Really disappointing meal, made even worse by the restaurant feeling the need to add a service charge? The service was efficient, nothing more. The food was ok but not great.
Cara T
Delicious food, a real hidden gem. I had a fish starter and fish specials main and it was cooked and plated superbly. Service was quick and welcoming. The area where we sat could have been more cosy, lighting, more comfortable chairs, especially this time of year. And it is a real shame that there isn't an area for well behaved dogs inside.
Tracey W
Excellent service, amazing food really good quality and generous portions. Inside was cosy and comfortable and the staff were friendly and attentive we came for husbands birthday and would definitely come again
Roving62079481526
First time visit with friends today and it did not disappoint! Fantastic food and service was excellent! Would I recommend, absolutely definitely!!!!
James P
What a fantastic night at The Lion with the family. Dishes we highy recommend are the Vension and the Mussels. Extensive wine selection and outstanding friendly service...nothing was top much trouble. We can't wait to return
joannerB821DV
Visited after attending a local wedding fair and wasn’t disappointed, the food was beautifully cooked and service impeccable! Would have liked a selection of lighter snacks but realise and understand we went in on Sunday lunch time !
KAYK64
We booked The Lion for a one night stay with breakfast. We stayed in room 4 which did have a quirky bathroom with restricted height access. Room was quiet, very clean and stylish. Bed was firm and very comfortable. Breakfast was lovely and staff keen to please. We were even offered a pastry to take with us which we accepted! Location wise for our event was ideal and also for exploring Flatford Mill before heading home. I have read some not so good reviews for the restaurant but from our experience the staff are happy to receive feedback and pretty sure would do all they could to make things right. Would definitely recommend.
Daniel B
it was the first time visiting The Lion having recently moved to the area. first impressions were good. friendly staff. nice venue. but the food wasnt great. we ordered Lobster thermidor which was missing the samphire and the Ploughman's which wasn't a ploughman's it was a charcuterie type type thing with a pound of cheese. no one wants 8 tomatoes 8 mini gherkins and olives on a ploughman's! nope! no ham no pork pie and a quail egg scotch egg that was grey and tasted like it was off. 1 slice of sad bread. the whole thing was dry as hell and the chef needs to sit there and eat it to understand what he is serving. we wont be back
JO L
Shortcut to this review is: Maybe not all evenings are the same & if you eat meat you’re fine. It feels like some of the dishes on the menu are really special ; created by a true chef. Some bought in bulk & re heated. The lion described itself as luxury brasserie & bar offering a v friendly welcome. We called for a drink in the terrace one early evening whilst staying in the area. The chef & team were having a loud & lovely to hear meeting, the staff were lovely & it all felt very appealing, & all were very friendly. We should have just stayed & eaten with them that evening. Having just walked miles with our v dirty dog, all f us in need of a shower we decided to make a reservation for the following Friday evening. Our thoughts being Friday evening will be just as busy & lovely vibe. Sadly not; My husband had duck starter & steak main both he said were delicious; the duck had many very beautifully done elements / v special. I had scallops which were ok supposed to be in a buttery crumb, half the crumb was just a dry powder strangeness, served on a shell….Scallops themselves were ok underneath the scallop was a king prawn so delicious. Not the main event but still. Main course again husband was happy rump steak great but served with a bunch of cherry tomatoes on a stem.. I had risotto it wasn’t good, stodgy & bland, very large & none of the lovely sounding ingredients, dill, beans, asparagus particularly stood out, the whole hazelnuts did..I left most of it. No one asked or wondered why I hadn’t eaten it..? not interested. The location is amazing & the wine delicious. Food v expensive & poor for the non carnivore.
