Eating & Drinking
The Restaurant is a beautiful, light and airy space. Smart but relaxed, looking out onto our Patio & Garden.
We update our menus monthly, bringing you the seasons’ best flavours and dishes.
We take bookings in our Restaurant for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, and occasionally, we open our Oak Panelled Dining Room as an additional restaurant.
The Lounge & Bar, Patio and Garden operate on a ‘walk-in’ service, but we do take up to 3 bookings on our Patio for lunch at 12.15pm only, and 3 more for dinner at 6.15pm only.
For parking information and booking policies, please click here.
Breakfast
7am (8am weekends) – 10am
Restaurant Menu
12-3pm and 6-9pm
Lounge and Bar Menu
12-9pm
Full Afternoon Tea
3.30-4pm
Menus
version of
this menu
Private Dining & Party Events
The Oak Panelled Dining Room is a private room for parties of 16 to 60. The first half of the room is normally a private lounge for welcome drinks or post-meal aperitifs, and it then opens up in to a large dining area. It’s a lovely setting for business entertaining, family celebrations or smaller weddings.
The Mallard Room, on the far side of the main Restaurant, is an intimate room for up to 8.
The main Restaurant can also be let to groups of over 60.
Click here for sample menus. We can be flexible to your needs, so please do contact us for further information.
Restaurant Menu
April / May 2024
12-3pm and 6-9pm
Seasonal Cocktails:
Peach Bellini £8.95 Sea Breeze £10.95 Strawberry & Pineapple Garden £10.95
NIBBLES:
Sourdough bread from Webbsour, Cambridge; with Italian extra virgin olive oil or Netherend Farm butter £2.95
Masala cashew nuts £3.95 Olives marinated in garlic & herbs £3.95 Sage & onion crisps £3.95
Cauliflower cheese croquettes with honey and sriracha dip £6.50
Sticky pork belly chunks & spicy soy dip £7.95 Char-grilled Corn ribs with cashew & onion dip £6.95
Roasted cauliflower hummus with chilli & mango salsa £7.95 Grilled lamb kebab with tomato chili sauce £6.95
Beetroot, tahini, cayenne & oregano dip, with char-grilled pitta bread, hazelnuts, and goats’ cheese £7.95
Broccoli and spinach soup with garlic croutons, toasted pumpkin seeds and sourdough bread £9.95
Char-grilled English asparagus benedict with hollandaise sauce and crispy Parma ham £11.95
Harissa roasted carrots with roasted fennel, green lentils, rocket salad and lime yoghurt £9.95
Smoked salmon from Uig Lodge, Isle of Lewis with cucumber & capers £12
Grilled whole king prawns with samphire and garlic butter Shell on or off £2.95 each or 6 for £15.95
Chicken, roasted pepper & sundried tomato terrine with sour cherry chutney & char-grilled sourdough £9.95
Braised short rib ravioli with white miso aioli, pickled shallots & red wine reduction £13.95
Turmeric roasted cauliflower with tofu puree, couscous, grilled baby gem lettuce and crispy kale £24
Roasted aubergine with black garlic emulsion, rosemary confit potato, tenderstem broccoli and
pine nut & lemon dressing £24
Fillet of chalk stream trout with pea & wild garlic puree, lemon crushed potatoes & char-grilled asparagus £31
Fillet of Seabass with braised new potatoes, samphire, pickled shallots and a clam, tarragon & vermouth sauce £33
Roast pork tenderloin with apple puree, rosemary confit potato, fine green beans, crispy kale and
date & parsley jam £29.50
Herb crusted rump of lamb with parmesan & mint croquettes, salt baked beetroot and sorrel & basil pesto £36.95
Char-grilled Norfolk steak with chunky chips, Caesar salad and peppercorn sauce
8 oz Rump £26; 10 oz Rib-eye £29.50; 10 oz Sirloin £34
All are carved in the kitchen unless requested otherwise
ADD: Fried double yolk egg £2.95 Fried onion rings £4.95
Skinny or thick-cut chips £4.95 with truffle mayonnaise £5.95 Confit potato £5.95
