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11 years ago
I stayed at The Swan for seven days over the course of a couple of weeks earlier this month. Richard and the crew couldn't have been more helpful or welcoming! read more
The Swan - My home away from home in the English countryside. - Pubs Near Me - Newbury, WBK
12 years ago
Nice cosy bar and pleasant enough staff. Food nothing special.... small portions and over priced.
High Street
E Ilsley
Newbury RG20 7LF
United Kingdom
01635 281238
Call Now
Visit Website
http://www.theswaneastilsley.co.uk
Full menu
Hours
What time does The Swan open?
The Swan opens at 11:00 AM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
What time does The Swan close?
The Swan closes at 11:00 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Mon-Sun 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Does The Swan serve alcohol?
Yes, The Swan serves alcohol.
Does The Swan have parking?
Yes, The Swan has parking options.
Does The Swan allow outdoor smoking?
Yes, The Swan allows outdoor smoking.
Does The Swan have free WiFi?
Yes, The Swan has free WiFi.
People searched for Pubs 214 times last month within 10 miles of this business.
Good choice of pub grub, it feels like a great feeling of cosy and comfortable environment…read more The service provided was great and it delivered on food.
This pub is in an amazing setting on the outskirts of Newbury. The pub is made up from a mixture of…read morebarns and farm houses cobbled together. The result is very picturesque. The best part about this pub though is the beer garden / dining garden. This has to be the best beer garden I have seen, with a lovely brook running through middle and water/marginal planting which looks amazing. The staff are very efficient at carrying out your meals from the main building, across the bridge, to your outdoor table. Inside there are plenty of windows to look out onto the garden. We had a dog with us and the waiter immediately brought out a bowl of water (silver service style), so they were very dog friendly. The menu was really good featuring local produce and a variety of cuisines. The restaurant is a little pricey but this does reflect the amazing setting and garden. Make sure you sit int he garden or grab a window seat inside.
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2 words sum up the Yew Tree - substance & quality. The prices are reasonable with the a la carte…read morestarters ranging from £7 to £11 and the mains from £14-20. The menu is excellent and packed with mouthwatering dishes (as well as 3 or 4 daily specials) and the surroundings are lovely. There is a daily fixed price lunch menu with 2 courses for £15.95 and 3 courses for £19.95. Despite its pedigree it's not starchy or stuffy. Gull eggs are in season so we had that and an Omelette Arnold Bennett to start and the steak & ale pie and Pierre Koffman venison for mains with a couple of side dishes each. For dessert I had the raspberry souffle which just heaven on a plate - if you go make sure you leave room for this signature dessert!
Having eaten here a couple of years ago and reported on good food but disorganised service, I…read morereturned recently for lunch and had a wonderful meal. The restaurant is in the middle of nowhere and you almost rush past it on a nondescript piece of road just north of Highclere Castle, but turning into its ample parking areas, the smart cars there seem to have simply driven a few miles from the Peat Spade, another great inn. This time it wasn't full and the service was far better, but the food and drink weren't just good but exceptional, and extremely reasonable to boot. We started with a glass of house white a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc which was delicious and some very good bread and unsalted butter. I had the mussels and clams in a white wine broth which come daily up from Cornwall, and I can declare that they were the best I have ever tasted. The mussels were so fat and full that the dish could have made a meal on its own, while the clams, as ever, added a subtly the taste of the sea. The onion-rich broth was perfect and almost got finished! We then had the fish and chips, which came perfectly presented and was exceptionally delicious. One could perhaps quibble that twice or thrice cooked chips would have been even better, but these were crispy outside and fluffy inside, with a small dish of mushy peas to underline the fact that the dish was supposed to be authentic and not ersatz Belgian. Liver and bacon was pink and perfect, and could hardly have been bettered. A lemon posset followed, which was a good way of cleansing the palate after such a fine meal. I can't recommend The Yew Tree highly enough for lunch, especially with a bill (without service) of only £42 for two. There is wi-fi in the bar.
