The Foragers Retreat in Braintree

Absolutely fantastic place for food and/or coffee. This place is run by WONDERFUL staff. The chef has a real passion for food. The Saturday night foraging menus are something to write home about. We enjoyed every single bite- Thank you

Lovely meal today. The nut roast en croute pastry was light and buttery. The filling very tasty. Desert was a chocolate delight. Service was attentive and a good sense of humour making you feel comfortable and at home. Will be back again.

In February I came with a friend for lunch really enjoyed it pub was warm staff were welcoming and service was good.So today I came here with a friend for her Birthday the pub was cold the radiators were not on and there was one log fire the other side of where we were sitting.Service was very slow and when the food came up my friend meal of pie with mash was only warm my salmon was fine.When we had finished our mains we waited so long that I went and found a waitress to ask for deserts.We both chose bakewell tart and was told it was sold out .We were offered the chance to move to the table infront of the fire while we sat there I heard the waiter saying he had one portion of bakewell left iasked why couldn't we of had it and eventually our order was changed.We paid our bill and left without so much as a thank you and were very disappointed

We have been lucky enough to come to The Foragers Retreat several times, from when they first started at the theatre in Sudbury, a few years ago. It has been a pleasure to see how much this restaruant has developed since then. Beth and Carl are the hardest workers we have ever seen in this hospitality business. Everything is just a great experience from the moment you walk through their doors. We came mid December for our end of year treat and before The Foragers Retreat move to a new location in 2023. It was so difficult to chose the food this time round, always tempted, this time more difficult somehow. We both had the Lobster Bisque including my husband who doesnt like fish, but this was the smoothest bisque Ive ever had with home made sourdough rolls and unsalted butter. Georgous, wanted the bowl to never stop though. The Porchini Gnocchi was a new one for me, and I dont usually enjoy mushrooms but thought I should give it a go. Weirdly they didnt have the taste of mushrooms at all, just this silky smooth rich texture. A rather rich dish in its ingredients, but delicious neverthless. Unsure why I felt I could also fit in a wild boar en croute afterwards I shall never know. Beautifully cooked and very tasty as I had not had wild boar before. A dinner of first's it seemed. In retrospect two dishes would have been plenty, needless to say my husband managed all three. A great place to come for a beautifully cooked dinner for any occasion. We are just sad to hear that Beth & Carl will be moving to a new location in 2023 to the sunny hills of Italy. A sad loss for us and all of their customers. A jolly good reason to visit Italy though in the future. Best of luck to them, they deserve all good fortune after creating a memorable place for dinner.

Genuinely skilful chef at work. Provencal tartlets were toothsome and full of flavours. Pastry was light and perfectly baked. Good quality black olives in the filling. Simple green salad was well dressed. The chocolate eclairs were superb and delightfully on the large size. Interesting drinks on offer (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic). Friendly staff. We enjoyed lunch so much we'll forgive them them faux greenery, although it would be good to see it gone when we visit again; such a lovely old barn really doesn't need plastic foliage. Does anywhere? Doesn't fit the rustic image.

Visited with friends for Sunday lunch after stumbling across online. Reviews convinced me to book. Traditional Sunday lunch served with flair and using quality produce. Already looking to see when can be back in the area to book for a Friday or Saturday evening. No hesitation in recommending. If you enjoy food don't pass this by - you won't be disappointed.

We’ve been a few times now to this delightful restaurant. It really is very charming and has a great atmosphere. The food is exceptional and the staff are always polite and helpful. Special mention for Ollie, who always makes you feel so welcome. His cheery, professional and helpful attitude is a welcome change. We are due to visit again soon, and this time, will do our best to fit in desert. This was our only regret on our last visit…we were too full! Thank you to all. Heather and Mark

We were away for the weekend and looking for something a bit different from the usual pub grub. The menu is limited - 4 courses (veggie, fish, meat and dessert) each of 3 dishes - and you choose and order in advance so ingredients can be collected and there is very little food waste - great idea! We have limited appetites these days so had Dover Sole twice, venison, curry, the cheese board and plum ice cream. The website says dishes are "large starter" sizes so they find one of each course suits most people. Three courses each was plenty for us and certainly the venison, curry and cheese board were healthy main sizes. The ingredients for each item are fascinating and included some things we'd never heard of and others we wouldn't think to put together. Certainly different. All were delicious, beautifully cooked and presented. The menu changes monthly so you always get what is freshest and in season, all very reasonably priced. They don't do dinner every evening so check in advance and book your table. They are easy to find and you do need a car but parking is easy. The restaurant is pleasant and well laid out with a good choice of unintrusive background music. Service was excellent from the minute we arrived until we left, the staff obviously enjoy their work. Although it's a bit further than we would normally go for dinner, we will definitely be back.

Forager's retreat is an exceptional venue run by the very talented Chef and Forager Carl Shillingford together with his Wife Beth front of house. The food is amazing and a treat for the taste buds. This time we enjoyed: smoked sea trout terrine, crayfish gnocchi, loin of Hogget and chicken of the woods satay. We finished with a strawberry trio combining a strawberry tartlet, strawberry mousse and a wild strawberry ice cream plus an elderflower ice cream. What a wonderful meal and what wonderful service, from Carl, Beth, Sue and Ollie who all managed to stay calm and unflustered on the hottest day of they year! It was a sizzling 30 degrees in the evening and it was service as usual from team Forager's. Thank you all very much.

From start to stop the attention to detail a real plus. And the food was mouthwatering.A recommended must visit. 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

We've always been really pleased with service and the food here. Unfortunately today I think I had the last of the carrot cake! It was really tiny against the other servings offered. But the worst thing was the response from a woman working there. A real shame to have to leave a bad review.

We went to The Foragers to celebrate my husband's birthday. We've eaten here before so we know how fantastic the food is. We'd be really hard pushed to find somewhere better. Their Sunday lunches are absolutely delicious, too. Very friendly and informal atmosphere and very obliging staff. You won't be disappointed.

Lovely building, brilliant staff, great drinks and the food is so interesting. Bit tricky to find the place, but worth it. We have been a few times now and always enjoy it.

Carl & Beth have returned from their January recharge ! I was looking for a great Lunch, their takeaway lunch is the best, so glad they are back.

Worth navigating the country lanes to seek this out, The Foragers Retreat and Shillingford's fine dining experience is an absolute gem hidden in the beautiful Essex countryside. We've eaten here many times and tried almost everything. The wild food menu on Saturdays is an extravaganza of flavours, changing weekly an excellent selection from curries to goulash, fish and game dishes. It is a unique and delicious dining experience you simply must try. The Sunday roast is perfectly pulled off and hugely popular. We've also tried various hot from the pots on Thursday and Friday evenings, whether it's melt in your mouth beef bourguignon, hearty Irish stew, zingy thai curries, fresh and flavoursome pasta or succulent steaks, whatever interesting dishes Carl rustles up each week are well worth checking out. The now locally famous Friday artisan pizzas are the best around and hugely popular, toppings change weekly, but grab the Lamb kebab or the King Prawn and Wild Garlic Pesto if you see them available! We are so very lucky to count this place as our local, they have been keeping our tummies well fed for a few years now. Carl, Beth and their team make us feel so welcome everytime we pop in for some of their delicious food, but that's their style. It's a super friendly joint. So no matter how far away you live do seek it out, you'll be very pleased you did.