The Willow And Brook in East Northamptonshire

A truly wonderful meal and all around experience. Excellent value and attentive staff. A real gem and hope that it will remain a local secret. Will never hesitate to return or to take any of our visitors. The seafood platter is equal to any enjoyed globally. As for the fish & chips - to die for

Popped in mid walk (also would recommend the walks in the area). Gorgeous sandwiches with amazing chips. Would highly recommend. Small but perfectly formed outside area which welcomed our dog. Will be back.

Lovely food, & charming hosts. My old mother-in-law, well into her 90"s, ate more than she usually would in a week.

Fantastic food and service. Brought my elderly dad and they greeted us and made sure he was settled comfortably. Would highly recommend.

Lovely afternoon tea at the Willow and Brook for a Mother’s Day treat. Very fresh and plenty of choice. Staff were also very welcoming and attentive throughout without being too over bearing.

Never disappointed with this pub/restaurant. Service as always excellent food to die for and a lovely glass of prosecco being as it was mother's day Saturday. Thank you

Relaxed, tasty, friendly. Really lovely evening at the Willow and Brook. Had a few drinks and a small main course and delicious dessert. Quite a few tables in tonight and everyone was chatty and clearly enjoying the atmosphere and food. Love the waiting staff; so amiable, helpful and efficient. Our adjacent table had a red cherry and apple which they said was excellent! A well earned short break by the main chef and front of house host hasn’t impacted our experience. Thank all for another lovely, chilled, tasty evening.

We came for drinks and desserts and were pleasantly delighted by the chef’s work. The meals around us also looked awesome so can’t wait to come again. I believe our waiters were called Sophie and Nick and they were just brilliant. They work as an amazing team providing outstanding customer service. Couldn’t of asked for a more lovely chilled out evening - exactly what the doctor ordered! Will be suggesting this pub to many friends for excellent food and warm friendly service.

We booked well in advance for a meal to celebrate my wife's 80th Birthday. We arrived a few minutes early - there were only four others at lunch. The first course - took over twenty mutes to arrive from ordering - we were served with mussels which had not opened during cooking. Portions of pate were small; bread with the soup was not fresh. The second course took another 20 minutes and then arrived in two trips about five minutes apart. The squash steak was just two rings, and almost raw. Another vegetable dish was nothing like it's description. The squash was returned to the kitchen and reappeared as a slice, burnt at the edges and raw in the middle. Nearly all the vegetables served were either very tired, or almost raw and in very small portions. Two promising-looking rump steaks were very tough - one was covered in salt and inedible and was sent back; Chips were soggy and limp - and on and on. In decades of eating out I cannot remember such a slow and disappointing trip to a reputedly good restaurant. Thre was no sign of the 'Proper chef' referred to in a previous review. We were told that resources were stretched by catering for a separate, large, party which arrived about 70 minutes after us. We thought that it must have been a surprise, judging by the kitchen's inability to cope succesfully but no - they had also booked well in advance. Really, these was no justificaion for such a dreadful experience,

Wow just wow if you have not been then you must. Staff friendly food amazing I wish it was on my doorstep.

We visited the Willow and Brook for my mum's birthday and enjoyed a wonderful meal in a tranquil setting with attentive service and a personal touch. We would very much like to thank Suzanne and the team for a most enjoyable experience and we're looking forward to the next visit already.

Went for an evening meal last Thursday. Really great tasty food at a reasonable price. Proper chef cooking and we were very well looked after by the staff. Wine also very good. We live some 20 miles away but will return soon.

We had a family dinner for six to celebrate my son's 40th birthday and we all had a great meal and drinks -the three ladies in the group all loved their strawberry daiquiris! This was our first visit but definitely won't be our last. It's not very often that you try a new pub and get blown away with the quality (and presentation) of the food and the wonderful and friendly service. We didn't meet the great chef, Jim, but Suzanne and her 'crew' did a wonderful job with the service.

Visited with my family for my 40th Birthday. Service was excellent and the food was second to none. Will definitely return.

Welcoming , great service , and an excellent lunch . Hadn’t booked as just popped in after a walk and thought we would try it out . Glad we did and they could accommodate us . Next time we will book as not to be disappointed . Had sandwiches but wow - came with amazing chips and a generous side salad with a lovely dressing . Cole slaw on the side . So full up .

