Star Inn Restaurant in Vale of White Horse

The 3 course Sunday Lunch was fantastic. Great quality and value for money. Atmosphere really nice and the service was super with friendly and attentive staff.

We booked this as a special treat for my husband’s birthday. The pub atmosphere was very nice, the staff were lovely but the food was a huge disappointment! For a place overseen by a Michelin starred chef, we had reasonably high expectations but the steak was easily 1/3 gristle and had to be sent back (to be fair, they didn’t charge us for it) and the veggie tart was a dry case with no sauce and just a few tiny bits of tasteless veg placed into it. It certainly didn’t justify the £20 price tag! The puddings were nice but nothing special. We did mention all of this to the staff on the way out and they were very nice but I doubt we’ll be back.

Amazing place to stay for a weekend getaway. Phenomenal food and lovely rooms. Very pleased and will be back. Nes was a star!

Stayed over in one of their rooms in what I think is a converted barn. Nice room. Only thing I could criticise if anything was the tiny doormat at the entrance. It’s like having a postage stamp when the entrance is large and easily big enough for a decent sized mat (you can buy by the metre so not difficult) and it would be much more effective and fit for purpose – especially considering the pebble car park which means you cannot avoid bringing dirt in. The stair carpet was also (looked) more than a bit grubby and dark. It was worn and dirty and like the door mat just didn’t look nice at all and not up to the standard of the rest. Both easily solved. Restaurant was very good as normal. Good food, nice wine excellent service. Slept well (unusual sometimes when staying in a strange place) despite very heavy rain outside. Breakfast was OK. Dare I say nicely presented but a bit minimal (cooked) but there was also pastries and toast etc as normal. It’s a nice place to stay. Perhaps a tad expensive but nice. I would recommend.

Warm welcoming staff , food was delicious and so tasty , The Rhubarb Bakewell desert was exquisite and all was great value for money , I will be back 100% Thank you

The Star Inn, Sparsholt, has a lot going for it, and we've had excellent meals here before. The front of house staff were pleasant, welcoming and organised, the younger staff especially so. It's comfortable, inviting, in a lovely location and has a good selection of wines, cocktails and other drinks. But our food on the Sunday we visited really wasn't as good as it should have been. The potato and leek soup was presented beautifully, but lacked the warmth a winter soup should have. The bread that we requested, delicious as it was, was charged as a starter. Our main courses were mixed. The lamb burger was excellent, the battered fish too - although the batter was overcooked. The trout, which came with a fish pie, was overcooked, verging on the dry. The roast chicken was perfectly cooked, the cauliflower cheese and roast potatoes good too, but the vegetables were overdone and barely warm, the stuffing was hard, like a biscuit and the Yorkshire pudding thin and brittle. For dessert, the plum, blackberry and apple crumble sounded lovely but wasn't finished by anyone because the crumble was 'unusual', slimy even. Sundays tend to be a difficult day to get everything out hot and cooked perfectly, but by our experience, the pass needs to be more proactive about quality control and getting everything just right.

We have just returned from a delightful stay at the Star Inn, Sparsholt. The weather was cold & wet & we were warmly welcomed by Sharon, Chris & Nes & a roaring log fire. Our room was well appointed & comfortable. Great shower. Dinner was delicious - efficiently served by Nes assisted by 2 weekend staff, Haley & Cassie. One of the best Full English breakfasts we've had (thank you Chef Erwin & for dinner). the Star is a gem in a quiet village conveneient for walks/drives to the Ridgeway & historic places - White Horse, Blowing Stone, Wayland Smithy, Alfred the Great & more. The complete staff, including Lizzie the Housekeeper make a great team. Highly recommended.

We had an amazing dinner here, the food was just perfect. The crispy Nobashi prawns are to die for, we had the seafood risotto and the beef cheek bourguignonne both where so tasty and delicious. And the deserts where the perfect way to finish the meal. It was perfect I will give it 5 ☆

We started by having a drink at the bar since we arrived quite early. I must say the entire Restaurant specially the bar area has a very welcoming environment. For starters we shared the Nobashy Prawns as recommended by the staff and i must say it was an incredibly well thought dish. For mains Risotto and the Beef bourguignonne did the Trick, once again cooked to perfection, and for the finishing touches a cheesecake and a Panna Cotta alongside an expresso! I strongly invite everyone to go and try this amazing place! Perfect for a special or everyday dinner, i will come back for sure!

