Orwells Restaurant in South Oxfordshire

Went for Sunday dinner WOW absolutely wonderful had lamb with lots of vegetables so filling and tasty

My wife and I went to Orwell's on a Friday night as a date night treat to ourselves. We were hoping for great things based on all the glowing 5 star reviews both here and on OpenTable. Sadly, we were left a little disappointed - that's not to say it was bad, but it underwhelmed compared to other restaurants with similar ratings. Firstly, let me start by saying how lovely the atmosphere is in the restaurant. The staff are attentive, polite and friendly, and the restaurant is warm and cozy. The Christmas decorations were very tastefully done. The menu is also very creative, with a game theme to all the main courses, providing lots of opportunity to try something unusual. Unfortunately it was the kitchen that let the side down. It was 2 hours between us arriving and our main course arriving at our table - I'm going to estimate 1 1/2 hours after we ordered. When I enquired as to what the problem was, the waitress didn't seem surprised and laid the blame on other guests ordering the tasting menu. We were hopeful that the food itself would knock our socks off, but sadly it failed to deliver. The mallard was flavoursome, but would have benefited from crispy skin, the dauphinoise potatoes were surprisingly bland, and the tenderstem broccoli lacked seasoning. Nothing disastrously wrong, but not good enough to justify the price. On the price, £65 gets you a starter and a main, served without any sides - but definitely needing some. There are also supplements charged on some dishes, such as an extra £8 for the crab crumpet. I don't really know how they justify this, as there could only have been two tablespoons of crab in the dish. Quite probably we'll go again, because I really want it to be as good as people say it is. But we won't be rushing back.

Food was incredible, they do a great roast. Portion sizes are very generous too. Staff were friendly and kind, as well as knowledgable. Service was extremely slow despite the restaurant being half empty which was the only downside. Thank you

Amazing all round, perfect for an engagement celebration!

One of the best meals I've ever had. Delicious. Service was amazing.

Another fabulous lunch, thoroughly enjoyed by all

I only turned up ( a little early) to pick my partner up and ended up joining in on the meal. The food and the staff were beyond excellent, I piggy backed on the tasting menu and look forward to going back. Banter from the owners made the evening relaxing and fun.

The wife and I have dined in many fine dining restaurants over the years, and this one is excellent. The food was delicious and well presented, the staff were friendly and welcoming, and the restaurant itself is warm and relaxing. This really was a fantastic experience and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. We will definitely be going back, and highly recommend Orwell’s to our friends and family.

CertainlThis was my first visit to Orwells, and I was pleasantly surprised by their food. From the cocktails and arrival snack to the starters, main course, and dessert, everything was fantastic. I will definitely be returning. I highly recommend trying the Beef Tartare and the Roast Leg of Lockerbie Lamb.

Incredible restaurant! I had a fantastic meal there last night. The tasting menu was sublime to the point where I was struggling to choose a favourite course. The prestigious wine pairing was also fantastic and complemented each course perfectly. The service was spot on too. 10/10 as an experience and will definitely be going back!

Delicious food and great service

Absolutely wonderful restaurant, beautiful modern British cooking in a gorgeous location. We had an absolutely fantastic lunch, it’s really good value for the quality and everyone who served us was lovely. Very highly recommended.

Our evening here was simply fantastic. Wonderful service from really lovely staff who were attentive, responsive, polite, and not afraid to offer recommendations on food, beer, wine, whisky and pairing things together. Divine wine, good beers, a couple of great whiskies and very reliable gin and tonics accompanied truly wonderful food. Every aspect of every course was delicious. I had - the smoked ploughman's amuse bouche, the asparagus starter, the turbot (insanely good) and the crème brulé - and can't fault any of it. It's also a beautiful setting and atmosphere. Thanks to the staff.

Thoroughly enjoyed lunch here last week. Food was divine and the service was exceptional. Will be back!

