3 Crown Barton, Glastonbury

We came for the food after someone in town recommended this place for gluten and milk free options. We didn’t stay in a room, though you can see the rooms on www.crownglastonbury.co.uk, which I’ll look at later. It felt cosy, clean and comfortable inside, with several seating areas and a lovely atmosphere. The staff welcomed us warmly. We got a Crabbies ginger beer and a low alcohol cider, and they offered to put them on a tab until the end, which worked well for us. Karen was really helpful and knew a lot about my food intolerances. Nothing seemed like too much trouble, and she checked with the chef about adjusting a couple of dishes. They make and cook as much as they can themselves, even the ice cream. There were several meat options, which was a nice change from the usual pub burger and chips. We went for small dishes, just right since we don’t like a big meal in the middle of the day. My husband had crab with crab buttered toast and salad. I had butternut squash with a delicious sauce, very tasty and enjoyable. We shared homemade chips, crisp outside and soft inside, with lovely seasoning. They were better than supermarket ones and gluten free. We tried the beetroot sorbet, which was surprisingly good, especially if you like beetroot. I had chocolate mousse with lime sorbet, also very nice. My husband had mint chocolate ice cream with Amarreti biscuit, which looked lovely. Thanks for the hospitality, we really enjoyed the visit and will come back.

The gluten free cafe recommended this place for lunch yesterday when they were closing. There were four of us, and the food was fresh, delicious and mostly gluten free. A lovely older woman served us, with excellent service and a great sense of humour.

I almost never write reviews, but this experience made me do it. The bar/restaurant manager interrupted my meal and came over in a nearly aggressive way, insisting I pay for a plate I’d already paid for. It followed a mistake they had made with the order. Rather than take responsibility and apologise, she kept being rude and obnoxious, and eventually told me, “if i dont like it i can leave”. I’d paid good money for the meal, and the manager’s awful attitude ruined it. The waitresses were polite, respectful and courteous, though. Their manager could learn a lot from them, and some basic customer service training would help. I won’t eat there again, and I’d advise others against going for as long as this woman is in charge.

The pork belly bites were juicy and practically melted in my mouth, and the local ale alongside them was smooth, with no metallic taste at all. The fries were well seasoned and cooked in a flavourful oil. Best of all, the fried chicken was packed with seasoning and incredibly crisp without feeling soaked in oil. Hard to get a table if you arrive without a booking on Saturday evening, but if you get lucky, the food is well worth trying. Thoroughly recommend.