Liver and bacon. The green is kale
This has to be in the top 5 best pubs in the UK!…read more Truly exceptional drink, food and service. I would be going here more often if I lived more local to it. It's a little tricky to get to, narrow country roads, etc, but we'll worth it. If you wanting to eat I would advise booking and this place gets busy from the second it opens. Caters to all, especially families and has a wonderful garden and patio. Tim Gray is the landlord of this gem and is hands-on and welcoming. You will not regret visit this amazing pub.
New 2013 Hattingley Valley Rosé - English Sparkling Wine @ The Yew Tree
this place feels very authentic, in a way that i enjoyed a lot. it's a very old building with a low…read moreceiling, open fire. the food was excellent, i had a steak and a salad, both of which i enjoyed a lot. prices were fair (and certainly below london standards). would definitely go here again, if the occasion arose.
We'd spent the day driving (on the wrong side of the road) and by the time we arrived at our B&B,…read morethere really wasn't much of a choice of food within walking distance. So I used Yelp to see what choices were within a short drive. I called White Horse to see if they could take us for dinner, and they suggested not waiting much longer as their kitchen closed at 9 (it was already 8.) I set the GPS and off we drove! If you've driven in rural UK, then you know that the roads are narrow and unlit. In the middle of nowhere, the GPS announced that we had arrived. So, I called again, described where we were as best as I could, and was advised to "keep going." About 5 minutes later, we arrived. We each ordered a Greek Salad. Often, the amount of cheese is pretty limited, especially on less expensive salads. Not so at the White Horse. The salads were absolutely loaded with delicious feta cheese, along with yummy cucumbers and tomatoes. Unfortunately, I can't remember the rest of the food we ordered, but it was all good. Had it been a bit warmer, we could have enjoyed our dinner in a lovely outdoor garden area.
What a lovely pub. We stopped in after our long walk to see Watership Down. Had a pint and dinner…read more All the food was stellar. We shared a mackerel pate, which was really wonderful. Hubs had fish n chips (he never gets tired of it) and said it was the best one of our trip. I had the hoisin duck salad. The duck was shredded and crispy. Yum! I found the sauce a bit sweet, but with a little vinegar it was perfect. Neighbors were coming and going, greeting each other happily -- terrific atmosphere.
From the owner: A classic British pub with exceptional food.read more
Bread Board
Chicken Wings
Several small rooms, and an outdoor area.
Great bar that does food and has a large selection of drinks, including a regular change of ales…read moreand ciders. Indoor and outdoor seating. Check out the meal deals.
We live this place! Jerry, Hamish and cute little Marmite and Sparkle make this pub so homey and…read morewelcoming. This historic pub is amazing! We definitely look forward to each time we go and have been going here for 10+ years. In winter the fireplace is going and keeps it nice and warm. With two dining areas and outside seating (with a heated area too), there is a bit of room for groups and recommend booking for any special event. The food is always good and prepared using fresh, local ingredients. Recommend the Pork Medallions and any fish dish available. The cook is humble but gifted. You can also reserve a room as well. We do so when we have friends or family in. This is the only place we go to for the all year round. We rate this pub very highly for its warm and welcoming atmosphere, the staff are always friendly and understand customer service very well. The food is always excellent and the bar is always well stocked.
Part of drinking menu
Part of pub classic food menu
This is so far my favourite pub anywhere. The pub's been in the same family for about 400 years, if…read moremy memory serves me correctly. And that shows. The welcome is genuine and they have their feet on the ground. They serve beer made down the road and it's popular with real ale fans. The food is good -basic and inexpensive - Ploughman's and sarnies, for example. Good choice of well made cheeses and pate. I love the double seats in the porch. I have fond memories of taking my father here and sharing a seat here. And it's a lovely place to go for a walk along The Ridgeway before or after. And it's wonderful to see such a beautiful old Berkshire building. Lovely location and a pretty garden. Inside is lovely - nothing added, nothing taken away. This is the real thing. PS The pointer in the map showing here is far from in the right place. Check it out on the map. Aldworth is a pretty little hamlet.
