Restaurant in South Wraxall, United Kingdom
Honest pub cooking, Michelin-recognised, ££.
The Longs Arms holds a Michelin Plate for two consecutive years and delivers traditional British pub cooking — fishcakes, steak and kidney pie, homemade ice creams — at an accessible ££ price point. Set opposite a medieval church in South Wraxall, it is the clear first choice for a hearty, well-executed lunch in the Bradford-on-Avon area. Booking is easy; a week ahead is usually enough.
The Longs Arms is the kind of village pub that earns its Michelin Plate not by chasing trends but by doing traditional British cooking with real care and consistency. If you are driving through the Bradford-on-Avon area and want a proper hearty meal in a genuinely handsome setting, book here. At the ££ price point, it delivers honest value. The caveat: if you are looking for a tasting-menu occasion or ambitious modern British cooking, this is not that place — and it does not pretend to be.
South Wraxall is the kind of Cotswolds-fringe village that most people pass through without stopping. The Longs Arms gives you a reason to stop. Set opposite a medieval church on the upper village road, this Bath stone pub has the kind of physical presence that photographs well but actually delivers in person — the stone walls, the low-ceilinged rooms, the sense that this building has been here considerably longer than most restaurants in any nearby city. It has held a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025, a recognition that signals consistently good cooking rather than fine-dining ambition, and that distinction matters when you are deciding whether to make the detour.
Chef-Owner Robert Allcock runs this as a family operation, which shows in the way the menu is assembled. You are not here to be surprised or challenged. The menu flirts with occasional creativity , there are moments where Allcock pushes the format slightly , but the spine of the offer is reassuringly traditional: fishcakes, sausage and mash, steak and kidney pie. These are dishes that require good sourcing and genuine technique to execute well, and the Michelin recognition over consecutive years suggests they are being executed well here. The kitchen smells like a pub kitchen should: roasting meat, pastry, something sweet from the dessert section. For anyone returning after a first visit, the homemade ice creams are worth finishing on , the Michelin assessors specifically call them out, which is not something Michelin does lightly.
As a neighbourhood anchor, The Longs Arms carries weight beyond its food. South Wraxall has no high street, no cluster of restaurants competing for the same diner. This is the pub. The fact that it holds a Michelin Plate rather than coasting on geographic monopoly is a genuine mark in its favour. If you have been once and stuck to the obvious choices, the next visit is the time to work through the more creative edges of the menu while keeping one of the classics , the steak and kidney pie, specifically , as an anchor. The portions are described as hearty and the flavours as strong in the traditional sense: well-seasoned, properly made, not shy.
Booking logistics are simple. The Longs Arms sits in the easy-to-book tier , this is not a restaurant where you need to set a calendar reminder three months out. For a weekend lunch in the warmer months, a week or two of lead time is sensible, particularly if you want a specific table configuration or are arriving as a larger group. Weekday visits are more flexible. The address is Upper South Wraxall, Bradford-on-Avon BA15 2SB, which puts it within comfortable reach of Bath, Bradford-on-Avon, and the wider Wiltshire and Somerset countryside. If you are combining this with a broader trip to the region, pairing it with a night near Bath makes the detour direct rather than effortful.
For context on where The Longs Arms sits in the broader picture of destination British pub dining, it is useful to think about venues like the Hand and Flowers in Marlow , Tom Kerridge's two-Michelin-star pub that defines the upper ceiling of what British pub cooking can achieve , or the Pipe and Glass in South Dalton, another village pub with serious culinary credentials. The Longs Arms is not operating at that star level, but the Michelin Plate acknowledgement over two consecutive years means it is being taken seriously in the same conversation. For the price point and the setting, that represents good value for anyone in the area.
The Google rating of 4.6 across 289 reviews is a useful secondary signal here. That volume of reviews for a village pub in a location this quiet indicates a genuine following rather than a tourist spike. Repeat visitors are the backbone of a pub like this, and a sustained 4.6 suggests the kitchen is consistent rather than occasionally brilliant. For a first-time visitor, that consistency is reassuring. For a returning diner, it means the standard you remember is likely to still be there.
If you are building a longer itinerary in the West Country and want to understand where The Longs Arms fits among the region's dining options, see our full South Wraxall restaurants guide. For accommodation near the village, the South Wraxall hotels guide covers your options. The South Wraxall bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide round out the picture if you are planning a full day or weekend in the area.
The Longs Arms is at Upper South Wraxall, Bradford-on-Avon BA15 2SB. Price range is ££, making this one of the more accessible Michelin-recognised dining options in the region. Booking is direct , a week to two weeks ahead is sufficient for most visits, with slightly more lead time advisable for weekend lunch in summer. No booking method or hours are listed in our current data; check directly with the venue to confirm current opening days before travelling, particularly if making a special trip.
See the comparison section below for how The Longs Arms sits against other options depending on what you are looking for.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Longs Arms | Traditional British | ££ | Easy |
| Restaurant Gordon Ramsay | Contemporary European, French | ££££ | Unknown |
| CORE by Clare Smyth | Modern British | ££££ | Unknown |
| The Ledbury | Modern European, Modern Cuisine | ££££ | Unknown |
| Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library | Modern French | ££££ | Unknown |
| Dinner by Heston Blumenthal | Modern British, Traditional British | ££££ | Unknown |
A quick look at how The Longs Arms measures up.
Book at least one to two weeks in advance for weekends, particularly if visiting as a group. The Longs Arms is a family-run village pub in South Wraxall with limited covers, and its Michelin Plate recognition (2024 and 2025) keeps demand steady. Weekday lunches are your best chance at a last-minute table.
The menu leans into traditional British pub food done well: fishcakes, sausage and mash, and steak and kidney pie are the kind of hearty, robustly flavoured dishes the kitchen does best. Round it off with one of the homemade ice creams. Chef-Owner Robert Allcock's menu flirts with creativity but the classics are the reason to visit.
Specific dietary accommodation details are not confirmed in available records. Given the menu's focus on traditional British pub staples, options for strict vegetarians or vegans may be limited. Contact the pub directly before booking if dietary requirements are a deciding factor.
It works well for a low-key celebration where atmosphere and honest cooking matter more than formal service. The Bath stone pub opposite a medieval church has genuine character, and a Michelin Plate adds a credible talking point. For a milestone where tasting menus and ceremony are expected, look elsewhere.
The Longs Arms is not known as a tasting menu destination. Robert Allcock runs an extensive à la carte focused on traditional pub favourites rather than a set tasting format. If a structured multi-course progression is what you want, this is not the right venue.
At ££, yes. Michelin Plate recognition for two consecutive years at pub pricing is a strong value signal. You are paying for carefully prepared British classics in a village pub with real character, not a fine-dining format. For the price bracket, it over-delivers.
South Wraxall itself has no direct alternative at this level. Bradford-on-Avon, a short drive away, has several independent cafés and restaurants worth considering for a more casual meal. For Michelin-level dining in the wider region, Bath offers more options across different price points and formats.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
