The Old Cottage in New Forest

Lovely but slightly pricey. Sadly, closing due to owner/chefs health.

Lovely atmosphere, proper ‘home cooked’ food & friendly, helpful staff

65th birthday meal second visit the staff are friendly and attentive the food was well prepared and delicious. drinks are a little bit pricey but who cares when its a celebration

I was staying above the the old cottage. But it did not open until Thursday, and it stated it was open from Wednesday, so we made other arrangements, so I can't rate it truly, but the menu looks amazing.

Very old thatched building in Ringwood, inside somewhat olde worlde and you can make your way through a number of smallish rooms, bit quirky. Very good menu lots of fresh seafood not overly expensive but very good. We all enjoyed our visit. 👍

Superb food, service was also excellent, not rushed, décor was what one would expect just from looking at the outside, comfortable and traditional. Nothing was too much trouble, we were made to feel very welcome and felt our custom was valued. One of our party has an allergy and this was taken into account with the offer of adapting the preferred dish. We were a group with age ranging from 4 to 70. Looking forward to our return visit

Disappointing meal. Good vegetables poor beef and lamb. Wouldnt come here again. Shame, nice thatched building. No one listening to our complaint.

This restaurant never fails to please. Excellent food, freshly cooked. Service is excellent with attention to detail. Extensive menu. It is a go to restaurant when we make one of our regular visits to the area. Dog friendly. A little gem!

If you want friendly service, building with character, dog friendly, with vegetarian options, this is a brilliant place. Food was lovely.

My family and I had lunch at The Old Cottage on Christmas Day. The food was absolutely delicious - and no need to pre-order - which is amazing for Christmas Day. There was an excellent choice on offer, too - for all 4 courses. What was even more impressive was that the 2 people who are gluten intolerant were able to choose exactly what they wanted before the day - and their food was made gluten-free for them - so they had the same choice as the rest of us. The service was also excellent - efficient and friendly. I highly recommend The Old Cottage - and we will certainly be going back again in the New Year.

Came here for Sunday lunch. Very cold inside. No one to greet us so we and another family hung around waiting. Seated next to the radiator (not on) and the window. Still chilly but never mind. Waiter took order for drinks - no ice in mine please. What house red do you have? - Don't know but I'll find out. Drinks arrived with ice. Hoicked it our with my fork into a spare wine glass. Ordered one starter (duck) which was good. Mains were roast beef. Two fair sized slices with a Yorkshire pud on boiling hot plates. Cold dish of carefully counted out veg on the side. It was the meat that was the real problem. One each of our plates one slice was tender and tasty the other was uncuttable and inedible. The waitress was very apologetic and offered a free pudding but no meringues (egg shortage). The sorbet was great even if not weather appropriate. One cold cup of coffee and nearly £50 later we left, turned the heater up in the car to get warm. On reflection I could have bought a joint from the amazing local butcher and cooked this myself for a third of the price. Sorry if I sound like I'm whinging on but this was supposed to be a treat and turned out to be anything but. The staff were not rude and did what they could but we won't be going back.

We originally went to Ringwood to go to the Tai restaurant, but it was closed. So we searched for another place with vegetarian options to have lunch in. So glad we found this place. Delicious food, cozy atmosphere and friendly staff. Proper home cooked food. Freshly made and very tasty. Would highly recommend. Especially for vegetarians.

This was our first visit but definitely won't be our last. The lamb shank was so tender and steak cooked perfectly. The vegetables were cooked well and not to hard. Lovely atmosphere and music playing in the background. Carol was our waitress who was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu.

Tried this place whilst on holiday and we really enjoyed it. Lovely old building, friendly staff. We had a new waitress who was on her first day.... and what an excellent job she did!. AMAZING FOOD!!! . Good choice on the Menu and everything cooked on site, including all the deserts. Very impressed, would high recommend!!

We had not visited The Cottage for a long time - big mistake! 4 of us decided to visit today for lunch, which was excellent. ( I'm a stickler for hot plates, no problem here!) Paul, Karen and the team offer such good service and nothing was too much trouble. Highly Recommended and very good value for money.

