The Duchess of Cornwall — Restaurant in England

A Most Unexpectedly Delightful Encounter at The Duchess of Cornwall

Oh, where do I even begin with my visit to The Duchess of Cornwall? If pubs were novels, this one would be a rich, leather-bound Victorian tome with golden-edged pages and a secret compartment in the back that hides a flask of Birra Moretti and a couple of perfectly crisp chips.

Let me set the scene. It was a Tuesday, not the most glamorous day of the week, but certainly a contender now in my book, and we decided to stop in at The Duchess of Cornwall. From the outside, it gives you that “is this a hidden gem or a place where you might accidentally join a darts league?” kind of vibe. Spoiler alert: it’s very much the former.

Now, onto Freddie. Ah, Freddie. Our server, host, possibly an undercover poet and almost certainly the reason that Instagram filters feel redundant. He had that sort of low key attractive quality that sneaks up on you. You know, not in a flashy, obvious “look at my cheekbones” way, but more like a character in a BBC period drama who steals every scene simply by refilling your pint and making casual, effortless eye contact. Kind, attentive, not overbearing, and charming in a “probably owns vinyl records and a houseplant he talks to” kind of way. If Freddie ever reads this: stay humble, sir.

Now, to the true star of the evening: the chips. My goodness. These were not just chips, they were golden, crispy, beautifully seasoned batons of culinary sorcery. The outside had a gentle crunch that audibly whispered, “yes, you’re doing life right,” while the inside was fluffy enough to qualify as a memory foam mattress. They were hot but not mouth-scorchingly so, as if the kitchen staff were psychically aware of my snack impatience. I found myself analyzing the seasoning mid bite, was that a hint of rosemary? Or just divine intervention? Either way, I was spiritually moved.

We drank Birra Moretti, because sometimes you have to lean into the classics. Cold, crisp, and perfectly served in glasses that actually fit the beer (a surprisingly rare joy), it paired beautifully with both the chips and our slowly rising admiration for the pub’s overall vibe.

Speaking of the vibe, let’s talk decor. It’s as if someone with a great sense of style but absolutely no desire to brag about it decorated the place. Cozy yet elegant. Tasteful, but not in that boring “we saw this on Pinterest” way. Think: deep wood tones, warm lighting, and quirky touches that made you feel like you were somewhere special, but also like you could spill a bit of ketchup and not be publicly flogged.

Now, the parking. Ah yes. If the chips were heavenly, the parking was… shall we say… purgatorial. It’s the kind of setup that makes you question your spatial reasoning, your life decisions, and possibly the alignment of the planets. At one point I was convinced I had parallel parked into another dimension. It’s less “parking lot” and more “vehicular jigsaw puzzle.” But hey, life’s all about balance, and what’s a great meal without the thrill of wondering if you’ll need to be airlifted out of your spot?

All in all, The Duchess of Cornwall is an absolute treat. Come for the chips, stay for the ambiance, fall just a little bit in love with Freddie, and maybe consider arriving on foot.

Would I go back? Absolutely. Would I bring a measuring tape to check the parking spaces? Also yes.

10/10 experience, minus 1 point for the parking, but we’ll round it back up because the chips really...

UPDATED JAN 2018

Where are the newspapers national and local for customers and guests staying at the hotel to read???? Is that a cost you can't permit? How much does a few newspapers cost per day??? Treating Hotel Guests and customers with contempt.

Management and service seems good & improvement on what was happening before. Pleasant attitude. Music is much better with less teenage music being played and a nice rearrangement of the seating / tables on ground floor. Nice atmosphere, good lighting. However prices are still too high approx 25%) for drinks and food. I'm going to give this place 2 stars because of the food issues, the main issue being that it's quite average food but you're being charged premium prices. I had a Steak and Tanglefoot pie. It was ok but £13.50 in my opinion is too much for what it was and is one for the reasons I've only actually eaten here three times, each time disappointed

I also object to paying £2.65 for a large coffee (but the coffee is good) - 'at Costa you'd pay that". Don't care what other places are charging. £2.65 for large coffee is excessive. Use your business brain and charge sub £2 for large and good prices for your pastries then you'd possibly grab some business from the Waitrose cafe opposite or the other cafes close by. Message to the manager DO IT!!! Or are you paralysed by H & W senior management who don't allow you to make sensible decisions. Lower the price of large coffee (and pastries) to sub-£2 and see your profits at you coffee station rocket.

