Orwells in Ascension

Really fantastic place, great atmosphere, absolutely incredible food. Staff were very attentive, really helpful with allergy information, and friendly.I can highly recommend the Muntjac, Need to go back and try the tasting menu!

We chose the restaurant and the tasting menu based on the reviews. Unfortunately, it must have been a bad day in the kitchen or it simply was not to our taste.On a personal level, I found some of the elements of the dishes too greasy, too salty and lacking freshness and excitement.My husband started giving honest feedback to the staff for the first few courses but it was obvious that we were upsetting them. I fully appreciate this as it is their business and they must be proud of it.I did not find it worth the £130 per head but still ate the food as wasting food is not acceptable where I am from.

Very very very disappointing 9 course tasting menu. A tasting menu is met to take you on a culinary adventure. We did not feel that at all. sadly this place is nowhere near yet?The Focaccia bread was dry and very salty.1st course gave you a bunch of chives with miso. I didnt not understand this course at all. I kept chewing on the chives2nd course a very disappointing oily and salty piece of finger bite fried chicken. OFC more like DFC3rd jersey potato foam with a Tiny piece of very salty pork. At this stage all I could taste was salt in my pallet.4th A very basic scallop with some curry sauce. Scallop was dry no seasoning. Curry sauce was poor. Very dated.5th At this point of the menu we was expecting big and bold flavours. We were given a soagy crumpet size of a £2 coin with some slice pastrami and pickle cabbage. Very disappointing on a £130 tasting menu. You give me something like that it should be a different level of cooking not a soagy crumpet with slice beef.6th lobster and tomato sauce was good. Overcooked lobster and rubbery.7th mutgac I did not enjoy that at all. The meat was not seal properly all around. It feels like just been out of a waterbath. The potato rosti was oily and buttery. It puts you off. It mention bone marrow8th dessert a bite size Mr Whippy. Cant fail on making ice cream. That was the only thing I enjoyed the whole night.9th chocolate Ganache. a rocher of ganache. Chocolate tuile. Poor dish.A lot of focus on the plate, cutleries and not the food itself.The waitress was very nIce but didnt take the food feedback well.On finishing we pay the bill of £325 and we had to look where they kept our jacket we took out jacket and leftWe went there to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Totally regret it. And came home still hungry

Another fantastic tasting menu! Thank you, guys. That lobster dish was one of the best things ove ever eaten.

Simply wonderful! Food, wine, staff and ambience.... all perfect!!

Great food, great to have Ryan explain the ingredient and taste combinations prior to ordering.Loved the pork, loved the Angus BBQ beef, nice feel to the place.

Fantastic evening, we opted for tasting menu which was outstanding. Great team who are attentive but not overbearing. Great work, well done all.

Highly recommended and such a treat. Top culinary experience and class from a superb crew. Can’t wait to go back.

Having eaten at Orwell’s before lockdown we were worried it might not live up to our incredible previous experience. We didn’t need to worry though as it was equally if not more exceptional. The welcome when you arrive is so friendly and sitting in the garden with fizz looking at the amazing view was lovely. Once inside we had a half tasting menu which was a succession of amazing dishes with the nicest sauces ever!! Ryan’s wine knowledge is superb and his suggestions for food parings were spot on. We had a fabulous evening and will definitely be back soon!

My wife and I went for our 10th anniversary and all I can say is Orwells really was above and beyond. The venue was a nice, cosy and inviting space. The staff were all friendly, helpful and courteous the entire time. We had the full tasting menu, which was absolutely delicious. Every dish was a completely different experience and each dish truly stood out as exceptional. We had a very enjoyable bottle of champagne that was crisp, refreshing and went perfectly with the food. I would highly recommend Orwells for a truly inspired dining experience

Can honestly say this has been one of the best meals and service I have experienced in a long while. Absolutely superb.

No messing, this place is a hands down top quality place. The staff are pleasant head chef super nice and very personable. Just go and experience yourself! 100%

Birthday dinner meal: outstanding food and service, one of the best meals Ive had for a very long time. We had a la carte, but the tasting menu looked great as well. Very subtle flavours and excellent combinations of texture. Highly recommended

Fantastic food in a relaxed atmosphere, staff are warm and welcoming with great sense of humour, overall would give ten stars if I could

Now on my list of favourite places to eat.From the greeting upon arrival through to the thanks on departure everything was as it should be.The all female front of house staff were professional, attentive and very friendly.The food was fantastic with a good choice and beautiful flavours and textures cooked to absolute perfection.

Enjoyed a lovely evening for our sons 50th birthday, the food & service was first class! Thankyou so much for making it so memorable!

