The Bookshop in Herefordshire, County of

My wife and I took our small dog in to this lovely restaurant for brunch today. The staff that greeted and served us were Erin and Ollie. I ordered the Aubrey fry and my wife chose poached eggs with avocado on sourdough. The service was excellent and the food and beverages were delicious and arrived promptly. The vibe in this well run restaurant is extremely relaxing and friendly. The Christmas tree looks charming near the door. So much care has been taken to ensure the restaurant looks festive.

Have been previously before and had a great experience, it’s a lovely little restaurant with stunning interior and the lighting is lovely. I was a little disappointed in the service sadly, this is by no means meant to be a negative review more constructive. We were seated at a table, about 10 mins go by and the drinks order was taken. It then took. Nearly 20mins for one drink to arrive, it wasn’t particularly busy so was a little confused at why it took so long, we then received our food which was presented beautifully, the beans were flavourless though and the food was a little cold. If the server had done a check back I’m sure this could’ve been resolved but there was no check back. We waited for ages with empty plates in front of us and again plenty of staff but no acknowledgement? We ended up getting up and had to pay at the desk as we had a place to be and waiting around just isn’t fun. Please take more acknowledgment of your customers. Will still return as not completely put off, the place is lovely!

Lovely restaurant not far from the City centre and the Cathdral. It has a great old-world atmosphere but with a modren feel. It focusses on top quality Hereford steaks ... and it does them well. We started with hummus and a wild boar pate ... both excellent, For mains, we chose th slow-cooked braised blade, beautifullt tender and just falling off the bone with great veggies and sauce; and Rump Steak and the most wonderful Chips cooked in Beef Dripping. Golden and crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. Great place ... great food.

On its menu The Bookshop mentions a Guardian review headline stating that they do the best Sunday Lunch in the UK, and that statement is not wrong. What it doesn't reflect, however is the high service levels offered by the team at this restaurant, and their obvious pride in everything they do. A particular mention to our server, Jake, who went out of his way to ensure that our party of mainly elderly diners were looked after and happy with our experience.

The bookshop includes, on its menu, a review from the Guardian that it is the 'best UK Sunday Lunch' which could well be true, but doesn't do justice to just how good the food is, or to the amazing customer service levels delivered. A special mention for Jake for looking after our table and ensuring that our party was happy with everything.

first time at this eatery. the food service was excellent. could not find fault with anything. travelled 187 miles from morecambe in lancashire to visit family in hereford. well worth the trip would highly recommend. will defo visit again.

Super yummy food and margaritas!

Very enjoyable Sunday lunch - vegetarian options were good as were desserts. And of course Wye Valley lager on tap.

Great breakfast options set in a cosy and welcoming atmosphere.

One of a kind place… book a table now. Visited with friends for dinner and went back the next day too !

Excellent Sunday roast. Great food with lovely veg selection. Plenty of options for dietary requirements and a good atmosphere.

A delightful and delicious dinner at The Bookshop the other night. Some imaginative fare was lurking amongst the more standard steak and burger offerings, and the roast chicken with chorizo and Jerusalem artichoke cassoulet really hit the spot. Despite the buzz and noise, we could actually hear each other ok, and the atmosphere was lively without being over the top. We really enjoyed our visit and the staff were efficient and friendly without constantly interrupting to find out if everything was ok, which can become tedious after a while. Balanced, high quality and from our experience to be well recommended.

Excellent service from Ethan and other team members. Top quality food for all of our table across the menu. And dog friendly too!

Wow! One of the most delicious meals we've ever had (We just wish there was more of it)!

New menu for the autumn, a knockout, great range of dishes. Great atmosphere, super staff. Set yourself for a great seasonal experience.

Called by for brunch this morning with my daughter , toddler granddaughter and their family dog. We were greeted by Georgina in a friendly manner and shown to a table in the dog friendly area. We ordered the French toast and a delicious refreshing smoothie each. The brunch & beverages came promptly and were delivered by the absolutely lovely Rama Mitchell. He was polite and extremely efficient as well as being super friendly. The French toast was utterly scrumptious as I haven’t had this for ages, so it was such a treat. Smoothies were beautiful too. There’s a great ambience inside this restaurant and the visit was extremely pleasant.

Brilliant all round! Wonderful food, great ambiance, and Rosie proved to be a superb waitress; knowledgeable of the menu, friendly and always smiling. Would highly recommend to anyone visiting Hereford.