We were a group of 6, and had chosen this restaurant based on recent reviews. The starters were okay, although the coating on the duck in the duck salad was too overwhelming and sweet. On the main courses, the rack of lamb (served as cutlets?) were good. The medallions of filet of beef were acceptable but questionable as to being filet. The worst main was the king prawns, which were seriously over cooked. They were served with chips, which were the most disgusting side we have ever experienced. Probably cooked several days ago and inedible. The cod main was overcooked and flavourless. We complained about the 2 fish courses but got no feedback from the kitchen. We asked the waitress for a comment from the chef, and she said he had served perfectly cooked food! He didn’t have the courtesy to come and discuss our complaints with us. We said we were not prepared to pay for the mains that we had complained about so they did take them off the bill. However they did try and charge us for a starter that we hadn’t had. Overall a poor experience and certainly wouldn’t return.

Amazing choice of food on the menu, there was nothing that I would not eat. The only problem with the meal was choosing what to eat. The food was perfect, and the service was excellent. Will definitely be going back. It was the best meal I have had in a restaurant for ages.

Another amazing evening. We have been here many times now when we travel to the new forest. Paul the owner and chef never fails to impress, his passion for great food always shines through. The service again was excellent and a big thank you to Karen for her service with a smile, nothing was to much trouble for her. We can't wait for our next visit. Although Mia can't talk, she was also so very happy about her visit, we could just tell by her empty bowl :-) Thank you all again to everyone for making this another memorable visit.

Lovely restaurant! We visited for a family meal and we we all had a fabulous home cooked roast dinner. The lovely lady who served us was very helpful and accommodating to all our needs. We will certainly be returning to try the other mouth watering dishes on offer here!

Had a fabulous two course Sunday dinner, food was really lovely and service was great. The staff were so helpful and allowed us to bring a birthday cake in. Would definitely return.

I love this restaurant in a tudor timber building, with low beams (Duck or Grouse), and several rooms, making it rather quirky. It has a large menu of excellent English dishes. This visit was very spur of the moment for dinner on Thursday night before...

We love this restaurant which is located in a timber framed thatched building. It’s English cuisine at its best. The menu is varied, with plenty to please our friend who is vegetarian, but there is also a strong emphasis on local produce. During the season...

Fantastic... Just had the best service and most delicious meal. Celebrated my parents 50th Wedding Anniversary where 50 years ago today they had their wedding reception here! Food was all cooked to order and tailored to our needs/fussiness. Extremely good fresh seafood menu and the best steak I have ever eaten. Thank you for making our parents extremely happy x

The Old Cottage is a splendid Tudor building situated beside the River Avon. The lady who served us was amazing, very accommodating , knowledgeable and patient. The food itself was a mixed experience as food often is. I like a bit of lamb fat whereas...

Been here a couple of times now. Menu is vast and caters for everyone. My son is vegan and they even did a special menu for him as we notified them in advance. Every meal we’ve had has been delicious, tasty and freshly cooked. I...

The vegan food was amazing! The chef created many options for all 3 courses! Lovely soup, Sausage and mash, Crumble and Ice Cream! Would recommend!

I have nothing but positive things to say about my visit to The Old Cottage. We told the restaurant in advance that there were 2 vegans attending and they were beyond accommodating for us. Plenty of vegan options to choose from - 4 starters, 4...

The staff were good,the food was excellent and plentiful.Iwould reccomend it

Good food and wonderful service. Beautiful and charming building, inside and out.

Fantastic and charming family run restaurant serving modern British/European food. The daily specials had lots of fresh fish dishes as well as an extensive a la carte menu. The wine list was well thought out and the wines by the glass were just right. The staff were exceptional! Friendly and accommodating. I am definitely going back when I visit the New Forest again.

We were staying in oakdene forest resort and fancied venturing out for dinner, and I’m so glad we found this restaurant. This is one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to. My family and I enjoyed every course we had. Also, the staff were friendly and welcoming. If we are nearby in the future, we’ll definitely be visiting here again!

Good food, friendly service, patient with kids in our group. Good for short people 😂

Mother’s Day lunch with Fam! Absolutely delicious 3 course meal! Staff were very welcoming and made the experience good fun & enjoyable. Highly recommend.

Visited on a Friday in March. Both myself and my wife throughly enjoyed the food, the hot mushrooms and shin of beef was lovely and fresh. The £15 2 course lunch, excellent value. Service really good.

