The Shoe Inn in Winchester

Service is excellent. The food and drink is very expensive for what you get, compared to a year ago and the quality is nowhere near as good as it used to be. This now makes it poor value for money. Can't fault the location with the babbling River Meon passing through the garden but parking can be an issue.

It is a lovely place to have a bit of breakfast or lunch or afternoon tea. Lovely staff and lovely fresh produce and good portion sizes. Homemade scones, quiches and sandwiches, cakes, treats, and more. Great tea and coffee selection. They have really good ice cream, too 😋 A relaxed atmosphere for a bit of your time meeting up with friends and family. Indoor and outdoor seating available. Gluten-free options are available also.

Lovely spot by the river. I can recommend the Jerk Chicken & Bacon sandwich. All the team were friendly and helpful...and the ducks were very keen to eat from our hands! 😀

Fantastic sandwich’s and a great stop on the Southdowns

I wanted to take some special friends out for lunch, and I cannot recommend this pub highly enough. When we arrived, we sat by the river with a drink, enjoying the beautiful view. We took our table, the staff were friendly and attentive. The food was exceptionally good, all home cooked with fresh ingredients, well presented. Fresh bread, local honey, good selection of beer and wine available. The atmosphere is uniquely charming. All in all a delightful and memorable experience. I forgot to take photos, we were having such a good time!

Dinner for 2 on a Thursday evening. Positives: Fresh bread is amazing as always, customer service has definitely improved ( they seem to have lost some of their old grump team members ) , fish and chips massive, fresh and really nice, very comfortable surroundings inside and a lovey garden just over the road next to the river. Negatives: Menu is getting a little tired and needs some new innovation, £6.50 for a pint of Guinness is right at the top end of what you would want to pay. £15 for the sharing camembert ( 145g President ) - that's small. Had to send the pork back as it was tough, that said customer service at this point was spot on. Dealt with by the waitress fantastically and that is all you can ask for in these situations, recognise the problem and deal with it professionally. It was replaced and the replacement was excellent. Situation saved by one area that this establishment has lacked sometimes in the past, good old fashioned customer service with a smile. Would I go back, 100%

Great food authentic feel inside the pub Pub garden has a stream running through it. Parking becomes difficult when busy.

A group of 12 persons visited for lunch on April 27th, 2025. The majority of the group had Sunday roast. My elderly mother hardly touched her lunch; she, like me, considered the potatoes to be leathery, and the dish was not particularly hot. The vegetables were smothered in a cheese sauce; there was no option for vegetables without cheese, and my husband does not eat cheese. Unfortunately, there were no gluten-free yorkshire puddings, yet coeliacs are still charged the same price as regular diners, which rankles me. I wasn't particularly impressed by the meal. My mother had dessert because she did not eat her lunch. The pricing is comparable to other pubs, and it was really busy, particularly in the garden, on what was a wonderful sunny day. The service was good, and the staff were courteous and helpful. It was a shame that the meal did not meet my expectations.

Such a wonderful place on a sunny day. Kids and dogs in the river, food and drink great! Heaven!

I came here with family and friends, for dinner a few nights ago. We all really liked it. I liked the decoration/ the hops draped behind the bar, the lighting and the pictures and maps on the walls. It's somewhere between an olde Worlde atmosphere and a modern one ..they've got it just right. The girls serving us were very friendly and efficient. The food was fantastic, and the girls gave some treats to our pet friends, who were also enjoying the atmosphere. I highly recommend a visit.

I love coming here! Friendly staff, delicious food and if you're lucky you can stroke the donkeys next door. A great place for a date or a family get together.

We came here for Sunday lunch and had a fantastic afternoon. Beautiful location, friendfly staff and utterly delicous food. A really wonderful menu, everything was superb!

Good selection of beers and cheerful service. Ordering food involved having a table number if you want to be in the garden. Pork salad lite bite was a bit of a disappointment.

Excellent food. Pork belly was amazing and the service was great too.

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

Excellent dinner suggested by my friend. Had an absolute lovely time. The atmosphere is just what you would hope from a gastro pub and the food exceeded all expectations. I had the steak pie while my friends had the fish and chips.

