The Shoe Inn in Winchester

Lovely little village pub with a bakery inside, always have the pork belly when we go, the potatoes they do with it are amazing.

The second time eating here and we were not disappointed . Great food , great service, can not fault The Shoe.

My partner and I booked for lunch at 12pm on Sunday 7th April. We only made the booking the night before as a last minute plan as we were looking for somewhere to eat before going to a wedding in the evening nearby. Unfortunately we had to cancel our booking yesterday morning as we were invited to the full day of the wedding on the morning of. We cancelled this via the online booking and charged a £20 fee deposit for cancelling. We called the pub today to see if we could come for lunch and whether there was anything they could do to take the fee off our bill. Our call had to be directed o the manager, who we felt was a bit rude and unapologetic considering we even made the original booking last minute. We completely understand the policy, however our original booking was less than 24 hours notice and we wanted to come today for lunch. We decided not to bother booking for lunch today with the way she spoke to us.

Excellent food, fantastic service. Would highly recommend

Situated in a lovely part of the Meon Valley, the menu is great, and if you want you can pick up some delicious freshly baked bread (and one or two other culinary ingredients). We went for lunch as a family group, and were all impressed (including the vegetarian). A range of contrasting dishes, and everything we chose was excellent. And good beer two. The establishment caters for hikers, and those driving in for a great meal - one of the best pubs in the area, in a valley pretty well served by good pubs. And if you aren’t after a serious hike, there are short picturesque walks nearby. Tip: if you are driving, and have have the choice between a big car and a small car, go for the latter. It’s a small pub car park, and the local lanes weren’t really designed for big 4x4s or SUVs.

We have been to this pretty pub for food quite a few times and been presented with delicious food always but we went again on Saturday and I am sorry to say the food was not anywhere as nice. The lamb was dry and the fish and chips where soggy. We are hoping it was a one off and intend on trying it again very soon. The service and atmosphere is always good. Heres hoping the food improves as we would like to carry on coming here.

Very nice country pup in a beautiful location. Has a nice, friendly, rural character but without feeling pretentious. More interesting menu than is sometimes the case with rural pubs, and included some imaginative vegan options. Friendly, helpful and efficient service.

Amazing lunch with my wife! thanks guys was perfect!

Lovely place, always busy, most localish places can't contend with the quality of food, prices and service.

Really nicely presented food and is much better than most in the local area.. service was good and the atmosphere was nice

We enjoyed our lunch at the Shoe. The food was excellent. Initially the service was slow until more staff arrived. Although there is an outer conservatory, the room still feels a little cramped but much better than it used to be. We hope to return!

Today, myself and 6 of my family had a very special meal at The Shoe Inn. From the offset the staff were so friendly they went above and beyond to make our meal special The food was amazing!! We will be returning asap. Thank you for making our mums mothers day treat special. I didn't get the name of the young man that served us, I wish I'd asked. Thank you for the best service have had had for a very long time.

Just staggeringly bad. If you think scallops are best fried in a batter jacket, you may not agree. If you think shoulder of lamb is a dish best shredded and patted into some kind of cake, then hurry back. Pretentious pomegranate, the silly addition of tasteless cress, failed to elevate these dishes to anywhere beyond the dire. How can you fail to offer a good, as in, properly cooked, roast potato?Second best pub in the county? No, I don't think so.

We called in late one evening whilst passing and the restaurant was full but we managed to get a table outside. The food was great. Best pub food we have had in a long time.

The Shoe is fantastic, the food is out of this world they are also very welcoming, fast efficient service. Would like to give a shout out to William our server who caterd to all of our needs and made the afternoon an absolute enjoyment.

Amazing place, very pleasant and good food and desserts. Staff were very pleasant too .....Good place to chill out with friends and family....

Lovely pub with very friendly staff. Good, simple food done well. I started with the black pudding which was delicious and followed by belly pork. Both dishes very tasty and well cooked, The jus served with the pork was delicious. Just a small winge - the pub was quite cold at the time.

