The Flowing Spring Pub in South Oxfordshire

Love this quirky place. Beautiful food, run by beautiful people, in a beautiful setting. Have been here multiple times and love everything. It's great to have an independent, family run pub by a couple who really care. Their attention to detail on the menu for people with dietary needs is second to none. Nothing is ever to much bother and their food is freshly prepared and cooked to order. Gluten free fish and chips with a choice of Haddock or Cod is the best we've ever tasted. Can't wait to return.

Lovely little pub with a great selection of beers and a comfortable atmosphere.

I am not moved to write reviews very often but when visiting the Flowing Spring which could be a great pub, had to comment. Ironically my last review was about the same place which is a bit of a shock. A few years on the pub which sadly now looks tired and scruffy. We waited 55 minutes for a fairly simple meal for 3, the pub had only a few people in it. I had Ham Egg and Chips.The Ham was lovely carved not processed but the eggs were rock hard. The young woman running the bar when told about it just grunted, shrugged her shoulders and walked off. It so sad as with the decline in pubs this one is still capable of pulling people in, however, the management and staff no longer care.

Excellent range of well kept beer and a diverse selection of generously portioned home cooked food that cater for most diets. My family enjoyed their gluten free burgers and I was treated to my first kebab in decades, tackling the vegan Shawarma kebab with proper kebab shop hot chilli sauce and fresh salad also with vegan mint sauce. A huge plate, maybe not on the slimfast diet but hugely satisfying washed down with a tasty Side Pocket Tring Brewery beer despite being a near the end of the barrel with a bit of sediment. Paid cash as recommended but cards are fine and there is plenty of parking and seating space inside and out now the floods have abated.

Cracking little pub, staff and food great, price of meals are reasonable considering it's Berkshire. Weekends (Saturday) entertainment and great pub stopover

A fantastic traditional, quirky pub. Great selection of good beers and ciders. With proper home cooked food that will appeal to a variety of tastes.

Absolutely amazing quirky pub that everyone should visit more than once in their lifetime! The decor is so unique, a real feast for the eyes and better than a visit to a museum of memorabilia. Hazel and Nick were so welcoming and their ability to cater for all diets is quite unique. As a coeliac I felt normal and really welcomed unlike at many establishments that just can't be bothered. Awarding winning pub and justly so. We stayed in the carpark overnight in our campervan and woke to an amazing sight surrounded by classic cars. The pub hosts many events and lots of tribute bands so we will be back very soon. Book your table and tickets as they are shure to sell out. Thanks to Hazel we enjoyed a lovely morning walk along the Thames footpath. Brilliant map Hazel.. we didn't get lost. 😊

Nick the landlord was very welcoming, and the pub is very quirky. We joined some locals at the bar and had a good old natter. We also had a gorgeous gluten free pizza. Have a good look around the place, it's brilliant! *****

Quirky old pub with good food and friendly staff. Dog friendly. Nice real ale.

A unique and quirky pub with an inclusive menu for all dietary requirements. My Shepherdesses Pie was vegan, wholesome & tasty while a classic gammon, eggs & chips and Yorkshire with slow cooked ham hock went down well, all gluten free. The only gringe was the gluten free giant Yorkshire was instead 2 small ones. All washed down with quality Tring brewery ale (not gluten free but there is plenty of gf beer in the fridge). Already looking forward to our next visit!

Great visit on Mother’s Day, with some lovely veggie food. We had stuffed red peppers, with roasties, awesome gravy, Yorkshire puds and veg. Plenty of gravy, and loads of custard with pudding too! The service is friendly, and the pub has so much character. It’s also good value and I particularly liked the chef coming out to ask our veggie choice / pudding accompaniment. It’s a mile away from most chain pubs.

Amazing quirky pub, home cooked food and great music.

Lovely quaint quirky pub. The last of the traditional pubs in this area . Great real ales and a good menu. The light bites menu offers great value some interesting vegetarian dishes as well as more traditional. Worth a vist

Lovely quaint traditional pub. Wide choice on the menu. Have eaten here so many times. A massive favourite is the pizzas . Best ever had. Lots of entertainment put on here and great summer music gigs. A lot of effort put in by the landlord and landlady. Keep it going 😊.