I can’t tell you enough how much I love this restaurant. I wish I could pick it up and move it to near where I live. Whenever I have a weekend in the New Forest, I always make a reservation here. The food is outstanding!...

Very misleading on first impressions as no-one around but led through to the back part of restaurant and a warm welcome was received Real fire and cosy atmosphere Service was friendly and very efficient Food was lovely and tasty Everyone seemed to be enjoying their...

Had a lovely meal and great service .I had the lamb and my other half had Beef Stroganoff.Would definitely go again if in the area

Very old building, three cottages knocked onto one. Local chef Paul does all the food, freshly made and cooked. Menu has a good range and the meal I had was excellent.

Old thatched cottage in the heart of Ringwood offering excellent food, including a selection of Sunday roasts. The team take really good care of their guests and it's a pleasure to go there for a relaxed lunch or dinner. Mind your head if you're tall, there are a few low beams, but this is a real cottage, not a theme pub!

A lovely local restaurant with good British food. Kind and friendly staff!

Christmas Day lunch here. Expensive as you would expect on such an occasion but delicious and well worth it.

Had a delicious meal here. Freshly cooked food, friendly service and cute old thatched setting. Particularly recommend mushroom starter, blue Stilton broccoli soup and the crumble!!

The Old Cottage is a Disney like romantic cottage that would be sufficient raise Cinderella in times of yore. Inside, it is quieter than a church, unless you are speaking (which is definitely allowed), with the gentle customers, and lovely bar staff. If, like me,...

Had a lovely meal in this delifghtfully quaint ancient restaurant. Very good food, good value and friendly staff.

Great little place with a rustic feel. Chef specials of pheasant and partridge were a welcome change of pace. Cooked spectacularly. Wine list was up to scratch and not overpriced.

Been at this restaurant a fair few times, over the past few visits really disappointed in the food. Portion sizes have definitely got smaller and for the money I do think that’s not a good policy to up the prices but give smaller portions out....

Visited the restaurant with my husband for a relaxing evening out. The staff were friendly and attentive, nothing was too much trouble. The meal itself was perfect. All 3 courses were delicious. All in all a very enjoyable evening.

Been to this establishment twice now. Both times disappointed with the vegetables. Small portions (what I would say is for 2 they say is for 4) Ask for some more and you get the response - oh has someone tucked in!!! When charging £18+ for...

Arranged a surprise party for my husband's 60th birthday and I cannot speak more highly of the venue. Very accomdating and friendly staff who were more than happy to take photos for us and joined in with general atmosphere of the group. Food was amazing....

Beautiful setting and friendship staff but the roast dinner was not enjoyable. The meat was poor, it was swimming in gravy and looked like it had been sitting for a while. The portion of potatoes and vegetables for two was very small. The children had...

Booked on a busy Friday evening and on arrival noticed that only two other tables where set for service. The pate finished with brandy and cream just didn't work ,the ½ a Crispy Roast Quantock Duck served with an Orange & Cognac Sauce was dry...

This restaurant is housed in a series of cottages. The place is characterful and the staff very friendly and attentive. As we dined in a small part of the restaurant I felt a bit cut off from other people which meant the atmosphere what not...

Visited this restaurant for our 25th wedding anniversary. Had a lovely meal, staff were really friendly and attentive. Look forward to coming back again. Would definitely recommend as the food was delicious and staff were amazing

Had friends visiting and went out for Saturday lunch, we were a party of 7 including a child, we had a three course meal and a variety of food, All meals were excellent , nothing was too much trouble the staff were friendly & knowledgeable....

We came as a party of 5 to celebrate our mother's 90th birthday. We wanted somewhere quiet with a relaxed atmosphere and we got this in abundance. The thatched building is so atmospheric and full of character. Everyone was so friendly, nothing corporate in site...

Very good old fashion meals served on hot plates cooked by someone who knows how to cook a proper roast dinner with no rubbish frozen roasties .

Quaint old charming place. lovely staff amazing food

My husband and I with my sisters and husband went here for lunch. We were charged £10 for a side dish of extra vegetables and £3.50 for each pint of soda and lime. When I complained the waitress explained that that was what the chef...

On our British staycation I looked up restaurants in and around the New Forrest.Look no further than The Old Cottage Restaurant ,Ringwood.Great Service,quaint venue,Freshly cooked food to order and an extensive specials menu.Loved it so much we had to go twice and only there for...

