Harden's survey result
Summary
“Been going for over 25 years” – this “quintessential English gastropub with rooms, just off the A1, never fails to please” and “delivers excellent hospitality to the lovely Rutland village which it serves and passing travellers” in the “noisy and fun”, “warm, welcoming interior, or – in the summer months – the beautiful small garden”. Back in the day, co-owner Ben Jones and his team blazed a trail with the contemporary style of the place, and it retains “great attention to detail from a highly professional team”. Quibbles – some locals consider it “rather dear” (“those who love it, love it but glitches are not unknown and opinion in the area is rather mixed”), but more striking is the consistent support for “well-cooked seasonal food” that’s long made it one of the top-100 most commented on destinations in our annual diners’ poll outside London. Top Tip – “an amazing wine list”.
Summary
Co-owner Ben Jones together with two friends rescued this property off the A1 25 years ago to create a then-cutting-edge gastropub, and it’s an “old and reliable friend” to long-term fans, with the “atmosphere is of a bubbling country pub that attracts regular clients from a wide area” (and is still one of the top-100 most commented-on destinations in our annual diners’ poll). Probably it’s fair to say it’s “not quite as good as it was in its heyday, but it’s still a very good bistro-esque pub” serving “an interesting and varied menu of seasonal delights”. “Have a pint at the bar or in the summer outside in the garden, and then sit down to an excellent, comfortable meal. The well-appointed rooms in a house opposite are ideal for those that like to sleep where they have eaten”.
Summary
This “lovely and buzzy” and incredibly popular gastropub is situated near the A1 “on the edge of England’s smallest county” and – “with its cosy open fires” – represents “the modern English pub at its best”: “drink excellent local ales on draft at the bar” (or “there’s an intriguing wine list as long as your arm”); “sit and eat delicious, upmarket food which is both straightforward and sophisticated… or do both!” (and you can also “stay in one of the beautifully appointed rooms in a neighbouring property for the perfect away break”). “Not only are most of the ingredients sourced locally, many of them are actually grown on the land surrounding the pub”.
Summary
A “delightful pub” with a “proper bar and superbly cooked dishes” – from both standard and more elevated tasting menus – that has long played an integral role in the thriving Rutland food scene, and is, for many, an “absolute favourite”. “Sometimes standards slip”, but “when it’s good (which is most of the time), it’s very good” with “high-quality ingredients and careful, imaginative cooking”.
For 35 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at The Olive Branch?
Main St, Clipsham, LE15 7SH
Restaurant details
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £29.50 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.50 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 10.00% |
Main St, Clipsham, LE15 7SH
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | CLOSED |
| Wednesday | 8 am‑3:30 pm, 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Thursday | 8 am‑3:30 pm, 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Friday | 8 am‑3:30 pm, 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Saturday | 8 am‑3:30 pm, 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Sunday | 8 am‑6 pm |
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