The Bell in Central Bedfordshire

Amazing Sunday Roast and great staff at this lovely country pub. Brilliant waitress and so much top quality home cooked food.

Dont often write reviews,but the lunch we had yesterday was fab. Quite simply,never tasted such good cod and chips,batter was amazing!! Top chef! Definately recommend

Grabbed a takeaway roast from here today and I can honestly say it was the best I’ve ever had. I arrived earlier than my collection time and the chef rushed to accommodate me, with a very generous amount… I will enjoy eating this again tomo :) thank you!

My partner and I thought we would pop in for a quick drink and bite to eat. We are so glad we did. Amazing roast dinners and very large portions, my fella does have an appetite! To top it off my favourite ‘99’ ice cream. Staff were extremely friendly and attentive. Thank you, we will certainly be coming back.

My partner and I decided last minute to visit the pub on a Friday night for dinner and drinks and it did not disappoint. I had the most gorgeous lamb roast and rhubarb crumble and my partner had lasagne and sticky toffee pudding, which was all fresh and hot. The pub has such a warm cosy feel to it, the perfect Friday evening. Thank you to the bell for such a lovely evening.

After our first successful visit we decided to visit again! We were not disappointed! Yet again food and service was top notch! Such a friendly little cosy pub with welcoming staff and fantastic food! See you again very soon!

I had previously heard good things about The Bell but was very underwhelmed with the value and quality. We went to just have some drinks and ended up having some food as well, both of which left us feeling disappointed. Firstly, drinks are expensive; I was charged £6.40 for a peroni shandy, which was 75% lemonade and 25% peroni - it should be 50:50 and the fact I was charged £6.40 felt criminal. I also bought a pint of pepsi max later on and was charged £4.45, elsewhere it would be about £2.80! There are little notes on all the tables saying that everything is handmade so we were expecting some good quality food. They had a 2 for 1 pizza deal on so we got a couple of pizzas and some chips to share as a group. Honestly I've had better quality food from wetherspoons for a fraction of the price; the pizza bases were solid and the margarita was drowned in cheese with a flavourless sauce, the chips were also very anaemic, they weren't anywhere near golden/crisp. To go along with this the service for drinks was inattentive as there are two separate bars and seemingly one person manning both, and the pub was filled with random items that people could buy (clocks, 'funny' signs, doorstops, jams/chutneys) so it felt very cluttered in the dining area. The lady behind the bar wasn't the most welcoming either, not chatty and was a bit standoffish with my friend when she arrived, felt very much like it was a locals pub. I likely won't be returning, the quality just wasn't good enough for the price we paid.

Came here with some family and we've bought some food and a few drinks. The food portions were great, and the food was great. Also, the place is dog friendly too, which is great because we've had our little dog with us too.

We wanted a decent walk followed by an enjoyable pub lunch, so walked nearby and ended up at The Bell, where we have enjoyed so many such lunches. We ordered a pint of IPA and as the driver I asked for a bottle of Diet Coke. I realised they were only 20ml size so ordered 2. My husband’s IPA tasted tangy and wasn’t enjoyable, we mentioned it to a member of staff but they said they would mention it. Each 20ml bottle of Diet Coke was charged at £3.80 - this is grossly overpriced. My husband ordered a different pint of Hobgoblin, though the server couldn’t tell him its strength. Our sandwiches were at best ok - nothing special at all. I ordered a toasted cheese, onion and tomato sandwich which was mediocre and just about warm when it was served. We left feeling we hadn’t had value for money and disappointed.

Very decent classic pub fare, perhaps a little overpriced for what it is. Lovely location.

Visited with family for a birthday meal . Food was uninspiring and frankly overpriced . Oven chips! Some were cooked others not . Tasteless ham Fish was small and appeared frozen. As a village chippie it would be sorely disappointing The pub itself felt overcrowdedwithnick nacks and bits for sale Staff however were very friendly and welcoming

Two of us had the roast, which was very nice, with lots of different vegetables. However, the third person had chicken salad, and a side order of chips. The chicken was so salty, that she couldn’t eat it the chips were also very soft and not crisp at all. We did tell the waitress, but she didn’t seem bothered

Just wanted to give a massive shout out to the chef and staff at the Bell. My wife and I went with our sister in law who is gluten free. The chef could not have been more accommodating and our sister in law could have had virtually anything she wanted on a gluten free basis. It was a birthday celebration for her and she was absolutely blown away by the chef coming out to talk to her. The food was absolutely delicious and the staff so warm and friendly. Well done - we will be returning soon.

