A relaxed setting, plenty of pizzas, and seagulls squawking outside is everything you need for a perfect Saturday night meal out, and The Vagabond offered all of that and more.

The warm lighting and friendly reception made us feel at home straight away, and with a table next to the bar we could see just how many drinks the pub had to offer (and there were too many to list, which is always a good thing!)

My fiancé Daniel and I were both too excited for pizza, so skipped the starters (although they did look good) and went for a BBQ chicken pizza and a half-and-half margherita and BBQ chicken. I’m aware that, for review purposes, I should have chosen something entirely different to Daniel, but the BBQ sauce and sweetcorn on a pizza sounded too nice to resist.

And I was right. The lovely, laid-back waitress brought out two golden, cheesy, perfectly-greasy pizzas, that smelt amazing and tasted even better.

Although I’m not the biggest cheese fan, and there was very thick layer of cheese on the pizzas, it was heavenly.

The herbs in the base sauce were a surprise treat underneath the stodgy blanket of cheese, and the crusts were one of the best-balanced crusts I’ve ever had on a pizza – not too hard or crunchy, not so soft that it falls apart.

Daniel loved his pizza, of course, and I’m sure we’d have ordered a side of garlic bread if we could have stuffed any more food in, but the puddings looked good to not try, so we sacrificed the garlic bread for a gooey cake and apple pie.

If there’s a better way to top off a meal than with two wedges of chocolate cake with custard, I don’t care – it was gorgeous.

The apple pie was on the specials board, and it lived up to its placement. It smelt like winter nights and excitement for Christmas, and there’s probably no better way to feel when sat in one of the cutest pubs I’ve ever seen.

Service was friendly and efficient, and there was always someone nearby to help when we needed. As always, we had to check about ingredients for Daniel’s nut allergy, and the waitress quickly checked for us and reassured him that the apple pie was perfectly safe, which he was pleased about.

The single tealight on the table, the wooden benches and chairs, the hanging baskets outside and the general homely feel of The Vagabond made the experience fun and relaxing, and I loved it.

The cost of the meal reflected typical pub prices, if not a tiny bit on the pricey side, but with the amount of food you’re given, you’re happy to pay that little bit extra.

And as the pub offers a take-away option, you can enjoy their gorgeous pizza whether you fancy going out or staying at home, and with the half-and-half pizza, you can basically have two of their delicacies in one, which is definitely a win-win.

Overall, I’d give The Vagabond four out of five stars – simply because the custard wasn’t quite as perfect as the rest of the meal – but this little gem on Marlborough Street, Whitehaven, definitely made my list of favourite pubs!