It's rare that I write these reviews, but when my wife and I attended orwells for the evening, the service knowledge and most of all outstanding food we were served compelled me to share our evening with all. The owners really treated us to a special evening. My wife and I have been occasionally eating out for the past 16 years together and our trip to orwells from cornwall really shown world's apart in food, we highly recommend eating here. Every dish was cooked to perfection and a brief description of where the food came from and cooked was insightful and knowledgeable. From beautiful duck, lamb and sustainable ethical fish dishes we can't wait to revisit orwells again thanks for an incredible evening.

It was an amazing night with my husband, a great atmosphere , and excellent foods. Wonderful Elsa gave us very nice services, and Ryan He was very kind to explain the entire experience with the wines 🍷 I recommend it 😊

Just left Orwells after experiencing the best Sunday lunch I've ever had. The food was just immense, and every member of staff were top draw. Highly highly recommend

So good, loved the whole experience . Great value as you get fine dining innovation, but familiar flavours and decent portions. Me and my siblings had a wide range of things across the menu. Lots of extra touches like the after dinner pastels. We didn’t take any photos but that was because we were too busy eating . Luke was an excellent host and the team were friendly . Really nicely decorated too

Did the Taste the Season vegan taster menu with my partner which was one of the best foodie experiences I've ever had. Beautiful food, in a delighful environment, with warm, knowledgable service.

Incredible food fantastic service had the full taster menu there was nothing on there I didn’t enjoy highly recommend

Excellent food cooked to perfection. My son and I enjoyed a Christmas Day lunch at Orwells Restaurant. The food was a delight as usual and the hosts Ryan & Liam are such lovely, friendly people. Always welcoming. The restaurant was decorated beautifully and with such care. Such a lovely place to enjoy Christmas lunch. Liam gave us both champagne to begin with before we even sat down ! There were homemade breads with various small starters. There were 5 courses and for my main course I chose the traditional turkey, although there was goose or beef filet on the menu, with all the trimmings. I enjoyed the lobster course also. Amongst the pudding/desert courses, I had an unusual dish of cherries with chocolate. My son doesn’t usually enjoy desert, but he remarked how good it was. Everything is freshly cooked and delicious, it is the best restaurant by far in the area. I was full by the end but Millie gave me the homemade mince pies in a cute box to take home. 5*. This was Christmas lunch and as one would expect, it is not cheap, but well worth the experience and exceptional food. Service excellent and especially to Millie.

We had the fabulous tasting menu for our group meal at Orwells, excellent service and some interesting dishes. What an experience!

My wife and I ate here we really enjoyed the tasting menu and wines to Complement our food we absolutely loved the produce they used, particularly the Mylor prawns were out of this world. The service matched the food, we can't wait to come back. Staff are a credit to the establishment thanks to all and looking forward to making this our go to place.

Amazing tasting menu in a perfect setting with exceptional service. We will be back, compliments to the chef.

Sadly such a frustrating and disappointing experience. My husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary here a few weeks ago. It took 4.5 hours for us to receive all of our food, this is with us hurrying the process up, too. Some of the courses were sadly so salty they were inedible. All in all we feel completely robbed of £400 and what should have been a delightful experience. Edit: the dish we returned was the lions mane mushroom with garden nettles and bacon. We saw the table next to us complain of the same dish to their waiter. It is not the responsibility of your customers to ensure you have adequate communication in place with your staff to capture complaints when they happened. We did ask for the food to be sped up. This did not assist the situation and we were unable to finish our dessert, the taxi driver was understandably frustrated at being pushed back several times.

A warm welcome, fizz in the new lounge/conservatory, nice sized restaurant (not huge) , lovely ambiance, exceptional food (as always) & great service 10/10 👍

Our second time to Orwell's; this time with foodie guests who have treated us to Michelin starred restaurants in the past. Every single dish, and we all had different ones over a three course meal, was absolutely, mouthwateringly delicious. I don't eat meat but didn't feel like the veggie options were an afterthought at all, as can happen in some restaurants; they were well considered, interesting and varied. Definitely one of my top places to go.

