The Cross Keys Country Pub & Kitchen in Bedford

Small room with mm any people, difficult to hear your friends talking. Parking is very limited

Amazing food, 3* staff. The roast dinners were absolutely lovely I must admit, with dessert being really nice and not too heavy. The only thing that let us down were the staff. One of the servers seemed in a rush to do a lot, and when we asked her if the dessert could have custard, instead of ice cream, it was met with a very hard and blunt "no", not a "I can check with the kitchen", as it should have been. Thankfully, that didn't totally take away from the experience, but at £160 for 4 people, you'd expect stella service. Poor parking too!

Go there occasionally for a Sunday roast. You won’t get better. I wouldn’t choose a roast anywhere else, as my son-in-law says, that mine are better and he doesn’t want to be disappointed and waste his money. The roast at the Cross Keys however, is on another level. Always have the amazing pork belly with the best crackling ever. If you have the half roast chicken, you’ll need a doggy bag. It’s huge! This really is a beautiful pub in a fabulous setting. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly and the atmosphere is warm. Definitely need to book ahead for the Sunday roast.

Superb service. Good choice of food and what we had was cooked perfectly and very tasty. Would recommend. New layout accomdates mor.

First visit and will definitely will not be the last, beautiful venue, great food m, great service and a really nice atmosphere with a lovely vibe!

We went for a bottomless brunch and it was really good. Staff, super friendly and helpful and attentive. We had a call button in a private room, yet didn't need it because they kept checking if we needed more drinks as part of the brunch. Food and drinks was very nice. We had the cocktail bottomless brunch and they actually tasted like alcohol unlike a lot of places. Recommend the bottomless brunch as value for money.

The most disappointing Sunday roast I've eaten at a pub or restaurant. The chicken and beef were not cooked well. The gravy was not tasty and seemed like a nondescript veggie one and the same for all meats. The Yorkshire puddings were underdone. The best bit was the carrot and that was mediocre. Service was fairly slow. The cocktails were spilled over our table twice by servers and tasted different both times we ordered them. Needless to say I won't be going back for a Sunday roast here. I can't speak for their usual menu but if this is anything to go by it won't live up to the hype.

Absolutely amazing, great atmosphere the staff are happy, helpful and very welcoming. The food is superb, great value for money and arrives quickly, hot and delicious. The owner is always around, he's polite and very passionate about his business. We are extremely luckey to have a brilliant restaurant so close to home. It's always a pleasure coming here and we can't thank you all enough - 5 stars on everything. Thanks again, we look forward to seeing you all soon 😀

Delicious food, polite staff, clean.

Couldn't attend as car park was full £20 too cancel the booking. Good job I did otherwise it wud have been £40 if I had just not turned up beware!!!!

Booked Sunday lunch in the private dining room as a group of 8, of which 4 were young children. The private dining room has a really good set up for young children; they can potter about and not disturb other dinners, or cause too much damage. Service is provided by pressing a little buzzer on the table, which worked really well as a system. There's the option to pipe in your own music if you wish, though we didn't. Food was good, no issues. Didn't break the bank, £200 for 8 of us. We booked again before we left.

Thank you for creating such a memorable experience. The ambiance was perfect, and every detail was thoughtfully executed. It's always a pleasure to dine somewhere that truly values its guests. We will definitely be recommending your establishment to friends and family. See you soon!

Nice place for a good meal with friends and family. We had good dinner with friend last week. I would recommend this place very cosy place and staff is also very friendly.

One of the best restaurants in bedford. The food is delicious and top quality, it's affordable. It's had renovations done and it's only added to the ambience. Highly recommend

Good welcome. Friendly atmosphere, very clean and well set out. Starter were good. The main salad an chips were excellent. The pork was overcooked and very difficult to cut.

Really nice environment. Able to fit us all in as a bunch of rugby players and will defo return in the future

Very disappointing. With the exception of the lamb, which was genuinely good meat, the roast was bad... Under cooked vegetables, two days-old roasted potatoes and terrible music . I was not served the wine I asked for and gave up on ending with dessert. Should not have tipped but didn't want to be harsh on the waitress who is not to blame for this scam of a business. Don't waste your time or your money here. Update: to make it worse, two hours after my meal I received an e-mail confirming cancellation of my reservation...??? This restaurant has serious management issues. Face it and fix it.

I've been going here now on occasions for over 6 years. I strive to always have something different every time we go. I can honestly say I've never had a bad meal there once. My partner is absolutely 💯 in love with their steak aswel. So always a happy time. Staff are great, too. Give it a whirl. You won't be disappointed.

Always great food and atmosphere here, fantastic baby changing facilities, very clean. They are fmaily friendly and we're happy to accommodate 3of us with prams!

