Lion & Lamb - Little Canfield — Restaurant in Uttlesford

After reading mixed reviews but mainly favourable ones we thought that we would go for lunch. The menu was varied but highly priced although price doesn’t worry us if you have a nice lunch. Now I appreciate it was a busy Sunday afternoon and the staff seemed very pushed, however once we had ordered we had to wait for a reasonable 20 minutes to be served with our starters. Not to bad the sour dough bread was ok the only criticism would be the garlic butter was overwhelmingly strong and left a rather unpleasant taste. However our biggest problem was the very long wait for our mains of nearly 40 minutes. After having to leave our outside table and go into the bar to complain about the wait we were served our food about 5 minutes later. This unfortunately was not a great experience as we had both ordered burger in a bun medium rare, with fries. To our dismay the burgers were actually roar in the centre and as you could imagine cold. I’m certain I requested medium rare not medium roar!!!. The fries were crisp and hot just right however when being served our food we did ask for tomato ketchup and salt. We were actually served a couple of minutes later tomato ketchup and pepper. As I said earlier we do not worry about price if the food is nice but this was far from nice and at £42 for two starters and two burgers and fries you’d at least expect them to be cooked. We tried on two occasions to catch the waitresses attention to let her know of our complaint but as I said earlier they were run off there feet so we gave up and just left. I’m afraid it’s a big no no from us and we won’t be going back. We may of been just unlucky catching them at there busiest time but that’s just not good enough...

I regret to say that my recent dining experience at this restaurant left much to be desired. Despite the staff's explanation that our food would be delayed due to a special request for well-done lamb (one of our party is pregnant), the hour-long wait was quite unreasonable.

When the food finally arrived, my wife's vegetable lasagne was shockingly inedible, leading us to send it back (first time we’ve sent food back in 5 years…). The staff's explanation offered for the lack of flavor was due to it being vegetarian rather than a meat lasagne - rather baffling.

The replacement fish and chips were passable and arrived promptly, but of course it's hard to go too wrong with such a simple dish. Unfortunately, the cod loin noodle curry was another major disappointment. The fish appeared to have been boiled in a bag from a frozen state, resulting in an unappetizing mushiness and slimy skin. The instant noodles and sauce clearly made from granules rather than anything fresh were even worse. It was on the whole only marginally better than a pot noodle.

Even though the staff were polite generally, their justification for the delay and explanation for the poor food fell short.

Although the restaurant didn't charge us for the lasagne, the fact that they still charged us for the fish and chips instead felt like a slight insult. I'll only give this restaurant two stars, as our evening wasn't completely ruined thanks to the comfort of the setting and the time spent with family and friends. However, the food quality really was dreadful and left much...

If you're looking for a cozy, welcoming pub with delicious food and a warm atmosphere, the Lion & Lamb in Little Canfield is a must-visit. Located just a 12-minute drive from the vicinity of Stansted Airport, it’s the perfect spot for a satisfying meal before or after a flight.

During our visit, we ordered the hamburger and the fish & chips, and both dishes were absolutely delightful. The hamburger was juicy and flavorful, with a perfectly toasted bun and fresh toppings. The fish & chips were a classic done right—crispy, golden batter encasing tender, flaky fish, served with chunky chips that were just the right balance of soft and crispy.

But the real stars of the meal were the desserts. We couldn’t resist trying the bread pudding and the cheesecake, and oh, were we glad we did! The bread pudding was warm, rich, and comforting, with just the right amount of sweetness. The cheesecake was creamy, decadent, and utterly delicious—a perfect ending to our meal.

What truly stood out, though, was the exceptional service. The hostess and waitress were incredibly friendly and attentive, making us feel right at home. Their warmth added to the already inviting ambiance of the pub, which was cozy and charming, with a quintessential British pub vibe.

Whether you're a local or just passing through, the Lion & Lamb is a gem worth visiting. Delicious food, great service, and a relaxed atmosphere—what more could you ask for? Highly...