Wonderful food and fantastic service, thank you for a lovely afternoon. A great way to celebrate a special occasion.

Went here tonight for my brother in laws 50th and I have to say it’s one of the best places I have ever been. The food, the ambience and the service was absolutely excellent. A really great night. Will definitely be going again. Thank you to everyone

How they don’t have a Michelin star bewilders me! Fabulous, food and service in a lovely venue.

A very nice meal, professional service, lovely atmosphere and the food itself was very precise and cooked to a very high standard.

Amazing ambient with professional stuff an great menu👏

Amazing food and service. Sadly didnt get to try dessert as everyone else in group was full but Ill be back.Edit Ive been back still amazing food, service dessert was excellent!

The best meal i have had since I eat at the Whitebrook a few years ago. Food was outstanding and with a lot of thought and great skill gone into the dishes, service was attentive and slick, maitre d had eyes everywhere. Welldone Orwells!

We visited Orwells for a birthday lunch and it was the perfect place to celebrate. We started our meal with a glass of champagne in the beautiful garden at the back with a view overlooking fields. We opted for the tasting menu, every dish was absolutely delicious and I loved the focus on seasonal, high quality ingredients. We really appreciated the relaxed pacing of the meal, we didnt feel rushed at all. The service was the perfect balance of being attentive, friendly and relaxed. We cant wait to go back!

I went in a party of three and we all ordered turbot as neither of us is a massive meat-eater (and neither of us wanted to eat a deer). The menu was small and the mains were pricey. The fish was beautifully-cooked but not sure if it warranted the price as you do need to order sides to be satisfied and this will push the price up of your main to about £40. The sides were good and bigger in comparison to sides youd get in other restaurants; they were also beautifully-cooked. The dessert had snippets of rhubarb and was more flan than brulee; Id rather chunks of rhubarb with a good, fragant custard. The food was excellent albeit pricey for what you were given but Id still rate this restaurant five stars because of the beautiful outdoor setting and good service without which Id probably rate Orwells four stars.

We had a lovely family dinner with good service and amazing food. My definitely best selection of Cheeses I had for a long time! I can only recommend to visit! Bonus: The staff was polite and had always the right answers!

Everything was just wonderful: chill atmosphere, bangin food and excellent service. Had the tasting menu - would definitely recommend!

Tables reasonably spread out. Not sure that the half sized clear face guards will be that effective, but it did make it more normal.Food very good, above average, well prepared and presented.Service good at the start of the evening but slowed noticeably as they got busier.Recommended as long as over £100 a head isnt too much.

Excellent quality food with equality excellent service. Family run restaurant where you’ll feel warmly welcome. I’ve been coming to this restaurant for years and it never lets me down. Totally recommended.

Amazing food this evening. Have two birthdays in our household today. Lockdown making it tough 2 know how to make it special. We ordered takeaway food this evening which was delicious and thoroughly enjoyed by all. Thank you.

A birthday lunch for my wife made the perfect excuse to visit Orwells. It was well worth the hour and a half journey from our home to sample some really excellent cooking. Each main ingredient was treated with great respect and was complemented by sauces and accompaniments that seemed to elevate the dishes to a higher level. Portions are well balanced and timed to ensure that you leave the table feeling satisfied rather than stuffed. The service was delightful and leaving the selection of wine to the waiter proved to be inspired.All told, I suspect that this restaurant is driven by a passion for food rather than being just another business. It goes to prove that dedication to excellence is what separates a great restaurant from the mundane. Well done guys.

Absolutely delicious British food. Went there with the family for a Sunday lunch and we were all really impressed with the cooking. Unpretentious and really well done. They also have an interesting selection of aromatic non-alcoholic cocktails. Yes it is quite far from London but we are really glad we made the trip out.

Fantastic meal at Orwells. We had three course lunch menu but the a la carte menu also looked amazing. Cod starter was delicately flavoured, wood pigeon had a wonderful smokey flavour. The mains were again truely special, monkfish, lamb and venison. Expertly cooked and packed full of flavour. Arnaud runs an amazing charming, fun, friendly and knowledgeable front of house. Will be visiting again, one of the best restaurants you will ever visit.

Thank you Orwells for a fantastic Brithday meal! Would highly recommend! Food was amazing, staff were lovely and we will definitely be going back.

