The Three Horseshoes in Colchester

I have visited The Three Horseshoes three times. The first time my daughter and I just had starters which were delicious and beautifully presented. The second time was for a Sunday roast which was hugely disappointing, I did email to point out the issues but I was told Sunday roast is very much a personal thing - I agree but I don’t agree that poorly cooked vegetables are a personal thing - however I gave it another try. The final visit and without question my last was a birthday celebration. The starters were nice almost all of us had the tasty heritage tomato dish. The mains were awful. Pasta just boring and amateurish. The steak covered in an unpleasant sweet jus. The chicken was really well cooked but the butternut squash was unpleasant and the nasturtium pesto even worse. Overpriced for what you get.

Excellent lunch, in the sunshine. We booked a table for 4 and decided to use the wonderful garden setting rather than the indoor area. We were offered two menus. The pub grub and the stylish a la carte. We ordered a number of starters and nibbles and shared all including crispy buffalo oyster, olives, veloute of curried cauliflower, tomato and goats cheese mousse, chicken Caesar salad and our favourite the duck liver royal with sour cherries. We enjoyed a perfect rose to accompany our meal. All the staff were attentive, friendly and knowledgeable about the menu.

Not impressed. Went for Sunday lunch the potatoes were hard think they been reheated same as cauliflower cheese which was also tasteless and gravy like water. The dessert was a joke tiny portion just about two mouthfuls the ice cream was not even a scoop but a teaspoon and they had the nerve to charge £12 for the desserts.

Have heard a lot about The Three Horseshoes and the cooking and service blew us away. It is not cheap but the fantastic dishes that came out of the kitchen were really worth it. My duck liver parfait with cherries was delicious, a brilliant pairing. I would highly recommend it. We will be back.

I booked the restaurant here based on previous and it more than lived up to expectations. The food was delicious, the staff were friendly and Toby the labrador was adorable. It was a really enjoyable visit and I would certainly recommend it to others. I had the mushroom burger with fries that were flavoured with 15 herbs and spices and were phenomenal!

All too often we find things to criticise, but today i am pleased to say we had a perfect experience. We sat in the garden under the shade, the staff were attentive, knowledge and friendly and the food was delicious. Well done for achieving perfection, it doesn't happen often.

Unfortunately our Father’s Day meal echos what other’s have said. We chose this venue due to the online reviews. The quality and portion size of the meal was extremely disappointing and the food was cold. If it wasn’t for my husband’s birthday, I would have raised a complaint, but we swiftly left as this is not what we were expecting. The cost of the roast dinner was £24.50 per person desserts were £12.50, Cheeseboard £19.50 plus 10% service charge, which for that sort of money, one would expect a quality meal. On the plus side, the staff were welcoming, and the venue was very pleasant. Sadly, we will not be retuning.

Was so looking forward to a Sunday roast after hearing & reading many good reviews of the 3 Horseshoes after a particulary busy weekend. We were seated promptly & given drink & food menus, ordered 4 beef roasts as the roast pork was unavailable.Portion size very meagre, one 4mm slice of beef, 4 bullet-hard dry potatoes that had been allowed to cool then reheated, one roasted half-pice of carrot & a curious grey-beige slurry which on tasting was caulicheese. Very disappointing all round. I did post a private review back to the venue, but as I've not had any response to discuss any staffing issues in the kitchens or any other problems they were struggling with that day I am reviewing here. Other tables seemed to have a different plate, locals I guess, & we have used the outdoor coffee shack frequently when passing & been more than satisfied with their hot snacks & great tasting coffee: I might go back, & will put Sunday down to an odd, off day.

I nipped in today after waiting 15 minutes to be served in McDonald's, Stanway and then walking out. Great burger and amazing fries! 😋

Another fantastic evening, with absolutely amazing service and food - highly recommended. Cannot fault anything, and enjoyed by all of us.

Exceptionally good food and the best meal I have had in a long while. Service was nice too and we had a lovely birthday meal. We will be back

We went here for Sunday lunch yesterday and the food, service , and ambiance of this restaurant/pub was amazing. I can’t wait to return.