It was a real pleasure having dinner here.

We went for the 10 course tasting menu. The food was excellent but the meal took over 4hrs. I appreciate tasting menus take longer but 4hrs and ~20mins between small courses was too much for me and it devalued the experience. When I told the waitress, she said it was due to power cuts effecting the card payment but I failed to understand how the card machine impacted the wait time between courses.

A truly memorable experience, I just wish we'd found it sooner! The food was incredibly tasty, and the staff were very polite, helpful and actively asking if everything was okay with the food. The ambience was perfect for celebrating an occasion, and was also Christmas themed which we loved. We'll definitely be coming back. What a special find.

Had a wonderful meal. Enjoyed the tasting menu with wine to accompany. Staff very attentive and informative, food was excellent, will 100% return

We have not been to Orwells for many years but it was my birthday and I remembered how much we enjoyed it in the past. That was a great decision! I opted for the full taster menu and my husband the vegetarian half taster. We were fortunate to have good weather so our visit began in the lovely gardens with a wonderful cocktail I will endeavor to make at home. From the start to the end was a culinary treat. Every dish surprised and delighted, the creativity, playfulness and care not to mention the effort that went into each plate was very evident. I was hard pressed to choose a favorite however I think I must mention the melt in the mouth beef with mushrooms but second place has to be shared with the lobster, the fried chicken and the stunning beetroot. Of the desserts the strawberry dish was mind-blowing and I am very sad that I just don't know how to reproduce it at home, even though all the ingredients sound like ones I have in my kitchen. The waiting staff were wonderful, friendly and always attentive and helpful with advice on drinks and portions. All in all we were both delighted with our choice and hope to visit again soon. Thank you for a lovely day.

Didn't go to the resturant, cancelled over a month ago via email and received a reply to confirm from the owner at the time. Fast forward to today and guess my surprise when I'm charged £100 for not turning up. I called as soon as possible to ask why and explain I had cancelled over email. Turns out I was speaking to the person who actually received my cancellation email in the first place yet it was me who was treated in a condescending manor. I was unsure if it was arrogance or if he was trying to be funny but certainly felt rude. Either way I am glad I didn't eat there and know I'm not going to in the future.

Fabulous food, cooked to perfection, excellent service Reasonable price considering the food choices such as lobster and turbot Definitely recommend 👌

Awesome experience. Top notch food and service. And lovely people to match.

From start to finish every mouthful of our meal was wonderful. Quality ingredients, sourced in season, cooked to perfection and beautifully presented.

Tricky one. If only we could give half marks, I would’ve gone 3.7. Sat in an annex with a wonky table which was corrected once pointed out. Felt everything had to be prompted, bread, drinks. Ladies lavatories are behind a curtain right by the entrance. I was oblivious but my partner was freezing cold all night, sat next to double conservatory style doors. Food itself, fine, overly superlative descriptions vs quality of content. Shiplake Leek main was disappointing and flavourless. By this point I was drunk as a lord so happy as Larry. The mediocre culinary experience doesn’t warrant the strange hushed faux exclusive atmosphere. I’ve had better meals up the pub where can all laugh and dump in peace.

We went to Orwell's, one night after being to Hand & Flowers, which is a Michelin 2 star restaurant. We preferred our Orwell's experience over H&F. From the food to the service, it was fantastic. The amuse-bouche was a riff on a Ploughman's, which was really clever and well executed. Got us excited of what was to come! For starters we got the lobster course. This was an absolute triumph. The lobster was cooked to perfection and that talisker bisque with the truffle was as great as it sounds. For mains we got the fallow deer. Beautiful quality meat, cooked pink to perfection. The venison doughnut was a beautiful cloud of joy as you bite into it. Finally for dessert we got the honey sponge cake and the apple crumble. We loved the honey sponge between those 2. Overall, just a cracking meal! Huge compliments to the entire team - front and back

Took my family here for my son's 18th. Expensive but well worth it.

