The Bell Inn in Winchester

England v Switzerland. Very noisy but only to be expected. Starter was slow in coming but my fish cakes followed swiftly. The soup starter, potato and onion, was delicious. Likewise the fish cakes were full of flavour and are to be recommended. The pub is not modern, far from it, but the food made up for it. I don't give five stars very often but richly deserved in this case.

Have been to The Bell on various occasions with family and friends. The food is always excellent, the staff always friendly and the atmosphere is lovley.. especially love the log fire in the winter and the garden in the summer.

The Bell Inn is a very friendly, unpretentious pub tucked away in St Cross on the periphery of Winchester. My group of 17 walkers were booked for Sunday lunch.And what a successful lunch it was. We chose from a wide range of Sunday lunch options, from rack of ribs, through to lasagne and vegetarian curry. All the meals were generous portions and served speedily on HOT plates. There was a tempting dessert menu too but in the end none of us went for it because we were too replete.

Such lovely service delivering home-cooked dishes to our large lunchtime family gathering in the back-room dining area. No easy task to produce consistent dishes in a timely fashion from what looked to be a tiny kitchen, but the staff did a great job. My ribs were a bit over, but who doesn't like a good char, and the sauce was yum. Had to leave room for one of the classic puddings on offer and the jam roly poly brought back childhood memories for sure. No issues dividing the bill three ways and we all went home as happy and full punters.

The worst Ploughman’s I’ve ever had! The Sunday roasts at the Bell may well be good but the Sunday Ploughman’s was shocking. Four half slices of white - brown bread, (sliced bread - for a Ploughman’s- really?) pokey bits of cheese and ham, tiny pots of beetroot, pickle, etc. Poor, tasteless and £12.95. Are you kidding me?? Come on guys, I’m getting tired of over-priced, poor pub food. Get it right, eh?

The Bell Inn is located close to junction 11 of the M3 and is convenient if you are looking for somewhere to break a journey. We stopped there for lunch and had a very pleasant sandwich sitting at one of the outdoor tables. Service was very friendly. There is plenty of parking in the car park.

Had a fabulous afternoon at The Bell..wonderful food, great service..thanks to Sammie ,Hayley and all working there today 👏👏👏

We're a agile couple and good with heights. We have had many brilliant and satisfactory meals here. Congratulations on this great pub for an average experience and we know an I when we see one (Credit goes to Sam, Hayley, Emma, Amy, Chloe and all the hardworking staff who make it a great place to be).

Really nice friendly vibes in the pub. The people are great and welcoming. Amy at the bar was absolutely brilliant and very friendly. It’s the staff that make the difference in my opinion

A lovely welcome was given by staff and we were offered a light and main menu. We both had sandwiches which were substantial and good value. The pub is just off Keats Walk which is a riverside walk 1 mile long into the city so a great place to park, explore the city then pop back for lunch.

I visited The Bell Inn today and last Monday as well to meet up with my Dad for lunch. The food is superb and homemade with a nice range to choose from. Last week my Dad and I both had ham egg and chips, which was delicious and this week I had the Sausage and cider hotpot and Dad had the Shepherd's Pie. We thoroughly enjoyed our meals and are very reasonably priced. The pub has a cosy and warm atmosphere with very hardworking and welcoming staff. I have just moved to Winchester and I will enjoy eating here again in the near future. Thank you Bell Inn

Great reasonably priced food, good portions and very friendly staff. Nice beer garden with easy access plenty of parking

Ordered two lagers, one lemonade, three bags of crisps and some nuts. The bill? £18!!! £3.20 for a pint of lemonade? £1.50 for a bag of crisps? Well over-priced. This is my local but I won't be back.

Visited here for a weekday lunch with a large group (16). We had booked a table and pre-ordered our meals. After a brief wait the food arrived which everyone seemed to enjoy. An added bonus was a 25% discount for pre-booked diners during January. Only worrying thing was that the table tops were not secure and could easily tip if lent on. This is an accident waiting to happen, Owner, please get this sorted, you may get away with a few spilt drinks or worse still, a plate of very hot food being dumped in someone’s lap. Apart from this, a very good experience.

I liked The Bell and shall go there again; and I think the chef's choice at £6 is a brilliant idea. My meal was a real treat.

Long wait for 2 roasts, 40 mins. Apart from the beef which was dry, the food was really nice. Roast potatoes were exceptional and gravy lovely. Cute little dog friendly pub close to centre. I would return.

