The Bulmer Fox in Braintree

We have visited this restaurant a few times - for dinner and lunch over the past few months. The food is lovely and the service is excellent! We can not fault the food - had the pork, the fish dishes and a Sunday roast too - which there is lots of! Daisy and Fran have both served us on different occasions and they are both happy and helpful and so polite! We will be back soon. Keep it up.

One good meal on one night, with a great sauce, and effort put into the whole dish, led to us coming back but this time it was very much below par. The fries were dry and inedible and the coleslaw should have been called mayonnaise pot as it was 90% mayonnaise and 10% actual slaw. When I pointed this out and showed her all the uneaten food on my plate, the waitress had no intention of actually doing anything about it. Why on earth do waitresses ask you if everything is all right, when you say it's not and they just carry on as if you are happy? My partner had the celeriac roast. All they did was slice of a piece of celeriac and put it in the oven. And then put some gravy on top. Served with more root vegetables- it was so bland and unimaginative. Why can't vegetarians get better than this? They pay virtually the same - £16 for this! A 12-year-old could have done better. Not going back. I see for the bad reviews no one ever tries to put it right or offer recompense. They probably don't even read them. They should because there are some things that could be improved on and why no, Maybe one night they have a great chef and the other - someone else?

Came in on the off chance and the lovely Fran fitted us in even though we hadn’t booked. The food was delicious and the service was excellent; thanks Fran! I’m happy to say we will definitely return.

Went to the fox for a date night a few weeks ago! Cannot fault this place! We were seated straight away and were serviced by a lovely young girl. Fran was very helpful and attentive. Food was very good, could not say a bad word about this place Will definitely be coming back! The Steak was amazing!!

Lovely kind service and enthusiastic staff, had the shepard’s pie fritters to start, didn’t know what to expect but loved them! For mains i had the butternut squash risotto that was perfectly seasoned and delicious. My friend had the scotch egg starter and the steak and ale pie for mains and enjoyed them too! Will defiantly return!

I’ve eaten here a number of times now and can honestly say it’s one of the nicest friendliest restaurants in Suffolk , The food is amazing and Fran has always been amazing in looking after us and making us feel welcome … 5 stars !!!!

A regular for me, but not been for a few months, as on a detox! A refreshing change with innovative menus , and changing specials that draw you in. The service is 100% professional, without being intrusive. The chef is a genius, and today the specials were quite unique!

Great lunch, had the fish cakes and salt and pepper squid for starters, followed by the Pork Belly and Sirloin of Beef. All good sized portions. Lovely veggies and really good crispy roast potatoes, made a change to have something other than squeaky french beans. Staff were really pleasant

When booking were told it was very busy so opted for the time they suggested. On arrival only one table full! Staff were attentive. However a very limited menu. Food ok but expensive for what it was. Would definitely not return, sadly!

A group of friends has Sunday lunch today. It was lovely to see roast beef and pork on the menu. They came with huge, crispy Yorkshire puddings. The veg was tasty and enough for each person. Personally I did not enjoy the toast potatoes which were crispy on the outside but had that reheated taste. It could all have been served hotter too The dessert menu was small. The Christmas pudding was beautifully presented and enjoyed by those who chose it, again it could have been hotter. Worth a visit and is good value

The best dinner out we've had in a long time. Excellent steak dinner and excellent service!!!! Very knowledgeable waitress, thank you. We will certainly return.

We came across this pub and restaurant today. It is known for it’s superb steaks. I had the ribeye which was cooked to perfection. My husband had one of their specials, Halibut. He said it’s the best he’s ever had. Young chef today called Cade. He is going to go far as a chef. Well done Cade. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable. Thanks for a lovely lunch. We will definitely go back

We decided to visit here as half way between our friends and us and we love Gusto Pronto restaurants We were warmly welcome by Amma the front of house Manager The weather was miserable outside but it was warm indoors We found the menu choice very good for our tastes We had mackerel pate and ham hock bonbons starters and the bonbons were very tasty Onto mains and again very good with the steak and brewshed pies along with really well cooked pink duck breasts and a steak cooked exactly to request. The accompanying sauces on any dish worked well and we like the creativity re the potatoes and other vegetables Amma and the team looked after us really well, attentive but not over bearing. We recommend this place