What a night, Christmas sing along with Nick. 10 of us, including our Grandchildren all of us just loved the whole evening was one of the best. We are regular visitors to the Flowing Spring, the food and drinks are always excellent and their gigs are not to be missed! Nick & Hazel are splendid hosts

Thank you Nick and Hazel for helping me to celebrate my 'big' birthday. Everyone loved the food, atmosphere and of course the fantastic selection of ales and cider. Brilliant couple, fantastic pub - if you've not been you don't know what a gem of a place you are missing

A fabulous pub. Totally unique with a warm, homely atmosphere, excellent selection of beer and great food. What more could you ask for.

Hazel and Nick are great hosts, they have an excellent menu and the food is delicious. I love the Hiver beer that they have on tap. The concerts they have over the summer are not to be missed.

Our large group of up to 30 ukulele players meet here for lunch at least twice a month. In the Summer we make good use of their large garden and marquee or the balcony, and in the colder months we play indoors. They go out of their way to look after us by opening the pub early for us to buy our first drinks and then making sure we are all well fed from the large selection on their menus. We have such a lovely time and feel so welcome that we can't imagine going anywhere else.

Absolutely superb local, with beer kept perfectly and a delicious and ever-changing menu catering to all tastes and dietary needs or preferences. Nick and Hazel are two of my favourite people, never mind favourite landlords, and I'm lucky to have such a quality establishment nearby!

What an amazing place! Nick and Hazel the owners were so accommodating and welcoming. We took the whole family there and nothing was too much trouble. The food was outstanding and really good value for money, such a range and all sensitivities and options catered for. Would definitely recommend this place!

Gorgeous quirky pub with amazing food. You haven't lived until you've tried a Flowing Spring kebab! The landlord & landlady are so friendly & hospitable and there's a great range of food whatever your dietary preferences and drinks both alcoholic and not. Worth a visit any time of year for the food, drink & atmosphere and in the summer for amazing outdoor gigs too.

Food , ambience, and our experience at the Flowing Spring with hosts Nick and Hazel have always been great.Ive been a regular at the classic car meet there in the summer as well.All there prices have Vat included

The meal was ok, nothing amazing - but fine. What did irk me though was paying a bill with VAT added at the till afterwards. The prices on the menus are not VAT included and on the menu we used, it did not even state that prices are ex-VAT. I'm not even sure that's legal? Whatever - it smacks of deception and we most certainly won't be coming back.

We dropped I for lunch on our was to a Bremont factory tour. The landlord and land lady were both very friendly and the food we had was really good home made and cooked food. Well worth a visit if you are passing to going to Bremont

Hazel’s home cooking is consistently high quality, and the real ales are always in good condition. No mass-produced Doombars here, only local proper beers from small breweries, in a range of strengths. A friendly, independent pub that continues to put the chain pubcos in the shade. Well-run, family owned (and run) local small businesses like this deserve our support.

Amazing pub with cool and quirky interior decor. Great range of ales too. Food was delicious and they let me stay the night in the car park in my motorhome!

Really great food (all homecooked and ethically UK sourced) catering to all kinds of diets. Their staff are friendly and welcoming to us and our dog, there's a relaxed atmosphere with quirky decor and chilled music. We hear they have great drinks but as we don't drink we were really pleased to be offered a delicious range of non alc drinks. The efforts with their menu, their food and drink sourcing shows and is well appreciated and well priced. We'll be back soon, on one of the live music nights. They've created somehing special, we don't know a pub like it.

Really good. I randomly turned up on a wet lunchtime to kill some time. Great burger, great pint of ale, great service, lovely atmosphere. An old style pub we see too few of these days.

One of the best pubs around with great food. If you are gluten free then you’ll love the fit menu, so many great options.

My husband and I have grown a true fondness for this place. There truly is know where else like it. We came to some of the outdoor concerts last year and promised to return for them this year and needless to say we have and have not been disappointed. So far we have seen a Truly wonderful David Bowie Tribute act called Moonage and then another truly wonderful band called Xander and the peace pirates. Excellent musicanship to say the least. Once again our requirements for lovely food and drink were met. Many thanks to Nick, Hazel and their fabulous staff for another memorable evening. Hope to return for many more music evenings and will certainly be back for some more lovely food, drink, atmosphere and chat. Well done you too.

