The Bell Inn in Babergh

Just had a great Sunday lunch here. Thank you to everyone. We hope to be back soon.

Lovely food, from the Sunday menu , nice atmosphere and helpful staff. Would definitely like to try their regular menu .

Had reserved a table in the bar. Arrived and no table in the bar, (blamed on staff member who had left) We were given table in the restaurant. The menu was perused and I found it lacking in gluten free options. Usually most of the mains there had been GF. Had previously enjoyed battered fish and chips there. Delicious. Ordered 1 starter and 3 mains.(There were 3 of us) Mains arrived, questioned where was the starter. Was told she would go and get it. Meanwhile main course was cooling. Told her not to bother. Was offered the starter for free but no point as main course would have cooled. We can't fault the food, was very good except for a very salty peppercorn sauce. We left feeling very sad, especially as our guest had been told what a great place it was to eat in. Unfortunately Kersey Bell has to be removed from our list of favourite placed to eat.

I've been to the Bell under previous management and it was superb, catered for my gluten intolerant Mum brilliantly, staff wonderful & food exceptional. So I had no hesitation on returning....what a mistake that was. We booked a table in the bar in advance. 1. No table in bar, blamed previous employee, no effort made to resolve. 2. Ordered 2 pints of Nethergate but barman began pulling the wrong beer & had to be educated by us. 3. Sparse selection of GF on menu, when previously there had been so much. In particular the beer battered fish is no longer gf 4. Ordered 1 starter & 3 mains (inc 2 x sirloin steaks). Mains arrived with no sign of starter & told the steak was rib eye not sirloin. 5. I was still offered the starter & when I wanted it removed was told I could have it for no charge but who wants the starter after their main (ridiculous). 6. We left at this point with no goodwill gesture offered 7. Just to add insult to injury, my 78yr old Mum used the loo on the way out to find no toilet paper. I'm not in the habit of leaving bad reviews but as the Bell have DELETED my Mums post on their Facebook page, I felt this was important for others to know. If you are GF, Veg or Vegan I would avoid like the plague & if not be wary. We hope they sort it out but notice several other recent reviews mirror our experience, so this wasn't just an 'off day'.

A nice warm pub, but a very long wait after being seated to give our orders for lunch and an hours wait before being served, ( we were a party of four). The four main courses , we had chosen different items from the menu were disappointing and overcooked, perhaps being kept warm for too long.

As always a great place for a meal

went yesterday for a birthday lunch, fish and chips completely overcooked dark brown, waited for someone to come back so I could send it . nobody came. I complained at time of paying and was told there's the chef, tell him yourself, to which the chef replied thanks very much, your welcome! sad, I had become a regular but not sure if I will ever go back now especially as the service was so poor and the lady serving made it very obvious she was too busy to be there.

Very good pub, great atmosphere.

A very nice old inn with bags of history in a lovely village. The food was fantastic as was the friendly helpful staff. Definitely worth a vist if in the area, I would book a table to make sure you don't miss out.

excellent choice of food, in beautiful old pub, friendly staff, surrounded by a lovely old village, very picturesque.

Went last night with a gluten intolerant friend. Advised staff, starter arrives with normal bread. Told couldn't eat any of it as board contaminated. 5 mins later told chef couldn't guarantee main gf as cooked in same pan as non gf food! even though marked gf on menu. Manager so not interested or apologetic. Walked outNever go there again and if you are gf I advise you not to.

Good beer and lovely service and atmosphere

We have visited this lovely old pub many times over the last few years. The latest change in management have improved the food and they look after their beers very well. Sunday lunch is really fabulous - great food, and plenty of it. We're local now so look forward to visiting more frequently. The only gripe would be that the price of wine is not for the faint-hearted.

Seriously good food! Two visits, both exceptional.

Came for New Years Eve with my husband and my children. What a stunning pub hidden away, just beautiful! Lovely friendly staff and the food was 5 star. Will definitely come back

Went in for a Sunday lunch .Great atmosphere great staff excellent food the roast beef was amazing .Will in the kitchen 10/10 .Will definitely be back thanks to everyone Carol sends her thanks to you all for making it a wonderful meal .

Excellent pub with good food and great staff

We visited this pub last Saturday lunchtime. The welcome by the team was lovely. We had the sunken dining room 4 which was like having our own private dining area for the 6 of us! Staff very attentive and knowledgeable on the menu and couldn't have done more to make our lunch so enjoyable. Food was delicious and wine paring suggested by our waitress was spot on. We visited this pub as had seen it recently on The Magpie Murders on TV. It didn't disappoint. Full of charm and character. We will definitely be going back in the summer so we can explore the village and enjoy more food! Thank you The Bell Inn we had a lovely afternoon.

