Lunch at The Bell Broadheath - great food at low prices

The Bell lunch review

great food at great prices

Lower Broadheath, Worcester, WR2 6QG

the restaurant

I struggle to understand how they can offer two courses of such excellent food for £10. We both opted for the special offer 2-course lunch menu. I had a £10 starter and main course and then a dessert from the main menu, and Christina chose a starter from the main menu followed by the 2-course menu for mains and dessert.

Their website boasts “If you have not dined with us before then we think you’re in for a very pleasant surprise, we are a small country pub but with big ideas when it comes to our menu.” And they are right! Lunch at The Bell in Broadheath was very pleasant. The food was attractively presented, tasty, and served in decent portions. The menu is interesting and varied.

The Bell is a traditional country pub in the village of Lower Broadheath, just four miles from Worcester. There is a bar area and a separate eating area inside. Outside is a recently added, very smart wooden veranda with probably a dozen tables. More tables are to be found in the garden and under an open-sided marque.

One issue I have is that when seated under the veranda, it is table service, but those seated in the garden, as we were, have to order at the bar. I assume this is something to do with Covid, but I like full table service – it’s part of the experience. Interestingly, their Covid guidance states “table service only”.

lunch

starters

Salmon isn’t high on my list of favourite dishes, but The Bell’s Oak smoked Atlantic salmon served with a watercress & radish
salad, crostini & a honey & mustard vinaigrette was lovely. The salmon was plentiful, the sauce tasty, and the salad crisp and fresh. Christina loved her Beetroot Falafel – Handmade beetroot falafel with ricotta cheese, rocket, basil pesto red pepper & garlic hummus & a Tzatziki dressing. As usual, I pinched some of Christina’s starter and it was good. The falafel was spot on, both in taste and texture.

The wait for the starter was 20 minutes which isn’t ideal. Twenty minutes for the main course would be more than acceptable, but when you are hungry you want the starter pretty soon. The mains and dessert were delivered in good time.

main course

Christina’s Pan fried chicken breast stuffed with Mozzarella and wrapped in bacon served with fresh minted couscous & seasonal salad was as nice as it sounds. She found the whole dish to be very tasty. The chicken was cooked perfectly and she enjoyed the couscous and salad. One criticism is that the bacon was too salty.

It is not often that I have steak, but the Chargrilled Sirloin steak with a marinated tomato salad and chips proved to be a good choice. I like steak well done. The Bell managed to cook it to my taste and maintain the meat’s succulence.

dessert

Crumble of the day was Apple and Berry served with lashings of Devonshire custard. I do wish restaurants would stop using the enormously over-used word “lashings” when referring to custard. This crumble was beautiful. Plenty (or lashings if you prefer) of fruit, a crumbly crumble and tasty custard. It actually had a taste of rhubarb to it, but whatever was in there was utterly delicious.

On a hot sping day, what could be better than a dessert of White chocolate panna cotta, served with seasonal berries and homemade shortbread? It looked great and tasted even better – so Christina tells me.

around and about The Bell, Broadheath

On the corner of Martley Road and Bell Lane, The Bell Inn is just along from Broadheath common, and only four miles from Worcester. It is ideally positioned for lunch after a morning walk in the local countryside.

One mile from the restaurant is the The Firs, the birthplace of Sir Edward Elgar.

The village of Martley is five miles further on and from here you can follow the Martley Circular Walk. At just over six miles, this is a good stretch for the legs and it takes in some beautiful countryside and excellent views. The waymarked walk takes you through fields, country lanes, along riverbanks, and though an apple orchard.

A 20-minute drive from The Bell is Brockhampton, a National Trust-managed manor house and orchards.

facilities

parking

The pub has its own car park. At busy times cars park on Bell lane.

disabled access

This pub does have disabled access, but does not have disabled toilets.

children

High chairs are available.

take-aways

Take-away food is not available.