Go on be dynamic! Be daring! Have a competitive pricing strategies compared to your competitors.

Its also not good paying £5.60 for a Moritz (Barcelona) lager or £5.40 for a Moretti. Firstly this is near London prices, and secondly they're not great. Yes better than peroni or Amstel obviously. What about decent Czech Beers (on tap)?

May 2018 You're still playing irritating teenage pop music. Why?

And why am I as a customer further antagonised by continually have to enter all my details to log on to your wifi network.

Somebody needs to get a grip and quick...

UPDATED : really good service, pleasant staff, really nice relaxed atmosphere BUT still irritating teenage pop music being played at least too many times when I've visited. Why?? Does the manager think it's appropriate for the clientele? Still shockingly over-priced for food and drinks and after my last experience eating there, I would never consider eating there again, as I assume nothing has improved. however its a good space to relax. However it can get really noisy even when there aren't many people in there. I'd have second thoughts recommending anyone to eat there mainly because of the price/value/quality. If I'm paying that type of price I expect something very good and I'm not sure they can deliver.

Great location although it's a shame they've made the Queen Mother square a parking lot.

I also think they could improve.on the 'art' works on display. Instead of clearly low quality prints of 18th/19th Century what about showcasing some great...

We visited the Duchess of Cornwall Inn for our Boxing Day dinner with high hopes, charmed by the promise of an opulent festive ambience in such a stunning and architecturally impressive building. The exterior is nothing short of magnificent, and the interior exudes an unmistakable Dickensian charm, perfectly suited to the season.

We had reserved our table for 5:00 pm well in advance, only to receive a call on the 23rd requesting we shift to 3:00 pm as the venue was closing earlier than anticipated. Happy to accommodate, we adjusted our plans. Unfortunately, the goodwill extended wasn’t reciprocated in the overall experience.

Upon arrival, there was no sign of the maître d’, leaving us to navigate the five-deep queue at the bar manned by a lone (though efficient and friendly) bartender. Clearly, she was overwhelmed by the volume of guests, a situation compounded by the venue’s palpable understaffing. Attempting to resolve our booking, I spoke to one of the servers who, though polite and hardworking, appeared inexperienced and unsure of how to manage the situation. She informed us our reserved table was occupied but didn’t immediately offer a solution.

After about ten minutes of waiting and observing the confusion, I managed to locate the elusive maître d’, who, while consulting her map, discovered the error. Her audible frustration—“For God’s sake! Seems like nobody is reading the reservation signs!”—did little to inspire confidence. She instructed us to grab a drink at the bar while she resolved the matter, eventually relocating the party seated at our table.

Once seated, our experience continued to suffer from a lack of organisation. We waited 20 minutes for menus and had to retrieve them ourselves from a waiter’s station. In a humorous twist, while returning to our table, I was mistaken for a server and asked if I could take another table’s order—perhaps an unintentional nod to the chaotic state of operations.

Our server, once engaged, was warm and friendly, though clearly unsure of the menu. Drinks took another 20 minutes to arrive, and my wine was served warm. I opted for ice instead of a replacement bottle, unsure how long it might take to resolve.

The food was acceptable—typical pub fare, though at a premium price point. My medium-rare steak arrived well-done, but to the kitchen’s credit, the replacement steak was excellent. Unfortunately, the inconsistencies, delays, and visible absence of effective management overshadowed what could have been an elevated dining experience.

In summary, while the Duchess of Cornwall Inn is a venue of outstanding aesthetic and potential, our visit fell short of the standard we had anticipated. It’s clear the team is hardworking and well-meaning, but a lack of organisation hindered their ability to deliver the polished experience expected. I sincerely hope these issues are addressed, as this venue has all the ingredients to be a true gem. We’d love the opportunity to return in future and experience it...