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Latest Update: The Six Bells on the Green, Warborough, added. To StartIn Caversham
Further Afield
And Finally ...» Food Poisoning! Reviews and AdvertsDiners: just to be clear, all the comments on this page are our own honest, independent, personal opinions. No-one has paid to be included on this page. The only adverts on this site are in the form of banners. Owners: we do try to visit as many places as we can, but there are limits to our time, our budgets and our waistlines! If you would like to advertise on this website - and you should, it's very popular! - please see our advertising page for more details. A few words about eating outWe're pleased to offer the following selection of places to eat and drink that we've tried and enjoyed or that we've had recommended to us by friends whose opinions we trust. We've included some takeaway recommendations too. Obviously, the normal caveats apply - just because we've had a good time at these places doesn't guarantee that you will. One man's meat is another's poison and all that. However, these aren't whimsical (or paid) selections, and we hope you'll find them helpful if you're looking for somewhere new to try. Finally, we'd just like to say that the catalogue of problems facing pubs is taking its toll around here just as much as it is anywhere else in the country. The consequences of their loss will be felt for decades to come. If you can support the area's pubs do so and do so now. Once a pub goes it rarely comes back.  In CavershamCafes/Coffee ShopsThe Caversham Court Tea Kiosk is now open for the summer season. Opening times are Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 11am-5pm in April, May, September and October; 11am-6pm in June, July and August. This year there's a new coffee machine to go with the home-made cakes ... They also open on Bank Holiday Mondays. Any regular visitor to Caversham centre can't have helped but notice that the newsagents that has been on the corner of the precinct for donkey's years has now been replaced by a Costa Coffee. Funnily enough, it's just like every other Costa Coffee. So, that's exciting then (not). Just around the corner in the precinct there's another coffee shop (the Caversham Cafe) that's not a part of a chain. They serve great tasting coffee (and other drinks) and a decent range of basic but good food, at brilliant prices. One contributor to this web site used to sit in this coffee shop 30+ years ago ... and that kind of longevity only comes with being good at what you do. And while there's no guarantee that we'll all be here in another 30+ years, we'd be willing to take all reasonable wagers that the Costa Coffee place will have gone long before then. Support a reliable part of the community - (and Warings Bakery also does coffee on the other side of the road) - or give money to an impersonal multinational chain. It's not really that hard a decision. In Prospect Street, we've been reliably informed that the independent cafe Delicious is worth a visit, with everything freshly made. Sounds good to us ... and what's more, it's been nominated for a 'Best Coffee Shop' award, as part of the Reading Post's 'Reading Retail Awards' scheme. Restaurants and PubsThe Gardeners' Arms on Surley Row in Caversham/Emmer Green has had a lumpy few years, including being closed for a while. So, we were very pleased to find it's now open again, and delighted to find it's doing some real bargain meals (25% off) at lunch time. And what's on offer is really good. Nothing fancy or pretentious, but well-prepared and tasty food. We went for a working lunch and all three of us had very enjoyable lunches for nearer the £5 than £10 mark. They're also doing three-course specials for £21.50 / two-courses for £18.50 for events such as Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Easter Sunday. Excellent! We'll be back, and we wish the new landlord and team good luck as they build up the business. Mya Lacarte on Prospect St has attracted a lot of attention. Now, none of the editorial team have eaten there and that's why we've never mentioned it on these pages up until now. Why haven't we gone there? Well, the experiences of friends who have tried it have been a bit mixed. Why are we writing about it now? Because this is a high-profile establishment and several times we have been asked 'why isn't it on your site?'