Bel and The Dragon, Cookhamback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
A delightful pub which has preserved its olde worlde interior while permitting a new extension. The South African family who run the establishment are friendly and helpful, managing to promptly serve the two hikers (us) who showed up with 30-45 mins to spare for a quick Sunday lunch at a busy time of day. As prices are high,portions could be more generous, but the food is irresistably tasty. This establishment is a short-ish drive to Heathrow and the thought of bringing friends and family fresh from the arrivals hall is tantalising,
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Had a lovely lunch here recently. The main menu is quite pricey but they do have a separate lunch menu which is much cheaper. I had a delicious smoked salmon sandwich on freshly baked bread, with salad & chps for �5. The pub itself is very olde worlde inside, the barmaid said it dates back to the 14th century and I would certainly believe that as it has very low ceilings and lots of wonky beams in evidence. There's a beautiful and large garden in the back, where we sat for lunch, really gorgeous. Staff super friendly and helpful. A great pub experience and I definitely recommend it to anyone in the area.
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Went here recently on a chance for a weekday pub lunch after being turned off by the nearby Kings Head. Mr and Mrs londonhalo were in for a pleasant surprise!
Staff were incredibly nice and attentive, good chat and gave us walking directions. Food was absolutely top-notch, the garden in the rear is beautiful and we were the only couple there for most of our visit. A well-stocked bar in the 15th-century main bar served up a splendid bloody mary for me.
Not sure what it would be like of an evening but for a sunny summertime lunch in Cookham's pretty high street, you pretty much couldn't beat our experience. We're definitely going back!
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Was in again this week, and apparently it�s just been taken over by new owners the week before. Hasn�t affected the food service , which was still top notch but requiring a second mortgage.
Unfortunately only one of the two hand pumps was going and this was dispensing GK IPA. So still a great place for a quiet drink by one of the three open fires in the front pub section, and would be even better if they reliably served decent beer.
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I hadn't realized, when I came here a few years ago, that it was part of a small "chain" - all called "Bel and the Dragon" and I wondered why a pub should be named after a book in the Apocrypha. Come to think of it, I'm not sure why a pub-chain should adopt such strangely Biblical nomenclature either!
However, it doesn't "feel" like a chain pub, and I was hugely impressed, enjoying a sumptuous (if expensive!) lunch and some very fine wine. The building and location are superb. At the time of my visit, the staff were all perfectly polite and welcoming. I can't comment on the beer, alas, because I really can't mix beer and wine (in any order!).
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Perhaps the greatest pub I have ever had the pleasure to visit. Top building, top staff, top garden, top location, good drinks, food looked great. Has everything, really. 10 on 10. Makes me want to stay at Cookham for the weekend just to hang out here all day and night and to hell with the nearby river and other attractions (something about Stanley Spencer).
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Back sooner than anticipated, owing to circs. Barman had cheered up and was positively friendly even..! Beer was much better too. Pleasant enough old place, but uncomfortable, rickety old country furniture. Chairs badly needed re-glued joints and the old tables you couldn't get your knees under without some interesting contortions..! There's something odd about the Brits. We put up with this oldy-fash period-pub stuff in stoic discomfort for the 'pleasure' of soaking up the ancient ambience of these places... Weird..! Still, once the memory fades a touch, I guess I'll be back..!
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Great food a nice place to eat not really a drinking venue
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Haven't eaten here for years, but from earlier comments, I see they still know how to charge..! The three of us spent most of our 'drinking only' evening here. I started with the Pride. It was the most appalling offering I've had for years... disgusting. That went back via the very dour, unsmiling South African bar-man and even 3 pints of lager failed to get the awful taste out of my mouth..! Nice old place, but beer undrinkable on the night, coupled with miserable service means that we won't be back for a good long while..!
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As said below, this is more of a restaurant than a pub.
But there is a couple of small bar areas in front of the restaurant section where you can enjoy the usually very good London pride.
The food menu is very good but remember to take out a second mortgage before entering.
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Expensive.
Lovely pub.
Good food.
anonymous - 26 Dec 2005 16:31 |
This place is nice but the food does cost a lot. Overall very nice staff and worth a visit but it don't come cheap. Good range of beer.
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more of a restuarant then a straight pub. Fantastic food though. Very cosy in the winter with open fires, a nice garden in the summer.
nick - 9 Nov 2004 14:12 |
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