Dear Suzanne, Jim and the team Just wanted to say how much we enjoyed our breakfast this morning. It was all very professionally done and Chloe and Daniel thoroughly enjoyed, as did the grown-ups! We think this must now be a new Christmas tradition, so...

Just wonderful from start to finish. Perfect venue, beautifully decorated. Friendly, knowledgeable and attentive staff. Consistently amazing food and drink. Absolutely the best restaurant in this area and arguably the best in Northamptonshire.

A friend and I ate again at the Willow and Brook on Friday evening and really enjoyed the food, the service and the atmosphere. It was beautifully decorated for Christmas and had a large party enjoying the special Christmas menu, as well as plenty of...

What a wonderful time we had celebrating my 32nd birthday. Suzanne was such a wonderful host taking us through the Friday tasting menu and accompanying wine flight. A really wonderful experience and we were really looked after. Thank you Suzanne.

Excellent service, food and atmosphere. Suzanne, Jim and their team are amazing, the food was delicious, the ambience was festive. They served 16 of us on Sunday and nothing was too much trouble, including 1 wheelchair, 2 high chairs and an elderly member of the...

We went as a party of five for the Christmas Party Menu. From the minute we walked in this beautiful country pub we were made to feel welcome and very special. I cannot fault anything, the table was beautifully decorated, the service was first class...

Met some friends for a meal. Really enjoyed the food which was of excellent quality and very reasonable. Would have been nice if it was a little busier but it was a Wednesday. Hope to visit again

We had the most fantastic evening at The Willow and Brook on Friday night. Jim and Suzanne once again pulled out all the stops to ensure that 16 of us had the most incredible evening. From start to finish Suzanne was the perfect host. Nothing...

The lead up to the main meal wasn’t great, ( cold butter ripping the bread to pieces, having to ask for a steak knife and sauces, as well as an empty bowl for mussel shells). When the mussels then arrived, they were slimy and completely...

Just wanted to shout out to The Willow and Brook, Apethorpe for an amazing vegan 3 course meal last night. Not only a beautiful setting the food was amazing. To have a choice that isn’t a burger on the menu and to be spoilt for...

We visited the Willow and Brook for the first time today. Suzanne was very responsive to my e mails in regard to a vegan roast. The meal, atmosphere and service were fantastic. We had a relaxing Sunday lunch and have promised ourselves to return soon....

We had not visited The Willow & Brook for a while, so decided to enjoy a dinner there with friends on Saturday night. We all came away saying “ Why do we not come here more often “ ? The food was exceptional, and at...

My partner and I today had a superb breakfast. Great quality ingredients cooked to perfection and served in a lovely location. Suzanne and Jim were very warm friendly and welcoming and it was so nice that their children helped aswell. We would highly recommend a...

The pub is in a wonderful old village location. The restaurant was beautifully laid out, tables nicely spaced for privacy, good country decor. The place was lit romantically with candles and delicate lights, but not too dim, the temperature was also perfect. The staff were...

We popped in without a reservation for Sunday lunch and the staff managed to squeeze us in even though they were very busy. The food and service were great. I would highly recommend a visit.

This is our 2nd time visiting and is now officially our favourite eatery. Many reasons come to mind, the food was superb, tasty and generous. I had the Ribeye, cooked perfectly (medium-rare obviously), with an interesting twist of cauliflower cheese. I was unsure at first...

Lovely nip in our mooch round the area. Great selection of beers, ciders and gins. Looked after our grandson with lovely ice cream and cordial. Such a lovely welcome and service.

Two of us enjoyed a simply wonderful meal last night. Every dish was imaginative and faultless and it was lovely to hear the same sort of praise being expressed from every other table. This is a truly exceptional place, serving food that is way beyond...

Visited with my other half. Warm welcome on arrival. Every course was wonderful. She had mussels for starter. I had smoked duck. We bith had lamb mains and we shared a dessert. Staff so friendly and attentive. Can't wait for our next visit!

