Chignal Road, Chelmsford CM1 4SZ

About This Pub

Ah, Pig & Whistle – it's one of those places that really stands out for a proper grown-up night out in the Essex countryside. From what I've gathered, the food is where it truly shines; people are raving about the fresh, locally sourced meals, like that incredible beef Wellington or the prawn and smoked salmon starters that sound utterly mouthwatering. It's got this warm, intimate vibe with candlelit tables and a romantic feel that's just perfect if you're marking an anniversary or simply fancy a peaceful meal without any distractions. Plus, with nods to awards and a strong reputation, it's clear they're doing something right to keep diners coming back. On the flip side, though, service isn't always spot on – one person mentioned a waiter who seemed a bit off their game, which could take the edge off an otherwise lovely evening. And let's not forget, it's strictly for those over 10, so if you're with the family, you might have to look elsewhere. All in all, it's a gem for a sophisticated outing, but go in with the right expectations, and you'll likely have a cracking time.

Pros and Cons

Pros
  • The food is absolutely top-notch, with fresh, locally sourced ingredients that make every bite a real delight – think amazing beef Wellington and scrumptious starters that leave you wanting more.
  • It's got that cosy, intimate, and romantic atmosphere that's perfect for special occasions like anniversaries, making it a lovely spot for a quiet, adult-only evening.
  • They offer a great variety of menus, including fixed-price options, tasting menus, and even Sunday lunches, plus they're nominated for awards, which speaks volumes about their quality.
  • With a solid 4.5 rating from plenty of folks, it's clear this place knows how to deliver a memorable experience, especially if you're after a relaxing meal in the Chelmsford countryside.
Cons
  • Service can sometimes fall a bit flat, like when a waiter seemed a tad jaded and not as welcoming as you'd hope, which might put a damper on the evening.
  • The strict policy of no children under 10 means it's not ideal for families or groups with kids, so it might not suit everyone depending on your plans.
  • As a small and busy spot, online bookings are essential, and that could make it tricky for spontaneous visits or if you're not tech-savvy.

Contact Information

Chignal Road, Chelmsford CM1 4SZ
+441245443186
Restaurant
Closed today

Opening Hours

MondayClosed
TuesdayClosed
Wednesday12:00 - 16:00
Thursday12:00 - 16:00
Friday12:00 - 16:00
Saturday12:00 - 16:00
Sunday (Today)12:00 - 19:00

