The Woodman & Olive Broxbourne
Quick info
About The Woodman & Olive Broxbourne
On W End Rd in Broxbourne, The Woodman & Olive combines a pub, restaurant and bar with a menu that draws on Greek and Mediterranean cooking alongside classic English dishes. Meat is cooked on an outside spit, and the kitchen also sends out mezze plates such as Taramasalata, Tzatziki and Tyrokafteri, plus a Sunday roast with a shared platter option. The Woodman Special kebab and the Chicken Box feature as chef's specials, with sticky toffee pudding to finish. The venue doubles as an events space and live music venue, and a large play area with a bouncy castle gives families with young children somewhere for kids to go. The step-free entrance suits visitors with mobility needs, and dogs are welcome throughout. Outdoor seating extends onto the grounds, which sit in a wooded setting with parking on site. It opens Tuesday to Sunday, closed Mondays, and reservations are recommended. Takeaway and delivery let diners enjoy the food off site.
Good to know
- ReservationsAccepts reservations
- ParkingFree of charge street parking · Free parking lot · Paid parking lot
- AccessibilityHas wheelchair-accessible car park · Has wheelchair-accessible entrance · Has wheelchair-accessible seating
- Good for kidsGood for kids
Menu & Prices
52 dishes · mains £6–800- Traditional Mixed Olives£6.00
- Taramasalata£6.00
- Houmous£60.00
- Tzatziki£6.00
- Tyrokafteri£6.00
- Calamari£13.00
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention chicken box, sunday roast, woodman special kebab and sticky toffee pudding.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention chicken box, sunday roast, woodman special kebab and sticky toffee pudding.
Customer Review Summary
Sunday roast comes up repeatedly as the standout, with reviewers praising the tender meat and one calling their shared platter and sticky toffee pudding among the best they've had. Close behind, the chef's specials draw consistent praise, from the crispy chicken box to the enormous Woodman Special kebab and the octopus and lamb souvla cooked on the outdoor spit. Several also single out the traditional Greek touches like the tara (taramasalata) as done properly rather than store-bought. The setting, described as an old, charming pub tucked among woods with no phone signal, and the friendly, attentive staff come up again and again, along with a family-friendly play area with a bouncy castle. One reviewer enjoyed their chicken burger but felt it needed coleslaw or a side salad to match the price, a minor gripe against an otherwise strongly positive pattern. Diners return for the freshly made food and lively, homely atmosphere, with the dancing-in-their-seats playlist and outdoor spit-roasting standing out as recurring, specific moments.
Customer Review Summary
Sunday roast comes up repeatedly as the standout, with reviewers praising the tender meat and one calling their shared platter and sticky toffee pudding among the best they've had. Close behind, the chef's specials draw consistent praise, from the crispy chicken box to the enormous Woodman Special kebab and the octopus and lamb souvla cooked on the outdoor spit. Several also single out the traditional Greek touches like the tara (taramasalata) as done properly rather than store-bought. The setting, described as an old, charming pub tucked among woods with no phone signal, and the friendly, attentive staff come up again and again, along with a family-friendly play area with a bouncy castle. One reviewer enjoyed their chicken burger but felt it needed coleslaw or a side salad to match the price, a minor gripe against an otherwise strongly positive pattern. Diners return for the freshly made food and lively, homely atmosphere, with the dancing-in-their-seats playlist and outdoor spit-roasting standing out as recurring, specific moments.
Featured reviews
- Dan Wells
“Came here early evening as a group of two families having booked a table by phone at short notice. We couldn't fault our experience at the Woodman & Olive. The quality and portion size of the food was fantastic. The (enormous!) Woodman Special kebab is highly recommended. Every member of staff we interacted with was friendly, professional, and helpful - nothing was too much trouble and we felt very welcome. The children thoroughly enjoyed the large play area which even had a bouncy castle. An excellent choice for anyone looking for a family meal after a day at the nearby Hertfordshire Zoo.”
- Giorgia Torrone
“One of the best Sunday roast ever! We ordered the shared platter and everything was so tasty and cooked to perfection. Special mention to the sticky toffee pudding too: it's so hard to find a good …”
- Dave Belton
“Great food octopus nice and soft, good tara not the horrible supermarket stuff. We had chicken and lamb souvla soft juicy just so good, great to see cooking on spit outside!. …”
- Toya Katkin
“Place lovely staff great, Enjoyed my chicken burger very much, just wish there was some coleslaw or salad on the side. I feel like for the price it was needed to be on the same level as other restaurants. I would come again, I just hope the feedback is taken on board. Thanks”
- Craig Ramos-Stovin
“Nestled in the middle of nowhere with absolutely no phone signal when you get there 🤪 is this absolute gem. This was our first time but thought we would give it a try to celebrate our daughters engagement and we were all so glad we did. The service was extremely friendly and helpful from the moment we entered. The pub itself is very old and full of charm and the food was exceptional. Every dish was freshly made by the wonderful chef and the menu was also very unique with a mix of classic English dishes, mixed in with some amazing Greek food. We will definitely be back to try everything else they offer but if you're scared of the woods, then don't come at night 🤣”
Hours
- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
Highlights
“Stylish venue blending traditional and modern decor, offering Greek/Mediterranean-inspired food.”
- Has great beer selection
- Has great wine list
- Has live music
- Has live performances
- Good for watching sport
- Popular for good for solo dining
Amenities
- Has Wi-Fi
- Has wheelchair-accessible car park
- Free of charge street parking
- Accepts reservations
- Has outdoor seating
- Dogs allowed
Show more amenities
- Offers delivery
- Offers takeaway
- Serves dine-in
- Good for kids
- Serves food at bar
- Casual
- Offerings· 6
- Serves alcohol
- Serves beer
- Serves cocktails
- Serves food
- Serves spirits
- Serves wine
- Atmosphere· 1
- Cosy
- Crowd· 2
- Good for groups
- LGBTQ+ friendly
- Dining options· 2
- Has seating
- Has table service
- Highlights· 5
- Has great beer selection
- Has great wine list
- Has live music
- Has live performances
- Good for watching sport
- Popular for· 1
- Good for solo dining
- Service options· 1
- On-site services available
- Facilities· 1
- Has toilet
- Accessibility· 3
- Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
- Has wheelchair-accessible seating
- Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
- Parking· 3
- Free parking lot
- Paid parking lot
- Plenty of parking
Location
Bars near The Woodman & Olive Broxbourne
- The White Swan4.43922.8 mi£10–20Reservations
sunday roast, pub garden, yorkshire pudding
- The Fish And Eels4.23,9333.3 mi£20–30ReservationsOutdoor seatingGood for kids
riverside location with garden, slow service, beef sunday roast
- The Galley Hall4.59963.5 miWheelchair accessible
daily specials, sunday roast, mac and cheese
| Place | Rating | Distance | Price | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Woodman & Olive BroxbourneReservations · Good for kids | 4.5539 | — | £20–30 | chicken box, sunday roast, woodman special kebab |
| The White SwanReservations | 4.4392 | 2.8 mi | £10–20 | sunday roast, pub garden, yorkshire pudding |
| The Fish And EelsReservations · Outdoor seating · Good for kids | 4.23,933 | 3.3 mi | £20–30 | riverside location with garden, slow service, beef sunday roast |
| The Galley HallWheelchair accessible | 4.5996 | 3.5 mi | — | daily specials, sunday roast, mac and cheese |
The 3 nearest bars by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
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