Just had sausage & mash here. Asked what sausages they were & advised they were Lincolnshire. They were infact really cheap & nasty sausages which were repulsive; the kind you buy 8 for 80p. I forced down 2 of them & am now feeling sick. Really surprised that somewhere which advertises fresh local produce serves sausages such as these; I expected butchers sausages. Very disappointed & won't be returning. My friends meals were fine.

Booked table for Sunday lunch with 2 friends , we were given a menu and told to order at the bar, We ordered 3 pork Roasts and one beef Roast which were all priced the same, The roast all came out in about 45 min , On my roast beef it came with a Yorkshire pudding, the Pork did not have Yorkshire puddings but my friend asked if we could have 3 Yorkshire pudding these came out in about 10 mins , the waitress then asked for £3 for the puddings, which we paid. when we had finished the waitress asked if would like a sweet, we ordered 2 eaton mess and 2 fruit crumble, she the asked if we wanted custard or Ice cream , we jokingly said both . When the bill arrived we had been charged £29 for 4 sweets which included £2 for Ice cream, we quired the bill as it stated ,1 course £12.95 , 2 course £16.50 which to me makes the sweets £ 3.55 not £ 6.95 as it states on the menu, we did call the waitress over and confronted her , her reply was she did not know we had the roasts, so be careful great way of making money, the final came to £14.20 plus £2 Ice cream

A group of us ate here at lunchtime and the orders were sent out efficiently and all looked very good quality. We had the salmon fishcakes and were expecting the usual efforts with not much apart from mashed potato. These fishcakes, however, were excellent - substantial and full of fish. Nice salad to accompany them and finished with good coffee. Friendly and helpful staff.

Three lunchtime snacks (£19.45) 2 pints Lager and 1 pint bitter - total price £35.75. We visited because the Inn is dog friendly. The food was very good and the staff were friendly and helpful but this came at a price if you ordered drinks as well

I had a friend visit from London and wanted to take him close enough to the city centre, but far enough to experience some Hampshire countryside. The Bell seemed ideal, and we were not disappointed. We visited on Monday lunchtime, and there was steady trade (so, a nice atmosphere, and a good sign that even during tradionally quiet periods the place still garners custom.) Ben on the bar couldn't have been more welcoming to us, and the other customers - very friendly, efficient and ensured that we had everything that we needed. Lovely beer garden looking out on to a local church with very little noise from the road outside. Drinks are very reasonably priced, as is the food which was delicious. Very generous portions which set us up perfectly for the beautiful stroll back to the city centre through the Watermeadows. Highly recommended! My London friend is very keen to pop back in when he visits next. There's a small restaurant area, and some tables in the bar and the garden, so if you're planning on visiting during peak time and are wanting to dine and are in a party of more than 4-6 it might be an idea to ring ahead. A MUST if you're visiting the city.

An ordinary week day lung time with 40 minutes to spare popped in for a bite and a pint. Not busy but told wait of 45 minutes for food. We asked for any quick snacks but told all food prepared in turn. Nice sign on wall saying if you were shirt of time they would help if they could.This can be a damned good pub. What is going on? Poor management? Other reviews don't surprise me.

Hate to say this but my experience of a Sunday roast was extremely disappointing. The staff are great and welcoming however the meal was terrible although plenty of it. I hope it was just a one off. Three of us had the roast beef which we could not cut nor chew the plates were cold therefore by the time we had served out the veg the whole meal was cold. We all left our beef but no questions asked and being a typical Brit didn't complain this is hopefully constructive criticism and a one off occurrence.

We visited The Bell for Sunday lunch after a friends Christening and it was absolutely delicious, I had Roast Beef and my husband had the pork and both were faultless, vegetables served separately and there were copious amounts of everything, The waiting staff were very attentive and made us feel very welcome....We sat in front of a roaring log fire which was the icing on the cake. Would highly recommend!!!

A lovely pub, with a great selection of drinks, and an excellent menu! After a nice lunch He Bell is next door to the beautiful St. Cross Church.

Decided to try dinner here with friends. Lovely place, atmosphere and staff. Good place to relax with a drink and some good company. The food was a little underwhelming.

After a long walk in the area we were in need of rest and sustenance. Delighted we got a table straight away and were able to order food and drinks from our table. I had beef roast and my wife the veggie roast of mushrooms in a Yorkshire pudding with a great sauce. We shared a rhubarb and berry crumble with custard. We both loved our meals and especially my wife who has often been disappointed when eating out.