It’s the second time we came as a family! The food is really nice! This second time we were served by a waitress that clearly needs more training. And the toilets were not up to par considering what we were paying. Maybe a professional cleaner could be hired because it was really dirty and dusty.

Great pub tucked right out of the way, supper place a real discovery. Take a visit and support this place. It's a destination. Google you need more stars for this place. Fantastic.

Great home cooked food and as a Coeliac wonderful to have so many gluten free options. Vegan ones too. Very friendly staff.

Unusual, in a good way, pub that regularly features live music. Not particularly disabled friendly but plenty of outside space.

Wow. A great find. Plenty of real ales. Lovely home cooked food. This ain't no chain pub. And a band on in the garden when we where there. Best pub we've been to in ages.

Great meal. Brilliant surroundings. Not close to home but will definitely be back

A gluten free find. 80% of the menu is gf and they take care to keep it as separate as poss. Even a good range of gf beer. Such a quirky place too it has to be experienced

Very nice place. Oreo, Rudy and Serge🥰

What a great pub. We attended once again on a truly soaking wet Saturday evening for one of the popular live music events. The Led Zeppelin tribute band Coda were returning for a third time but had to cancel due to the guitarist taken ill and in hospital. Hope he recovers soon. Nick, ever the stalwart, managed to find an excellent replacement within 24 hours. LETZ ZEP stepped in and performed brilliantly. The torrential rain didn't stop them or dampen the audience spirits. The on site shelters kept most of us dry and allowed us to watch the more adventurous to bop away to the music. A huge thank you to Nick and Hazel for again putting in so much hard work to give a great evening for all. Beer was good as well, but glasses of wine would have been better than a whole bottle. Just a suggestion, the roses in front of the band area could do with a trim or a tie back! 😃 Thanks again to all.

We came to see Coda, but ended up with Letz Zep - our first visit to this little pub. The food was ok and the event itself was reasonable even though it was raining and the tents leaked (plus the lead singer should have given up a long time ago (!)) Whlie I initially liked the village pub feel (almost like my own village) so the wobbly tables and broken bits I just viewed as quirky - it quickly became clear there were some weird policies. The website said we must call and book our car parking in advance - so we did, only to be told we didn't need to at all (so why put it on the website?). The loo downstairs, which I was directed to in the intermission, was really gross - brown water in the loo and baby changing right next to it. Definitely needs a good clean, as did the ladies inside - I was glad to be at an event outside tbh. The food also had to be ordered in advance and the website said must be paid for in cash - although on the night they said that too was not the case and we could pay by card (again, why put it on the website?). Then I tried to buy a glass of wine to go with my £8 potatoe (no salad, no garnish at all) and was told I must buy a whole bottle for £23. I've only come across that policy at the big exploitative 80s festivals and was quite shocked. When I queried I was told I'd have fun if I drank a whole bottle and if not I could complain to the landlady. I declined to do that at the time, choosing instead to feedback via email, privately. I duly sent an emailI and then responsded to theirs saying please let us know should the policy change. The next day I received yet another email, tis time from the landlady, telling me basically that I should have come to see her at the time and why I was incorrect in my feedback. I replied, because all the reasons she gave for not selling wine by the glass made no actual logial sense, esp because they weren't applied to any other measures of alcohol ... I then received a very long email from the landlord accusing me of sending "long tiresome emails" and telling me how in the wrong I am and that they obviously cannot "placate" me. Sadly it's evidently that "this is our pub and if you like it you're welcome, but if you give us any feedback we don't agree with, then you are an unreasonable customer!". A great shame that feedback is received so unprofessionally and the overreaction was so rude, especially considering selling wine by the glass and bottle is entirely normal, (and boxes of wine actually work our cheaper). A pretty dismal night has become a very negative experience for me, and I'm reminded yet again not to bother trying to feedback privately - it's not appreicated - should have just written this review to begin with.