. What are we saying in terms of a review? We're saying we, the writers of this page, have no direct experience of it, but this review in The Independent might be helpful if you're undecided. (Dec 2010) If you fancy an Indian meal, the Raj Tandoori at the top of Caversham Park Village is reliable enough; the parking's easy, the service friendly and the prices not bad either. It's not exceptional, but it's OK. The Village Tandoori, just over the way near the Black Horse pub, isn't that promising to look at perhaps but, again, the food's never let us down. (Feb 11) The Picasso tapas bar on Bridge Street is the real deal - run by a charming Spanish family, and is also recommended by our friend Sonia from Rioja! (Praise indeed!) It's done us well on many occasions - but remember to book ahead. If Italian is what you fancy then Quattro on Prospect Street is very reliable and well run by what always seems to be a happy team. Again, never had a bad meal there. If we were going to criticise it we'd say it can be a bit cramped at times on the elbow-room stakes, but that's about the only fault we can find. (£140 for four starters, four mains, two puds and three rounds of drinks) (Feb 11) Just for a drink, the The Griffin is always reliable and they have a regularly changing guest real ale which is always a good thing. There's generally a good atmosphere and lots of people eating. The food is good too, though it must be said we've had more lunches there than dinners. Sitting outside the back on a decent summer's evening can be particularly worthwhile. Talking of drinking, we popped in to the Fox and Hounds on Gosbrook Road for the first time for donkey's years and had a very decent time of it. It's much more an 'old fashioned pub' than many these days - a place for a decent drink and a chat - and that's no bad thing. The beer's good as well - we were drinking two different ones from Twyford's Binghams micro-brewery and very nice they were too. And, at £3 a pint, that's a far better price than many a local establishment ... The Alto Lounge - opposite the precinct - has been there for a while and seems to be doing very well. We only had drinks and snacks there but it had a good atmosphere, very friendly. We'll certainly go there again to try out the food. A nice addition to the centre of Caversham. Venturing over Caversham Bridge, The Moderation has been thoroughly overhauled since its 'bad old days' and jolly nice it is too, although perhaps in a more wine-bar-y kinda way than what you might think of as a traditional pub. (But then, since the smoking ban, just what is a traditional pub?) Good beer, well priced and nicely cooked food with regular themed 'specials' nights, and great to see a decent bourbon behind the bar! (See also the mention below about special offers.) Perhaps surprisingly, there's quite a nice little courtyard-style garden there too. (£often very cheap!!) (Jan 11) For something different again, The Standard even further along the Caversham Road is always reliable - a big menu of Nepalese (kind of Indian-style) dishes. Perhaps not the greatest place for atmosphere, mainly because it's pretty big and often very busy, nevertheless we've never been let down on the food front. TakeawaysA few places we use for takeaways - after all, you don't always want to eat out. Let's start with the traditional - fish 'n' chips. We tend to go to Ready Tasty more often than not: never been let down there. OK, on a busy night sometimes it isn't actually ready, but it's always been tasty. They're to be found in the parade of shops on the Henley Road, opposite the top of Donkin Hill. Someone once wrote that you get the best fish and chips from Chinese takeaways - the Chinese StirFry Caversham takeaway opposite Waitrose in the middle of Caversham seems to confirm this. The staff are friendly, and they do fine Chinese food as well. For a pizza, we've been well served by Geezers. Yes, true, it's a bit of a naff name maybe (ok, an extremely naff name), but we've had some cracking pizzas from them, so we reckon they're well worth the trip up to the shops in Emmer Green - the row where Budgens is (Milestone Precinct, but you knew that already). Eating InexpensivelyWe suggest checking with all of these places first as offers do change over time. With the current economic climate there are more and more bargains to be had too, so this is by no means an exhaustive list.
Further AfieldNOTE: We've added Google Maps links to the entries below to help you find them easily. Google being what it is, it's not perfect! For some entries - Midgham/Woolhampton for example - you'll get more than one location showing on the map, albeit close to one another. Quite how or why this happens we don't know but, hopefully, it should be obvious where to go when you get there. We have used Bing for some places where we think that's clearer. Both services suffer with markers on the maps that have nothing to do with anything that you might be linking-to. Ignore them and look for the pub in question! Beedon (World's End)OK, it's a bit of a trek from Caversham but if you are over in this direction, then The Coach at World's End, just the other side of the A34 (you go underneath) if you're going across country, is well worth the trip. We went there for the first time as a party of four in late January and had a thoroughly enjoyable three course meal - great food and good service, all in a nice atmosphere. It really was a 'cut