Deeply disappointed with our experience. Despite having dined here several times in the past, we chose this venue for my birthday lunch on Sunday (4th Feb). Upon arrival, we were seated in the bar area, where we ordered wine. The general manager took our wine order, requesting the number rather than the name of the bottle. Unfortunately, he forgot the number and had to ask again. The rose wine arrived, and we were informed it was the last bottle. Opting to cancel the current bottle and we ordered the AIX rose the more expensive bottle as we discovered they had more in stock. The wine was unevenly poured, with some glasses having more than others. After finishing the first bottle, we ordered another and were shown by the waitress to our table. However, upon entering the dining room, we were directed to a table that was not set up. We decided to return to the bar and finish our drinks before being shown to the correct table a few moments later. Throughout we had to chase up our wine on several occasions. We ordered starters and main courses, including one ‘rare’ and one ‘medium-rare’ roast beef dishes, roast pork, and nut roast. Starters were pleasant, but throughout the courses, we continually had to chase up the wine. Eventually, we requested the wine bucket to be left on the table so we could pour it ourselves. The side dishes for the roasts arrived, but we weren't informed which gravy was for the vegetarian dish and what the other sauces were for each dish. While waiting for the plated meats and nut roast, the vegetables grew cold. When the dishes arrived, the ‘medium-rare beef’ was ‘rare’. Despite requesting it to be cooked longer, by the time it returned from the kitchen, all other dishes were cold and had to be sent back. The waitress, aware of our regular patronage and previous bad experiences, was apologetic, especially considering it was my birthday. She offered to recook the dishes or order something else, but at that point we had reached our limit. We moved back to the bar to finish our wine, and the waitress returned with boards of nibbles, expressing her disappointment. When we requested the bill, it had been adjusted to reflect the issues we encountered. Despite understanding the venue's short-staffed situation, and having enjoyed previous meals, my birthday celebration left us feeling deeply let down and disappointed.

Big fan of the sister pub the Woodspeen. Went here for the wife’s birthday. Was not disappointed! Staff were very attentive and similar relax vibe to the Woodspeen. Well priced and the pie was delicious, would have paid 5-7 pound more for a bigger pie. Maybe a little on the small side. My wife’s steak was nicely cooked and the by the glass 🍷 options gave plenty of choice. But overall very tasty, would go again!

Amazing Rooms well finished. Restaurant dinner was excellent and the Breakfast is first class backed up with friendly attentive staff who make you feel welcome. Can’t wait to return.

We had the most delicious sunday roast here . Cooked to perfection and the sides were also perfect and generous in portion. Service from nes was excellent and atmosphere great. Would thoroughly recommend.

The food was delicious and service was amazing. One of the best meals in Oxfordshire! The staff were so accommodating and super kind and helpful.

The Star Inn is a quality establishment. The food is exquisite, fabulous menu, cocktails, wine list. But there’s a relaxed atmosphere. Staff are friendly, knowledgeable and welcoming. We love it as locals but equally it would be a wonderful destination for a country weekend break from the city!

We had a lovely dinner here for our annual work do. The food was fantastic and all the staff were so attentive and made great efforts to get all the food out in good time. I had the vegetarian Wellington, which was delicious! My husband...

A lovely evening, we were a group of 28 a company annual celebration. Very well organised service and attentive friendly servers. Food was not exceptional though sadly. Beers and wine by the glass just too expensive but good as was a special occasion. My servers...

One of our favourite restaurants. Have visited several times , this time for a family birthday. Staff are always very friendly, food and drinks are lovely, and chefs are always very accommodating for my husband’s dairy allergy.

Visited Sunday lunchtime with family. Initially the service was very good although it trailed off as it received big group bookings The food was variable, excellent fish cake and fish pie but disappointing pheasant terrine and lamb shank. Neither had much flavour. We would try...

We stayed at the Star for one night as a treat after Christmas. The service and food were outstanding , a seasonal menu , fabulous wine list and amazing staff . We had the most amazing stuffing scotch egg , Partridge and slow cooked beef...