Simply the best pub in the south of England. Tiny, friendly, unspoiled. Excellent beers from the…read moreWest Berkshire Brewery ( try the Maggs Magnificent Mild) and simple food. No 'gastro' here. Large garden. Classic cars meet in the field at the rear every fourth Saturday lunchtime throughout the summer. All welcome.
Really nice friendly pub. A really nice place with a fire too keep us warm on these cold Newbury…read morenights. Fantastic food as well.
Under new management as of September 2010, and slowly getting it back together…read more Haven't eaten but wet sales doing OK. Good guest ale - essential for all Greene King pubs!
Great food, excellent service and I loved the atmosphere Enough said…read moreBlah, blah, blah
A bridegroom friend of mine in Brightwalton listed Ye Olde Red Lion as one of the nearby B&Bs and I…read moredecided to book my stay there for his wedding. It turned out to be a very good decision and really enhanced the trip. When I arrived Robin, the proprietor, gave me a tour of all the rooms and let me choose which one I preferred for my first night (a fluke due to available scheduling, but a nice gesture) and I chose the thatched-roof Arran, which is the coolest of all the rooms, although honestly they are all very clean and nice. Me and the other wedding guests who stayed there took all our breakfasts and some of our dinners in the pub just a few steps away and I don't think any of us had one bad meal. Everything was well-prepared and tasty. The decor and ambiance is charming and authentic English pub-like which helped us to feel like we were really on vacation. The only minor quibbles are: - the wifi is broken into two zones, so you have to log in to different routers depending if you're in your room or in the pub. - our room's shower was a bit leaky on the floor, and one morning I showered too late and all the hot water was gone. However the cold shower was pretty invigorating :) But these were really minor items. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed staying there and found Robin to be a friendly and accommodating host. Very happy with the rooms and food, all priced very reasonably for the quality of the experience.
Main entrance
Arran room
The bartender was really nice-she chatted a bit about the area and responded to my request for a…read morelocal beer.
Visiting Bath for a couple days and stepped in here for a pint to cap the day of sightseeing. Local…read morefolk were welcoming, and we had an interesting chat. I'm thankful for this Yelp app and our reviews which is very helpful in finding great spots we might miss otherwise.
Several great beers on tap!
Good beer
Brands by name
Articles by date
Service food and ambience were all terrific. We were a party of 8 and our server did a great job…read moreand made it an enjoyable meal
A beautiful country pub sat right on the river Kennet, great food, great choices of drink with…read moreloads of local ales. Staff were amazing, would recommend to anyone
My wife and I moved from UK many years ago and arranged to meet up with old friends and relatives…read morefor a Sunday lunch. For us, the ambiance and lovely old building and location were perfect. We had a great time and for us it was especially enjoyable to have such great service and good food. All the staff were excellent - so impressed. The food is obviously prepared by a team that care - absolutely lovely. I know that everyone is in business to make money but we got so much more than just a good meal (and it was!). Everything about our visit was excellent - efficient and attentive service with great food and atmosphere. Another trip planned from California next year and we will definitely return.
I always come to eat and drink at The Chequers when I'm visiting my family; food is always perfect…read moreand the drinks, well...you can' mess up a good beer. Staff is consistently extremely welcoming and accommodating to myself and my family, which makes coming to The Chequers a must-do. This past trip in was especially memorable as the manager dealt with my questions about the rib eye sauce as well as graciously parting with a Cotswold Brewery pint glass. So, wether you're visiting from somewhere in England or from across the pond like myself, take the time to go eat and drink at The Chequers, you will not be disappointed.
Lovely atmosphere and lots of outside seats…read more However, it was very expensive! I saw it was £7 for a cider so I got a half pint of lemonade instead. £3.50. Wtf
Nice pub with a great little beer garden. They do a decent hamburger and the staff are as friendly…read moreas can be.
Way out in the country, a nice place to take friends and relatives when you want to impress…read more The food is cooked perfectly and the staff smile and are there when you need them. You must book.
