The Bell Inn in Braintree

Visited on a Monday lunchtime on a drizzly day. A fair few people were there for either a drink or lunch. Beautiful fifteenth century coaching in with lovely atmosphere, full of beams, old furniture, pictures etc. This place oozes charm. Good quality and tasty pub food. All what we had was homemade to include the chips. Always put off when the chips are out of a freezer. Not inexpensive but that does not mean bad value. Nice and helpful lady behind the bar. It’s nice to have a trip out to this pretty village. Used to come to the village when our children were young and eat at a lunchtime/tea shop place called Magnolia then Buckley’s. That closed down a few years back and now without the children this place is great and utterly charming. Will return soon despite the 40 minute drive from the Herts Essex border where we live. Highly recommended.

My sister and I visited sited this charming establishment last Thursday and we were very impressed. The quality of the food was excellent and the service we received from the lovely Mia was first class. I wish it was closer to home so I could visit more often.

this restaurant is fab. i come with my family a lot of the time and it is one of our favourites. it has such an amazing selection of food, but the bell burger has to be my go to. it is absolutely delicious, and the atmosphere is lovely. the staff are wonderful, with wonderful service and are very easy to talk to. i absolutely love the bell and would defo recommend. it is also child and dog friendly.

Absolutely loved our visit here. We were staying in the area and took recommendations from the host but weren’t disappointed! Food was great and the pub had a lovely homely feel. We loved the games room and thoroughly enjoyed our evening!

I've eaten here twice in the last two weeks and probably half a dozen times in the last year or so and its been consistently brilliant. Awesome food, great beer (and whisky and gin), they do a beer festival every year in July, its got a lovely atmosphere and great staff. Would recommend to anyone.

An excellent meal at The Bell last night. Fabulous fresh fish cooked beautifully by Murat. And a very nice evening as well

We dropped on this pub on Friday 22nd September in a super idyllic village, had drinks in the garden and returned for my birthday meal on 23rd September as it’s renowned for its Turkish pizza’s. Sadly no pizza chef but what we had was fantastic, one pottage and one fish pie with a side of onion rings. The food was fabulous, the staff are all there to showcase the history of this amazing pub through great service, food and drinks. The atmosphere was one of a well loved local village pub, the history takes you back to the Tudor period, as we left the atmosphere in the outside seating area was buzzing and welcoming - not to mention that all of this is dog friendly. A mention has to go to Mia and Kylie and not forgetting the tall lad behind the bar who served us for the evening.

Most excellent food, service & atmosphere. Staff were warm & welcoming and the surroundings were very cosy and comfortable. Much respect and highly recommend a visit

Such a great find. We came across it at lunch time and loved it so much we came back for dinner after the King's Head let us down. Full of charm and character - food excellent, vegan options, beer great, dog-friendly, child-friendly, staff attentive and welcoming - couldn't recommend more! We'll definitely be back when we're in that part of Essex.

There’s not many quirky places like The Bell left. Most have been turned into gastro and chain pubs but this is a fine example of a freehold village pub with a unique style, from the pizza oven outside to the varied menu with Turkish, classic pub grub, vegan and GF. The food was fabulous; really well served and presented. The Dragon Fire Chicken was superb and I’m told the burger was too! Although on this occasion we didn’t stay, it’s a BritStop location we thought it would be a great place, with a large and level car park. We will be back!

Discovered this quirky pub when we stayed at an Airbnb in Castle Hedingham. We managed to nab the table next to the open log fire when the weather was cold and rain was beating down outside … one of us had the mussels and I had the small burger & fries.. it was the best burger I’ve ever tasted and the fries were superb. I’ve been back since and it did not disappoint. Please please do not change your chef!! The whole place is what an English pub is meant to be… well, for me anyway ⭐️

Visited the bell many times since discovering it. The service is friendly. The portions are good and as a vegan the menu selection is great. Have enjoyed amazing pizzas here. The carrot and corriander soup is to die for and they even took the time to give us a printed recipe. Love the lime tonic with pieces of lime and when visiting solo an amazing salad and the lady was so kind she let me stay until she locked up.my favourite place to eat by far in and around this area of Essex. Timeless setting , atmosphere and cuisine. Extending a great big thanks to the Bell in servers, cooks and owners from a Londoner. May you go on and on. 🙏🏼💜💛🌿

What can you say about The Bell? It’s quirky, cosy, friendly layout is perfectly reflected by its regular clientele. The perfect ‘local’ serving home cooked fayre at a reasonable price. Turkish grill nights and games nights are particular favourites. They also host live music. If you get the chance to visit during a beer festival… go for it! Character, atmosphere and a welcoming hearth. This is what all pubs should be like.

