Dining out in the picturesque East Wiltshire village of Ramsbury, surrounded by ancient chalk downs, The Bell at Ramsbury, is a thriving, 300-year old freehouse with restaurant, Café Bella and ten comfortable& spacious rooms.

Heading up the Bell’s kitchen is multi-award-winning chef, James Graham. James is dedicated to championing the abundant, homegrown and seasonally relevant estate produce on his daily changing à la carte, farm to fork menus with innovative twists. Together with elevated pub classics served at lunch and dinner, everything on James’ menus is made in-house, including James’ own charcuterie.

Tastefully decorated throughout with real flair, stylish interiors with soft creams and exposed beams, solid oak floors & beautiful leadlight windows. Banquettes upholstered in tartan tweed and kid leather and oak dining chairs complement the antique furnishings, landscape prints and photographs of the Ramsbury Estate, along with well-appointed lighting.

Our Food;

Snacks & Starters:

Partridge Pakora, Chapati & Mango Chutney – I love a pakora but was unfamiliar with the taste of Partridge. I soon discovered that it has a subtle but sweet flavour of game. It is also very low in fat and high in iron, giving it many health benefits. The pakora was served on a round chapati sitting atop a small round oak plate server. The mango chutney topped it off nicely.

Twice Baked Cheese Souffle & Leaf Salad – This twice – baked Cheese soufflé was very light & airy. The taste was very, very cheese-y with a slight hint of eggs. My wife said that every bite just melted in her mouth.

Mains:

Roasted Loin of Venison, Braised Red cabbage, Wild Mushrooms & Celeriac Puree – A rich & earthy taste & texture. I could almost taste the acorns, sage and herbs that the deer would have eaten.

Herdwick Lamb Rump, Merquez, Freekeh & Lamb Jus – A deep, earthy flavour to the meat which reflects the tough conditions in which these sheep traditionally roam in the Lake District. I loved the Merguez sausage, heavily spiced with cumin & harissa, stuffed into a lamb-intestine casing. Combined with the lamb jus, this was a very tasty dish, full of flavour & textures.

Desserts:

Treacle Tart, Berry Compote & Clotted Cream – Because of the Golden syrup, treacle tart is very sweet so a hint of lemon juice helps cut through the sweetness. A fine buttery crust with a moist, chewy centre.

Sticky Toffee Pudding, Butternut Sauce & Caramel Ice Cream – Dates have a very strong toffee edge to them so add to this a moist sponge pudding, flooded with Butternut sauce and a scoop of caramel ice cream and you have a wonderfully sticky, sweet and chewy dessert of the finest quality. Classic!

All of the food that I was fortunate to taste was excellent. I must admit to trying some of my wife’s meal and can vouch that all of the dishes were beautifully cooked and professionally presented to table.

Breakfast did not disappoint either. It was well worth getting up for! There was plenty of choice from the continental breakfast bar including warm pastries, freshly squeezed juices, seasonal fruits & local meats & cheeses as well as the traditional full English, which was my choice to start the day. The hot breakfast was cooked-to-order, so all of the food was freshly prepared, tasty, and plentiful! And as much tea or coffee as I wanted!

Before our evening meal, classically trained Head Chef James Graham took a little time out from his kitchen duties to come over to our table to introduce himself. We spoke briefly about the menu and his own culinary journey, which was fascinating. The waiting staff were excellent throughout the meal, particularly Lollie, who helped create a convivial atmosphere. I think that The Bells biggest asset are the staff themselves, James & his creative team in the kitchen, the bar & serving staff all contributed to an excellent professional service, they are all a credit to The Bell at Ramsbury.

The Bell at Ramsbury is a fine example of an old English village pub with loads of character, where the community comes together, and visitors are made to feel very welcome. You can grab a simple snack, stay and linger over a sumptuous meal in the restaurant area or even stop over for the night in one of their excellent rooms. For tasty food, quality ales & fine wines in a local friendly pub atmosphere, The Bell at Ramsbury is a smart choice.

Have you thought about visiting a new pub restaurant, for that special dining experience?

Why not visit The Bell at Ramsbury for that special occasion. You won’t regret it. I had a great time, and I hope to be going back very soon! The Bell at Ramsbury is a great local village pub with a five star restaurant and comfortable rooms! By providing such excellent quality food and drink, combined with the warm, friendly hospitality, this classic village pub is sure to win many awards for its food and hospitality over the next couple of years.

It certainly comes highly recommended from me!

Disclosure: My visit was courtesy of The Bell at Ramsbury, Ramsbury Estates & Bridget Stott PR

The views and comments expressed are as usual my own.