Our first trip after a couple of recommendations from our new neighbours. Beautiful setting, tastefully decorated dining room, courtyard dinning looked fun also! Delightful meal with splendid presentation, warm welcome and we will definitely keep this on our favourites list. Jim & Suzanne and team...

Fabulous food, being gluten and lactose intolerant I am used to having a restricted choice in restaurants, this restaurant is one of the few that have a fantastic choice from starters, main and through to desert, and cooked to perfection, I have no trouble giving...

Great service at short notice. We booked about 1/2 hour before we came. It was super hot weekend. The service was great and food was lovely. We would definitely visit again. We sat outside in the courtyard lapping up the sun. I would want to...

We saw the Willow and Brook as we were wending our way through the lovely county of Northants and we stopped to see if the menu was as attractive as the building...and it was. Its a beautiful pub, with an up market, yet cosy feel....

Beautifully decorated, spotlessly clean, great service, and nicely presented excellent food. Mussels and steak were perfect, as was our son's large children's portion. Been too long since our last visit and will certainly be back sooner.

Had a lovely time on Saturday evening at the Willow and Brook in Apethorpe. We thoroughly enjoyed the excellent tasting menu with family who visited for the day on the way to the south coast, just as good as last time and a quality selection...

I had another lovely evening meal at the Willow and Brook for their tasting menu evening. Couldn’t fault it, every course was delicious.

A lovely charming resturant in a beautiful rural setting! The staff were all so friendly and helpful, and made our evening special! definitely worth a visit for the lovely menu and food.

We had a superb meal in the quintessential Willow and Brook. The service was exemplary and the staff obviously love what they do. We all too often go out for supper only to be disappointed by both the food and service. You will not be...

We popped in on a Friday night, and was amazed as, they had a selection of menus to choose from, snug menu, fish specials to al a carte. Me and my partner had the asparagus with poached duck eggs, which were superb. For mains we...

A pub that definitely rises to the occasion, this was booked for a post-pandemic wedding celebration. They were kind enough to let us procure the entire pub for the evening. The staff were wonderful, the drinks were excellent and the despite being referred to as...

Had a delicious evening meal at the Willow and Brook. I would highly recommend this restaurant . Gorgeous food and great drinks. Great friendly service.

Had a lovely evening at the Willow and Brook in Apethorpe, food delicious and well presented as usual. Service friendly and not rushed, would highly recommend a visit to this country pub offering great food and local beers.

We've just had a fantastic evening in the bar in this lovely village pub. Excellent beer, friendly and efficient service and the best lamb curry I've had in a long while. A great choice from the menu to suit all our tastes. Long live this...

We visited on Good Friday with friends for a drink, half way through a lovely walk in the area. A glance at the lunch menu ensured that we ate, too! A good, varied menu but in the end we all had sandwiches, which were served...

Absolutely gorgeous pub in the middle of stunning English countryside. Easily accessible by road, plenty of parking nearby and lovely walks. The food was delicious. My friend and I both ate from the Easter Sunday menu. The mushroom and leek soup was particularly fantastic and...

Excellent meals all cooked to perfection.Service was very good The staff were excellent and all new what to do a very good team . Will go again in future

We visited today to sample their Sunday Lunch, it was delicious! Served with fresh vegetables, and cauliflower cheese, all cooked to perfection. Reasonably priced, considering the excellent quality of meat and veg. (Just needed to be a touch hotter to make it 10/10 but it...

A great fing after a enjoyable walk through local pathways. A very friendly pub with a nice atmosphere. We had not booked but they quickly found us a table. Orders taken quickly and then enjoyed two large ciders. Varied menu, food well presented, locally sourced...

On Saturday we were once again able to enjoy another very special taster evening.. Amazing food, drink and impeccable service .. The standard is so high with Jim and his team serving up so many 'ingenious' varieties of food.. The best praise I can give...

How does this restaurant not have a rosette yet? Our third visit here, and the quality continues to be amazing and good value. We ate in the bar, heated by a lovely fire, and with our dog, who was very well looked after including an...

This was our first visit to The Willow & Brook and we will definitely be back. Fantastic attentive staff. Excellent food with a fantastic variety of options for vegans and vegetarians. Lovely atmosphere, very nice with the open fire.

