The Wildebeest in South Norfolk

Over priced, ridiculously tiny portions. £20 for 3 wafer thin, 2 pence sized slices of venison carpaccio. £47 for a beef fillet with zero flavour. Been coming here for over 15 years and always loved it but tonight zero flavour, tiny portions, just joke. On the plus side, the oysters that didn’t require cooking were perfect!

We decided to visit on the spur of the moment. We were pleased to find that a table was available. We've been here before for Sunday lunch and evening a la carte, so we were expecting a great meal. We chose the "du jour" menu and weren't disappointed. The food was excellent, with a reasonable choice of dishes. The hot dishes were indeed hot, well-presented and delicious. The service was attentive, but not intrusive and the ambiance was comfortable. We first ate here decades ago, and have returned sporadically, under its various owners and formats and we have never been disappointed. Slightly pricey, but worth it. Keep it up please.

My wife and I returned for lunch following a lovely experience last year. Nibbles, starters and main courses all very nice. I ordered the soufflé for desert, however the waiter informed me that the chef had messed up the first attempt and was doing another, no problem. Soufflé finally arrived and looked a little ‘rustic’ compared to my previous experience, after cutting the top I could see straight away a scrambled egg mess underneath, clearly the second attempt had not gone well! I advised the waiter who didn’t seem to concerned, he did offer me another bit at this point I was passed wanting the soufflé. Dessert was removed from the bill obviously but did put a downer on the experience and for a restaurant boasting a high standard was very disappointing especially at the price point! Maybe just a bad day for the chef but concerned on other negative reviews, would make me think twice about returning unfortunately.

We came for lunch after our friends had booked a table for lunch. We all decided to have the 3-course Sunday lunch at @£38 each. However, the price increases at this point, so I decided to go for the StoneBass? with a £2 supplement for it. So I was expecting something quite special on the plate for my main dish. On arrival, the fish was very small (The size of half of small banana) and was lost on the bed of fricassee, courgette & Lime Sauce. An additional vegetable side was brought to the table and shared between the 2 of us. If you required more sides those were at extra cost. I found the fish quite tasteless. So considering my friends also paid the additional £6 supplement each for the Beef main courses. The £38 per person for Sunday lunch soon skyrockets. Overall the cost would have been more acceptable if for my part the main dish had flavour.

Ribeye Steak was tough and stringy. Called Manager to say this he then ordered another Ribeye Steak..same problem yet again..he was informed and said he shall not charge for this..what a cheek when our family day was spoilt and only offered a £30 voucher when meal came to more. Not returning!! Do give the £30 voucher to charity.

After reading Rob W's review, we had a very similar experience. The prawn starter was very basic. Instead of the rump main dish one of us decided to have the ribeye main instead and had to send it back as the meat was fatty and tough. When the replacement came the meat was still tough! WHAT IS THE CHEF PLAYING AT? Surely HE should be checking this meat when he purchases it from his supplier? For a £40 main dish this is absolutely ridiculous. The truffle fries were also nothing special, perhaps truffle infused mayo would have helped? The bakewell desert was a bit of a joke too, very basic and lacking creativity. In conclusion the setting is nice, some decent wines but very poncy overpriced for what you get, would never return.

We always love coming to this restaurant. And our most recent visit didn’t disappoint. Outstanding food. We chose the menu du jour. Perfectly cooked, beautifully presented. Brilliant service and ambience. We were celebrating two very big occasions and you kindly noted these at the time of booking. Towards the end of the meal you presented the celebratory messages on plates. They looked amazing. It topped off a wonderful meal and it will be a memorable evening for all of us. Thank you so much for all of your efforts. We will of course be back!

On one level, the Wildebeest is great - nice atmosphere, efficient staff. The food was OK, but no more than that. King prawn starter was fairly tasteless other than the prawns. Mains were uninspiring (beef was super-tough and steak knife wouldn't cut it). Bakewell dessert was dull. Overall lacking in flavour. Maybe we were there on a bad night - we'll try again.

As usual, lovely meal, great service. What more can you say.