The staff and patrons at this pub are very friendly to visitors, and the food is great. We stayed in Castle Hedingham for a few days and ate here 3 times. They have different speciality evenings: One night was fish and prawns on the outdoor barbecue, other nights were Turkish dishes and pizza. This is on top of their main menu which also had a lot of choice. The seafood pie was full of fish and king prawns. There is a link to their menu on their website which is changed daily, so no need to handle menus. They have 2 virus filtering units in the restaurant area and a couple of rooms with just one table in for those who wish to sit further away from others. This pub is full of lovely people who go out of their way to strangers. Thank you to Penny and her other half who gave us their table in the little side room. There are a couple of outdoor seating areas which are covered and seat about 40+. They also had an open mic night and a band on whilst we were there. We would most definitely go back.

Stopped here with a small group of ramblers one Sunday for lunch. Lovely beer and food especially the panninis and salad bowl. The old pub had a lovely atmosphere. One minor point. There were no hard copies of the menu but there were QR codes on the tables. Some in our party do not posses smart phone, some had phones but had to quickly learn some digital skill. I think this embarrassed some people who really just want a bit of paper to read. Easily solved

My family, Granny, Mum, Dad and three young children popped in for Sunday lunch on the off-chance not having made a booking, thinking that we might not be lucky. We found a charming Grade Listed pub with a little room plus open fire and settee area with children's games all to ourdelves while we waited to be served, which didn't take long. Grandma was particularly impressed with the care that the staff took over warning her about the different levels which she had to negotiate to get arouned the builing. The children's burgers seemed to please and, speaking for the adults, I was delighted with my steak and ale pie plus carrots and peas, with the best mash, spring onions and herbs I have tasted for a long time. Unlike mst pub food, it was served hot, not warm. Not a gastropub but real English and well worth a visit.

We are a group of walkers that visited the Bell Inn recently for our lunch after our walk. Entering the pub front the car park is reminiscent of Steptoes Yard. But you soon realise the variety of seats are for the enjoyment of customers. Inside is unusual by modern standards with corridors, small rooms, plenty of beams and all the trappings of a coach house. Interesting and inviting in a traditional way. The bar appear well stocked to cater for modern expectations and tastes, the traditional draft beer was straight from the barrel. The food menu was accessed from a QR code to your smart phone. Initially this could be a bit of a chore to access, but once assess was achieved you could understand why the menu was not displayed on a chalk board. There was an extensive choice of dishes where our group of 9 could only sample a few. All in all it was a very enjoyable visit, the service was good, the food was good, the beer was good. We all look forward to a return visit.

I cannot comment on the food, but, in terms of a pub, it would be hard to find a better one anywhere in the UK.The staff were helpful & friendly.The real ale (there were other offerings including cold craft beer) was outstanding and straight from the barrel (keg). There were several to choose from but i had what the barmaid suggested.The pub itself is full of olde worlde charm with several different rooms and snugs.Outside was attractive and there was even water specifically for dogs.Rated out of 100 I would have to give it 100.Thank you for a great afternoon yesterday

Me mrs and son went to meet our friends there, it’s lovely outdoor for people who’s smoke or vapers. The atmosphere was great there very friendly staff. Wish I tried the food as when it coming out for people who’s in the pub look amazing.The bell inn will seeing us back there for bit of grub and definitely going back to meet our friends and more drink at wonderful pub. Highly recommend this family friendly pub.

