The Porch House

We had a lovely visit to The Porch House in Stow-on-the-Wold. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, making it a really comfortable place to relax and enjoy our meal. Richard looked after us brilliantly – friendly, attentive, and with a great sense of humour that made the experience even more enjoyable. We both chose the fish and chips, and it didn’t disappoint. The batter was light and crisp, the fish was perfectly cooked, and it was all full of flavour. I would definitely recommend and look forward to returning.

Had a lovely meal for my wife's birthday at the The Porch House. Staff were lovely and the roast dinner was good. I think that's dinners are really hard for restaurants to get right as you often don't have the same control over timings as you would do if you were cooking at home. I'm happy to say that that the meal was excellent and I polished it off without any complaint. Lovely also for a quick drink which we also did on a different day. Visiting in February meant that they had the multiple fireplaces lit which made the ambiance warm, cost and welcoming.

We had an extremely disappointing experience at The Porch. On a freezing cold day, we arrived looking forward to a warm meal and, more importantly, a warm welcome. Instead, we were met with an unexpectedly cold and dismissive reception from the lady at the front desk. We politely asked, with a smile, whether there was any availability for lunch. The response was a blunt “No. Just check the bar.” There was no explanation, no indication of possible wait times, and no effort to assist or guide us. When we asked whether a table might be available at the bar, we were told to “go find it yourself.” We also asked where we could park our buggy. The response: “Just take it with you.” Again, no assistance, no suggestion, no courtesy. What made the interaction even more disheartening was the unmistakable sense that we were being judged before a single word was spoken. In this day and age, that is both unacceptable and deeply saddening. For an inn that proudly markets itself as a historic establishment rooted in tradition and hospitality, the absence of basic courtesy was striking. Hospitality is not just about food and ambiance ; it begins at the door. Unfortunately, that virtue was entirely missing during our visit. We hope this feedback is taken constructively, as no guest should feel unwelcome

We stayed in Stow for two days and had reservations at the Porch House our first night. This place lived up to the hype. We arrived 15 minutes early but seated immediately. The atmosphere was so cozy with the fireplace and Christmas vibe. Richard was our primary server and he was so personable, engaging and very attentive. Ella also served us and we appreciated the promptness. Food was delicious! We had arancini and bread as starters and they were delicious. For dinner, we all had steaks (Ribeyes and Filets) which were cooked to perfection. Richard also suggested the onion rings which we got for the table and they were very good. All in all, this place is lovely with super delicious food and service. Definitely worth the visit when in Stow!

We had a wonderful stay at The Porch House over the Christmas period, made truly special by the fantastic team. Jo and Richard were exceptional hosts — welcoming, attentive, and clearly passionate about ensuring guests have a great experience. A special mention also goes to Caitlin for her wonderful service, always friendly and professional. The housekeeping team — Emilia, Karolina, and Monika — did an excellent job; the room was spotless and beautifully maintained throughout our stay. They were all incredibly kind and welcoming to our dog, Churro, who was treated like a guest rather than just a pet. The care and attention shown to him really meant a lot to us and added to how special our stay felt. It was clear how hard everyone worked during such a busy festive period, and their efforts did not go unnoticed. Thank you all for making our Christmas stay so enjoyable — we would happily return and highly recommend The Porch House.

We’re staying in the Cotswolds for the first time to celebrate our anniversary and chose The Porch House for our first meal of the trip and…wow! From the moment we arrived, the service was exceptional, the food was incredible, and every member of staff we encountered was genuinely lovely and attentive. Despite being extremely busy, each course was timed perfectly and presented immaculately. It truly set the standard for the rest of our stay. We will 100% be returning if we’re back in the area.

We visited The Porch House for Sunday Lunch. We had a booking for 1pm, arrived 15 minutes early and didn’t end up being seated at our table till 1:20pm as the table was in use by other people. During this time we enjoyed a drink at the bar, however this area did become quite cramped as it wasn’t the biggest and other bookings were arriving. The food was lovely. We had the beef roast with cauliflower cheese and the crab linguine, both very good and the beef was cooked very well. Despite the wait, we had a lovely time and would definitely look to come back. Thank you 😊

We meet friends for lunch here, in this beautiful old building. Wonderful staff, easy atmosphere and good atmosphere. The food was mixed. One had a lovely fish and chips, two duck salads, beautifully presented and nice but just too much hoisin sauce for their taste. I had a shakshuka, expecting nice running yolks as is usual in this tomato dish. What I had was two eggs so over cooked they were like rubber. One egg yolk had also burst so no chance it would be runny. The other was just so hard and rubbery I couldn’t eat it. What a shame.

Drenched travelers, we stopped in Stow-on-the-Wold for lunch at the Port House, originally built in 975 AD and reputed to be England's oldest inn. We had walked in from Moreton-In-March and were pleasantly surprised that they let us in, considering how muddy we were. And this was a somewhat upscale place, with good service to match. Fish-and-chips here means one big battered fish and smashed peas. And of course, a wee Guinness! It was a nice (and dry) lunch, of which folks (staff and fellow travelers) here seemed to take weather's consequences in stride.