above'. (About 140 for three courses for four people, including drinks.) (Feb 11) Crays PondThe White Lion seems to be doing well after it re-opened last year, and we've just had a very enjoyable - and very good value - lunch there that really couldn't be faulted. (Mar 11) Crowmarsh GiffordThe Queen's Head in Crowmarsh Gifford is an unusual one - it's a Thai restaurant and a pub, with the pub part run by the Thai owners too. (Unlike some other places, where the Thai restaurant element is a concession.) We reckon the Thai food here is excellent. This is part of a small-ish family owned chain, and they also have places in Henley, Twyford and Oxford. They are all very reliable but of late this one's had the edge in our opinion. And the Fuller's beer is no bad thing. A friend of ours is quite a keen fan of Thai cuisine and he rates these as having the best menus he's ever tried. (We reckon on about £35-45 for two - starter, main course and a couple of drinks and coffee.) (Sep 09) Exlade StreetThe Highwayman returns! We're very pleased to say that The Highwayman once again is a pub worth making the short trip for. This used to be a real favourite of ours (some 15 years ago or more) but it's been through loads of owners and incarnations since then and, frankly, none of them have been any good. However, we heard there were new people there, popped in for lunch and it was very nice. OK, we just had some baguettes, but the 'mature cheddar' geuinely was mature, and BLT featured some properly tasty bacon. (Trust us, we've had an awful lot of bland pub lunches and this made a really nice change.) So, on that basis we'll be heading back for dinner as soon as time permits, and in the meantime we wish Evelyne and Paul every success. Update: Since writing the above we've now been back as a party of five for an evening meal and an excellent time was had by all - it's as simple as that! So, whether you're looking for a lunchtime snack or an evening meal we can now recommend it for both. (Nov 09) Gallowstree CommonWe're aware that The Reformation has changed hands since we last went there, so we'll take our comments off and hope to get out there for a meal some time soon. (Feb 11) Goring / StreatleyIf you are ever in Goring and fancy what we all know as 'an Indian', then Masoom's Tandoori is the place to head for. We've had four or five good meals there (the most recent time as a party of four) and it is definitely a cut above the normal. It was (deservedly) popular, even on a wet Tuesday night, so we guess we're not the first to find it worth venturing out to. The menu included several unusual dishes which is always nice to see, particularly if you eat out quite often! (Group of four - about £30 a head including two courses each, drinks, coffee and the tip.) (Aug 10) HaileyJust off the main road to Wallingford, you can find Hailey, and there you'll find the King William pub. Apart from one of their excellent summer barbecues and a couple of summer sandwiches outside (the view is great on a nice day), we'd not eaten here for a long time. (We used to but we've just been trying other places of late.) Anyway, we're pleased to say it's as good for an evening dinner as it always used to be. It's a great place - very 'old fashioned', with no music, no fruit machines and a nicely relaxed atmosphere. Civilised. (About £90 for two starters, four mains, two puds, eight drinks and three coffees.) (Written in Oct O9; confirmed a number of times since, most recently July 2010.) HenleyOn the main street in Henley, heading towards the bridge in what used to be the Brakspears Brewery off-licence, La Bodega is a Spanish restaurant that we've only just tried ... and found genuinely excellent. We went as a group of four and all of us were impressed with the service and the food, and the venue itself is very pleasant too. (Our only negative comment was that it was quite a noisy environment, so perhaps hard-going if you're struggling with hearing.) We'll definitely be going back again - a real 'find' as far as we're concerned. (Three starters, four mains, two desserts, eight drinks and three coffees - £105.)(Nov 10.) HurstThe Green Man in Hurst is a very short drive from Caversham but we had a good evening there recently - and very reasonably priced it was too! We've often been by it and noticed it's often busy and that's normally a sure sign that something's very right about the place, and when we finally came to try it for an evening with friends, our suspicions were confirmed. The menu wasn't wildly adventurous or huge but the food we had was well cooked with good ingredients, a little bit different without being stupidly so and very good value. The staff were very helpful too - including going out of their way for a Vegan in our group, which was much appreciated. (About £70 for four mains, three puds, eight drinks; Jul 10) Kidmore EndNB: since we were last here we've noticed a board outside saying 'Under New Management', so presumably things are changing! |
