Review

In early 2009 the Zebra changed hands after the credit crunch caused the previous Polish owners to make an early exit. But not too many months later, other brave souls took over and have energetically brought to this simple traditional pub on Newmarket Road a new entertainment and food style.

We visited by day, so cannot vouch for the live music promised some evenings. The look of the place

The food, however, deserves special mention. Along with the usual pub favourites, from burgers to omelettes, the Zebra features pizzas and Mediterranean cuisine... really good food and excellent value.

remains, with perhaps a recent spruce up, but otherwise the old Zebra survives. As before, expect nothing fancy: well-used tables with chairs, a juke box and pool table. In short, find no pretentions here, just familiar comforts. Music from the juke box plays not too loudly in the background.

The food, however, deserves special mention. Along with the usual pub favourites, from burgers to omelettes, the Zebra features pizzas and Mediterranean cuisine. The latter - fish cake, slow cooked beef and tajine duck -- looked delicious as they came from the kitchen. We did not try any on this visit, having already ordered pizzas, but the success of our meals highly recommended the more ambitious menu to us.

Served on a colourful ceramic platter, each bigger than a basketball hoop, the thin-crust pizzas arrived hot and fresh with a wonderful aroma and texture. In the tasting, the pizzas surprised us by their grande size, modest price and, not least, delicious flavours. For what we paid, we had expected something small and unremarkable. Having paid much more for less tasty pizzas using fewer quality ingredients elsewhere, the lunch tasted all the better.

Equally, the burger and fries with cheese and bacon, one of a several choices of burger styles, won a 'wicked' (which means 'really good' apparently) from our young dining companion. So for a meagre bill, the lunch proved a huge success among all, and gave us good reason to return for such really good food and excellent value.