Hands down the best meal we had while away camping in Dorset. Even had the pleasure talking to the landlord/chef how he made his Yorkshire puddings definitely one to try 😊

Sunday lunch menu has so much choice, good food very tasty and everything piping hot. Service all good your well looked after. I would highly recommend a visit. We shall definitely be back.

Nice food and friendly, accomodating staff.

We could not fault our experience of the Old Cottage, we booked this for my birthday as we are staying at the Back of Beyond in St Leonards and had seen it on our walks around Ringwood. The service was first class and friendly and...

Had an absolutely lovely experience at The Old Cottage on the last day of a camping trip nearby. We had gone into Bournemouth for the day intending to eat there but was nowhere that took our fancy and decided to book here having walked past...

Lovely little country cottage restaurant. Staff were very welcoming and helpful Food was absolutely divine well worth spending £25+ per person. Definitely be going back next year! X

Absolutely divine loved it. All home fresh made food great value for money for the price of average £25 per person for 2 courses for a la cart menu

My husband and I dined at the Old Cottage last Friday 16th July 2021, I thoroughly enjoyed the Squid off the Specials board. And the homemade crumble with custard. Along with a delicious glass of Australian wine. We will definitely visit again when we’re back...

We are staying in Ringwood for the week, what a find the Old Cottage is. The beautiful old building, extremely attentive staff and exceptional food. All at a surprisingly reasonable price. We'll definitely return before the end of the week.

Food, well cooked , good menu. Comfortable and dog friendly. Attentive and polite team . Comfortable and COVID friendly.. Excellent

My mother suffered a stroke in December 2019 and is now in a wheelchair. On top of that she has other health problems, which means we have not been out since November 2019!Our first Sunday Lunch out was a visit to Paul and staff at The Old Cottage last Sunday. After such a long time between 4-walls, it was a real treat for our souls as well as our taste buds. On booking I had advised we required wheelchair access and staff were waiting to direct us to the side entrance, which was fine for a manual wheelchair.The Gin & Tonics arrived promptly and went down a treat. Our eyes were bigger than our bellies and rather than sharing a starter, we went for 2 - whitebait and baby squid - and shared. The whitebait was a little piquant, piping hot and crispy whilst the squid was bite size and so tender. This was followed by chicken with garlic, rosemary and black pepper, which was succulent and full of flavour, and rack of lamb, beautifully pink and again, so flavoursome. These were accompanied by a generous portion of beautiful vegetables. Our meal was accompanied by a bottle of Malbec, which was so good we got another to take home! We also booked for Christmas and New Year, which made Paul laugh. Restrictions are being lifted on 19th July so we will wait to see how things develop before visiting again but we will be ordering takeaways.Can't wait for our next visit.

Everything about this restaurant was brilliant. The menu was vast and varied. All our food was freshly cooked and tasted delightful. Staff were friendly. Great Viognier wine as well! Thank you will be back

A gem of a restaurant in Ringwood offering a variety culinary delights. I had Artichokes to start, Oxtail for mains which melted in my mouth followed by bread and butter pudding. Absolutely gorgeous can't remember the last time I visited a restaurant with a menu packed with so many dishes that I found it hard to choose.

Welcomed on arrival, prompt service, drinks arrived quickly, We both ordered a half duck which was a genorous portion and well cooked. It came with a variety of seasonal vegetables and dauphinoise potatoes which were hot, freshly cooked and delicious. The puddings were also freshly made and tasty. Good value for money with a lovely atmosphere. The waitress made a point of saying goodbye when we left. One of the best evenings we ve had. We will definitely be back!

No pompous foam, froth or edible flowers GOOD OLD FASHIONED PUB GRUB THAT HAS BEEN SADLY MISSED The lamb shank fell off the bone and came with a decent amount of gravy and mash. excellent staff and a chef that can cook well recommended

Called in here on fathers day on the off chance that they might have a table The staff were excellent and very helpful The menu was what I can only describe as proper pub grub, nothing fancy, just good quality food The lamb shank fell off the bone and it came with a large amount of mash and gravy....not a small ball covered in foam Well done that pub chef , pub staff and thanks for a great meal

What a find !! Extensive menu providing an excellent meal. Very friendly welcoming, service second to none. Definitely one to be recommended.