Another excellent meal here. Fine dining with a cosy pub vibe. Great service. Fantastic flavours. Lovely setting. Dog friendly, too. Ticks all the boxes.

Exquisite dining experience. Food was excellent, good menu . Ambience and service were impeccable. Highly recommend .

Lovely pub, beautifully decorated. Very attentive staff. Superb choice of food/dishes with quality ingredients. Coped exceptionally well with dietary intolerance. Food presented beautifully at just right time intervals. So why only average? It was lovely and cosy in front of fire but once sat at table it was cold. Two people had hot starters-but they weren’t hot, they were tepid at best. One hot starter superb, the two cold ones were equally superb. Roasts arrived-ONE slice of thick rare, tender beef, with thick rind of white fat-cold. 3 beautifully crisp roast potatoes-tepid, two strips of carrot-cold, two strips of parsnip-warm, four pieces of cabbage hidden under beef, 1 large almost raw charred cauliflower-cold( others had small amount of cauliflower cheese). 3 had wagyu beef ragu-tepid at best but very tasty. Ordered additional bowl of red cabbage (£6.50). Desserts-hot ones hot, cold ones cold. Beautifully presented, outstanding flavours. Had four bottles of wine. Total bill was over £400. Would I go back? Probably to give it another go. Why? Because there was no doubt the food quality was superb. Why did I not complain? We were with friends, it was a birthday meal, they had accommodated our early arrival and made no fuss about our missing guest. But it is very expensive. They need to look at quantities especially the vegetables. And they need to get food temperature right. We eat out regularly- The Marquis at Hadleigh( comparable price but perfect) The anchor at Kelvedon ( great and much cheaper), White Horse at Badwell Ash( amazing and 1/3 price), Butt and Oyster( Pin Mill( Superb and less than 1/2 price). However company great, we laughed and shared good times so the disappointing aspects we overlooked.

The food is beautiful and delicate. The service very polite and attentive. Exceptional starters of variations on Jerusalem artichoke and salmon pastrami. Main course of chateaubriand and leek was exquisite. Delightful pudding too. A pub on the edge of fine dining. Full marks to the staff.

We had the most perfect tasting menu here to celebrate NYE ‘23 and we were delighted with our choice, which I’d found on trip adviser. The meal was sublime but even better was the welcome which we received both on arrival and throughout the evening. This lovely country pub deserves all its accolades, and more, and we will definitely return. Thank you.

We had our very first Christmas Eve evening meal out as usually we do afternoon tea, at The Three Horseshoes, but not our first meal there. We were really impressed how they coped as it was completely full and they never tired of pleasing everyone around.

Gorgeous private garden, great welcome, great service and lovely food. Was particularly beautiful in summer and was a great way to spend an afternoon. Food and wine very good quality. Dog friendly

Wonderful country cosy pub welcomes dogs and great food. The burger was out of this world! Mock tails were great too for the driver

Amazing little gem of a place. Such a cute family run establishment, all of the staff are so attentive and friendly. Makes you feel at home! We had a raspberry lemonade which was gorgeous!! Little nibble of sourdough and chilli butter, again amazing! The roast, amazing! I went for the beef and it was incredible. When you get cauliflower cheese on the plate without asking, that’s when you know it will be good! It was also my birthday and they bought me out a mini cake out. Can’t wait to return!! Cannot thank George enough for his attentiveness :)

Visited for Sunday lunch with our dog and newborn baby. Genuinely warm welcome, despite us arriving without a booking and a few minutes before the kitchen was closing. Great Sunday roast, good beers, and spot on service. For those looking for a cosy pub to stop at after a long winter walk, look no further!

Not a ‘cheap eat’, but delicious food , terrific ambience and lovely service. Ann excellent family birthday treat.

Popped in on the off chance early evening at 5.40 pm for a table of 2 plus my dog. Very pleased they were able to accommodate us albeit we were asked that the table was required again at 6.45pm. We duly ordered promptly no starters straight to main course. Food arrived promptly, but oh dear portion size was incredibly small, we are currently topping up in another venue. I must say however the food was well presented and good quality. The waitresses kept hovering and at 6.20pm our plates were whipped away whilst my wife was still eating with the waitress muttering we need the table back. We were under the impression that we would be able to seat and enjoy the remainder of our drinks until 6.45. For context the seating area was 60% empty at that time. We left our drinks and went to pay where we were presented with a bill with a service charge included, we asked for this to be removed. This is the first time I have asked for any service charge to be removed for several years. Food great, welcome great staff need considerable training and not an apology from i presume the manager either when he removed the service charge. If you can't fit people in do not take them in the first place.

