The Boot, A Heartwood Inn — Restaurant in South Cambridgeshire

Busy Friday night in the Boot - usually a good sign when dining. Our table for 4 was booked for 7.45pm, yet after ordering drinks and prior to the waiter taking our food choices, we were then told that due to be exceptionally busy, they had run out of the pie. Not a biggie, we ordered burgers and the chicken supreme instead with some baguette and dips to start. Drinks take about 30 minutes to arrive and then the waiter advises that due to being busy, they’ve run out of baguette but can replace for sourdough. Again, no biggie, but it’s still just gone 8o’clock and they have already run out of bread and the pie. The bread was nice with the aioli dip and olive tapenade. The burgers were ok, under seasoned with very little herb, nor onion or garlic etc. One of our group was asked what type of cheese they wanted, and offered a ‘smoky’ cheese, which proceeded to be Gorgonzola which isn’t a smoky cheese at all. There seemed to be some confusion from the waiters working out which burger was which, with one asking me to lift up the burger bun of the dish that was placed in front of me, so they could check what cheese it was. Really unprofessional and just, humorous really. The lardon sauce that we ordered was cold, hot water with some tasteless bacon lardons. The chicken supreme was nice according to our party. Our second order of drinks had to be chased up as well. The soufflé was nice, paired with a lovely rich dark chocolate ice cream. Our bill was eye watering with an automatic gratuity placed on top, when the service had been far from satisfactory, for 4 main courses, a bread board and one pudding. My husband and I used to love the Boot but since 2025 the service and food quality has really gone down in our estimations. We had an equally poor meal for our relative’s 40th back in February. As a previous restaurant manager: You should be able to forecast the number of dishes to prepare ahead of service from your number of bookings, which should hopefully avoid running out of dishes mid service. Train or hire more staff- the waiting times were incredibly long for drinks. Our main server tried to upsell us with more starters and when one of us didn’t order a second drink. I shouldn’t have to lift up my dish to the waiters who were discussing whether they had served us the correct meals. Our breads and dips were cleared whilst we were still eating them and there was a waiter polishing cutlery whilst we sat with empty plates for 10-15 minutes after we finished our main course. I really really think we’ve just had a spate of bad luck with this place as it seems busy and most of the reviews here are good. But spending as much money as we did on our meal just doesn’t sit well with us based on the poor service and quality of our meal. I’m sorry but we really won’t be trying the Boot again in a hope...

Always enjoyed going to the boot for their roast dinner but was very disappointed today. When we first arrived we were sat in the conservatory which was very warm due to the sun beaming in. We were then served by a friendly waiter who took our drinks order. After about 15 minutes of waiting another waiter walking past said ' do you know what you want?' Which was quite shocking due to the 'fine dining' description the boot perceives and from the previous experience I have had by welcoming and friendly service. We then ordered our food and our food soon arrived after. Our food was presented nicely however the waiter that had taken our order had forgotten to put down comments to which we asked for so our food then had to be returned, due to not wanting the beef red. We also asked for extra gravy which we then had to wait 5 minutes for and the Jug which we recieved was very small and only was enough for 2 people, we were a group of 4. We then asked for another gravy Jug which we waited a long period of time for and one of the chefs ended up bringing it too our table. This meant by the time we could eat our food it was basically cold and only being heated by the gravy. The food was okay, but wasn't very flavourful or seasoned and for the money the overall experience I won't be returning any time soon. We then ordered puddings and fortunately they were delicious and thoroughly enjoyed across the table. A couple of us ordered coffees to which we then had to try and catch a servers attention as they didn't come with sugar or a teaspoon. However after waiting 5 minutes our coffees were luke warm and we decided to get up and serve ourselves. When it came to paying, it is very rare that I won't pay for service however the 10% service charge came to £20 and after basically serving ourselves we asked for it to be taken off. When asking for a new recipe, the waiter left the table politely however when going to the till to change the cost he was obviously disappointed and spoke to the other waiter about it and we then all recieved a glad from that waiter. I would like to point out we left a £5 tip due to having one lovely service from a young blonde boy who served out food and...

Dear The Boot (Histon)

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to share some feedback from a recent dining experience at The Boot in Histon, which we visited last night for dinner with a friend.

Upon arrival, we experienced a delay in being acknowledged while the staff engaged in conversation at the computer. This wasn't the warmest welcome, and after bringing our presence to their attention, we were seated in a quiet restaurant. While our waitress was polite, the service throughout the evening was noticeably slow.

Regarding our meal, I ordered the St Austell’s Beef and Ale pie with a side of savoy cabbage with bacon. Unfortunately, the pie contained only a few small pieces of meat held together by a greyish sauce, and both the mash and gravy were lukewarm. The cabbage side was also tepid, and the bacon resembled undercooked lardons rather than the appetizing dish I anticipated.

My partner opted for the chalkstream trout, which was overcooked beyond her preference, although she did enjoy it. Our friend had the house burger, which was satisfactory, though the menu-stated cheese wasn’t available.

For dessert, my partner ordered a chocolate tart, which she found delightful, yet the experience was marred by having to repeatedly seek out service for our orders and drinks throughout the evening.

Additionally, we noticed cleanliness was an issue; our table was not only grubby but the varnish was worn, exposing the wood beneath which can harbours germs. Furthermore, I had to return a set of cutlery due to unappealing black squishy residue.

Even fellow diners expressed dissatisfaction with their meals, indicating a broader concern with the standards of food and service currently offered.

It is disheartening to witness the decline in quality and service at The Boot, particularly given its association with esteemed establishments Blanc Brasserie.

Unless significant improvements are made, I am hesitant to return.

Thank you for taking the time to consider this feedback. I hope it will be used constructively to enhance the dining experience for...