The Tuning Fork in Rugby

A FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE This place is tucked in a fast growing area of Houlton, just outside of Rugby. Almost an Unassuming place until you walk in, you are greeted by not by Staff but a FAMILY and at the elm there’s GARY! The staff buzz around constantly and you get the feeling of really being in a home with lots of brothers and sisters making sure everything is going fin! Then you come to the Food! Oh Yes! Now we’re talking is of very high standards by any definition, and from the INVISIBLES, from the kitchen to the front I can only use the term of: IMPECCABLE! From a very nice and appetising menu to the SUNDAY ROAST everything comes to you satisfying all your taste buds from your eyes to your belly! With a very reasonable price the TUNING FORK is a place to visit and keep in your diary for future visits, oh and don’t forget to book early to avoid lengthy waits because is becoming very popular by way of voice. A true treasure trove for the FOOD LOVERS! ENJOY!

Had sunday lunch today and was impressed with the portion size staff were friendly and attentive, Place was very busy so pleased we had booked ahead

Always, enjoy going to the Tuning Fork. Food very good ,staff friendly and helpful

I had breakfast here got the first time and it was fantastic. Great quality food and lovely coffee. Highly recommend a visit here 🤗

As always a great experience today. It's so hard to choose what to have..but all 4 of us had a really lovely meal, especially the choc and rum torte with Vietnamese coffee for dessert.

Very nice ambience! Enjoyed the meal and the coffee ☕

Just had a lovely meal here and will definitely visit again and hopefully next time they will have my gin martini as well. Thanks to all the staff.

We called in for a sausage sandwich which I couldn't see on the menu, once the staff had finished their conversation they became most attentive. We thoroughly enjoyed our sandwich which was embellished with a fried egg . My latte was first class and my colleague enjoyed his pot of tea. We will definitely call in again next time we are in Rugby.

Amazing place . Would recommend to anyone

Had Saturday brunch here. Good food selection including vegan. Full English and Eggs Benedict both excellent. Cakes looked lovely but we were too full to try any. Friendly staff. Obviously popular with almost all tables occupied.

Friendly service. Quick food service. Very tasty.

Fantastic place to eat. Food was great. Service was great and the food reasonably priced. A nice Saturday morning treat!

Flawless! The pizza there is a-mazing! I love the vibes, the staff are so nice and helpful, and the brunch is superb! (went for my b-day) edit: I went there a while ago, just found the name again!

The food and service was very good at this restaurant! Cosy atmosphere and good choice of dishes with portion size just right. The only thing that would improve the menu would be the addition of more choice for desserts

Price vs Quality is questionable. Price is a bit high for the portion size and area

The most perfect full English breakfast. High quality ingredients stand out on the plate. Ample portions, I couldn't finish it to be honest.

A very decent sized gluten free menu, delicious food, well presented, and lovely atmosphere. Suitable for coeliac's - staff were aware of risks and importance of cross-contamination.

Tucked away in the Dollman Farm buildings, The Tuning Fork is a hidden gem that strikes all the right chords for coffee lovers and foodies alike. From the moment you step in, you’re greeted by a cozy, laid-back atmosphere that’s both modern and welcoming. The decor is a perfect blend of industrial chic and artistic flair, a subtle nod to its name. It’s the kind of place where time slows down, ideal for escaping the daily rush. The coffee here is fantastic —crafted with precision and care. Whether you’re a fan of a strong espresso or a velvety cappuccino. But what makes this spot stand out is its creative menu. The food selection is equally impressive, tasty and beautifully presented but don’t miss the chiller cabinet with all of the amazing cakes! The Tuning Fork also has a fantastic sense of community. The staff are friendly, passionate, and quick to offer recommendations if you’re not sure what to try.

Super lovely local place , nice ambience. Very friendly staff with excellent customer service skills.

Would not recommend for vegetarian or vegan food. Choice is limited and sometimes out of stock and even when they have it, not tasty at all. I had the Lentil fritters. Their cakes are nice.

We only popped in for a coffee but the cakes looked amazing. Lovely atmosphere. Clean and comfortable. Took a while to get our order taken but drinks arrived promptly.