Visited on Mothering Sunday. We have visited before. The service and food is always excellent. Beautifully situated. One of my favourites Parking available and outside seating Prices reflect quality of the food.

Haven’t been here for a couple of years. Food as fantastic as ever. Great to see the pub full over a Thursday lunchtime. Definitely book ahead.

Recommended by our neighbour. Popped in for pint and will definitely be back. Menu looked good with locally sourced produce.

Fantastic birthday lunch by the River. Amazing pork belly, and a nice pint of IPA. I shall be returning ASAP. 👌

Consistantly the best roast. We are addicted. I don't even miss there's so cauliflower cheese. There nearly every Sunday. Sorry if you get bored of seeing us :p

Lovely location, but ff the beaten track, but a real gem. Fish and chips were superb,the batter thin and non greasy, the thick chips Were lovely, minted mushy peas were superb and the homemade tartare sauce was lush. We will be back to try the roast

Very poor Sunday Lunch. six friends visted this establishment on Sunday looking forward to a nice Sunday roast, what a disappointment. The roast potatoes were so hard we could not cut them, the meat was tough, vegetables to hard very under cooked and the Yorkshire puddings served cold. Total cost for all six was £201 a watse of money.

Everything from service to food was amazing, a lovely country pub , will be back in the summer for the garden!

Good service and nice atmosphere. Food was fresh but sandwiches weren’t doorsteps quiet!

Great food, with interesting lunch options. Amazing location. Just let down by the FOH staff who always rush you through your meal making you feel a little unwelcome. Better hospitality and this pub would be perfect. Also good for dogs

Yet another expensive gastro pub unwelcoming to walkers.

Amazing pub! Very welcoming service, great atmosphere, I had some lovely pasta and tasty wine. Thanks again!

Came here today for lunch only but really impressed. Food was delicious and freshly made. This visit made me want to come again for something bigger. I saw the food on other diners tables and it looked really good quality. We had the mini soup and sandwich only. The only thing I would change would be that the pork had a lot of fat but hey, some people like the white bits.

Booked lunch at The Shoe Inn to celebrate my husbands’ birthday, we weren’t disappointed. The staff are extremely friendly, efficient and attentive. The venue is welcoming. Dog friendly in the bar. The food was delicious - well done chef 👏👏👏👏

Absolutley amazing food, amazing service and 10/10 bread. Childrens portions were perfect, adults portions were generous. Best fish and chips ive ever eaten. Will be back

Very friendly staff, lovely atmosphere. Love going there after a long walk.

Always amazing service and fantastic food! Always a pleasure to go with them!

Very friendly pub, as soon as we walked in we were greeted and offer a table to wait at before ours was ready. Food was hot and very tasty! The fish ans chips were amazing, best I've had for a long time, very light batter! Apple crumble was also very tasty! Would love to visit again! Very cosy pub! Amazing bread and balsamic while we waited! 5 stars! 🌟

Very good food and warm. However the service was begrudging and rude. I cant recall a place where we felt less welcome. I wouldn't bother going unless you want a Fawlty Towers experience. The younger waitresses/waiters made an effort but I imagine it wouldn’t be an enjoyable place to work with such charmless and unhelpful “managers”

Great Christmas Eve meal. Scallops and Korean Cauliflower were delicous, as was the Shin of Beef and King Prawn Tacos. Our son had the Philly Beef Burger which he loved (and he's a fusspot!). Excellent service, very friendly, would highly recommend.

Amazing lunch with my wife! thanks guys was perfect!

Looking at other reviews, we must have been unlucky and visited on the chef's day off. Some good points include the local bread and the Wadworth beer. Some bad points, the duck confit starter while sounding delicious on the menu turned out to be what i can only describe as massively over salted dog food. The scallops were covered in a crumb coating (why would you hide a scallop?) and came with a tasteless sauce. The main courses were variable. The excellent pork belly was served with literally inedible dauphinoise potatoes as they had been prepared with some sort of incredibly strong parmisan or blue cheese and were again massively over salted. For desert, the chocolate brownie and local coffee were both excellent. We eat in a lot of local pubs in the area and overall the pub is nice (especially in the summer with the riverside garden) but the food was very disappointing.