Well we had high expectations as this pub was recommended.. We had some friends come to visit all the way from cornwall and they wanted to eat the evening they came.. So we took them to the bell inn.. It was very busy so we had to get through a crowd of peeps to get to a table with seating only to find the table was so tiny their was no way we was going to fit 4 meals on it. My friend from cornwall explained this to a member of staff a female part timer we think !! Anyway after explaining this she just blatanly turned and looked and said well you cant eat then can you !! Absolutley full of attitude and sarcastic.. This played on my friends mind for the rest of the evening and upset her tremendously.. We found some seating upstairs and ordered our food .. We waited nearly 40mins for just 3 burgers !! and when they did turn up they was vaguely warm.. So we wont be coming back and we wont be recomending at all .. Such a shame very sad. :(

Lovely little place, fantastic atmosphere, the staff were impeccable! The beers were scrumptious! The little bit of Turkish was incredible! Cannot rate this place enough! Met some locals think their names were Sam, jack and pie, shows off the local kindness, very friendly! If you’re in the area it’s definitely worth a visit!!

my local for years, family run over many years, many small private areas to drink and dine or public bar to enjoy local company

Me and my husband loved our experience at Bell Inn. Staff is very friendly and helpful. Food is delicious and fresh. We would definitely recommend visit to Bell Inn in Castle Hedingham.

Went with another couple to have a couple of drinks and a bite to eat. Pity we couldn’t eat inside because of COVID. It is a wonderful old pub.We ate outside in our own room of what was like a terraced marquee. They have done a wonderful job at giving each room atmosphere, lovely lighting and lots of picture on the walls.The COVID requirements were very well implemented. A great deal of attention and thought had gone into it.Food was good solid pub food, can recommend the fish pie.

Very friendly atmosphere and bring the in door out doors, also have very friendly staff and all have a smile on there face's more pubs could, Do with doing the same.We was not asked to pay for the bill we offered to pay when we was ready that made us feel trusted.We was show to a table and it easy to get served all you do is put the flag in the bottle see photo 4

We were given a friendly and informative greeting which neither scared the crap out of us or felt bossy (both experiences we have had elsewhere recently). Then shown to a large table with room around us under the canvas of the marquee outside where we had a lovely relaxed evening, nice meal and great service.Staff wore visors and everyone was clearly pulling together as a team and customer focused - they deserve a big thumbs up for this as many places aren’t quite hitting that’s balance.The food was good all round. Our Ghost Ship was flat but I’m forgiving them completely because I didn’t feel it was going to come with a deadly virus.

Had an impromptu lunch in the pub’s outdoor area - staff were fab, very conscientious around COVID rules, and the food and drinks were great. Highly recommend!

The Bell is our favourite pub to visit for an evening meal. The food is awesome and very tasty. The bar staff are very friendly and the atmosphere is very pleasant. This is how a pub should be. Try it and you won’t be disappointed.

We've been local for about a year and this is by far the best in the area.The food is really good .The only negative is they don't do a Sunday roast.Looking forward to the summer months,as they do great fish and make there own pizzas

Stopped here for lunch. Good selection of beer and the food was really good. Had the pie and it was one of the best I have had. Will definitely be back again.

First time here yesterday and pleasantly pleased. An old shabby pub which adds to its charm quite a surprise as it's much larger than it looks from the outside. No set tables and no reservations and no Sunday roast 9which makes a change) the menu is adaquate and the range of meals include vegan and vegetarian. I had a steak and ale pie my wife a chicken and ham pie any daughter a lentil ( the veggie option) pie no long waiting periods served with nice fresh vegetables and a short wait well worth a try. However, the wine list is very limited.If you are visiting Castle Hedingham to visit the Norman Castle the go and have lunch at The Bell it's worth a visit.

Went to see the Bay Horse boys play. Great atmosphere and warm welcome. The food looked good too. Great for groups, families or couples. Beautiful old pup and friendly staff.

I recently visited The Bell with family for lazy supper. To our delight, in addition to the traditional pub menu, we were treated to BBQ’d fish. The food was fresh and tasty, with the fish perfectly cooked. This hidden gem is definitely worth a visit!

I’ve been going to this pub for almost 40 years. The building is nearly 700 years old with lots of exposed beams and has a wonderfully cosy atmosphere. The family room has a big table, two armchairs, and lots of games. It has a very friendly feel, with resident dogs, and kids are welcome (my own first visit was aged about 12). There’s also an outdoor eating area, for good weather, and plenty of high tables just outside the bar for those wishing to smoke. Food is excellent, from Murat’s freshly cooked Turkish pizzas, to the pies and tarts, and my children’s favourite, the cheesy chips. Also worth trying is the local wine, Tuffon Hall - especially the rosé. I’m not a beer drinker, but am told the ales are extremely fine.