My partner and I visit often. Ollie is very friendly and polite. Always good service,

Really good atmosphere, lovely decor. There wasn't too much choice on a Sunday with a few roasts but all the roasts were really good. There were 7 of us and we were brought vegetables in dishes to share. We could have probably done with a little more of the potatoes as there were only enough for 2 each, and only one carrot each. Their menu didn't offer gluten free choices so I asked. It was a bit annoying that I had to remind the staff twice about checking with the kitchen re gluten free options. They were able to bring me a gluten free roast, but I was disappointed to not have any pudding (the only choice was ice cream). The bakewell tart the other party members had was not good anyway, as it was really dry and hard and not like bakewell tart at all, more like a dry cake. The sticky toffee was very good though apparently.

Always lovely food and friendly staff

It's cool, called in for coffee and cake but ended up choosing egg on toast and coffee. Great choice. Breakfast cocktails available too! Great staff, very chilled spot 👌

Great atmosphere! Staff are really lovely. We had the cooked breakfast which was delicious.

Brilliant all round, please go experience it 👏🏽 😀

Perfect location, great service and the food was amazing. My pork belly was perfectly cooked, the beef, ordered by my wife, was pink, as requested.

Fantastic meal this weekend never disappoints. Thank you for the excellent service, Danni, and the new guy on his trial. 100% recommend this restaurant. 👌

The best Pizza for many many miles around. Leaven’s addictive dishes has compromised months of determination to eradicate takeaways from our lives for good. It is well worth the trip and the extra calories!

Amazing food and amazing ambience 💜

Lovely brunch and totally spoilt by the Staff.

Lovely atmosphere, food was incredible and service was amazing! Will definitely return!

This is the best meal we have had in Hereford! What an original restaurant! Thank you The Bookshop to all the staff! So lovely!

Had a superb Sunday lunch with my husband and 2 sons. The food was amazing, broccoli & cauliflower cheese was fantastic (shall be adding that to our Christmas dinner) and the pickled red cabbage was outstanding. Super service from the staff, very polite, would highly recommend and will definitely be looking forward to booking again.

Lovely food staff very good ( Chloe)

Fantastic Sunday lunch. Amazing food and service. Highly recommended for a unique experience. Don't pass up on the sticky toffee pudding best ever. Give them a try you will not be disappointed .

Had breakfast and dinner, both were delicious food, arrived in a timely fashion and the wait staff were polite

Beautiful place for food and drinks.

The bookshop is one of our favourite places to eat, so much so that each year we are guaranteed to be gifted a voucher by our friends or family when it comes to Christmas or birthdays. The breakfasts are to die for and the Sunday lunch is always unbeatable!

While in the area for a wedding we came here for dinner and, despite it being very busy, they accommodated us and everyone else who worked there was incredibly friendly, especially Georgina! The food was great and we ended up coming back the next morning for breakfast. Definitely recommend!

Seated as soon as we arrived by helpful waiting staff. Attentive friendly service throughout. We had the Bavette and Fillet steaks and Roast Lamb, all cooked to perfection. Our only issue was we felt it was a bit pricey compared to general prices on our tour of the Wye Valley. Nice buzzy atmosphere in a modern book themed restaurant.

We really like the bookshop! Always amazing food, service is always so lovely and the decor is fab!!

The place is Big, It has plenty of space. The food was ok. I didn't like that the hot drinks were brought in plastic cups.

A definite hangover cure for the other half. Sublime Sunday dinner. Wonderful staff and such a relaxed and warm atmosphere

I love it here regardless of whether I'm in for a quick coffee & cake or staying for a lunch like today. Today was a burger kind of day with two of my great friends 😋🥰 The food is always lovely and the staff are friendly and attentive. Still one of my favourite places.

Like the relaxed atmosphere and decent food and coffee at The Bookshop. The Aubrey breakfast was very good with decent portion, fresh and tasty, coffees were lovely. Sunday morning service was polite, but compared to first visit last year which was very welcoming and enthusiastic, this time was really flat. Still, would return and recommend; nice place.

The staff were lovely and smiley the whole time

The service was quick, the staff were all friendly, polite and attentive and the Sunday Roast lunch was exceptionally tasty with a good amount of food too.

Went in for the Aubrey breakfast, was seated straight away, order taken promptly and food served not long after. Fresh, delicious and filling for a reasonable price! Lovely rustic atmosphere and family friendly too!!