We visited for our Christmas dinner but were unable to have it as we should have pre booked it even though nothing was mentioned in the booking process. Unfortunately the pub had run out of Prosecco, and no one had thought to buy any more. Some good points include the local bread and the Wadworth beer. Some bad points, Starters - the duck confit starter while sounding delicious on the menu turned out to be what i can only describe as massively over salted dog food. The scallops were covered in a crumb coating (why would you hide a scallop?) and came with a tasteless sauce. The main courses were variable. The excellent pork belly was served with inedible dauphinoise potatoes as they had been prepared with some sort of incredibly strong parmisan or blue cheese and were again massively over salted. For desert, the chocolate brownie and coffee were both excellent. We eat in a lot of local pubs in the area and overall, the pub is nice but the food was very disappointing.

Amazing food ! Our first visit after a recommendation and it won’t be our last. Great sized portions and great value for money. Thanks once again

What a fantastic place - although one has to be a little creative with parking. Beautiful old pub with a delightful beer garden. Great food, well kept beers and the bonus of truly stunning bread to buy and take home. Excellent!

I can't believe I haven't left a review already! Been going to The Shoe for the last 14 years and continue to do so at least once a month. Never had a bad meal or experience ever. Great friendly staff, food and atmosphere. Would highly recommend.

This is an amazing place to eat,foods fantastic.

Fantastic pub, great food and service. Especially loved their home baked bread!

Nice stop whilst on a long walk

Lovely pub with a unique pub garden, hardworking staff and a good atmosphere when it was busy. Really well worth a visit of you wanted to stop off on your travels or grab a quick beer on your ramble through

Went for lunch, parking was almost impossible. Service was a little stretched. Very nice setting and atmosphere. Food was tasty, large portions, slightly over salted though. Loved the bread.

Food is great, book in advance for Sunday roast.

The beef mushroom and red wine pie was absolutely delicious. The pastry was flaky, the filling was packed with flavor, and the mustard and horseradish mash was the perfect accompaniment. The atmosphere was cozy and inviting, and the service was friendly and attentive. Definitely recommend this pub for a hearty and satisfying meal.

Called in here on our way from Beacon Hill to Old Winchester Hill around 11:00. Luckily managed to get a lunch reservation for 14:30 and a delicious hot chocolate. The Sunday roast continued to exceed our expectations, and we ended up taking a loaf of their freshly made bread home, too. The staff were so friendly and attentive. Cannot fault this place. Highly recommend.

Definitely the best pub in the area. It had a lot of plaudits and it is a lovely pub with hard-working staff. The menu was very promising so my expectations were quite high for an excellent meal. The food was good but not great. The Asian pork salad, lamb shank and the pork belly were all a bit dry and overcooked. Not bad enough to complain or send back but just not as good as I’d hoped. I will return to try again though as the menu alone shows that they do understand food - maybe it’s was just a bit of an off day in the kitchen.

Beautiful location. Beautiful pub. Fabulous staff. Fantastic freshly cooked food. Definitely frequenting again soon.😊

Wonderful pub, lovely staff and superb food. The pork belly was divine.

Great food, nice staff, nice atmosphere! Book ahead for weekends as it gets busy.

We had a Sunday roast. It was amazing. The Yorkshire Puddings were enormous. Did not have any Guinness stout, though. They had run out. The second of three pubs this week that had no Guinness?

Our favourite country pub. Traditional English meals are the best. Other non-English options are nice but less flavoursome, for example the chicken burger textures are great, really crispy chicken ❤️, but lacks flavour. Lamb and vegetables or roast beef and Yorkshires are so tasty and so worth it. Service is great as are the staff. Don't forget to get the bread and oil / balsamic dip while you're waiting for your starters and mains to arrive. If the weather is good, then eat out on the other side of the road next to the river 💪🏻

A very comfortable place and environment. Excellent service and very elaborate cuisine, lots of flavor, excellent meats. We opted for the beef. Ah!! The bread of ten. A place to remember.

Great place and nice staff, what more could you ask for.

Absolutely gem Fabulous food and service Staff are a credit to this place and the manager is superb attentive and has time for everyone with the clientele his priority Amazing food thankyou chef (s) Superb alround excellet prices don't rip u off everything you pay for is justified

The food is always cooked well, lovely garden with the river Meon at the end of it. Perfect for summer drinks. Can definitely recommend the pork belly and Asian pork salad.