Un amigo, que vive cerca, reservó este pub para almorzar durante 12. 30 p. M. Nos sentamos y pedimos una hamburguesa, dos scampi y patatas fritas. Después de una hora todavía estábamos esperando por nuestra comida, aunque dos señoras que llegaron después de nosotros fueron atendidas. Nos quejamos y la camarera dijo que tenían quince pedidos y solo dos personas trabajaban en la cocina. Ella dijo que nuestra comida estaba en camino. Quince minutos más tarde otra camarera llegó con dos porciones de gambas en una canasta. Estábamos empezando a comer cuando llegó la primera camarera y arrebató a la langostinos, diciendo que era para afuera. . . . . . . . como algo para "Fawlty Towers". Pasaron otros quince minutos y a la 1. 45. pm. la mesera preguntó si preferimos cancelar nuestro pedido. Francamente, nos hubiera gustado cancelar, pero ahora necesitábamos algo para comer y, además, mi amigo tenía problemas de movilidad y no podía caminar demasiado. Realmente no teníamos otra alternativa más que seguir adelante con el pedido. Cinco minutos más tarde llegó la hamburguesa y dos platos de gambas cocidas y algunas patatas empapadas. Después de esto, solo queríamos irnos lo antes posible. La camarera dijo que nuestras bebidas (dos vinos blancos medianos y una cerveza) estarían en la casa, pero todavía teníamos una factura de 35 por una comida horrible y una espera inaceptablemente larga.

No es un pub muy agradable, pero vinimos aquí ya que teníamos un servicio conmemorativo para mi tío en la calle Cross Hospital Church, y está al lado. La cerveza estaba bien. Pedimos comida y tomamos una mesa en el jardín. La primera mesa estaba al borde del colapso, así que nos mudamos a otra. La comida no llegó. Tuvimos otra pinta. La comida no llegó. Otras personas fueron atendidas. Después de 50 minutos, fui a preguntar si venía. La respuesta: "Sí, es solo cocinar ahora, ¿qué orden era?" Después de 1 hora y 20 minutos, nos dimos por vencidos y cancelamos nuestro almuerzo por completo, ya que no teníamos más tiempo y teníamos que estar en la iglesia. Obviamente, con mi familia allí ese día, esto fue muy embarazoso. Teníamos patatas fritas. Sin disculpas del personal. No hay sugerencia de tal vez un descuento en la factura de las bebidas. Cuando nos fuimos, los vimos escondidos de nosotros, no estoy sorprendido.

Como este pub, pero no tan bueno para la comida. Fuimos para el almuerzo del domingo. Carne seca, sin crepitar con cerdo asado. Las chirivías estaban poco cocidas y parecían hervidas en lugar de asadas. Positivos eran realmente buenos Yorkshire con la carne, un montón de verduras y jarras de sabrosa salsa. Los pudines fueron una desilusión completa. Los brownies de chocolate estaban secos y más como un pastel malo. Tenía cobertura de chocolate (como cosas baratas que pones en el helado de niños) como salsa y helado muy básico. Cream on Eton mess sabía raro. En el lado positivo, un servicio muy amable y un bonito jardín amurallado con columpios y tobogán para niños, y tenía castillo hinchable. Es una pena la comida promedio, realmente necesitan mejorar su juego.

Popped in for a pint, but squeezed in another. What struck us was the very friendly welcome we received from landlord and landlady. Nothing was too much trouble. They genuinely wanted to ensure everyone enjoyed their visit to the pub. The beer was great too.

A nice and relaxing place to have a drink on a lovely day. Lovely beer garden with a slide and swing for children.

Trajo a un grupo de personas aquí después de visitar el Hospital de la calle Cruz a la vuelta de la esquina. Era un día muy caluroso y todos nos sentamos en el jardín con cortinas, lo que fue muy agradable. Una buena opción para almorzar con un menú de barra de almuerzo más económico y uno más extenso. Elegí un flan de cheddar y puerro que estaba en el menú de inicio, pero lo tenía como una ensalada y estaba delicioso. Un buen servicio amable y un pub encantador con un montón de aparcamiento.

Visited here in a group of 8 for a Sunday roast. The roast is served with meat and two roast potatoes on the plate, the other vegetables are in a bowl for the table to help yourself. The vegetables were all really well cooked, hot and tasty. I had the vegetarian of a Yorkshire pudding with mushrooms and brie, it was a little rich for me but still nice. The rest of the table had beef or pork and they all said that the meat was nice and a good portion. The service was ok if a little slow at times, but it was a busy Sunday.

