The Bedford Arms Oakley in Bedford

Went for lunch and the food was great and staff were lovely, I will definitely go back.

Under new management, The Bedford Arms is so welcoming, unpretentious with superb food and a lovely atmosphere. The staff are local, with a shout out to Finn-from-the-village who, along with his colleagues, has transformed this old place into a brighter, warm, relaxing place. The menu has some classics along with a selection of tapas-style small plates for sharing. They're open for breakfast on the weekend and every week day from noon till 11pm. If you haven't visited yet, I can't recommend it highly enough!

Great service top class food and a chef who knows how to cook a steak

Nine of us for lunch and everyone's food was excellent, The service was great. No complaints at all. Will be going back soon.

Fantastic Roast, Fantastic Brownie, Fantastic Service. Will definitely return. Of note the sides are absolutely huge and would feed about 4 people! Already thinking about coming back!

Lovely food, nice staff,good atmosphere .

Great service, lovely food. Smashing to have the pub open again.

This was our first visit to the Bedford Arms in the beautiful village of Oakley . From start to finish it was an exceptional dining experience . The front of house team were so welcoming and our waiter was attentive to our needs throughout, a real credit to the team . We both had the Chicken Sureme roast which was beautifully presented and I can quite honestly say it was one of the best Sunday roasts we have ever tasted. From the succulent chicken and the roast potatoes which were perfectly cooked....crispy on the outside soft on the inside. The seasonal greens, carrots and parsnips sung of local produce . The seal of the culinary deal for us was the freshly made yorshire pudding and exceptional tasting gravy, to bring it all together . Well done team Bedford Arms can't recommend you highly enough . Exceptional service , food and ambience. Tracey and Andy

Service was chaotic and had to ask 3 times for drinks. Got asked if we had finished 3 times when one of us was still eating. Sunday menu desserts were not available and was not told at time of ordering main then got offered an alternative dessert menu after the meal and options were disappointing. Disappointed especially as chose to have a starter instead of main to then have a certain dessert, even explained this to staff but did not inform us the desserts were not available. Main meals were cold, although tasty. Chairs were hard, asked for cushions which they had, though should have been offered. Menu different to online.

It’s wonderful to finally have the Bedford Arms open again. I popped in this lunchtime to give it a try and I wasn’t disappointed. In addition to the refreshed décor and friendly new staff, the menu and service offerings have been updated, which I think will suit the village better. It was great to see the addition of substantial bar nibbles and the option to pre-order for when time is short. They are also planning to offer a takeaway option, which will be invaluable for anyone working from home who doesn’t have the time or inclination to cook when busy on Teams calls. This makes so much sense as it will maximise the use of the kitchen and meet the changing needs of customers. This time I opted for the smoked chicken wings for a starter, a ribeye steak, and a Guinness Zero as I had work to do this afternoon. I look forward to exploring the rest of the menu over the coming weeks. A nice option I haven’t seen in other restaurants is the ability to bespoke pre-orders of dishes not usually on the menu including such things as dover sole or lobster, which I is a great idea. I wish the new team a warm welcome to the village and I hope it is a great success. p.s. I suggest swapping the "open soon banner" on the side of the pub with a "now open" one avoid loosing potential customers.

Appears to be permanently closed.

Friendly, went on Sunday just before they closed at 7pm

First time dining here, and what can I say apart from excellent, from the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was so friendly, and were greeted at the bar, we sat comfortably at the bar before moving to our table that was pre-booked, I would recommend booking as this place certainly gets busy,we had a Sunday roast with a trio of meats, with all the extra you would expect to have, and wow it was presented lovely and the taste was amazing, I can certainly see why it gets so busy here, the roast is certainly a bit more expensive than some places at £22 to £24 but it was absolutely worth it, I guess you get what you pay for. For pudding I just had 2 scoops of ice cream, to be honest, the scoops weren't that big so a bit pricey for such a little, overall I highly recommend here, you certainly won't be disappointed.

We had looked at the menu online and knew what we wanted but when we got there these were not on the menu apparently due to stock issues! So we had to order things we were not that keen on. The waiter never came to ask us if everything was ok and the meals were ok but nothing special! We ordered the sticky toffee pudding for dessert but that was not half as nice as it was when we had it on our first visit a few months ago. We will not be going there again!