Parmesan & mint croquettes £5.95 Caesar salad £4.95 Chantenay carrots £4.95 Tenderstem broccoli £4.95
DESSERT
CHEESE from the UK’s British cheese specialist, Neal’s Yard Dairy
Served with biscuits, apple, celery and quince jelly
Isle of Mull Cheddar, Scotland – unpasteurised, hard, strong, cows’ milk cheese
Baron Bigod, Suffolk – pasteurised, soft, Brie-style, cows’ milk cheese
Stichelton (Nottinghamshire) – unpasteurised, creamy, blue, cows’ milk cheese – Stilton style
Dorstone, Herefordshire – pasteurised, soft, goats’ milk cheese
Choose any 3 cheeses £10.50 (£8 for 2; £13 for 4)
PORT AND OTHER WINES FOR CHEESE 75ml
963 WHITE PORT, Sandeman, Porto, Portugal £4.20 Satin-smooth texture with soft floral aromas
967 THE BISHOP OF NORWICH, The Liberty, Simonsberg, South Africa £4.80 Outstanding port style red
971 20-YEAR-OLD TAWNY PORT, Sandeman, Porto, Portugal £7.20 Pale, gentle, delicate – very fine indeed
SWEETS with recommended sweet wine
Chocolate & cherry tart with fresh cherries and black cherry ice cream £9.95 (wine 951)
Roasted caramelised pineapple with coconut & malibu sorbet £9.95 (wine 918)
Sake soaked sponge with Chantily cream, strawberry salsa and strawberry sorbet £9.95
Sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce and clotted cream vanilla ice cream £9.95 (wine 954)
Vegan lemon tart with coconut and earl grey ice cream £8.95 (wine 903)
Affogato Single scoop of vanilla ice-cream with espresso coffee or luscious PX Sherry £5.95/£6.95
Homemade ice-cream and sorbet: £2.50 one scoop; £1.50 per extra scoop
ICE-CREAM: clotted cream vanilla; chocolate; caramel; black cherry; coconut & earl grey
SORBET: ginger; coconut & malibu; strawberry; blackberry
SWEET WINE BY THE GLASS 75ml
903 OUPA DANIE’S SWAN SONG, The Liberator 2018 S. Africa £6.95 Gently fortified Muscat
917 TOKAJI LATE HARVEST, Tokaji Classic winery, Hungary 2011 £7.95 Great value example of a classic style
918 BOTRYTIS PINOT GRIS, Greywacke. Marlborough, New Zealand 2018 £8.50 Exceptional example.
920 SAUTERNES, Château Laville 2019, Bordeaux £6.95 Honeyed, concentrated & complex
950 PEDRO XIMENEZ, El Candado, Valdespino. Sherry £5.95 Liquid raisins; extraordinarily intense
951 2021 MAURY, Domaine Pouderoux. Roussillon, France £5.95 Fortified Grenache; Port-style but gentler and slightly drier…
954 RUTHERGLEN MUSCAT, Rosewood Vineyards, Australia. £5.95 Late harvest, fortified Muscat. Toffee and raisins
Coffee from The Brew Project, served with biscotti
Espresso, Macchiato, Piccolo £2.95 Americano £3.95/£4.95
Cappuccino, Latte, Flat white £4.50/£5.50 Drip-filter, Cafetière £3.95 Iced latte or Americano £4.50
Hot Chocolate Musetti Choc-issimo £4.95 Add: Whipped cream 50p
Tea from Birchall Teas, served with shortbread £4.25
Black teas – English Breakfast; Earl Grey; Darjeeling; Virunga Chai; De-caff; Green tea
Infusions – Peppermint; Lemongrass & Ginger; Chamomile; Red berry
Homemade chocolate truffles x2 £1.95
Cognac 75 Le Reviseur Cognac, sugar, lemon and Prosecco £10.95
Rum & Coffee Martini Rum, espresso, stout, crème de cacao £12.95
Truffle Gin truffle-infused gin from Cambridge Distillery £7.95
Lounge and Bar Menu
April / May 2024
12 – 9pm
Seasonal Cocktails:
Peach Bellini £8.95 Sea Breeze £10.95 Strawberry & Pineapple Garden £10.95
Please tell us of any allergies; dish descriptions do not include all ingredients
Our Restaurant Menu is available daily 12-3pm, or 6-9pm
NIBBLES:
Sourdough bread from Webbsour, Cambridge; with Italian extra virgin olive oil or with Netherend Farm salted butter £2.95
Masala cashew nuts £3.95 Olives marinated in garlic & herbs £3.95 Sage & onion crisps £3.95
Cauliflower cheese croquettes with honey and sriracha dip £6.50
Sticky pork belly chunks & spicy soy dip £7.95 Char-grilled Corn ribs with cashew & onion dip £6.95