Highly recommend! Myself and my family visited after a trip to the zoo. The pub was busy but the staff were very accommodating even though we hadn’t booked a table. As we had a vegan person with us the chef took the time to come to our table and explain what he could cook for us and the options were great! Food was fresh, tasty, hot and presented beautifully. Will defo be returning! Thank you team 🫶

Very tasty Sunday roast and low alcohol cider went down a treat after Dunstable Downs half marathon.

Very disappointing and over priced. I ordered fish and chips. The fish was undercooked, the batter was raw. Chips were obviously frozen and I think I must of had the scraps. The roast dinners were huge but the beef was stringy and the nutroast was powdery and colourless.

Great atmosphere, beautiful location, nice burguer

Great place, lovely atmosphere and music, fab food

Beautiful place, fantastic food and lovely service. Very friendly and accommodating to customers. Highly recommend

Went for lunch I had the duck burger and my other half had the cheese burger. Lovely food and great staff

Hearty meaty burger, just what you need on a warm day! Keep up the good work.

A little gem we was recommended and wesent disappointed. Sunday lunch we had a beef and turkey and was plentiful. For 11.95. It was worth it . Plenty parking spaces .friendly staff and clean.

This is such a wonderful place. The food is amazing and the staff are so lovely and polite. The chef always comes out and asks us if everything is okay. He is so lovely. I would definitely recommend coming here. Whether it's by yourself or with your family. This is my family's favourite pub. Thank you

Great location, very friendly and welcoming staff. Best of all, the food is top quality. Excellent meals. Prepare to be stuffed, though - the portions are generous! The pies are out of this world. Fantastic all round. Great place.

Popped in for a few drinks at this hidden gem, super friendly staff who were happy to help us with directions (organising a charity hike), quick service and great atmosphere.

Burger was tasteless, chips were OK. Lovely pub though and staff were great.

3rd time visiting this little gem for food and yet again the food was excellent. We all had roasts, my father and I had beef and my hubby had lamb. The meats were cooked beautifully, very tender and not fatty, veg perfect as was the roast potatoes and the Yorkshire puds. Our deserts were delicious, rhubarb crumbles and apple pie. The staff were lovely, very helpful and all very happy. Well worth a visit but please be advised, be hungry the portions are pretty big

Great welcome. Pleasant food. Very good with my toddler granddaughter.

My Granddaughter took me out for a country drive and lunch in a Pub ,she couldn’t have chosen a better pub than The Bell Inn Studham ,,we had such warm welcome and all round the pub amazing trinkets and things to see and purchase ,unusual and such fun , then for lunch we both chose to have roast beef ,with all the trimmings ,fresh veg , Yorkshires etc served with best gravy ever . We look forward to our next visit

Great Sunday lunch. Lovely atmosphere, really good food and friendly staff. We had a really lovely, relaxing meal there.

Would thoroughly recommend, great food,friendly staff and great surroundings. Chef very accommodating and lots of choice on the menu. Big portions, will Definitely be returning

Was worth the drive from Marsworth Tring. The Chef Was a star,after being in the trade myself for fifty seven years, I was very impressed with the how slick things ran and how happy the staff where.

We enjoyed our meals they were lovely my friend had a jacket potato with cheese and beans and a little side salad my husband had chicken bacon and bree in a ciabatta roll with side salad and chips I had a vegetarian pizza minus the chilies all of us struggled to finish our meals they were so filling! The staff are very attentive and friendly. The prices were competitive and we thought they were fare. We would highly recommend.

Absolutely fantastic place to eat lunch, dinner or go for a casual drink. Staff and owners are warm and friendly. Cozy country pub.

A very warm and friendly pub we met a friend for lunch the food was delicious and arrived quickly. We will visit again. Thanks xx

Really lovely pub, with excellent food. Really accommodating to dietary requirements - chef came out and chatted to our daughter who is gluten free. He made her a GF bolognaise which she devoured! Nothing was too much trouble and the staff were really attentive. We will be visiting again!

Great to eat and a pub of real atmosphere.

Lovely pub, nice atmosphere and friendly staff. Hadn't been here for many years but will definitely go back again.