We had midweek lunch at the Bell Inn after a walk in the surrounding area.Beer was well kept and straight from the barrel.Menu was varied with pub grub through to a good range of veggy meals. Several Turkish inspired dishes as well. Food was well presented and good quality.The pub is full of character with a number of side rooms and a garden area.Staff were friendly and helpful.All in all, a visit is recommended.

Lovely old building a little boho...was quite busy ..food was reasonably priced and very very good..would definitely go again

1st June 2019. Dinner for a family of 5. We had not booked, and it was pretty busy (a Saturday night) so we were lucky to get a table in this lovely old pub. You order at the bar. Food and drinks all very good - belies the "pubby" look and feel of the place; this is good. It was perfect for us - good food in a very relaxed environment. Would recommend highly.

The food was absolutely fantastic and we only had the lunch menu! The garlic bread was literally the best I've ever tasted and the burger was delicious. My son had the sausage baguette and I 'helped him finish that and the sausage was so flavourful. The ice cream was also amazing and actually tasted of something which is hard to find now days.

Went for a meal here after a lovely walk to Sible Hedingham .Good food and VERY reasonable prices. Would have loved to have tried the beers but driving. Hope the pub owners keep the interior as it is !

Some saying it’s quirky but not sure that’s true. Great selection of craft beers, great tasting food at good prices and very lovely service throughout. And we parked our camper up for the night in their car park for free. Oh, and live music. Exactly what a village pub should aspire to be.

The pub is a bit quirky with a few small rooms. We had a snack there and wished we hadn't.

Great food, but very musty inside. If you like an old fashioned pub then definitely worth a visit. Not my type of place. But still very good food

Ate here after a long walk around the castle and were very hungry. Food was delicious - proper pie and tasty minted peas. Very good service and good value for money.

Had a scrummy Christmas Eve lunch at our local. There is always a lively atmosphere because it’s a very popular pub. No wonder. The place is full of character and the food is sooo tasty.

Popped into this fantastically quaint pub and do you know what it restores your confidence in eating out. Food was immaculate Shepherds Pie, Fish pie and sublime sausage and mash - 3 too, all tasted suburb and clearly provided by a team who care.

If you want a modern Pub with fruit machine's etc, don't come here, however if you want great food, great beers and wines good conversation and the oldest swinger in town, 96 years young, fantastic Lady. Back to the food, my wife and I, had the cottage pie served with green beans, carrots and cabbage, it so tasty, I'm looking forward to returning this Sunday. Give this wonderful old Pub a go, the atmosphere and staff are brilliant.

We turned up randomly at lunchtime with baby and 3 year old - staying locally - warm welcome - very good beer and menu

We’ve been here a few times now. It’s a proper pub with good pub food without being a gastropub. The vegetarian options are lovely - nice to have some proper pies etc for once. Great chips and my husbands meat/fish dishes have always been well reviewed. Very dog friendly in all rooms of the pub. Oh and good beer selection. Local wine isn’t bad either. Perfect pub for autumn and winter.

A busy Wednesday evening but still plenty of tables available. We chose off the Turkish Specials menu for something different. A very pleasant meal with good beer.

Had a lovely lunch at the Bell Inn. The burger was delicious. The chef clearly knows how to grill!

Really nice food moderately priced and well presented. Friendly staff and fast service. Nice olde worlde feel inside. Visit with confidence

Eating out on a Monday evening can be tricky, so I phoned The Bell to check that they were serving food. The answerphone was on, but the call was picked up while the message was playing. A very cheerful voice assured me that yes, there was food and they were serving mediterranean barbecued fish. We were staying in a hotel in Great Yeldham nearby where the food and service was disappointing so we headed off down the road the short distance to The Bell Inn. Face to face service was as great as over the phone - the staff we encountered certainly take a pride in customer service & enjoy their jobs. The atmosphere was welcoming, the drinks well priced and the fish BBQ outstanding. The chef is to be congratulated on the quality and presentation of his great tasting food. The king prawn starters off the BBQ were delicious as were our red mullet and sea bass. The bread was fantastic too, We would certainly have no hesitation in recommending the Bell and will be back when next in this area.

these guys, this fish barbecue thing - the best ever - we travel all over the uk for work and will engineer any excuse to get back to the Bell. Wonderful, awesome food xxx (and a glorious pub, great people and superb music nights)

Friendly staff, great range of beers and Aspal cider. Really good, homemade soup for lunch which was very tasty. Will be back.