Roasted cauliflower hummus with chilli & mango salsa £7.95Grilled lamb kebab with tomato chilli dip £6.95
Beetroot, tahini, cayenne & oregano dip; with char-grilled pitta bread, hazelnuts, and goats’ cheese £7.95
Broccoli and spinach soup with garlic croutons, toasted pumpkin seeds and sourdough bread £9.95
Kale salad with avocado, pumpkin, mooli, seeds, nuts & mustard dressing £8.95 Large portion £13.95
Add: Grilled halloumi cheese £2.95 Add: Hot peeled king prawns £2.95 each
Grilled king prawns with samphire and garlic butter £2.95 each, £15.95 for 6 Shell on or off
Smoked salmon from Uig Lodge, Isle of Lewis with cucumber & capers £12; Large portion with green salad £18
Roasted mackerel salad with grilled courgette, garden peas, spinach, rocket & cauliflower puree £18.95
Fish platter – Uig Lodge smoked salmon; king prawn; anchovies; sardines; mackerel pate; dill crème fraiche; sourdough toast £20.95
Antipasti – prosciutto and salami; char-grilled artichoke; roast piquillo peppers; tapenade;
2-year-old parmesan; grilled focaccia bread; marinated olives £15.95
Trout and cod fishcake with pickled shallots and parsley & spinach sauce £18.95
Vegetable Kerala style curry with peppers, broccoli, carrot & potato; rice, mango chutney & poppadom £16.95
Battered fish and chips with crushed peas and tartare sauce £18.95
Pie of the day with mashed potato, tenderstem broccoli and curly kale £19
Spiced buttermilk fried chicken burger with tomato chili sauce, cabbage and carrot slaw, baby gem lettuce, tomato & skinny chips £18.95
SANDWICHES served on sourdough bread, with sage and onion crisps
Smoked salmon with cucumber, crème fraîche and dill £11.95
Honey-roast ham with peach & ginger chutney £9.95
Roast beef with horseradish remoulade and caramelised onion £9.95
Chicken and avocado with tarragon mayonnaise £9.95
Upgrade from crisps: Chunky or skinny chips £1.00
WARM SANDWICHES served with skinny chips
Grilled aubergine & red pepper on focaccia, with vegan mozzarella, rocket, olive tapenade & vegan aioli £10.95
Steak sandwich on ciabatta, with caramelised onions, rocket and grain mustard £14.95
Set Lunch Menu
April / May 2024
Monday-Friday 12-3pm
2 courses £26; 3 courses £32
Please tell us of any allergies; descriptions do not include all ingredients
Broccoli and spinach soup with garlic croutons, toasted pumkin seeds and sourdough bread
Chicken, roasted pepper & sundried tomato terrine with sour cherry and char-grilled sourdough
Harissa roasted carrots with roasted fennel, green lentils, rocket salad and lime yoghurt
Confit duck leg with chorizo and cannellini bean cassoulet, curly kale and red wine jus
Fillet of chalk stream trout with lemon crushed new potatoes, green pea puree and tenderstem broccoli
Vegetable Kerala style curry with peppers, broccoli, carrot & potato; rice, mango chutney & poppadom
Pavlova with pineapple salsa and pineapple crisp
Isle of Mull Cheddar and Stichelton Blue cheese;
with biscuits, celery and homemade chutney
Tea or coffee with homemade biscuits
Sunday Lunch Menu
April / May 2024, 12-3.30pm
Seasonal Cocktails:
Peach Bellini £8.95 Sea Breeze £10.95 Strawberry & Pineapple Garden £10.95
Please tell us of any allergies; descriptions do not include all ingredients
Sourdough bread from Webbsour, Cambridge, with Italian extra virgin olive oil
or with Netherend Farm salted butter £2.95
Masala cashew nuts £3.95 Olives marinated in garlic & herbs £3.95 Sage & onion crisps £3.95
2 courses £29.50 or 3 courses £36 (£15/£20 for children under 12 years old)
Broccoli and spinach soup with garlic croutons, toasted pumpkin seeds and sourdough bread
Char-grilled English asparagus benedict with hollandaise sauce and parmesan crisp
Harissa roasted carrots with roasted fennel, green lentils, rocket salad and lime yoghurt
