The Cholmeley Arms in South Kesteven

Just looked for a nice place to stop at for lunch and found this gorgeous pub set in a very pretty village. Had great menu choices with good gluten free options. Lovely welcome and atmosphere, generous portions and delicious food. Highly recommend!

We came for lunch on 2 March as a family and the food was exceptional and the service was amazing. We all had different meals and they were all served together without any issues at all. I would thoroughly recommend dining here and I will be booking again in the near future. With special thanks to Iain who looked after us all so well.

We recently went to the Chomley Arms for my aunties birthday. The service was fantastic and we received a warm welcome. Staff were all friendly and attentive. The bread on the table to start with was lovely, warm and soft. All of us (party of 10) all chose different meals and courses and all were cooked to a fantastic standard with lots of flavour. Good portion sizes and all food came out together. Will definitely be recommending.

We visited The Cholmeley Arms on a busy Friday night to celebrate a friends birthday. I haven't visited since it has been under the new ownership. I have to say, I was very impressed. We were seated straight away by a very lovely young waitress who got the balance between being friendly and professional spot on. The service was prompt and efficient throughout. We ordered an assortment of main courses and everyone said theirs were delicious. I ordered rump steak and I have to say it was the best rump steak I have ever had in a UK pub (yes, it was that good!) Desserts were also wonderful and the waitress bought one out with a birthday candle which really made my friends night. The only reason I have deducted a star (and this may be a little unfair) was because we were seated in the newer part of the pub (the extension) and it was just too brightly lit. The lights were so bright we actually put paper napkins over them. It may just be me but I feel the ambience when dining is very important and much prefer dimmer lighting. I would love to come back but would request a table in the original part of the pub for this very reason. Please address the lights. Overall though, the food cannot be faulted and I am still dreaming about that steak!

Superb service, excellent food, lovely surroundings, what more can you ask for? We’re fairly regular visitors, but this was our first Sunday lunch here - it won’t be our last !!

The Cholmeley arms used to be one of my favourite restaurants in the area. With a gorgeous interior, and friendly staff, it almost made it to the top spot of restaurants tried so far. However, around August 2023, it came under new ownership. It was apparent that the handover was difficult, as the poor staff were rushed off their feet (usually just the one person waiting the entire pub), and the food quality was somewhat downgraded. We have eaten here several times over the past year, and it doesn't seem to be consistent. Since being under new ownership, we have eaten here twice. The last time we went in November 2023, we were served bread buns (like the burger ones) but toasted. Being a lover of the free bread, this was a little disappointing to say the least. The pub itself is easy to get to, and there's always plenty of parking. With both a ramp and steps to access the main door, it's accessible for those with disabilities. Onto the food. The main difference I have noticed is the chips. The chips don't taste great, and are usually soggy. When ordering, you usually expect a crunchy fluffy chip (I do anyway!), and these were far from it. I ordered a mushroom and stilton sauce with chicken breast, which was Devine. This was probably one of the best cheesy mushroom sauces I have ever had. The chicken was soft and tender, with enochi style mushrooms being nicely cooked too, and the sauce was creamy. Everything was maxed out in flavour. Was honestly 10/10. I don't think this is on the menu anymore though, sadly. Whenever we go, there's always an assortment of specials on. Usually it's things like fish, or pork, but either way, it all sounds delicious. Having reviewed their latest menu, it all looks good. We have ordered things previously ranging from cheesy starters to battered prawns for our starters, and they've been incredible each time. I just hope that the quality is better since last visiting. On average, two starters, two mains, two pints, and occasionally a dessert, costs about £50-£70. I'd say this is average. The meal portions are great though, and we're usually never left hungry! The service when we have been has been average, but mostly because there's been one person serving the entire pub, which is not fair. I'd give The Cholmeley Arms a rating of 7 out of 10, purely based on the inconsistency. ABOUT US: Me and my friend, Chris, started Stages of Chris for fun on Facebook. We're now constantly getting recommendations to try out new places in the Lincolnshire area, and review them! I'm writing this as someone who is starting out reviewing food for fun, hoping it helps! Any tips would be appreciated :)

Ate here on the festive menu. Had 3 courses, all were really tasty, large portions. Service eas great too, can't recommend enough, will be back!