Step into Christmas at Orwells with a warm welcome (toasty fireside); beautiful decorations and truly fabulous food.

Excellent restaurant. Unpretentious. Each course was superb; it’s hard to pick a favourite. The staff were particularly nice too.

A beautiful experience from beginning to end. Exquisite decor, lighting and ambiance -lovely attentive service, beautiful vibe and sensational food. We both went for tasting menu, one regular and one veggie. Faultless

Our first time and will not be attending again. The food was only just luke warm for our party of friends and we had to wait 2 hours for our main dish. The excuse was they were busy. So i would say if the kitchen can't cope then don't be greedy and have to many customers. The staff were nice.

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 didn't not understand this course at all. I kept chewing on the chives 2nd course a very disappointing oily and salty piece of finger bite fried chicken. OFC more like DFC 3rd 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 marrow 8th dessert a bite size Mr Whippy. Can't 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 didn't 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 left We 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!

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

My wife and I went for our 10th anniversary and all I can say is Orwell's 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 Orwell's for a truly inspired dining experience

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 I've 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

Absolutely exquisite food. What a treat 😀

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

Excellent food and service. Unforgettable ploughman's!

Everything was so delicious and service was amazing. Will be back again!

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

Excellent again. Tried the A La Carte this time (tasting menu first visit) and it was fantastic.

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👏

Outstanding food and wines. Unfortunately won’t be found by stumbling across it, but it’s definitely worth a visit

Amazing food and service. Sadly didn't get to try dessert as everyone else in group was full but I'll be back. Edit I've been back still amazing food, service dessert was excellent!

Absolutely stunning meal, lovely local produce and excellent service!

I love Orwell's. The food and the service are first rate.

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!

The renovation looks nice (Sep 2021).

Blown away by the quality of food, drink and attentiveness of the front of house staff

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 didn't feel rushed at all. The service was the perfect balance of being attentive, friendly and relaxed. We can't 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 you'd get in other restaurants; they were also beautifully-cooked. The dessert had snippets of rhubarb and was more flan than brulee; I'd rather chunks of rhubarb with a good, fragant custard. The food was excellent albeit pricey for what you were given but I'd still rate this restaurant five stars because of the beautiful outdoor setting and good service without which I'd 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!

A wonderful experience and food....sublime

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

Lovely food and friendly service, what more do you need.

Well crafted dishes, great ingredients treated with respect and understanding. Friendly and helpful staff. Cosy, restrained ambience. Worth a visit, or five.

Great food and service. Look forward to going again.

A memorable evening as always and wonderful tasty food .Thank you all for making my birthday special . Xxxxx

Very bad attitude of the staff. I want to warn anyone who reads my post that the staff is very rude and aggressive with the vendors of this restaurant. Please take preventive measures.

Nice looking place, doing take out meals, nice people

Fabulous dining experience and wonderful staff / service. And now in Lockdown, their takeaways are a joy!

Amazing as usual. 3 visits and 3 amazing meals.

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 isn't 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.

Great menu and attentive friendly service

Really nice to come back... fabulous food and great atmosphere as always

The guys at Orwells have gone above and beyond to continue to deliver the most beautiful, fresh, tasty food . We have just had some of the tastiest pizza's, if you have not tried it then you really should! (The Kernow catch is a winner in our house) thank you

Due to Covid-19 they have supported the local community and offered and great Verity of takeaway food in a safe and quality way. Well done 👌

Really good Sunday Roast for father's Day... Thanks to Orwells!!

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.

Home delivered Sunday lunch by head chef! Food was of course awesome. Creative way of keeping the restaurant functioning in a time of lock down.

A birthday lunch for my wife made the perfect excuse to visit Orwell's. 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.

Food was delicious and the service just right.

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.