 KingwoodNB: since we were last here we've noticed a board outside saying 'Under New Management', so presumably things are changing! Knowl HillThe Novello is a true freehouse, on the A4 to the east of Reading, on your right as you head towards Maidenhead and just after you go through Knowl Hill. Since it was (extensively) refurbished a while back it's always been very reliable for lunch and always has good, frequently changing, beers on tap. About 17 quid for two light lunches and two drinks. (Nov 10) Maidensgrove / Russell's WaterWe visited The Five Horseshoesfor lunch on a grey, foggy Wednesday in November, thinking it wouldn't be busy - how wrong! We turned up at the same time as another couple and a party of five. It took a short while to get served at the bar - understandable as the poor landlady (manning the bar alone) tried to cope with the sudden influx - but after that, the service was superb - friendly and attentive - and the food was excellent. Certainly a pub for a return visit - hopefully on a brighter day to make the most of the superb views over the local countryside. (Nov 11) MapledurhamFour of us had lunch on a November Monday at the Pack Horse and found it surprisingly busy for that time. Despite this we were well looked after by an attentive waitress. We all chose from a set price two course lunch menu at £12.95, which offers a choice between four starters and mains. A member of our party has a profound disability and his requirements for his food to be served in a bowl with a spoon were readily accommodated and we were made to feel very comfortable without any particular fuss being made. We were not rushed, all of us enjoyed our food and we all found the pub a pleasant place to meet, eat and chat over lunch. (Nov 11) Midgham / WoolhamptonIf you find yourself out along the A4 to the west and feeling peckish, you could do a lot, lot worse than stopping off at the Coach and Horses. It's on the north side of the road, between Woolhampton and Thatcham and easy to miss if you're not looking for it. We met some Newbury-based friends there at their suggestion, at 7pm on a Wednesday and the place was already very busy. If that's not a good sign we don't know what is ... and it lived up to its promise too. An excellent landlord and good staff, a wide-ranging menu that covered the ground between 'safe' favourites and things a bit more adventurous very sensibly, a chef and kitchen staff who certainly know what they are doing if our four meals were anything to judge by, and what can only be described as fair pricing. You can't really ask for more. (Feb 08) PangbourneIt's one of the very odd things about our area that there are relatively few decent places to sit by the river and have a drink. You'd have thought the Thames would loom larger in the scheme of things when it comes to pubs. And that's how, on a nice Spring day, we found ourselves sitting outside for lunch at The Swan in Pangbourne. And very nice it was too. We just had 'light bites' so we can't say anything informed about dinners, but the snacks we had were good and the service very friendly ... and it was by the river! (On the A329 on your right as you head out of Pangbourne towards Goring, just after the railway bridge. It must be said that the car park is a bit of challenge when it's busy!) (About £20 for two light meals and four drinks; Apr 10 and confirmed as still worth a visit for lunch Dec 10) PlayhatchNB: since the following item about The Crown was written we've heard it's been taken over by a new owner, so presumably things are changing here. The Shoulder of Mutton. Wendy and Alan, the young couple who run this pub, have been there some time now. Alan is the chef and has established quite a few signature dishes. The menu remains the same for the most part but is reliably good. Using the mutton theme there are several dishes based on this meat but also a good range of others. On ordering you will be given warm French bread and butter even if you have not ordered a starter. They operate a loyalty card system so you can have the cheapest meal free on your next visit after six main meals.The main part of the pub is not very big but you can sit by an open fire in winter while waiting for friends to arrive and the conservatory is very pleasant in summer and can accommodate larger parties. (Nov 11) Both pubs are on the road to Dunsden, on your left once you've turned off the Henley Road. ReadingIf you're after a top class but unpretentious dining experience in town then you really can't go wrong with Pepe Sale, an excellent and well established Italian restaurant. It's on Queen's Walk, which is the hotel/Oxford Road side of The Butts, on the walk up from the road to the Hexagon. No, you're right, that's not the sexiest of locations. However, once you're inside it makes no difference, it's very handy for parking (right