We were travelling to Yorkshire and booked this establishment to break up our journey. What a find! Our room was lovely, we travelled with our dog. The evening meal options superb. Breakfast outstanding - wonderful hosts. Highly recommend. Value for money.

I haven’t been here for a number of years so when a group of friends suggested a visit I thought I would give it a go. That was my first mistake. Prior to arrival I looked at the menu on line. There were two options, the regular menu or Christmas Menu. Great, good selection I thought. Upon arrival our group perused the menu’s. When asked about the Christmas menu we were told that only half of us (four out of a party of eight) could have the Christmas meal. Well orders were placed, and we awaited the food. Starters arrived, my pate was ok, but as usual with a lot of restaurants they never provide enough butter for the bread/ toast etc. My wife had prawn cocktail which was served in a bowl three quarters full of plain shredded lettuce, topped with some prawns with about a table spoon of rose Marie dressing, which was uninviting, and served with a slice of buttered bread bent (yep, not cut) over in half. Something like a truck driver would do with a slice of bread when mopping up his gravy in a greasy spoon. The main dishes arrived. I had Christmas dinner, it was satisfactory, nothing more. The chips that others had were meant to be home made, they clearly were not, more like frozen out of a packet. When the main course plates were cleared, we awaited the arrival of the desert menu. The barman/ waiter carried on his duties behind the bar, without looking over to our table( we were the only group in the restaurant). After ten minutes we asked for deserts only to be told that was not possible as the chef had gone home. Coffe was not offered either. Within about two minutes of our request being declined our bill was on the table with a few after eight type mints thrown on top. Very disappointing and will not return, would not recommend.

This is our first time here since it’s been taken over by the new proprietors. It was very quiet which we found unusual as it has always been a very busy place. We all had something different and enjoyed what we had. Would’ve like to have seen a gammon on the menu or sausages but apart from that I would recommend giving it a try.

Food was amazing, great portions. Dog friendly and were accommodating for a nervous dog. Great staff who were very attentive. Additionally, a warm fire really made it a lovely lunch.

We had two seperate overnight stays for bed, breakfast and evening meal. The food was excellent at all meals, the staff were very friendly & efficient, and the en-suite room (one of four in a barn conversion) was well-appointed if a little austere (why don't double rooms have two chairs if space allows - which it did here). The pub, its garden and environs are beautiful, and we will certainly stay again, given its proximity to the A1 and the quality of food and service at a sensible price.

On arrival we were immediately shown to our table in the dog-friendly bar area. We were offered drinks from the bar quickly and were brought a bottle of table water and glasses as well which was welcome. Knowing that the portions are generous, we only ordered main courses. One beef dinner, one three-riast dinner. The food came quickly and the portions were substantial. The meat was very tasty. The cauliflower cheese was delicious. The roast potatoes were perfect. The Yorkshire puddings were huge but light. The vegetables were perfectly done. In the end we could not finish all of the food and had no room for deserts (nor indeed for any more food the rest of the day!) We were offered a bowl of water for our dog and the staff brought him a slice of beef which was so kind and he loved it!. The staff were very friendly. Not pretentious. Local young people and they couldn't have been more friendly. We left a good tip for the service. We would highly recommend the Cholmley Arms and we would suggest you ignore any negative reviews below. They are far away from reality. We are looking forward to our next visit. The menu is varied and there are plenty of specials too. We have visited before and after the change of ownership and it is still as good as it was. Excellent.

Really lovely and was sceptical as 1st visit with new owners. Staff great-would have been 5 but our table wasn’t ready for our booking time.

We are regular visitors for Sunday lunch , and just want to say after seeing some negative reviews I just wanted to say how much we enjoy coming here and that we have never had anything other than a positive experience. Keep up the good...

Really friendly staff. Nothing was too much trouble for them. The food was all homemade and delicious. Would definitely recommend.

Travelled from Cheshire to visit my daughter and went here for lunch. The food and service were excellent and I was surprisingly pleased with the choice and variety of vegetarian options. I would definitely recommend The Cholmeley Arms and will certainly visit again.