KarenD4996
If you're looking for a great place to dine, look no further than The Lion, East Bergholt. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with a warm hospitality and a cozy atmosphere. We had booked in the sailcloth tent in the garden, and this certainly didnt disappoint. Great set up outside, with fresh flowers arranged throughout and overlooking the lovely green space outside. The menu boasts an impressive selection of dishes, we sampled the al a carte menu and the specials. The gammon special was to die for and proved a good choice. Bursting with flavour and cooked to perfection.. Each dish is thoughtfully prepared with fresh, high-quality ingredients and bursting with flavour. Don't forget to save room for dessert – the Smores Brownies an absolute must-try. Overall, The Lion is a top-notch dining experience that is sure to leave you satisfied and wanting to come back for more.
Sunday roast with family, arrived and was told no chicken and only 2 roast Pork left but plenty of Beef, which was not a problem as i wanted Beef but they did try to call us to make us aware. We sat in the tent which was nice, service good. Roast was just ok, i felt that the veg was little no cauliflower cheese the roasts pots seemed rather over cooked felt like they had been reheated. Plus the gravy was swimming on the plate i would rather put my own gravy on. Beef was very good. Nice but nothing special
MarkJamesMorsley
I am not sure what’s happened at the Lion. We used it a lot around the post pandemic era and it was very good. We went last year and it was disappointing, over priced and not great food but we booked last night as the excellent sail tent was up and I was really really looking forward to it. This is a quality venue where the owners have not cut corners, so it was slightly odd that the sail tent was only a third full, with a couple of tables outside in use and, I believe, no one inside. This was a lovely balmy June evening so outside eating was clearly the best option so where are the punters?? Can I say on arrival we were welcomed by an excellent young lady waitress and we were soon served drinks; G&T, Moratti lager and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. So onto the food and although relatively quiet there was no Scallops, no Lobster, no Plaice, no Rump Steak, disappointing. Now I guess they could have had a busy day, but this is Saturday evening with Sunday still to come so how can popular choices sell out??? So we chose and I’ll review as below:- Starters Lamb Koktas for me. Nicely cooked pink, but lacked spice so flavour although raita and rocket support good. Chargrilled Local Asparagus, with Cromer crab hollandaise, smoked almonds & picked vegetables. Asparagus is a lovely delicate vegetable that doesn’t carry an overly ‘punchy’ sauce with bold flavours from nuts and pickled veg. Personally a little subtly flavoured butter with lemon and a poached egg takes some beating. Mains Catch of the day was Plaice and Skate, with the former missing I went for Skate. I asked for new potatoes instead of chips and these were excellent as was the pea purée with the main event looking nice. On eating I sensed a mild aroma of ammonia and after a few fork fulls it was clear this delicate taste was not quite right. I sent the dish back and then Chef sent the poor waitress out with the delivery invoice to show it was delivered the day before. Firstly don’t do that to a member if staff and secondly freshly delivered Skate could have been stored alongside other Skate turning with ammonia. Chefs job is to taste and check, taste and check, taste and check…… I was offered another Skate but I was a bit off put by this so I thought I’ll have something else and went for the Prawn Risotto which was a close second when I initially decided but, you guessed it, SOLD OUT! It’s Risotto, it’s easy to make with ingredients easy to store. I was pretty fed up by now and passed on the main. The lady had Parmesan Breaded Chicken Breast, with caper garlic butter, fine beans, Elveden new potatoes, heritage tomato & garlic stuffed olives. The chicken heavily coated with the cheese (making it slightly sickly and too heavy), far to many capers (which are a strange partner on this dish) and far too many olives that were huge. Potatoes and beans excellent the rest not and only half eaten. No one asked why half a plate was sent back especially after my experience. As we’d both bean denied a decent main we went for the cheese board which had a great choice of cheese with celery and grapes but 6 small biscuits, 2 of which were those bitter charcoal ones (what happened to a fresh water biscuit?) plus 2 large slices of white bread! That’s a little odd as the menu said a selection of East Anglian Cheese with Chutney, crackers, biscuits and grapes. Maybe they were trying to fill us up!? To their credit they didn’t charge for my main course and the cheese was free but, 2 starters, one G&T, 1 lager and a bottle of wine still came out over £100. The young waitress deserved her tip though as she did really well (even with the infamous delivery note to deal with ??