Absolutely awful experience. Walked in and the place smelled of damp dish cloths. Our table was in the conservaotory that was in dire need of a clean and a lick of paint. The paper flyer menu's were covered in skid marks. I couldn't fit my legs under the table. The seabass was limp the duck was worse and worst of all was the cheesecake - if you dropped it it would have bounced; no flavour and likely straight from Costco. The coffee machine was broken and there was only one person on front of house. The reason for one star instead of zero was the Pino was decent and the Magri cold. The place was near empty on a Saturday night which says a lot ! Will never eat there again. At £120 for a two course meal with two drinks each what a 'memorable' way to spend your anniversary.

The pub was busy but the welcome was lacking and we were not forewarned that there was going to be an hour wait for our meals. (We had booked!)When you pay £23 for a Sunday roast you expect it to be tasty- and it was! Sadly there was a gravy emission from my gluten free plate which took sometime to sort out. Service charge was also added to our table of two!

Sad to see the pub/restaurant so empty. Food was delicious, could not fault it.

In there on a Friday night about 7:30pm for a drink, didn't eat. Not many folks in there. No atmosphere. Nice place with a decent sized garden and plenty of beers but just dead.... and pricey too.

Visited here with friends for Sunday lunch recently. We were all very impressed. The food was tasty, hot and plentiful. The waiting staff were helpful and attentive. We would definately return in the future.

Having been here over a number of years my friend and I visited on 3 May. My friend's meal was abysmal. Thick virtually raw pieces of duck and hard potatoes- both cold. The bill came to £78 - which included a tip of £7. I thought tips were discretionary. We also had a glass of wine each. My friend didn't say anything during the meal- she persevered- but that bill was the last straw. She told the server she was not paying the tip. I was so disappointed for her as she was treating me - I was visiting her for the weekend. The prices have gone way up too. Please justify £9.95 for a bowl of soup???

I lived in Oakley for nearly 22 years in total, and in that time I've seen The Bedford Arms go through so many owners and just as many changes of decor (I even remember the smoking tables in the 90s, you never forget the smell as you walked in!). At some point in the mid-2000s, it started to appear less busy and it looked as if it might have been headed for the big pub graveyard in the sky.. At long last, they appear to have hit upon an enduring winning formula, and the patrons have returned in force. My partner and I returned to the old stomping ground two days ago for one of the best meals we've ever had. As soon as we were seated we were given complimentary bread and tzatziki, which was a lovely gesture. We started off with the continental meat platter to share, which we requested to have gluten free as my partner is coeliac, and so they did it with gluten free bread. It was delightful. It comes with parma ham, chorizo, Milano salami, grilled aubergines, mozarella balls and mixed olives with chillies. It's always fun trying to combine all the contrasting flavors and textures in one mouthful! For my main, I chose the fillet of sea bass which came with tomato and mango chutney, a seared lemon wedge and dauphinoise potatoes. The sea bass had a delightfully crisp skin and the fish itself was cooked and seasoned to perfection. My partner chose the Woburn-estate venison, which came with dauphinoise potatoes, pak choi and a port and berry jus. The venison was so rich and yet so tender, and the sweet tartness of the jus complimented the natural earthiness of the meat in a way that neither of us would ever have previously considered. I also would never have thought to pair up pak choi with a traditionally English-style dish like venison, but it works brilliantly. The dauphinoise potatoes were seasoned with mild cheddar and thyme, and they were to die for. For desert, I had the cheesecake (which according to the menu comes gluten free as standard, can we confirm that?), and my partner had the artisan 4 cheese platter, which came with celery, grapes, chutney, toasted GF bread and sliced apple. They covered all the bases there. To top off a wonderful evening, my good friend Mat Roberts serenaded us outside with his inimitable brand of live music. The general manager also wasn't shy to come out and have a dance with the patrons as well, which is always great to see. In conclusion, The Bedford Arms is once again a fully functioning institution in Oakley, and is firing on all cylinders. They have great chefs, wonderful service, a rich and varied selection of wines and spirits, locally brewed ales, great taste in live music and entertainment and they are officially coeliac-friendly. You can bet that we'll be back soon, and we'll be bringing the whole family! 🍻🍲

A celebration birthday party. A buffet lunch as shown on their website but was not adhered to. Charge £20 per head, sandwiches made with the crust from loaf, welcome drinks were not out when guests arrived so we’re having to buy their own, buffet menu included mini pavlovas and tiramisu, instead a plate of cakes were provided. Manager not about on the date. I have emailed him twice with no response and also emailed Charles Wells.