Went here for a birthday dinner and can’t complain about anything inside. The experience was better than expected along with the quality of the food and service. The only small tiny annoying part was the parking, I would recommend going early to make sure you can park or have time to walk from the car as there is limited parking available.

I have visited the cross keys on numerous occasions with friends and family and the service and food has always been impeccable. A special shout out to Simone for always making sure we are looked after.

Fantastic food, well presented great service could fault any part of our dining experience

Food was average my partner ordered Saffron risotto, king prawns, mussels, squid & cherry tomatoes and asked for no squid only to discover there was squid in it and it was brushed off as a king prawn? rest of food was average at best to be honest Venue on a Saturday night was way too loud and no one at our table could hear each other speak so will be avoiding going here in future

Loved it here . We treated ourselves to a little stay by the river and booked this restaurant. A warm welcome from the staff. Great setting on the outskirts of Kempston, beautifully laid out restaurant with the restaurant opening up on to the outside seating . Is it pricey ? Yes but the food was worth it. Tapas 4 starter 2 share. Steak each Bottle of champagne 230 ish x We checked the prices b4 hand BT were not disappointed with the food or service - albeit it was a treat x

Loved the food, service and atmosphere. Cosy and nice inside and a nice terrace outside where you can have some fun 😁

Excellent juicy fillet steak. Prompt service. Would return

Everything was lovely, bar 1 waitress we found to be quite rude.

Foods nice service was slow this time but was still good. 5*****

My daughter and I had a very tasty meal. The service was outstanding, friendly and courteous. Loads of seating inside and outside. Would highly recommend.

Mario is a superstar, he was so attentive and went above and beyond. Thank you so much x

Rustic chic country restaurant/bar. Ate here as part of a family of 10 celebrating a birthday. The food was good, service friendly and they were able to co-ordinate service so that we were all served together. Clean plates all round.

Food was good, but very expensive. Dining room was very full and crowded, with some people being very loud, making conversation difficult. Very limited parking. - with the evening ending with a parking ticket.

Very friendly and welcoming staff. Great food choices and lovely atmosphere.

Absolutely sensational from start to finish, come here if you want the best brunch in Bedford!!!

Amazing service and great food. Great atmosphere for a brunch!

Amazing atmosphere Perfect birthday celebration All the team made an amazing effort Maddy and Ella where absolutely amazing

Amazing. The staff, the service, the food, the drinks but most important the vibe and the atmosphere. Cant recommend it enough. Perfect for special celebrations, girls day out or a lovely date night.

We had a great time here. It was a nice and relaxed atmosphere. The food was very good.

In a group of 10. Service was good. Friendly staff. Good was good. Variety included vegan options which was welcome. Vegan linguine was excellent

What a spectacular place to come and dine. Our food and beverage experience was exquisite, made even better by our lovely waiter who was very switched on and knew his stuff. We didn’t catch his name but the young man who was blonde really showed us why it was a good decision to come here. The manager Simone was so kind and welcoming and his charm runs through his employees. We will definitely be coming back.

The most incredible food with fantastic staff and service. Couldn’t recommend highly enough!

Lovey place to dine. Sim was lovly and really looked after us. 5/5!!!

This is an absolute gem of a restaurant! Fantastic atmosphere from door to table and throughout our meal. Staff are a solid crew, this comes across so positively to customers and trickles through to ensuring those at the table feel like royalty. Clean, upmarket vibe, gorgeous decor, a perfect spot for celebratory / family get together / everyday lunch or cosy couples meal out! Food - we enjoyed the tapas starter and scoffed bruschetta and calamari. It was cooked / made to perfection. He enjoyed the beef brisket burger which was juicy and delicious, I savoured every bite of the pork milanese - what a yummy meal! Try the cocktails - the fruit pastel mojito was a treat! Can’t thank the team enough - Lizzy you were just lovely, thank you for your perfect service. Thanks guys and see you all soon 💜🥂

Beautiful lunch. Much of the menu is Italian. I had a saffron seafood risotto which was flavoursome and had generous seafood

Music was too loud,service was slow but food was delicious

An amazing place, amazing food, amazing staff and amazing atmosphere, could not wish for better, will be back 😃

I remember back in the 90s when this was just a boozer not what it is now, played darts for them in the Bedford darts league, still got my plaque for our high end of season finish. Left Bedford 12 years now, must make a point of seeing it next time I'm seeing friends in Gibralter corner.

Good food. Service a bit slow. Lively atmosphere, but very noisy. Not cheap.

Been there for the first time and definitely going again! Lovely cocktails, amazing food & the atmosphere is great !! The hospitality was great as well .We tried authentic the Italian pizzas which were absolutely delicious . Definitely worth coming here - can't recommend it enough!❤️📍

Disappointing brunch. Beautiful place, great entertainment but it was overwhelmingly full, to the point you couldn't move out of your seat. Staff seemed a bit 'all over the place', disorganised. Brunch didn't run to the time advertised, started late. Good option's of alcoholic drinks, but with the small amount of food offered you could only drink so much. Food was cold, I've had larger starters. Overall, over priced and over rated.