Booked a table as we had done a lot of research into the local pubs and the Fox seemed to be a good choice based on previous comments. We arrived about 30 minutes before the table was booked so we could enjoy a drink before dinner. There were only five tables throughout the restaurant being used besides us and no one drinking in the bar area. Three young girls were working the bar and restaurant. We were brought the menu, which we had looked online anyway, but as the food was being brought out, I thought that the pie listed looked tiny for £18, with a small cup of American style fries. Then we noticed that there were signs all around the premises stating that no cash is accepted throughout the business. I had cash with me and my intention was to pay in cash, so was disappointed with this. As one of the young girls went past us, I mentioned that we wanted to pay cash and she reiterated to me that cash was not acceptable. I stated that I believed that it was illegal not to accept tender with the monarch's head on it and she said that as many people state the same, she had researched it and found that it only applies if that is the only form of payment if the person doesn't have any other means of payment. The way this was enforced, made us feel uncomfortable and we soon realised why there were so few people in the premises on a Saturday night. We decided to cancel our table and go elsewhere so I approached the bar to settle the bill and was more than gobsmacked at the cost of two large glasses of wine and a bottle of cider at £31.50. Wine was £12.50 a glass, more than I have paid in parts of London. The owners need to understand that we are in a cost of living crisis and catering for 5 tables on a Saturday night doesn't work out economically, overcharging for what I considered to be a lower than average amount of food, which I'm grateful that we didn't have, then charging around 50% more for a glass of wine than other pubs in the area. It's no wonder it was so empty!

Celebration lunch. Food was great. Excellent service. Will definitely visit again. Lovely atmosphere.

I’m delighted to have found The Fox for a Sunday lunch - simply the best I’ve had in ages. Opted for the beef, which was delivered on a warmed plate beautifully pink and not swimming in gravy. Roast potato’s that were fluffy and crispy, clearly not having been sat around all day. Lastly a selection of fresh vegetables - the cauliflower cheese was to die for ! The restaurant is very spacious and people are only dining so it’s a peaceful environment in which to enjoy a superb Sunday lunch.

Excellent fish and chips for a weekday lunch. Lovely stylishly decorated dining room, pleasant atmosphere, very friendly staff and well designed and interesting menu. Will definitely be coming back to try some of the other really nice dishes I saw on the menu. Just sorry my mum paid and messed up tipping on the machine and then we didn’t have enough change for a proper tip sorry!

Relaxed vibe, great choices on the menu, delicious wines. We went with another couple and even though it was pouring we sat outside in one of their covered booths while we waited for our table and enjoyed a bottle...Nice to be outside! As I said the food is really good. Two courses was plenty for us. I had fish, the others had various meats. There was a veggie option (which I nearly went for). Staff are friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommend.

I have been a regular customer at the fox for over 20 years. However, I will not be returning following the service I received from the male server this evening. Firstly, my friends steak was over cooked which was sent back with a disgruntled response from the male server, when my own fillet arrived and was equally over cooked I expressed my disappointment to the server, his response was not to apologise but said he wouldn't stand for being spoken to like $hit! I said very calmly that I'd not spoken to him like that but had the right to express my disappointment in the quality of the food we'd received. He took the steak back and replaced it. I would be more understanding if the chef was under pressure but there were two tables in the entire building waiting for food. The overall experience was pretty poor and the meat was poor quality. The only positive was the young female server who was attentive to our table.

A super restaurant- well worth noting down. Good food. Subtle flavours. Well thought out. Of particular note was the duck meat scotch egg with red cabbage. Superb. Cool interior on a hot day - aircon. Great seating outside too. Will keep coming back.

This is a great venue, well laid out, The choice of food and beers was great, well cooked a very professional setup, we will go back

Best Sunday roast I have had for a long time and a good price. I had the roasted celeriac and really enjoyed it. Nice atmosphere and friendly staff

My friend & I had a fabulous 3 courses here last night. It's been a while since I lasted visited, but the interior has had a lovely refurbishment and feels spacious but cosy at the same time. My friend is gluten-free, but there was a great choice for her on the menu. For starters she had goats cheese fritters & I had cauliflower fritters both with onion chutney, which were fresh & delicious. We both had the same for mains ( which is very unusual!) - Mushroom Gnocchi, which was very moreish and was gone in minutes! ( no photo if that as it was gone so quickly!!) As we still had room for pudding, we had Lemon Curd rice pudding & Creme Brulee which were the perfect finish to our meal. The service both waitresses was attentive, friendly and relaxed. ( name check to Fiona!) I definitely won't leave it so long before I visit again! Thank you.

