Restaurant in Colston Bassett, United Kingdom
Classic pub cooking, one unmissable local cheese
A Michelin Plate (2025) village pub in Colston Bassett delivering hearty Traditional British cooking at ££, with one genuine point of distinction: the local Stilton, produced by one of only six licensed dairies in the world, is reason enough to choose this over dessert. Quiet, atmospheric, and easy to book, it is one of the most credible special-occasion options in the East Midlands at this price point.
There are only six dairies in the world licensed to produce Colston Bassett Stilton, and one of them operates within walking distance of this pub. That single fact does more to explain why The Martins Arms earns a Michelin Plate in 2025 than almost anything else about the room. If you are planning a special occasion meal in the East Midlands and want a setting that combines genuine culinary provenance with a proper pub atmosphere, this is one of the most credible options at the ££ price point.
The Martins Arms has been through a change of ownership and has come back with renewed focus while holding onto the features that gave it character in the first place. The carved Jacobean fireplace in the bar remains in place, and the room carries the kind of settled, unhurried energy that formal restaurants in the region cannot replicate. The dining room is more structured for those who want a clear separation from the bar, and the terrace works well in warmer months when the suntrap aspect comes into its own. This is not a loud venue. The atmosphere leans toward quiet conversation rather than background noise, which makes it a workable choice for a business meal or a celebration where you actually want to hear each other speak.
The cooking sits firmly in the hearty British tradition: dishes like ham hock with piccalilli point toward a kitchen that treats pub fare seriously without trying to reframe it as something more ambitious than it is. This is not the place to look for tasting menus or modernist technique. Compare it to Hand and Flowers in Marlow or Pipe and Glass in South Dalton and you are in the same broad category of Michelin-recognised rural British pubs where the kitchen takes the ingredient sourcing seriously. The Martins Arms earns its place in that group through local provenance rather than technical showmanship.
Stilton case is worth taking seriously as an editorial angle on the kitchen's strengths. Ordering it in place of dessert is a reasonable decision here in a way it simply is not at most restaurants. You are eating a geographically protected cheese at the point closest to its production. Our full Colston Bassett restaurants guide covers what else is available in the village, but the Stilton alone justifies building a meal around this address. For guests combining a countryside visit with an overnight stay, our Colston Bassett hotels guide has the local options.
At ££, The Martins Arms sits in a pricing tier that makes it accessible without requiring the kind of planning that a destination restaurant demands. Booking is rated easy, which is notable for a Michelin Plate venue. You do not need to reserve weeks in advance in the way you would for L'Enclume in Cartmel or Moor Hall in Aughton. That said, for a weekend celebration meal or a specific occasion, booking ahead is still the sensible approach for any dining room that holds a Michelin recognition. Walk-ins may work midweek, but plan ahead if the date matters.
The Google rating of 4.5 across 382 reviews gives a reasonable signal of consistent satisfaction rather than occasional brilliance. That pattern fits what the venue is: a well-run rural inn that delivers reliably at its price point, with one genuine point of local distinction in the cheese course. For the East Midlands, that combination is not common. For a broader overview of what the area offers beyond eating, our Colston Bassett experiences guide and bars guide are useful starting points.
If your frame of reference for a Michelin-recognised country pub is somewhere like Gidleigh Park in Chagford or Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons in Great Milton, adjust your expectations. The Martins Arms is not a destination dining hotel. It is a village pub that happens to cook with enough care and local intelligence to earn Michelin's attention. That is a meaningfully different proposition, and for most diners in the area, the more useful one.
The Martins Arms does not advertise a tasting menu format. The kitchen operates in a hearty British pub tradition, with dishes like ham hock and piccalilli, and the Michelin Plate recognition reflects consistent quality at that register rather than a multi-course progressive format. If tasting menus are your priority, Midsummer House in Cambridge or Opheem in Birmingham are closer matches within driving range. What The Martins Arms does offer at ££ is a Michelin-recognised kitchen with genuine local provenance, which is a different but legitimate reason to book.
