail that balanced this deliciously generous plate of food. Meat is where the pub really excels, with what one diner described as ‘outrageously good pork’ leading the charge. It might be rump from nearby Swannington Farm to Fork butchers, served with burnt apple ketchup and bubble ‘n’ squeak cake or, on Sunday, a piece of loin accompanied by giant Yorkshires and the rest. Room for more? Robust desserts tick all the traditional boxes, with sticky toffee pudding or spiced apple crumble rounding things off. Brixton Ales and Aspall cider supplement a decent list of gluggable wines.
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