Great little pub/ restaurant, definitely worth the drive to get there. On a sunny day there is nothing nicer than sitting in the garden with a cold drink and on a cooler day they give you blankets and hot water bottles ❤️ The food is also delicious, just be careful not to fill up on the scrumptious bread offered lol.

Is the shoe the one of the nicest pubs in the south of england? Yes.

Excellent pub with brilliant food and service!

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. Visited again today and the food was just as good! Can't wait to go back again!

Never disappoints. Fabulous food, as ever. An impromptu visit, wasn’t expecting a table. There is a God 🙏 Perfect for a rainy gloomy pick me up, homemade Steak & Mushroom Pie, DEEEELICIOUS! Today, the most outstanding experience, the staff … EVERYONE!! In a livelong day .. Best spirit to serve I have witnessed for some time!! Well done team

Fantastic pub, Top quality food, varied and modern menu. Professional friendly service, Great setting by the stream.

Excellent food and service sorry to say the beer was cloudy with finings floating around. Sent email suggesting that the staff would benefit from some training. No answer!

Unbelievable scenic pub in a quaint location. Great staff and food, only stopped for a sandwich and a quick pint. But was absolutely lovely and will be attending again in the future.

We had supper at the Shoe Inn this week while walking the South Downs Way. The food was excellent and the service equally good. The pub ambiance is great. Highly recommended!

Always have a great meal and they have separate fryer for gf food I was told recently. They seem to be able to adapt easily for my gf/df diet. One of my favourite pubs in Hampshire.

Excellent all round. Another perfect visit to the Shoe. Food was superb as usual and very reasonably priced for the quality. Will be back again soon!!

Beautiful beer garden next to the river. Dog friendly.

Simply the best fish and chips for miles perfectly cooked and presented there is no where better .

A great evening out with good food and service.

Lovely food, lovely staff. Made a call to book for dinner for 3 people and dog, had to change it 3 times due to train delays and the staff were so helpful. Thank you!

Lovely spot with a garden by the Meon chalk stream.

Recommend booking a table, we did last minute and were sat in the covered terrace which was lovely on a summers evening. Food was fabulous 👌

Really lovely place to visit. Tough to beat the sandwiches here. Huge doorstop wedges of bread with delicious fillings. Not the cheapest of places but, you certainly get what you pay for.

Great little quick lunch in the beer garden at the shoe in. The pub looked really cool inside, even had a little bakery and locals were popping in for loaves of bread 👌, sandwiches looked ace, they were on the menu as door wedge and they certainly looked it 🔥, we went with a pork salad and panko scallops and both were really tasty, we had fries on the side, a coke and a half IPA and just over £20. Great stuff, proper local pub, the type I'm sure we wished we all had.

Lovely food ... a bit different from everyday pub grub, which makes it stand out from the crowd. A very pleasing place to be, characterful decor, beautiful location, efficient staff, although smiles and eye contact would've been nice when we were being served. Definitely worth a visit. Edit: Further to writing this review, I have to say, the staff now working here are excellent, and everything is now spot on. It is one of our favourite places to eat. Edit July 2024: We love eating here but had never booked Sunday roast, so this was the first time. I booked a table online in the enclosed terrace (for a legitimate reason), paid the £20 deposit, and my table was confirmed. On arrival, I was really miffed because we were seated inside the pub because the lady whose table we were being given, saw a high chair placed at the adjacent table and told the staff she didn't want to be seated beside a young child, so she was given our confirmed table. How disgusting is that? The girl in charge, however, was very professional in her handling of the situation, so top marks to her. As a good will gesture, our desserts were taken off the bill, which, although appreciated, we would rather have sat where we were booked and paid for our full meal. We just felt that some random woman was treated favourably, and we were treated unfairly. It really put us off coming back here, and I'm really disgusted about it. The Sunday roast was poor in comparison to the weekday food, and we've definitely had better elsewhere. My beef was tough, and considering I buy my beef from Buckingham's and it's melt in the mouth when I do a roast at home, I can only blame the kitchen, because Buckingham's meat is exceptional quality. The roast potatoes weren't crispy, my Yorkshire pudding was overdone, and my cauliflower cheese was topped with black burnt bits. We won't be back for a roast, and until I stop reeling about the staff giving away our table for such a petty reason, I'll be avoiding a pub that I really did enjoy going to. Poor show The Shoe.