Served by Becky who was so lovely, friendly and took care of every little need and made you feel special 👍🏽 Food very nice, tasty and well spiced 🌶️Thai green curry with rice 🔥 delicious 👌🏽 and spicy🔥 I liked the hot chocolate which wasn't too sweet👌🏽

Served by Becky who was so lovely, friendly and took care of every little need and made you feel special 👍🏽 Food very nice, tasty and well spiced 🌶️Thai green curry with rice 🔥 delicious 👌🏽 and spicy🔥 I liked the hot chocolate which wasn't too sweet👌🏽

It's one of the best of best in Houlton.

It's one of the best of best in Houlton.

Had Sunday dinner here. Found a large hair in amongst the Coliflower cheese. Had to leave my food. A male staff member saw me removing the hair and came over and saw the hair and simply said aww " I'll take that off, your bill. " No apology, nothing. We won't be eating there again.

Delicious, continuously brilliant food and service.

The restaurant serves seasonal menu relying on locally sourced products- this means the food is fresh and delicious. An excellent breakfast experience. The porridge and smashed avocado are highly recommended!

My wife and I have had several very good breakfasts here so decided to go for a treat last night and have the 2 course set menu, the food was absolutely delicious, we pre booked and as a result got a free bottle of wine! This is only for August apparently but could / should be kept as a permanent offer? Shout out to our server Liam - friendly and efficient is a hard task to master but he nailed it. Brilliant night and looking forward to going back. Thanks.

Eat in, and they also have an outdoor area. The staff were friendly and attentive. All meals arrived together so we could all enjoy our food together.

Amazing breakfast this morning at The Tuning fork, honestly so so tasty! 5 stars amazing

Very friendly, wonderful service. Went for Sunday lunch with 99-year-old mum (in wheelchair) and family. Nothing was too much bother. Food absolutely delicious 👍. Special mention of Liam who went the extra mile to make our lunch memorable 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. Highly recommended.

The food is absolutely delicious, but is quite expensive

As regular customers of the tuning fork, let me tell you, this place is the real deal. The Tuning Fork has become my go-to spot, and I couldn’t be happier to be a regular customer here. Every visit is a delightful experience, thanks to the consistently delicious food and the warm, welcoming atmosphere. The menu at The Tuning Fork offers a variety of dishes that are always flavourful and cooked to a high quality. However, one of the standout aspects of The Tuning Fork is the lovely staff. From the moment I walk in, I’m greeted with friendly and attentive service. The team here truly makes you feel at home, and their genuine care for the customers is evident in every interaction. Liam is accommodating and a real credit to the place. See you next week :)

I'll change this review to five stars when they add freshly-baked croissants to the breakfast menu. 🙂

This place is fabulous. Food is great as are the drinks. Had porridge absolutely gorgeous. Staff are very helpful and friendly. Especially one of the chaps need to get his name next time I go.

We love going here for brunch as well as dinner, the food is always amazing and the service is always good. The presentation is always great and the food is just as tasty as it looks! Highly recommended to all!

Slow service, overpriced food and the restaurant always smells musky.

A wonderful restaurant, great food - so tasty well cooked and very different ingredients, lovely ambiance, love the ethics of this restaurant. My friend and I had a lovely evening.

We went here as a couple last Saturday night, been many times before. Didn’t disappoint both for food and service.

Lovely looking restaurant, very busy for a Tuesday lunchtime. Food was genuinely delicious. But the service was painfully slow. They lost money from us as we decided to skip drinks and dessert faced with another huge wait.

My ratings: Food - 9 out of 10 Surroundings - 9 out of 10 Service - 1 out of 10 Owner/manager was clearly not pleased with so many people turning up today, I felt unwelcoming vibes from him, it was all just a bit too much to ask I guess… We sat for half an hour waiting to order, then half an hour to get our coffees and water. We seriously contemplated going to Co-op next door to get some take out coffee and drinks. Waited just as long for table to be cleared after finishing eating or for anyone offer us deserts, but no luck. Went to the bar but everyone was too busy to acknowledge us, so we approached a manager and put our order through that way. Looking around, most people were waiting and waiting to be served, the restaurant was full and there was just not enough staff. Could not fault service by waitresses - it is not their fault that the place is severely understaffed and mismanaged. Food and coffee was delicious though, the place itself is also very cosy and has ample and well maintained outdoor seating place. I sincerely hope the place sorts out their priorities and develop their management and staffing levels so that customers feel welcome and not an inconvenience. 🙏 Another option to consider - just get people order at the bar and stop pretending that you offer ‘table service’. Sorry, it is just sad to see potentially great place locally not caring to get basic things right. 🙁

Lovely service, polite and attentive and the food was excellent 👌

* Rude staff * Bad service * Overpriced food Making something pricey doesn't make it good. I dont get why people hype this place up so much. Sadly houlton doesn't have a Greggs (yet).

