The Ragged Cot

The location was great, but the food and service let the place down. When we arrived, nobody was at the front, and we waited up to 5 minutes to be seen while staff chatted among themselves. Two of them walked past without acknowledging us. We eventually got served. My partner’s orange and lemonade was flat, though my Coke was fine. The paneer tikka starter smelled awful. My partner said it felt like rubber and tasted strange, unlike paneer tikka they’d had elsewhere. The cheeseburger came with fries instead of the chunky chips listed, and no coleslaw. The burger was bland, with some hard gristly bits that put me off. The chips tasted odd but were edible, and the burger sauce had no flavour. The waitress was nice, but the staff didn’t communicate properly and asked us twice about the same thing. I’d heard good things about the Ragged Cot, so it was disappointing, and I wouldn’t return.

The Sunday lunch was worth a visit. The meals were tasty, nicely presented and well cooked, and the service felt genuine and was very good. The only small drawback was that discretionary service was calculated on the food total before the discount for the two-course meal offer.

The place was nice and warm, and I really hope tonight was an unusual post-Christmas lull for the new owners. I’m sorry to write this about a restaurant and pub we’ve considered a real favourite. Since the new ownership began in October, it seems to have lost the reputation it had for proper, excellent food, especially on the more expensive menu. We came with friends after telling them how nice the food was, but there was no real ale at all, which is surprising in the Cotswolds where plenty is brewed. We ended up lighting our own candles. Pork and prawn curry were both on the menu but unavailable. The rustic bread was a few slices of white and granary bread overheated in the oven, with tasteless clear oil. The 10oz burger was two small, dry patties in a plain white roll with a small dip. The chips were nice, but very large and overcooked in the middle. I assume they weren’t cut and cooked on site. People nearby had sent food back because some of it was cold, which didn’t inspire confidence. The car park, usually packed, was almost empty on a Saturday night. Tonight the food was at best average. Sorry, Ragged Cot.

We had the leek and potato soup with rustic bread to start, then a festive beetroot Wellington roast with seasonal vegetables and crispy roast potatoes. Lemon and strawberry sorbet finished the meal. There were great vegan and vegetarian choices, and the restaurant was lovely, with attentive staff and a cosy atmosphere.