We've eaten at The Bell twice over the last few weeks and each time it's been superb. On our first visit for a mid week lunch we were really pleased, and surprised, to see gluten free fish and chips on the menu. My husband has to avoid gluten so this was a real treat for him. And I have to say that it was the best GF fish and chips that we've had! Really light and crispy batter, with delicious fish! The GF sticky toffee pudding was also a winner! We then visited for Sunday lunch as it was recommended by a neighbour. We went with friends and we all had an absolutely superb lunch. Lot's of delicious meat and very tasty home cooked veg with crispy roast potatoes! The spiced red cabbage was really delicious. The service was excellent, very friendly and efficient! After we had eaten we went through to the bar and relaxed in the lovely comfy seats, and we all said the same thing!! It was the best Sunday lunch that we've eaten in a pub/restaurant for many, many years and we'll definitely be back! What a treat having such a lovely place so close to home!

Lovely place, great food and very good friendly service.

Great food, great beer, great wine and great service, all set in a beautiful pub full of character. What more can we ask for?

What a find! We wanted lunch somewhere convenient before going to Hadleigh. Characterful, ambience, friendly service and a delicious reasonably priced meal. We both had beef cheek cooked to perfection and two different beautifully presented deserts. We will come again next time we are in this part of the country.

Dropped in back in august for drinks. Thank you for charging my I phone much appreciated.

Wonderful lunch, happy cheerful staff. Thank you so much.

Delightful lunch experience. We went here unplanned - when we found ourselves in Kersay at lunchtime. The atmosphere was lovely, the service excellent, the food sophisticated and ample, and the price was reasonable. Highly recommended.

We had the private dining room for a late Sunday lunch and it was fabulous. The staff are so relaxed and friendly and Dean was such a great host. The food is superb and so tasty. After lunch we moved through to relax on the Parker-knolls for more banter and drinks. Had such a lovely time we returned two days later and have booked the private dining room again in December for their Christmas menu.

Great food, lovely staff and a welcoming, homely atmosphere. We ate there with friends and had the Sunday lunch. Everybody in the group said their meals were delicious. Prices were what you would expect. The staff were very attentive and made you feel welcome as soon as you walk in. We also ate there on a Friday night and it was just as good. Liver and bacon was a winner 🥇

We visited the Bell for Sunday lunch. It's a lovely old pub situated in the beautiful village of Kersey. The staff are very friendly. We all had a Sunday roast which was fabulous, best I've had in ages. My partner had the vegan nut roast and said it's the best he's had! We will definitely return 😊😋

We are so glad we found this pub. The staff went out of their way to accommodate my husband and I with our dog on a busy Sunday. We enjoyed a delicious roast beef dinner, that was so fresh and tasty that we only had room to share a pudding. This wasn't an issue at all. Our apple and autumn berry crumble was brought out with two spoons and again this did not disappoint! It was homemade, served hot and tasted amazing! Thank you to all the staff that cooked our meal and made us so welcome. We would not hesitate to return when we are next in the area and would recommend it to others.

Warm and pleasant welcome, we sat in the restaurant, service was great food was on another level. Best chateaubriand we have ever had. Would highly recommend.

Very welcoming and friendly atmosphere. It was our first time here. Staff very attentive. Food nice and hot, not too big portions, which is better in my opinion. Fairly basic pub food, but good. Would definitely return.

Had a lovely meal at this pub. The pie of the week was Steak and Ale which was delicious! Staff were lovely and very attentive, would highly recommend!

We had a wonderful dinner at The Bell last night with friends, our first time there. What a beautiful old building, full of character. The staff were absolutely lovely with a sense of humour. Thank you to Lila and Sasha who looked after us. Delicious food arrived quickly; steak & ale pie, fish & chips and tender chicken. We were too full for dessert and pushed for time, so instead had coffees, and these arrived with wonderful homemade shortbread biscuits on the side. Fantastic. Thank you to all at The Bell. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience and can't wait to return.

We had a wonderful dinner at The Bell last night with friends, our first visit there. What a beautiful old building, full of character. We were welcomed by the friendly manager who served us drinks. The staff were absolutely lovely with a sense of humour. Thank you to Lila and Sasha who looked after us. Delicious food arrived quickly; steak & ale pie, fish & chips and tender chicken. We were too full for dessert and pushed for time, so instead had coffees, and these arrived with wonderful homemade shortbread biscuits on the side. Fantastic. Thank you to all at The Bell. We really enjoyed our experience and can't wait to return.