Smoked salmon from Uig Lodge, Isle of Lewis, with cucumber & capers
Smoked mackerel pâté with cucumber, lemon and toast
Chicken, roasted pepper & sundried tomato terrine with sour cherry chutney & char-grilled sourdough
Roast sirloin of English dry-aged beef with Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, savoy cabbage, carrots, broccoli and gravy
Roast chicken with parmesan croquettes, carrots, tenderstem broccoli and mushroom gravy
Roast pork loin with apple sauce, crackling, roast potatoes, savoy cabbage, carrots, broccoli and gravy
Mushroom and spinach wellington with roast potatoes, tenderstem broccoli, savoy cabbage & vegetarian gravy
Pan-fried sea bass with braised new potatoes, samphire and piquillo pepper sauce
Battered fish and chips with crushed peas and tartare sauce
Roasted aubergine with black garlic emulsion, confit potato, tenderstem broccoli and pine nut & lemon dressing
Cauliflower cheese, for two to share £5.95
Two cheeses from Neal’s Yard Dairy, served with biscuits, apple, celery and apple & pear chutney
Isle of Mull Cheddar, Scotland – unpasteurised, hard, strong, cows’ milk cheese
Baron Bigod, Suffolk – pasteurised, soft, Brie-style, cows’ milk cheese
Stichelton, Nottinghamshire – unpasteurised, creamy, blue, cows’ milk cheese – Stilton style
Dorstone, Herefordshire – pasteurised, soft, goats’ milk cheese
Sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream
Roasted caramelised pineapple with coconut & malibu sorbet
Chocolate & cherry tart with fresh cherries and black cherry ice cream
Homemade ice-cream and sorbet: any three scoops
ICE-CREAM: clotted cream vanilla; chocolate; caramel; black cherry; coconut & earl grey
SORBET: ginger; coconut & Malibu; strawberry; blackberry
Coffee from The Brew Project, served with biscotti
Espresso £2.95 Americano £3.95/£4.95 Cappuccino, Flat White, Latte £4.50/£5.50
Tea from Birchall Teas, served with shortbread biscuits – £4.25
Sunday Steak Night
April / May 2024
6-9pm
2 courses £29 or 3 courses £35
Please tell us of any allergies; descriptions do not include all ingredients
Broccoli and spinach soup with garlic croutons, toasted pumpkin seeds and sourdough bread
Smoked mackerel pâté with cucumber, lemon and sourdough toast
Three grilled whole king prawns, with samphire and garlic butter Shell on or off (£3 supplement)
Norfolk steaks: 8oz Rump; 8oz Ribeye; or 7oz fillet tail
All served carved, with triple-cooked chips, Caesar salad and peppercorn sauce
Char-grilled marinated 8oz pork steak on the bone
with triple-cooked chips, Caesar salad and chimichurri sauce
Sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream
Homemade ice creams or sorbets;
ICE-CREAM: clotted cream vanilla; chocolate; caramel; cherry ripple; coconut & earl grey
SORBET: ginger; coconut & malibu; strawberry; blackberry
We do not allow ‘substitutions’ to this menu
Afternoon Tea
Our “Full Afternoon Tea” must be pre-booked – We take bookings at 3.30pm or 4pm, Monday – Saturday. Your booking will be held in either the Dining Room or the Restaurant, depending on availability that day, and is served on vertical stands.
To hire a room for a private afternoon tea, the Dining Room can be booked for the afternoon, from 12pm-5pm, with a hire charge of £295 and a minimum of 12 guests for full tea. Usually for larger groups we serve afternoon tea on buffet plates for your guests to help themselves.
Afternoon tea with allergies & dietary requirements…
We can provide a similar menu for gluten-free guests, and can adapt the menu for most other food intolerances or allergies. We do need at least 48 hours’ notice for any change to the menu.
Please note for bookings of 6 or more people, there is a 1-week cancellation period. For bookings of smaller numbers, the cancellation period is 48 hours as normal.