Good communication on the booking. Easy parking, recommend asking directions as route seems circular.Lovely reception, good covid, put at ease immediately. Drink selection excellent, menu superb: starters, mains & sweets. Difficult to choose & great advice from Chef when in doubt. The meal & service was really excellent from start to finish. Although we sat inside you could see that the setting outside by the River Avon adds to the ambience. A great visit well recommended & it will be the first choice each time we visit that area (if we can get in !).

We have had the nicest time here can not thankyou enough for making our stay so lovely 5 stars to you your all lovely and the apartment was so beautiful ❤️

What a lovely place. Excellent food. Lovely setting. Definitely worth visiting. Well recommended.

Dinner last night was fabulous as always. Such a lovely menu with loads of delicious choices, specials available aswell. Service was excellent, attentive and personal, and we were made to feel as if we we were the only customers. Such a shame that we the road that runs past the restaurant has been closed at the end, because now unless you make a point of driving down, you wouldn't stumble upon this gem of a restaurant. Can't wait to eat here again, never disappoints.

It’s so easy to drive straight past Ringwood on the way to the West Country but consider pausing your journey to have a meal at The Old Cottage - the menu varied and the welcome warm

Went to the Old Cottage for lunch with friends we had not seen for many years. It is highly recommended! Lovely old tone to the place with the low ceilings…The service, food quality, quantities, and ambiance in doors was excellent 👋👋

We visited again last week, after a break (Covid) Food as good as ever, and service excellent too. We both had the Crispy beef starter, which I love and then I had another favourite - the scallops, which I sometimes have as a starter. My partner had the veal, which is also a favourite - love most of the food so it is always difficult to chose! Finished off with Paul's Bread and Butter pudding, and my partner was a goody two shoes and had a coffee! The staff are always friendly but respectful, and I always feel better for eating there. This was a particularly sad occassion as we had just attended the funeral of a friend, who, with his wife, also used to visit The Old Cottage with us. There is something for everyone on the menu, and the wines also are excellent, and reasonably priced. Highly recommend!

We chose this place from reviews and were not disappointed. A really friendly restaurant and we were made to feel very welcome. Even Met the lovely Peter who eats there most days. Food was fantastic and waitress was so lovely and chatty. You may struggle to walk in there if you are tall but food is well worth the visit.

This place is a hidden gem. Fantastic food and fantastic service. The menu is excellent and the food quality is very good. A place to consider is you like food quality food.

Excellent food snd customer service

Tourist tat food. Have tried them twice now and my experience has not changed my point of view.

Had a brilliant meal yesterday evening from The Old Cottage, delivered on time, hot and ready to eat. When I placed my order I asked for dauphinoise potatoes but sadly was told they wouldn't be available. However, when the order arrived, my meal had dauphinoise, thank you chef, you made my evening. Can't wait for the restaurant to be open again.

A superb take away meal, presented beautifully and cooked to perfection. No request is too much trouble. It is wonderful to get top quality restaurant food during lockdown! Very Covid secure. Thank you Paul and team. We look forward to the restaurant re-opening!

Our first takeaway meal from Paul and it was as good as anything we might have had in his restaurant which is always first class. We look forward to repeating the experience and to be able to return to the restaurant once more. Thank you and very well done Paul.

well they did it again, we had a meal booked for new years eve but at the last minute covid rules closed the restaurant. however we had an email the day before offering a home delivery of the meal instead. we readily accepted and along it came at the time arranged and it was fantastic as usual. our thanks to Paul and his wife for such excellent service. give them a ring and get superb food and service 5 star treatment and food.

Just got home for one of the worst dinners ever. Lovely old pub. Got there at 7.15 only one other couple in. Taken to table given menu ordered a drink. Food order taken no wine list offered. Asked for wine list which came along with main course. Another couple arrived the first 2 left leaving just 4 people. The main course arrived and we were half way through when the waitress remembered the wine hadn't been ordered. If you get such bad service with 4 people what on earth would happen should they get a rush. My food was ok.

we have used and rated this restaurant in the past but always went to their establishment, always first class service and food. however we had a meal booked for our 41st anniversary on 10th November but another lock down spoilt it, or so we thought, along came Paul the owner who offered us a meal of our choice delivered when we wanted it. What a life saver and not only delivered at the right time but an excellent meal as usual but delivered to our home ready to serve and eat. what a wonderful evening we have had with wonderful service yet again. would recommend to all.