Been a couple of times for drinks and dinner and this time stayed for Dinner, Bed & Breakfast. I really like it, it is not a budget place, but really is good value for the food, atmosphere and service. You can tell they really care...

We had a lovely breakfast at The Star Inn, the food was yummy and the service was great. A special shout out to Nes who served us, she was so friendly and chatty and really made us feel welcome. We plan to head back there...

Beautiful restaurant, great food and excellent service. Make sure you order some of the delicious bread! 😋

We visited The Star on 28th Dec and chose the 3 course festive menu. The food was outstanding and served by Ales and her colleagues with a smile and a warm welcome. Having now been a number of times we highly recommend The Star. It...

A cozy restaurant with excellent service. The menu was varied with intriguing options. The lamb, in particular, was outrageous. 10/10

Amazing food, everything was just perfect. All of it was delicious. Those brussel sprouts where just to die for. 5 star meal.

Amazing food made by a great chef! Very nice service, too! We were four, and some of us had the festive menu, and others chose a la carte, I recommend both of them. If I lived closer, I would visit more often!

This was recommended by friends and we had travelled a fair distance but somehow it was disappointing. You arrive into a cold entrance area ( no log fire alight only in the evenings we understand??!!) and move to an even colder restaurant area where although...

We found the food to be OK, but pretended to be something its not. The portions were small, the drinks were very expensive, choice of side dishes very limited, generally not the best. Worst of all was the lighting, as my wife is partially sighted...

Visitied for Sunday lunch with my daughter. The pork was cooked to perfection and we were beautifully looked after by the team.

What an amazing place-the service was outstanding-the staff were friendly and very professional-the food was superb and as we stayed over the accommodation was comfortable and cosy-

We had the most delicious sunday roasts here as a family, all having different dishes. All were cooked to perfection and the sides were also perfect and generous in portion. Service from ness was excellent and atmosphere great. Would thoroughly recommend.

I came here for a brunch on a sunny Saturday morning with a group of friends. We had a lovely table and amazing service! The breakfast/brunch was so yummy and the coffee lattes were made to perfection. Would definitely come again, great little find. Thank you :)

Fantastic food and great service. The rump steak in particular was just 'melt in your mouth' good. Such reasonable prices too for fine dining. Cannot recommend enough and will definitely be back.

We’ve now been to The Star under the Woodspeen umbrella several times, and it never fails to deliver excellent food and service, well up to Woodspeen’s standards. In particular Sharon and Nes are a delight and nothing is too much trouble.

Lovely menu, great food and service spoilt by completely rip off wine prices. When our bill arrived we questioned the price of a glass of house rosé at £22 - even the waitress was shocked. But it was confirmed as correct. That’s £66 for a bottle of house rosé - completely outrageous and what a shame as everything else was amazing

What a lovely meal in a lovely setting. Chateaubriand was absolutely delicious. Food only surpassed by friendly welcoming staff. Chef came out to meet my dinner guest when he knew he was Italian. Will definitely return Thank you for making our evening so much fun

One of the highlights of The Star was the fantastic sourdough bread which was always complementary. When we went yesterday we were both surprised and disappointed to learn that they now charge for it! A portion each would have cost £10 (£11 with the added 10% service charge) quite a price hike in anyone's book. We ordered one portion of the bread and I don't know if they have changed the recipe but we both agreed that it was much more chewy to the extent that we were worried about breaking a tooth! They have also dropped their lunchtime fixed price menu which means you have to go the more pricey a la carte route. We'll probably still go there but less often as it worked out quite a lot more expensive compared to when it first opened only a year ago.

We are great fans of the Woodspeen and were delighted when they decided to open up a second venue not too far away. Finally got around to booked when we were passing nearby recently. Noticeably the same owners with the same stylish ambiance and, most importantly, very enjoyable food! An enjoyable stop with some enjoyable food. Location is not so convenient for us as a stop on route. Disappointingly, a glass of quite average wine seemed rather overpriced!