We visited on a Saturday night and while it was quiet when we arrived they were struggling for space by the end and it was easy to see why.

No problem accomodating ten elderly Blokes and delivering a super dinner. Food very good and very reasonably priced. Super range of beers which went down well after a visit to the castle close by. Friendly and helpful staff dealt with us quickly and patiently.

Popped in for a meeting so sadly did not get to eat . Real charm about this classic village high street pub, with low beams . I'm must come back to try the food

My son botched up his 23rd birthday on Day 2 of the new year and so fancied something that didn’t make involve Turkey, stuffing or sprouts.

Great pub food which is enhanced by the addition of Turkish specials. Wonderful atmosphere, beautiful old timber framed building. Set in a very picturesque and historic village. Very cosy on a cold winters night. There is periodic music, beer festivals and unique local events. There are not many pubs like this, if you go once you will want to go back.

Visited the BelI Inn when we visited the castle. It's right on the doorstep so very easy to do both. The food was great, home cooked and really tasty. Unusual pub in that it was set out in lots of small rooms and if you love dogs or have dogs you'll like ti too. It seemed nearly everyone there owned a dog - they are most welcome too! Well worth a visit! Shame we don't live nearer!

We called in to refuel with food and drink after a morning's walk. The reception was friendly and the door was unlocked a little earlier that time. There was a small choice of real ales which suited our preferences and we both chose from the lunchtime snacks menu. It is clear that the Turkish chef has influenced the menu and I found the panini containing the spicy Turkish garlic salami with jalapeno pepper & cheese particularly interesting and tasty. Service was excellent and the food tasty and hot.

Second visit for us although our friends use it as it as they live in Sible Hedingham next village.

Everything about this place is perfect, from the rambling old building with its creaky floors to being steeped in political...

Always a warm welcome. A trendy, quirky pub with loads of atmosphere. Child and dog friendly. Great home cooked food...

Almorzamos en el Bell Inn antes de visitar el Castillo de Hedingham. Tenían una silla de madera para mi bebé de usar y estuvimos encantados de alimentar a su comida traído de casa. Realmente disfrutamos de nuestra comida, que estaba recién hecho en el sitio...

What a delightful surprise! Great vegetarian food: chilli burgers, served with delicious 'scooped-out' chips; falafel and spinach burgers; and a...

Las bebidas de la noche organizada por muy atento y amable personal el sábado por la noche con música genial por el duo. . . Noche.. Luego la tarde del domingo. . . Opciones de comida vegetariana. . . Muy sabrosa y apreciada..

Had a brilliant meal had a great laugh with our waitress great atmosphere going again3rd June cant wait ,got to have that pie and to see our lovely waitress again all the best Ray and the mob from Clacton Sible Hedingham and Billericay

Popped into the pub for a coffee whilst doing the village sale trail. Bar staff unhelpful, only had enough coffee in jar for one cup and there were two of us so one of us had to have tea instead. Cup sizes were tiny and the drinks were over £2.00 each.

Lovely little village pub, very quaint with a well stocked bar. Me and my boyfriend both had pies, he had steak and ale and I had the chicken and ham hock and they were delicious and very reasonably priced. Staff friendly too.

Six of us did a walk of the village and ended up at The Bell Inn. Just missed the dancers in the square who were drinking at the pub. Lots of guest beers in kegs and a good choice of food including a Turkish meal cooked in a traditional oven outside. The pub is a set back in time with loads of beams and wonky walls and rooms on different levels. We had either Chicken and Hock Pie or Steak and Ale Pie and one had The BBQ ribs and another had the Shepherds Pie all a good choice at £11.00. For sweets we had The Cheese Cake or the Sticky Toffee Pudding. All was lovely and everyone commented on how much they enjoyed the food. Will be revisiting the pub again in July.