Food is fresh and made to order. Even if takes a little longer, it’s worth the wait and the staff is very friendly and they are always making sure you feel comfortable. Lovely cosy place to go for dinner. Highly recommended!

We had Sunday lunch, which was very tasty and the chef generously gave us extra potatoes and gravy. They say everything is prepared from scratch on site. The chef also asked whether we were vegetarian or vegan, which was considerate. The nut roast was very nutty but a little dry.

Great little pub with amazing staff in a super cute litte village. Sunday Roasts are to die for and they have Veggie / Vegan options.

First time for me. Met some local friends for the Christmas meal. Wow it was thoroughly enjoyed. The whole experience enhanced by the wonderful staff.

Can’t fault this pub/restaurant. The staff were welcoming. Nothing too much trouble We had a lovey meal in a gorgeous setting Thank you

Allways a very good meal in great surroundings, staff attentive without being ott .Well done guys thanks 👍👍

A great place to visit, Food was excelent with big portions Very friendly staff and great atmosphere Will definitely be back there again

Girlfriend and I booked Sunday lunch at 3p.m. for last Sunday. I suffer from an extreme allergy to dogs and so they accommodated us in the bar where no dogs are allowed. We both ordered a mixed meat (beef, pork and chicken) roast dinner and it was sublime and plenty of it, The vegetables were not overcooked and there were parsnips, carrots , roast potatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower with stuffing and crackling. I have probably missed out others but it was so good. I had rhubarb crumble with hot custard for dessert, again wonderful. The girlfriend had a chocolate dish with whipped cream and she loved it too. The chef checked everything was satisfactory and the staff were attentive and so polite. Will we be going back? You can bet on it! I understand why they are so busy and you have to book if you want to eat there. But the best of it is the Bell is virtually on my door step so no need to drive miles to get to it! Thank-you for a superb lunch!

I don't understand all the great reviews - my overpriced fish and chips was rubbery and really unpleasant, the chips were tasteless and I can't believe the meal had been freshly cooked, it tasted as if it had been frozen and then microwaved. My fellow diners had similar experiences (but would never complain). The decor was rather strange with odd bits of tat for sale. However the staff were very friendly.

A great old pub with good food and beer

Lovely meal, attentive staff, great pub.

Always love coming to this local country lpub, it feels like walking into a home. There is so much to look at you will never get bored. The staff are always so friendly and the food delicious, especially love the home made pies!! We will be back soon.

Great service great food will be back

The best Sunday roast in the area.

Popped in for a drink with the Mrs, such a cosy atmosphere and the staff are amazing!! if I'm ever in the area again I will definitely pop by!!!

A very rude landlord. I was in the loo when the landlord rudely food shamed my 84 year old dad. He couldn’t eat his roast and the landlord said that could feed a family for months, and to not order such a big meal next time. How bloody rude and not even a smaller choice of roast, or option to take the remains away with us. I was glad I didn’t hear him say that to my dad as I wouldn’t have been as polite as my family. Avoid this place because if you don’t eat your food you will get critiqued.

Popped in for lunch with my family while out for a drive. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful. The chef came out to talk about the specials and came up with lots of vegan options which all sounded great. Everything was home cooked and really tasty and portions were good. We will definitely be back!

We're both very happy to be back .Many thanks to everyone.

Friendly and professional service. The mixed roast was delicious. Very cosy setting and convenient parking across the road. Highly recommended.

Beautiful location, this is one of my favourite places and I've only been once! The pub is lovely inside and out, surrounded by fields in a quaint little village. The beer lines are clean so the beer is lovely and we had the pie of the day which was Mexican with roast potatoes and veggies and it was delicious. Highly recommend.

First time visit for a long time . Very warm welcome and food was amazing

Been past here a few times before and it's always been closed. Last night had our first meal and was very happy about it. Wonderful place, beautifully decorated with an almost magical feel. Staff were very pleasant and friendly and the food was good. Mostly traditional style menu, lovely ambience and good selection of drinks. What's more to say, thoroughly enjoyed it, and will be back

Loved this pub and its unique-ness. Food fab..staff fab especially the younger ones...chef amazing.

Very delicious time ...i enjoyed the food

Great pub, and great food. I give 4 star to the atmosphere because I don’t understand why they filled such a historic pub with unnecessary things to sell. It makes such a great interior very cluttered.