A very nice gastro pub. I didn't recognize the place after the refurbishment. We only stopped for a…read moredrink but ended up staying for a shared starter to snack on. The food looked so good we had to try. It was busy but we managed to find a table. Staff made mistakes with the bill and constant dinging of kitchen ringing a bell that food was waiting for service was annoying. Very nice! will be back.
Freezing cold. Slow service. When my food arrived - a brocoli / cauliflower & cheese gratin - it…read morewas late to the table (~5 minutes after my friends food) & fresh from the microwave. Also, lacking the cheese - although apparently it's normal. I'd never want to go back there again. There are much better places to go to eat. I'm sure it would be nice to have a beer / drink during the summer, but make sure you eat elsewhere.
Lovely little pub-style restaurant, with plenty of outside decking by the lake. With most meals…read morepriced under a tenner and excellent portion sizes, it's ideal for an affordable afternoon in the sunshine with friends. I had the tastiest belly pork here, with perfect crackling, root mash and a dessert of chocolate and orange (with real orange bits!) brownie torte. Overall it was delicious. The service was slightly slow, but they admitted they were understaffed that particular night so I'm not sure if it's usually like that.
Spent a lovely Sunday afternoon at the Golden Retriever with friends. The pub was spotless, the…read morestaff were warm and welcoming, and the food was absolutely fantastic. Such a great atmosphere, would definitely recommend.
The first time I was here the waiter was a bell end and after a long time I decided to back bout 3…read moreweeks ago for my birthday and I won't go back again!!! There had hardly any food that was on the menu thumbs up guys. So I got what I actually could The starter chicken tikka skewer came out cold. I told the waiter this and he touched it and said they will get a new one out for me. The same one that he touched returned to the table obviously food hygiene doesn't apply here. Then my steak came ou I cut into it it was dryer than the Sahara desert well overcooked. I sent that back as this was not medium rare when it came back again over cooked at this point I gave up the ghost if this is the standard you aspire too then I have no words. The waitress one of two in the room was amazing tho completely run of her feet I understand time's are tough but this was a circus. other people I have spoken to after my experience have also had bad experiences here. So I can't believe the raving reviews. Be aware of this place. My reply will probably be like thank you for you honest review or thank you for your time leaving a review but nothing sincere and no action taken.
Great service. We sat outside and loved it. Drinks were great. We will be back food was so good…read more Thank you for a great causal family dinner.
I'm getting tight with my 5* reviews, but the Cricketers was on the cusp of getting one. It really…read morewas very good. The interior was clean and modern and we were sat close to a suspended open fire which added a nice cosy feel. The menu and specials board was clearly written around the available ingredients rather than a collection of preconceived dishes and although our waitress couldn't answer our queries about a couple of the dishes herself she didn't hesitate to check with the chef and come straight back to us. A few vegetarian options available for both starter and main courses The food was well presented and portion sizes were just right. My triple cooked chips were on the whole pretty good although a few seemed a little undercooked in the middle. Not quite up to Heston's standard, but then not with his price tag either! We skipped dessert so can't comment on that, but the items on offer looked fairly standard dessert fayre. All told a very nice dining experience. 2 covers with wine was just under £60
I have eaten here many times. The menu is very large and varied and the portions are very…read moregenerous. The staff are always very kind at it can get busy, although I have always managed to find a table. The food is very nice and is not expensive, the deserts are very nice and the it has a nice large area for seating outside with swings and play area for children.
I have not eaten here. I haven't even had a drink here. But...in desperation to find a loo in a…read morehurry, we pulled in for a bathroom break. While I just ran in and ran out, it was THE cleanest ladies restroom I've ever been in since spending a portion of every year in the UK for the last 6 years. And for that, I give them 4 stars. O, yes.
Beautiful old converted mill, a pub/restaurant in the Fullers chain. It's right by a river with a…read morelovely big garden, ideal for sitting outside in summer or nicer weather. Popular with families. Great food and a decent range of beers. They also have a lovely carvery upstairs most Sundays. One of our favourite restaurants in the area.
This was a very pleasant venue an with very happy warm atmosphere. The service was warm and kind…read more The food selection was nice and varied and a good selection of wine and beer. The outside seating is nice to compliment to the food.