Our “Cream Tea” service at the Old Bridge is relaxed and informal, served in the Lounge and Bar. Our renowned homemade scones (served with Jersey cream and strawberry jam) come out of the oven around 2.30pm, and can be ordered individually along with our hot beverages. We also offer cakes, sandwiches, biscuits and homemade crumpets in this area all day. We don’t reserve tables in the Lounge & Bar, and these are available on a ‘first come first served basis’.
Afternoon Tea – £21 per person
Tea or Coffee
English breakfast; Earl Grey; Darjeeling First Flush; Green tea; Peppermint; Lemongrass & Ginger; Chamomile; Virunga chai; Fresh mint; Red berry and flowers
Monmouth Coffees: Americano; Espresso; Macchiato; Piccolo; Cappuccino; Latte; Flat White; or Cafetière
Finger Sandwiches
Egg Mayonnaise; Smoked salmon & crème fraîche; Coronation chicken; Beef, watercress & horseradish
Fruit scone with rich Jersey cream and strawberry jam
Mini cakes
Chocolate with coffee cream; Fruit meringue; Caramel éclair
125ml glass of Prosecco ‘Ca’ di Alte’ £7.95
125ml glass of Rathfinny Estate Rosé £11.50
125ml glass of Charles Heidsieck, Brut Réserve, Champagne £13
Breakfast
Included for residents on B&B rates
Full breakfast £20.00 – Your choice of a cold and hot dish, with toast, juice and coffee or tea
Cafetière coffee £3.95 Tea £4.25
Apple or orange juice £1.95
Toast (sourdough bread from Webbsour Bakery) with butter and jam or marmalade £4.95
Croissant with jam £3.95
Cornflakes, Weetabix, Bran Flakes or Muesli with milk £3.95
Neal’s Yard Greek-style yoghurt with berry compote, poached pear and homemade granola £7.50 – add a banana £1
Porridge £8 (do allow 15 minutes)
Full English breakfast: fried egg, sausage, bacon, baked beans, field mushroom, hash brown, black pudding, tomato £14
Vegetarian English breakfast: fried eggs, baked beans, spinach, field mushroom and hash brown £12
Both served with sourdough toast
Old Bridge Eggs Benedict – homemade crumpet with sugar-roast ham, poached egg and hollandaise £9.95 / £12.95
Scrambled egg, smoked salmon, crème fraiche, chives £13
Smoked haddock, poached egg, spinach, chive butter £12
version of
this menu
Wine
Click on the PDF link to see the full, current restaurant wine list.
The previous owner of the Old Bridge, John Hoskins, was the first person in the restaurant industry to become a Master of Wine, and wine became, and continues to be, a very important part of life at The Old Bridge.
See the separate pages about the Wine Shop and the opportunity to taste (and buy wine) whilst visiting the hotel.
The bar offers 15 ‘house’ wines by the glass. This is supplemented by 20 more wines we have open on our ‘Enomatic’ machine in the wine shop.
The main restaurant wine list looks rather daunting in its size, but we do have plenty of choice at the all-important £20-£30 bracket, as well as many fine wine options for those looking for something really special. Our aim is simply to find the very best examples of any particular style.
Price is a key part of our appeal. As with every restaurant, our starting price is quite high (£24), however, our mark-up is actually one of the lowest in the country. We add between £12 and £20 on to a normal retail price, never more, even for the most expensive bottles.
The majority, but not all, of the wines in the shop are on the restaurant wine list. So you are welcome to come into the shop and buy anything to drink in the hotel. The ‘corkage’ charge is £15. If you want to bring in wine from outside the hotel then the corkage charge is £20 per bottle.
We have been lucky enough to win all the major wine list awards in the country over the country – from the AA, the Egon Ronay Guide (when it existed) and the Harpers Wine Trade magazine. In 2021 we were awarded the accolade of BEST VALUE WINE LIST for the whole of EUROPE, by the the prestigious ‘World of Fine Wine’ Magazine. We hope you will have an exciting wine experience when you are with us.
The Bar
In many ways we are a traditional English inn. So the bar might be seen as the heart of the hotel.
We serve three real ales on draught, with Adnams as our long-standing house bitter. We have been ‘CAMRA’ recommended for over 10 years and we might be 10p a pint more expensive than the pubs in town, but rarely more than that.