Stunning pigeon, delicious pie, and a crumble to die for, finished off with a cortado 👍👍😁😁

The food was lovely and tasted very fresh, the restaurant in general is a really nice layout. personally I think the service was slightly slow but it was relatively busy and the staff were all really friendly, especially our waitress rosie :)

Dined in for celebration meal. Beautiful restaurant. Good service. Only one vegan option and it wasn't great, very bland, could do better. Others seemed to enjoy their meals.

Great food, lovely atmosphere. The cherry ice cream is a must for dessert 🍒

Great food and lovely staff. Definitely recommend x

The Update (5/5): Following my initial experience, the restaurant reached out directly and offered a chance to revisit, on the house. This time, we opted for the Sunday lunch, which had been recognized by The Guardian as one of the best in the country. I’m pleased to say that this visit was a complete turnaround. The staff were professional and friendly, and the food arrived on time and in the correct order. Every dish, from the pork to the beef to the lamb, was exceptional. This second visit turned out to be the perfect treat for my birthday meal, and I left feeling entirely satisfied with the experience. Final Thoughts: The Bookshop in Hereford has enormous potential due to its excellent food and lovely setting. While my first visit was disappointing due to the service, the follow-up experience more than redeemed the restaurant in my eyes. I would now wholeheartedly recommend The Bookshop, not only for its food and ambiance but also for its willingness to improve and provide a truly memorable dining experience. First review in July 2024 (3/5) I recently dined at The Bookshop in Hereford to celebrate a special birthday, and while the food was excellent, the overall experience was marred by subpar service. The Good: 1. **Food Quality**: The cuisine at The Bookshop was exceptional. The dish I had was perfectly prepared, with fresh ingredients and a delightful blend of flavors. The presentation was also visually appealing, making the dining experience enjoyable from a culinary standpoint. 2. **Ambiance**: The restaurant has a cozy and charming atmosphere, which initially set a positive tone for our celebration. The decor and setting were conducive to what we hoped would be a memorable birthday meal. The Bad: 1. **Service**: Unfortunately, the service did not match the quality of the food or the ambiance. The waitress made us feel unwelcome from the moment we arrived. Her demeanor was curt and unaccommodating, which significantly impacted our enjoyment of the meal. 2. **Feeling Rushed**: The unwelcoming attitude of the waitress led us to cut our meal short, staying just under an hour. This was particularly disappointing as we had planned to spend a leisurely time celebrating a birthday. The rushed feeling overshadowed what should have been a joyful occasion. The Bookshop in Hereford has a lot of potential due to its excellent food and lovely setting. However, the service we received significantly detracted from the overall experience. For a restaurant aiming to provide a memorable dining experience, especially for special occasions, improving the quality of service is essential. I hope that management takes feedback seriously and makes the necessary improvements. **Recommendation**: While I would recommend The Bookshop for its food and ambiance, I would advise management to focus on enhancing their customer service to ensure that all guests feel welcomed and valued throughout their visit.

We visited for dinner yesterday. My partner and I shared the anchovies and sourdough as a starter. It was an excellent start to the meal. We then both had fillet steak with peppercorn sauce. The steak was cooked perfectly by Will and was one of best steaks I've ever had. The sauce was beautiful and the chips were the right combination of crispy and soft. They were so good that my partner ate them all, he never eats all his chips! We finished with affogato. Marisa, our server, was friendly and helpful. She looked after us well. Thank you. We were visiting Hereford for the first time and booked our table with no prior knowledge. It proved to be an excellent choice.

Our Son and Daughter treated us to a birthday weekend with a £100 voucher, which we thought we would never be able to use up over one meal. Overall the meal was nice, but not fine dining as was anticipated or at the prices reflected. Improvements can be made in the following areas. Portion sizes - The starters were very small. Husband had the mackerel, which was tiny, on a load of tomatoes on toast which dominated the dish. If a customer is paying for advertised mackerel, then make it the showstopper. Cod main lacked vegetables £22.50 Green vegetables are not a fortune. When a large plate has little food on it there is not a balance. Satisfaction is key to repeat custom. The pie was very nice and filling at £20. I felt guilty because the food on my plate was more than my husband's. There were additional sides that could have been ordered, but the prices were already high enough. Don't advertise the specials board with dishes priced at £110 and £150. It's not going to sit well with those who are budgeting. We watched a couple order drinks, who then refused them and left the premises. Desert was disappointing. The cheesecake at £9 was a very thin slice and not value for money. I'm all for businesses surviving, but not by offering stingy portions. The majority of deserts were advertised with nuts on, so my husband ordered the Cherry Bakewell which didn't mention them. This also had nuts on when it arrived which he then discarded. It's a quirky place, but we wouldn't go again based on value for money. It's London prices.