This restaurant has gone down hill since being taken over. Our Sunday lunch was terrible, you couldn't cut the beef so full of grizzle and the roast potatoes were so hard. The forgot one stater and one dessert. The price has gone up quality has...

We have visited the pub before and the food was fantastic however since it has been taken over it is awful before we got in a friend was coming out and said dont bother the food is disgusting, but thought give it a try,we had...

We have visited Chumley Arms several times and always had good service and good food. Different this time. We had a long wait and the food was below the standard we have had before. We had pre- booked a table and arrived 15 minutes early....

Excellent dog friendly couple of days away, great food and spotless rooms, welcoming and friendly staff.

Had a lovely dinner with friends while in the area , came well recommended and we weren’t disappointed, will be back next time we are in the area again.

We enjoyed an anniversary dinner at the Chomeley Arms in mid August. Food was outstanding and service matched. The pub was extremely busy but we didn’t have to wait long for food which was piping hot. I had steak pie which was tender and very...

My wife and I booked in an overnight stay at the Cholmeley arms with our dog, whilst we were visiting friends close by, they had personally recommended staying at the Cholmeley as they have eaten there several times and couldn't fault it and boy they...

I’m not one to lightly give a negative review but I know this has changed hand’s recently and the chef’s food from his previous pub was brilliant so I expected great things. I hope he reads this and uses it constructively because there is a...

Four of us went to the Cholmeley arms for lunch to celebrate a wedding anniversary and a birthday. We knew the restaurant had recently changed hands and we wanted to see if the standards were being maintained by the new owners. We were not disappointed....

We’ve happily eaten at this restaurant on a number of occasions in the past, but admittedly not since Covid. What a change. Unbelievably now we were met by an inept unsmiling reception in an unbelievably unattractive short skirt. Menu with plenty of choices arbitrarily deleted...

My friend and I visited for dinner last night, it was not the pleasant dining experience we expected. On entry the bar had a smell of burnt fat and a school dinner aroma. We both had a g&t, my glass had lipstick marks all around...

Absolutely the best Sunday lunch we’ve ever had anywhere! Huge portion and gorgeous home cooked food. We had 3 courses and it was all superb. Beautiful outside area too. Cannot say a bad word about it. Can’t wait to return. Thanks so much.

We stayed for 2 nights at this lovely friendly B&B, we were welcomed by John the owner, in fact he is head chef and bottle washer!!! We were shown to our large warm bedroom, called Pasture Holt, which had a very comfy bed, which can...

Meal for four, all excellent. Well presented food which was of good quality. Each meal was plentiful, reasonably priced. Two deserts which were again well presented and good quality. Highly recommended restaurant which always delivers good food, well presented and good value.

We had a fabulous dinner. The warm bread served with the starters was gorgeous! I can recommend prawn starter with chilli sauce - well cooked and presented. I had lemon sole (from the specials board) absolutely unctuous! The pub has such a lovely atmosphere and...

Four of us stayed in two of the four accommodation units last night. We have stayed here twice a year for the last ten years. Very clean, very well eqipped including fresh milk in the in-room fridge. The pub is very welcoming, the beer was...

A family run pub with an excellent restaurant attached. We were attracted by an extensive gluten free menu but there were a wide range of other dishes available. Portions of food were huge - far more than we could eat, but prices were very reasonable....

Staff and food terrible, took over an hour for our food from ordering to table, missing food too. No apologies from staff either

This very popular venue is currently on the market for new landlords and what a great shame as it has always given such good service, value and pleasure. The warm welcome, friendly staff and a wide selection of beautifully prepared food has kept it a...

Cannot rate this b&b highly enough. Everyone is so friendly and the food just fabulous. We booked to stay over and the rooms are well above anything that you would expect. We took our small dog who was very welcome. Food was generous and a...

Reasonably priced, generous portions and great quality food in a lovely country pub atmosphere. Actually “generous” portions is an understatement! Go hungry, you won’t be disappointed.