I have eaten here many times over the past few years, my last visit was a complete disappointment, the moussaka was very dried up in the dish, I suspect it had been in the microwave a bit too long and my fries were more like crisps, my partners roast potatoes were rock hard, maybe the cook has changed since my last visit, very inconsistent to say the least, sadly I won’t rush back.

We go to the Bell every few months. It is a nice little pub which is clearly well looked after with always a few decent beers on tap. The staff are always lovely.

A good start and finish from walking in the water meadows (very muddy) and close to Gifford House Hotel

We unfortunately did not have a good lunch today, with is unusual, because on previous occasions we have had excellent food at the The Bell Inn, the beef was tough, there were no Yorkshire puddings, and only two roast potatoes per serving, the swede was supplied like warm and had to be returned to the kitchen, all in all, a miss, so sad as I have said it was our favourite.

I don't know why it is that Greene King pubs tend to be no more than adequate. It must be something to do with Head Office/Regional management. The Bell was a good example. The beer was adequately kept - I suspect the pipes needed a good morning clean. The food was fine but pedestrian. The staff were either over-worked or it was all too much effort - enthusiasm was not their strongest suit !

The Bell sat perfectly between mine and my best friends homes. We were regulars here, either after a walk up the hill or following a quick ‘Bell?’ Text after work. Guys behind the bar are lovely and the landlady sam a joy. Good food, no bells and whistles but good, solid pub food. Excellent wines available and a good range of beer on tap. Lovely garden with play area for the summer and a toasty interior for winter. Great spot.

As part of a small walking group we arrived just after 10.00am to pre-order our food before embarking on a walk along the banks of the Itchen. When we arrived back our table was laid and we were welcomed by attentive staff. Our food arrived soon after which turned out to be wholesome 'pub grub'. The table service was excellent and in consequence we will return. GS

Sadly, still no improvement since last May's fish and chips. A truly AWFUL fish pie, the main ingredient being spinach - SPINACH?! - swimming about in the white sauce, a very few lumps of white fish (all of it very overcooked), no mash topping, not a single prawn, and finished off with a bizarre scattering of old bread and a very little sliced potato smothered in toasted cheese (the best bit). All this served with some badly drained lukewarm veg sitting in a little puddle of water at the bottom of the bowl. This cost £12.95. When is this pub going to do something about its food? The atmosphere was good and the service pleasant enough. Seriously, I can't understand how a pub in this lovely part of Winchester gets away with it.

Friendly and warm welcome from the staff.

Been on a long walk and stopped here to quench our thirst. Nice quaint pub. Good selection of beers and food. Dog friendly polite staff.

It was the first time visiting the Bell Inn and it will be my last. Incompetent staff who had no clue what they were doing. By all accounts full of drunk, aggressive blonds, I actually felt threatened. There are other pubs in Winchester, don’t bother with this one.

If you like to drink in a place where the woman behind the bar 'entertains' you with public displays of affection with her boyfriend, and if you have no qualms about men using foul language at the tops of their voices, this is the place for you. I will not be going back.

Went to the bar asked for menu, sat down, ordered food, food arrived quick, served on a chopping board, looked liked a child's meal, rissoto looked like out of a packet, service was awful, no communication, no salt/pepper on table, won't call in again!

We booked out the main bar of The Bell for a 30th birthday celebration last weekend. It simply could not have gone better! Sam, the amazingly ever cheerful landlady was a complete star from the get go. We first went to see her about 6 months ago as we were mindful that a Saturday night in July might well be extremely busy. Sam was great. We settled on guest numbers of 50, Sam suggested she would do a bbq with a selection of meats and vegetable kebabs, plus salads. Also a cheese board and some desert traybakes. We picked our wines and beers and agreed that Pimms on arrival would be nice. We also had a band booked and she said we could come in any time from 4.00pm and decorate etc.On the day ............... it positively hammered it down. We were so sad that we would be unable to use the garden or even really venture outside. I was terribly worried that it would all be a disaster as everyone would be so cramped. I need not have worried - Sam and her friendly staff simply jumped into action. A gazebo on the terrace sorted the bbq, and after the food the tables seemed to vanish and the band played on! Throughout it all Sam was smiling and jolly and really good fun. We had a great time.She was so laid back and everyone remarked on what a brilliant evening it was and how good the bbq was - no cremated food here, I can tell you!!All done with a smile and for a very reasonable cost.Thank you Sam - you made our birthday celebrations perfect!