Enjoyed a fantastic full English breakfast this morning sitting by the log fire! What a great way to start your Sunday

We have visited The Willow and Brook many times over the last year. Whether it’s a casual sunny courtyard lunch, one of the amazing seasonal taster menus or Christmas party meal, they never cease to deliver. Quality and imaginative food, a wonderful setting and great...

We’ve just had a lovely Christmas Day dinner at The Willow and Brook, the first time we’ve ever eaten out on Christmas Day, and it didn’t disappoint. A fabulously tasty 7 courses, paced brilliantly with a great atmosphere and good service. The dessert, a mince...

I took my work colleagues to the Willow and Brook for our christmas meal. The food was delicious, the wine was flowing and the hospitality was excellent. The owner and her team looked after us beautifully throughout the evening and we felt so comfortable that...

Great food and wine, super friendly service and loads of vegan and vegetarian options, we'll be back

We discovered this restaurant shortly after its refurbishment and have visited as a couple and occasionally with various friends and enjoyed the food, atmosphere and friendliness. Our most recent visit was with friends for lunch and it has left us with a feeling that the...

We had our annual Christmas Dinner with The Weldon Flyers at The Willow and Brook last night. The dinner was excellent and enjoyed by everyone. We were made most welcome by everyone and the service was second to none. Great atmosphere and we felt very...

We attended the Willow and Brook on a very blustery Saturday evening. We were welcomed by the lovely suzanne and the front of house team and shown to our table. It was warm and the atmosphere was pleasant. We ordered with recommendations from the waiter...

Have written a few reviews for this pub in the past, but hadn’t been back for a year as had been going to our local in the nearby village of Woodnewton. Came on a Wednesday night for a change of scenery with my Mum. From...

On our visit today the staff at the Willow and Brook very welcoming, and the restaurant had a nice atmosphere and ambience. The food took an hour to arrive, but we had finished our walk so were in no hurry. The rump steak came on...

Went with a group of 8 for Sunday lunch. The starters looked intriguing on paper but were miniscule. I had a duck salad to start which needed a magnifying glass to locate. The mains were largely variations on the Great British Sunday roast and were...

First visit - excellent food and service . Very friendly staff. Will definitely be eating here again. Very considerate staff.

Having seen some mixed reviews for this restaurant we wanted to share our experience. We had been for a walk and came across the restaurant. On entering staff were very friendly, accommodating and seated us. However upon looking at other guests who were dressed smartly...

We called into the pub for a drink, myself, my husband and my mother, we ordered our drinks and sat in the courtyard, we sat at table with proper seats as my mum is disabled and has dementia. We were not aware that this area...

We so enjoyed a wonderful lunch in the pub courtyard in the sun The proprietor was charming and all the staff very nice and efficient. The food was well presented and delicious.

Rang up on the off chance they had a table for two available for lunch, were told 15 minutes which was perfect. Arrived and shown our table, ordered drinks and then sat and waited for menus, after 10 minutes we asked for them - to...

The food is quality professional chef prepared food which raises it above the usual pub grub whilst not being nearly as pricey as the excellent Prevost . However what makes it for me is having Suzanne aka the proprietor doing such a first rate job...

Perfect lunch time break. Best mussels I have eaten, salads fresh and tasty. Beer in tip top condition. Atmosphere very friendly and relaxed at this lovely village pub. We will return to sample the fantastic evening menu very soon.

Friendly welcome. romantic surroundings Exquisite food selection. (Beef cheek tartlets phenomenal) Overall an Unhurried eating experience to be repeated .Many thanks to the landlady and chef for a delicious anniversary meal and the two free glasses of bubbly

Chicken salad with blue cheese and pesto: the pesto was a couple of blobs from a jar and there was no other dressing. Also had a side order of chips which were soggy and stodgy. Not a hint of crunch to them. We went with...

Dropped in for lunch whilst cycling in the local area with a group of friends. Service was great and the food was excellent. All home cooked and freshly prepared. Highly recommended

Made to feel welcome, beautiful interior and excellent food and drinks. They really have an understanding of what they provide and from starters through to dessert wines, the quality was noticeably good, Add in great service and lovely decoration and it is difficult to beat....