♂️??♂️). I know this is not a great review, but I really like this place and as I said a year ago, I really want it to be mobbed and it should be but something is keeping the punters away and that can’t just be a couple of bad reviews. My opinion is the menu is more about Chef trying to create some ‘different’ dishes, miss out on classic food and then overprice them. I am so not bothered about the cost
Sanjit D
I recently visited the Lion Brasserie to have dinner with my family. We will definitely be returning after an excellent evening. As you walk into this beautiful gastropub, you are immediately attracted to the beautiful decor of the place. I found out from the waitress that that the place had recently been refurbished and the team have done such a beautiful job. As for the evening itself, we were made to feel very welcome as we walked in. The staff were friendly and very attentive and it'd been a long time since me and my family had experienced such great customer service. The food was excellent. Top quality meat and fresh vegetables...you couldn't ask for more. A massive pat on the back for chefs as the food was full of flavour and beautifully assembled on our plate. The menu itself offered such a varied selection for everyone's taste and we cannot wait to return to try the other dishes. I can see why this establishment won Pub Of The Year and I cannot wait for their B&B rooms to open. This gastropub is a MUST visit.......you will not be disappointed!
Traveler25646407547
If you want great food in fantastic surroundings this is the place to go, the team could not do enough for us, very hospitable, good facilities and a large patio area with a very large garden. The food was delicious and there is a great selection of drinks to be had. The property has had a full renovation in recent years which has been finished to a very high standard without losing the originality of the building. I will definitely be eating here again when i am back in the area visiting friends.
Nijn t
The Lion Brasserie is a beautiful restaurant -atmosphere and decoration are top notch and the large garden was a great unexpected bonus. We were greeted warmly by the staff who were attentive and helpful through our visit. Food was delicious with an interesting selection and attention to detail great. A first class experience! No complaints at all and will definitely be returning.
Really disappointing meal, made even worse by the restaurant feeling the need to add a service charge? The service was efficient, nothing more. The food was ok but not great.
Delicious food, a real hidden gem. I had a fish starter and fish specials main and it was cooked and plated superbly. Service was quick and welcoming. The area where we sat could have been more cosy, lighting, more comfortable chairs, especially this time of year. And it is a real shame that there isn't an area for well behaved dogs inside.
Excellent service, amazing food really good quality and generous portions. Inside was cosy and comfortable and the staff were friendly and attentive we came for husbands birthday and would definitely come again
First time visit with friends today and it did not disappoint! Fantastic food and service was excellent! Would I recommend, absolutely definitely!!!!
What a fantastic night at The Lion with the family. Dishes we highy recommend are the Vension and the Mussels. Extensive wine selection and outstanding friendly service...nothing was top much trouble. We can't wait to return
Visited after attending a local wedding fair and wasn’t disappointed, the food was beautifully cooked and service impeccable! Would have liked a selection of lighter snacks but realise and understand we went in on Sunday lunch time !
We booked The Lion for a one night stay with breakfast. We stayed in room 4 which did have a quirky bathroom with restricted height access. Room was quiet, very clean and stylish. Bed was firm and very comfortable. Breakfast was lovely and staff keen to please. We were even offered a pastry to take with us which we accepted! Location wise for our event was ideal and also for exploring Flatford Mill before heading home. I have read some not so good reviews for the restaurant but from our experience the staff are happy to receive feedback and pretty sure would do all they could to make things right. Would definitely recommend.
