The Best Restaurants in Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom (2025)

We are down visiting from York for the weekend and researched local restaurants to eat with our young children. Well let me tell you that not one element of our experience at OPUZ was anything short of 5 stars. In fact if you could give more, I would. Booked in advance, was seated straight away and handed our menus. We were not pestered before being ready to order. The food we ordered was absolutely fantastic and the presentation was great too. The dry ice gimmick when ordering cocktails is also a big plus, not something you see everyday and the kids loved it. If we ever come down again we will be sure to visit again. Well done to all the staff at OPUZ, the front of house, the waiters and waitresses, the kitchen staff and the bar staff should all be aware that they are knocking out a top top quality experience. Thank you

Will definitely be returning! Small delay on seating which was rectified by the amazing food and service. The atmosphere was amazing and drinks served with an experience of dry ice. Food was delicious, especially the shared started platter. We even received shots on the house as a thank you! Brilliant place to go with family and friends.

From start to finish every staff member was absolutely fantastic! So friendly, professional and made you feel important and well respected! Like getting the VIP treatment. Now the food….. superb! Already looking forward to coming back!

Beautiful atmosphere, lovely hospitality, beautifully decorated. Ambience so nice. Good vibes. Sophie very friendly and hospitality, gives best advice. Food was so tasty and loved it. Cocktails where amazing all of them. Beautiful time and experience

A gem in the heart of Berkhamsted 😍 the food is excellent, friendly staff, and their lovely garden at the back is warmly welcoming you! Either two courses or three courses meals, it is value for money. Reservations in advance are always good because this place is quickly booked 👍🏼 This evening we had our meals again at the Five Bells and I had a vegetarian meals, ‘mince lamb’ with pita bread. It was delicious..!!

Nine of us dined (a late lunch) in the private dining room on the first floor. The team (gloriously international) were friendly, upbeat, patient and attentive. The food was attractive to look at, beautifully cooked and very tasty. We were not pressurised to leave and enjoyed nearly 4 hours of consummate hospitality.

We came for lunch and a cheeky cocktail each. Service was very welcoming, cocktails delicious and the food well prepared. My steak melted in the mouth and Ingrids linguine was very tasty. Well done Lussmanns!

We had a delectable meal. Three of us opted for the two-course set, which comprised of a main and dessert. My sole was delicate and very enjoyable. My husband liked his steak, although his main criticism was that it was a bit small for him. The chocolate mousse was not overly sweet and the nut brittle added a nice crunch, but it did stick to your teeth a bit. MIL seemed to like her sticky date and ginger pudding, which had a strong ginger note to it. Service was friendly. We had a good experience.

Wonderful meal here while visiting family. Mehmet looked after us so well and we were treated like royalty! I wish I didn’t live so far away, but I will absolutely be returning here on my next visit. I look forward to it! The sea bass was divine and extra crispy skin (my favourite!) and the bread and butter pudding to finish was one of the best I’ve tried. Loved my lychee mocktail too! Thank you so much!

Lovely set menu for lunch. Good value and food served hot. Choice of food menu good. Didn’t select any alcohol beverage. Will return sometime for afternoon tea. Art deco atmosphere lovely. Toilets very clean.

From the moment we walked in, we were captivated by the venue’s breathtaking charm. The building itself is a stunning piece of history, with intricate details that tell a story in every corner. We were warmly greeted by the attentive staff, who promptly guided us to our table. The service was impeccable from start to finish. The starters set the tone for an incredible dining experience—fresh, perfectly cooked, and bursting with flavor. By the time the mains arrived, we were so eager to dive in that we forgot to take a picture—but trust us, they were just as exceptional. The desserts? Simply out of this world. The ambiance is both authentic and elegant, making it an ideal setting for weddings, birthday celebrations, and special occasions. Plus, there’s plenty of nearby parking and easy access via train. A truly unforgettable experience—we can’t wait to return!

This place is a true gold find! On a flying visit and walked past and had to try it as it looked like an art deco dream from the high street! So glad I did! We had the before cinema 3 course deal and it was superb! Had the most amazing crisper to perfection sea bass and complementary pink fizz. All in superb style in a booth next to the white gloss grand piano! 5 star all round and Kimberly was very attentive and staff all excellent! Highly recommend ;) x

Great pub, friendly service, lovely food.. 1400 pub, very well looked after, good size car park and excellent beer garden. The service is fast and very friendly The food is very good and priced online with the current market. Would highly recommend and will definitely go back.