Very impressed! Amazing staff. It had a really nice atmosphere to it. And the food was incredible couldn't believe the quality of the food. 10/10 experience

Brilliant food, excellent friendly service. Highly recommend!! We will be returning in the very near future.

Visited here with my Yorkshire terrier. Had a lovely Sunday roast (delicious and well presented) that he was very disappointed I didn't share. Wonderful covered outside eating area. Nice ambiance -- cool music but in background. Super helpful and friendly staff.

Nice breakfast and nice location.

Absolutely delicious roast. Never fails

Really nice food and atmosphere everyone was lovely and food came in a good time

Lovely place for brunch, food was delicious and service was fab. Will definitely be going back

Brilliant speedy service, excellent steak (best ive ever had) 10/10 as always will continue to come back.

Amazing food !!!! Amazing Service !! Amazing choice of Drinks Went as a table of 6, the majority of us had the Lamb risotto, i had the Burger was amazing !! For dessert we had the walnuts sticky toffee pudding and i had the Bakewell tart, All 3 desserts came out with candles as it was 3 people’s birthday meals at the time Definitely worth coming !!

The best steak I've ever had was in Texas and this was just as good. Highly recommend

We treated some friends for their anniversary meal, and decided to have Sunday lunch. All very good....we will definitely go again.

Went here yesterday for Sunday lunch after having a fantastic evening meal a few weeks previous. Really disappointed. The food was barely warm when it arrived at the table. Three tiny pieces of beef which were hard to cut. You need sharper knives! Was given 50% discount due to me complaining which was fair. Would go here again for evening meal but never again for a roast. I'll stick to the bay horse in future where the food is hot and loads more beef for your money Sorry

Had a fabulous meal here last Friday evening. I had already booked breakfast at the hotel or i would have been booking brunch for Saturday morning too!

Would highly recommend. Delicious food. Abbi our waitress was also great, and very friendly.

Perfect dinner in a perfect environment. Abbie provided wonderful service. My wife and I both had a fish main. Thoroughly recommended.

Had an early evening dinner here as a family. Bread nibbles and butter came out fridge cold. Cod very overseasoned. A few mistakes. Lots of positives such as the pork but, at this price point, disappointing. Walked in and we didn't feel welcome; almost like we were a hindrance with kids (no kids dishes either?!). We immediately felt rushed. Cut short our plans for desert accordingly.

Great spot for lunch. Highly recommend the Mac & Cheese Toast, French Toast and Pancakes. All very good!

Just brilliant, tasty local and plenty. Friendly with great service. This is why the Bookshop remains our go to local. 😊

We had a wonderful Sunday lunch today! The food was absolutely stunning and we had such amazing service from Julia and Sam! Thank you so much can't wait to come back!

Lovely breakfast, lovely atmosphere. Our waitress Ella was brilliant!

My boyfriend and I went here on June 22nd at about 18:15 for tea. We had an absolutely amazing experience, our server Julia did an absolutely amazing job. The food was absolutely amazing as was the atmosphere, I’d highly recommend coming here. I would recommend booking in as it seemed to get very busy, and I can understand why.

Great staff, polite and pleasant and helpful with menu choices, food was delicious! Who knew marmite butter could actually be NICE!! And the chicken pie was flippin delicious!! Lovely atmosphere, nice and bustling with happy customers. Looking forward to coming again!

Had to ask about delay in ordering food, people next to us arrived after us and finished their food before we even got ours. Overpriced for only just about decent food.

Food and atmosphere always on point. Thanks to Marissa

Beautiful food and all staff were lovely, Marisa especially went out of her way with the service.

First visit here and would highly recommend

4 of us enjoyed a wonderful Sunday lunch for my husband’s birthday. 2 of us had lamb, 2 of us beef. All the meat was booked and presented beautifully and we thoroughly enjoyed the delicious selection of vegetables. The desserts to end the meal were beautiful!!

Great little place for a meal, my fish was delicious and flavoursome, sadly my partners was not so great, hence I couldn’t give it 5 stars. I sampled hers and yeh it could’ve been better, but still a pleasant night out.

Wonderful breakfast, friendly staff and lovely atmosphere. The coffee is exceptional! Julia was amazing and couldn't do enough to assist.