Incredible food at this pub, this is now the third time we have eaten here and I can honestly say the food is exceptionally good ! I had the liver and bacon and it was cooked to perfection, my step daughter had the haddock and chips and that too was excellent ! Service was lovely…. Really is nice seeing a pub provide perfect food and service in a time where mediocre seems to be the norm …..WELL DONE :)

Lovely outside space for lunches in the summer but we headed inside. Lovely waitresses looked after us efficiently. We all had whitebait that was really good with a lovely mayonnaise. I chose the mussels which came with lovely granary bread. Good flavoursome broth and lashings of garlicky butter over the mussels. Finger bath too! Others chose the battered haddock which went down well. Served good wine and lager. Well worth another visit.

Lovely lunch had here today. Great selection of food available. Friendly and knowledgeable staff who were attentive but not over familiar.

Sensational food and great service. Highly recommend. Great menu, well catered for gluten free diners.

Went to the Fox on Christmas Eve…full menu including steak board was available (not a ‘special set menu’), food and service was excellent!

Fantastic lunch to celebrate an 80th Birthday. Great menu (see website) and good selection of beers and drinks. Bright spacious pub with a lovely atmosphere. Easy parking and tables outside for a warmer day. Staff were super friendly, very attentive and could not have done...

We thought we visited a pub but it was a restaurant. The food was good but for us no second time. Friendly welcome but after paying the bill the hospitality was gone.

Impromptu visit on a wet November evening. Staff friendly, food was excellent quality with great flavours, good service, would definitely recommend.

Booked a table this morning via Internet no problem. We arrived early and was warmly greeted . The staff are really friendly and very helpful . The food was excellent I recommend the steak burger it was delicious. What I really like is that the...

Stopped off for a coffee and snack on the way home and were tempted to stay for a steak meal. Glad we did, two of the best steaks we have had in a long time, onion rings ordered as a side, huge, crispy tempura batter...

This afternoon, I hosted my September networking lunch at The Fox at Bulmer Tye. Despite having to work around a powercut (they had a generator) the food was amazing and the service excellent. I'd like to give a quick shout out to the chocolate mousse,...

I have been to the Fox a few times and the experience has always been brilliant. This saddens me to write this review. Had lunch with a friend. On arrival no staff to be seen and restaurant not even half full. Eventually shown to our...

This is a local restaurant to us but we have never been to date. However we had heard good things about their steak summer nights so we thought we would jump in. The food was amazing and the staff were very welcoming and friendly. I...

I finally tried the Fox for an evening meal. I was not disappointed. The food is excellent and there is a good choice of local beers. Customer service is also very good.

Had lunch on the 28th staff excellent ambience good food terrible 2 out of 3 plaice had to go back to the kitchen to be recooked as they were badly undercooked. The new potatoes were covered in oil as was the fish the chicken nicoise...

Came for dinner, the service was lovely and quick but the food was disappointing. The squid came and looked lovely however there was so much batter around the squid that it tasted so fried and fatty it ruined it. I could not finish the meal...

What a wonderful experience! We visited on a Friday evening for our anniversary and had the best time. I particularly loved the homemade scotch egg to start. We haven’t been for years as it’s a bit out of our way but would definitely visit again....

My husband and I visited here for an evening meal. We were greeted nicely and seated. Firstly we ordered a bottle of red wine, a Malbec. which was brought over to us in a bucket of ice!! Surely they should know red wine is not...

We visited for Saturday lunch for my partners birthday. We couldn’t believe how quiet the pub was for such a great place. We had our dogs with us and the staff were so welcoming to us and the dogs. Biscuits provided and a bowl of...

Yesterday I hosted a speed-networking lunch at The Fox. The staff couldn't have been more helpful and the food was delicious. Thank you for making my thebestof Sudbury event run so smoothly and stress-free.