Been a while since I ate here but the food was just as good as last time. The Menu du Jour is great value. Will be back again.

Went for Sunday lunch and the food was delicious, presentation was stunning and stuff were friendly and welcoming. I would definitely recommend.

We came here for a Sunday roast. Hats off to them for providing a wonderful experience. The inside is tastefully decorated allowing for a pleasant dining atmosphere. The staff were attentive and willing at all times. The flavour combinations were good despite not being the most inventive. I would certainly recommend a visit.

Amazing food, great service and lovely place. Just outside the city and easy to drive there too. Would recommend to anyone.

My last review from a few years back said "Really good but not brilliant". I would now upgrade that, on this visit in Dec '23 for a business lunch it was brilliant. It great to have such a relaxed, quality restaurant not too far away. Don't lose that special touch.

Booked dinner here whilst on a business trip. Service and food were exemplary. Thank you.

The food was O.K. in the main - some of the snack chips were very soggy and the salad with the ribeye was not great. The main disappointment was the £22 for a 25ml shot of XO. This means the bottle is priced at over £700 when the basic price is approx. £150. At least give a 50ml shot for £22, you'll still make 233% profit. The price is outrageous!

Just been to the wildebeest this evening, we had an early table but even with the restaurant quiet the ambience was lovely and soon started to fill up. There was 3 of us, myself and 2 close friends, one of which had never been before and non of us were disappointed. From start to finish it was excellent. The young lady serving us was very pleasant and polite, and took pur orders very well. Food wise I had the unbelievable artichoke starter which was divine, followed by the beef fillet with a smoked beetroot gel which was just as beautiful on the palate, if I was to be a tad picky the searing on the beef was slightly over but that is being very very picky as it was beautiful and tender and a perfectly balanced dish. To finish again an insanely nice passion fruit souffle with creme anglais. WOW . Being a patisserie chef of 15 years I know the skill it takes to get them perfect, perfect they were. Ive been here several times and I love it , its just so consistent. Worth every penny and compliments to everyone involved. On leaving we left a very good tip just because its lovely to go somewhere knowing its going to be amazing every time. Hope to see you soon

Brilliant restaurant, tucked away and ideal for a special trip. The food and service was great with a keen focus on locally sourced produce and drinks. I loved it here

Superb, one of the best meals I've had in a long time

Probably the 3rd or 4th time here. Starters were mushrooms and pigeon. The former was girolles and confit egg yolk, pickled mushrooms, herb crumb, mushroom and truffle veloutte. Yep, all of that and it was very good indded. The pigeon breast came with a micro-drumstick, rather cute like from a Flintstones Lego (geddit) set item. The breast was a bit tough and highly liverish. The drumstick was more novel decor than something to attempt eating (tough as boots). Stone Bass. With courgette and samphire fricassee, saffron cocotte potatoes and champagne sauce = 2 thumbs up, superb. Fillet of beef- Medium rare. Juicy steak. Could have used a steak knife as it was quite thick cut. Dauphinoise, beer braised shallots (juicy), nasturtium pesto, foraged mushrooms, black garlic + spinach + jus = very tasty. A whole vivid spectrum of flavour points = 2 thumbs up. Good efficient staff, most pleasant. Very ambitious and accomplished kitchen skills. Hat-tip to them. £135 lunch for two with a decent tip.

This was the nearest restaurant to the hotel we were staying at. We saw they had a good priced menu du jour and thought we’d try it out on the off chance. The food, the service, the ambience all far exceeded our expectations, it was all absolutely delicious, the waiter was attentive but not at all obtrusive. It was an excellent meal for a very good price, and if we lived nearer I’m sure we’d be regulars.

We have always loved this restaurant. And our most recent visit didn’t disappoint. Our Christmas treat… and what a treat it was. From start to finish, Outstanding food. Perfectly cooked, beautifully presented. Brilliant service. It’s not cheap… but in this case it’s well worth the money. Thank you for a lovely evening! we shall be booking again soon for my mums birthday.