Given that the Porch House is the oldest pub in England, we had to stop in during our one night stay in Stowe. We ordered two gin and tonics from their wide offerings of gin and gin mixtures. I can't say that this is my usual go to but it was nice to mix it up (when in Rome...err England, right?). The space gives off the classic English pub vibes you see in the movies with low a low timber beam ceiling, cozy seating and conversations bleeding from one table into the next. They also offer full meals and accommodations on site if you're looking to make a full night of it. Our customer service was on the meh side which is why I'm going with four stars on this one.

Very rude and unhelpful staff. Avoid. The Hive next door has local fresh food and very friendly staff

How could you visit the Cotswolds and not stop in for a pint? Pleasant service with instaworthy ambiance!

We went to the Porch House in Stow on the Wold for Christmas dinner and were so disappointed!! it was almost $400 for our family of 4 (including 2 kids who were only 20 pounds each). It was horribly overpriced for a not very special experience- it was just a regular restaurant experience with very poor service. The waiter didn't know what he was serving us, the starter soups were bland, the canapes almost inedible, poor quality bread, they were rushing us, and the food was sub par. For $400 I would have expected a much, much better Christmas dinner experience. There are so many other Christmas dinner options in the Cotswolds that were open when we were driving around-- try to skip this one!

Read the reviews that this one one of the best places to eat in the Cotswolds and it sure did not disappoint! The service was friendly and just the right amount of attention. The food was out of this world, I had the sample with pork, steak and chicken with vegetables. Honestly one of the best meals I have ever had. Huge portions and I could not stop eating! The only downfall was I ate so much of my dinner that I did not have room for dessert!!

Perfect location and food. Old style English pub. Highly recommend for a bit of history and good food.

Come just to look at the interior..some parts of the building date to 947! There is a fabulous inglenook fireplace, and loads of beams and flagstone floors everywhere. A true gent of an English historical pub. We ordered a bottle of red wine and two starters of chicken liver pate. Both were pleasant, although in my opinion there was not enough bread for the size of the pate.

We stopped here for lunch and enjoyed a tasty meal surprised that we were able to get a table in the bar area. The charm of being sat in the historic part of the pub was a big part of the appeal of coming to this particular restaurant. We ordered curry, fish and chips, a vegetarian dish, and pan fried cod. Food was excellently prepared and each bite was flavourful... kudos to the chef! The staff were friendly and the place was busy. Only 4 stars as you cannot pay with cash. I'm picky about and believe that customers should have options. (We also did not make/have a booking as you have to leave a cc on file and if you didn't make your booking, there was a penalty.) Otherwise, good food and charming. Happy travels! Cheers!

The service was really accommodating and the food is delicious! Would come back again!

Wonderful place! We spent 4 nights here and loved every minute. Our room was lovely with comfortable bed & pillows. The staff was lovely & so friendly. The food was excellent! Loved the lounge that we spent many a nights in, just wish it was open past 9pm! We took day trips all over the Cotswold but this is bu far the cutest town!

Quite good food and service. Great atmosphere as well. Husband's fish and chips were large and crisp, and the chips fat and crunchy. I had the chicken Kiev which was really nice and a good portion for lunch, but I didn't think the tomato purée worked with it. A potato or pea purée would have been really nice I think. If you order this see if they will substitute!

Walked in for lunch and had our options of where to sit - upstairs, in the bar, or in the back room. We went with the back room. The ambiance and decoration is very nice. The server was also very nice and friendly. I had the eggs Florentine and it was very good and my dining partner had the fish and chips which were very good (not the best I've had, but 2nd best!) Its a cute place with lots of charm, and on a warm sunny day the outside seating would be on point!

Stayed here for 2 nights in the suite - highly recommend!! Everything was incredible, especially the staff. If you head to stow definitely stay here!

Unfortunately we were seduced by an intriguing menu and the claim of oldest inn in England. We so wanted the experience to be elegant with professional pride but instead it was touristy disinterest. No one in the kitchen is tasting what is sent to the table. We ordered simple fare , vegetable soup with pearl barley, the porch House salad and the beef cheek sandwich. Soup pretty much flavorless. The bread that came with it stale enough to be day old and a pat of boobytrapped herb butter heavily blended with raw garlic without warning. We love garlic in all its forms but this was almost like eating raw cloves And then the beef cheeks sandwich came with a toasted version of the same stale bread, decent pickles horseradish sauce, also okay but the main deal the Beef was not just shredded as expected but deep fried in cubes basically losing most of its flavor and tenderness. Again, an indifference. All topped off by an indifferent waitress, who never checked on whether we were okay or liked the food. She seemed preoccupied most of the time, we were ignored. Mediocre service can be balanced against good food but The Porch House struck out completely. The only thing older than the, if accurate, claims of serving since 947AD, was the bread which probably dates from that era. Be forewarned.

A nice place to grab a drink. They have a cute garden out back and a friendly bartender. We didn't eat on our visit, so I can't speak to the food. Lovely decor and a great homey vibe.

Great staff, very cosy and possibly the best roast beef I've ever had. Staying here for 2 days and very looking forward to it!!

The best meal of the entire holiday. This charming inn and restaurant over a thousand years old!! Terrific service and nice selection of wines and beer.