it was the first time visiting The Lion having recently moved to the area. first impressions were good. friendly staff. nice venue. but the food wasnt great. we ordered Lobster thermidor which was missing the samphire and the Ploughman's which wasn't a ploughman's it was a charcuterie type type thing with a pound of cheese. no one wants 8 tomatoes 8 mini gherkins and olives on a ploughman's! nope! no ham no pork pie and a quail egg scotch egg that was grey and tasted like it was off. 1 slice of sad bread. the whole thing was dry as hell and the chef needs to sit there and eat it to understand what he is serving. we wont be back
Shortcut to this review is: Maybe not all evenings are the same & if you eat meat you’re fine. It feels like some of the dishes on the menu are really special ; created by a true chef. Some bought in bulk & re heated. The lion described itself as luxury brasserie & bar offering a v friendly welcome. We called for a drink in the terrace one early evening whilst staying in the area. The chef & team were having a loud & lovely to hear meeting, the staff were lovely & it all felt very appealing, & all were very friendly. We should have just stayed & eaten with them that evening. Having just walked miles with our v dirty dog, all f us in need of a shower we decided to make a reservation for the following Friday evening. Our thoughts being Friday evening will be just as busy & lovely vibe. Sadly not; My husband had duck starter & steak main both he said were delicious; the duck had many very beautifully done elements / v special. I had scallops which were ok supposed to be in a buttery crumb, half the crumb was just a dry powder strangeness, served on a shell….Scallops themselves were ok underneath the scallop was a king prawn so delicious. Not the main event but still. Main course again husband was happy rump steak great but served with a bunch of cherry tomatoes on a stem.. I had risotto it wasn’t good, stodgy & bland, very large & none of the lovely sounding ingredients, dill, beans, asparagus particularly stood out, the whole hazelnuts did..I left most of it. No one asked or wondered why I hadn’t eaten it..? not interested. The location is amazing & the wine delicious. Food v expensive & poor for the non carnivore.
If you're looking for a great place to dine, look no further than The Lion, East Bergholt. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with a warm hospitality and a cozy atmosphere. We had booked in the sailcloth tent in the garden, and this certainly didnt disappoint. Great set up outside, with fresh flowers arranged throughout and overlooking the lovely green space outside. The menu boasts an impressive selection of dishes, we sampled the al a carte menu and the specials. The gammon special was to die for and proved a good choice. Bursting with flavour and cooked to perfection.. Each dish is thoughtfully prepared with fresh, high-quality ingredients and bursting with flavour. Don't forget to save room for dessert – the Smores Brownies an absolute must-try. Overall, The Lion is a top-notch dining experience that is sure to leave you satisfied and wanting to come back for more.
Restaurantji Recommends
Sunday roast with family, arrived and was told no chicken and only 2 roast Pork left but plenty of Beef, which was not a problem as i wanted Beef but they did try to call us to make us aware. We sat in the tent which was nice, service good. Roast was just ok, i felt that the veg was little no cauliflower cheese the roasts pots seemed rather over cooked felt like they had been reheated. Plus the gravy was swimming on the plate i would rather put my own gravy on. Beef was very good. Nice but nothing special
I am not sure what’s happened at the Lion. We used it a lot around the post pandemic era and it was very good. We went last year and it was disappointing, over priced and not great food but we booked last night as the excellent sail tent was up and I was really really looking forward to it. This is a quality venue where the owners have not cut corners, so it was slightly odd that the sail tent was only a third full, with a couple of tables outside in use and, I believe, no one inside. This was a lovely balmy June evening so outside eating was clearly the best option so where are the punters?? Can I say on arrival we were welcomed by an excellent young lady waitress and we were soon served drinks; G&T, Moratti lager and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. So onto the food and although relatively quiet there was no Scallops, no Lobster, no Plaice, no Rump Steak, disappointing. Now I guess they could have had a busy day, but this is Saturday evening with Sunday still to come so how can popular choices sell out??? So we chose and I’ll review as below:- Starters Lamb Koktas for me. Nicely cooked pink, but lacked spice so flavour although raita