The best pie I have ever had in my life!

Brilliant little proper Suffolk pub, serving great food in one of the most picturesque villages. Not cheap but well worth it for non-pretentious, fantastic tasting food. Calves liver and bacon was amazing. A hidden gem.

Ordered a beer, when served flat and sour, asked politely for a replacement, would of thought I'd walked in with shoes covered in dog mess. They did check and the beer was from the end of they barrel, this was changed, however offed a replacement without even pulling through what was in the pipe, stuck with one of the alternatives on offer.

We came here by chance on a day out exploring the Suffolk countryside. Nice warm welcome by a very friendly man behind the bar (perhaps the owner) and we’re happy with a good range of drinks to choose from. The venue is very quaint with lots of character in a gorgeous village. The place was clean and warm inside. We had lunch which was absolutely delicious and quite possibly the nicest soup starter I’ve ever had! We will definitely be returning.

Great atmosphere, amazing bar and waiting staff and all three of the chefs are so on it - we've eaten at various times and days and everything has been excellent. Great fish dishes perfectly cooked, excellent roasts and all the pub classics including the home made pie, steak and fish and chips have been superbly executed. Everyone makes you feel welcome 🙏 it really is an important part of the village.

4 of us had Sunday lunch here and it's was a fabulous roast, plenty of beef cooked perfectly and lovely veg. My daughter and I went back today and food great again. Service has been brilliant on both occasions. Would definitely recommend.

Disappointing organisation and poor service Super old pub but needs to do much better than this!! Food was okay but certainly not startling. Booking dinner for 9 family members should be welcomed by any restaurant but I was left to chase up preorder details and deposit payment details. Original contact unable to deal with this. Order emailed through by me but had to seek confirmation and manager apologised for the difficulty and promised "a good dining experience on the night" Our family group was seated in a side room which nice but rather cramped. Dining chairs needed the crumbs brushing off before you sat down! Dinner at 6pm meant restaurant was not busy on arrival but the staff still seemed rushed Mains served but not as ordered and one meal was missing which was disappointing for us and seemingly "inconvenient" for them albeit their mistake. There was no follow up on whether any further drinks were required at table and a very long wait for the main course to be cleared. One waitress tried her best the other was brusque (rude) literally flinging cutlery to the far side of the table reaching across people without apology. I fear that my dining experience more greasy spoon than the quality restaurant you might expect!

The beef roast was 10/10! Could not fault the food at all. Great portion sizes. The staff were very friendly welcoming and attentive. We’ve been here three times now and would certainly come back a fourth.

The food was very good as was the beer. The pub is a very nice setting and well worth a visit. EDIT..19th August 2024. The atmosphere remains the same as it can't be improved. The staff, drinks and food are excellent. This pub/restaurant really is worth a visit.

Lovely setting, good food, friendly staff

Lovely pub come restaurant with parking and lots of outdoor seating. A selection of beers and very friendly, welcoming staff. Did not eat but food looked and smells amazing 😋 and so dose the menu 😋. When I said about returning was advised to book. Beautiful old pub with original features (the bar) the history of some of the village can be found at the church. A nice walk around before lunch or dinner to take in the atmosphere that surrounded the area. Looking forward to returning but to stay near by. Beautiful 😍

A excellent pub did not eat hear as only just discovered this near to wear we live will return for a meal soon

Possibly the best pub and eatery I have visited in a long time. Very friendly, lovely atmosphere, excellent food. We will go back there again for sure.

We have been here many times in the last few months and we have seen it go from strength to strength. The menu is simple but delicious. The service is great. Always friendly and happy even when they are obviously busy. Tonight was no exception, lovely waitress too. Very professional even under pressure.

We dropped in for lunch having never been to Kersey before. The pub is a beautiful building with plenty of history and we were made very welcome. The food was excellent, my husband and I had the steak and our son had the burger then the banoffee pie. All Fresh ingredients and very tasty. We even took a couple of the scones away with us. We will definitely come back again next time we are in the area. Thank you!

First visited for drinks. Very olde worlde pub 13th century. Loves the beams and the flooring!

Missing a trick! Popped in for a light lunch whilst out for an all day cycle ride. Asked for the menu and the evening menu was all that was available! Asked for the light bites option (as advertised out front) and was pointed towards the starters! We just wanted a baked potato, a filled baguette, a small pasta, a sausage roll, maybe an all day breakfast or a slice of cake but nothing appropriate on the menu at all. Ended up with a bag of crisps and moved on. Lovely old pub and I'm sure it's perfect for an evening meal but definitely does not cater for the passing daytime trade.