The best fish and chips I have ever had.

My partner and I decided to go for a long walk around the Beacon Hills and stop for lunch at the Shoe. We have been trying to find a pub as good as King Henry VIII in Hever but closer to home and I have to say I think after years of searching we finally found it! The food was amazing and the service was friendly and quick. We will definitely return with friends and family in the near future.

Nice dinner for two. I had the scallop starter which was excellent and the mushroom/vegetarian pasta was good too. Friendly staff and attentive manager.

Stopped by for a pint on way home ! Wasn't very busy early afternoon

Warm welcome, well-balanced menu, excellent tasty well-prepared food. An ideal stopping point for walks around the beautiful Meon valley. Highly recommended

Brilliant as always. Booked for a lunch as part of a cycle along the SDW, the team are excellent and the food is fabulous. Also very accommodating of my dairy allergy!

Nestled within a meticulously preserved 16th-century thatched inn, The Shoe Inn sets the stage for a charming dining experience. With a commitment to locally sourced ingredients, they distinguish themselves by serving homemade pasta and bread, adding a personal touch to the culinary offerings. The menu, filled with appetizing options, reflects the care and thought put into crafting each dish. When our selections arrived, we were treated to flavorful creations in generous portions, each served piping hot. The service complemented the overall positive experience. Our waitress, amiable and cheerful, enhanced our dining pleasure with her attentiveness. An additional highlight is the restaurant's delicatessen, adding a delightful dimension to the overall culinary experience. The combination of historical ambiance, delectable cuisine, and attentive service makes The Shoe Inn a truly memorable destination.

Stopped in for the first time after a walk. Had pork Belly and my wife had beef and wine pie. Outstandingly good food. So many places talk the talk on the menu and charge the prices and fail to deliver. Not here. I try hard when cooking pork belly myself (usually a 2 day affair), but I'm not afraid to admit that I can only aspire to this. Fat rendered out, super crackling and a deeply rich jus to go with. Dauphinoise and savoy cabbage also excellent. My wife's pie was also superb. Melt in the mouth beef in again a wonderful sauce. Pastry done nice and thin with decorative flair. All of the veg where different and special to the run of the mill. There's so much care and skill gone into this food. Can't wait to return.

Had planned on booking for Sunday lunch but fully booked so decided to visit in the evening. Such a cosy atmosphere and very welcoming staff. My meal which was described as lamb shoulder salad with Bombay potato was absolutely fabulous! Didn’t really know what to expect and it wasn’t really a salad but it was warming with so much flavour and quite different! My husband thoroughly enjoyed the pie and we will certainly return!

Definitely recommend the Shoe Inn . They were excellent in catering for our party if 16. Thanks go to the chef for preparing the delicious food and to the helpful & friendly staff. I also recommend buying the bread.

Stopped for lunch here on a busy Saturday. Staff seemed up against it but were responsive, friendly and efficient. The choices we made were standard pub grub but I’d like to go back and try some of the other dishes. My burger was great although serving it on a tray made it really hard to eat! We had a chocolate brownie for dessert which was gooey and delicious. Would like to come again. Thanks for looking after us.

Great pub the staff are super friendly and very attentive. Food was delicious, Hot food very well cooked. Great night had by all.

Great pub, wonderfully decorated with lovely service. We had some of the local ale which was well kept, and although the cask ale selection was limited, we were very impressed with the service.

Really disappointed with the reception we received from the lady behind the bar. She was abrupt, rude and unhelpful. We were made to feel a real inconvenience. Christmas is a busy time of year for lots of people especially in hospitality. If you choose to work in this industry then you need to learn how to smile especially when taking the money we spent. If you can’t you are in the wrong job. Won’t be returning.

The pub had a nice atmosphere but the food was more than disappointing, vegetables unrecognisable due to being burnt, (even the waitress couldn’t say what they were) pies overcooked, greasy chips another of our meals was totally inedible.

