The Longs Arms in South Wraxall near Bath, is a beautiful country pub filled with seasonal food that is served in a relaxed environment and has remained in the top 30 for several years.
Rob and Liz Allcock took over the pub in 2011 and bought the freehold from pubco Wadworth in 2017, since then the business has gone from strength to strength.
And there is little wonder as to why, as the pub was a finalist in the Great British Pub Awards in 2024 and has featured in the Michelin Guide since 2012 and awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand for 10 consecutive years. Rob has personally won the Craft Guild of Chefs Pub Chef Award.
As they are a freehold, all produce can be purchased from wherever they choose and they have the freedom to run the business in a more ethical and sustainable way and work with independent producers and local artisan suppliers. Quality is never compromised and they source the best possible ingredients. Bread is baked daily on site, they make their own butter and ice creams and all the delicious smoked dishes on the menu are smoked in-house in their established smokehouse.
Menu highlights have included Warm black pudding scotch egg or Manchego croquetas with chili jelly for those looking for a snack.
Starters include their own Smoked salmon with keta, white radish, yuzu, dill and linseed crisp or Hand dived Orkney scallops with haggis, preserved lemon, cucumber and herb butter.
Mains have featured Highland venison loin with mulberries, pomme dauphine, braised hispi cabbage and sauce grand veneur or Blyborough pork belly, red cabbage, celeriac puree, haggis, crackling and tarragon oil.
We always have room for afters and in this case, we would struggle to pick one of the mouth-watering options, which have included Valrhona caramelia chocolate fondant with pistachios and tonka bean ice cream, and not forgetting Rob’s signature dish of Liverpool tart with blackcurrant sorbet and nougatine. The cheese course of Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire cheese with warm Eccles cake and Pedro Ximenez would also be hard to resist.
In summary, The Longs Arms is very much a destination pub but it is still a proper pub! You can pop in for a pint of well-kept real ale and a warm scotch egg; relax at the bar with cocktails; enjoy a fabulous daily changing a la carte menu; or indulge in a 7-course seasonal tasting menu with an accompanying wine flight.
