The Gallery Restaurant At The Swan At Lavenham

United Kingdom, CO10 9PX, Lavenham

🛍 Bars, English, European, Brasseries

4.3 💬 3664 Reviews
The Gallery Restaurant At The Swan At Lavenham

Phone: +441787247477

Address: United Kingdom, CO10 9PX, Lavenham

City: Lavenham

Menu Dishes: 35

Reviews: 3664

Website: http://theswanatlavenham.co.uk/dining/gallery-restaurant/

"We had to cancel our major holiday so decided to stay in a couple of lovely hotels in the UK and booked this hotel but have been so disappointed, especially the food on offer. One our first night, we went in full of anticipation and very hungry after a six hour drive from the Wirral. The whole meal was the worst one we have ever eaten. The restaurant wasn’t particularly busy but we had to wait a long while for the food to arrive. My asparagus and wild garlic soup was ghastly. It was vibrant green but was overpowered by the garlic and was watery , with no substance, so I sent it right back. I had requested the skate wing in advance as I overheard someone saying there was only one portion left. I wish I hadn’t bothered. It came with a huge pile on cold seaweed , :3 barely cooked halves of potatoes, no leeks and the few buttered shrimps were not buttered. This fish was grey and overcooked and after 2 mouthfuls, I sent it back. My husband’s ‘ torched’ mackerel was cold, overcooked and tasteless and the accompanying vegetables had no dressing at all. He ordered the pork which was a 4 cm round and had to saw through it as it was so tough. Also there were only a few drops of ‘jus’. The restaurant manager was very apologetic and said she would report it back. I went to bed hungry and unhappy. , which was a shame on our anniversary. The breakfast was ok but the sausages were well overcooked and tough and we specified soft fried eggs but they were solid. The adorable Kas apologised and promised soft ones next time. We played safe last night and ordered Theo chicken pies in advance but when they came , one was beef and the poor Manager couldn’t believe it but we ate them as they take 30 minutes to cook. They were very tasty but the gravy was a beef one.!! Surely it’s easy to prepare some chicken gravy. The desserts were nice. We spoke to several other guests who all said they were disappointed in the food. I did speak to James, who’ll is the Manager who told me he had read the report from the dining room. On leaving I was told there was a £5 supplement and £31 for the wine. I would definitely not eat there again. The nicest thing about the restaurant was Kas’s lovely smile and excellent service."

Full menu - 35 options

All prices are estimates on menu.

Main Course

Herbal Tisane

Dessert

Oolong And Black Teas

After

Grills-On Real Char Coal Fire!

Salads And Spreads

Entrées

Sides To Share

Custom Coffee Cup

From The Larder (Lunch)

Rindfleisch Burger

Tao Zumos

Salads

Our Selected Green Teas

Our Signature Teas

Mains

Soups

Egg Dishes

Sweets

Homestyle

Course 1

Cafetières

Infusions

Small Plates & Snacks

Sweet Morning And Breakfast

Seafood On Ice

Leaf Tea Selection

Main Courses

Ice Creams

eadesueandnick eadesueandnick

An excellent two night stay the Swan. Couldn't fault anything. Stunning building, very comfortable room and bathroom. Charming and helpful staff. Splendid food in the restaurant.

Address

Show Map

Reviews

stevewU4036DQ
stevewU4036DQ

We had an excellent meal with really good service in a great atmosphere. The food and service was amazing and delivered quickly despite two short power cuts. Well done to everyone!


Stephen
Stephen

As ever the food at the Swan was excellent. Breakfast had so many options both hot and cold. We always look forward to dining in what is one of the most fabulous and historic of buildings in the country. This visit was no exception and we look forward to returning.


carryl223
carryl223

The Swan is half way between where my friend and I live and we decided to meet up, use the spa and have afternoon tea. My friend had car trouble and was a little late, I was allowed to sit in the lounge with a pot of tea reading my book, listening to the world go by. When my friend arrived we went to the spa and had a lovely relaxing time. My favourite was the steam room. We followed the spa with afternoon tea which was yummy and catered for our allergies. Would definitely visit again on a weekday as parking was easier. View menu


M8048TOallisonh
M8048TOallisonh

Ordered 2 sandwiches and drinks from bar late afternoon. Napkins and cutlery delivered to table. 45 minutes later asked the barman to chase up our sandwiches. He came out of the kitchen and totally blanked my husband. Spoke with a senior floor walker who new nothing of the issue but did refund our sandwich money. So we left an hour after arriving. Not even sure there was anyone in the kitchen as lounge area was quiet. Plenty of staff milling around pity someone couldn’t make 2 sandwiches. Fantastic old hotel pity about the service.


E7317BZkarenc
E7317BZkarenc

We booked the 487 afternoon tea with a little apprehension. We should not have worried as everything from our arrival until our departure was an absolute pleasure. Everyone was so friendly, courteous and professional. Our table was perfect for us a little secluded spot in the corner for two). The food was delicious and very well presented and served. My husband even asked our table service if they could find out from the chef how they made the beautiful delicate apples on top of the dainty pie they were very happy to tell us. We highly recommend this beautiful place and will certianly be back soon.


