Propper food with nice refinement to it Would recommend…read more Great staff and a real energetic vibe to the place

This being 5 mins walk from my daughters, we have been 3 times for dinner this year. The food has…read morealways been excellent with an interesting and varied menu. Service is also good, if I had a criticism last night it was just a bit TOO quick - a bit more space between courses would have been welcome. Some may feel it a bit expensive - our bill for three three course meals with a bottle of wine and coffee was £110 ( no pre drinks) but I still feel it's worth it. Edit, Saturday 12th March 2011. The three of us visited again, and again the food was of the highest quality. The head chef had just returned from working as a sous chef with a 2 star Michelin Chef, so a couple of dishes he had brought with him from there. One of these was my chosen starters, a 'timbale' containing lobster, crab, avocado, mushrooms etc, and was one of the best starters I have had in a while, but expensive at £11 ! In my earlier review I said the service was a bit quick, but this time we were served at a leisurely pace. Oddly we found they don't take bookings at 7.30, you have to have 7 or 8. The bill was bigger than last time, so it getting a bit on the expensive side now - with gratuities £140. But I still would recommend it, and its under 5 mins walk from my daughters -she and I had birthdays the following day

The Leather Bottle is quite proud to announce that they're in The Michelin Good Pub Food Guide, The…read moreGood Beer Guide, and was a final of the Best Gastro Pub in Essex 2010. So much so, that they've erected publicities on a pole outside in the green. Hey, if you've got it, flaunt it, right? While I can't speak to the food, I can wholeheartedly report that the staff is smiley and friendly, the Doom Bar real ale is refreshing after a five mile jaunt through the countryside*, and the back garden is sun-drenched and filled with laughing children on a Sunday afternoon. This seems like quite the weekend social hub of Blackmore - not that there's much in the way of competition. Although I'd just had a reasonably filling sandwich for lunch on the green outside, I began to salivate uncontrollably upon seeing (and smelling) the fish and chips brought to a table near us. That's in contrast to the burger on a dowdy-looking bun that her dining companion had. I won't lie, I considered shanking the other diner for a bite, but she was Asian too, and probably hungrier than I was. She might have bitten my ear off or worse. Instead, I just ogled from afar. Whether you're seeking a comely cosy bar scene, a fine dining experience, or a lovely afternoon sit in the sun, The Leather Bottle's likely to do you just fine. You just have to be willing to make the trek from Ingatestone - but a worthwhile sojourn it is! ---- * And quite reasonably priced, considering we had a pint and a half of real ale for barely over £4.

Lovely little location, great menu and the food was even better, shall definitely returnread more

Four of us had a wonderful dinner here last night. The food was delicious and the service was…read more10/10! We will definitely be returning soon.

What can I say about the King's Arms? I'm at home here. When we moved to the UK, honestly our most…read moredesired feature was walking distance to a pub. We got stumbling distance to one of the best pubs in the country. This place is well-regarded by everyone in the region. I've met people here who give up walking distance to their local to drive here and have a good time. That says something. My first night here I made friends, and each time I've been here since I find myself in good company either with neighbors we've met before, or people who know we're new to the area and want to welcome us. I can't begin to tell you how often a quick pint before dinner turns into a long session at King's Arms. I wouldn't have it any other way. These guys truly embrace the concept of being the center of village activity. No TVs, no WiFi, these things distract from the community. You come here to interact with your friends and neighbors, enjoy a good beer, and enjoy living in the company of others. They regularly have events to bring the village out. The most impressive of which was the dinner they hosted on the night of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. They served the exact 10-course menu served in first class that evening, and requested everyone bust out their tuxedos and dresses to mark the occasion in grand fashion. It was a remarkable evening. One disappointment, since I have to list one to feel as though I am being fair, is the wine list. We love the temperanillo, but really none of the others. But we're not here to drink wine, we're here to be social! It makes me a little sad that we don't have this type of drinking culture in the US. If you're not an alcoholic, you're not likely be on a first-name basis with the bartenders at a local watering hole. That's why I love walking in here; everyone knows everyone else, they're always happy to see you, they know what you drink, they pour a tasty pint, and are genuinely good people. I dig it.

This place was awesome! We stayed directly across the street at The Dozing Duck (Airbnb) so of…read morecourse made a reservation for dinner here. (No reservation needed on the pub side-we ate in the restaurant) The food is locally sourced, fresh and authentic rustic farm to table. Even my side salad was delicious. I highly recommend!!

Our go to whenever we are in Oxford visiting family. They have a nice outdoor area, not a lot of…read moretables with umbrellas but no worries if it is nice out. If you eat in the bar area you go to the bartender order your drink of choice and meal. Hint...if you only feel like a half portion of fish and chips you can order a half order and for me it's a perfect portion of food. They do have a bar menu too if you don't want fish and chips. But really who goes to a pub in England and not order fish and chips. This is the place to do so. They do have a restaurant but I believe you need a reservation for that. Worth every bit for a nice meal out and I believe that the menu is a bit different.