Good home cooked food, had a Turkish speciality which was tasty and freshly made. The pub serves real ale and I had no complaints about it. The pub is an old style pub with wooden floors and beams which give it a good atmosphere.

We visited the Bell Inn on Friday evening for supper. We found a good range of choices and settled for a shepherds pie and Turkish chicken stew respectively. The food was delicious, arrived hot and portion size was ample. All the staff were very accommodating and made us feel really welcome (we are not locals). The venue is very quirky and charming. After dinner, a live band arrived and whilst the music was not particularly 'up our street' we haven't had as much fun in a long time; dancing with the locals and letting our hair down. It was a real unexpected treat and we wouldn't hesitate to return when we are next in the area. We would like to say a massive thank you to the landlady who was such a star and drove us back to our accommodation at the end of the night (we didn't account for countryside cab services not working London hours and didn't pre book!). Thank you Bell Inn.

We live in the local area and have been here a few times at different times throughout the week. This was a mid week visit for food and drink. The pub is welcoming with a good atmosphere, drink is good and food isn't bad with good portion sizes!

After a lovely walk we arrived to find a fire and and warm welcome for us all including our dog. After our grandson managed to spill his drink all over himself the landlady even dried his clothes in the tumble drier while we had our lunch. Great ploughmans thank you we will definitely be making a return visit.

This pub has it all, great location, great atmosphere, live music, food, beer festival etc etc, however it's not perfect.The issue is the beer, not sure about the larger, but the ale is absolutely awfull, no real range badly kept and served when it's past its best. The locals will all say it's a great night out, but drink only bottled beer.It's a real shame as everything else is pretty much perfect !

What a fab building this is. Local pub at its raw best No frills, none needed. Lovely chatty staff and good honest food at good honest prices.

Really lovely super English pub. In a quaint village with fantastic friendly owners. The patrons were also very friendly and the park scratchings were out of this world. When we were the the guest ale, Wibblers, was superb. Well worth a visit and we will certainly be back. The summer fish bbqs look a must

Delicious Turkish dishes on the menu, including pizza to die for in the summer, beer straight from the barrel and a friendly atmosphere, what else could you ask for? Best pub ever!

Whilst away for the new year popped in to the local pub for a quick pint or 2 . Staff so friendly and helpful we have even booked a table to come back tomorrow . Was told that we could stay however had a large party. We where made so welcome and if we wanted to stay for the party we could. Looking forward to tomorrow !

Even 'though this is a typical pub serving typical pub, one does feel welcome there. The atmosphere is just as you'd expect it in your local (pub). Friendly staff, friendly customers.The food was well prepared and well presented. Dragon Fire Chicken was excellent, as was Piri-Piri Chicken.To top it all there was live music by a one-man-band who impressed all. I hope to see and hear this guy again.

Very disappointed in food quality this time,homemade burgers lovely but the chips were asmaller portion than Normal,the cheesey chips with jalapeños,etc were barely warm,very hard and some burnt from being put under a grill,pub itself is busy on fridays as there are live bands on.

So very happy I 'discovered' this pub/restaurant! Absolutely lovely place to drink or eat. Beautiful food and fantastic beer. The decor is dated but fascinating and welcoming, actually perfect way to describe the staff as well. I jest the staff are not at all dated but are very welcoming. I would recommend this establishment to anybody who enjoys good food, a warm atmosphere and a place to relax!

An authentic rural pub with wooden floorboards, scrubbed pine tables, beams and an open fire.Ale was served directly from the cask and the pub dogs were wandering around.Good quality food, and sensible pricing made this an enjoyable visit.

...... Although we did wait for an hour before it arrived. Once we got it though it was well worth the wait. Hot and very tasty.If we had any criticism at all about the dinner it would be that the plates were flooded with gravy, which is great if you like a lot but if you don't then I would imagine it could spoil it. Maybe a jug on the table would of been better so you could help yourself. But having said that the pub and food are great and very dog friendly, will definitely go back.