I had lunch with a friend today at The Fox but disappointingly the starters/mains were tepid not warm as they should be and quite a few of my carrots were black not orange. Very disappointed as the last time we lunched there I gave 5...

We have driven past quite a few times and decided to stop and have lunch. What a very good idea!!! February has a reduction for each person on a Tuesday and Wednesday but prices good anyway as food way above pub quality. Sorry no photos...

I live close to The Fox in bulmer tye and decided to try it out! My girlfriend and I immediately chose the scotch egg as my first dish. We made a great choice. The scotch egg was scrumptious with a gooey yolk and a crispy...

Enjoyed Sunday lunch here as relatively close to home. Food was delicious. There is only a small menu here which is changed fortnightly and clearly works in our favour as the food is well prepared and well planned. Sunday roast, celeriac roast and smoked haddock...

Fantastic! We had a Sunday lunch here, first time we have tried The Fox and the food was perfect, as was the service and the whole ambience of the place. Very good value for money, we will definitely return.

In the area visiting Long Melford and chose this pub for our evening meal. We made an excellent choice. The food was brilliant. My wife and I chose crab and prawn polenta cake which was served with a lovely chilli relish. To follow I chose...

We used to visit the Fox under the previous owner, and loved the place. When we heard the Fox was being taken on by a small local chain we weren't sure what we'd find. The food is good - still a small but varied menu,...

What a great place! We had a lunch for two. The food choices are far superior to the usual local pub fare. Local ingredients, a menu that changes regularly and no lazy tourist food. Beer ( brewed at another of their locations ) well served....

They do an excellent an fixed price menu which changes every fortnight. Two or three starters plus 4 or so mains and a couple of daily specials too. There's also a fish dish and vegetarian dish . The food is tasty, imaginative and very well...

On a visit to Sudbury from London I was seeking a venue for my father's birthday. I spotted The Fox from the A131 and decided to give it a try. Firstly we were asked 'have you booked' and the waitress sought advice if they could...

We decided last minute to try and book this restaurant for lunch. Having never been before we were unsure what to expect. This is definitely fine dining, the food was beautifully presented and the taste was amazing. We opted for three courses at £26.00 per...

A beautiful meal spot on in every way from front of house service and lovely family orientated atmosphere to the standard of the food we received. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Visited as a group of 2 couples. Sat outside on the pretty terrace for drinks before going inside for our meal. Restaurant is spacious, clean and well well laid out. Menu was a set meal which had been well thought out by the chef with...

Just finished a superb 2 course lunch here, for £21. Food perfectly cooked and excellently presented.

Visited on the "spur of the moment" very good food wide choice menu changes regularly ( unlike some establishments who have only produced burgers and pizzas since the pandemic and continue to do so) good beers and wines, the beers are from there own brewery...

My wife and daughter had an excellent dinner on Friday evening at the Bulmer Fox. We were a little concerned that it would not live up to the excellent food and service the previous owner and his team provided but we were pleasantly surprised. It...

My wife and I had a getar dinner year off the seasonal locally sourced menu board . The fish and chicken choices had so much flavour and were really well cooked . We had 2 and half courses , 4 drinks and it only cost...

Fantastic meal, nothing was too much trouble. Superb food, looking forward to our next opportunity to visit.

Really lovely food, friendly attentive staff, good Covid measures in place. My new favourite restaurant.

Booked a table at short notice and was impressed with the food and service. Highly recommend the salt beef toastie

We only use this road to Sudbury infrequently so this was our first visit since the re-opening and we were very impressed. QuietTuesday lunchtime afgter the recent move to tier 2 restrictions-therewereonly three other tables taken- but we were quickly made welcome and drinks came...

Very attentive and helpful staff. One of our party of 4 required gluten free food and the staff were very informative in this respect. We all had different food and it was excellent. Tasty and well presented. Apologies for delay in posting this review! Just...

Stopped off here for lunch while on a walk in the area and was delighted by both the quality of the food and the service. £20 for starter and main was excellent value too. Only disappointment was that I'm unlikely to be back soon but...

Had a table for 4 booked for Sunday dinner at 12.30, arrived early and after being shown to our table our drinks order was taken. 35 minutes later our drinks still had not arrived and no food order had been taken. Approached the male member...