Came for Motorhome stop over and WOW What a fantastic pub with the best garden for Live Music..Saw Led Zeppelin tribute band. Everything is set up in the garden beer tent/ food tent, shelters to keep you dry & thank you for them as it was raining cats & dogs all night. Must have been 200+ people, top quality set up with the most amazing sound. Great food & beer. So well organised. Hats off to the owners. We'll definitely be back. In fact next Saturday for The Original Rock Band Flint Moore. Followed by Elton, Fleetwood Mac & David Bowie Tributes coming up & we want to come to all & seeing what we've already missed starting Gigs In The Garden in May gutted we didn't come across you sooner & we'll definitely try to come to most/ all next year. A great mix of Original Bands & Tributes. Keep up the good work & great bands 🤘🫶

Could be quirky, but is actually dirty and run by a very defensive and unwelcoming couple. Our first and last visit. The food was ok and the event itself was reasonable even though it was raining and the tents leaked (plus the lead singer should have given up a long time ago (!)) But whlie I initially liked the village pub feel (almost like my own village) so the wobbly tables and broken bits I just viewed as quirky - it quickly became clear it had some very weird policies. The website said we must call and book our car parking in advance - so we did, only to be told we didn't need to at all (so why put it on the website?). The loo downstairs, which I was directed to in the intermission, was really gross - brown water in the loo and baby changing right next to it. Definitely needs a good clean, as did the ladies inside - I was glad to be at an event outside tbh. The food also had to be ordered in advance and the website said must be paid for in cash - although on the night they said that too was not the case and we could pay by card (again, why put it on the website?). Then I tried to buy a glass of wine to go with my £8 potatoe (no salad, no garnish at all) and was told I must buy a whole bottle for £23. I've only come across that policy at the big exploitative 80s festivals and was quite shocked. When I queried I was told I'd have fun if I drank a whole bottle and if not I could complain to the landlady. I declined to do that at the time, choosing instead to feedback via email, privately. I duly sent an emailI and then responsded to theirs saying please let us know should the policy change. The next day I received yet another email, this time from the landlady, telling me basically that I should have come to see her at the time and why I was utterly incorrect in my feedback. I replied, because all the reasons she gave for not selling wine by the glass made no actual logial sense, esp because they weren't applied to any other measures of alcohol ... I then received a very long email from the landlord accusing me of sending "long tiresome emails" and telling me how in the wrong I am and that they obviously cannot "placate" me. Sadly it's evidently that "this is our pub and if you like it you're welcome, but if you give us any feedback we don't agree with, then you are an unreasonable customer!". A great shame that feedback is received so unprofessionally and the overreaction was so rude, especially considering selling wine by the glass and bottle is entirely normal, (and boxes of wine actually work our cheaper). A pretty dismal night has become a very negative experience for me, and I'm reminded yet again not to bother trying to feedback privately - it's not appreicated. If you look on Tripadvisor, you can read their incredible reactions to any criticism. One to avoid sadly.

We only went for a drink and to buy tickets for a gig on the first occasion. Last night was the gig very good band, last minute booking as previous band cancelled. Well done for finding LedzZep. Pouring with rain but very enjoyable. Thank you.

We had a great evening, fab food, great folk club/accoustic night, lovely quirky and interesting old pub with lovely gardens and great free campervan(off grid style) overnight stay in their car park for pub users. Also lovely balcony area Great atmosphere and advertises live music..we will definitely go again. Thanks for great hospitality.

The most wonderful music venue ever!

Went to hear Big Boss Man last night - one of the Flowing Spring's weekly events. A brilliant format for the evening drawing in good numbers. Great to see a pub that doesn't enjoy a central location innovating to maintain the great British pub. Well done.

Lovely pub, great chilled atmosphere, great food, a fab motorhome stopover with great walks

The pub is absolutely beautiful and the food is delicious! We had a meat and a vegetarian dish and both were very good. The owners are wonderful people too, what more could one ask for :)