Delightful busy pub, good sized portions, home cooked. I had the pork belly which was moist, the fat had been rendered down and the crackling crispy. My husband had a pie which he thoroughly enjoyed. Three of us then shared the trio of puddings which included a lovely crumble. Would thoroughly recommend the pub which also has a bakery with good bread (also served to the table as an aperatif)

Idyllic little country pub with great food and garden by a stream

Wonderful pub in a beautiful location. The food is of the highest quality. Took two friends today who had not visited before and they were both very impressed.

Has been our "local" for a few years, always exceptional food, excellent atmosphere and very friendly staff. Good value for money, slightly higher than average prices but the food is exceptional, all local produce and the staff are superb.

Fantastic food again. We keep coming back to The Shoe, it's always good. Essential to book at busy times. We had light lunches this time.

Great food, staff not particularly friendly and hard to say anything about the atmosphere because we were sitting in the garden.

I recently dined at The Shoe at Exton with a group of eight, and we had a wonderful experience. Our table enjoyed both the pork belly and the lamb for our main courses. While I personally found the lamb a bit on the salty side, the overall quality and flavour of the dishes were excellent, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals.For dessert, we opted for the cheesecake, which was simply outstanding. It was the perfect way to end our dining experience. The service was attentive and friendly, making our visit even more enjoyable.I would highly recommend The Shoe at Exton to anyone looking for a delightful meal with great company. The quality of the food and the pleasant atmosphere make it a must-visit.

Great food, home baked bread, friendly service, good atmosphere. We have been to the Shoe a few times and it's never disappointed us. This time was a birthday meal with friends. All very impressed. Food plentiful, well cooked and presented. A favourite spot in Hampshire

Arrived on a Tuesday evening to find this beautiful country inn. It is set in wonderful location in the heart of the south downs. The food and service was perfect. The Inn has an outside covered area for dining alfresco and also a lovely beer garden. If you are ever in the area of Exton you must give this place a try for lunch or dinner, you won't be disappointed.

Be warned - no Sunday roast for walk-ins/garden tables. Decided to go for roast on a nice sunny warm Sunday lunch time. Arrived at midday to be told no roast for people sitting in the garden. We’ve been coming here for years and have enjoyed many Sunday roast lunches in the garden. We didn’t book a table inside because we prefer to sit outside in the summer. Apparently, they were saving the roasts for people who booked inside tables. Very disappointing and even when we offered to wait a while the response was negative and unhelpful. Let’s hope they see the light and go back to how things were.

Incredible food, very highly recommended but make a booking :) We shared a spicy cauliflower and a Hampshire asparagus starters and vegan rice bowl. Followed by crumble :)

The food at The Shoe Inn is awesome. We visited in April and luckily the weather allowed us to sit outside as the restaurant was fully booked. Best to book in advance as it’s very popular!!

Beautiful pub, nice staff and great food!

Superb steak and mushroom pie with wholegrain mustard mash. Sitting by the stream in the pub garden. Idyllic stop.

Lovely little place. Shame the kitchen shuts between lunch and dinner

Lovely veggy or non veggy menu and fab bread!

Pretty grumpy staff - seemed like they were having a bad hair day! I had an e-Bike and was looking to charge it. Everywhere else we stopped on the multi-day route was super friendly and happy to accommodate, but the Shoe did a good job of making it feel like we were taking liberties by asking for a little bit of juice. Oh well, life’s too short! 😂

Friendly staff and gorgeous bread! Will definitely come back here for sure.

Had lunch here today. Food was excellent. Hubby had the belly pork and I had chicken. Both meals served in good time, excellent service and lovely staff. The bread with balsamic vinegar whilst waiting goes down a treat. The only downside was we didn’t have any space left for dessert as we were full. Definitely going back again.

We parked up at Old Winchester Hill, and the Shoe Inn was half way through the route. A great lunch spot, varied menu and lovely garden with plenty of seats.