The Waterside Inn — Restaurant in Great Britain

After waiting several months, my boyfriend and I had a very disappointing lunch at the Waterside Inn. I had high expectations, due to many memorable experiences at other 3-star Michelin establishments, like NYC's Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare, 11 Madison Park, Le Bernardin, Masa, Per Se.

We made an effort to depart London early to avoid issues en route and arrived an hour before our reservation. There was no doorman, and nobody greeted us at the hotel (fair enough if the restaurant was closed, but the hotel?). Inside, we eventually found a female receptionist behind the counter. We said we were here for a lunch to which she replied “you're REALLY early,” and then asked us to wait on the couch in the hotel lounge. It is common to arrive early and perhaps, have a drink before the meal, so we were slightly taken aback by her attitude. Instead, there were no offer for drinks or anything, so we were left sitting there with nothing to do for an hour and regretting that we had arrived so early!

While waiting, we watched in astonishment as the restaurant employees (not several but at least 20 or so) dashed in and out of the hotel and restaurant carrying bowls and trays of food. There were even several employees putting on their jackets/attire in front of us. We overheard loud conversations of kitchen staff chatting to each other, and 4-5 employees running through the lobby past us. I'm aware that everyone has to prepare for service, but doing that in front of the restaurant and in view of guests did not leave a great first impression.

Finally, we were greeted by the restaurant staff. They took us to the table and gave us a fantastic spot in the middle of the room overlooking the Thames.

The food was good, but nowhere near 3-star Michelin standards. Of course, there is everything you might expect at any typical 1-2 star Michelin restaurant (foie gras, duck, lobster, fish, some variation of pear/apple dessert in the UK) but it would be a stretch to say the food was "exceptional" or "worth a special visit". My partner, who dined at 2 star Michelin at Le Manoir in Oxford weeks earlier said that the service and food there had exceeded The Waterside Inn.

I had difficulty finishing the duck and left half of it uneaten (see photo attached). The lobster was stunningly plated, but the accompanying sauce was bitter and outstripped the taste of the lobster. My partner did not finish his starter (an aubergine dish that had been recommended by the waiter due to dietary restrictions). We did not want to cause a scene because the dining room was so small you could hear everyone's conversations, and the service was very busy. But at any other exceptional establishment, somebody would have noticed that a large amount of food was left on the plate, and to inquire if they could offer you something else. My bf said the staff at Le Manoir noticed he didn't enjoy several dishes, and without any complaint on his part, they replaced the dishes with something else for him. But there was nothing of the sort at the waterside inn.

For dessert we ordered the classic apple tarte with cinnamon ice cream (also recommended by the waiter as one of the restaurant's best). It was nice. But anyone who has had apple pie will know it is very common and basic to pair apple with cinnamon. For 66 quid for an apple tart and a 3-star Michelin trademark, was it too much to expect a somewhat creative and imaginative combination of flavors? It was far from a gastronomic masterpiece. We could not eat the entire thing (the tarte was the size of a large dinner plate, which they divided in 4). They gave us the other half in a paper box to take home (without telling us how to prepare it (reheat? eat it cold?) when we got home)

The tables were fully booked, and there were certainly many others there that thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It is indeed a very tranquil, idyllic, "unpretentious" spot, well-suited for a memorable occasion. Unfortunately, we left the place extremely dissatisfied and scratching our heads about how this was possibly a 3-star...

