Top-quality fare and a crowd-pleasing range of on-site brewed cask ales only partly explain why diners’ first visits to The Bull on Bell Street are rarely their last. In fact, many returning visitors have their favourite table and stop by regularly to see what’s new on the varied menu. The smart and airy, rustic yet modern restaurant and bar are flooded with natural light, and are adjacent to The Bull’s on-site microbrewery where, if you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the Brakspear brewers doing what they do best.
Menus at The Bull have been crafted with utmost care and attention, taking into account seasonality and provenance to ensure that the best produce is being used all year round. You might start with tempura fried broccoli with kimchi, miso and sesame dressing and coriander or pan-fried scallops served with pea velouté, pancetta crisp and nasturtium oil. For the main event, opt for the Old Spot pork rib-eye accompanied by caramelised apples, honey-glazed root vegetables and cep mushroom jus or Brakspear beer- and chorizo-steamed mussels served with artisan bread. Alternatively, opt for one of The Bull’s freshly baked sourdough pizzas. The kitchen team has gone to great lengths to refine the recipe and improve the techniques used. The wood-fired oven enhances the flavour of each creation, and carefully sourced ingredients ensure a top-quality finish. The Milano, topped with fennel salami, prosciutto and oregano is a meat-lover’s dream, while the giardiniera, laden with olives, red onions, artichokes, mozzarella, and semi-dried cherry tomatoes is a veggie crowd-pleaser.
Lighter appetites are catered for with fresh, seasonally inspired salads, and the sweet-toothed are invariably delighted by the range of desserts, all of which are set to throw diners’ decision-making skills into a whir. Think double chocolate torte with passion fruit crème fraîche and honeycomb and sticky toffee pudding with milk ice cream.
The Bull plays host to a stellar calendar of events and occasions throughout the week, such as two-for-one cocktail evenings, gourmet burger nights, and Saturday and Sunday bottomless brunches. If you have your own occasion to host, get in touch with the team to discuss exclusive hire of the restaurant’s stylish private dining room.