As always a great meal. A favourite place for our family get togethers.

Lovly atomsfere, very tasty food

Had a lovely meal here with family, a nice traditional pub in a nice location

What a delight this evening’s meal was; a spontaneous, unplanned visit which was our first but will not be our last. Good ambience in the bar with friendly staff and regulars. Lovely intimate dining experience with good but not intrusive service. Delicious, well presented, perfectly cooked dishes. Good value for money. Thoroughly enjoyed our visit.

Best Sunday roast I think I have ever had! I had the the trio of meats and it was delicious! Lovely service from the waiters too!

VISIT THIS PUB! What a fantastic welcome, let alone lunch! Connor and his wonderful warm welcome made our visit just so lovely from the moment we walked in until we left. The restaurant wasn’t even open when we arrived and yet Connor invited us in, got us settled with drinks before heading over to a cosy little corner for lunch. The food may look standard Gastro prices on first look, however I can wholeheartedly say - the meal was worth every penny. We had the lamb shank with roasted vegetables and the steak burger. The shank was so full of delicious falling off the bone meat - I couldn’t actually finish it. The steak burger was juice, the chips - out of this world with such a crunchy fluffiness. Seriously guys - we had a lovely time. Thank you Connor and Team. We’ll be back!

VISIT THIS PUB! What a fantastic welcome, let alone lunch! Connor and his wonderful warm welcome made our visit just so lovely from the moment we walked in until we left. The restaurant wasn’t even open when we arrived and yet Connor invited us in, got us settled with drinks before heading over to a cosy little corner for lunch. The food may look standard Gastro prices on first glance, however I can wholeheartedly say - the meal was worth every penny. We had the lamb shank with roasted vegetables and the steak burger. The shank was so full of delicious, falling off the bone meat - I couldn’t actually finish it. The steak burger was juicy and tasted fantastic, and, the chips - out of this world with such a crunchy fluffiness. And then the sticky toffee pudding…. Amazing! Seriously guys - we had a lovely time. Thank you Connor and Team. We’ll be back! 💜

Mothers day meal. Lisa and co, the food was lovely, had to take my dessert home!!! Will and bar staff so welcoming, had a lovely meal. Thank you again, always making us so welcome!

Only been here for drinks but great atmosphere and friendly staff not bad prices either keep it up guys.

so loud you can't talk whereas the entire reason you meet is to talk what's the point of being there if you can't hear one another

Amazing food and service, friendly staff

Nice large country pub with good selection of beers and traditional pub grub

First visit here for over 20 years based on recommendation. The atmosphere was relaxed and had a lovely traditional feel. The menu was different, innovative and reassuringly limited. Starter of smoked bacon croustedes was delicious, stuffed quail main was exceptional, my only constructive criticism would be that the slow cooked venison was lacking in flavour and seasoning and the accompanying fondant potatoes were bland. Other than that the service was spot on and the price reasonable.

Fantastic pub serving delicious food and drink and at a very reasonable price. Staff were very friendly and helpful

We had a lovely Sunday lunch. The food was very good and the service was friendly, relaxed and efficient. Puddings were especially good. Would recommend!

Great afternoon entertainment and quality afternoon tea.

Excellent food, always. This time we went for the Sunday lunch which was fab. Including gluten free gravy and cauliflower cheese. The desserts were so very good. Great service. Only drawback is that there isn't an accessible loo.

Very nice place compared to what it used to be, the service was very welcoming and professional, but the food is another story, great menu, very versatile and it simply just tasted amazing!