Really good food, well presented and large portions compared with most pubs.

Food was lovely as always and pleasant staff always friendly

A fantastic meal at the Shoe on New Years Eve! Everything was excellent from the food to the service and the lovely setting. We purchased a loaf of bread from the pantry for New Years Day brunch and this was also fantastic. Have booked again for the 28th of January to try the Sunday Roast and are very much looking forward to it.

We booked another family reunion lunch at the end of December 2023, the same as on previous years. I have to eat a limited diet , fried food or fatty high dishes like Pastry is not allowed. I was thus very disappointed they no longer offered the 'Buddha Bowl' which used to be delicious and filling. I asked our Server whether they could offer me a mixed Salad but she said if it wasn't on the menu , I couldn't have it ! I find it difficult to believe the kitchen staff could not have put together a few chopped Tomatoes, Cucumber , Peppers and Lettuce ? As I had to 'stick to the menu' I reluctantly had to settle on a main meal sized Goats Cheese salad. This consisted of 2 lumps of Goats Cheese, a big sprinkling of inedible Rocket, 3-4 meagre pieces of citric rind. As Goat's Cheese is 'fatty' I could only eat part of 1 lump and had leave the rest. The rest of my party enjoyed their lunch but I am afraid I was still hungry.

Really cosy place with a great looking menu. Did not eat this time but will be going back to try some of their food. The vegan/veggie options look great; they've put some effort into their dishes to differ from the normal vegan/veggie dishes.

Superb lunch, kids meal was delicious. Bread was an absolute find and the pork belly Asian salad and bang bang cauliflower were EPIC, BANG BANGIN

I pre booked two Christmas dinners back on November 23, and from entering to leaving an hour latter our experience was excellent, also the atmosphere was brilliant throughout the restaurant from happy customers which says it all

Lovely little country pub next to a trout stream.....polite staff.....attentive landlord.. warm ... What's there not to like...oh and nice and clean

Nice atmosphere. Friendly staff. Poor choice of ales. Great bread/oil. Good mussels. Pork belly was dry. Wrap was soggy. Expensive wines considering the quality. Disappointing overall.

We visited for a Monday lunch with my wife’s son as a belated birthday lunch for him. I had the steak pie which was delicious although a bit difficult to get at with a square dish. We like the complimentary bread and balsamic vinegar while...

Had Sunday lunch with a party of 10 today. The food was perfect, the staff couldn’t have been more helpful and welcoming and it was very reasonably priced. It’s a ten from me! Thank you.

Walked here from Winchester on the South Downs way (12.5 miles of walking) - literally booked the pub then realised it was within sensible distance. In hindsight, the distance was perfect and a must for anybody who's walking the South downs at that sort of distance.

Excellent service food and drinks and homemade bread to die for. Venison faggots best ever tasted. Car park full

Fabulous food, service and ambience!

Lovely little pub. Fantastic sunday roasts and a really relaxing beer garden by the river.

The food at this place was amazing. We came here on the off chance of being able to have a last minute lunch, although the place was packed, the staff were kind enough to squeeze us in (although I’d recommend booking). The pub is so...

What a great find, with lovely atmosphere and great choice of yummy and wholesome food to tempt a Walker on South Downs Way, the pub is sited in the lovely little hamlet of Exton… definitely worth a visit.

Although we booked at very short notice, the Shoe found us a table on the terrace at 1200. The four of us polished off lamb shoulder, belly pork, asparagus ravioli and mexican crispy king prawn followed by fruit crumble, sticky toffee pudding, chocolate brownie and...

Had a great welcome at the Shoe for our dinner reservation. Great service, great food and a great busy, buzzing pub atmosphere. Great menu choice, recommend the black pudding starter!. Great service and location, good beers, and all reasonably priced as well. We won't leave...

Phenomenal pub! The food was exquisite. The best meal I've had in years! The service was top-notch. Amazing.