My absolutely favorite place in all of England. My husband and friends had liver and onions…read moremultiple times. I had the pies. I will never have a pie again and not dream about the grumpy mole. The wine list and bar is amazing.

I must say - these have to be the most charming ladies that run this adorable pub in the most…read morequaint town nestled in the English countryside. The interior is just like the demeanor of the staff: warm, likeable, and feels like home. In fact, it was incredibly difficult to determine where we wanted to dine, because of the sheer cuteness found in the decor and ambiance of The Grumpy Mole. It was just too damn nice outside to take a beautiful, sunny day in England for granted. So, we opted to sit on their patio and enjoy a near perfect day. Knowing how delicious the curry is in the UK, I opted for that choice and my high expectations were met. The chicken was tender and well prepared. The curry flavor was abound but not overpowering, while the naan and rice were soft, not stale. But the real highlight of the experience was the charcuterie plate packed with meats, cheeses, olives, and more. If only I had the fortune to return to England more often, then I would visit The Grumpy Mole on every visit. For now, I will dream of that day and hope it is on a cold, winters night, where the interior of the Grumpy Mole is cozy and warmed by a crackling fire place, of which I am sitting by while sipping on a piping mug of cider.

I got stuck in the middle of the British country side and the B&B I ended up at highly recommended…read morethis place. I would come back jut to eat here. I was raised partly in Italy and this was some of the best Italian food I've had in 15 years of visiting the U.K. since I graduated Uni there. An Italian family own and operate the place and they're hospitality is second only to the food. Absolutely amazing meal, just tell them what you don't like and they'll bring the rest. I wish I could give them more stars. I will share some of the photos from the beautiful evening I spent on the patio. I just wish I had a lover with me to share the experience with.

I had my first date with my boyfriend here! Was great…read more The staff were lovely and friendly. The view was lovely sitting by the river!

Very nice atmosphere, I particularly enjoyed a couple of Stellas outside overhanging the river…read more Food is nice and they have some very attractive offers up to 18.30.

Fish and chips was fabulous!!! We sat on the deck and relaxed in the pretty back garden. Highly…read morerecommend

Went on a Sat night, beautiful building and decor, lovely service, and the best steak I've had…read morerecently. Four of us went and everyone said how good it was, I can't remember the last time we all agreed (my brother is the difficult one, not me). We actually booked for a Sunday lunch while we were there, and if anything the Sunday roast was even better than the Saturday dinner. I really can't recommend it enough, a great find.

I had a wonderful trio of pork and it was so posh! The setting was ornate with lit candles around…read morethe room and on the table. You're surrounded by exquisite antiques everywhere you look. The owners serve you themselves and make sure you're having a lovely time. The bartenders were absolutely wonderful and I could not recommend a better place. If you want the true elegant dining experience, this is the place to go. It overlooks wonderful fields and a perfect place to dine and watch the sunset.

Great place to eat, service was ultra friendly, we will be back and back with more people. Great…read moreselection of gins.

Our annual Christmas get together but where do we go? We chose The Castle because of good words we…read morehad heard and read but would it reach our 'exacting' standards (if those ever existed). Immediately, on arrival, we knew it would. Such a friendly welcome by the bar staff and front of house. Shown to our table, a nicely laid table, by a really charming young lady by the name of, we learned later, Eleanor. Drinks were ordered while we waited for the remainder of our party. Those drinks arrived promptly. When the entourage had arrived the food started to be served as our pre-requested, telephone, order. I would point out that Eleanor managed to serve the whole table and take drinks orders. A massive achievement. We had been to other establishments where two or three servers waited on us and still got things totally, disastrously, wrong. Not with this young lady, perfect. The food was fantastic, so compliments to the kitchen staff. Wonderful starters and as for the Christmas roast...delicious. Plenty of meat, stuffing etc etc and masses of veggies. Perfect. I missed out on a dessert as I was totally full but the remainder of the table tucked into plate loads of Christmas pudding and some had cheese. The whole evening went wonderfully well thanks to all the staff. People do forget those in the background that we never see. So thanks you to them. A massive thank you to Eleanor, the princess of The Castle.

From the owner: We serve Breakfast from 8pm Monday to Saturday. We offer food at all times of day including a…read morerange of Cakes and Desserts from a counter that go perfectly with a tea or Coffee. Our Main meals come served with a tasty complimentary loaf of bread for the table and if you order our Traditional Menu items we will receive a complimentary cup of soup or salad depending on the season.