My Partner took me here for Sunday lunch today. I live local and have not been here for a while. This was the best roast dinner I have had in a long time if not ever!!!! Portion size is massive, quality of roast was amazing. So was the service can highly recommend..... Great job well done guys 👍

Food,drinks,service and atmosphere, all were wonderful and conducive to a long leisurely lunch. The mulled wine was delicious and so was the Sunday lunch. It was not my first visit but the Bedford Arms never disappoints- a truly excellent venue I will visit again and thoroughly recommend.

Indicated to the team upon booking that this was a Xmas day meal with my parents as they live far away. Upon arrival had to find someone to seat us. So not a great start. Ordered food and wine, everything fine so far. Nothing special about the seating. The starters came out and the prawn cocktail was just all thick sauce packed into a glass with soggy lettuce and a few prawns with some stale bread on the side. I couldn’t eat it as it was just pure mayonnaise. I asked the waiter (I think he was the manager actually) if I could change it and he asked bluntly ‘what’s wrong with it’ I just said it’s not to my taste I don’t really like it and he replied ‘well we have other people to serve you know, what do I want’ I asked for another dish and he told me ‘it’ll take too long’ and just stood there and made me feel really uncomfortable so I said don’t worry about it. He just walked off. The mains came out. Cold Yorkshire puddings, hard slabs of Turkey chucked on top off everything. Everyone had cauliflower cheese apart from me. Too nervous to say anything this time. So disappointed. We paid the bill at the bar and left feeling really deflated. I won’t be returning or recommending if you want a special experience. Why even have that option when booking? It’s a shame because the place is lovely

We live very locally to this pub and booked a table for 3 today at 1600. On taking our order we were told there was a larger group booking and the food may take a little longer. After 50 minutes I asked at the bar how much longer the food was going to be - we had not been kept informed and no waiting stuff were seemingly around whilst we were sat at our table. The manager came over and apologised and said it would be another 8 mins. 10 mins later nothing had arrived. At this point we gave up and left. Whilst we are sympathetic to post Covid dining, our frustration was that the larger group was immediately highlighted as a reason for our delay - why take our booking? Not being kept updated, having to chase and then being offered a complimentary round of drinks isn’t good service. Restaurants are the first to complain when folk don’t turn up, but for us this place was atypical of post pandemic dining - sub standard service, over booked, lack of staff (plenty of uncleared tables). Please don’t accept guests you can’t accommodate either staffing wise or in a timely fashion! To be fair it looks like I have a missed call from them, but I really don’t want to have to spend more of my time dissecting this experience. Larger group bookings clearly take precedence here!

NOT CHEAP!!! Nice location and a very nice layout and the staff are good, but the prices are insane. £3.50 for a small pot of peppercorn sauce to accompany a £34 rib-eye is madness. Went with two other couples and had 4 or 5 drinks, some had starter & dessert, some didn’t but the bill was over £75 per head. This is a rural pub in Bedfordshire not a restaurant with a Bib Gourmand in Soho!

All very pleasant, attentive staff, good menu, fair price, I'll go again. Service a bit slow.

The wonderful Bedford arms pub is Good for a buisness lunch. The staff were kind and catered to a very nice afternoon meal. I will be booking future work extravaganzas here

Lovely food. Lovely atmosphere. Lovely service. All round lovely and would recommend to everyone. Give it a shot if you're in the area.

Visited the Bedford Arms with in a party of four on Thursday evening. We ordered Prawn starters. For main a mix of the Hake, Sea Bass and Fillet Steak. For desert the crumble. The food was of excellent quality as was the wine all topped off with excellent attentive waiter service. Well Done

We enjoyed another lovely meal at the Bedford Arms. We had a pre-dinner drink in the very comfortable bar area, where there is a good selection of beers and ales. There is plenty of seating, including stalls at the bar which we particularly enjoy. The owner and his team are always very welcoming and we enjoy chatting to them before our dinner. The food here is excellent and it is always difficult to choose what we would like from the excellent choice. The service again is faultless with no waiting or having to catch the waiter's eye. Easy online booking system and a lovely walled garden for the summer.