7 of us went here for an evening meal. We were in a B and B in the village, as we were cycling the South Downs Way. The B and B owners advised us not to expect much, but as we were tired we chanced it. The food was ok but overpriced. We paid cash (some £300) whereupon the landlord clearly decided he'd made enough money and was shutting up shop and was going home (doesn't live on the premises). We had wanted to stay on for a few drinks but we're not made at all welcom, so left st 8.30pm - on a Friday night in high summer!!

Terrible beer, service and food. Can't believe that it could all be so ordinary. The pub seems in complete chaos

We hadden miussaka, hamburger en Italiaans. Het smaakte allemaal prima. De bediening was goed. Het is geen mooie pub, een beetje kaa.

We enjoyed our lunch with friends here. It is at the upper end of the "pub lunch" spectrum and does serve very good food.The dining room we were in was light and airy, and service reasonably quick and efficient (and friendly)If you do go here for lunch, you would be advised to wander up to the St Cross Alms Houses which are less than 100 yards away, and are quite spectacular

So after a very pleasant walk up the nearby St. Catherine's Hill with my friend, we stumbled across The Bell Inn. Both me and my friend were feeling rather tired and hungry after our walk, so decided to pop in for a bowl of chips and a drink. However, after attempting to order at the bar, we were told that we had 'obviously had too much to drink' which wasn't true (we were both completely sober). I explained calmly that we were not drunk and must just appear that way as we were both exhausted after a hard day at university and a lengthy walk, but we were then extremely rudely accused of being under the influence of illegal drugs and ordered to leave. May I just add that we were not being loud or causing a scene, in fact we were both a lot quieter than usual because we were tired. We are both very upset about this accusation as we have never tried illegal drugs and have absolutely no desire to try them in the future. We will NOT be returning to this establishment.

Food was fantastic and the service was really good on the two occasions we have visited lately.We came from Southampton especially as was so impressed.Also Dogs are welcome

I've already written a review of the Bell, Winchester. I'm being asked to complete a draft for another Bell, I believe, is in New Alresford, but I haven't eaten there, so can't comment.

Booked on the day and was later called to inform a power cut occurred and they were not sure if they would be back up and running, luckily they were and rang me back to let me know - this was a very good first impression!Food served from 6pm so I booked for my friend and I to have a table at 6pm. Considering we were the first ones in, staff were not forthcoming with introducing themselves and letting us know we need to order at the bar and unfortunately the customer service was non-existent. Although, the staff were helpful when questioned.The food - very basic and not good quality I'm afraid. Chose this pub as it was mentioned in the AA pub guide 2015 but it must have changed management / chef since then as the food was not as described in the pub guide. Really disappointed with the food - the chilli jam with the chicken liver pate was branston pickle with chilli in.... The food looked ok, the taste not so good.The atmosphere - the bar area on the other side seemed to get busy, the dining room where we sat had no music but that was ok as we wanted to chat. Over all very basic, we will not be returning as the food just didn't tick the boxes for us and the food was over priced for what it was.

Lovely local pub with good pud food and real ales it also has a very warming log fire. Perfect little stop off!!!

Average pub with below par service... food nothing exceptional but edible.So we went for a walk and returned to the pub for a meal for 13 of us.. there was nobody else eating but the bar maid acted as if we hadn't booked the table and we were causing an inconvenience. Any way the food was OK but really nothing special and the beer was OK too. Anyway because we were 13 people the bill came with an added £20 service charge.... which is ok and I understand the charge when extra staff are drafted in for assistance with the service but the solitary bar maid did the serving and there was nobody else eating... I would recommend this pub for a drink maybe two but I wouldn't recommend it for food...

My wife and I went for lunch at The Bell today. We were warmly received by the two young ladies behind the bar who kindly promised to display a poster advertising the pantomime at the Theatre Royal, Winchester.The menu is varied and opted for Thursday's special. There is a different special for each day of the week. The ham was superb and the meal arrived quickly which, together with our drinks was very reasonably priced.The Bell has retained its traditional feel whilst being very efficiently. There is ample parking and a play area in the garden for young children and adults too! GS

Over the last couple of years The Bell has been transformed into a great eating venue, whilst still keeping that local pub feel.The new landlady Sam clearly knows how to cook hearty meals, and that's what their customers can expect!Great menu, great team!

We went to The Bell Inn with a group of friends and ordered a great variety of food. Most of people went for fish &chips, some for cannelloni and one burger which was a total disaster served on not baked bun, just taken out of plastic packaging. Fish and chips were average, a lot of left overs and cannelloni were really delicious served with garlic bread. The pub closes around 9:30pm on Friday evening and we were put really loud music to get out of the pub. Not very friendly and would not go back. Also checked the menu on the website and it does not seem up to date.