Hadn't visited for a while, so was pleased to pop in for lunch. The place was fairly busy, the team friendly and efficient. The menu here has some really nice traditional dishes as well as specials. I went for whitebait to start and fish pie...

excellent dog friendly place. The staff were friendly and helpful. the accommodation was excellent. The food was excellent too. Don't expect a small breakfast!

Booked lunch for 5 friends, waited 45 for lunch, the lamb was as tough as old boots, returned.. garlic bread which was meant to be served with the pasta dish was forgotten! Cannot recommend! Service not great either no apologies for late lunch!

We returned again yesterday to meet up with friends for a pre Christmas Lunch. Our main courses were excellent and portions were huge … the vegetables were perfectly cooked! The pub was warm and comfortable despite the recent freezing conditions and it was great to...

Loved everything about this place from the lovely old building through to the most amazing Sunday lunch ever! What will we do if this couple leave? They understand food and how it should be presented and the taste is spot on! Thankyou to the owners...

Although full of charm and character, tables too close together. Three course Sunday lunch is £23.95. Good value for money. Starters amazing at £5.25. Beef was Silverside and therefore not the expected quality. This pub/restaurant isn’t for people with disabilities. The aisle ways are cluttered...

Stayed for one night and loved it. Welcoming staff, rooms very comfortable & clean with all amenities. Dinner was a very, very generous portion of good quality steak & all the trimmings. Breakfast was freshly cooked & delicious. Such lovely owners, highly recommend

Very limited lunch menu, baked potato or sandwich. Chips were slightly undercooked. Potato was not a baking one and served without butter. Prawns sauce was quite tasteless. Water was served without ice on a boiling hot day. Lovely settings but disappointing food

With friends for overnight stay (wedding at nearby Irnham Hall)...the CA was just SUPERB! Very welcoming and very helpful staff Very clean tidy rooms (fresh milk for tea coffee etc. in fridge). Breakfast beyond compare!! Such glorious food, and plenty of it! A fine English...

A fabulous little gem. Spotless and attention to detail in room was commendable. Fresh milk, socket near bed., socket for hairdryer near mirror. Tick tick tick. Face cloths!! no corners cut. Comfy bed. Great food great service and wonderful value. Loved the farm shop. Idyllic....

We normally use The Cholmeley Arms at least once a year to meet up with friends. This year we decided to make a second visit with just the two of us. Mine hosts Lesley and John were on excellent form and we had a marvellous...

Booked for a two night stay to get our Springer Spaniel used to going on holidays. Met at reception in bar and staff were very friendly. Showed us to the room. We had chosen Cholmelly Arms because room opened straight outside. Very comfortable and big....

Got there early for a couple of cheeky San Miguels and ordered the meals which were ready within 15 minutes. I had the surf and turf and mrs had the lamb, the steak with garlic prawns was the best ive tasted, the wife polished off...

I was so impressed with the array of fruit on offer at breakfast all fresh and freshly prepared, as well as cereals. There was also a wide variety of cooked options available to follow and all the meat was fresh from the farm shop on...

Took my son and his children for Sunday lunch and wow was it good.Charming pub in a rural location with friendly staff and hostess.The food was superbly cooked and the portions more than ample,my choice was the roast beef which was the best I've had...

The food and drink was amazing. Absolutely no complaints on that- well presented, hot and plentiful - delicious. On the other hand the service was not great - in the sense we felt that the servers were literally standing over us waiting for us to...

What a lovely place to spend a few hours over a delicious and well-prepared meal. Our party included children - one with a peanut allergy and an adult who is a coeliac and all were catered for with no problems, in fact the staff were...

A lovely evening meal in a traditional country pub. Great quality food and we only needed starter and main course as the portion sizes were extremely generous. We sat in the lounge near the fire, staff were very friendly and couldn't fault the service. Very...

We had pre-booked a family get together at The Cholmeley Arms for Sunday lunch. Having always had excellent meals in the past we were very disappointed. There had been 2 telephone calls to the restaurant before arriving advising that one of the party wanted a...

Uncomfortably crowded; Vegan unfriendly; tough chicken; rubbery yorkshire pudding; bitter coffee. We were so disappointed. This place has gone downhill massively since we last visited pre covid. We were packed in like sardines and when we asked about vegan options (as stated on the website)...