Lovely breakfast with excellent service with smile from Louise 😊

Had a really enjoyable evening from the moment we walked in to the moment we left.. we had a lovely friendly welcome, the most delicious meal in a relaxed atmosphere. Was surprised to see a couple of negative reviews.. It can only be a five star from me! Would highly recommend! Hope to be back soon!

Lovely place to done at. Everything was delicious. Loved the atmosphere and the staff had great customer service. TYSM 😊

Avoid at all costs. Owner Elaine, is unprofessional. Service poor. Food overpriced. This restaurant has gone downhill. I certainly will not be recommending to any of my family or friends

Had Saturday lunch here and found everything 5 star! Varied menu including interesting vegetarian options, excellent service, delicious hot food and good coffee. The salad was especially tasty and you can’t often say that about a salad! Would recommend without hesitation but you’ll probably need to book in advance. We will be back!

Lovely well cooked food and excellent service.

We had an amazing lunch and thoroughly recommend the delicious bang bang cauliflower and Japanese chicken. Thank you all at the Tuning Fork. Book ahead, especially at the weekend. Nice outside area when it is warm enough.

We had a fab experience at the Tuning Fork. The staff were very friendly, the food was tasty and the cake we had was an absolute show stopper! Fully recommend

Breakfast today and it was that good we didn't need to add ANY seasoning to the food, Avo on toast, Eggs Benedict and Eggs Royal....16 year old daughter loved it.....

Couldn't have been better for a lunch rendezvous, also has EV charging points you can use while sampling the fair.

Personally I wouldn’t recommend going here, other better places around (also cheaper). We were not told when booking it was a set 2/3 course menu to choose from and not the whole menu even after paying a deposit per person. It’s another of those pay a lot get no food deals. £35 for a set 2 course menu without a drink sounds a bit on the pricier side to being with but look at the size of the courses. The food was alright in terms of flavour but it wasn’t anything worth talking about. Went to spoons after for some proper food as we left hungrier than when we arrived. Pictured is the Salmon beetroot starter and Lamb main. They were even stingy with the gravy for the lamb.

Absolutely amazing food! Easy on the stomach especially when on a diet!

Good food and friendly atmosphere

Never had a bad experience at the Tuning fork. The food is exceptional quality, great size portions and a range of more unusual offerings, caters for vegetarians really well! Love the breakfast ranges and the bang bang cauliflower is amazing! It is on the pricier side, but with great quality, friendly staff, fabulous customer service I'd highly recommend it. It does get busy, so recommend booking!

Best Sunday roast ever and their cakes are divine! Love that they do seasonal menus and source produce locally. Looking forward to the summer to enjoy their outdoor seating.

Great food, but I think the burgers should come with chips or a reduced price add on (like the falafel).

Lovely breakfast, recommend the eggs Royale!

What a lovely place with excellent food and good friendly service. Parking is relatively easy too. Give it a try .

Disappointing - very poor service - took 30 minutes to take our drinks order and then 10 minutes later our food order. Food served and the pork belly, cheek and salmon dish fine but the duck luke warm and broccoli chargrilled burnt! No one came to check if we were happy with our meals. Plates cleared when some still eating. Had to get their attention to order dessert but couldn’t order as they hadn’t given us the dessert menu! Told them about the issue with the duck and suggested they advised the chef but no feedback. Very disappointing as we had eaten there before which was why we went back. Wouldn’t go again in a hurry !

We were passing by and decided to stop by for a coffee and a cake. On arrival we were immediately asked if we had booked a table. We hadn't of course and explained this but it was to no avail as we were abruptly and rather rudely told that if we had not booked a table we would have to leave. We would have been happy to use the outside seating as it was a nice day but this was not even suggested. We will not be visiting again as the staff were so rude and were in no way accommodating towards walk in customers.

Been going regularly for a number of years, wonderful food great service and great atmosphere

Booked on a whim last night for lunch today, the only option was high tables and stools, but we took it and so glad we did! Chilli burrito and a fillet steak, both amazing. The steak was one of the best I’ve ever had, super tasty mushrooms and homemade onion rings, peppercorn sauce too. Seriously good food at a very reasonable £27. Lunch for 2 with a bottle of wine was £60, bargain!! Already planning our next visit.