Excellent food service spot on. Highly recommend Wildebeest.

t's been 25 years since I last visited and I'm pleased to say that the standard is a high as ever. I had a truly memorable meal with excellent service.

The food here is consistently excellent. It is well-presented and delicious. The staff are lovely - friendly but professional. Great atmosphere. We were a large table (9 of us) but this didn't cause any problems and everything was fantastic. Our family (from out of the area) all thought the food was fab and we had a great evening. I'd always recommend the Wildebeest for a special meal.

A quiet and quaint restaurant with a delightful atmosphere. But the star of the show is the food, and I really must congratulate the kitchen, they actually put time thought and effort into their vegan menu, every bite was both delicious and beautifully presented.

There are three certainties about a visit to The Wildebeest in Stoke Holy Cross… you will not want to leave, you will want the recipes, and you will want to hurry back. From walking through the door in to the restaurant, the front of house team were fabulous, warm, cheerful, informative and massively professional. Not too inquisitive and certainly didn’t abandon us. A perfect balance of service despite the restaurant being very busy - with a lot of happy souls… The kitchen (well, there’s an understatement - the amazing team that puts incredible food as an experience on dishes is a bit nearer to the truth), performed miracles. I really wish they sold a book for the recipes! My amazing lady of 23 years and I loved the taster menu, and I had the wine flight (subtly delegating the art of a car journey home to my lady). We eagerly anticipated what to expect (we are foodies) and came home on a high. So, my advice is to book early but book book book, this is an experience for everyone to enjoy!

We've been coming here over a long time and have always enjoyed our meals but I have to say the meal we had on 22nd of November was superb......The best yet. Thank you

Great food, lovely relaxed atmosphere and attentive service. What's not to love.

Visited today for Sunday dinner. Food was absolutely delicious and then some. Service was exceptional. Thankyou Wildebeest team.

We have been here over the years, but it's always been OK but not the first choice. We just popped in for a light lunch of a couple of starters and had a brilliant time. The food was exquisite, and the service was amazing. The starters were £22 each, but I had a reasonable-sized bit of halibut, and my wife had four decent-sized scallops. Cant wait to come again for a whole meal and dam the £38 -45 main course prices.

Birthday lunch! We'd been here before so knew what to expect - very careful and professional service, very enjoyable food. Their bread is always delicious. We both had chicken with cabbage & chorizo in a mustard sauce, which was lovely. I had the blackberry and chocolate mousse which was decadent, and partner had a (very tart!) strawberry pannacotta. I did manage to obtain the free glass of wine that was part of a summer special offering to diners, but only after asking about it - which was a bit disappointing for such a fine-dining venue. If it's a standard offer, customers should be told about it and asked if they want to take advantage of it. However, didn't detract from enjoyment of a great meal.

Great place to eat. Very accommodating and friendly staff

We haven’t been to the Wilderbeest since the pandemic, just illness has forced us into shielding & we’d got a bit out of the habit of eating out. Visited Monday 6th with 3 girlfriends. I have to say everything was simply superb. Perfection. Having spent my working life behind a stove in heavy chefs whites, I so appreciated the attention to detail with every component of our meal. We had the menu of the day. Looks & taste were first class, I enjoyed every mouthful & can’t wait to return with my husband. Well done everyone at The Wilderbeest, you fully deserve your 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Just visited for the first time in quite a few years and was very impressed by the quality of the food served, the service and atmosphere. I tried the taster menu with the wine flight, both were stunning. Courses were well timed and staff very professional, knowledgeable of the dishes and friendly, highly recommend.

Amazing service, lovely atmosphere and the best food. The restaurant has easy parking and not too far away from the main roads Norwich not too far away so I make a day of shopping and lunching !

A really enjoyable lunch at the Wildebeest. We ordered from the menu du jour which was very reasonably priced - all the menu options sounded great. All the dishes we had were lovely - especially the cauliflower and truffle veloute. Service was friendly and efficient and the surroundings are really pleasant. Well worth a visit.

