The Viking Chefs
Castle Terrace, Bridgnorth
Relaxed, Light Lunch
Highly Recommend
Owned and run by a Danish family in the heart of Bridgnorth, this small, quaint and delicious little lunch spot offers a menu of light lunch and brunch dishes all seasoned and served with a nod to traditional, family Danish food - and really great value for money!
Anywhere packed out on a Thursday lunchtime is a good sign! Its a new place, recently renovated - its tightly packed but in a cosy way and the atmosphere gets buzzing really quickly. There is a balance to be had with how many people you squeeze into your restaurant. If you’re busy, an extra table of 2 can make all the difference to your bottom line but I hate restaurants that pack you in like a tin of sardines, where you have to apologise in advance to 2 tables that you are about to basically sit on their prawn cocktail because its the only way you can get out of your seat when you’re busting for the loo!
In contrast, you walk outside to the most stunning terrace, views over all of Bridgnorth - it was incredible! We went in late October, it had been raining, it was wet, a bit damp but we were offered outside so I took it! I loved to see the care and attention that came with it. ‘Hold on 1 second - let me dry the seats and table’ - you think this should be standard but believe me, it’s not that common! Still not allowed to sit down, they bring out 4 big, cosy, warm, furry seat covers - if they lit a fire, I might not have left!
We wrestled with our choices from the menu - all lovely, light sounding dishes - perfect for a light lunch! Seafood is prevalent as you would expect from a Scandinavian inspired place. Its always a worry for me in a landlocked county - when and where on earth was this fish last in water? But I was pleased to see it was all of high quality, fresh and very tasty!
The entire menu is packed with high quality local produce - always in a good place when you see MacNeill’s Smoked Salmon on the menu - especially when it comes hand sliced to order from an entire side of salmon!
The drinks menu was extensive and totally packed with local produce - tons of local gins - I assume these guys love a couple of doubles after a tough day feeding a packed restaurant! Local beers and plenty of wines to choose from! I would quite happily just come for a few drinks in the garden, regardless of the weather!
Service was exactly what you want - another family member, so you know its coherent with the feel of the entire experience. Friendly and attentive, happy to recommend wines and dishes and answered all our questions (we are a couple of food intolerant nightmares these days!). Normally, when someone serving you approaches with an A5 flip notebook and biro - the kind you’d keep next to your landline in the 90s - I worry about the small details and what is to follow. But in this place it just makes sense - its their house, their rules - and I absolutely LOVE it - zero shits given - you are there for the food, the smiles from the staff and the STUNNING views out of the back terrace! It’s a really well priced, family run restaurant, the small details don’t matter!
The Danish Sandwich Platter Is A Must!
A choice of 5 different, super generous sandwich toppers - its hard to pick. The herring in a sort of coronation-y mayo was a total winner and for £10 you’ll be hard pushed to find better value! Normally served on sourdough, they had gluten free bread available and adapting things to our intolerances was no issue at all!
Rustic Smoked Salmon
The smoked salmon is of exceptional quality - smoked in a local, sustainably focused smokehouse, it’s hand cut to order which gives it a lovely rustic edge - some thick chunky bites, some a little more elegant - it makes it very real to eat! The little garnish of cayenne pepper on the side is inspired and something that wouldn’t have crossed my mind. Its amazing how the simple things, a dash of lemon juice and a sprinkle of some cayenne pepper can completely elevate a dish!
On the way through the restaurant, you can’t help but notice the range of cakes and pastries - same Danish inspiration, same homemade, rustic vibes. If I wasn’t suffering the torture of being gluten intolerant, my head would have been in that glass cabinet and i’d be clearing house! Delicious looking and by the fact it was half empty by 1pm on a Thursday, they must be good! Another reason to head there!
