The Buccaneer
Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor
Set in Blackpool’s showstopping amusement arcade Coral Island, The Buccaneer isn’t just family-friendly, it’s above above-and-beyond family-friendly, thanks to the very generous kids eat free offer (one free under 10-year-old kid’s meal, with every adult meal purchased).
As the name so subtly suggests, it’s a pirate-themed restaurant, so you’ll be greeted by an impressively-garbed Blackbeard-type fellow, who’ll gleefully unleash a host of nicely primed “Shiver me timbers” and “Avast me hearties” on your sprogs.
The restaurant itself is spacious enough to relax without feeling pressured to rush, but the atmosphere is as vibrant and fun as you’d expect. It’s all about the kids and the friendly staff happily play their part, and do it well.
The food is classic pub grub, done well. The portions are surprisingly big – no one’s leaving hungry here. The fish and chips is a strong choice, unsurprisingly, and the menu lists the fish as ‘award winning’ – which makes sense, it’s freshly battered and hot from the kitchen – it’s very, very good, plus it’s so big it spills over the side of your plate, which is precisely what we want to see on a day out beside the seaside.
There’s a good range of items, catering for all types of tastebud, including lasagne, hunter’s chicken, burgers, curry and, of course, a traditional carvery, serving up three types of meat and fresh seasonal vegetables, every Sunday from 12.
But more than anything, THe Buccaneer is just a great place to kick back for a while and take time out from enjoying Coral Island, Blackpool Beach or all the other seaside treats this historic town has to offer. Feed the fam, grab a well-earned pint, everyone’s happy.