When looking for somewhere special to celebrate our wedding anniversary we decided upon the Waterside Inn, without knowing too much about it apart from noticing it when walking through Bray village one time. We were expecting charming location and decent food but got the former while the latter was very much exceeded. Although we were a little cautious when we first arrived for our lunch as the entrance to the hotel felt a little old and stuffy with large leather chairs and oil paintings of chefs with large gold awards. The staff were also very formal so we were expecting a bit of a serious affair. We were pleasantly surprised with the interior of the restaurant as it was modern and well lit with a large glass front facing the river side. The decor was formal with hints of tradition, but not in the least stuffy and old. We were also surprised at the number of staff attending the tables as it felt like there was literally a server or waiter for every table. All of this meant there was never a moment we weren’t being attended to whenever the need arose to refill our drinks or provide anything that was needed. The food itself amazing and by the end of the meal I was fully appreciating the oil painting of the chefs and their awards in the entrance. The entrees were a delicious combination of zesty fresh seafood and moreish savoury bites filled with a pate style filling that offered enjoyable contrasting tastes. For starters we tried the scallops and the poached eggs in a light pastry. The scallops were expertly cooked in a foam sauce that enhanced the flavour of the shell fish without overpowering it. The poached eggs were sat in a fluffy pastry seating which was the perfect bed to mop up the runny eggs. Topped with truffle and accompanied with asparagus it was the perfect way to get the taste buds ready for the main event. And what an event it was. We should have been a little cautious when the menu mentioned the Challandais duck was a sharing meal for two. We weren’t expecting the whole duck however and when it arrived on a serving trolley we were a little bit worried about how we were going to manage. The waiters proceeded to expertly cut the duck before handing it to us and informing us the duck legs would now go back into the kitchen to be prepared in a different style. While we waited for the return of the rest of the duck, we got started on the breast. Without exaggerating, the Challandais duck breast was the best duck I’ve ever had. Having tried Peking duck in fine dining restaurants in Asia, we were not expecting to find the meat as juicy and flavourful or the skin as light and crispy as it was. Every bite was dripping in succulently oily juices and the meat was pink and delicate and almost like a fine rare steak. When the duck leg returned we found it had been prepared in a traditional confit style which was a little drier and chewier, but still tasty and falling off the bone. Although the breast was hands down our favourite part of the duck it was a great idea to prepare the legs in a different way so that the meal doesn’t become too monotonous and expected as there is a lot of meat to get through. The desert after such an epic meal had to be shared and it was a light strawberry pudding topped with a refreshing sorbet. But in case we were missing the other dessert it arrived curtesy of the management in the form of a little cake to celebrate our anniversary. And as if we needed more a mini cake tray appeared with a selection of mini cakes that simply had to be tried as we finally rounded up the meal. All in al, we made an amazing lunch and although the prices are on high side, you can honestly say it’s value for money considering the restaurant decor, location, service and of course the expertly prepared food. Hopefully we won’t wait for our anniversary again...

We stayed and ate at The Waterside Inn over the Easter weekend April 2023. It was without a doubt the perfect stay. Treated like a king (or queen!) from the moment you pull up, with your car being parked for you, your luggage taken care of, happy and attentive staff throughout. I had a superior deluxe room which has a sizeable and comfortable bed, two bathrooms (split between a shower room and a bath room) and had evening turn down service when you went for dinner. All my toiletries were tidied up and aligned, my clothes folded and a complimentary Easter egg and chocolates left for me. Superb!

My family stayed in the cottage opposite the restaurant, again beautiful and with a balcony that had a stunning view of the river and all mod cons if you had a longer stay and wanted to self cater.

The food at dinner was exquisite, I cannot fault it. We chose the tasting menu and first tier wine pairing, it was mind blowing how well the wines went with the food. We had a similar experience at Angela Hartnett’s Murano in London and when a sommelier gets it right they really do change the entire taste of the meal, and here they have really got it perfect! You are asked in advance if you have an objection to foie gras, I don’t know that if you do have an objection whether they omit this dish entirely or replace it with something else. Personally I do think they could find an alternative with the kitchen skill available. That aside, I can’t explain how beautiful the food is, it totally meets 3 Michelin star expectations and you’re not left with an empty stomach as with some fine dining experiences.

My favourite thing about the place is that the service wasn’t stuffy or formal. You are never made to feel out of place or not important enough, all the staff smile and make you feel welcome, and the little touches of respect like moving out of your way when you’re walking through confined spaces in the hallways all feels very natural and friendly. In addition, everywhere is immaculate. Every blade of grass, every flower bed, every surface, every inch, is clean, tidy, well presented, and looks like it was done yesterday.

Breakfast can be served in your room as default, but as there was 4 of us a member of staff suggested having breakfast together in one of their heated outdoor gazebos - which was happily obliged, with continental breakfast overlooking the river. Stunning. The croissants and buns were the best we’ve ever had and the egg soufflé wasn’t to my taste but everyone else loved it.

My small criticisms would be that the room was too hot for my personal taste, as the heating had been put on for my arrival. This is personal to me because I like a colder environment as I get hot so easily, but when I come again (which I shall!) I know I can just ask for the room heating to not be on.

Secondly I think the check in and out times are quite stingy, with check in being 4pm and check out at 11am. This is quite late and early respectively and 2pm and 12pm would be more reasonable in my opinion. This didn’t detract in any way from an absolutely 5 star experience.

Well done to Alain Roux and his amazing team, without whom none of this would...