Wish I'd spotted the signage on arrival advertising cream teas located at the front entrance (we entered the lovely old pub via the rear car park). The lunch menu was rather fancy and we were not offered a bar meal or alternative having politely made clear that were looking for something altogether more simple. We cycled back to Ipswich on a bag of (very nice) crisps.

A very pleasant experience. Lovely building. Will certainly make it the place to stop for refreshments when next in Kersey.

Very good drop in experience today. Beer selection was okay. Hot food service was quick, tasty and good value. Table service prompt and friendly. WiFi connection was almost non existent and no cellular signal. May be a good thing I suppose but we wanted to research the area.

Wonderful lunch in the most picturesque setting imaginable. Kersey surely must be one of, if not the quaintest village in England, and the pub is a credit to its unique surrounding. The staff have been incredibly friendly and attentive during all our recent visits, and the food is of excellent quality - generous portions and reasonably priced. Well done to the current management team and staff as they're doing The Bell - which is, of course, so vital to the village - proud.

Only had coffee there, lovely pub, good service. Built in 1379 very well kept & atmosphere.

Kersey Bell beer fest was excellent. Good organisation and excellent service. Care was taken over vegan burger option.

A group of 7 of us went to the Bell beer festival. Great selection of real ales and Ciders. Great burgers served outside. Very friendly, happy helpful staff. Very good live music. Highly recommended.

What a gem….good selection of real beers, friendly locals and staff. Great place to make for away from the crowds of the coast on a summer day. Idyllic village, quiet and unspoilt.

Great food. The fish and chips portion was huge. Staff were lovely and the locals were very welcoming and chatty too. Lovely place to stop for lunch or a drink.

Absolutely lovely lunch on a nice sunny afternoon

Great atypical English pub Live music and happy hour make this venue an experience like you're in the 1900s I recommend

Excellent lunch. Sally Ann friendly and attentive. Beautiful old inn.

Found by chance on holiday while exploring the pretty village of Kersey but what a find! Imaginative menu, really good value, friendly staff. Great to see such a successful destination village pub in a tiny out of the way place. Just wish we lived close enough to become regulars.

Nice old pub, good food, pleasant staff, however 3 very elderly regulars who clearly did not appreciate their Thursday lunchtime routine interrupted. Had the nerve to interrupt a private group of people to say “you should have booked the girls are rushed off their feet” Firstly it’s a public house, secondly no need to book as per website and thirdly the staff are getting paid they are not working for free which is exactly what I said to this once a week customer. Snobbery at its finest, can’t tolerate it.

Food was amazing. Staff was attentive. History is unmatched.

Lovely food, lovely friendly staff.

Bit cramped for the band bur very easant evening

Lovely authentic village pub, and the food and service were both excellent. Thoroughly recommend 😊

Great Sunday roast, great service all round, thank you

Booked Saturday lunch as near to where we were staying,service, food and atmosphere all perfect. Everyone serving had a smile and clearly enjoyed what they were doing. Will revisit

Brilliant food, brilliant service in a wonderful old pub. Had the chicken, bacon and leek pie and a pint. Wonderful!

Fantastic service, food amazing especially Sunday and. Very polite and professional serving staff. Highly recommend

A lovely visit from four experienced hospitality managers. Had steak and fish mains and haggis and fish starters. Guinness was lovely, service was very friendly without being intrusive. Thoroughly enjoyed evening. Classic example of a true Suffolk pub. Excellent. Would definitely recommend.

Great meal with family Well cooked hearty food Attentive staff Would recommend only snag toilet had not been checked for a while

Absolutely great food and very reasonable prices, nice atmosphere. We will definitely being going back

We had a delicious lunch in the private dining area (there were 9 guests) We pre-ordered the food and the service from reservation to the end of our time at the Bell was friendly and attentive. The menu had a variety of dishes to suit everyone - a favourite was the 'proper' pie (not just a pastry lid) encased in pastry! Delicious. Thank you to the whole team at the Bell.We would highly recommend .

Went for Sunday lunch and we’re not disappointed - delicious (we all had different) - great friendly staff - lovely atmosphere - will definitely return!

Great pub, super staff, wonderful menu, and they keep a good pint. What's not to like?

More expensive than a regular pub however the food is amazing.

Lovely pub with old world looks set in a picturesque village. Good food and very nice staff. Well worth a visit.

Great food and good value for money. Staff very caring and friendly. Would definitely recommend and return when next in Kersey.