We had a very nice lunch in the well shaded garden Very extensive menu with lots of tempting choices Very friendly staff provided excellent service Can’t wait to return !

Not really knowing the pub on entering my wife and I thought we would just start with a drink and have a look at the menu . A pint of beer and a martini with lemonade came to £ 12 .70 I went to pay...

I chose the Three Horseshoes because of it high reccomendations on trip advisor, but we found it a mixed bag, the ploughman's was excellent and fresh, with a great array of pickles etc. The burgers were good and the roast beef was appalling. A thick...

Been a few times now. Took my rellies from Oz this time. They said they have had to travel 12,000 miles to find the best they have experienced and at last have found it. Knew they had which is why I took them. Beautiful meals....

Back in the UK and a new place to review! Delightful lunch in the sun with Toby the resident Labrador in situ. Excellent smoked trout, burrata and parfait. Jury was a bit out on the cucumber gazpacho, but hey ho. From the children’s menu pasta...

Front of house are a selection of really good staff, even those in training, who are wholly appropriate and helpful. The venue itself is an old building with many features preserved that add real character to the experience. A busy, well run restaurant with a...

Visited this restaurant this evening after last visiting some years ago. Wow were we impressed. It’s changed beyond all recognition. Updated with modern facilities. Outside area looks amazing. It’s very up market. Service was excellent. Food is of good quality and presented lovely. Small menu...

What a fabulous dining experience this was. From our very first greeting via the charming young lady who welcomed us, through to dessert, everything was pretty much faultless. Our party of four kicked things off with a bottle of Prosecco and 2 pints of beautiful...

had a beautiful meal that was very well cooked and thought out. leek soup with oyster was lovely, ( just needed a tiny bit more seasoning but no problem) lamb and pork main courses were very well presented and had bags of flavour. desserts were...

Incredible food, service and atmosphere. Group of ladies walking from West Bergholt- nothing was too much trouble. Best cocktails outside of London hands down. This pub is a gem. It’s not overpriced because the food is outstanding.

Although I am relatively local and have passed this pub regularly this was the first and last time I will be visiting. My issue is with the lack of basic lunchtime food and the price of the main menu dishes. In the same vein as...

We celebrated my birthday with a lunch at Three Horseshoes. What a wonderful experience it turned out to be. The service was simply fantastic, everyone who looked after us was friendly, knowledgeable and nothing appeared too much trouble. The food was simply sublime and I...

Highly recommend a trip to this beautiful pub! The food was some of the best I’ve ever had and the service was amazing! Nothing was too much trouble and all staff were so friendly!

When I phoned I was advised that some bar snacks were available. There were virtually no conventional bar snacks offered. My collegue and I were offered the very expensive a la carte menu (I had been warned by two local friends that it was so)...

Visited with friends for dinner on a Friday night. It’s a lovely setting and the food was excellent however I should call out the service as being near on perfect. Thank you Louise for being friendly, genuinely knowing the menu and really making this a...

We normally go here for Sunday Lunch, but on the off chance we booked a Wednesday evening slot and enjoyed two courses in the lovey village pub. Food was delicious and beautifully presented. A good selection on the menu and several desserts to choose for...

We have been here four times now and every time the food is delicious and the service is brilliant. The chef creates delicious and interesting options. The staff are lovely and so knowledge, helpful and attentive. The pub has a lovely friendly feel with a...

From the warm welcome, to the wonderful ambience, this was a great experience on a dark chilly winters night. The wine list and menu were impressive and everyone was impressed with their meals. Only afterwards did we learn there was a stand in chef as...

Great food and very tasty, all dishes had a variety of flavours which nicely complimented each other. And service was perfect and attentive. Will definitely return.