Fantastic food to celebrate my husbands birthday. Waiting staff were incredible, went above and beyond for us, in many ways tonight ❤️ This food and exemplary service is why they deserve 3 stars, 5 stars from me 🤩

This was our first visit to The Wildebeest and we enjoyed our experience. We opted for the menu du jour which represented really good value for the quality of the ingredients and cooking. You could pay much more for a similar meal at some restaurants. The staff were friendly and welcoming, service was fast, and we left very full and satisfied.

Great food from start to finish with polite staff and professionalism. Lovely decor and sense of class. Monkfish start was divine, beef roast was great.

Very good value for the level of produce and service . We have paid more locally for a Du Jour menu for a noticeably lower standard . We would highly recommend..10 out of 10 ... well done and well deserved recent accolades.

Excellent Sunday lunch and very good service at a time when they were obviously busy. Interesting selection of wines by the glass. Also very good mid week value with the menu du jour.

Having eaten at a few restaurants in the area I am surprised this place does not have a star or at least a bib. It is far better than a lot of the other ones we tried. Excellent service and wow the dishes we had were first class. I am sure it is not long. Nice little touches bread and potato chips with our drinks and chocolate and little cinnamon small donuts with our coffee. The dessert was amazing and my cod was cooked really well. There two or three course lunch special was well worth the drive over from our visit in Norwich. We will be back and will be watching for next years Michelin star announcements.

Wow....someone recommended coming here after being let down at dunston hall. So glad we came here. The food was exquisite and the atmosphere was fabulous. Yes expensive but you pay for what you get and we love fine dining. Nice treat. Head chef Daniel Smith...

Had an amazing evening at this establishment, food was exceptional , the best meal we’ve had in a long time. Came here for our anniversary on recommendation from someone. The food and service was brilliant. We will definitely be coming back with family and friends...

Splendid evening to celebrate our 20th anniversary. We opted for the 3 courses, the main was a little salty due to the chorizo and capers, we told our super efficient waitress and she shared our feedback with the chef. We got a complimentary strawberry sorbet, with mint and pistachio which was a lovely gesture and helped clear the palate. A wonderful evening thank you 😊

Birthday treat for other half . Have looked at visiting this restaurant numerous times after reading positive reviews . Got to say found the food outstanding . Well worth the money . Unfortunately we found the service and ambience a let down . Few times...

Went for a Sunday lunch for a family birthday, had a lovely time. A couple of us had the cheese souffle starter, it was amazing. We had a selection of roasts between us for the mains and all really enjoyed them (popcorn on pork belly...

We came here for Sunday lunch to celebrate our wedding anniversary and enjoyed the food which we thought was good value and it was nice to have some local wines available. Our experience was let down by the service which was inattentive to the point of wondering if we'd been forgotten. It wasn't great either having all the nearby tables being set for the evening service at once by 2 or 3 staff while we were the last table occupied on our side of the restaurant.

Food good. Service very poor. Took well over two hours to have two courses (and that’s allowing 15 mins for the soufflé) with restaurant only half full. By the time an apology arrived - it was too late. As was the meal. Disappointing given the other reviews

Really nice meal with friends. Small portions, so really need 3 courses, which makes it quite expensive. Service & staff were fabulous. My only real criticism was that it was very hot in the restaurant.

The atmosphere is lovely, but the service was unfortunately not great, and the food was hit and miss. The tartare starter was unseasoned (I don't recommend it) but the beef main was really tasty. Considering previous reviews, we were very surprised with our experience. Overall, I'd say overpriced for what it was. Unfortunately, we wouldn't go back.

Dined here as a party of four and we all thoroughly enjoyed the experience. From the initial greeting on arrival all the staff were very pleasant and professional. Our ‘main’ waiter was very good and we all really enjoyed our food. Nice atmosphere, in general....

What the day about The Wildebeest? The food? Absolutely superb. The ambience, service, value? Very good. The way they dealt with a crisis - albeit not of their own making - that occurred during our visit? Unacceptable. First the good stuff. Our party of four...