Food was fantastic. Very very friendly staff would recommend the pub to anyone

The Bell has a warm welcoming atmosphere and is dog friendly. The curry was delicious and could only have been improved by some naan bread to mop up the tasty sauce. I will look forward to my next visit.

A lovely traditional village pub set in the most beautiful picturesque village of Kersey. Once again this was just a quick visit for refreshments but will most definately revisit in the near future. The staff were friendly and the beer was good. Shame we were limited for time as I could easily while away a couple of hours in this place.

Always a good sign when someone’s bothered to light the fire inthe bar,shows they care, which they clearly do. Great atmosphere, good choice of beers, lovely food anf cheerful helpful staff

Lovely old Inn, warm and very welcoming. The young ladies who served us, were very friendly and amusing, the service was great and the food excellent as were the portions. This Inn well deserves it's place as 1 of Suffolk's best five! Highly recommended. Oh BTW not expensive too.

Unwelcoming & rude. Asked if they had a table for 2 .. woman just replied "we don't serve walk-ins" - nothing outside stated you have to book ! This pub was certainly not friendly ! You buy a drink & change is just slapped down in your hand & you were made to feel like an inconvenience to them to just want a drink ! Would definitely NOT recommend

Fantastic food, a bit pricey but worth it for what you got, great atmosphere with an open fire, polite friendly staff, plenty of parking in the car park, what more could you want.

Good beer and a chef who obviously knows what they're doing. I had the lamb and mushroom pie which was really delicious. I mean, it's a pub pie but the depth of flavour was superb. My Father had the fish and chips, and it was simply too much for him to finish. Also delicious with a huge, crispy, fresh piece of cod. It's been a while since I was last here, and I gather they are under new management, but boy are they doing something right. My only tiny issue - both tables in the room were complaining it was a little chilly (and it's only November so I wonder what it'll be like later on in the winter...)

Fantastic lunch! Crab linguini excellent & the home made lamb & mushroom pie was exceptional. Highly recommend.

Great old English pub & restaurant in a beautiful village with a ford ( river crossing/ water splash ). Big outside area at the back for tge summer months....adequate parking at rear also. Service was fantastic & recommended if in the area...

Wonderful service by the lovely James, very professional and friendly. When his shift ended it went downhill rapidly, barmaid swearing behind the bar and moaning about the owners and how other staff were unprofessional (don't think she saw the irony). Then she overcharged us.... not the first time we've been short changed there either

What a pity our very pleasant lunchtime meal was tainted by being charged £4 for 2 extra slices of bread to finish of the excellent fish stew. It really wasn’t necessary. Otherwise a pleasing experience, good service as above excellent fish stew good crab pasta, average fish and chips Come on owners, don’t succumb to monetising everything

We had a really lovely Sunday lunch with you on the 22nd Oct. The food was delicious and well presented, the waitress was charming and fun. We will return for Sunday roasts, and hopefully also find another date to come as a family.

When I booked for five of us for a Sunday roast, I expressly asked if you did a vegetarian Sunday roast and three of our party do not eat meat and I was told that you did. This turned out not to be the case at all. The only vegetarian option was tomato linguine and we didn't want this as we can make this easily and quickly at home any time. Instead, we were offered a plate of more of the standard roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and vegetables, which were all nice enough, but there should have been a nut roast, a vegan pastry pie or wellington or something to go with the vegetables! The vegetables and gravy were all nice enough and well cooked, but to charge us £20 each for a plate of vegetables - the same and the meat roasts, is OUTRAGEOUS. The waiting staff were friendly and helpful but overall, this was a massive disappointment and I think we deserve a complementary meal when you update your menu to make it more welcoming for vegetarian and vegan diners.

A very enjoyable meal in this beautiful and historic pub, under new management. Excellent fish and chips, and a superb iberico pork chop with fried duck egg and pineapple salsa. Would have loved to try a pud, but just couldn't find room. All the other dishes we saw coming out to diners looked spot on too. We would definitely return when next in the area.

Fabulous food, excellent service. Really loved this place.

We only had starters - fish stew and crayfish fritters with a side order of fries - but both were delicious and in fact my husband said it was the best fish stew that he'd had in a very long time. And the coriander mayonnaise served with the fritters was delicious! Staff were friendly and welcoming and although it was a little more expensive than some pubs for a starter, the starters were interesting and delicious, so well worth the money. Well worth a return visit when we're next in the area.

Wow Friendly, personal service. Sasha, the "manageress", James and the team looked after us amazingly well, made us feel like one the family. We stayed in the village for the weekend and visited this beautiful pub on several occasions, always made to feel welcome. A definite recommendation. Sunday lunch first class. But..... book early in the week.