Osip restaurant — Restaurant in Great Britain

The best bit … food was exceptional. Lovely distinct tastes and superbly balanced. Having scanned the reviews firstly I expected the service to be likewise. It wasn’t. It was disappointing and spoiled the experience for us. We arrived 15 mins early. The staff member showed us into the drawing room and gave us a drinks menu. He said he’d be back in a moment to take our drinks order. We were then left alone for 20 minutes until a different member of staff came in to say that our table was ready. We asked for sparkling water and received still, we asked again for sparkling and only one was changed for still. Our waiter spoke with a heavy accent but whispered. Neither of us could hear him and Ppppppptherefore we couldn’t make out what was being served to us. We asked him very politely to speak louder but he merely bent in closer and continued to whisper! He advised that they didn’t have paper menus so we were reliant upon him explaining the tasting menu to us (the tasting menu being the only food option and with no choices). This meant that although the tastes were wonderful we were not fully aware of what made them up! One of us was driving so we didn’t have the paired wine. We chose a bottle of Alsace Pinot Blanc. The waiter poured a small glass for each of us but as seems to be the ritual these days, took the bottle away presumably intending to keep a close eye on our glasses and then come back with the wine and refill as required. This didn’t happen. Twice I had to call someone across and ask if we could have some more of our wine. Prior to our ‘main course’ the waiter came to the table, advised that the food was lamb and asked if we wanted a glass of red wine to compliment it. We thanked him for his suggestion and ordered a glass each. 5 minutes later the lamb arrived but the wine didn’t! We waited and waited and eventually felt we needed to prompt the staff. We explained that we hadn’t received the red wine and waited. Several minutes later the wine finally appeared with an apology that it had been forgotten. At the end of the meal we were then very surprised to be presented with paper menus which clearly explained our food and the dish ingredients!. These were presented as if they were now useful …. Had we actually been in possession of these from the start we wouldn’t have had to try and decipher the whispering waiter and we could have discussed and talked about the lovely taste experience that we were having. Individually these service issues are easily forgivable but lumped together when having a £300+ meal for two, they really spoiled...

As a passionate food lover, I made a special trip from London to dine at Osip in Bruton for my friend 69y birthday , drawn by its Michelin star and reputation for excellence. Unfortunately, what was supposed to be a memorable fine dining experience turned into a major disappointment — the entire restaurant was swarming with flies.

From the moment we were seated, we noticed multiple flies buzzing around the room. Initially, we assumed it might be a minor issue, but throughout the entire meal, the flies continued to circle our food and drinks, landing on the table, plates, and even the cutlery at times. It was deeply off-putting and unhygienic.

For a Michelin-starred establishment, the very least one expects is a clean and sanitary dining environment. Regardless of whether the restaurant embraces a “farm-to-table” or countryside concept, there is absolutely no excuse for such poor environmental hygiene. The overwhelming number of flies severely compromised both our enjoyment and our sense of food safety.

What made matters worse was the staff’s reaction when we raised our concern — we were met with a vague response along the lines of “It’s hard to avoid in hot weather,” with no apology, no acknowledgment of the severity of the issue, and certainly no corrective action. We felt ignored and frankly disrespected.

This experience was extremely disappointing and raises serious questions about whether Osip still meets the standards expected of a Michelin-starred restaurant. Diners paying for a premium experience deserve a setting that is at the very least clean and comfortable — not one where they have to swat away flies while trying to eat.

I sincerely hope the management at Osip takes this feedback seriously and addresses the hygiene issues immediately. I also urge the Michelin Guide to re-evaluate how such establishments are monitored to ensure that they consistently meet the expectations associated with their stars. Otherwise, the credibility of the Michelin system itself risks...

This was our first real introduction of a proper restaurant experience. With covid restrictions making travelling abroad difficult, we thought we'd splash out on a dining experience instead. I think this will now be a annual event for us! The staff are so attentive and knowledgeable, when we first arrived we were greeted by smiling faces taking our coats and escorting us to our tables.

The ambience in the restaurant was not intimidating, a pleasant space to be in. Small numbers of patreons which gave a pleasant mellow atmosphere where we could talk without shouting. The decor was an uncluttered minimalist affair, perfect not to distract from the events to come.

The food was an eye opener of how food could be turned into something that isn't just a means of sustenance but turned into art that you know someone has put alot of time, thought and effort into. The flavours were simply devine, each dish described by the staff upon arrival. I would try and describe but I am no food critic, all I know is I have never had food like it and I recommend anyone to treat themselves and try it.

We had our meal paired with wine. Again the staff talked us through what we should be tasting for. 9 courses of paired wine was a challenge, we definitely left with rosie cheeks but more than definitely added to our experience.

Please do not be in any doubt, if you are in the area (or even make it a reason to be in the area), you must come here. You will not be disappointed and will remember the experience for years to come. Thank you to all the team at Osip for an eye opening,...