Excellent, creative food and pleasant service. Homemade dishes packed with flavour and unusual twists of flavour for the palate

lovely spot, lovely welcome, lovely food, price about right, looked good tasted good, sized about right, thank you for spliting the Turbot dish for us.Amazed by how many people came through the door that had been there before, a great signThe flaw if your looking for that michelin star, you need a single head of service in the Resturant overseeing the tables, it felt a bit confused, lots of coming and going but not always with direction, id give you 4.5 stars if i could

March menu is full of surprises. Thank you for a delicious feast. Its a bit like taking a walk in the wood. You relish every moment if youre not in a hurry and it doesnt get dark too quickly. You need the stamina for the finish! I discovered a few interesting fungi. Although I dont think I would trust myself to pick them in the wild and cook them at home. Some dishes really need a second visit to be enjoyed by themselves. I should be returning soon.

Another faultless meal; great service, great food, great atmosphere. The snow crab was divine, the duck delicious, and the cardamom panna cotta delivered a fabulous finish to the dinner. Cant wait to return!

Excellent service, an exceptionally good lunch, with outstanding dishes. Will be back to explore more. Booking recommended!

In my view Orwell’s offers the best food in the Reading area! Excellent chef and service. The food is outstanding. Prices do reflect the very high standards here so for me it is a special occasion place. In Summer, eating outside in the quiet garden is a delight.Please like 👍🏼 if you find this review useful.

Friendly welcoming staff and delicious food! Service wasnt included which I was surprised about as it was excellent. The food was really good, you can definitely tell that they pride themselves on sourcing great produce. Lamb was spectacular, the cherries were rich in colour and flavour and we loved the innovative "toffee toms". Would definitely recommend!

I love this place, I have had some of the best food Ive ever had here. Sometimes the dishes challenge my preconceptions of what food I like or would try, but they rarely disappoint. The location is great and the service is very attentive, if you like amazing food, wine and cocktails (best Whiskey Sour Ive hadits one to visit.

Outstanding tasting menu. Friendly and informative service. Inventive dishes. Duck hearts on crumpet, prawns and mushroom, scallops, and sorrell sorbet all absolutely delicious. Perhaps the bacon butty bun could have been a bit smaller and less salty to not overpower the contents. But Im really nit-picking there. Will definitely return.

Myself and two friends had lunch at Orwells, which is delightful converted pub in Shiplake,Oxfordshire. The village has a train station, but this is quite some distance from Orwells itself, so a car is needed. Parking was easy though, with lots of free spaces. This was midweek mind you, so I assume it gets a lot busier at weekends.We dined on a perfect summers days, so took the opportunity to be seated in the spacious,perfectly manicured garden area. We were warmly greeted by the maître d, who talked us through the various dining options. We went for the three course lunch menu at £30 per head, with a bottle of house white at £22. The main menu was extensive though, with many great looking dishes. If you eat à la carte, it does start to get a tad pricey, with main courses coming in at around £30–35 upwards.All of our dishes were very well presented and packed with flavour. We also appreciated the complimentary selection of breads and petit fours. The service was friendly yet professional and well definitely be returning for dinner when a special occasion presents itself.In summary, a relaxed fine dining experience in a beautiful setting.

To celebrate my birthday we decided to go for the tasting menu for lunch on what ended up being the hottest day of the year. Orwells is in an 18th century pub building but is 100% a fine dining restaurant. Service was impeccable, Arnaud and Aaron were professional but friendly, not over-fussy but interested in our feedback and capable of measuring the mood of the guest perfectly. Each dish tasted amazing, inventive combinations and some very deep and intense flavour. We spent a good three hours munching our way through the tasting menu and cocktails... I can highly recommend it and Im sure well be back.

Perfect in every way. Great and inventive meal, fresh flavours, excellent presentation. Worth the drive from wherever you are - seek this place out!! And ask for Aaron to make his London 1866 old fashioned- the smoke is unreal!

Very welcoming and extremely attentive. Absolutely love being there. We travel from Coventry to visit Orwells. Highly recommend. The food is exceptional. You will thoroughly enjoy your experience here.There is also an extensive wine list to accommodate all budgets. You will not be disappointed. Fully recommend the taster menu with wines that compliment each dish...Top marks for Ryan and Liam and all their staff.

My favourite restaurant without a doubt. The food is impeccable, and the service provided by the team matches the standard of the food.The tasting menu is of a Michelin standard in my opinion, and the approach of using locally sourced ingredients is evident in the quality of the food.Great wine list, too.All in all, the perfect place for a special meal. Would recommend in a heartbeat!

Great food! Have always been really really happy with everything. Would recommend the restaurant to anyone. Its such a lovely treat eating here. They definitely deserve at lease 5 stars.Well done Team Orwells.☺️☺️

Visited for Sunday lunch and have already booked to go back for a friends birthday.Beautiful, tasty food and friendly, attentive service.So great to find somewhere that feels modern while still retaining all the charm of a countryside retreat - complete with roaring fire.Extra appreciation for gluten free bread.