This was our lunch stop en route to a mini staycation in Long Melford. What a good choice! The food and service were excellent and at £20 for two courses or £25 for three (for those with much bigger appetites than ours) also fantastic value....

Can’t recommend this place enough! Duck was perfection, staff lovely and a perfect evening. Heaven on a plate, start, main & dessert absolutely mouthwatering

We ate dinner here last night having been persuaded by friends to step out of our front door. Food was delicious - we very much enjoyed our choices from the restricted menu. I understand that this currently changes each week. I actually think that the...

Excellent Roast Beef for lunch today, followed by the best Chocolate Fondant with vanilla ice cream. Great social distancing measures in place but retained a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

We arranged a last minute lunch at The Fox today, and were delighted by the excellent quality of the food and service. Being longstanding customers, we have always been impressed by The Fox, but it seems to be even better than before.

Went here again for date night, amazing staff and the best food. Would highly recommend and will certainly be visiting again.

Dipped our toes post lockdown in our nearest local and we were NOT disappointed! Staff were very attentive and courteous. Food was delicious. You need a big appetite for Sunday Roast sadly we had no room for the delicious sounding desserts! No issues with social...

We visited for Sunday lunch on the first weekend after lockdown....and it was worth the wait! The service was exceptional, we felt very safe and the food was amazing (roast pork was perfect). Please visit, our local amenities need our support and you won’t be...

First meal out since lockdown and it was fantastic! I’d been a bit apprehensive about going out but I needn’t have worried at all - the restaurant was spotless and the social distancing and hygiene measures they have in place really are excellent. They’re working...

My parent had surprised me with a visit and we had such a lovey meal here when they were up last time, we thought we’d go again and as they now had the spring menu we had to give it a try. Well they didn’t...

The GF and I used to come to The Fox under the previous owners. The food became a bit samey (which I am sure worked for their business) and the not being able to book became annoying when you couldn't get in and everywhere else...

A group of four of us had dinner here on Tuesday evening. Our table was booked for 6.15pm and the place was quite empty. By 7.30 it was buzzing! Three of us had the steak and ale pie which was delicious. Really tender meat, nice...

Called in for a drink after a long walk with the dog, ended up staying for a few hours, enjoyed wonderful bar snacks and great beer. All the staff made us and Lexi feel very welcome so much so we booked a table for the...

changing menu good local food, with locally brewed ales. good parking friendly staff warm and comfortable seating

This was our second time back and I’m so pleased we gave The Fox another chance. We ate at The Fox last autumn and we were left feeling a little underwhelmed, but this evening it was great the see the staff still as friendly and...

Ate here twice before Christmas, one Friday evening and then again Thursday lunchtime. Very sorry to say both times the menu was a little dull but the actually food was OK. It was the service that really let it down because it was so very...

Very friendly staff and the food was lovely. Good guest beer 👍 Scotch egg starter was perfect and the beef was very good

I came for a meal with a friend and had a lovely time. I had pan fried cod from the specials menu, followed by a ginger sponge and custard - both were delicious and presented beautifully. The menu had a great selection - I found it difficult to decide as all the dishes sounded so lovely, but was very happy with my choice. The waiting staff were very accommodating and friendly and ensured we had everything we needed. I asked for my cod to come with skinny fries instead of garlic mash and that wasn’t a problem at all. I would thoroughly recommend visiting, it was lovely.

We were quickly shown to a table and ordered drinks. Table was nicely laid and had linen napkins. I had Haddock and Salmon Fish cakes my husband had Cottage Pie Fritters. Fishcake looked good on presentation. Poached Egg on top was set in the middle...

Foxes are generally associated with having smelly pee and going through bins, but none of that here. The food, staff and surroundings are excellent. Nice selection of local drinks.

Stopped for a light lunch before going for a local ramble, and knowing we'd be having 3 course dinner later. We were pleasantly surprised by the finesse in service and food quality. Although my wife and I were having no more than soup and cheeseboard respectively, we were brought good quality warm granary bread and olive oil/balsamico dip as a complimentary item. The food we'd ordered was also of excellent quality. Staff were smart, cheerful and polite; premises light, airy and clean - more a restaurant than a pub, although good beers were also on tap. Recommended.