A great, ancient pub with some real character. Several different rooms with tables and chairs. Very good selection of food and the food is excellent. Staff were very friendly. There is also parking.

This is a really quaint traditional pub, serving beer direct from the barrel, as well as lagers, Guinness and the latest addition, keg Craft beers. The atmosphere is terrific, with live music on Friday evenings and occasional Saturday. Food is extremely pleasant, particularly the nights serving the Traditional Turkish pizzas, cooked in the Pizza oven in the car park.

Very much a village feeling. Nice pub atmosphere and good selection of local beers. Located right in center of town. Local hangout so reasonably priced.

Quaint old pub with lots of character. The bar menu was not extensive or overly inspiring but the food was pleasant and did just the job. If I recall there was one item on the specials board. Have only been once for a bank holiday lunch; however, this is probably not the kind of place where you might want to go for a special / formal occasion. Then again, I don't think the Bull pretends to be upmarket and is content to be a traditional style pub offering a bite to eat. Would happily go back for a spot of lunch if I was passing.

Another biased customer, having moved to Sible Hedingham with no decent pub, this is our local. Food lovely, pizza's to die for & hubby happy man with choice of beers.

Great pub. Great beer, good food and really chilled out friendly staff. Even has a very good natured local (you know who you are Pie) who appears to permanently live by the bar. Just a great all round pub.

It also has regular live music . Dogs are welcome An old style village pub Long may prosper. Their beer festivals are awesome. Overlooked by Castle Hedingham Norman castle

Went to the Bell for sunday lunch with family, very good food, service very nice, good selection of beer, would go there again

What a stunning traditional pub with a cracking atmosphere and warm feelingThe ale was crisp the service was Bob on and well the food yum We will be coming back again for the music night

Lovely village pub - serving a vast selection of lagers, ales, and ciders. Tad on the expensive side but that's to be expected in this area. Good food, at a reasonable price. More of a place to drink than eat.

Staying locally and decided to eat here on Saturday evening. Food was very good. The service was warm and welcoming. This pub is extremely friendly and has a lovely atmosphere, there were only 3 couples in the bar area and at one point we were all talking together. Will defiantly be back when next In the area.

Fabulous meal for 7 of us..2 courses plus a drink was £100...turkish pizzas were amazing..homemade fishcakes were delicious and the olives are a must..Unfortunately there was a power cut..so we ate by torch light and the card machine didn't work but the staff were so accommodating and we went back the next day to settle up..very children and dog friendly..worth a visit particularly if you are visiting the castle..and the rose wine from castle hedlingham is worth a try..

I was on a 130 mile bike ride today and dropped in at this slightly shabby but still rather grand looking pub in Castle Hedingham. I ordered the Ploughmans Lunch which came with warm french bread, Brie and Mature Cheddar, a mild chilli pickled onion (I think) a good quality green salad and the surprise side of a warm potato salad with horseradish mayonnaise. Also the relish/pickle went extremely well with both cheeses. I had a great ploughmans lunch last week while on a 100 mile ride (it's my lunch of choice when cycling) and this was even better. So good I had to mention it on here. Pleasant staff and the locals were very nice too.

We were on holiday in the area and as a large party of 10 ensured we rang round and booked a table somewhere that could accommodate us. On arrival when we said we'd booked a table to a lady carrying a chair so possibly staff?! She just pointed at the room where our table was. A bizarre greeting when we were about to pay for 10 drinks and meals!!Anyway we settled into the lovely room with an open fire which meant we could hear the music from the open mic night in the adjacent room - lovely atmosphere and despite the greeting we thought we were in for a lovely night - we had a read of the good food/pubs guides in which the pub is listed. However the food was delivered one plate at a time and although it was beautiful food and everyone really enjoyed it when there is 20minutes between the first and last plates being delivered its not quite what going out for a meal should be like! We took the trouble to ring and see if we could have a table and if places can't accommodate large parties and be able to serve them all at once then they should say so!

Looking for somewhere for lunch it was suggested we drove out to this pub and we were not disappointed. The pub was busy but sat in one of the small rooms at the back. Welcoming pub and definitely dog friendly. We had burgers, fish cakes and the ploughman's. All were very well presented and delicious. The chips were good. Good selection of beers. Will return and certainly recommend.