Excellent service, all the staff were very cheerful and made us really welcome. Keep up the great spirit 5 star service.

We literally drove by and thought it looked nice from the outside. So glad we did! Really spacious and well-kept outdoor area, fantastic staff, and delicious food!

A really nice Easter Monday lunch. We had a chicken burger and an Easter special roast lemon and thyme chicken served with mash and gravy. Couldn’t find any fault. We even decided to grab an Easter brownie dessert and were gifted one in return for our feedback. All through out our meal we were attentively served by Johnathan who had a great sense of humour and made an ordinary meal something special. Thanks again we will definitely be back! X

Great atmosphere, especially on sunny days next to the canal. We were served throughout our meal by Ana and Alyssa, who were both very helpful and friendly and found out and answered all of our questions. We had the trio of roasts, which was delicious and plentiful and all cooked very well. My son had the dirty burger and was more than happy as well as continuing to help finish our roast. We had a brownie and chocolate bomb for dessert which were both simple but extremely good.

Our waitress shanica was fantastic, lovely, attentive and polite. The food was mostly perfect. The lamb was outstanding.

Wonderful way to spend our 3rd Year Anniversary. The food was delicious & the cocktails were perfect. Ana was attentive & funny! Will come again.

Visited for lunch today with my son. We were seated and served by an older lady (grandparent age) but I'm afraid I don't know what her name was. She was absolutely lovely from start to finish and she was working so hard with serving, check backs and clearing the whole time we were there. She is an asset to your pub! On top of the great service, the food was lovely as was the setting.

Booked Sunday afternoon, would recommend booking as very busy. Received warm welcome, all the staff looked very smart, were very efficient and friendly, only positive things about them all Large pub / restaurant with many different dinning areas so was not noisy where we were seated. Nicely decorated with a range of framed pictures, which looked smart and interesting to read. Done full menu and carvery, all food was very nicely presented, and tasted good. I had the turkey carvery which was timed with meals from kitchen as waitress let me know which time to go up, which was excellent service. Price are very reasonable compared with the service on offer. There is a car park which was full on our visit but has street parking. I would recommend a visit.

Amazing afternoon spent celebrating my Mum's Birthday, they accommodated all 14 of us with a lovely long table. There is something for everyone here, the carvery was amazing and those of us who ate from the main menu were all very pleased too. Our waiter was good fun (I wish I'd taken his name). We spent around 4 hours there and weren't rushed at all. This is one of my favourite places, so being able to bring all the family and they love it as much as me was very special. Thank you Team xx

Huge thank you to Victor for making our birthday lunch so special today!! We had a range of ages at the table from age 3 to age 93, and Victor was so sweet and lovely in all the right ways to every single guest. He made our birthday girl feel very special, and for that we’re incredibly grateful! Food was fantastic and would highly recommend the Halloumi salad. Lots of parking available and good veggie options. Thank you again!

We came for a wedding and it was superb. The service from Andrea and her team was amazing and nothing was too much trouble. They were accommodating and had set them room up brilliantly. The team were nice and smiley and all of them were great at service. The food was delicious. It was filling with great portion sizes and everything came out hot and fresh. I would throughly recommend for a big function or for a meal with family or friends. Thank you so much for creating such a wonderful day for my brother and sister in law.

Come here this evening for a mini Hen night, the manager Cameron and waiter Charlie went above and beyond. The service was amazing and the food was just pure perfection. We was very well looked after and will 100% be coming back!! Thank you so much for a fantastic evening!

Hosted a fabulous private dining event, looking after us was a fantastic team. Lewis, Becky, Jack and Freya. The evening worked like clockwork with our timings, hats off to the chef for getting all the food out and what delicious food it was. Only small negative is if doing speeches the noise from the bar does have an impact so do bring a little PA system.

Very clean and welcoming place. Pub staff even helped me with a swing bridge to get my boat across. Food is delicious so as real ales. Don't walk by!!!

We were in a group of 12 and recommended to the three horseshoes by someone local, it didnt disappoint. Right on the side of the canal, nice character building from 1500s with lots of seating outside. The food was really good and nice atmosphere all round.

Nice friendly atmosphere and warm welcome from the landlady, Tina and all the bar staff. Service is very good. Great selection of drinks and the place is spotlessly clean! Will definitely come back again. Thanks

Great atmosphere and helpful staff plenty of parking and the entertainment there is awesome.👌

Pleasant very friendly . Always make you welcome . Great place for football and music. Excellent bbq .

Always a warm welcome and a good pint! Friendly ambience, perfect local!