My theme for this review would be 'Duck's off' given our group of 12 pre-ordered but the duck salad had disappeared off the menu before our booking date arrived. I declined to order a replacement as I found the limited choice of four starters (normally my favourite part of eating out) was not to my taste. Maybe a starter with prawns in it would be a good addition or fried breaded brie to provide more alternatives? This choice was reduced further when on arrival we were informed that due to a supply not arriving that day 'Thai fish cake is off'. The owner was very good at suggesting gluten free alternatives. I did stifle a ;laugh when somebody ordered a Pimm's and was told there was no Pimm's. The owner and staff were very good at rearranging the furniture to make us comfortable on a very hot day and then moving us indoors. We had originally hoped to sit out on the balcony but soon discovered the flaw in this plan when the sun shone through a glass roof directly above us that didn't have a blind on it. I didn't mind waiting an additional 15 minutes for my cod, chips and peas to arrive after the curries and salads had been served as it reassured me that it was freshly cooked from scratch although I know it bothered other people who had already been given their food. As predicted, my large piece of cod was perfectly cooked and the chips had the right balance between being crisp yet fluffy inside. The individually requested condiments that were supplied in half full tiny metal bowls didn't really seem to fit in with the overall ambience and only covered a third of my fish. The owner entered into some banter with the person paying ahead of me that his meal was a bargain and when he didn't seem to agree it was pointed out by the owner he did indeed think it was very good value for everything he and wife had for food and drink. I agreed.

The food was decent but service was slow because of a lack of staff and the facilities weren’t as clean as they could be. It’s in a pretty location and there was plenty of space.

Food good quality and plentiful, great selection of real ale, quiet day even though Saturday afternoon

Nice meal outside on veranda. Friendly staff. ❤️ Fairly priced.

Excellent food, friendly welcome.

Really lovely pub with a great selection of beer and cider. The team running it are also lovely.

Such a fun and quirky pub. The staff and locals make the place what it is.

Friendly local pub, very accommodating to different diets, good range of 0 alcohol drinks, highly recommend the homemade pizza

Lovely quirky pub with good cask ale selection

Popped into this pub as part of Reading and Mid-Berkshire's Real Ale Trail 2023. Lovely little pub with many items that I often found myself reminiscing over whilst enjoying my two pints. Had a large group of ukulele players in playing and singing in perfect unison a mixture of modern and "classic" songs which only added to the charming feel of this pub. Easy to get to via the paths from Sonning, barman very friendly and the alcohol selection was exemplary. Can't wait to return!

Really interesting pub. Probably not for everyone but i love it. They also have some great events.

Very quirky but honest pub with loads of character. I wish I lived nearer to it.

Had a great visit to this very quirky pub🤗 great friendly welcome by the landlord and landlady. The menu was very varied and we enjoyed the lamb kebab and goat curry. Looking forward to returning for one of your music events. Thank you for letting us park up overnight in our motorhome 😀

Stunning food, particularly the scotch bonnet ice cream, it was all made in house by the landlord and landlady. My partner was so blown away by the ice cream that I was encouraged to make our own (mine wasnt as good as theirs) The atmosphere was very homely with friendly punters and hosts alike. We have been joined onto the mailing list so we can stay up to date with the many tribute bands that they have there in the adjoining marquee. Will definitely be back for more fun, food and entertainment.

Great people really nice food and the decor and music just topped it defo be coming back

Charming pub with lots of vegan options.

As well as being an absolutely wonderful pub, if you have any dietary requirements, (gluten free, diary free, etc.) this place is amazing. All their food is made from scratch and a lot of it can be adjusted to suit your needs. The landlord is incredibly helpful and friendly and the beer is incredible. Definitely one to visit.

Terrible food. Over cooked and dry. What a disappointment.

Such a friendly place. Looking forward to our next visit where can properly get to enjoy the music and a meal.

Quirky place, food lovely but service slow

Very friendly and very interesting.

I visited with booked party of 12 walkers. On the positive side, the pub is wonderfully quirky, the beer excellent and there were three local ales. The various food we'd ordered was disappointing. Some reported that gujons and fish cakes were overcooked (though the accompanying chips were rated highly) . Others had ordered "ciabatta". These arrived as large rather dry white bread rolls. Not great. Since the establishment is multi award winning, I guess we'd picked a bad day. The pub has live music evenings which certainly be worth sampling with pint.

So refreshing to come across a great pub full of character including the owner! Plenty of craft ales on offer and the food was outstanding.

Lots of stairs to get into it and around the place. Not elderly friendly sorry.