chrisi895
chrisi895

Went to the Swan to enjoy a 5 course dinner with music provided by Vintage Jazz Trio. As per our request, We were seated at a very nice table, not on a through route for food deliveries and with an excellent view of the performers. I'd recommend sitting to the left of the restaurant, on the elevated area to avoid too much traffic. The restaurant itself was full of character, setting the mood for the evening. the food was as expected, to a very high standard. I specifically enjoyed the lamb and desert courses. Food was delivered by a very nice server with a smile. Don't remember her name but she wore a white swan badge. The music was more American song book than pure Jazz but suited the occas... View menu


chloebaines
chloebaines

Hi, First time visiting The Swan today for lunch at 2pm under reservation Chloe, table for 2. I was highly disappointed. Both the waiter(es 's) was lovely, but the chips were rock hard my friends chip went flying across the room when trying to pick one up with his fork! I asked for mayonnaise and was told there was none, my friend asked for fresh mint tea, was told that 's fine then got served mint tea bags. No straw offered with beverages. The menu lacked options. My friend asked at reception if there were any rooms he could take a look at. Receptionist response was 'No we are fully booked '. My friend said 'Any brochure I can take a look at '. She replied 'you can view them online '. She w...


nigsad
nigsad

Just a quick note to say thank you very much for making our stay and dinner on Saturday night so enjoyable. We were celebrating our wedding anniversary. Special mention to Georgia in the restaurant, for helping me to locate Peter Durrant (See below) playing the piano up in the gallery and Sommelier Mark for looking after us most of the time over dinner. The whole restaurant team were great that evening, very polite and efficient. Same excellent service again from the Sunday morning guys who took care of our breakfast needs. We chose the ham hock terrine to start. It was excellent, solid pieces of ham gave texture and good flavour. This was followed by the duck breast and bonbons. Vegetable s...


Bernadette
Bernadette

We had to cancel our major holiday so decided to stay in a couple of lovely hotels in the UK and booked this hotel but have been so disappointed, especially the food on offer. One our first night, we went in full of anticipation and very hungry after a six hour drive from the Wirral. The whole meal was the worst one we have ever eaten. The restaurant wasn’t particularly busy but we had to wait a long while for the food to arrive. My asparagus and wild garlic soup was ghastly. It was vibrant green but was overpowered by the garlic and was watery , with no substance, so I sent it right back. I had requested the skate wing in advance as I overheard someone saying there was only one portion left... View menu

Categories

  • Bars Discover our selection of expertly crafted cocktails, refreshing beers, and our curated list of fine wines. Perfect for unwinding with friends or pairing with your favorite dishes from our menu. Cheers!
  • English A diverse selection of classic and contemporary dishes crafted to satisfy every craving. Enjoy mouthwatering mains, savory sides, and delectable desserts prepared with fresh, high-quality ingredients. View menu
  • European Delight in a culinary journey across Europe with our exquisitely crafted menu, featuring authentic dishes from France, Italy, Spain, and beyond, using the freshest ingredients to bring traditional flavors to life.
  • Brasseries Brasseries offer a delightful blend of French classics and contemporary dishes in a relaxed setting. Enjoy hearty meals like coq au vin or steak frites, paired with a fine selection of wines and beers.

Amenities

  • Amex
  • High Tea
  • menu
  • Fireplace
  • menu
  • Visa Card

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"I hope we were just unlucky, and I feel sad writing this, but it wasn't the best experience this weekend. We stayed overnight and had the tasting menu. The Creppy family are departed a while now, and the staff such as Henri that stayed on are long gone, they set unbelievably high standards which were always going to be hard to meet. We loved the room we stayed in, but the rest of the experience was a bit awkward. I feel sorry for them as it was super hot and it must be difficult to get staff at the moment, but when you have paid £500 for one night and food inc wine then things can be a bit disappointing. From the start we could tell that they were under the cosh, the manager was sick, and we were told repeatedly how busy they were tonight. We asked to eat 30 mins later than booked which they said would help. We ordered a half bottle of champagne but had to wait about 15 minutes as the fridge was broken at it would not be cold. It arrived and wasn't cold enough really, then after 10 minutes in the ice bucket it was. Simultaneously other guests were told the coffee machine was also broken. A bit of a shame as we were celebrating a birthday and it sort of spoiled the moment waiting for a drink. Then ordered a 2014 Pomerol which to be honest I found really rather average, but that is the luck of the draw. The food was quite good, but only one course impressed us, the trout was good. The staff seem very downbeat to the point of it being awkward, one told us and another table to make as much mess as we like as it was her last shift. Others seemed very awkward and lacking confidence/a smile. Again, hard to get quality staff at the moment, but there seemed to be a lack of pride/confidence in what is being delivered. I also asked for cheese to finish off, in the past they had a glorious cheese cart with a huge selection of great cheeses. I accept maybe it was too hot for this, but I was simply given a plate of three cheeses, no one asked me if I would like to choose anything or for example do I like blue cheese. Then when it was delivered my wife tried one of them, liked it so asked what it was, and they didn't know what the cheese was which is probably not what they aspire to. makes me sad as the cheese at the Great House is stuff of legend. More minor stuff: Breakfast wise the coffee in the percolator was way too strong even for someone who likes strong coffee, a tiny shot of milk was not enough so we asked for more, would have been nice to be offered hot milk to make Cafe Au Lait etc. Also another minor point, the soap and shower gels were quite horrible, they stick to you and don't wash off, not something I'm usually bothered about, but the half empty containers looked like they had be refilled with something not very nice, or it was just never very good. When we checked out I think the manager may have been back, he did not ask us once how our stay had been so we had no real chance to say anything. We tried to be understanding and of course being British nothing was really a problem for us, but when you've spent £500 for a birthday it was all a bit disappointing and not nearly up to par. I sympathise that it might have been a difficult night, but to be honest it would have come off better if I hadn't been reminded every few minutes that they were so busy and everything going wrong. I'm not even sure that they were that busy, the terrace was out of bounds and the restaurant was 3/4 full. Matters were drawn in to focus the next day when we went to the Weavers Spa, and also for lunch at the Crown in Stoke by Nayland, staff were cheerful, helpful and great at both of these local places. Sorry for writing this negative review which I feel sad to have written about a place we used to love. Rooms: 4 Service: 2 Location: 4"