The Cat & the Fiddle

Had a great experience here. The food was fantastic, atmosphere was inviting and relaxing and the service was great. Excellent prices. My beer was cold and my steak was cooked great. Not much to complain about here. The trifle for dessert was a bit disappointing but for the price, I’ll live. Will definitely return.

Dropped in for dinner on our first night as new residents in Cobourg, the place is just a block away. Staff were extremely polite and we got to sit outside in their patio which is an extremely beautiful garden setting.
My wife and I ordered, she had a chicken Caesar salad and I had the diastolic beef dip, and the food arrived quickly and we very good.
This is an excellent neighbourhood pub and the staff were very attentive, especially considering there was a private function upstairs.

Cutest patio and inside seating, great food and great service. Was just at cobourg beach and decided to stop in…10 min walk from beach.

The last time I was in a pub as cosy, atmospheric and cute as this was during my last trip to Warwickshire. I really felt like I could have been in Britain during my prolonged stay in this gorgeous little pub.
It’s super comfy, incredibly cosy (especially seeing as we had a window’s view of the snow falling outside), small and intimate. Our server was really relaxed, friendly and genuine and explained all the menu specials and drinks really well. We had five hours to kill before catching our train back to Toronto and spent most of this time here. The staff were very welcoming (for the most part — one girl was a bit rude) and put no pressure on us to either leave or to keep buying food or drinks during that time.
The first thing that jumped out at me was the really reasonable prices. A marked change from Toronto, and even some other places we looked at in Cobourg. My boyfriend had the Sunday special of a roast chicken dinner with brownie ice cream dessert, which came to just $ 14. I went for the British beef roast dinner, a huge portion which clocked in at $ 16 — not bad. They have menu specials every night of the week, with some amazing deals on wings, pitchers and appetisers.
Bf was really happy with his choice, especially the gooey dessert, and I really liked my beef roast. The gravy was delicious and the vegetables were cooked perfectly. The two Yorkshire puddings on the side were also a really nice touch! The beef tasted good but had a slightly stringy and old looking texture and look. The bottom line is that it tasted fine, but the appearance put me off a bit.
We followed up with a pint each and lingered in the cosy atmosphere looking out over the snow, whilst occasionally chatting to the staff, people watching the Cobourg locals and watching the tv.
A really lovely experience and we would love to return.

The Cat and the Fiddle was recommended to me by the owner of a B&B where I was staying and they definitely understated how good it was. This is not your typical pub with greasy frozen food. Our meals were very fresh and all was homemade.
I had a wrap with a salad and it was fresh and delicious and plentiful (Watford Wrap). The blue cheese crock to start was excellent. My companion had a Tony Blair (steal sandwich) that he said was very good.
We had great service. The draft beer selection was also very good.
I’d return in a heartbeat if I am back in he area.

This is how I imagine real English pubs to be like… good food, a bit dark and dingy, but overall a good ol’ time.
Tucked slightly away (and therefore almost completely invisible) from the Cobourg Main Street, this small pub has quaint, old-​time feel that even the Firkin group of pubs are moving away from, with their antique wallpaper, worn-​out dartboards, an almost total absence of natural light, and awkward low ceilings. In other words, it’s a throwback to when pubs weren’t all about ambience and chi-​chi accouterments, but was just a good place to hang with your mates and catch the local game.
Now, after writing the paragraph above, I realize that someone who is Chinese and born in Indonesia probably wouldn’t have the first idea of what an actual hardcore pub experience feels like, but in my mind at least (based on lots of watching British TV shows and more footie than an adult Asian should), this place is the real deal!
Despite the dingy atmosphere though, the food selections were great and the service was very friendly. The place had everything that a pub should (again, based on my interpretations) have: bangers n mash, fish n chips, a healthy selection of meat pies, burgers, and of course a few curries. Brilliant, guv’nor!
I had the fish n chips, which was quite nice and par for the course. The batter was crisp (though slightly too burnt for my liking) and the chips were smaller in size, just the way I like it. The tartar sauce was sweet and smooth, and tied the whole thing together. I also sampled my dad’s Tamworth Liver, which was just about the most well-​seasoned and tender liver steak I’ve ever had, and this is coming from someone who’s not a big fan of it in the first place. The bangers n mash was also quite tasty, though the sausages aren’t the jumbo, steroid-​looking ones that many pubs offer. Personally, I preferred this smaller, tastier version.
If you’re ever in Cobourg, pay a visit to this place, it’s cheaper than many of the fancier establishments that’s right on King Street, and is certainly a dying breed in Canadian cities. Next time I’m probably going to try one of their curries!

I was visiting Coburg. Needed lunch.
The Cat ‘n’ the Fiddle sounds a bit too much like an effin Firkin restaurant, but I decided to try it anyway.
I was amazed — good service, great food, really pub-​like ambiance.
I heartily recommend this restaurant.