We visited The Star last year and were blown away by the food and the excellent service and knowledgeable staff. Sadly, on our return visit with friends recently, the standards seem to have gone down quite a bit. The food was delicious and the wine was excellent, although it felt like the menu has moved away from fine dining to more of a gastro pub menu. Sadly the fine dining level of service seems to have completely disappeared. We arrived early for our booking, so checked in and asked if we could have a drink in the lounge before we went to our table. We were given a drinks menu but no staff reappeared to take our order, so after 10 minutes of waiting, we went to the bar to order. It took 20 minutes for the drinks to arrive. Once we had finished our drinks, we asked if we could go to our table, only to have to give all our booking details again before we were shown to the table. We had questions about the menu and wine list but our waitress was unable to provide the answers (on our previous visit, the sommelier had come to our table to offer some suggestions on wine pairing). When the first 2 starters were delivered, the person delivering them had forgotten what they were, so we had to guess what the dishes were. It seemed that many of the staff were new and perhaps had not received full training? The evening was saved by our waitress, who although unknowledgeable about the food, was highly entertaining and great fun.

Excellent food, service and a delight to sit in the garden. Vegetarian dishes very creative as well as delicious. Highly recommend The Star

Excellent lunch in the garden on a lovely sunny day. A great choice on both lunch menu and on a la carte. The recent ‘refit’ both inside and out is a great success. Smoked salmon starter with avocado purée and more is imaginable and delicious. Highly recommended!

Excellent lunch beautifully presented lots of choice and very good service. We sat outside and the tables were not too close together. We will be back.

Our second visit and this time with friends. We started off in the bar area for a drink from the excellent wine and cocktails menu. I love the Sancerre here, so couldn’t see past that to start. We had a mix of starters, but personally...

Excellent and welcoming service with great lunch menu which was delicious. As it was a warm and dry day we were able to sit outside in their lovely outdoor space and able to take our well-behaved dog who was also made to feel very welcome....

Thoroughly enjoyed the food - absolutely delicious. We’d love to come back and try more on the menu. The atmosphere is so comfortable, although I think we were a bit under dressed! The restaurant itself is immaculate. The staff were really attentive and so friendly...

Went for a Sunday lunch and we are so glad we did. The beef was fabulous, the lamb out of this world and all the accompaniments - roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese, veg, gravy and sauces were spot on. Pudding was an Eton mess where the...

Delicious food - a lovely selection. Also enjoyed a lovely summery cocktail outside and wonderful recommendations on wines by the glass. Friendly and highly professional, knowledgeable staff made the experience exceptional.

The Star went above and beyond whilst accommodating 10 of us in a wedding party, as pre-organised they provided a buffet breakfast with room service for the bride and bridesmaids / family members whilst getting ready due to unable to get across to the main...

We hadn't been to The Star for a while, so, we went there for lunch today, we were not disappointed. We had a lovely greeting, it was lovely to see all the old faces again. They have a new manager now, He was a very...

Third time I've been to this wonderful restaurant since it was twinned with The Woodspeen and refurbished last year. The weather was good and we ate outside. It is always excellent and this was particularly good. My starter was the Goats Cheese Mousse (pictured), the...

This used to be our favourite place to eat but our recent experience was not anywhere near as good as usual. The food was good on the whole however they have reduced the complimentary bread serving from 2 slices each to only 1 and when...

As this is a 'sister' to the Woodspeen in Newbury (which we love), came here for a Sunday lunch to celebrate my birthday. Very nice pub, more pubby than Woodspeen but still has been done up to a very high standard. Really enjoyed our lunch...

My wife, mother-in-law and I went to the Star Inn for dinner one evening. Being in something of an economy-drive, we had only two courses each, but all our food was excellent.

Having been to the Woodspeen several times we thought we would give the Star a try. More casual than the Woodspeen however the quality of the cooking, the service and value it's as good as. All eight of us were delighted with our Sunday lunch...

I rarely write reviews and don't enjoy criticising the efforts of others especially during these challenging times. However, the lunch I had with my wife was poor. It lacked generosity and by that I don't mean big portion sizes, it just felt pinched and mean....

Fabulous birthday lunch on a gorgeous sunny day, impeccable service from Joanna and CO, creative and delicious meal, tasteful decor, even the liquid soap scored 10/10! It’s the details which made it a winner. Thank you so much!