I recently had the pleasure of trying the beef burger at The Bell, and it was absolutely amazing! The burger was cooked to perfection - juicy and flavorful, with just the right amount of seasoning. The quality of the beef truly shines through. The atmosphere at The Bell is warm and inviting, making it the ideal spot to enjoy a great meal. The friendly staff added to the positive experience. I'll definitely be back for more of those mouthwatering burgers!

Nice village pub great atmosphere

Lovely pub, with really nice staff. Thank you for a lovely evening.

Warm and friendly pub with good food. Very cosy inside and pleasant outside seating in a delightful country setting

Everything about our visit was great; service, food, outside dining and the cats that ventured into the garden. Staff were great, chef(s) included when they checked in on us and clearing the table. Looking forward to making an excuse to eat here again!

Popped in for lunch after viewing a house in the area,really friendly atmosphere, great food and service. If we move there,I've already found my local.

Four of us ate at The Bell, this evening. The staff were so welcoming, attentive and friendly. We had 4 different meals, all of which were good well, with good sized portions. The 2 females couldn’t quite finish ours. The Mr Whippy ice cream went down extremely well with our ice cream mad adult.

Very nice pub, good food and friendly service.

A wonderful, friendly restaurant. Food is excellent, and portions are more than generous, so no room for their range of dessert. Next time (and there will be next time), I will skip starter and have a dessert. If you get a chance to try The Bell, I hope you enjoy it.

Cozy pub. Staff incredibly friendly. My husband is vegan and the chef went out of his way to give him yummy options to eat, which was greatly appreciated. They welcome dogs too! Best pub in the area.

We visited The Bell last week for dinner with friends and can thoroughly recommend it!! The staff were really friendly and accommodating, with a really nice welcome. We sat outside first of all in the lovely surroundings and were then advised our table was ready. The menu is varied and our server explained all of the specials that were available. The food was delicious, hot and really tasty and we would definitely return if we were in the area again. The Chef even came to the table to speak to us and ask if everything was ok! What a lovely gesture!! Thank you to all the staff at The Bell, keep up the good work!!

A lovely little hidden gem and a true country pub with all the charm to match. Was very impressed by the food and absolutely lovely service from staff on an uncharacteristically cold summer day.

A lovely pub. The staff was very helpful and friendly. The chef also came out and was friendly and helpful with guiding us with the menu. They are were very accommodating with children. Food was great and would certainly come back again.

Lovely meal, good friendly service. Will visit again

Really happy with our visit and amazing food. Thank you

My friend and I booked a table for lunch on Friday 7th July after the pub had been recommended to us for its lovely home made food. 2pm we arrived and asked to sit outside. There were 2 females behind the bar and the older female gave us the food menus and said that we needed to order at the bar. 2.15pm I ordered drinks and checked that everything was available on the menu before we made our choice. A few minutes later the younger female brought us knives & forks. 2.30pm I went to order our food and the older female said “the kitchen is closed”. I asked why we were not advised that the kitchen would be closing especially when we were given cutlery and she said “sorry about that” in a very uncaring insincere way. My friend and I were really looking forward to a nice lunch but instead we had drinks and no food. 2 other females sat next to us who managed to order sandwiches were also left disappointed when they were told that they couldn’t have the whippy ice cream that was advertised due to the kitchen being closed. We cannot comment on the food but the staff on duty were unfriendly and did not make us feel at all welcome.

My friend and I booked a table for lunch. We arrived at 2pm Fri 7/7/23. We were given food menus and told to order at the bar. We ordered drinks at 2.15pm and a few minutes later cutlery was brought to our table. 2.30pm when I went to order food I was told “the kitchen has closed”. At no point were we told that we had a deadline to order food and we were left hungry and disappointed. The staff did not seem to care.

Excellent food . Polite and very warm and welcoming staff. Highly recommend. Have been a few times, never had a bad meal.

Walking into this pub we were greeted with a lovely warm welcome and seated to our pre booked table. The service and food was fantastic! The pub has so much charm. On our way out we booked again for another meal, this time we're bringing the family ! Thank you for a lovely evening. Get booking people !

