This November, we were invited along on to celebrate World Vegan Day at The Bowling House in Norwich and what an evening it was!
Norwich is becoming renowned for its quirky independent businesses and The Bowling House is up there with the best of them. Stylishly decorated, The Bowling House is an independent bowling alley that offers great food and a great vibe.
Norwich is not short of a bowling alley or two but The Bowling House is completely different to your typical big name chain.
Firstly, it’s not just a place to get your bowl on; by day it’s a family friendly place to keep the kids entertained and by night (no under 18s after 7pm) it’s a fun grown-up hangout.
Secondly, the brightly lit, noisy arcade feel of the big names has no place here. The staff are personable, the lights are muted and whilst you may find a slightly rowdy drunk or two in the evening, it’s all very civilised.
I fell in love with the bowling alley immediately – it’s retro, chic and there are no daunting long lanes. And, whether you’re a pro or complete novice, it’s a great place to throw a few down. And throwing down a few bowling balls is not the only thing you’ll be doing on a night out as the cocktails will definitely go down pretty easily as well!
Onto the food…I mentioned that we celebrated World Vegan Day here so you’ve probably got a good idea that the menu is fairly diverse. It’s not a huge menu, but with Vegetarian and Vegan options (plus dishes that can be veganised) there is a good selection for us plant eaters whether you want a light bite or something more substantial. And, whilst I couldn’t quite manage dessert this time, I was happy to see a dairy-free sundae on the menu. Future me will definitely be trying that out soon!
The food is tasty, with fun additions such as Crispy Jalapenos (although I obviously passed on the Parmesan mayo) and is far superior to the usual bowling alley fare.
And, one thing to note, you can dine and bowl, or just dine or bowl (depending on availability). It’s a fun, sociable place so whether you want the full experience or not, the choice is yours.
My bowling skills are not completely terrible (I can definitely beat my 6 year old!), yet I can never manage to beat my husband. So at the end of two games, it was a sad 182 to me and 257 to him. I do however have a bit of a competitive edge to my personality so we’ll most likely be back for a rematch sometime soon!
You can find The Bowling House tucked just outside the main city centre; it’s within walking distance of the city centre or you can easily park at Barn Road car park just across the road.
The Bowling House, 5-7 Dereham Road, Norwich, NR2 4HX
Telephone: 01603 397 412
Website: https://www.bowlinghouse.co.uk