Location

Recent Reviews

My husband had the beef wellington, and he thought it was the best he has ever had. All the food and drinks were amazing and we will definitely be telling our friends and family about the experience we had. The fact there is no children under 10 allowed made our 1st anniversary meal quiet and relaxing
A
Alexa
Lovely countryside setting with views across the fields, and a quirky, Toad Hall-style interior. We had a table for two indoors. Unfortunately, that’s where the positives ended. When I asked the waiter how he was, his response was “another day of living the dream”, a strange, jaded tone to set for guests arriving to enjoy an evening out. There was no welcome, no interest in whether we’d been before, no explanation of the menu, and no check for allergies. Service throughout was inattentive. The waiter spent far more time chatting to a nearby table than engaging with any other guests in our area of the restaurant. The food was poor. I ordered the beef wellington (£60), which was meant to be medium rare but arrived blue. My wife’s salmon was also undercooked. We left most of our food, yet no one asked if anything was wrong. The obvious reply to that is why didn’t we say something, genuinely, we thought our plates spoke for themselves, and who wants to send both dishes back to the kitchen. Desserts were mixed. Mine, a strawberry dish, was really enjoyable. My wife’s brownie arrived with plastic film stuck to it. She had to get up and speak to the manager herself, as the waiter had walked past us multiple times without even looking. The manager took the dessert off the bill and offered a replacement, which we appreciated, but we respectfully declined, by then we just wanted to leave. It then took another ten minutes to get the bill. No apology, no thank you, not even a word as we walked out. It’s not somewhere we would return to
RB
Richard Beckensall
A very pleasant first visit to this unique and quirky restaurant for my birthday. We will definitely be back! Wonderful experience.
LW
Louise Wheelwright
A tale of mixed feelings but tasty food. I've been looking forward to trying Pig and Whistle as you can't currently visit there with kids. So on the rare instance my partner and I got an adult night only, our first choice was to attend P&W; we were actually celebrating our anniversary. Upon arrival we were greeted by the front door and checked in nicely. The restaurant is quaint and cosy, the tables are not too closely stacked together but close enough. Our two person table was on the small side and we found an unnecessary amount of clutter in the form of taxi numbers and promotion items. No one offered to take our coat, and we didn't realise until later in the evening that there is actually coat hooks for every table by the front desk but we were totally unaware. It would be nice to make patrons aware of this so they can hang their coat in what is a fairly tight restaurant. Service was swift in asking for drinks and we were given time to select from the menu. As it was our anniversary, I wanted to order a bottle of champagne and was slightly disappointed that they only offered house. Nevertheless, we picked a bottle of house champagne and waited for it to arrive. Usually when you order a bottle of champagne it would crop up in conversation if you were celebrating, we weren't asked. Not an issue. We weren't looking for anything, but unusual maybe. I found the menu a little perplexing. The starters seem to be more Asian with the mains more traditional, but that said, the tikka masala scallops I had were excellent and the sauce was divine. My partner had the bao buns, which I didn't mind, but I found the pork a little dry. Tasty also though. For the mains ordered a fillet steak medium rare, with my wife ordering the pork belly. I had specifically asked for my steak to be medium rare but a little disappointing it was very undercooked and the onion ring was soggy. Here's where I was a little bit disappointed with my night at the restaurant. I have never been to a restaurant where a waiter or waitress has not checked in once we started the main course. At no point was I ever approached to see if my meal was going fine, if they had I would have acknowledged that my steak was undercooked. I don't mind rare steak, and for a fillet it's not a bad way to cook it, in the middle it was near blue though, and I couldn't get anyone's attention. I did particularly eat my meal slowly in the hope that I would be approached but never was. So in the end, I just finished it. My wife's pork belly was excellent and tasted really good. For dessert, we both had apple tarte tattin which we both enjoyed. Again, it took a while for the service to be cleared, we had another drink or too and was left alone. I practically had to beg someone in order to give me my bill. No one attended us after the bill was given so we left cash and left. Barely seeing a soul of staff. Someone stuck their head out of door and just shouted good night as we were half way down the carpark. Overall, the experience was nice but disappointing at the same time. And aside from an undercooked steak, which I can forgive, the food was really tasty. But underwhelming from a service point of view, or there lack of it. However, for each member of staff that did visit us at our table, everyone did so with a smile and was pleasant. It was a busy Saturday evening, but I still can't believe that no one checked in to see how our meal was going at any point. We spent £236 on the evening including the champagne and service charge.
PC
Peter Crosbie
Sunday afternoon at the fabulous Pig & Whistle Restaurant. The wind was howling outside but inside the beautifully decorated restaurant we thoroughly enjoyed our champagne and three course lunch. We started with the best prawn, crayfish and smoked salmon starter we had ever had, delicious flavours and so many prawns. Main courses were roast beef and Gt Garnet’s roast pork. These both came with all the trimmings and the roast potatoes were deliciously crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. We both decided to have the Christmas sundae for dessert and this was a luxurious treat of all things festive. A wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon, first class food and service with beautiful festive decor and candles galore. Truly magical, thank you Pig & Whistle Restaurant.
JL
Julie Ledger

Nearby Pubs - Perfect Pub Crawl

Discover the 5 closest pubs to this location for an ideal pub crawl experience.

The Flyer
The Flyer

Dickens Pl, Chelmsford CM1 4UU

82/100 1.6mi
The Walnut Tree
The Walnut Tree

Broad's Green, Chelmsford CM3 1DT

83/100 1.7mi
The Red Beret
The Red Beret

Melbourne Ave, Chelmsford CM1 2DX

87/100 2.2mi
Horse & Groom
Horse & Groom

Roxwell Rd, Writtle, Chelmsford CM1 3RU

86/100 2.3mi
Rose & Crown - Great Waltham
Rose & Crown - Great Waltham

Chelmsford Rd, Great Waltham, Chelmsford CM3 1AG

92/100 2.6mi