Food was great and service can be expesnive though check menu before maybe

Food average but good selection and quantity. We felt very pressured to order as soon as we sat and through out our meal. Waitress was very friendly but to the point of encroaching on our group.

We went for a family dinner last weekend and found the food absolutely delicious. My husband was especially pleased, as he is coeliac, and there was a wide range of dishes for him to choose from. Classic food, well cooked.

As the title suggests- great food but the service leaves a LOT to be desired! First of all (Covid considered) we weren't too happy that we were seated within 2 metres of 2 other tables. It was clear that to accommodate a party of 6 the table to our right had been extended. This caused some awkwardness as all the adults leaving that table literally had to brush against ours to get out. We could see they were quite busy so decided not to ask about moving tables (& to be honest the other tables looked rather crammed in in all the dining areas anyway). On the service side, we were seated for a good few minutes before getting menus & our drinks order taken. This was done by a young girl who obviously didn't know the offerings of the place because her colleage returned to our table & we couldn't get either drink as they had nothing on draft. The table next to us was also informed they had "run out" of gin... on a Saturday night! A Peroni & half pint of lemonade (the latter my 3rd choice) came to £6.30. Upon us getting the drinks the young lady made no effort to tell us about any specials, etc so for a second time her colleague had to return to our table. We didn't catch the flavour of the second soup offering as she fumbled with getting a candle off our table. When we said we hadn't heard of any specials she placed a board of 3 options by our table. Personally I didn't understand all the extra work around that as surely mussels marinere, a creamy pheasant dish & crab thermidore can be mentioned from memory? By the time we ordered starters we were already sceptical about how the service would be the rest of the night! Whitebait & a lovely hoisin duck salad arrived pretty promptly & both were enjoyed. The wait between courses was also minimal & both the 1/4 duck main & lamb rack were very tasty. The portions of meat are generous & the accompanying mash & dauphinoise potatoes were good. I questioned if the other veg we recieved was for one person or two- 3 bits of broccoli, about a dozen green beans, few spoons of carrot rounds & literally 3 teaspoons worth of boiled cabbage was apparently for two!... Not seasoned or anything either. For a main to cost £18 a hearty serving of greens is the norm so that was disappointing. Otherwise brilliant food with delicious sauces on both & everything was greatly enjoyed. Not that the staff wanted to find that out. At no point was our table checked & we were never asked how anything/everything was. During our main course a candle was slammed on our table & nothing said! THEN... finished & satisfied yet wanting dessert (they have good options & it's on one menu so we had pre-decided this) we waited & waited. It was TWENTY FIVE minutes before our main dishes were cleared. Unfortunately I know this because after about 10mins waiting we recorded another nearly 20mins delay! When this was finally done, we had a "desserts are on the bottom of the menu" muttered at us & off she walked before either of us could get a word in that we were ready to order. 10 minutes later we still hadn't been approached. I'm not sure if, due to our corner location, in a quieter dining room by this point, we had just been forgotten about but either way we were feeling a bit rejected by this point. A further 10mins passed & we thought to sack of pudding & not waste anymore of our evening in there! Getting the bill proved another 15 minute wait so that between finishing our mains & leaving it had been an hour! We honestly felt like we were in a comedy sketch. I work in hospitality & whether short-staffed (there were only 2 front of house working a busy Saturday night?!), in a bad mood or requiring more training, there should still be some level of professionalism. Hell even friendliness! We genuinely felt like a nuisance/inconvenience to both ladies & it's absolutely gutting as the food is great & other reviews here state the staff to be at least friendly.

Amazing food!! Great service- would highly recommend!

Thank you Paul for our delicious meal in the restaurant’s garden last week and our wonderful takeaway meal this evening. This restaurant has certainly looked after it’s customers during lockdown and is still providing a wonderful service now. This restaurant needs the support of it’s old and new customers as it has done everything to look after us. Thank you.

Lovely food, excellent sourcing of the meat and fish, lovely sauces , all cooked to high standard, friendly staff, nice surroundings, highly recommended to visit.It is an oasis in a desert of awful dining choices in ringwood, thank goodness we have a trained chef/owner of the highest quality to save our souls!