I have visited here twice, both actually last year but I have forgotten to leave a review... If you haven't been here you are certainly missing out. First of all, the location is lovely. Out of town, you can park easily and it has a...

We had a Sunday meal with family and friends after a Remembrance Service and the whole experience was outstanding. The food was superb, wonderful presentation , flavour and plentiful portions. The staff are extremely friendly and attentive and nothing was an issue for them. One...

Lovely Sunday lunch. Friendly welcome 🤗 great staff an service, not rushed at all, presentation of food was excellent an all home cooked, another plus. Will be back.

Excellent Sunday lunch with friends. Good food. good service, good atmosphere. As always. Been visiting this pub/restaurant for many years - the current owners are really doing well!

Very welcoming pub/restaurant, Wonderful food,excellent presentation/ choice / service. Not a vast menu but a good selection to suit all tastes. Very tasty freshly cooked , ( fish and chips were the best)

We have eaten here now a few times and we are very impressed. Last night we sat by the log fire, very friendly staff eating super delicious food. The food (not pub classics) is fine dining, looks pretty and tastes very good. I really hope...

We came here for my mother in law's birthday for Sunday lunch and had a lovely time. It is a cosy pub in an old building (with beautiful wooden beams), with a lively atmosphere (it was full when we were there, so there was a...

The food here is rather understated being described as a gastro pub as it verges on fine dining. The ambiance is relaxing with a quality pub friendliness and the staff are superb. Excellent Wine and interesting local ingredients superbly cooked mean we will be returning.

My new favourite gastro pub! Delicious food, nicely portioned and great outdoor area to eat in. Cosy interior which will be prefect in the winter months. Definitely recommend.

We went last minute as we weren’t able to get to another restaurant due to travel and it was the best find ever, the best food about, really high quality like a posh highend restaurant whilst having reasonable prices and being a cosy gastronpub with...

To start with we had a nice greeting but when we saw an old dog in the bar we were not impressed.Menu seemed small but looked interesting,we choose the quail. Well when it came we thought they had missed half the dish! Ridiculous amount of...

We've been a couple times since refurbishment. Excellent every time. Service is fantastic and the food is extremely high quality considering the reasonable costs. Very friendly and great atmosphere.

We were looking for a different pub, turned out we were in the wrong place, doh!!!. Came upon this place and was warmly welcomed, asked for a dog friendly table and asked for a table in the garden. Food was excellent, alcohol free beer on...

Wow, what a superb find for us. It was our daughters birthday the following day so we all met up for Sunday lunch. Ambience and friendliness top class as was all of the food and drinks we had. Presentation and quality of the food was...

I was really shocked to come on here and not see 5 stars for this fantastic pub. The food is outstanding (including great vegetarian options), the staff are friendly / attentive and the coffee hut do lovely pastries / great coffee. The Sunday roast is...

We had a truly amazing meal tonight, the flavours of each course were wonderful. The staff are brilliant, very friendly but professional. We will certainly be back very soon

Despite the appearance of a country pub, the food was exceptional fine dining. It was clear to see the food was sourced from great producers and great care and expertise used to create some great dishes. Our second visit did not disappoint, with a totally...

So we just came here to meet up and brainstorm about an event we needed to plan. We only had a coffee and a lemon drizzle cake, which was the best cake I've ever tasted. We went in on a Sunday (first mistake as I...

Excellent food and service! We wish them well, brilliant to see that they are always very busy, so book to avoid disappointment.

We recently enjoyed our work christmas lunch at The Three Horseshoes and were all very impressed! Food was presented beautifully and tasted delicious, portion sizes were generous and everything came out on time and hot, perfect. Service was very friendly and efficient, no one ever...

Beautiful setting, relaxed atmosphere, delightful staff and the food was delicious. Well worth a visit! We had a table of 8 and we were well looked after, treated to some celebratory complementary deserts and have some lovely conversation with the owners. Throughly enjoyable afternoon.

Don't be fooled by the name. I was offered a single seat in front of three tables of dinners. Made to feel uncomfortable I left.

In the area for the day and thought this place looked good from the reviews. Much better than expectations, lovely atmosphere, great service, all very friendly and excellent food. Burrata was very well presented, smoked salmon something to be proud of. Roast beef perfectly cooked...