I came to this place on the recommendation of a friend and it truly is an “oasis in the middle of the desert” that cannot be missed!!! Maddy's service, Mario's cocktails, Simone's attention and all the staff in general were excellent, I live in Switzerland but I definitely have to return on my next visit to Great Britain!!!

We came here for my mums 40th birthday party and everything from the food and service was absolutely fantastic!! I would love to give a special shoutout to our waitress Maddison who looked after us. She was so patient, friendly, professional and fantastic thank you so much for looking after us, you were brilliant❤️

First class food and service Highly recommend ,you will not be disappointed.,pizzas and steak absolutely great .

Fabulous atmosphere & great service

Had a very good Sunday lunch here recently. The food and service were very good, thankfully, as this place is actually very expensive. The prices would potentially leave a bad taste but as long as they always deliver the quality we received we will continue to frequent.

This certainly wasn't our first time here, and having visited lots of times our expectations are always high. We had quite a large family celebration (3 birthdays) here on Sunday and I can honestly say it did not disappoint. We're a family of foodies, and there wasn't a single meal that wasn't enjoyed. Food was amazing beautifully presented and tasted amazing. Attentive but not intrusive serving staff, beautiful atmosphere and amazing food. If I was to be super critical the only one, very minor thing that could've improved our (my) experience was an old favourite dessert being included in the current menu! Thank you so much for making our family celebration so special......we'll be back again and again.

Lovely Sunday Roast. Beautifully decorated, and friendly staff.

Very nice and friendly place, the service and food were great

Simon was absolutely lovely. He was welcoming and made the experience all so much bette

Best bottomless brunch & cocktails, food amazing & atmosphere great 😊 👌

Amazing atmosphere ! Delicious food! Brooks I’ll be coming again

Good food. The burger wasn't amazing but the Italian dishes were great.

Best Sunday roast I’ve had in Bedford!

Had lunch to celebrate a birthday, brilliant service, quality food and presentation... lovely decor and ambience a first class experience..well done guys! Really appreciate the small touches that make the difference...super job congratulations and thanks for a great time..🙏👍👏👏

Had a great family lunch here . Excellent food and friendly service. An ideal choice for a family meal for 3 generations.

My daughter took me here for Mother's day. Lovely restaurant, lovely staff and reasonably priced

Nice Italian restaurant. Pizzas were amazing, I had the burger but probably should have had pizza. Parking limited outside and someone in our party got a ticket parking in the residential area - so avoid that!

Great food and great service. Our first time here and we will be coming back.

Waited 40 minutes for beef that was so burnt I could have used it to repair an old pair of boots. The potatoes were raw & the carrots & turnips were burnt crisp, nice charcoal flavour.

Amazing food and atmosphere. Brilliant service.

Amazing as always!! Best in Bedford

The food is good!!! The cocktails are even better, and the staff are great!

Amazing night, food is incredible and desserts are *chefs kiss*

Amazing experience - brilliant food and outstanding staff members! What a lovely evening.

Very nice atmosphere and food was sublime! have been several times and not once have I been disappointed

As good as it gets for a local with excellent service and presentation. They also do the little touches that make you feel classy inside. Definitely will be returning.

What can I say???? Absolutely amazing can’t wait for my next visit

I booked this place for Mother's day. I booked online and the booking went through and a email confirmation received. I was then called by a lady from the pub on Thursday 22 Feb, she stated that she needed the deposit for mothers day. I informed her I was abroad and this was no problem but could I do this when I return on Tue 27 Feb. I told her I did not have my cards with me and if she could give me 5 days. She was pleasant and said that I will not get another call and she will leave a note on the system. I then received a further 3 calls (I did not answer as it was £3 per min). I have got back to listen to the voicemail saying the manager said that "the deposits had to be made by the end of the week and they will be cancelling the booking and the manager was not willing to wait for a few day's. I am upset at the customer service. I am annoyed at the fact that if this deposit was asked at the time of booking I would have paid no problem - I would have paid no problem if I was in the UK. but the fact that the customer service was so appalling is a shame as I had heard good things. Shame I will not be able to try this establishment because 'the manager' cannot understand peoples situations and be a little accomodating.

Had a bottomless brunch here on Saturday with 4 friends. The food and drinks were great. Authentic Italian food with gorgeous cocktails. Dj playing music and taking requests. We had a great time will definitely be going back.

5 of us had a fabulous bottomless brunch here on Saturday 24th Feb. The food was delicious and the drinks kept flowing without having to ask. Great atmosphere with a live DJ, will definitely be back.