Excellent food All mains, four ordered, were outstanding Puddings slightly less of a hit but still wonderfully presented Cosy pub, very welcoming

Great food, great location. On the down side the service was a little slow at times albeit on a quiet mid week evening, I was sat on a bench that had a straight up back which proved uncomfortable over the time we were there. Overall good but not the best.

If I could give this place 10 stars I would! Me and my partner were absolutely gobsmacked about how good the food and the service was. All of the items on the menu sounded amazing and our choices (the black pudding and the scallop starter and the pie and the prawn tacos) were incredible! We also work in the industry in Surrey in popular destination-pubs and the Shoe Inn truly deserves the awards they have received (and no doubt there will be many more)! It will be my go-to dinner stop every time we go down south.

Fantastic food, highly reccomend 😊😊

Excellent service and great food very enjoyable

Happy staff and a great menu in delightful Hampshire village. Top tip, book a table at opening time, but arrive early to park without stress and have a stroll to work up an appetite 😀

Food overcomplicated and very rich with little real taste. Under cover on veranda near door so a bit chilly. Would not recommend this current menu.

Went for Sunday lunch. Lovely pub, very busy. Highlight was the fantastic staff, all were very attentive and friendly. I was disappointed with the roast dinner and wouldn’t have this again because the gravy/jus had a very strong liquorice flavour which I found unpleasant. Desserts...

We visited for my parents anniversary on a Sunday evening and enjoyed a lovely dinner as a family. We sat in the covered area outside, which was lovely and had lots of space. The only slight problem was that the table wobbled quite badly! We managed to wedge a napkin under it. The other problem was that the staff didn't really seem ready for our booked table. There weren't enough napkins (minus the table holding one) for everyone and even after asking the waitor for table water several times, we never got any the whole evening! The best thing we ordered was the crispy Asian pork starter! I would go back just for that! Everything else paled into insignificance after having that. I had the roast belly of pork, and although tasty, it was quite rich and needed something to cut through it. Maybe some tart apple sauce. The fries however are out of this world amazing! They're so unbelievably crispy and delicious. Highly recommend a draft of local cider and portion of fries

Nice location and great place to visit with a dog after a long walk. Have come once after walking the south downs for a drink and some chips. It's a pretty small portion of chips for £4 but they are probably the best chips I've ever had. Fresh, hot and crispy with a nice soft middle. Second time we came in a group of 5. Service was decent, although the waiter didn't seem to know much about the menu or drinks on offer. I shared the crispy asian pork to start and it was the highlight of the meal. Really different, super tasty and fresh. I then had the chicken burger which was good but didn't live up to the starter. Everyone else's main meals seemed to be decent but not outstanding. Prices are fairly typical for a slightly posh pub/restaurant and the portions were a good size.

Fantastic pub in a gorgeous setting!

Beautiful pub in a fantastic location

Excellent food and service. I am an ex chef who spent the best part of 40 years working in London’s west end and teaching culinary arts. The Shoe is what all this countries Pubs should aspire to be like. I had a perfectly cooked and...

Lovely place to eat. Very friendly staff, gorgeous food.

Best Pub food I've had in a long time, would definetly come back again.

Absolutely faultless. I can see why you have to book to eat here. Arrived for a 12pm sitting where they give you a 2 hour slot before the table is required for the next sitting. Sat in the enclosed outdoor terrace which is at the...

Literally amazing every time, can't fault it, best food around.

Stopped in on a day hike with family in meon valley. It was a Sunday but found space in the garden. The food was great and our boys loved the twice cooked chips. My wife and I had the gourmand coffee for dessert and so generous we should have shared as enough for two. Surprisingly good value for great meals. Would recommend.

Absolutely outstanding food, lovely location. Setting as the destination of a long walk makes the hard work worth it. One of the best beer gardens in Hampshire.

Nice position.parking can be problem.

This place is amazing! Great food, great people, outstanding vibes!