Lovely evening in the bookshop. Attentive service and tasty food.

Every time food was delicious, I love atmosphere there

This was a midweek breakfast as I was staying close by. The service was good, it was very quiet, and friendly. I had brioche french toast with roasted rhubarb, and lemon pistachio crème fresh. It was utterly delicious. Wish I could have eaten it twice.

Went for a bottomless brunch today (24/06/24). Drinks service was so slow. Hardly any drinks were served, we were almost forgotten about is what it felt like. There was only two of us on the table. The rest of the restaurant was quiet with only two other tables of two. Staff were quite rude as well. The positive of this review- the food was good, If I had to come again it would be for food only. It is however a bit pricey. All in all i wouldn’t come again.

Food was amazing! I have been here for brunch and dinner and never fails to impress! The atmosphere was great, busy so obviously a popular great place! Staff were lovely and very helpful!

Went for a bottomless brunch today (24/06/24). Drinks service was so slow. Hardly any drinks were served, we were almost forgotten about is what it felt like. There was only two of us on the table. The rest of the restaurant was quiet with only two other tables of two. Staff were quite rude as well. The positive of this review- the food was good, If I had to come again it would be for food only. It is however a bit pricey. All in all i wouldn’t come again.

The restaurant shares its building with three other associated eateries. It’s a successful conversion of a city centre building – all exposed brickwoirk, modernist artwork on the walls and an open kitchen. The “Modern British” menu moves with the seasons in dishes such as a starter of Wye Valley asparagus, with smoked duck breast. There’s shreds of cured egg yolk, a meaty bonbon and a scattering of duck fat crisped granola. A Devon crab rarebit was a cracking idea but it missed out by not having enough flavour of crab or cheese. What there was sat on a hash brown, topped with smoked bacon crumbs. Alongside, a little pickled cauliflower provided a flavour contrast. All very tasty, in spite of the lack of crabby cheesey oomph. Perhaps, unsurprisingly in thei part of the world, main courses heavily feature steaks. There are several cuts on the menu. Herefordshire beef, of course, The restaurant buys its meat from a local butcher who, in turn, sources all the beef from a farm in Kings Pyon (farm to fork miles – about 8). Grass fed, of course. And hung for 28 days for the flavour to really develop. So,, whilst lots of other dishes appealed, we decided on a sharing plate of picanha rump steak. It’s a generous portion, served in thick slices and accurately cooked as requested. There’s a little parsley and watercress salad and a roasted shallot each. And good chips, of course, And you get a choice of sauces – Bearnaise for us – and a good one at that, with a twang from the tarragon. We also had a side order of roasted tenderstem broccoli and almonds. We had no room for dessert and very good espresso ended the meal. Service was very much on the ball, with everything happening just as it should. I’m sure that, if we were locals, we’d become regulars.

An absolutely lovely restaurant. My boyfriend and I had a wonderful meal. The service was top notch and the food was fantastic quality. Our server Julia did an amazing job and was absolutely lovely.

Loved finding this place tucked behind the Green Dragon. Really nice brekkie options that remind me of what I’d get in Australia but with a distinctly English flavour. Friendly and attentive service from Olly :)

I had heard and read good things about the restaurant. My partner surprised me with a visit as he knew I had wanted to go for a while. The food was absolutely delicious. Well presented. The staff were friendly and attentive. The decor and atmosphere appealed as my partner is a huge lover of books. Thinking of using some ideas in our home. There were families there with young children and they were catered for and looked after. The restaurant is on one level and had accessible toilets. There is a small step into the restaurant but otherwise it's all on one floor. They cater for vegetarians but I'm unsure about other diet restrictions so you'd have to ask. I'm sure they'd accommodate you. Would Def recommend. There is an outdoor area too you can visit afterwards or before for drinks.

Fabulous Sunday lunch, the restaurant was busy but the service was fab and the food was extremely good, as ever.

Gorgeous food, brilliant friendly service and amazing decor. Perfect! 🤩

Steak and mocktails for breakfast always great! Yummy on both counts. Friendly staff, nice atmosphere.

Great food - interesting venue. Good to find somewhere good to eat and relax in Hereford.

Such a lovely cafe, beautiful atmosphere, great music and perfect service from Trinity. Bliss 🥰

Brunch today for 2 people. Excellent steak, egg and chips would recommend.

Always lovely music Positive staff And nice and clean