Simply Wild — Restaurant in Forest of Dean

From the moment we arrived for lunch, we were warmly welcomed by the front-of-house team—professional, friendly, and attentive without being intrusive.

Shortly after placing our order, we were served warm focaccia with cultured butter. Just one slice each, but it was the perfect teaser to whet our appetites for what was to come.

We skipped starters and went straight into our mains. I had the gnocchi — heaven on a plate. Each piece was incredibly light, and the dish was a beautifully balanced composition of flavours and textures. It was as much a visual treat as it was a culinary one. Every bite was a delight—an adventure for the tastebuds that I savoured from start to finish.

My husband and our friend both chose the lamb and were in total agreement: it melted in the mouth, rich in flavour and cooked to perfection... divine!

Although we were comfortably full, we couldn’t resist sharing the Peach Melba soufflé. Light as air, with vibrant fruit flavours that danced across the tongue. The accompanying sorbet was flawless—both in texture and taste.

We ended with coffee and petit fours — and once again, the attention to detail was exceptional. Each bite offered a distinct, thoughtful flavour that reflected the same creativity and precision found throughout the meal.

Chef and the entire team at Simply Wild truly delivered on every level. This is a restaurant where passion, creativity, and dedication shine through in every dish - backed by attentive service. You absolutely earned your five stars. We’ll most...

We had an amazing meal. Chose the 5 course tasting menu. Every course was beautifully presented and very flavoursome. Such a variety of tastes and textures. Pumpkin veloute had a real intensity. The scallop was very well cooked and was paired with spices that didn't overpower but delivered on flavour. Venison main was excellent especially the little roll with the offal. A really tasty plate. Both puddings were delicious. I am quite a fan of puddings but I think I would have preferred menu to feature 4 savoury dishes and one dessert. Staff were great. Friendly and professional. It's a small restaurant so tables are close together but that wasn't a problem. I believe there is provision upstairs for larger groups. A lovely evening out with the best meal we've had out for a long time. We will definitely return and recommend to friends. Just what Coleford needs and we wish Michael every success with this venture Returned last night to celebrate our wedding anniversary and can only reiterate my previous comments. We had an excellent meal. All elements were beautifully presented and extremely tasty. Once again staff were efficient and friendly. This time my husband enjoyed the wine flight. Let's hope this restaurant is here...

Utterly sublime! In every respect - the service, high quality locally sourced food, the surprises at every turn and the excellent pairing of the wine flight. I couldn't have been more spoiled on my birthday by my son and daughter-in-law. It's such a great asset to have this wonderful restaurant in the Forest and am thrilled it's proving such a success. Update after recent second visit this year: I returned to Simply Wild with my daughter and SIL who were so impressed that they rated it above another Michelin starred restaurant they'd been to in London. As ever, the tasting menu offered myriad surprises to tantalise and tease our taste buds; the dripping butter was incredible and tasted like a complete roast dinner! The venison course was melt-in-the-mouth, juicy and luscious (a feat considering how dry venison can be), and the caramel ice-cream that accompanied the treacle tart was the best we'd tasted. All the courses were absolutely gorgeous! Service top notch! Another lovely celebration meal...