above) and, of course, it's perfect for the Hexagon. (Indeed, they do a special theatre menu for Hexagon-goers, with quicker-to-prepare dishes to ensure you make the performance in time.) Whatever you're eating, and whether you're in a hurry or not, the service is very friendly and the food is great. A favourite of ours in town, and one we've been back to several times over the years. (Two courses for three people, with six drinks, about £90.00.) (Oct 10 and again Jan 11) Also on Queen's Walk, pretty well opposite the Hexagon Entrance, the relatively new Thai 9 offers 'modern Thai cuisine and Japanese Sushi'. It's a little bit basic on the decor front perhaps, but they offer a bargain fixed-price / all you can eat menu, the food we had was good and the service friendly. Can't ask for more really. (About £40 for a very generous two-course meal for two with drinks.)(May 10; Sep 10) »» Show Map (Bing)(Both of the above) Talking of Thai, 'Reading Spice' in Station Road does a very good Thai and Chinese menu that we've regularly had meals from - lunch and evening. And if you're there early evening and get a window seat, it's just a great place to watch the world go by too! They've recently opened an Indian restaurant at the top of the building but we've not tried that yet. The Thai is particularly strongly recommended, and it's not expensive either. (Mar 11) Meanwhile, for something completely different, we tried 'Tutu's Ethiopian Table' the other night and is was very tasty. In the past (2008) it's won 'Casual Restaurant on the Year' in the Pride of Reading awards and yes, that about somes it up - very informal but none the worse for that. It's to be found in the Global Cafe on London Street (on the left hand side going up, not very far up). When we were there is was buffet night - pay as you go - but it struck as as relatively inexpensive. Rotherfield GreysThe Maltsters Arms does great food at good prices and the staff are excellent too. Whether we're looking for a snack or a full blown meal, this pub has proved a totally reliable choice time and time again. If we're trying to think of somewhere to take someone that we can trust to be good without a shadow of a doubt, this is the place we always pick. It strikes the right balance between somewhere for a drink and somewhere to eat and the prices are average for around here. It's a good place to visit on sunny weekends too - it has a decent children's play area out the back. It is deservedly popular - book on popular nights. It also has regular special offers - check their web site for details.(Dec 11 and any number of times for years back.) Rotherfield PeppardWe've been meaning to try Ruchetta since it opened and just never managed to get around to it ... until now. This used to the 'The Dog' and now describes itself as an "Italian Restaurant & Country Pub" which might sound a touch incongruous, but is right! You don't need to eat to drink and there's real beer on tap. However, if you do eat we doubt you'll be disappointed. The menu is a nice mix of what we'd describe as the kind of Italian dishes you'd expect and dishes that are less, well, Italian. The service was just right - not too quick, not too slow, and the meals we had were all excellent. (And the portions are generous too.) And finally, if - like us - you recall 'The Dog' as being a bit tatty then don't worry - it's been extensively and very nicely refurbished. (About £115 for four of us.)(Apr 09) »» Show Map - Ruchetta (Google) Just across the road from Ruchetta is the Red Lion and we've recently had a good meal there. The menu isn't wildly adventurous or fancy and includes such good old staples as ham, egg and chips (but with local ham). However, that's no criticism and the standard of the food and cooking we had was very good, and the prices very reasonable. Unusually, they also do a vegan menu that's better than many a 'fancy' place can offer by a considerable margin. (£70 for four mains, two puds, seven drinks and two coffees.)(Dec 10) »» Show Map - Red Lion (Google) RotherwickAware, as we are, of our 'north of the Thames' bias with most of the places on this page, we were keen to add this one as it is very much south! In fact, it's heading down Basingstoke way. So, if you ever find yourself in that neck of the woods, you could do far worse than check out The Falcon. Unusually, it's Portuguese-run, and the menu has both traditional pub fare and some more interesting-sounding dishes from Portugal. We've had a couple of business lunches there lately and the food's been great, the hospitality excellent. (Nov 09.) ShiplakeAfter being run excellently for years and then closed down for a fair while, we've noticed The Plowden Arms, at Shiplake on the road to Henley is open again but we've not tried it yet. Here's wishing them well.