and rocket support good. Chargrilled Local Asparagus, with Cromer crab hollandaise, smoked almonds & picked vegetables. Asparagus is a lovely delicate vegetable that doesn’t carry an overly ‘punchy’ sauce with bold flavours from nuts and pickled veg. Personally a little subtly flavoured butter with lemon and a poached egg takes some beating. Mains Catch of the day was Plaice and Skate, with the former missing I went for Skate. I asked for new potatoes instead of chips and these were excellent as was the pea purée with the main event looking nice. On eating I sensed a mild aroma of ammonia and after a few fork fulls it was clear this delicate taste was not quite right. I sent the dish back and then Chef sent the poor waitress out with the delivery invoice to show it was delivered the day before. Firstly don’t do that to a member if staff and secondly freshly delivered Skate could have been stored alongside other Skate turning with ammonia. Chefs job is to taste and check, taste and check, taste and check…… I was offered another Skate but I was a bit off put by this so I thought I’ll have something else and went for the Prawn Risotto which was a close second when I initially decided but, you guessed it, SOLD OUT! It’s Risotto, it’s easy to make with ingredients easy to store. I was pretty fed up by now and passed on the main. The lady had Parmesan Breaded Chicken Breast, with caper garlic butter, fine beans, Elveden new potatoes, heritage tomato & garlic stuffed olives. The chicken heavily coated with the cheese (making it slightly sickly and too heavy), far to many capers (which are a strange partner on this dish) and far too many olives that were huge. Potatoes and beans excellent the rest not and only half eaten. No one asked why half a plate was sent back especially after my experience. As we’d both bean denied a decent main we went for the cheese board which had a great choice of cheese with celery and grapes but 6 small biscuits, 2 of which were those bitter charcoal ones (what happened to a fresh water biscuit?) plus 2 large slices of white bread! That’s a little odd as the menu said a selection of East Anglian Cheese with Chutney, crackers, biscuits and grapes. Maybe they were trying to fill us up!? To their credit they didn’t charge for my main course and the cheese was free but, 2 starters, one G&T, 1 lager and a bottle of wine still came out over £100. The young waitress deserved her tip though as she did really well (even with the infamous delivery note to deal with ??♂️??♂️). I know this is not a great review, but I really like this place and as I said a year ago, I really want it to be mobbed and it should be but something is keeping the punters away and that can’t just be a couple of bad reviews. My opinion is the menu is more about Chef trying to create some ‘different’ dishes, miss out on classic food and then overprice them. I am so not bothered about the cost
I recently visited the Lion Brasserie to have dinner with my family. We will definitely be returning after an excellent evening. As you walk into this beautiful gastropub, you are immediately attracted to the beautiful decor of the place. I found out from the waitress that that the place had recently been refurbished and the team have done such a beautiful job. As for the evening itself, we were made to feel very welcome as we walked in. The staff were friendly and very attentive and it'd been a long time since me and my family had experienced such great customer service. The food was excellent. Top quality meat and fresh vegetables...you couldn't ask for more. A massive pat on the back for chefs as the food was full of flavour and beautifully assembled on our plate. The menu itself offered such a varied selection for everyone's taste and we cannot wait to return to try the other dishes. I can see why this establishment won Pub Of The Year and I cannot wait for their B&B rooms to open. This gastropub is a MUST visit.......you will not be disappointed!
If you want great food in fantastic surroundings this is the place to go, the team could not do enough for us, very hospitable, good facilities and a large patio area with a very large garden. The food was delicious and there is a great selection of drinks to be had. The property has had a full renovation in recent years which has been finished to a very high standard without losing the originality of the building. I will definitely be eating here again when i am back in the area visiting friends.
The Lion Brasserie is a beautiful restaurant -atmosphere and decoration are top notch and the large garden was a great unexpected bonus. We were greeted warmly by the staff who were attentive and helpful through our visit. Food was delicious with an interesting selection and attention to detail great. A first class experience! No complaints at all and will definitely be returning.