Nice pub for a quick drink and/or food after a visit to the Hospital of St Cross. There's a nice outside bit but inside is also good. Good range of food on the menu.

I read about The Bell in a guide book on John Keats and used it as a jumping off point for the tour of St. Cross Hospital. An excellent pint of Guinness in pleasant surroundings.

Food tends to taste better outside, given a clear sky, of course. The beer garden at the Bell was very pleasant. We had crumbed scampi with tartare sauce and shoe string fries, with half a pint of draught cider to wash the food down. How very civilised. We then walked down to St Cross Church and almshouses for noble poverty and strolled around the master's garden viewing flowers, trees and a large pond full of fish and lilies. This place is really old and dates back to William the Conqueror. I liked the idea of noble poor - it refers to the times in ancient days when the harvest failed and yeomen needed relief, which was supplied by this monks at this old church.

Brought two friends here recently, as a birthday present for one of them. We all decided to have the Sunday roast and dessert - two opting for beef and one for chicken. Lots of seasonal vegetables, roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and stuffing. The meat was so tender, that the chicken especially, fell off the bone. The desserts were deliciously tempting and beautifully presented. The service was so friendly and attentive, without being overdone. I'd highly recommend the quality and value for money and the staff were delightful and really welcoming. Thanks everyone there.

This pub is a short distance from where our friends live and we have visited the pub several times as we are here on vacation from America. Kate who works there is a sweetheart! She is an asset to the pub as she is truly friendly with every customer. They have trivia night on Fridays I believe and have a bounce house for the kids on Sunday's. The pubs here in Winchester are truly amazing. Wish we had the Bell in Texas. They even have a jar full of treats for your dog.

We have been here twice with family and both times the food has been nice. The first visit we were pleasantly surprised despite only going from a recommendation. The kind of pub you may drive past but would highly recommend popping in for some food

Last minute booking for 13 of us, including 2 kids and a coeliac! No problems at all with this. Food was clearly freshly cooked and very tasty. Staff friendly and helpful. Will definitely return.

I have popped in a couple of times recently, having not been in for a while but knew it was under new management, impressed with the new decor, glad to see the old red paint has gone makes the pub feel warm and welcoming. The garden has had a make over and looks lovely, can't wait for the sun to be out more often to take advantage. The standard of food has improved and I would highly recommend the steak. Friendly staff that are welcoming and happy to help, well done to the new owner.

Lunch was excellent the staff was nice and make you feel welcome . The pub is clean and children and dog friendly

Have popped in here intermittently with friends over the last few years, the most recent time being last week. It's a great location, and the staff and clientele are simply lovely BUT when are they going to get their act together over the food?! Had high hopes after the management change but absolutely no better. £9 for a very small fish and chips, the fish batter very oily, the straw chips barely cooked, and served in a small bucket (!). Excruciatingly bad coffee - tasted like boiled milk with a very little instant coffee stirred in. PLEASE, you must be able to do better than this. I want to come here again and am perfectly happy with pub classics, nothing fancy, but you must be able to do better than this. In this area there is an affluent and potentially enthusiastic client base, and not a lot of competition. Perhaps the latter is the problem?

I have just recently visited after a long absense and I can't understand any negative reviews. The food has improved. new decor, new menu - investment in the garden and new friendly staff. The family enjoyed the day and with a new child friendly garden recent money has been well spent and with us the customer in mind. Would highly recommend and me and my family will try and become regulars. Lily xx

I admit to bias as this my local . I have always had great food and a friendly welcome . The garden has been renovated and is a lovely place to while away a, now , sunny day . Well done Sam and the team.

It was a complete fluke that we decided to go to this pub for a quick lunch, but we are so glad we did! The food was delicious and really well presented and the bar staff were lovely. The pub itself is cosy and nicely decorated! We will definitely be back. We look forward to trying the Sunday Roast next time we go to Winchester.

No improvement on food. Last we came was Jan 16 when they have just switched the management. And on 23rd, we were too hungry to travel to another places so we come back again. Not impressed other than the staff are great and polite...what a shame.

This pub is in a great location, has a nice beer garden and is dog friendly. Unfortunately the new management have not made the most of it, and the food is really poor. Go up the road to the Queen, where the beer and the food are way better.