We didn’t book in advance but went midweek and got a table outside under the awning. We both had the fish and chips. Good sized portions and with complimentary slice of bread with balsamic vinegar /oil dip. The only real negative was the vinegar bottle...

Great food pub - I ate too much, what's new? We enjoyed our starters and got defeated by the mains. Going with the asian pork starter and brisket burger with mac and cheese main should carry a health warning... Tasty bread and oils! And lovely staff too.

Friendly welcome and buzzing atmosphere, the tables a little close together is about the only issue we had. Good 6X beer, and five of us had different foods. Excellent chicken sandwich, the lamb and pork dishes were described as delicious.

We visited yesterday (21st August) for lunch. Some of our party often visit the Shoe and have always had a good meal but this time it was disappointing. I had a lovely prawn sandwich which I thoroughly enjoyed. Two our our group had the lamb....

Great food! Service was hostile, Manager was hostile towards customers! If the front of house can display the same quality of service as the excellent food then we have an amazing establishment!

Amazing food. The bread is to die for.

The Shoe is a rare example of a pub right on the South Downs way, so I made it my target for lunch. They pride themselves on their food, and, it turned out, for good reason. Along with a couple of Neck Oils, I had...

Great pork main and great friendly service

Outstanding food, great service and good atmosphere. Recommend if your looking for a posh pub vibe or just generally looking for a good meal out.

Lovely village pub in the a pretty valley. Walkers and cyclists and families there on a Sunday evening. Food very good - wished we had room for desserts which looked attractively presented. We had a selection of mains - all very good.

One of the best meals we've had out in a pub for a long time. Staff very friendly and food delicious. Price for the quality was very reasonable. The waitress recommendation of panko scallops and lamb steak were well founded. The roasted peach dessert was one of the best desserts I have ever had. We will certainly be returning when a different menu comes out.

Had a lovely meal here today. It was just what my husband and I needed. The food, especially the scallop starter and lemon tart dessert, was incredible and the staff were friendly and attentive.

Nice beer garden next to the river Meon .

Popped in for lunch; great food and service in a quintessential English village.

Arrived and sat down at a table, only to be told rather bluntly and abruptly that it was reserved. Had a couple of drinks and bar snacks, as the menu wasn’t great for vegetarian (with a dairy allergy). Upon leaving, asked if they’d mind filling up a water bottle at the bar and was told that we’d have to use the sink in the toilets.

Great location, extremely busy with walkers/cyclists/generally for a Thurs lunchtime. A young team, almost all of whom were extremely polite, cheerful and helpful, except for the young woman on reception who was brusque and we could hear her moaning to a colleague: definitely in the...

Lovely lunch, great food, will definitely be visiting again

After a lovely walk it was time for food and a couple of drinks. As it was Sunday, we booked and had a nice outside table. Service was really friendly which is always a good starting point. We shared Asian prawns the black black pudding...

This a beautiful pub in a great location. We were a party of 12 and the food and service was fantastic. My father is a baker (retired) and the bread was superb. I highly recommend this pub. Thank you.

Great food served by a grumpy rude young waitress. A quiet pub later in the evening, this girl is in the wrong job. The food as I say was fantastic. I had a pie.

Great food, sadly served by a very grumpy and rude young waitress.

Fabulous lunch and lovely location

Fantastic lunch menu. Relaxed atmosphere and great service. Sitting by the river. Just need a Sunny English Summer!! Many thanks. Chris and family.

Great menu. Great service. Great venue for all weathers We will be back. Many thanks Chris and Family.

We recently moved to the area and someone suggested this restaurant to us for its food and location. Great village location, tick. Food is indeed very good too. We've now been about 10+ times in 6 months and not had a bad meal. The entree...

Lovely food, lots of choice, well presented. Staff very polite and attentive. Delicious complimentary bread and oils made locally. Picturesque setting and tasteful decor

Excellent place staff fantastic Food great the best . And was recommended to this place . Home made bread there fantastic . Would go again