5 of us went to the CrossKeys for brunch and I just say it’s the best brunch I have ever been to, the staff were really friendly and accommodating they couldn’t do enough for us. They made sure our table always had drinks on we were never waiting. The food was remarkable, the portion sizes with fantastic too. The music was great and the DJ welcomed requests which was also really good. We have already booked to go again, this Resturant is a MUST. Thankyou for being so accommodating.

One of my favourite restaurants in Bedford. Modern, chill and delicious food. The atmosphere is also great and the staff are wonderful . Will definitely be back soon. Emma

Had the 2 course for £20 lunch menu. Starters were lovely chicken satay and calamari. Tasty and fresh. Risotto was very good also.

Great atmosphere with amazing food and drink as always. The bottomless brunch is really good value and the staff are constantly available to take your drinks orders. Thank you so much for a wonderful time. Have already recommended to colleagues, friends and family!

Really lovely restaurant with a varied choice and resonably priced too. The nicest thing however, was being greeted at the door by a staff member who actually said to my friend and I "good evening ladies", rather than 'hi guys'! Would go again just for that!

Meal for 2 on a Saturday night. Lovely food, friendly staff and nice setting but astronomical prices!! Struggled to park also.

Taken here for a birthday dinner and cannot fault the venue, food or service! Portions are huge and very tasty. Would happily go here again! The only issue is limited parking if driving!

I was recommended this place by a fair few people and managed to visit it for a special birthday celebration. The food is very well presented and tastes great! The atmosphere was great too and they made every effort make it special for the birthday celebration! Now for the service... 1. As we walked in we were waiting for a good 5mins before anyone came to help us. In the meantime there were two different waiters that walked past us and didn’t even acknowledge we had been waiting. 2. Appreciate the restaurant was busy but our waiters were nowhere to be seen and it took at least 20minutes before I managed to get someone’s attention to order more drinks. 3. Food orders were incorrect and when asked if a particular side was supposed to be as it came. Instead of checking or knowing what was on the menu I was told the order was correct despite it not and it having to be re-made. I appreciate the restaurant was busy but the last point is surely common practice to be able to provide info on what is on the menu. Overall I would recommend this place as the food is very very good the desserts are to die for! Please note there is limited parking so be mindful when you are booking a later dinner slot.

Great food, great service, little on the pricy side but worth every penny.

Expensive but worth it for a special occasion

Booked for 16 people off £20 2 course Friday lunch. All thoroughly enjoyed food, venue and service. Would recommend. Thank you.

What can I say look no further forget about London we had a great evening food was great our grandchildren polished of all the medley of fish they loved it service impeccable simone is on the button just like his mum libby. by far the classiest eatery around great food I think I really need to try more variation on the menu as it looks 😋 once again thank-you for looking after us and price wise who cares when good food hits your table forget about price

What a dreadful experience! Went with friends just for some drinks on Christmas Eve to start our Christmas celebrations. Unable to book a table the day before we arrived and were told table service only. OK, having initially sat at a small table, only ones available, as a larger one became available we went to move to it only to be told it was booked! The bench window seat then became available. Went to move, told no as it was booked! I asked if we could move into the fairly empty restaurant area. Told no, this is for food only! Yes, I agree, we should have left at this point but we didn't. A larger table again became free and we were moved onto it only to be told they had to take one of the tables away to set up for another group of people! I have never felt so unwelcome in a pub before! Not sure what they are trying to portray here but it's literally a village pub with a restaurant. They were happy to take the £200 bill though. Oh, one other thing, stay away from the bubblegum vodka....£16 for a double plus £4 for the lemonade! Enjoy the money, we won't be returning

Amazing place with incredible hospitality from Simone. Authentic Italian pizzas (confirmed by 3 southern Italians!) which were absolutely delicious and used great produce plus a cheesecake to die for. Definitely worth coming here - can’t recommend it enough!

I went to The Cross Keyes with 13 others and we had the 3 course festive menu. Everything from the location, to the service and the food was fantastic! I could not fault them and will certainly be returning 😊

Fantastic pub great food and friendly staff . Real family feeling and spotles . It's one of my favourite places to have a great meal 😋

Should have realised why does this place have to leaflet drop if all's going well think before you go & let commen sense prevail.

We had my wife's 80th birthday party here with 40 friends. The food was outstanding. the service excellent unobtrusive, warm, professional with everything thought of. One guest was unwell and this was dealt with competently, with compassion and the minimum of disturbance. I have eaten at restaurants all over the world, but this ranks very high up the ranking. Thank you Simon and your staff!

Great atmosphere. Lovely food as always

Excellent venue for a bottomless brunch - Lovely atmosphere. The staff, service, food & drinks were fantastic! We thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon here and we would highly recommend :) Thanks guys! X