Probably the best meal I’ve had this year. Great service and atmosphere. Rare to find such high quality in a rural pub. A great find!

Truly fantastic food and staff went above and beyond to accommodate our large, chaotic party. They couldn't have been more warm, welcoming and good humoured. Highly recommend.

Lovely food, but high prices for a small country Essex pub. Gins especially were extortionate. Service was very good, maybe over the top at times, and if these areas reviewed and refined then maybe we’d return.

We had the best table in the garden on a beautiful sunny afternoon. Super Friendly owners couldnt do enough for us. The food was worth every penny - especially as my friend treated me, How do you manage to make a tomato taste so flavoursome?

Dined here for the first time since the new owners have taken over, what a fantastic job they have done. They food is interesting, imaginative and delicious. The restaurant/pub has a lovely atmosphere and the new owners are very friendly. It was so nice to...

I had a wonderful food and a wonderful experience after months of Lockdown. Thank you to all the wonderful staff.

Had a wonderful time, an exquisite selection on the menu, a superb service, and a cozy garden will definitely recommend it!!

Really warm welcome and attentive service from the new team who took over a few months ago. Garden is pretty and spacious, overlooking quaint church. Good range of choice for lunch, with thoughtful, modern twists. Good size portions of delicious, hot food. Highly recommend. Great...

A lovely pub, with lots of character set in the countryside. Fantastic quality, locally sourced food. The three horse shoes team are very welcoming, friendly and attentive. Will definitely be returning soon. Recommend a visit as soon as you can!

We opted for the take away to celebrate and loved every mouthful of it!! Beautifully cooked and delicious, we all loved it and highly recommend the burger, steak and fish and chips. We look forward to the great food by dining in the pub when...

Best tasty fish and fat fluffy crispy chips ever. Efficient and super friendly service, wonderfully relaxing ambience. Full garden of customers but we weren't at all rushed. Really recommend fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere.

After a very dull and dreary winter lockdown, the family decided to meet for lunch at the three horse shoes near Fordham, in their lovely pub garden. We had heard good things about the new owners and been very impressed with a take away Sunday...

Wonderful destination venue in the heart of Fordham. This family run country pub offers wonderful classics and gastro dishes. We felt the ingredients were of very high quality and beautifully presented after enjoying a few take aways from them during lockdown and there was no...

Great start under CV19 restrictions, loved our meal, great food, excellent wine list, friendly service..... takeaways during lockdown was such a treat and never disappointed. Then the coffee “shed” opened with the most delicious freshly baked pastries and sourdough bread!.... loved it and will go...

I followed this pub on Facebook while in lockdown. I saw they where selling coffee, cake and pastries so while on a bike ride we stopped by. The coffee and pastries where just wonderful. The sausage roll, pastle de nata and pan au chocolat being...

Delicious fabulous food served by helpful friendly staff - some of them on their first day and you’d could not tell! Service impeccable and accommodating. Recommend the skate and the baileys latte!! So delicious will need to go back for more

Recently taken over and what a great experience! Staff were attentive, friendly and knowledgable, they clearly know how to run a pub restaurant business. We enjoyed the outdoor lunch menu and will return soon for more! Good choice of ales and wine, food all freshly...

Interesting menu to include chowder and suet pudding along with usual pub classics. Pub very quite but lovely barperson / waitress.

A lovely log fire welcomed us on a chilly November day to this surprisingly popular pub.It has a large varied menu. The location is excellent and easy to find for the far traveller.This was our first visit to meet up with a friend coming from an opposite direction.

We tried this pub for an evening meal on Saturday night as we had driven down from Rugby and were staying in a local Airbnb. We had rung to book only 15 minutes in advance but already a nice table for three had been laid near the fireplace. We liked the fact that it was a building with a lot of history and character. The atmosphere was quiet and welcoming. The food was excellent - I especially liked the lamb with radish and pomegranite salad. My son had a traditional beef and onion pie and got the biggest helpings so if you are hungry go for the traditional menu. The reviewer who did not try the puddings missed on a treat - the Summer pudding was just right - juicy, sweet and fruity. My son had the best brownie he had ever tasted and my husband was happy with a full cheese board. All in all a lovely evening where we felt treated like friends. Highly recommended.