Nice country pub with a cosy feel and two beer gardens, one small one with a couple of tables and a larger grassy one out the back with good views. I've been here three times each after visiting Whipsnade Zoo nearby. The food here is great and the portions are large. They even warned us that sharing an antipasti board and then having a roast would have been too much. The roast beef and th cajun chicken (from the specials that day) were very tasty.

Great food great attentive friendly staff and a great location.

Great people aiming to please, nothing was too much! Highly recommend

This Gem of a pub only 10 minutes from Hemel but what a find .freshly prepared . Great outside seating area . Staff weee amazing and the chef even came out to our table to discuss Gluten Free options Thank you We will return

Beautiful British countryside pub. Small and full of charm. Lovely staff.

Wow... What an amazing experience. Chef did everything vegan for us and taste was superb. Very nice local village pub. Fantastic location overlooking fields and country side.

Great food, service and a lovely atmosphere. Staff are very welcoming and obviously care about the pub. Reminds me of how the best country pubs used to be before “Gastro pub” chains took over. Would thoroughly recommend!

I have been to this pub years ago the food was so nice but for some reason when we went their last Sunday it was.nt very nice I had the chicken roast the chicken was jelly and slimmey was.nt nice the potatoes wasn't crispy.i think it would be better if the gravy was served separate.then I ordered crumble and ice cream the crumble was doughey no crunchey crumble on top was.nt nice.

Stopped for lunch on the 28th may. Wow, the Sunday roast was delicious! Service was good and price was fairly reasonable. Will be back again.

Lovely food, great choices. Friendly service and whippy ice-cream in a sunny pub garden!

Great service great atmosphere friendly staff good food well presented. Would highly recommend would advise you book as very popular.

A nice enough pub. Slightly quirky inside with what seems to be random and miscellaneous decor, although I appreciate that this is personal interpretation. The staff were nice, welcoming and provided great info about the menu, which was nice and varied, and specials. I had the road lamb which was okay, but the meat, yorkshires and roast potatoes seemed pre-made or from a pack, which I wouldn't expect for £18+. My partner's dish arrived quite a few minutes after I'd received mine, rather than together. Great location within the Downs and nice customer service.

First of all, the quality of the food is excellent, the decor is typical of a quaint and quirky pub, and the staff are friendly. Had I assessed the place based on my first visit alone, it would definitely have got 5 stars. On the first visit, I ordered a smaller portion of the roast dinner. It was still a fair size and was the perfect amount to satisfy without satiating. On the second night, I expected a smaller portion of the pasta to be similar, but it was very much smaller. When I was finished, my dish was whipped away and I was not asked whether I wanted anything else. I would have liked to supplement the unexpectedly small meal with an additional side order or something, and was hoping I would be asked if I wanted dessert (the usual practice!) so that I could request this, but it never happened, and by the time I got annoyed and went up to the bar, they had stopped serving food, and I went away still quite hungry. The guy didn't apologise when I expressed my disappointment at being ignored. Second visit therefore would have got 3 stars. Average: 4 stars So, some advice: 1. Always take time to ask how the meal was, and wait to hear the answer instead of rushing away. 2. There's a fine line between making solo diners feel rushed vs making them feel neglected. Try to get it right. 3. Keep up the good work with the excellent quality of your food.

I feel like amazing there! Best dishes! Thank you chef!

What a lovely quirky pub, with friendly staff and excellent food. It was a family meet up and we had an exceptional Sunday lunch - highly pleased with the food quality and portions.

We have lunch here with friends once a month following a trip to nearby Whipsnade Zoo. It is a lovely country pub with a relaxed atmosphere. The staff are welcoming and helpful (special shout out to Lorraine who usually serves us) and there is an extensive menu selection, including vegetarian options. There are also daily specials and the option to have them adapted to vegetarian options, plus the option of make to order meals that are not on the menu. Service is always prompt, the food is delicious and the portion sizes are large. The car park is across the road. There are two dining rooms plus outdoor seating. There are also gift items for sale dotted around the rooms. We love this place.

Great food & friendly service. Highly recommended

Had a wonderful Sunday roast with the family. Such a beautiful traditional pub, low ceilings, exposed beams , beautifully decorated. Staff were really friendly and chatty,and made the children feel at home . The roast was superb, all home made and tasted so good, but the star of the meal was the gravy, my 8 year old ended up asking for the recipe and got gifted some to take home in a pot! Will definitely go back 😊