This has to be the best food and room we have had in any pub ! Very helpful family run business, set in a pretty village setting. We will definitely return.

Meeting friends for a meal for the first time in 20 months, this is a fabulous place. Menu extensive lots to choice from a really delicious meal, I had Lambs liver which I don’t get often as no one at home will eat, so a...

Having tried to book a table for some time, we were really looking forward to our visit. Previous reviews all seemed great so why not. We were seated at a table to the side of the bar - not the right height for eating and...

Fantastic food, great service by friendly and efficient staff, friendly atmosphere and very reasonable prices. Highly recommended 👌👌👌

A lovely location food was fantastic menu choice was excellent. The staff were very helpful. Good choice of drinks. Well worth a visit.

My wife and I stay at the Cholmeley Arms every year on our way to and back from our annual holiday in Yorkshire. If you want outstanding accommodation and excellent food in the Grantham area you can do no better than stay with Lesley and...

Visited tonight, went early so it was quiet. Best food we have eaten out this side of lockdown. Very reasonable price considering the quality and quantity. We will be back again. Book well in advance to get a table

We discovered this gem on a two day visit to Lincolnshire. The accommodation was beautiful and the hosts were delightful. Everything was wonderful and the breakfasts were amazing. If you’re visiting Lincolnshire or needing a stop enroute, we highly recommend The Cholmeley Arms. Although we...

Visited for lunch with family, as usual, top class, cannot fault this establishment fresh and good quality ingredients, friendly and helpful staff. Also in such a lovely setting. Would have no hesitation in recommending this super establishment.

Many thanks to all the staff at the Cholmeley Arms who made my belated birthday celebrations on Sunday 25th July such a success. Twenty of us enjoyed a delicious meal in the Snug and as always the service was excellent. I’d waited since April to...

We sat outside, 6 of us with 2 dogs - massive food portions, great menu with big food selection, quick service and they gave us blankets too! nothing too much trouble :) would definitely return if in the area again. We loved all your birds...

Really is the best pub meal in the UK if you like proper food without the drizzle…you wont be dissppointed nor needing top up food on the way home. 5 sausage review.

How wonderful to be back at the Cholmeley Arms last night to enjoy a superb meal. A varied specials board to accompany the main menu made ordering very difficult but we were all delighted with our choices. The food, as always, was beautifully presented, hot...

A lovely tasty meal cooked from scratch, beautiful surroundings and friendly approachable staff, option to eat inside or out, well recommended

We had a lovely lunch. Excellent special board and menu. Excellent food and really freshly prepared. We had a table with good social distancing from other tables. We enjoyed it so much we have booked again. Lovely ethos, attentive staff and safety measures in place....

We have stayed in many hotels, B&Bs, pubs, pensions and guest houses in the UK and Europe. This establishment, in our view, offers an outstanding level of service in all is aspects at an amazingly reasonable cost; the publicans responsible for this can be rightly...

Wonderful place to have a peaceful drink or meal. Beautiful gardens and farm shop. An aviary was there too. The people that worked there were very friendly and attentive. We were very impressed with the quality of the food and the children enjoyed their meals...

Another fabulous visit to this village pub. Fantastic service, great food, spotlessly clean rooms what more do you want.

Went in for a couple drinks since we were passing and it had looked so appealing on the Easton Estate website. Beer garden was pleasant, and the serving staff were friendly, delighted to see Moretti on tap too. Unfortunately neither the pints or my soft...

Stayed here for the night as soon as lockdown restrictions allowed. And would come back anytime! Dog friendly rooms and bar, waitresses and owners were very friendly, chatty and always making sure you were happy. Locals in pub were friendly too and gave advice on...

After several amazing visits here to eat, we decided to stay. I can honestly say it’s one of the best nights sleep I’ve ever had. Dinner was perfectly cooked, and we couldn’t fault the service. Breakfast was perfect as ever! Beautifully clean and spacious rooms, lovely facilities, and the biggest bed I’ve ever slept on! The room was modern and peaceful, a lovely weekend break.