Great food and a big selection of cakes for a very cheap price! Homemade gelato also avaliable and very good. Very recommended!

It was one of the best full English breakfasts I've had in a long time.

4 The f us ate here Monday lunchtime - it was packed so that tells you something. They do do just coffee and cakes as well as full blown lunch. We just had mains. 3 specials and a Mushroom and goats cheese tarte. The 3 soecials were two seafood and chip platters and one Lb Bhuna. The lamb Bhuna was tasty and had plenty of tender lamb meat. Not a real Indian curry but delicious nonetheless. The 2 fish platter were exceptional! A combination of 3 huge head on prawns in a chilli garlic oil, salt & pepper squid rings, battered sea bass fillets, home made tartare sauce, and triple cooked chips. The Battered fish was hot, moist and with the hint of tarragon in the tartare sauce really lovely. No complaints about the squid rings. The prawns were de-shelled on the tails so easy to eat, but it was the garlic chilli oil in abundance that made it. Both of us who has this dunked our already crispy delicious chips in this mixture and I dare say had we had crusty bread we would have found it hard to resist dunking that too despite the obvious amount of calories we were consuming!

Great food and comfort menu in a nice restaurant.

I come here all the time and Liam is amazing! Highly recommended.

Absolutely love the tuning fork. I have never been disappointed since it first opened. I have enjoyed all of the food, the staff have always been helpful and obliging.I recommend it to all my customers and friends Elaine, James and family work extremely hard to maintain these high standards. We went to the paddle last night for a pizza it was amazing full of flavour and delicious made fresh from start to finish. Thank you James and his team for such dedication.So often people never realise how much work really goes into making a successful establishment. Once again a huge thank you. Looking forward to the next time.

We hired the Tuning Fork for our brothers wake. Its a superb venue and the food and staff were absolutely brilliant. It made a sad day very special. Highly recommended.

Excellent Service from Start to Finish We hired the Tuning Fork for our brothers wake. Its a superb venue and the food and staff were absolutely brilliant. It made a sad day very special. Highly recommended.

Not cheap but excellent quality and value for money.

En route south we stumbled across The Tuning Fork and we are so glad that we did. The menu was varied and tempting, the service was good (thank you Liam) and the food excellent. Nearly all their food is prepared on the premises and locally sourced. Though quite full we even succumbed to a desert each, delicious but so large we had to take part home in the box provided. Well worth a visit.

Wow I came in Monday and the place was so busy! Didn’t book but The gent at the main desk found us a table. Placed the order and the food arrived at a reasonable time. Tasty and well presented. Even tho they were so busy the staff were very friendly and made sure we had everything we needed even came to takeaway! Can’t recommend this place more. What a gem in rugby

What an excellent find my Niece made at the Tuning Fork where we had lunch today. Not at all what you expect to find on the outer edge of a relatively new housing estate! There were so many delicious sounding choices and great variety. I had Beef Madras with Avocado, who knew green stuff could be so tasty, look great and be healthy? There were actually three veg but the proportions of them, the Beef Madras and the rice were spot on for me. Top Marks Will be back.

This place used to be soooo good. The food is still good, if it is expensive. The service is so slow now. Its not a big place, maximum of 15 tables. There is one gentleman who works there in particular who seems incapable of smiling. The drinks service is so slow, i realise that a barista can only make coffees so quickly but we had had our breakfast for 10 minutes before our 2 glasses of juice (not coffee) arrived. Such a shame because the kitchen team are doing some very nice things. My houmous with chilli was lovely, it was candied chili flakes. Great idea. I already had a tomato houmous with heritage tomatoes. We probablt will be back at some point when we are in the area in the future but we now go in expecting poor service. Shame

Everything about this restaurant was perfect. The food was incredible, generous servings and beautifully cooked. The service was brilliant, friendly and quick. And despite being busy, everyone had the time to be pleasant. The place itself was clean, well-lit but not harsh, and nicely laid out. We went for my husband's birthday treat and could not have been happier, and we are picky about where we dine out!

