The Eight Bells

Restaurant | Saffron Walden | England | United Kingdom

The Eight Bells in Saffron Walden is a cozy and historic pub known for its excellent cuisine and welcoming atmosphere. The restaurant is located in a 16th-century building, whose traditional exterior provides a fascinating contrast to the modern and vibrant interior. It offers its guests a diverse menu that combines fresh, seasonal ingredients with traditional British dishes.

Of particular note is the selection of classic pub dishes served with a modern twist. The Sunday Roasts are a real highlight, offered with a variety of sides that reflect the taste of the season. The weekly changing specials also offer an exciting array of new, creative dishes that showcase seasonal produce to its fullest.

The Eight Bells places great emphasis on quality and uses local ingredients wherever possible. It caters to all dietary needs, including options for vegetarians and gluten-free diets. The pub is particularly known for its hearty steaks and juicy burgers as well as light salads and grilled fish dishes that reflect the taste of the region while satisfying guests' culinary desires.

In addition to food, the pub offers an extensive selection of drinks, including local beers, a carefully curated wine list, and an impressive gin selection that complements the dishes perfectly. The atmosphere in the pub is relaxed and friendly, making it a popular destination for both locals and visitors who want to enjoy an excellent meal in a welcoming environment.

Contact details

Web

Phone

Address
18 Bridge St
CB10 1BU Saffron Walden

Map view

Opening hours

Sunday10:00 - 20:00
Monday--
Tuesday--
Wednesday10:00 - 23:00
Thursday10:00 - 23:00
Friday10:00 - 23:00
Saturday10:00 - 23:00

Reviews

713 Reviews

Patrick Cowley
31.01.2025

Visited the Eight Bells recently on a trip to Saffron Walden and would highly recommend it to anyone. The food was beautiful, with a carefully thought out seasonal menu of high quality at a reasonable price. The service was excellent, and the character of the building with it's timber frame and medieval charm made for a stunning place to eat on a cold January evening! A must visit in Saffron Walden!!
Matthew Harvey
22.01.2025

A Walden institution with consistently good food.
Andy Coleman
15.01.2025

Nice place, with a reasonable wine menu and great staff
Mathew Bailey
12.01.2025

We had an absolutely fantastic meal, the quality of the staff and food made it a perfect evening
Penny Clarke
12.01.2025

The best roast dinner we have ever tasted in a restaurant. Absolutely delicious. And the most impressive Yorkshire pudding ever!!!The service was second to none and we will be returning for sure. 100%recommend.
Andy Barrett
09.01.2025

Dined here with friends last night - we unanimously felt the food was exquisite, the service was excellent and the restaurant interior has a real wow factor. Highly recommend.
Jenny Cannon
29.12.2024

Had a lovely afternoon here, made better by a very nice, efficient, helpful waitress called Daisy and a friendly manager who made time for us despite a packed restaurant.
John Yates
28.12.2024

Poor Guinness
Sharon Kaur
22.12.2024

The restaurant was recommended to us so we drove 1 hour and 20 minutes to dine there however on arrival was turned away with my 4 year old being told we didn't book. Extremely disappointed that they couldn't accommodate 3 new customers who travelled do far to dine with them. Made to feel unwanted now reading the reviews below seem skin colour or identity is an issue here.
Graham Pearce
11.12.2024

Fish was cooked to perfection. We were served very quickly.
Robert Zammit
08.12.2024

We visited after an afternoon at the IWM. Great good, great service, and four happy customers! Would highly recommend.
Sarah Maxwell
27.11.2024

Quite pricey, but a relaxing, unhurried atmosphere in attractive surroundings. Good service and so helpful to have a car park.
Laszlo Illes
19.10.2024

My first date was at this wonderful pub. 😊 The atmosphere and service were wonderful, and so was my date.😊 Thank you
Professor houdini
12.10.2024

Nice place with nice staff.
Jo Toumazou
06.10.2024

Really delicious food, with a changing menu. Recommend the ox cheek!
Ana Roig
03.10.2024

Muy ingles
Francis Tyler
24.09.2024

For a funereal ,so not typical day food buffet style very nice ,beer great bit slow ,not there fault lot of people ..
Price Rebecca
22.09.2024

A great place to have a meal after a beautiful walk in Bridge End Garden. Our waiter Chris was very polite, helpful and made us feel very welcome.
Estelle Coleena
22.09.2024

Overpriced we had 2 crumbles we could not get cream because they use it for the panna cotta. No custard offered but a purple sweet cheap ice cream that did not go with the crumble. Two desserts and one coffee came to £31. I have been there for two Sunday lunches which were very good. The tables and chairs in this beautiful room are very tacky and old. It looks like an old-fashioned school room. Sadly I would not take us there again.
Penny Venner
13.09.2024

Lovely old style venue, food ok, service very slow even though there were not many customers.
mark bridger
01.09.2024

Not a great experience and that's disappointing in many ways. It's an amazing building let down by the team. On the day we went they had run out of some of the options. We were offered alternatives for free by a member of staff so we agreed as we had been there so long already. Food and drinks service extremely slow on our visit and there were more stack than customers, I don't understand it really. So much potential but delivery was way under par. Expensive for what we received.
Sue Lockwood
29.08.2024

This is a lovely old pub with a stunning dining room. The new beer garden is a delight. The staff are very pleasant and the food is very good. They also have their own car park.
Aleena
13.07.2024

I loved the Sunday roast and sticky toffee pudding. The staff was really friendly. We arrived around 10-12 minutes early than the time i booked, but they were happy to seat us.

 

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