"Our first visit. We cannot praise thank The Wellie highly enough. What a find! Peacefully rural on a quiet road to the south of Baughurst. A classic, pretty country pub, now converted to an excellent restaurant, with three rooms. What strikes you first is how immaculate The Wellie is, inside and out. The large garden is a delight. Masses of dahlias and all manner of bushes and plants. Birds, birds and more birds. Do check out the vegetable garden beyond the rear car park. You then walk inside to the warmest of relaxed welcomes from the owners, Simon and Jason, and manager, Sheila, and their lovely young helpers. Nothing is too much trouble. The first thing you’ll spot is the array of fruit, veg salad for sale by the pub bar – the Wellie Deli. Along with home made jams, chutneys, quiches, etc. I then spotted the two hand pumps! Longdog Golden Poacher Basingstoke Pride. The seating inside is for diners every session is a sell out! But I was very happy to sup several excellent pints of well kept draught Basingstoke Pride in the garden – until I discovered their Negronis! Truly the best this side of Kwant (Piccadilly). We’d opted for the room in the pub: the Apartment. Two rooms on the first floor, knocked through. Enormous comfy bed, large rainfall shower, sofa, mini bar – two TVs! Free milk homemade shortbread. One of the discoveries we made here is the fabulous tea they serve from Prince Sons. As you can tell by now, we were very happy with our first stay at The Wellie… and then we went down for dinner! A truly exceptional menu from Jason’s kitchen, which changes each evening. Highlights were the scallops wrapped in pancetta, the pollack, the lamb pot pie, the twice baked cheese souffle, the NY cheesecake, the rhubarb ice cream, the treacle tart... All so fresh, tasty, and mainly from their garden. What we loved most was it was relaxed but fine dining without the tiny portions. The Full English breakfast the next morning was equally tasty. All in all, we did not want to go home! Thank you Simon, Jason Sheila. We will be back, soon."