Menu needs a revamp. Used to do light bites but no soup which used to be lovely. Biggest annoyance though was being told half an hour before we had to leave the table that it needed to be vacated at 2 pm. Yes- we know. We knew that when we booked- but then the waiter came back 8 minutes later and just plonked the bill on the table and said I will be back in a minute for you to pay. We hadn’t even asked for the bill! We wanted to order a coffee! Trouble is it is a one in and one out kind of vibe which will put people off. Care and attention to the finer details needs to happen. This is not the first time this has happened to me here. I do not think the owners ever read these reviews as nothing changes. Food was nothing special with a flattened lukewarm chicken. Just work on these things and people will come back. But I won’t be for now.

So disappointed, it’s a shame because the foods always really good. We’ve been a few times now and the service has never been great but never bad enough to complain but today was the worst yet, seated quickly as usual, drinks ordered but took a while to arrive and then were sat waiting for almost an hour, no offer of more drinks no apology for the wait even people that came in after us were half way through their meal. Then our food came out finally which was honestly average the beef was chewy and the potatoes were hard. The food is usually really nice but not today.Then again we were left no one came over to ask if our meal was okay or if we wanted another drink. So we finished and after waiting a while (in fairness not long) for someone to come over to take it away which didn’t happen we just got up and went to the bar to pay and the guy at the door had the cheek to say if I was happy to leave a tip- sorry absolutely not on this occasion! I came away feeling really disappointed. It’s a great place but they really need to work on their customer service/ service in general then would be a smashing place!

The excellent food and service is let down by the lack of choice in the bread they offer. They really need to address this.

Went with a friend for the first time, we haven't booked a table but we didn't wait at all to have a table. Getting busy for hours. Very nice food and the presentation of the dishes looks delicious and well presented. Dishes are very tasted, very nice wine, and plenty of deserts choices. Staff is polite and friendly. I would recommend it for sure. They don't have starters on them menu. They have a lovely giant pink coffee machine, and coffee is delicious. Will be back soon!

What a little gem of a place food excellent, service very good ,staff great polite helpful well worth a visit been three times this week

Rude staff, we was made to feel very unwelcome and judged when going in for a drink, the lady diddnt understand we wanted a white coffee, even when saying Americano with milk, will not be visiting again!

Loved this place! Great menu, I am gluten free, so much choice, such a joy. Though the decor was good too, staff were efficiant and helpful. Hope to go there in the evening ( we had brunch) Will deffinatly go back, even though, a good 40 min drive.

Great place to eat, food and service was great.

Very disappointed. Booked a table for two for a Birthday breakfast. Service slow. Food was ok coffee cold. Our plates were swiftly removed as soon as we had eaten by staff lacking in basic manners. We were never asked if everything was ok with our meal or if we would like to order anything else. Then despite not asking for the bill it was slapped down on the table and we were told they needed our table immediately. Very rude! We felt very uncomfortable and were glad to leave. I will never return and I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone.

The food was good, but took quite a time to come. It was reasonably priced. The restaurant was packed and very noisy. Holding a conversation was difficult. Something needs to be done to improve the acoustics. We were at the Tuning Fork from 1 until about 3. There are only two toilets, and the one I used was quite unpleasant. According to the chart on the wall, it had not been checked since 10 am. I have heard such good reports about the Tuning Fork but, based on my experience, I could not recommend it without some caveats.

We had a lovely Sunday lunch, which was very tasty. Although, we waited 30mins for it to arrive. With no apology for the waiting time. Then we were told that our table was needed in 30mins. Even though we had not been offered pudding or another drink! It was very noisy, which makes it difficult to have a conversation. I would visit again, but only for coffee & cake.

Busy local cafe. Only had coffee and cake here but service was friendly and coffee good quality as was the cake which was also a generous portion.

I've been visiting for years and still adore the Tuning Fork. I went on my own with my 1 year old the other day and the service was great, extra napkin given to keep her entertained! The orange and chocolate cake that was recommended was awesome (I always have to take away a piece of cake). Thanks again

Fabulous Roast sunday lunch, the whole plate was amazing perfectly cooked meat and vegetables delicious gravy too👌

Good quality food and excellent service

THANK YOU VERY MUCH! Dining was lovely and the BEST roast EVER!

Exceptional 👌 food delicious 😋 staff welcoming + friendly. Tip top, can't fault any thing!! I will be back !

Fantastic, good quality food, poached eggs done to perfection 👌

Food was elite! Staff were friendly and great, atmosphere really cosy and nice. Top place, definitely will go to again.

Had a great breakfast the staff were friendly and efficient. Good atmosphere