Have been there quite a few times went later in the afternoon meal not as there usual standard seem to have run out of a lot of things meat vegetables crackling not really good at all

I took my grandparents here as a birthday gift. The food took a while to come but I’m always happy to wait for a nice roast. The food was presented beautifully, however it was lukewarm. We sent both of the roast beef dishes back to be heated. They were brought back re-plated differently to before; the plating looked rushed. In addition to this, the parsnip was missing, there was not much beef and it was still not hot. When this was explained to the waiter, he sharply and unapologetically said they do not serve their roast dinners hot. The service was slow and one of the waiters was unfriendly and not very personable. Additionally, the table next to us was not cleared an hour after the people sat next to us had left. This is not the service I’d expect when you’re paying over £30 per person for a lunch. I won’t be coming here again.

The Sunday roast was on the pricy end at around £20 but the portion sizes were very generous. If we're in the area again we'll be sure to stop by.

Visited The Bedford arms for Sunday lunch with 2 small children . Found children menu very limited but ww have very picky eaters. However food was good. Service was great, staff very welcoming ,polite and efficient . Atmosphere is great and the Halloween effort is nice too.

We dropped in to the Bedford Arms at Oakley as an unplanned visit with no booking for a table and we're given a warm welcome. The atmosphere was very relaxed,calm and peaceful which we like. The staff were very friendly and attentive without being intrusive and the service was excellent. The food was lovely. My wife has a wheat allergy and requires a gluten free diet. While this seems to be a dying trend these days in favour of vegan food, there was a good choice of meals for her to choose from. The whole evening turned out to be a relaxed unhurried experience and i would like to thank the staff for an evening that was thoroughly enjoyable. We will return.

Another cracking meal. Excellent service, food was beautiful, just cant fault the place. Will be back again for sure!!

Great restaurant/pub. Lovely setting, great food. Staff were amazing. We will be back.

Staff are lovely, food is delicious (we had a perfect Sunday Roast), atmosphere amazing. Best pub in the area by miles, thank you!

The food choice was really good. Presentation and taste of food to a high standard.

Another fantastic Sunday lunch. Staff and service excellent. Honestly can’t praise this place enough. Well done guys.

Excellent evening meal with friends.Prompt service,lovely conservatory dining area.Delicious food ,the sea bass fillet outstanding.Two courses with drinks £125 , very good high quality food.

We had dear friends visiting from Australia.Decided to have an evening meal at the Bedford Arms.Had not been here for a long time ,it was excellent.We were seated in the conservatory.We had great service,First class food and a wonderful evening.Our friends from Australia where also...

Our friends from Australia were visiting so we went here for dinner. Lovely English pub/restaurant. Great service. The food was delicious. We recommend and will definitely be back.

Excellent Sunday lunch. I chose the non Sunday lunch (sea bass) menu which was beautifully cooked. My extended family did have the Sunday roast and said that the portions were huge but the quality was the best Sunday lunch in ages. Service was excellent, very...

Great Sunday lunch with friends. The food was delicious, hot and the service was great. The staff were very attentive. The pub/restaurant is well laid out, so you have good space between tables. The garden is large and enclosed, so great for children. We would...

Had a Sunday roast. 3 x beef and 1 x pork. Meat was perfect, great size portions, loads of veg and all very tasty! Service was also excellent. We sat outside as we had a dog with us who they also brought water and biscuits...

Sunday lunch - wow! Really delicious. Good helpings of excellent vegetables, meat or nut roast, and a huge Yorkshire pud. Pleasant staff and surroundings.

Meal out with family, great food, quick service, reasonable prices, staff friendly and very helpfull will be back

I really liked everything about this place. It’s a lovely setting, great interior and warm atmosphere and delicious food. What more could you ask for? Had Sunday roast, pudding and coffee and everything was devine.

Quiet night which is unusual for this place apparently. First visit. Nice surroundings. Menu a little fancy on first read but something for most people visiting.

I went in on a Sunday at 3ish. Should I be surprised that the focus was food? Probably not. But I was surprised that the idea of having a beer was almost frowned upon. Just a pint and a chair, and yet we were informed ' you'll have to go outside, all the seats indoors are booked'. After returning my ale for a new glass (the original was dirty with food residue, somewhat concerning for glassware) we sat on the clearly COVID outdoor seating and then left. Not sure we'll be back, the vibe felt somewhat snobby and not good for a passing drinker.