Seat count is not confirmed in available data, but the venue has both a bar area and a separate dining room, which suggests some capacity for small groups. For groups of six or more, contact the venue directly to confirm availability and whether the dining room can be arranged accordingly. The ££ price point makes it a practical choice for group occasions without the per-head cost of destination restaurants. Check our Colston Bassett restaurants guide if you need alternatives for larger parties.
No confirmed information is available on the venue's dietary accommodation policy. The cuisine type is Traditional British, which typically centres on meat and dairy, and the signature local cheese course is dairy-dependent. If dietary restrictions are a factor, contact the venue before booking to confirm what the kitchen can accommodate. This is worth doing in advance for any rural pub of this size rather than assuming flexibility on the night.
At ££, yes. A Michelin Plate in 2025 and a 4.5 Google rating across 382 reviews indicate consistent delivery at a price point that is accessible by any standard for this level of recognition. The local Stilton alone adds a point of genuine culinary distinction that you cannot replicate at most ££ venues. Compare it to Pipe and Glass in South Dalton or hide and fox in Saltwood for a sense of what Michelin-recognised rural British pubs deliver at this tier. The Martins Arms holds its place in that group.
Colston Bassett is a small village with limited dining options, so most alternatives involve a short drive. For a similarly positioned Michelin-recognised rural British pub, Pipe and Glass in South Dalton and Hand and Flowers in Marlow are the closest comparable experiences, though neither offers the same local cheese provenance. For a full picture of what is available nearby, see our Colston Bassett restaurants guide.
Yes, with some caveats. The atmosphere is quiet and conversational, the Jacobean bar setting is genuinely distinctive, and the Michelin Plate gives confidence in the kitchen. For a birthday or anniversary where the setting and food quality matter but you do not need a formal tasting-menu format, this works well at ££. If the occasion demands more ceremony or a longer format meal, consider Restaurant Andrew Fairlie in Auchterarder or Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons in Great Milton instead. Book ahead for any weekend occasion, even though availability is generally easy to secure.
| Venue | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|
| The Martins Arms | ££ | — |
| CORE by Clare Smyth | ££££ | — |
| Restaurant Gordon Ramsay | ££££ | — |
| Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library | ££££ | — |
| The Ledbury | ££££ | — |
| Dinner by Heston Blumenthal | ££££ | — |
Comparing your options in Colston Bassett for this tier.
The Martins Arms is a pub, not a tasting-menu restaurant, so a multi-course set menu format is not what you're booking here. The draw is hearty British pub cooking at ££ pricing — ham hock, piccalilli, and the local Stilton — backed by a Michelin Plate in 2025. If you want a structured tasting experience, this is the wrong format; if you want well-executed pub fare in a historic Nottinghamshire village, the value case is clear.
The pub has a bar, a more formal dining room, and a terrace, which suggests reasonable flexibility for different group sizes. For larger bookings, check the venue's official channels to confirm capacity and room options. The ££ price point makes it a practical choice for group meals where cost is a consideration.
Dietary information is not listed in the current venue record, so confirm requirements directly with the pub before booking. What is documented: the menu leans into traditional British pub fare, so meat and dairy feature prominently — the Stilton alone is a signature. If plant-based or allergen-specific needs are a priority, call ahead.
At ££, yes — this is accessible pub dining with a Michelin Plate (2025), a genuine culinary provenance story in the local Stilton, and a setting that includes a carved Jacobean fireplace and suntrap terrace. You are not paying fine-dining prices for fine-dining theatre; you are paying pub prices for cooking that is taken seriously. That balance works in its favour.
Colston Bassett is a small village, so direct local alternatives are limited. For comparable rural pub dining in Nottinghamshire, you would need to widen your search to the broader East Midlands. The Martins Arms is the only Michelin-recognised option in the village itself, which matters if a credentialled destination is part of your decision.
It works well for a low-key celebration where setting and provenance matter more than formality. The Jacobean bar, terrace, and Michelin Plate recognition give it enough occasion weight for a birthday or anniversary dinner without the cost or dress-code pressure of a full fine-dining room. Order the Colston Bassett Stilton instead of dessert — it is produced within walking distance and is the single best argument for booking a table here.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