We have 15 wines by the glass served from behind the bar – supplemented by 24 more monthly-changing open bottles on our ‘Enomatic’ system (see ‘Wine‘).
Our cocktail list changes every quarter. Some genuine classics with a few seasonal specials.
You can of course also drink in the lounge, the patio or the garden. The bar, in fact the whole hotel, is a meeting place; somewhere for a break from normal life. Alan Bennett could have a good time wondering what on earth all the chat might be about.
Current bar offerings include the following (see wine list for wines-by-the-glass)
Peach Bellini £8.95
Strawberry & Pineapple garden – Stolichnaya vodka, infused strawberry syrup, lemon, pineapple £10.95
Sea Breeze – Stolichnaya vodka, cranberry, grapefruit, sugar £10.95
Kir Royal – Sparkling wine + Cassis, Framboise or Mure £10.95 or made with Champagne £14.95
Japanese Gin Martini – Sakura Moon Japanese gin, vermouth, olive or lemon £13.95
Cucumber Bramble – Cucumber gin, Crème de Mure, lemon juice, sugar syrup £11.95
The Hurricane – Dark rum, lime, passion fruit syrup, orange £10.95
Mojo – Tequila Reposado, Cointreau, lemon juice, passion fruit syrup, ginger cordial £11.95
Raspberry Infusion – Tequilla, raspberry liqueur, strawberry, lemon juice, tonic £11.95
Smoked Tarbooz – Vodka, watermelon, lime and cinnamon liqueur £11.95
White Negroni – Roundwood gin, Lillet Blanc, Vermouth Bianco £10.95
Chai Rum Sling – Windy Ridge Rum, Chai syrup, orange liqueur, lime, apple juice £10.95
Blackcurrant Daiquiri – White rum, crème de cassis, lime, sugar £10.95
Limoncello Collins – Roundwood gin, Limoncello, lemon juice, soda £10.95
Paloma Sour – Tequila, grapefruit juice, agave syrup, bitters £10.95
SPRITZERS
White spritzer (125ml white wine, sparkling water, lime) £5.95
Pink spritzer (125ml Rosé, lemonade, lemon) £6.25
NON-ALCOHOLIC COCKTAILS
Coastal Spritz (Pentire Coastal ‘spirit’, tonic) £6.95
Light & Stormy (Three Spirit, ginger ale) £6.95
Sage & cucumber fizz (made with Pentire ‘Adrift’ – non-alcoholic spirit from Cornwall) £6.95
Nightcap Sour (Three Spirit ‘Nightcap’, pineapple, lemon) £6.95
Elderflower lemonade (with ginger and mint) £6.95
Virgin Mary £6.95
Virgin Mojito (classic/raspberry) £6.50
Virgin Mule (lime, mint, ginger beer) £6.95
DRAUGHT ALES – usually 2 from these breweries, please ask – from £4.95 a pint
NENE VALLEY BREWERY From Oundle; a rotating choice. All gluten-free
ADNAMS OF SOUTHWOLD Long-time leaders in East Anglia. Southwold Bitter or Ghost Ship
LACONS BREWERY A fine Norfolk producer. We rotate their four core beers and seasonal ales
BARSHAM BREWERY Award winning craft and ale producer in North Norfolk. All gluten-free
DRAUGHT BEERS & CIDER
Beck’s Vier Lager (4%) £5.25 Bitburger Pilsner (4.8%) £6.25 Camden Pale Ale (4%) £6.25
Leffe Blonde (6.6%) – half £4.75 Blackshore Stout (4.2%) (Guinness alternative) £5.50
Adnams’ Wild Wave Cider (5%) £5.25
Flight of beer – try four different quarter pints from our draught selections above £6.25
BOTTLED BEERS & CIDERS
Normally a special or two in stock, plus the standards:
Peroni Nastro Azzuro (330ml, 5.1%) £4.50 Corona Extra (330ml, 4.5%) £4.50
Bitburger Drive (330ml, 0%) £3.75 Ghost Ship ‘Alcohol Free’, Adnams (500ml, Under 0.5%) £4.50
Crane’s Blueberry and Apple Cider, Cambs (500ml, 4%) £4.95
Crane’s Cranberry and Lime Cider, Cambs (500ml, 4%) £4.95