Not that I use g My party of 11 ravy on my roast, but none of my 10 guests had any either! My party of 11 booked here for sunday lunch and were akllocated a dark dingy room where we could not even open the...

Met for birthday drinks. Atmosphere was good, clean and tiday and nice decor, polite patrons. Will be revisiting to perhaps eat next time !!

Lovely greeting on arrival, shown to our table which was lovely. We ordered the roast dinner which was absolutely Devine. Can’t praise this place enough. Would definitely recommend.

Absolutely amazing place; great food. Great atmosphere highly recommend ! Best food I’ve had in a long time ☺️ x

Best roast I've ever had at a restaurant and a fabulous portion.

Once again, a very enjoyable lunch with friends. My salmon was cooked to perfection, and everyone else enjoyed the dishes they chose. The visit was made perfect thanks to the excellent service and attention from Debbie, Sam, and Connor, for which I thank them most...

I only stayed 1 night but would have enjoyed staying longer. The bed was very comfortable and the room large. Unfortunately the phone between rooms didn’t work properly The breakfast was lovely

Had the lamb for Sunday lunch and it was perfect 😋 excellent bottle of Malbec and trio of cheeses to finish off absolutely spot on! Highly recommended 👌

Attentive service and really nice, high quality food!

Been to Bedford Arms. A few times ,, just. Love it there’s,, x. Restaurant great ,, staff. Lovely x. Can’t wait to go back

Cannot fault this place, fabulous staff, excellent food and a beautiful setting xxx

This place came highly recommended by a friend and did not disappoint. Excellent service excellent food beautifully served and lovely surroundings could not ask for more. We will certainly be going back.

Pleasant garden with comfy chairs and sun shades, but take some ear plugs because the kitchen extractor sounds like a Saturn 5 rocket 🚀 permanently trying to take off.

It was my 80th Birthday and I wanted to invite 28 friends and family for a Sunday Roast on the 21st of May. I had tried 3 other location but this was the first Pub near to my location which welcomed me and discussed professionally...

Came here as the reviews were amazing. The gentleman who served us was not very happy and I felt a little uncomfortable. We felt rushed and when we had not made a choice of what to drink as we had literally just sat down, again...

If you're a gardener you will appreciate the wonderful boarders in the garden. Lovely staff, great service. Food very good, really lovely Sunday dinner. Just knocked a star as decor a little tired, which is tolerable.

Fantastic meal in the conservatory dining area. The knowledgeable people there were happy to explain the wide variety of gluten free options available

Best Sunday lunch we've had out.

Good place for lunch. Food tasty and very good service. Numbers kept to what they can handle efficiently Reasonably priced. Easy parking. I would visit again

This is an excellent pub. Had a lovely evening meal

We chose this pub for lunch during a journey to Bedford because of the good Tripadvisor reviews. Whilst the service was good and the food OK it was not in any way special. So wouldn't go out of my way to visit it.

Excellent atmosphere - relaxed vibe with really lovely food and very attentive staff - thanks so much

Great food and service, would recommend 👌

I had the chicken burger & chips. The chicken burger was very nice but the chips were so amazing I had to get a 2nd portion. The wine menu is expensive but I enjoyed a glass of 'Malbec'. My partner had the chicken supreme &...

My wife and I visited the Bedford Arms on a recent trip. We found the staff to be very friendly and welcoming. We had midmorning coffee and decided to stay for lunch The service was first class and the food was excellent. I would recommend the Bedford Arms to anyone

Had a roast dinner on Sunday, food was good but pricey, was shocked to find out when paying, that 2 small orange juice drinks cost £4 each, would of had a pint of lager instead, hence only 2 star rating.

Once again we had a very enjoyable lunch. They seem to change the menu regularly, so most times that we have been, it has been a new culinary experience, which we like. The food, drinks and service were great, so thank you to the chefs,...

Great Sunday roast and atmosphere.

The biggest Sunday lunch day in the UK calendar and always difficult to find a great place that upholds its regular quality and service standards. The Bedford Arms is a local gem and we were lucky enough to book in for 12 of us and...