It's been 25 years since I last visited and I'm pleased to say that the standard is a high as ever. I had a truly memorable meal with excellent service. The only thing that detracted from a perfect meal were a couple of bones in the smoked mackerel starter. I just wish The Wildebeest was nearer to my home!

Setting- beautiful with a lovely vibe, we went lunchtime and it was relaxed but on the mark with background music Service- got it right, never waiting but not intrusive, friendly and knowledgable, we had a baby with us and e were a bit worried about...

Simply the best meal my wife and I have ever had superb

Good location and food very enjoyable. The service at times was a little haphazard but the quality of the food cannot be faulted. Enjoyed my meal and would go again.

We arrived for a midweek evening dinner to celebrate a birthday and were warmly greeted and quickly seated Beautiful decor Service is excellent All dishes were superb Highly recommended

Awesome meal , served by Harry , a great asset to the team, highly recommended 😊

Fantastic from start to finish worth every penny

My husbands birthday today, delicious lunch as always. 3 interesting innovative courses, presentation amazing. Such talented chefs. Lovely friendly staff, Thank you so much, always feel special when we visit.

Had a fantastic meal here last night (17/7/23) celebrating our daughter’s Graduation earlier in the day. We were a party of 7, one of our party has a nut allergy and the staff were very well equipped in dealing with this. We decided on the...

Outstanding in every way. Deserve a star the way they are going.

Celebrated my parents 50th wedding anniversary here. The food was delicious and the staff very kind and helpful. Will definitely go back when we are next in the area.

We went for a belated birthday, I had heard lots of good things and they didn’t disappoint. I was tempted by the taster menu but was swayed by the value and the options on the de jour menu. Although the taster menu looked stunning the...

Was told about this restaurant by a family member and wow what a lovely place to eat and the food was exceptional and the eating staff were very knowledgable on what we were being served. Would highly recommend the taster menu

Lovely food and fast and attentive service - but wasn’t offered a wine menu. Maybe we should’ve asked for one given that with 3 large glasses of dry white wine there wasn’t much change from £40? Should’ve found out how much a bottle was first!

This restaurant is one of our favorites globally and always offers an exceptional dining experience .The food here is consistently excellent and we always look forward to a special evening of fine cuisine at the Wilderbeest . The staff here are efficient and friendly and...

Second time I've been and both times uneven and disappointing. As a family we do a lot of cross tasting to in effect i tried 4 different dishes at each course. A couple were very good, the rest quite mediocre considering the price point. A...

good food and service in a lovely setting Excellent menu with lots of options for price set menu, taster menu or al acart

Sadly I cannot recommend The Wildebeest. After reading and hearing glowing reviews we felt it would be the perfect location to celebrate my Mum’s birthday. Whilst the quality of food and drink was second to none (backed by its numerous prestigious awards), our visit last...

To start with service was absolutely excellent (as always) and I have no issues with that at all Context is I have been to the Wildebeest multiple times and this is the first time I have felt more than a bit short changed by the...

Had a 3 course meal , both service and food was really good, definitely come back

The staff were wonderful, attentive and friendly and the food was absolutely divine! We had a lovely evening.

We found this restaurant via the Michelin app. Convenient online booking via their website, ample parking upon arrival and a warm friendly greeting. It becomes immediately apparent that every last detail of this pub/restaurant has been taken care of a meticulously planned. The tables are beautiful and unique, wooden tables from a single piece of wood. The chairs are very comfortable. Service is attentive yet causal and friendly. The food, is simply sublime. Everyone of our party thoroughly enjoyed their meal, and commented on how excellent the ingredients, the quality of preparation and the presentation were spot on. We enjoyed the Menu du jour, choosing starters of Courgette & Basil Velouté and Chicken starter. The mains were Farm Assured Roasted Chicken Breast, Hasselback Potatoes, Pancetta, Savoy Cabbage, Mustard Jus and Chargrilled 28 Day Aged Ribeye Steak, Sauté Wild Mushrooms, Leek Ash French Fries, Charlie’s Leaves. Everything about our evening was perfect.

Truly a hidden gem. Loved their food and service, manage to accommodate our kid and cook off the menu for him.