Once more, food top and service was great ! Thanks to the team - Henry and Ness especially. We did enjoy our lunch, the terrace is lovely, and we also enjoyed a nice walk afterward.

I've been a long time fan of this restaurant and after the change of management/decor am still a fan. Five of us had a delicious lunch here of three courses with wine. The food is such high quality and really good value. We are so...

We came here for lunch with my parents and 9month old son - they proactively brought us veg without butter as he had a dairy allergy it and it was such a lovely and thoughtful touch. We felt well looked after, the service was fantastic...

We went already a few times to their other restaurant in Newbury; the Woodspeen. I have to say the food is comparable but a little more rustic and simpler. We went on a Wednesday night and the team were very friendly and a young gentleman...

Welcoming from the moment we arrived. We had a 2 1/2 month baby with us, and they couldn't have been more understanding (and loving). We were very grateful. The food and drinks selections were all very good too, and we enjoyed ourselves very much. Thank...

A beautiful 21st Birthday Celebration Meal with family. Fantastic food at reasonable prices with something to cater for everyone! Incredible fresh produce prepared to the highest standard., Thank you to all of the staff for making our daughters birthday meal so special

Took my brother in law for his birthday and was superb. Drink by the fire first then into the restaurant for food. Amazing value £48 for three courses with some specials as well. Service non pretentious and friendly- really good wine paring as well. Couldn’t...

We visited on a Sunday and both had roast beef. I would go so far as to say we were served the best roast potatoes I have ever had! From start to finish we couldn’t fault The Star. Service was impeccable, food superb, and there...

As long time fans of The Woodspeen, we thought we'd give The Star Inn a try. I do wish we'd tried it sooner as it was just perfect. The same warm and welcoming ambiance, the same friendly, professional service, the same exquisite food. I've always...

Had the most amazing food here last night. Everything was delicious. The staff are very friendly and attentive. We stayed the night in one of the very comfortable rooms and enjoyed a fabulous breakfast.

IN the main, the cuisine here is good - very good, but not quite perfect. Starters of Artichoke soup and Chicken Liver parfait were full of interesting flavours and subtle flavour notes, accompanied by superb Sourdough Bread and good Butter. Pollock was perfectly cooked and...

This was booked as a birthday celebration meal for a family of four. Having been to The Woodspeen and sampled the delicious cuisine there, we were not disappointed, the staff were very friendly, polite. service was faultless, food excellent... however for an evening meal and...

Visited today for my wife’s birthday and was pleasantly surprised and pleased at the quality of food and friendly service. We have been to their sister restaurant the Woodspeen a number of times and whilst they have adopted the same concept I thought the food...

Great food, great atmosphere and great value, less than 30£ in the evening. I will be back and try the fillet ! Thanks guys for looking after us on Friday :)

My husband and I decided to try the Star Inn as we had been to the Woodspeen a few times and really enjoy it! First impressions was of the beautiful location - we had decided to stay the night, as it is a bit of...

Well, just once I’d like to write a critical review. But it’s been my fortune in recent months to experience only outstanding food and dining (I know I am tempting hubris !!!). I thought that restaurants I visited recently in France, would be the best....

A fairly new restaurant, only open for 7 weeks on our visit, and in places this is evident, hence this is a review of two distinct parts. The food was good,well balanced a good selection of meat, fish and vegetarian. Wine list on the expensive...

Loving the Woodspeen we wanted to give the Star a try for our anniversary. We were not disappointed. Our meal and service were fantastic. Lamp rump was so well cooked and our dessert (can’t remember the name) stunning! Our best meal in ages. Thank you...

After years of rather variable offerings, we at last have a decent gastropub near Wantage thanks to it being taken in hand by the Woodspeen of Newbury. The staff are a mixture of new, local people together with experienced staff from the Woodspeen giving the...

Decided to visit the Star on our first wedding anniversary as one of our first dates was at The Woodspeen. Knew it had been taken over and were keen to try out the head chef Sam’s menu. Didn’t disappoint 3 courses all very seasonal and...

As fans of the Woodspeen we were keen to try their new outpost in Sparsholt - and we weren't disappointed. A beautifully refurbished pub in a lovely village with a comfortable welcoming interior - and the food is wonderful. The lunch menu is short but...