Had a great dinner at this really lovely pub! Staff were lovely the bar person was really great introducing us to the non alcoholic gin! Will go again soon

Went in search of traditional pub food and found it! Menu includes old favourites but also sea bass with risotto. Large portions but we did manage to finish but only one course Only shock was price of glass of Sauvignon. Wine delicious but would have liked to know prices prior to ordering. Our fault for not asking but will definitely check next time. Service smiling and helpful made a real difference and we would go back

Amazing lovely pub Food stunning Great gin choice The guys couldn’t of been any more friendly Great choices of food all very very tasty an d filling Will be back!!!

Visited on a weekday lunchtime and sat in the sunny pub garden. Could have been a lovely experience but there was rubbish on the grass under the table and bird poo and dirt on the table and bench. Which isn’t really what you hope for when you’ve spent £10 on pub lunch. I’ve always thought this place has the potential to be fantastic but it has had several owners over the last few years who have never seemed to get a grip on it and make it so.

Lovely pub, great choice of drinks, very friendly staff. (Like, very very very friendly, all of them are lovely.) Two of my friends wanted the panfried sea bass but not on the risotto, as per the menu, and they readily swapped it for chips and salad. I had the spinach gnocchi and, although it was tasty, I was disappointed at how small the serving was. (I thought maybe I just eat too much, but my friends looked at it and, unprompted, said, 'That's a very small portion!') Sure enough, despite having dessert, once I got home I was peckish again and had to have some cheese and crackers!

A friendly pub with helpful staff and a limited menu of food carefully presented and imaginative. Tables can be set for two or up to eight if wished. Freshly prepared food and a full bar serving real ales as well as lagers and other drinks. The pub is a well kept country pub with charm.

We visited on a day trip from London when we were looking for a dog friendly pub as we had our dog with us and we were so happy we found this one! The people (both staff and fellow pub goers) were really friendly and chatty, menu was extensive with lots to choose from and they have a lovely garden where you can enjoy the sun and decent wine. They also have a small wine shop which meant that wine choice was much better than the average pub offers. We all had a fantastic time and will certainly be returning if visiting the area.

My husband and I stopped off here to have something to eat after visiting family. We hadn't eaten in an independent establishment for a long time, and were hoping for a decent meal to see us through on our journey back home (via the 'magical' M25). We certainly weren't disappointed.

It was by pure chance we called at the 3 horseshoes, we wanted a good country walk.

we stopped off at the three horseshoes today just because we were passing really.

We had with 4 a short lunch with a cider. Lovely place with a clean interior and bathrooms. Friendly welcome and a nice menu. The fish and chips were awesome and the burger my colleague had was just A+. See the picture. Definitely a come-back-to-location.

We booked online,but there was no record of our booking on their system. No problem!! Very friendly service and menu looked promising. Two of us had soup and it was warm, tasty but not piping hot. There was quite a long wait for the mains to be delivered. Two of us had liver and bacon. Once again, it was warm, not hot. So we asked for it to be heated up again. Slight improvement. The amount of liver was less than half of what is usually served in local pubs. There was a lot more bacon than liver. Generally lacking in flavour and overall, fairly disappointing. The other two choices (salmon and pie of the day) were Ok, but only warm when brought to the table. My favourite part of the meal were the black jacks brought to the table at the end of the meal!

Lovely old pub, great atmosphere. Saturday evening , hadn't booked but they found us a table ! Great choice of home cooked food. Service excellent. Definitely recommend this place.

Went there recently for an impromptu evening meal. Lovely beamed old pub/restaurant, with a blazing open fire. We were made to feel very welcome and ordered some drinks whilst we perused the menu. I decided on the seafood linguine and the others both had the pie of the day. All the meals were good proportions, nicely cooked and tasty. I had plenty of prawns in my linguine but could find only one mussel and clam, although this didn't detract from the overall taste. Two of us decided on the fruit crumble (rhubarb this week) which again was lovely, together with 'proper' custard! Relaxed atmosphere coupled with good food, a warm welcome and Aspals on tap - we'll def be coming back before too long!