Best steak I've had for a long time and melt in your mouth. No need for a steak knife here!Nice selection of real ales as well

On a day visit to Winchester with friends,and with lunch in mind, we have been to the Bell before, and decided to try again, and we were not disappointed, the welcome was friendly and seating was not a problem (bay window table), the ladies behind the bar and serving, were very helpful and nothing was too much trouble, we all had the Sunday roast, with starters, the food was well presented and tasted great, a good selection of homemade deserts was to follow, all in all we would recommend The Bell to any travellers, and with St. Cross Hospital at the bottom of the lane, makes it a very good afternoon.

We have recently moved into the area and have visited several times as part of exploring what is around us. Most notable is the welcome when you walk in the door, customer service is warm and friendly and nothing is too much trouble. We haven't eaten there yet but menu looked yummy and the food being served looked really good. Lovely environment rounded off by a really nice open fire, can't wait to go back.

Having hiked from Winchester train station for a visit to the Hospice of St Cross on what was a bitterly cold day we decided to try the Bell Inn rather than walk back into the centre of Winchester to visit our regular eateries. We were drawn in by the welcoming wood fire seen through the window outside - and what a great choice it was.Whilst not overly busy you could sense a homleyness now lacking in modern gastrobubs - In a way a throughback to the pubs of my youth. This was borne out by the menu which ran to 2 pages and included amongst meny others dishes like beef lasagne, fish snd chips homemade burger and chips and ploughmansl. There were even additional specials boards for homemade deserts and the mains - like elk burger with the trimmings. It was a pleasure not to need a menu which required a dictionary or translation package to decipher it.3 of us had the steak and onion roll with a pail of chips (£6.95) and 1 had the beef lassgne (£8.95) - all served on wooden boards - it was pefect at hit the mark whilst we sat by the crackling fire. My wife had one of the deserts (£4.95) which she loved and we washed it all down with drinks (1 tea 1 Cappo 2 ales).Finally a special mention to our host - not sure if I should call her a landlady, barmaid or something else but she served us in a wonderfully natural way as though she had known us for years. (as people - not clients or just a table number). She even entered the WiFi password into our mobiles as it was so long - but she knew it from memory. We will return soon!!!

Had a very enjoyable Lunch,food and service were excellent .The staff were very helpful and friendly they had a wonderful fire blazing on a very cold day.Recommend for a place to meet friends easy access from M3.

We visited for lunch as part of my wife's birthday celebrations and were delighted with the range of choices. My rare steak and my wife's well done one were both cooked just as we like them and a lasagne from the daily 'value' menu was also well liked.The red house wine is surprisingly good

I loves the foods and atmosphere here. I live just few miles away and whenever we wanted to dine out, the bell inn will pop up. Unfortunately not anymore when i dine in today. Can't seems to find my usual main, and was told that they have changed the management. Well just give it a go and was surprised on the main they served, Hampshire pork leg is quite small in portion. Tried the sides and staight away i tell my Mr we are not coming anymore. He wasn't like the burger either. I just wish you could resume the previous menu.

Nice local pubgood for walkers and dog owners. Children welcome and nice garden areaDogs allowed in pub.Nice food cooked well. Well worth a visit.

Had late lunch on a recent Saturday. We had reserved a table and had been warned that a large group would be in 45 minutes before us so there could be delays with the food. Good that we had been warned as there were substantial delays in service. Staff were friendly but very overstretched. Food was poor - chips seem to have been cooked in batter rather than oil or fat and seemed to have very litttle potato in them. First time I have left chips uneaten for a long time! Beer choice was fine. One of our group had ordered duck but wasn't even sure that was what she was eating as it was unidentifiable.

The bell has been our "local" for some time. It's a fantastic pub, friendly staff, lovely beer garden and great pub food. Not much more you could ask for really. And a quality Friday night meat raffle!

After seeing previous reviews and hearing how good the bell inn was through word of mouth we decided to hold the celebration of our daughters christening here. Service was excellent and the food was absolutely delicious and for such a good price! Would highly recommend this place to anyone!! :)

had a burger, 10 pound. it took 56 minutes to finally arrive, with the excuse they wanted to make sure it was well done! That would have been fine except the meat was stone cold, topped by a lump of tasteless cold cheese and a horrible stale bun! nearly an hour for that wow!sickly sweet marmalade didnt go with burger at all.The salad was covered in some black sauce that made it uneatable.Other diners being served before you after arriving after you does not help either.after reading other reviews wondered if i'd gone to a different place!