I must have eaten at this restaurant around 10 times now and it is always a real treat. The food and service are brilliant. Enjoyed risotto, fillet steak and raspberry gin souffle last night, all beautifully cooked and presented. Well done Suzanne, Jim and the...

I sampled the wonderful new Summer Menu last night and once again enjoyed an excellent meal here in Apethorpe. Spoiled for choice, I will of course be back several times over the coming months to make sure I try everything I fancy. The previous reviewer...

I went to the pub do do a review and was horrified to hear a conversation on another table. Apparently when ordering a fillet steak well done were told the chef won’t do it he only does Rare. Then they asked about the lamb as...

I can't say nothing but thanks to the wonderful service the staff gave us today. We were allowed to use their car park prior to a walk around the area (it's such a lovely place to walk). They catered for all, vegans too, even giving...

My wife and I were staying in the area and came here for lunch twice. The first time we had fish and chips. The second time we had Sunday lunch consisting of smoke salmon starter, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding with vegetables and a dessert....

Really impressed the food was fantastic and the courtyard is so comfortable. The staff where friendly and the service was excellent. The food was really fresh we definitely go back.

Our first visit and we were not disappointed. We opted for the seafood platter for two which was beautifully prepared and presented. Be warned though - it’s pretty substantial! We will be back.

What a delight. Visiting the area we had prebooked dinner at this lovely restaurant. Our experience could not have been better. Suzanne was on her own due to a staff illness and had explained this when we arrived. We would not have known however, she...

The usually excellent Willow and Brook has now moved up to another level. The gastronomic evening was a huge success. The service was faultless. The carefully selected English wines to accompany the taster menu were splendid. The food itself was delicious and beautifully presented.

A long awaited evening out with friends, booked two months in advance. - And what a special evening it was. 7 courses of superb, imaginative and scrumptious food, with superb English wines. The service and hosting was spot on and made it a really memorable...

Myself and my daughter stopped of on the way back from corby and was not disappointed. We only stopped for a drink but was tempted by the menu so we ordered a sandwich between us and was really impressed by the quality and presentation. I...

Great food, fab host. Suzanne very attentive and friendly. Will be recommending to friends and family and will be visiting again soon

We have been to the Willow and Brook twice before but this was before the whole Covid situation came about. Today, We gave them a call to see, if on the off chance, they had a table of two available for lunch. I spoke to...

Just enjoyed another wonderful takeaway meal from this outstanding pub. Those of us lucky enough to live close by should count our lucky stars. It will be great to be able to enjoy chef Jim's marvellous menu in the restaurant just as soon as lock...

We went for the ‘Breakfast with Santa’ with our 3 children and it was brilliantly organized. We had a delicious, hearty breakfast, the children got to chat to Father Christmas, receive an age-appropriate present and everything was super Christmassy and upbeat. The Grinch even appeared...

Came for breakfast with Santa this morning. It was excellent. Jim and Suzanne did a fantastic job. Loved seeing Santa and even the grinch made an appearance! Another event well done by the team.

We ate in the restaurant in October 2020, and used the takeaway service in November. Both experiences were really good, and we enjoyed high quality freshly-cooked food at a very fair price. The service and care shown were exemplary, especially in the current situation.

Booked a last minute meal as as always superb , fine dining.. the serv ice was fabulous to match the fantastic food which is great value

Visited here with my husband on a rare ‘date night.’ Really special dining experience at this beautiful cosy pub. Wonderful staff made the whole experience feel so relaxed and safe in these current times. The food was simply delicious, all seasonal and beautifully presented, particularly...

Meeting friends in strange times. We met our friends from MH who had booked this restaurant (on our doorstep) they had read about it in Harborough Living magazine. This was our first time. We were not disappointed. The welcome was open, warm and friendly 😉...

Dinner with friends, the welcome and service was warm and friendly and of a high standard, the menu whilst limited I believe would satisfy all tastes, the mussels as a starter were both fresh and light and the venison for main course was cooked to...

This was my first visit and I was enchanted by the welcoming atmosphere of The Willow and Brook. The menu proved a challenge because I found great difficulty making up my mind! In the end, a decision was made and I enjoyed a delicious meal...