Great gastro pub. Fab food, atmosphere and really friendly service. Strongly recommended.read more

The Bear has become a good quality gastro pub recently with a nice atmosphere and a good menu and…read moresome great specials. The ambiance is relaxed country pub and the staff are very helpful. There is a reasonable ca park as it gets quite hard to park in the summer. I have visited for lunch and dinner and both were very nicely presented and well cooked. The skate is very tasty and the scampi and Jenga chips are good. The costs can be a little bit higher for lunch but the menu is very similar and therefore for dinner, I thought it was quite reasonable. Peter who used to be at another Billericay restaurant is the restaurant manager and as normal makes sure we get well looked after.

We came across The Angel by accident originally but were so impressed that we have been back many…read moretimes since. As it is not possible to book in advance i have often found it a good idea to try and arrive early or with time to spare before you wish to eat. As soon as you arrive you cant help but notice the welcoming atmophere of the place, which is i guess what brought us back after the first visit. The choice of food is enough to give you a headache narrowing down what you are going to order now and what you will leave and have next time! I have not anything but totally satisfied with the food to date and hope this continues for some time....

Beautiful interior with multiple rooms to choose from. Food is very good and the service friendly…read more Had a very good time.

Really good food, the steak and ale pie was great, would definitely recommend stopping off, people…read morewere lovely and the atmosphere was great

Friendly and well decorated local pub with funny patrons and good beers on tap. Nice outdoor…read moreseating and a good view down the hill. Bar staff extremely cordial and professional.

If you're looking for a good pub, it doesn't get much better than this…read more Lovingly called simply "The Axe" by locals, this pub is in a different league to most other rural pubs. I'll explain why and try to be concise. The cuisine is exceptional. There's a good selection of quality drinks. The service is excellent. The atmosphere is always friendly and welcoming -- the sort of place where complete strangers tend to strike-up conversation. The location is perfect, overlooking the Village Green, with a big beer garden behind, and a vast playing field behind that. It's a lovely village, nestled in the gently-undulating farming landscape of rural north-east Herts -- no wonder Braughing was recently awarded the prestigious "Village of the Year" accolade. The pub's menu always includes the best of local produce, from locally-reared beef to local pork sausages, alongside popular country pub dishes. (Braughing village is famous for, among other things, the delicious local sausages, and this is a good place to sample them.) Did I mention the pies? A different pie every day it seems, and you won't find better pies than these. I don't make a statement like that lightly.

The bar staff are very welcoming and friendly. They offer a great wine selection (surprised me for…read morea local pub). Looking at the menu they have your typical pub classics as well as items that are adventurous, they delivered on what they promised food wise. The meat was tender and the vegetables were fresh and full of flavour. The fleece epitomizes what a pub should be having; a great atmosphere, friendly staff, friendly locals, and great food. Parking is on the road outside, however space is plentiful so not a problem for single cars or groups of people. The smoking area outside is very clean without the typical cigarette ends all over the place. I would highly recommend the fleece to both locals and those whom are just passing through.

Good service good food good portions clean and decorated very well nothing more to addread more

Where do I start? The pub is on the main through road of Gosfield so can't be missed easily. Plenty…read moreof parking space, if one of you is driving. Unlike many pubs today, which thrive to survive using the the restaurant side, this pub has two bars as well as the restaurant. So, if you want just a pint then there is plenty of seating room. Wood beamed ceiling and inglenook fireplace, nice for those colder nights in winter. We were there to celebrate a 30th birthday and on arriving, early, we were welcomed by the bar staff with warm cheery smiles (a pleasant surprise these days). A table for the eight of us was already laid and we decorated it a little. Then down to a few drinks while awaiting the other guests. Nice selection of real ales and, I noticed, a fantastic selection of worldwide whiskies (although my favourite, Laphroaig, was absent). Once seated we perused the fantastic menu. I guarantee that there would be something on it that anyone would choose, even veggies. My problem was that there was so much choice and I wanted to try everything. I started with Cromer crab and avocado with lime dressing. Aberdeen Angus rump steak with a homemade peppercorn dressing (none of the usual bottled sauce), Portabello mushroom and really CHUNKY chips Wow delicious, both courses. Finally, cheese and biscuits. Three unusual local cheeses, with loads of crackers, celery, apple wedges, butter and a pot of home made chutney. A meal in itself. Going on the sounds from our friends and the empty plates around the table I can only assume that the other meals were as delicious as mine. Nice touch for a pub. Cream teas in the afternoon, unusual. Anyway, thanks to all you guys and gals behind the bar and in the kitchen for a wonderful evening. You all have done the English pub/restaurant trade PROUD. We will see you again.

This place is incredible!!!! Where do I even start??? The location is just stunning! You're…read moresurrounded by the most amazing views. All of the food is absolutely incredible.. Especially the yummy homemade cakes and the white hot chocolate!!! (The cakes are made fresh daily)! The breakfasts are just amazing too! The afternoon teas are delicious as well, I've had quite a few now.. Usually our children come with us as well and it's never an issue at all!! The staff are so so lovely here! They're so attentive, patient and beyond friendly! I just can't fault this place. If you're ever near here or live local you definitely should stop by! You won't regret it. If I could give 10* then best believe I would! I go here all the time and absolutely love it xxxx

We just moved to the area and whilst on a drive to Cambridge saw this place and thought we'd give…read moreit a go. It has traditional opening hours and even though is part of a brewery chain, still feels locally run and independent. The draw for us with the Sunday Carvery which didn't disappoint. We booked as we were not sure how busy they got and was glad we did. They weren't packed but were busy enough. I think larger groups should book in advance. The standard menu has a good variety and those who ordered from it enjoyed what they had. The roast was a selection of Beef or Turkey and both were cooked very well. There was the usual selection of vegetables on offer which meant you could fill your plate and fill up quite quickly! We managed to wolf down our roast dinner very quickly and managed room for traditional desserts such as Lemon Meringue and Spotted Dick. The service was very friendly and the cost was very good too for the standard of food available. My only criticism is that the food was not pipping hot. I know that's difficult with carvery as everything sits around under heat lamps but maybe they could make the food just a shade hotter. It's a minor criticism though as we had a lovely lunch. A nice pub with a friendly atmosphere. Nice to visit if you're in the area.

Pub with great food, own brewery and regular events.read more

A lunchtime visit. Great food, fresh and sensible serving sizes. The staff are excellent; attentive…read moreand entertaining. An absolute 'must go back'.

V bar is definitely one of the best bars in Colchester. It is a popular little venue on the high…read morestreet serving drinks and cocktails, and food during the day. It also has a function room available for parties and conferences. It mainly plays indie and alternative music, from old classics to the latest hottest tracks. The drinks are fairly cheap and there is a massive variety of shots and cocktails. The bar is mainly student-orientated but is very popular in the evenings with all sorts of people. Definitely worth a visit if you are looking for a nice place to drink.

Another supb bar in Colchester, not as atmospheric and amusing as Twisters, and the music is…read moreparticularly catered to certain tastes for certain nights but there are always some interesting people and the building itself is more spacious and comfortable than Twisters.