Eating and Drinking at The Lodge Rooms and in The Dome Garden
During the main season there are lots of options for food in and around the Dome Garden and The Lodge Rooms. Out of season there are still options!
For Lodge Room dwellers we provide a complementary light breakfast – pots of tea and freshly ground coffee as well toast and jams, cereals and juice and even the occasional boiled egg. (Bear in mind there are no cooking facilities in the Rooms which operate only as a few and breakfast apart from in The Refuge where theres a self-contained kitchenette
If you are in the Garden itself then beside each of the Domes here’s a fully equipped forest kitchen shelter with everything you need to create your own top notch nosh! Including all the ‘plates and pans, and pots and crocks” you can shake a brush at.
They also house our amazing rocket stoves. Designed to simplify the process of cooking for families in developing countries they are an object lesson in minimalism and simplicity. They are also fun to use.
If you are in the treehouse it’s different again with a fully equipped modern kitchen with everything we could cram into it!!
But if you have come here for a break from the chores then head out into the forest where there are tons of interesting options.
The Forest of Dean consists of a complex network of tiny, centuries old, mining communities and the local pubs are full of the friendliest local people you’ll find anywhere in the country. Be warned! You are generally expected to participate, so prepare yourself for plenty of chatting!
There are exceptions but generally pubs are not known for the subtly of their lighting, their architecture, or their décor which can be a little sparse. So don’t go expecting a Cotswold gastro pub to crop up around every corner – expect something better, sorting cheaper and, most importantly, something far more authentic!
That said, within two or three miles there are a handful of brilliant establishments with great atmosphere, amazing local ciders, or fantastic food.
1. Top of the list is The Whitebrook. (01600 860254) A Michelin starred miracle on our doorstep. Some of the finest food we’ve ever eaten in any restaurant, anywhere. And only just above Forest prices too. They need booking well in advance but occasionally someone gets a cancellation at the last minute, so there is always hope.
2. The Saracens Head at Symonds Yat has a fabulous site alongside the River Wye and serves excellent food. (01600 890435). This is the most recognisable in the gastro pub format and to be honest is where we mostly go if we want an evening out. (It also happens to be right underneath the house they use to film Netflix’s amazing hit series “Sex Education” – if you were a fan)
3. Three miles in the other direction is Clearwell, and the exceptional Tudor Farmhouse (01594 833046) which wins our vote for the Best Accessible Food In The Forest. It has an excellent and limited menu, brilliantly produced in a most efficient and hospitable atmosphere. Proper food! It also does a dedicated kids menu with real meals designed for children, but you do have to give them notice – especially if you want to eat early.
4. Newly discovered last year is The Stone Mill just outside Monmouth which is just brilliant. Fabulous food, beautifully cooked with delicate flavours and lovely service all set in a characterful mill conversion.
5. Further downstream is The Boat Inn (01600 712615) near Redbrook. Thankfully just re-opened after a difficult couple of years (floods as well as pestilence!) A really scenic 3 mile cycle ride downhill from the Dome Garden to the edge of the river. The Boat is accessed by foot across a disused railway bridge and serves up really sensibly priced grub which this year involves streetfood ideas from around the world. Normally there’s music on two nights a weeks (Tuesday Folkey and Thursday Rockie) but the highlight is a list of local ciders as long as your arm. It’s full of character and charm, and we love it.
6. If you want a stroll to build up an appetite then a very beautiful 4 mile stroll brings you to Moseley Green and The Rising Sun. (01594 562008) It’s a small pub with friendly staff, terrible décor, awful lighting, cheap food and a simply lovely pond. The only downside is that, strangely, it’s also 4 miles back!
7. In the centre of Coleford. For an easy peasy very respectable meal. Amici (01594 837877) does a range of vey good Italian food – and they deliver.
8. If you’re out early then bargain of the century is Kaplans café.(01594 832242) Great big ‘greasy spoon’ style breakfasts and lunches. Buckets of food for reasonable prices. If you’re trying to fill up a bunch of hungry teens you won’t do better!
9. Finally, The Ostrich, Newland. What a nice pub!. Great atmosphere. lovely position, perfect for a nice drink opposite the Forest’s finest church – “The Cathedral Of The Forest” . Perfect when you are out for a stroll and want a beer and a packet of crips. The food isnt that special but it makes for a nice trip out.
10. A new offering in the heart of Coleford is Simply Wild. (01594 715815) We haven’t tried it yet but it got off to a racing start with rave reviews for its proper foodie food. Might have to book that one up in advance…
11. Maa Cuisine. Sometimes you find the most amazing thing sin the most unexpected places. This little hole in the wall Indian takeaway just down the road from us is run try the nicest, humblest, most stunningly capable Indian chef I think I have ever come across. We have been working our way through every one of the dishes and have yet to find one that isn’t up there with the best Indian food we’ve ever eaten. It’s just a joy!
12. Ooh we nearly forgot to mention the Craft Beers and friendly staff at the Dog House in the centre of Coleford or the ridiculous burgers served in a plastic box with no cutlery but with more than you can jam into your face – even if you’re starving hungry!’
Oh hang on 13. The Miners (01594 836632) at Sling serves a good range of pub food which we have generally good reports about but it also plays music of one sort or another many nights of the week including Thursdays which is the open mike night. So if you fancy a bit of a croon, that might just be your spot.
Curiously, there is also (Ok, 14) the The Miners Arms (01594 562483) just up the road at Whitecroft. They too have a stack of music playing throughout the week. Open mic there is every other Friday. So if you time it right, and you’re really terrible, you can be booed off stage twice in two nights!!
That’s your lot. Have fun!!
Jonny Jan 2025