Good food, buzzing atmosphere...fast and polite service...

Fabulous dinner with friends. Service was outstanding and the food was incredible. Great to see that the Wildebeest keep delivering excellence year after year.

Incredible food and desserts. They look as amazing as they taste, pure technique surrounds every dish - cant recommend enough

Had a very lovely meal here - the food and service were absolutely delightful. The only slight down side of the experience was that tables are extremely close together and we just happened to be seated next to a larger group who were a little...

One of the best restaurants I had the pleasure to eat. The starter, mains and dessert was great. Staff were friendly and kind. Highly recommended to try This place.

A culinary delight, wonderful staff. We tried the taster menu accompanied with wine. Thoroughly recommend

My goodness. The food, service and ambiance here were just amazing. Each mouthful was alive with flavours and textures. Staff incredibly helpful and attentive. Excellent and would definitely recommend !

This was our second outing to the Wildebeest and it was as amazing as the first. Out waiter was fabulous! Knowledgeable and attentive without being intrusive. The food was absolutely divine. The steak was done to perfection and my husband said the duck was melt in the mouth delicious. Highly recommended restaurant.

It worries me eating midweek as when a restaurant is half full or half empty it doesn’t function properly. Last night was a Birthday treat for my girlfriend. We are both foodies . We love food .We are good home cooks . We love fine...

Service was brilliant. Setting was overcrowded, the waiter was bumping into tables. If you want an intimate dinner or a private conversation this is not the place. For food this expensive I'd want the setting to be a bit less bar like. Food was overpriced....

People have raved about the roasts so we thought we would give it a try. We were disappointed the Yorkshire puddings were chewy almost dough like, the gravy portion small and the additional side veg luke warm when we provided feedback the reply was oh....

Great atmosphere, amazing food. This place is one if my favourites! Nice variety of main dishes and deserts.

We had the tasting menu, the last night before it is changed to a 'coronation' themed menu. As always it was a lovely experience. the place was buzzing and despite this, the waiting staff were superb. The food was delicious- in particular the pork 'nibble'......

We have been before when in the area. Everything was perfect. Service and food. We had mackerel and beef as starters. Sea bass and mushroom rissotto for main and tonka bean panacotta for desert. Truly delicious.

For this price you can expect the starting menu to be tops, and it was, but not quite up to the Mirazur in Menton or Midsummer House, Cambridge. Twice the waiter tried to take a plate away when my wife had not quite finished it. Strange, but he apologised. Nonetheless not 5 stars. We were there for lunch and ìt was fully booked.

Lovely restaurant with great atmosphere, excellent menu of food and drink. Great choice of meat, fish or veggie and the dishes are creative but not overly silly. Good portion size. Super busy! The room was very warm … perhaps turn the heating off!

Absolutely LOVED the taster menu. I’ve had several taster menus in various countries and this was by far my favourite. The service was second to none, everything explained really well. Relaxed atmosphere which was nice as a solo diner. Can’t wait to visit again!

We fancied something special on a quiet Monday night and ordered the seven course tasting menu. It’s difficult to tell everybody exactly how good everything was. We couldn’t fault anything. It was all beautifully made, great to look at, and absolutely gorgeous to eat. Each...

A la carte menu looks good but is very expensive - we selected 3 courses from the Menu du Jour, which cost us around £36 each plus wine, plus coffee. The restaurant was very busy but we had pre-booked and had a decent sized table...

A fabulous tasty 3 course meal 😋 Really great, prompt service with a smile and reasonable prices. Definitely would go again. A buzzing atmosphere on an Easter Sunday afternoon 😀

Perfect food, service and atmosphere

This was my first visit to The Wildebeest for some years and it is now under different ownership. I have eaten at their other premises, The Ingham Swan several times and enjoyed the experience. The restaurant was busy which in these restrained times was good...

Disappointed. Having read great reviews thought we’d give this a go for a birthday meal. Although the dining room was vibrant and comfortable for the money my main grudge was with the service. Zero personality from the waiting staff almost hard work to engage with...