I have been here many times and used it was my favourite restaurant, I haven’t been for a while but this recent time it was very disappointing there wasn’t enough food whereas before there used to be too much, although still good food of what...

What a delightful country pub and shop. We enjoyed a fabulous Sunday lunch in the cozy bar. We had the roast topside of beef and locally produced lamb. Absolutely delicious. Friendly helpful staff. Worked through menu options for my wife’s wheat and dairy intolerances with...

Love this pub for Sundayl lunch everything absolutely delicious and so well presented, these people know how to please their customers. I would be hard pushed to cook any better for 5 people, we all loved our lunch! Thank you.

Visited for breakfast as heard great things from family and friends that have previously visited, and it did not disappoint! A stunning little place run by a lovely couple, John and Lesley. Warm and attentive and couldn’t do more for you! Absolutely beautiful breakfast. Could...

Couldn’t wait to return here for the stunning breakfast that is provided by both John and Lesley. Glad to see they’re both well and the pub is back open.

My first time here, and their first week since lockdown, super lunch my whitebait was so succulent, I had the best ever belly pork it was Gloucester Old Spot so good why is so difficult too obtain? It was served on cabbage with smoked bacon,...

This was a birthday meal for my mums 80th. There were 3 of us and we all opted for the steak, mushroom and ale pie in a lovely light suet crust which came with veg, new potatoes and chips. The amount of tender beef in...

We met up for dinner and B and B with family. Dinner was good as was the service - the restaurant was fully booked but there were no delays. The rooms were excellent and very fairly priced as well as being dog friendly. Our breakfast...

Food Lovely. Dining environment however,very disappointing. Crammed into a space that felt more like a cafe and felt somewhat penalised for attending with our under 18 teenage daughters as the feeling was that Saturday evenings were for adults only and therefore, a degree of separation...

Very disappointing meal , lack of presentation firstly and then the food was very basic and almost seemed pre prepared and just warmed up . Steak tasted charred and the lamb was over cooked , tough and tasted more like liver as a consequence ....

Sunday lunch with friends, was sceptical after my last visit, but I have to say that it was delicious and we all enjoyed it. Fair is fair and when something is goes it needs to be complemented., Well done Chomeley Arms.

Visited after a recommendation. Lovely pub 5 minutes from A1. Great welcoming log fire, owner and wife are so genuinely friendly. It was lunchtime so ordered the “regular size” ploughman’s lunch. Quite honestly it was the best I’ve had. Homemade coleslaw, thick sliced ham, pork...

A very good find lovely place good food great staff all home made deserts they are great will be back

My favourite place in Lincolnshire. Plenty of specials to choose from.. always have good pork and fish specials. My husband loves the steak and gammon. Generous portions, friendly staff and nice little pub. Also love the toffee apple crumble! Always worth the drive over and always accommodated for.

We've been here many times over the past few years and I've never been disappointed. We recommend everyone to go, the food portions are massive but they don't skimp on quality either. Lovely cosy pub with great surroundings.

A friend of the wife’s recommended this completely out of the way pub for its food. She was not wrong! A family group of 5, all seated quickly and comfortably and food arrived soon after ordering. Every meal was absolutely superb. Don’t underestimate the size of their portions, you WILL be full before you leave. Great prices too, excellent value for money and really friendly staff.

Perfect for a winter’s lunch! Lovely small bar area with natural fire adds to the ambience. The food is really excellent, great value for money. I wish I had taken a photo for the review but it was so good and I was hungry I totally forgot! You won’t leave here hungry.

We have eaten here on a few occasions, always try to take our visitors here. I assure you, you will never leave here hungry. Generous portions, quaint bar. Really good food. Book early though as it’s very popular.

Four of us enjoyed a roast turkey lunch. Served with an abundance of well presented vegetables the meal was of excellent quality. Well cooked, no frills cuisine with ample portions gave very good value for money. Service was quick, efficient and friendly.

It’s really, really nice here. Good hearty, english pub food. Highly recommend, lovely lunch on a very rainy day. Thanks you ❤️

Love everything about this place Great food , great staff , great accommodation.. Our second visit and it won’t be our last