Came with some friends on my way back from Oxford (lovely spot in the Oxfordshire), stayed only one night but did not realize that the restaurant was just reopened after undergoing a refurbishment. The bar look amazingggg ! Well great job, I knew the place...

Why is it that when you hear that a pub is “Closed for Refurbishment” you always internally sigh, knowing that all the character (smell of Labrador, pre war toilets, random charity collection tins on bar, Sherry in casks etc) will be swept away in favour...

Having been to the Star before a few years ago and not had a great experience, I was slightly nervous to go back. However, under new ownership it was amazing!! Food was some of the best I have tasted in ages, service was attentive, friendly...

We recently visited the Star as we love the Woodspeen. This certainly is not of Woodspeen standard! The food is good, but my 2oz and 2 mouthfuls of fish seemed very small and left me wanting more as the lobster bisque surrounding the mashed jerseys...

Superb, many thanks again for a fantastic lunch. I do go to the Woodspeen time to time, and it matches. I do think the food is very different, but the flavours are there. The carb tart is delightful, and I can only recommand also the...

Given its connection to The Woodspeen we decided to celebrate our wedding anniversary and my wife's birthday at The Star. We've dined at the Woodspeen before and have found the food, staff and ambience to be perfect. I don't know if it is growing pains...

The Star Inn reopened yesterday in its new guise as a destination restaurant - same owner’s as The Woodspeen in Newbury (Michelin Star). Three of us went for lunch today and absolutely loved it. Currently Michelin Star quality at a little over pub prices -...

We stopped at the star after having a walk at white horse hill. We had been to the white horse first at woolstone, which was very nice and reasonable. We arrived and had placed our drinks order at the bar and the waitress bought them...

I took a party of three here for lunch on the day it opened having been under construction due to new ownership. Unfortunately, they could have done with an extra week or so of work - no umbrellas outside despite the heat and sunshine. Drinks...

More gastropub than Inn, but food was good - fresh and tasty. We had a mid week table for two booked for 8pm and arrived to a friendly welcome and shown to our table near the bar. There were about four other tables occupied, mainly...

We were given a heads up that the Star had been taken over by new management and was worthy of a visit. It's not local to us, so was a bit of a drive, but given the success of their partner restaurant which is very...

We last came to this pub under the previous owners and had a pretty awful meal with quite curt staff, it has taken us quite a while to decide to give it another go and I am very glad we did. We both had fish...

.. bit formulaic. Pastel colours. You know. Nothing actually wrong with it. Fire not on, on a cold night. Coffee weak at breakfast. Orange juice had to be asked for. Needs a style, needs to be different from typical Cotswold gastropub

We spent Xmas weekend at The Star, and we are so glad we did. We had such a warm welcome from Sharon, who showed us to our room, which was clean and comfortable, and indeed all the staff were so friendly it was great. The...

Wonderful atmosphere and fantastic cuisine. Excellent service. Look forward to being back. A proper gem.

First visit to this little gem of a place. Fabulous Christmas lunch. Completely faultless - every course was delicious, the atmosphere charming, and the service impeccable. Impressive at any time, but extraordinarily so on Christmas Day. Can’t wait to return when next back in this...

The Star Inn feels wonderful from the moment you walk in. The room was warm cosy and clean. The food at both breakfast and dinner was so good with wonderful flavours. I have to say it is the best breakfast over two days I have...

Love this gem of an local pub. The service is super friendly, slick but not overbearing. The food is excellent! They have two rosettes from the AA guide, and by gosh is it good value for money. 3 courses for under £45 at this level...

We needed to be in the area for a family funeral, and found our self well grounded in the friendliness of the Star Inn. When I asked for strong coffee, I got a lovely strong coffee. I wish we were doing a Christmas thing instead....

This pub is grossly over priced for accommodation, food and drinks. £12 for a G&T and half pint. A main and dessert with wine £83 for a Luke warm nothing special meal. Told no meals available Sunday to find when we got back full menu...

The venison shoulder had plastic in it and when I told the waiter he said oh sorry, didn’t really care. Real shame as it’s a lovely setting but this was very dangerous.

Lovely, friendly Inn with stylish bedrooms and delicious food near Wantage. Dogfriendly too! We hope to revisit again soon.