24 September 2026
At the very end of the road in Dale, overlooking one of Pembrokeshire’s most beautiful natural harbours, you’ll find The Griffin – a family-run pub and seafood restaurant with history, character and a very strong connection to the coast. We caught up with the team to find out more about life at The Griffin, the story behind the pub and why fresh local seafood, and Pembrokeshire itself, are at the heart of what they do.
Tell us a little bit about The Griffin and the story behind it.
The Griffin is a family-run pub and seafood restaurant right on the waterfront in Dale. Simon and Sian Vickers have been at the helm for over 16 years, creating somewhere that brings together everything they love about Pembrokeshire – great local food, genuine hospitality and, of course, the coast.
The building itself is a big part of the story. At its heart is a 17th-century inn, complete with quarry-tiled floors, cosy rooms and open fires. Alongside it is a contemporary glass dining room and roof terrace designed by Simon, who was an architect before becoming a chef.
So, you get the best of both worlds – a proper traditional Welsh pub, but with a restaurant that makes the most of those incredible views across Dale Bay.
What makes The Griffin a little different?
It has to be our location and our connection to the sea.
Fishing boats tie up at the village pontoon just metres from the kitchen, bringing in lobster, crab and seasonal fish from the waters around us. You really can see where your food has come from.
One of our team summed it up perfectly: “I still love watching fisherman Mark walk up the pontoon knowing he’s got fresh lobster for us.”
It doesn’t get much more local than that!
Mark with catch of the day
What can visitors expect from the food?
Proper home-cooked food and really fresh seafood.
We work with local fishermen and producers wherever we can, and the menu changes with the seasons and what’s available. Lobster, crab, mussels and locally caught fish are a huge part of what we do.
Simon is also known for his sauces, particularly his white wine, cream and curried coconut mussel sauce. It became such a favourite with guests that people started asking if they could take it home, and after winning a Great Taste Award, it made the move into jars too.
And what about the drinks?
Keeping things local is important here too.
We serve beers from independent Welsh breweries, alongside our own Griffin Ale and a signature Griffin Gin & Tonic made using locally distilled, seaweed-infused gin.
There’s something pretty special about sitting with a drink in hand, looking across the bay and knowing that so much of what you’re enjoying has a connection to the landscape around you.
What do you love most about working somewhere like Dale?
The novelty of the location genuinely doesn’t wear off.
One member of our team took a bit of a leap of faith applying for a job so far away, but says they fell in love with The Griffin as soon as they saw it. And there are definitely worse places to spend a lunch break: “I love being able to go for a swim on my lunch break just outside the pub’s front door, in the same bay we source our lobsters from!”
But more than anything, it’s the family atmosphere and the community that make it special.
Who finds their way to The Griffin?
A real mixture of people.
We have locals popping in, sailors coming ashore, visitors exploring Dale and walkers arriving from the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Some people even arrive by boat.
Then there are the guests who return year after year. Families celebrate milestones here, familiar faces come back each summer and people who first discovered us on holiday become regular visitors.
That sense of community is a huge part of The Griffin.
What’s the best time to visit?
Every season brings something different.
On a sunny day, Dale Bay is hard to beat. You can sit overlooking the water, watch the sailing boats come and go and really feel part of village life.
But The Griffin is just as lovely when the weather turns. There’s something about being tucked inside an old pub with an open fire while the wind and rain roll in from the sea.
That’s part of the joy of Pembrokeshire – you don't necessarily need perfect weather to have a brilliant day.
Finally, what makes Pembrokeshire so special to you?
It’s the combination of the coastline, the produce, the people and the community.
The Griffin wouldn’t be the same pub anywhere else. The fishermen coming into the harbour, the seafood from the waters around us, the local drinks behind the bar, the walkers passing through and the view across Dale Bay are all part of its identity.
Dale
We’re lucky to live and work somewhere where the landscape is such a big part of everyday life and we love being able to share a little bit of that with everyone who comes through the door.
Discover The Griffin for yourself next time your Pembrokeshire adventures take you all the way to the end of the road in Dale.