Saw a write up on Facebook so glad we came incredible gluten free menu- had food I’ve not had in 10 years - friendly staff excellent service- will definitely be visiting again- 5star - genuine old fashioned pub atmosphere

A great Pub. It's an unusual and quirky place. Excellent range of drinks available. They regularly put on live music and I had the good luck to see Wild Willy Barret, an excellent show. We'll worth a visit.

Lovely landlord, great food and a wonderful location

We stayed overnight in our Campervan in the carpark. We arrived late having booked a table for 8pm. The landlord was very welcoming and the food was nice (pub food). It was quiet, only about half a dozen people in the pub, but there was a nice friendly atmosphere. Very quirky, but homely pub. Would call again if we're in the area.

What a great pub. Came here on a britstops and so pleased i did the bar staff were lovely and friendly. Definitely coming back for the chilli 🌶 pizza eating challenge. Also you don’t get many pubs upstairs like this do you!

Super Pub lovely food and very friendly staff.

Very friendly staff and great food and drink.working my way through the menu not had anything that I dont like in my 4 visits. If you want something different this is the place to go its a hidden gem

Very friendly staff and a unique atmosphere. We had great dinner and enjoyed our stay. Unfortunately a day too early as on Saturday there would have been live music.

Whether you want great food (especially if you have special dietaryrequirements), a wide selection of locally brewed beers, great gigs, friendly staff, somewhere to walk your dog from or just a quiet drink in a lovely environment this pub is perfect 👍

Waited 40 minutes for a very simple food order. Drinks order (also not complicated) was misunderstood twice. Place seemed to be run by teenagers out of their depth. When I chased the food, I was told they were really really busy, but there were not many people in the pub and most weren't eating. Pub had also inexplicably run out of peas Disappointing. Will not be coming back

Waited around 40 minutes for a pretty simple food order, and they'd run out of peas. Pub wasn't that busy. Got the drink order wrong twice. When I tried to chase the order it took a while as there was no-one behind the bar. I only encountered 2 staff who seemed to be teenagers out of their depth. Will not be coming back.

Nice pub and the food was ok but took about 45 mins to arrive and the pub was very quiet at the time. Good outside areas.

Excellent food with good sized portions , friendly landlord Nick great drink selection and a very unusually decorated pub inside all in all a great place to visit,they also have live music on some evenings !

lovely quirky pub. Food lovely with variously bands and events throughout the year.Warm welcome from landlord who does a dry cometary on band night's.Must see inside for quirky interior plus brill venue set up outside. A real find.

Lovely, quirky, kooky pub with nice selection of drinks and selection of vegan and veggie options. We hadn’t been here before, but wrongly had expectations that it would be quite “posh”, perhaps even pretentious, but this wasn’t at all the case. Very quirky and fun interior with a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. Only slight critique I’d offer is perhaps a super salad style main as a vegan options, but that’s very nit picky! The pizzas are massive and delicious! I’m really glad that pubs like this still exist. Support! Definitely recommend coming here and in fact we already have planned on returning to see some live music in the near future!

Good food especially for vegetarians and great beer with a selection of free from and low alcohol alternatives. Also frequent music and other events.

Friendly staff, and nice decking/balcony to sit out in, in the sun, located in grounds that are very pleasant. Great range of good regional beer and good food, too.

Had a very enjoyable evening at the Elton John tribute show

Very nice atmosphere, spontanously visited a concert and had a lovely evening

A beautiful friendly pub with a big garden. I had a delicious and good sized gluten-free pizza and proper ale (also gluten-free) I highly recommend this place to anyone especially celiacs. Great to find somewhere with staff that know enough to recommend gluten-free products.

Well kept beers and a (friendly) grumpy publican. What is there not too love?

The summer classic car events are getting very busy.

Independent pub, live music. Well kept beer, family and dog friendly.

Excellent menu - take a look! It's ethically sourced too with numerous awards. Incredible landlord, great interior, vast range of drinks on tap - see the website! Starters were delicious and large and I look forward to coming back when I/we can :)

Excellent menu - take a look! It's ethically sourced too with numerous awards. Incredible landlord, great interior, vast range of drinks on tap - see the website! Starters were delicious and large and brilliantly prepared

Lovely freshly cooked food,nachos had a lovely kick on them😝😝😝

Really nice quirky pub, friendly staff and superb food , a credit to the owners of this little hidden gem