The Olive Branch Country Inn

British, Gastropub, Modern European·
££££
·

SquareMeal Review of The Olive Branch Country Inn

“Consistently fabulous food in a quintessential English country setting” is one reader’s glowing verdict on the Olive Branch – a Michelin-starred pub-with-rooms at the heart of a photogenic Rutland village. The interior is idiosyncratically rustic with lots of agricultural touches, while the kitchen is keen to please – offering everything from toasted sandwiches and pork-pie ploughman’s to smoked haddock with bubble and squeak, Thai-style cod curry or roast chump of lamb with chorizo hash browns and ratatouille. Blackboards list top-notch wines and regional ales from breweries in Oakham, Stamford, Grantham and elsewhere, while Sunday lunch is a traditional roast. In summer you can also get plates of tapas and fruits de mer on the pretty terrace. No wonder this place is a favourite with the smart local set, as well as travellers looking for a posh pit stop off the A1.

Good to know

Average Price
££££ - £30 - £49
Cuisines
British, Gastropub, Modern European
Ambience
Cosy, Fine dining, Fun, Romantic, Traditional
Food Occasions
Dinner, Late night dining, Lunch, Sunday roast
Alfresco And Views
Outside seating
Special Features
Dog friendly, Vegan options, Vegetarian options, Wheelchair access
Perfect for
Birthdays, Celebrations, Child friendly, Dates, Group dining [8+], Romantic, Special occasions
Food Hygiene Rating

About

The Olive Branch is an award-winning country hotel and pub located in Clipsham, just a 30 minute drive from Peterborough. Led by head chef Ben Fisher, the kitchen team persist in sourcing the best local produce, ensuring seasonality and sustainability throughout the menu. There are a variety of dining options at The Olive Branch, from an excellent value set lunch to the a la carte to a seven-course tasting menu, all of which change frequently according to what's in season. Primarily, you can expect contemporary British cuisine alongside more familiar pub classics like Sunday roasts and fish and chips.

Guests are greeted by a rustic and homely dining room which features exposed stone walls, a roaring fireplace and leads out to a lush beer garden, ideal for warm summer afternoons. Also onsite is the paddock, a fruit and vegetable patch which provides all sorts of produce for the kitchen like radishes, beetroots and rhubarb. The emphasis on sustainably sourced and seasonal produce is evident at The Olive Branch, with nearby dairies providing cheese, yoghurt and milk. While locally shot game, Norfolk shellfish and sea water fish from Devon and Cornwall also feature on the menus.

Although the a la carte dinner menu changes daily, you can always expect carefully considered dishes both in flavour and presentation. For example, you might enjoy plates such as homemade black pudding with curried pickled onion, garden apple and crispy pork, local roe deer tartare with juniper, oak, smoked mayonnaise and Vanuatu malekula chocolate, or pan-fried hake with butternut squash risotto, salty fingers and bouillabaisse sauce.

To accompany your meal, there is an extensive wine list comprised of producers from all over the world, including up-and-coming British winemakers. There are also house cocktails, craft ales and beer, and low and no-alcohol options.


FAQs

Does it cater for dietary requirements?

Yes, vegetarians, vegans and other dietary requirements can be accommodated if you let the team know your needs at the time of booking.

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Location

Main Street, Clipsham, Rutland, Stamford, Rutland, LE15 7SH

01780 410355 01780 410355

Website

Opening Times

All day
Mon Closed
Tue Closed
Wed 08:00-23:00
Thu 08:00-23:00
Fri 08:00-23:00
Sat 08:00-23:00
Sun 08:00-18:00

Reviews

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2 Reviews 
Food/Drink
Service
Atmosphere
Value

Mittal S

11 September 2009  
Food & Drink 4.5
Service 4
Atmosphere 4
Value 4
My trip to the Olive Branch was over the last bank holiday of the year coinciding with a day trip to Rutland Water and as a country pub it lived up to every expectation and more. If you're the type of Londoner to dream of days out of the hustle and bustle and into the open countryside with vists to idyllic country pubs, but still expect the restaurant quality you've become accustomed to in the old smoke – then this is a place to check out. When you first walk in it is hard to understand why this place is Michelin starred with modest bits of odd furniture strategically scattered around the venue, but once the food menu makes itself available along with the complimentary and yummy warm pumpkin bread you soon start to see ithe michelin rays shine through. Starters such as the twice baked cheese souffle fill the stomach with delight though still leaving more than enough room for mains. My starter of fried fish came on a stone plate with an array of tasty samples. Mains are innovative yet blend age old ingredients together beautifully, such as the lemon sole with chorizo and parmentiere potatoes. This really is a unique blend of pub grub that comforts the soul and delights the tastebuds. The friendly service from all staff goes on to make the experience all the more delightful. Ben, who I believe is the manager, even helped us find the best route for a much needed after-lunch walk raound Rutland water. If you are visiting the area soon, leave the picnic and the soggy sandwiches behind and head straight to the Olive Branch (don't forget to book) – you won't regret it.

Michèle H

19 August 2009  
Food & Drink 4.5
Service 4.5
Atmosphere 4.5
Value 5
I wish those Michelin Men would run a course to explain to us mere mortals what they are looking for when they award those coveted stars! I have spent many an hour, up and down the country, sampling Michelin fare, and just when you think you have got it sussed, they throw in a curve ball! And the Olive Branch Inn is just such a curve ball. Don't get me wrong, the food is wonderful, it is just that the surroundings don't quite match up to the delights on your plate. It is a very rustic pub, and I have had wonderful meals in rustic pubs before and assumed that the lack of recognition, from Michelin or indeed anyone else, was due to the lack of fanfare and finery of the establishment. Apparently not so! There is no fanfare or finery at the Olive Branch Inn, so much so that when we walked in my husband asked, where is the restaurant? You are not greeted at the door, and have to queue at the bar to get your table pointed out. The wine list is adequate, but not long, although it is backed up by a list of ‘specials’, the only problem being they are displayed on blackboards around the bar, so take note when you are queuing! The menu is fairly standard gastropub fare, although exceptionally well done. You start with a small loaf of warm home baked bread, ours was pumpkin. My starter was prawn and shrimp terrine with melba toast, very good but a little bland. My husband fared better on the flavour front with mackerel salad with potatoes and truffle oil. But my main course of belly of pork was to die for. Cooked to perfection so it melted in your mouth, with a very thin crust of perfectly crispy fat. Accompanied by the standard fondant potato and red cabbage, but all to a very high standard. My dessert of treacle tart was delightfully light, apart from a slight overcooking of the crust. But our attention was drawn to the next table, who were oohing and ahhing over the platter of desserts for 2. There was 4 of them, and they had ordered 2, but they could have got away with one between four, such was the generosity of the portions! When the bill arrived we were delighted to discover that you obviously have to pay for fanfare and finery. Excellent value for money considering the quality of the food. The back of the menu also shows you the locations of all the local producers where the food is sourced, so if you are on a foodie weekend you can scour the countryside the following day to recreate your dinner! We stayed across the road in Beech House, owned by the Olive Branch, in one of the six comfortable rooms, which again are very good value for money. Breakfast is served in the barn at the back of the pub which also serves as a private dining room, and is as hearty and high quality as you would expect. I do not begrudge the Olive Tree Inn their Michelin star for one moment, I am just left wondering what the establishments in the lowly county of Bedfordshire have to do to attract the attention of the great and the good in the Awards World!
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01780 410355 01780 410355

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