First Visit: The Watermill Tearoom

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It was our quarterly catchup with Bev & Jools where we headed east to The Watermill Tearoom in nearby Woodford. Nestled on the banks of the River Nene, this was the first visit for us two. The eatery has been around for a long time, but since January 2023, it has welcomed new management (more about that later). There’s an interesting piece about the Watermill’s history HERE.

OK, it might be called a TEAROOM (they do serve tea and there is a room) but they also have an Italian Restaurant on-site and that’s where our table was waiting! 👍. It’s now a small family-run affair (Dad Alper, Mum Debbie, Eldest daughter Georgia and youngest Tiella – with Lui, the Chef looking after the kitchen).

By the time we arrived just before 7.30, it was already pitch black. The village doesn’t have any street lights, and as the parking was located slightly ‘away’ from the restaurant itself, it made for an interesting walk. Phone torches played their part tonight as we followed the sound of rushing water – it’s called the Watermill for a reason! 😉

We were warmly greeted n arrival and soon shown to our table. It felt like a private dining experience as we were the only ones there – and that’s how it stayed for the whole evening! Luckily, the reputation of the owners (and especially, Chef Lui) meant our tastebuds were in for a real treat! Later, we learned that tomorrow night, they’re completely full! 👍

We had the pick of tables and were soon making our choices from the extensive menu (also online HERE).

And, as promised, the food didn’t disappoint! For me: Starters – Penne alla Norma followed by Pollo alla Parmigiana. We finished, by sharing a Dessert from their ‘Specials Board’ – the rather yummy Italian-style B&B Pudding. Wow! Our tastebuds had, as promised, enjoyed a real treat tonight and we all agreed every course had been packed with flavour and had been just the perfect portion size (OK, maybe the Dessert could have been larger!!!). All-in-all, I’d say it was the best Italian meal, outside of Italy, I’ve had in a long, long time!

Being left with a bottle of Limoncello to finish rounded off the evening nicely. And if you’re wondering… ‘no’, it wasn’t a full bottle when they gave it to us! Honest! 😵‍💫

If tonight was about getting lost in a crowd, it failed spectacularly. However, as a destination for a great, perfectly crafted, cooked and presented meal – it was the perfect evening! We’ve all agreed to make a return visit, but maybe on a Saturday night! 👍👍