Popped in here with some friends after doing a local marathon. Unfortunately, we arrived a bit too late to make it for the Sunday lunch as they had sold out.The menu is small but covers most options (Sunday menu might differ) and the fish and chips was good. The chips were particularly good. The ladies working were helpful and friendly and clearly very nice as they got on well with the locals. Nice little pub and wouldn't mind returning to try some of the rest of the menu or a Sunday roast.

Fui con mi pareja a tomar un refresco! Lindo bar. Al lado del antiguo Hospital St. Cross. Me pedi un jugo de naranja, que estaba rico. Y mi novio una cerveza negra. Los precios son caros como en toda la ciudad de Winchester.

Kate and her team are always friendly serving top end pub grub, good portions and great value. Good choice of beer and wine and lovely garden in which to enjoy them. Dog friendly and a great local!

Great atmosphere, excellent bar staff and 5* food. Had a really good night with all my friends and will definitely return!

Called in for lunch. Three real ales - good. Menu is typical pub food. Decided to go for home made burger & pint deal as advertised on blackboard outside - only to be told that it wasn't available at lunchtime - so why advertise it if it's not available?4 of us - we all went for fish, chips and peas. Fairly quick service. However, the food was disappointing. The fish resembled a frozen portion from Iceland popped in the fryer - odd batter, strange texture inside - not much fish. The chips were OK (generous portion) but were served sprinkled with fairly generous flakes of salt - I'd rather have control of my salt intake and apply to my (low salt) taste. Peas were very mediocre - green, round but no taste. The tartare sauce must have been the cheapest I'd ever tasted - fairly unpleasant. Another one of our party had mayonnaise - this was also an unpleasant acidic concoction.We have had much better similar food in other pubs so won't be returning - you only get one chance to make a first impression.

Great food great atmosphere very liase faire.. great manageress ...top pub in winchester ...a must for real ale drinkers

I like burgers and I have eaten a lot of them both in the UK and in America. I have eaten in supposedly some of the best burger restaurants and have enjoyed what I have eaten.Last night however on a perfect hot summer's evening sitting in the beer garden at the Bell I had what was without doubt one of the best burgers ever! The texture and taste of the home made burger was spot on and it was cooked to perfection, still juicy but not so much that you were covered in the stuff as you ate it.The bun was a good choice too, soft and not of the brioche variety that is so common these days. I ordered mine spicy and a very well balanced and spicy relish was added to the burger with extra served on the side.The fries and onion rings and a pleasant salad garnish perfectly partnered the meal.Together with a nice cold Tom Cat beer, I was in heaven!I am told that they are starting a Wednesday night special of burger and a pint for eight quid...I'm definitely up for that!

Very pleasant and helpful staff, a good selection of local real ale and a lovely roast with plenty of meat - what more could a man ask for? (Well a few more roast potatoes actually). Based on our experience (8 of us who had taken a I nice amble down from the town centre on the river Itchen) The Bell is a good traditional pub. Food is old school - no fancy gastro stuff just decent helpings of old favourites. See photo of mixed roast (Beef and Lamb) £12.45 (I think - £12 something anyway - Standard roast £9.95)

Nice, Cody pub with a pleasant beer garden. Handy for walking along the river and water meadows. Dog friendly, good service and well worth a visit.

This is a traditional pub with a great atmosphere. The beer is especially good in that they serve ales from the Red Cat brewery based in Winchester. My wife had the beetroot and goat cheese salad which was enormous and very fresh while I had the burger which was delicious. The staff were really friendly and helpful. Well worth a visit especially if you have walked along the water meadows to St Cross Hospital.

The Bell Inn has never dissapointed us. This visit wasn't planned, we needed feeding and watering and had a visitor with her dog. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The food arrived and I can quite honestly say, the goats cheese, butternut squash and beetroot veggie burger was absolutely delicious. My husband had the lamb roast and was in heaven. Our daughters meals were lovely too. Over all,very happy with our choice of where to stop.

I went to the Bell last night for a decent pint - the beer is generally good. On walking in I could hardly get through the door as a male customer was blocking the way in with two dogs on leads. He was smoking an e cigarette & had absolutely no concern for any other customer. There was a group of men in the pub whose language was obscene & in my opinion were drunk beyond what you would expect in a pub. Even as a bloke I was embarrassed with the regularity that they used the F & the C word in a public place. The staff took no action & yet it was clear to me that they knew what was going on. My friend with the dogs eventually settled by the bar until another dog came in and at one point the dogs started to front each other up preparing to fight. Apparently the owners were teaching the dogs etiquette! The place has lost it's charm for me & I won't be going back - be careful not to let your other pubs go this way or you will lose a lot of trade.