Olive Branch & Beech House

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Olive Branch & Beech House Review: Michelin-Recommended British Pub Restaurant in Stamford

Olive Branch & Beech House

In the Rutland village of Clipsham, just outside Stamford, the Olive Branch & Beech House has spent 25 years perfecting the art of the modern British gastropub. The pub sits on Main Street, a warm, welcoming space that pairs pub classics with serious cooking — a combination that has earned it a Michelin Recommended distinction.

At the heart of the kitchen is Head Chef Dean Carroll, who leads the team in creating menus that change with the seasons and even daily, depending on what's best. The kitchen's philosophy is rooted in a "back-to-basics" approach, relying on a strong network of local suppliers and producers. Meats come from butchers Owen Taylor and local farms — hogget from Stretton, pork from Grasmere Farm, lamb from Launde. Game arrives from the local shoots at Clipsham, Holywell and Belvoir. Shellfish comes from Norfolk, and sea fish from the ports of Devon and Cornwall. Vegetables are sourced from the Lincolnshire Fens.

The pub is also growing more of its own produce, with a veg patch and polytunnel in the pub paddock supplying potatoes, beetroots, radishes, carrots, rhubarb, salads, herbs and cucumbers. Foraged berries, herbs and mushrooms from the surrounding hedgerows and woods also find their way onto the menu.

Diners can choose from a daily-changing dinner menu, a seasonal lunch menu, a set "Lunch For Less" option, and Sunday lunch. For those who want the full experience, a five or eight-course Seasonal Evening Tasting Menu (plus snacks, bread and treats) is available each evening, showcasing local seasonal ingredients. It's recommended to allow three hours to enjoy it.

On Thursdays, the pub offers a six-course tasting menu for £60 per guest. A wine pairing, expertly curated to complement each course, is available for an additional £35. The wine list itself is also a draw, mixing great classics with lesser-known regions and grape varieties.

Beyond the dining room, the Olive Branch offers a full calendar of events and experiences. Cookery demonstrations with Head Chef Dean Carroll run through the year, as do hands-on masterclasses in bread making, pasta making, butchery and fish preparation. Regular wine dinners — such as a Zevenwacht Wine Dinner featuring South African wines — bring together seasonal food and visiting winemakers in The Barn, the pub's exclusive private event space.

The Beech House, just across the road, provides six rooms for guests who want to stay, while the pub shop offers wines and beers to take home.

This is a place where the food speaks for itself — honest, seasonal British cooking, backed by a kitchen that knows its farmers, its foragers and its craft.