Small portion s three small potatoes under cooked carrots a few couple of small leaves of cabbage the cod I had was tasteless would not go here for lunch again.

Over the years we have been to the Fox at Bulmer Tye many times , in fact it was our “go to” restaurant with consistently nice food at a reasonable price. Sadly our most recent visit was not such a good experience. The set menu we felt was overpriced at £19 for what it was. We had the whitebait ( very few on the plate- definitely portion control here) followed by a casserole / stroganoff dish which consisted of chewy tasteless meat . And to finish off the meal, a crumble but unfortunately they had run out of custard! How this can happen is difficult to understand and this was on a Saturday lunchtime so was there no custard for the evening customers? I understand that restaurants can have off days but the quality of the food was not up to previous standards. Also we thought that despite being refurbished the surroundings looked tired which was not helped by the stained carpet. The positive side was that the staff were friendly and pleasant but that would not make us eager to eat there again in the future.

We haven’t visited the Fox since it was refurbished over a year ago and what a treat it was to go there for a Friday evening meal. Although it used to be just turn up, they now accept bookings. However, we did just turn up - the staff were friendly and efficient, the ambience was great, the food was simply sensational - delicious flavours and beautifully cooked. And the pudding taster menu means that even when you really know you shouldn’t you can try tasty morsels of three delectable desserts or have just one of them for the same price . Delicious! Thoroughly recommended.

Visited this establishment mid September. Being new to the area I've just been trying a few places out with some friends. All three of us had steaks and all of them cooked beautifully. Starters were hot and very tasty . Couldn't fault anything. Will definetly be returning soon. Bravo.

I have been to this restaurant three times since its refurbishment hoping that the third time would be lucky. Unfortunately, not! This used to be an extremly good restaurant, then with refurbishment came changes to their opening hours and menu, even the staff didn't have the same interest as before. The food is indifferent and the portions smaller (and I am not one for a blow out). I am told that they are now taking bookings, which they never needed to do in the past, so perhaps they are waking up to the loss of customers. Go back to what you used to do and how you did, it was successful, so why did you change?

This place, recently remodelled, is geared up to be busy. No bookings, order at the bar and take your numbered wooden spoon and your drinks to the table of your choice. Service is prompt and polite and the food is well cooked and nicely presented. Nothing to complain about but nothing to rave about either so an early return visit is not planned.

We eat here often, and have sampled their breakfast, lunch and evening meals. All are excellent, cooked well and served at the right temperature. The breakfast menu is wide, varied and set; lunch and evening meals vary each day. Options for vegetarians and carnivores are tempting and ambitious, and we've never yet been disappointed.

Eaten here several times and enjoyed the food each visit. Always fresh and well made, gastro rather than pub grub. Would recommend 😊

The menu was pretty basic and there wasn't a huge choice, but there was enough variety for the three of us to have something we all liked. All 3 choices were outstanding. Goulash, Cod and veggie rolls all cooked to perfection. The complementary bread was also pretty delicious. The service was efficient and friendly and the atmosphere warm and relaxed. I can see why my aunt recommended it, and will definitely return when I visit the area again.

We had been to Freeport, we were on route to Southwold. We saw the pub and popped in. Food was excellent, service was great and fast. We would totally recommend.

We’ve been going to The Fox for years and were very happy with a repeat visit today for Sunday lunch. We just love the fact that you can turn up when it suits you & if there isn’t a free table you are put on a waiting list. Today we waited about 10 minutes for a table for 4 at 1.30, no hardship. We also love the ever changing menu, knowing there will always be something each of us fancies, and normally the set menu suits us all. The food isn’t gourmet but it’s decent, tasty and well-cooked. Service is exemplary, and allergen information/ requests well handled. £30 a head for 3 courses with coffee & two alcoholic drinks each seemed pretty good value to me. Highly recommend.

Stopped here on our way back to Essex from Norfolk. Lovely restaurant with a nice garden which we made use of because of the heat and we had the dog with us..I had the mushroom omelette which was lovely. My friend had bacon, eggs and beans which she said was really good. The staff were really friendly and chatty the food was great. What more can you ask for?