The Eight Bells, Saffron Walden

I would thoroughly recommend this pub (as a restaurant). I took my wife there on our anniversary with another couple of friends. I had been before so I knew what to expect.

I guess I would describe it as more of a restaurant than a pub these days. There is a bar area (in fact there are two areas exclusively for drinking) but it seemed that most of the people there were there to eat.

All four of us were HUGELY impressed with the place. The atmosphere was very relaxed and friendly. The service was superb - the manager/owner came and spoke to us several times and nothing seemed to be too much trouble for him or any of the staff.

The menu is classy and there was plenty to appeal to all of us. The food was divine (and the presentation was excellent). It was probably a good thing that the portions weren't massive because the food was quite rich. None of us went away feeling unsatisfied though. I guess if quantity is your thing rather than quality you should go elsewhere!

(even the wine was served at exactly the right temperature!)

The prices weren't too bad either. We all had starters main course and desert and two bottles of wine between us and we paid about �150

My tip - the Sticky Toffee Pudding is to die for!

NOTE: The current management have been there since about September/October 2006. I never went in this pub before then but it seems to have had a complete transformation from the sound of the other comments

13 May 2007 17:04