(Dec 11) SonningWe found ourselves in Sonning the other night, in need of a meal, and tried The Ivy, an Indian restaurant tucked away in the middle of the village. (It used to be a tea room amongst other things.) It has to be said that we had an excellent meal that was very much a cut above the 'normal' Indian restaurant experience, with really friendly service too. It wasn't cheap, but you don't mind paying a little bit more if you're getting what you pay for. It's very small though, so probably worth booking on almost any night. (About £45 for two rounds of drinks and a generous main-course-only meal.)(Dec 11) Sonning CommonThe Bird In Hand has had mixed fortunes for the past several years, including being closed for some months. However, we're delighted to see it open again and we had a couple of pleasant drinks in the garden there in summer, as well as a 'light lunch' of a very good standard more recently. Open all day and with free wi-fi too, it has to be a good spot for business meetings as well as for socialising. It's on the B481 - the main road between Emmer Green and Sonning Common, on the right as you're heading out of town. (Nov 10) South StokeThe Perch and Pike is tucked away but worth the trip. After a brief visit for a summer drink, we had to return to try the food and we weren't disappointed. Excellent options, and very tasty - what we'd call an interesting (but not pretentious) menu. A friendly, family run pub - the landlord's mum couldn't be nicer. After an unhurried and enjoyable meal, we all concluded that we'll certainly be visiting again. Definitely worth hunting out. (About £110 for three starters, four mains, three puds, seven drinks and four coffees.)(Nov 11) Stoke Row / Witheridge HillThe Rising Sun at Witheridge Hill is an old pub tucked away off the beaten track but well worth a visit. The staff are friendly but not pushy, there is a lovely big open fire in winter and a pleasant wooded garden in which to sit in summer. The menu is very flexible as there is a tapas menu as well as the customary starters, mains and sweets. Any of the tapas can be chosen as a starter or as many of the tapas as desired can be chosen to form a main course depending on appetite. This is particularly useful if two or more people eating together want different sized meals. The home made sweets are lovely and a wide range of ice cream and sorbets are offered priced per scoop so you can mix and match and have as much or as little as you like. There is even a lolly menu priced at £1 each. (This is, presumably, aimed at children but on a recent visit the pub were very happy to serve a grown man in our party with a mini milk!) Another of our group just wanted two scopes of vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce which was not on the menu but was catered to without fuss, the chocolate sauce coming hot in a little jug. (Three starters, four mains, three puds and a lolly, and five drinks: £120.)(Nov 11) White WalthamWe're pleased to be able to say The Beehive in White Waltham remains well worth the 20 minute drive. We've been to it a few times but not so much lately - for no reason, just that you can't go everywhere! The other Tuesday we went there and it was nicely busy - and that's always a great sign, especially on a nothing-out-of-the-ordinary mid week day. And it lived up to expectations. It's one of those places with a small menu that's really well done rather than a huge but mediocre selection. Good service from friendly staff too. (Seven drinks, three starters, four mains, four puds, four coffees - about £130.)(Nov 11) WarboroughWe called in to the Six Bells On The Green in Warborough on the off-chance, just for a sandwich lunch, and it was very pleasant. A couple of Brakspears beers on tap, friendly staff ... We just had a couple of sandwiches (which were fine); other customers were having 'proper meals' and there were plenty of positive comments being made, so we'll be heading back to try it out for something more substantial at some point. Well worth the small detour off the main road if you're heading up to Oxford for instance. (Jan 12) Food PoisoningAnd finally, yes, food poisoning. What a lovely subject ... A few times we've been asked about this - along the lines of 'with all that eating out you do, don't you ever get a dodgy one?'. And the answer is, very very rarely. Looking back over the last decade and more, one of our team had a severe food poisoning from a 'chef's mayo and crab sandwich' in a four star hotel in London. One had a bad time after a Coronation Chicken sandwich in a local pub that's long since changed hands. We can think of one time when we felt just not quite 100% after an Indian meal in Twyford (place in question now closed) and we did have a dodgy piece of fish once from a takeaway in Caversham - over a decade ago. And that's it. Now, given that between us all the team eats out at least twice a week, and has done so for donkey's years, in our book that's a very good argument in favour of being relaxed about eating out. Standards are high. |
