The Grain Barge
Quick info
About The Grain Barge
On Embankment Rd in Peterborough, The Grain Barge is a Chinese restaurant on an old boat beside the River Nene, so a meal here happens on the water. The menu runs to 112 dishes, with starters such as Sesame Prawn On Toast and a Crispy Home-Made Vegetarian Spring Roll. A set menu is also offered, with dishes including ribs, sweet and sour chicken, bean sauce beef and crispy duck. Some evenings are set menu only, so the full list of dishes is not always available.
Good to know
- ReservationsAccepts reservations
- ParkingPaid parking lot · Usually plenty of parking
- DietaryVegan options · Vegetarian options
Menu & Prices
112 dishes · mains £4–14- Mixed Hot Hors D'oeuvre£7.10
- Chicken Satay On Skewer£7.00
- Fried Crispy Seaweed£4.50
- Sesame Prawn On Toast£6.80
- Crispy Home-Made Vegetarian Spring Roll£4.50
- Vegetarian Box£5.50
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention set menu, crispy duck, ribs and riverside boat setting.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention set menu, crispy duck, ribs and riverside boat setting.
Customer Review Summary
Most reviewers come for the set menu, praising its spread of ribs, sweet and sour chicken, bean sauce beef and crispy duck, with several calling it good value and one noting it arrives with little waiting between courses. Diners also point to the setting on an old boat beside the River Nene, where swans and geese compete for bread, and to welcoming, attentive staff. One couple celebrating an anniversary received a free drink. Fresh, hot, crispy and succulent are the words used for the food, though one reviewer finds some dishes on the greasy side. The caveat is dryness and pace. Two anniversary diners call the food dry and tasteless, and another describes the ribs as dry and chewy and the duck as very dry, guessing the plates sat on warming trays. A further reviewer says courses come one after another and feel rushed, and that a request for a 10 minute break before the main was met with an offer of 5.
Customer Review Summary
Most reviewers come for the set menu, praising its spread of ribs, sweet and sour chicken, bean sauce beef and crispy duck, with several calling it good value and one noting it arrives with little waiting between courses. Diners also point to the setting on an old boat beside the River Nene, where swans and geese compete for bread, and to welcoming, attentive staff. One couple celebrating an anniversary received a free drink. Fresh, hot, crispy and succulent are the words used for the food, though one reviewer finds some dishes on the greasy side. The caveat is dryness and pace. Two anniversary diners call the food dry and tasteless, and another describes the ribs as dry and chewy and the duck as very dry, guessing the plates sat on warming trays. A further reviewer says courses come one after another and feel rushed, and that a request for a 10 minute break before the main was met with an offer of 5.
Featured reviews
- Google user
“Food was over cooked. Ribs dry and chewy. Duck was again, very dry. The food was delivered very quickly. We are guessing the food was sat on warming plates all night, that's why the food is extremely dry. We won't be returning and definitely do not recommend. Sorry Grain Barge but we were very disappointed.”
- Google user
“Had a great experience at this Chinese Restaurant, which is an old boat beside the River Nene.Both hostesses were welcoming and very attentive throughout our stay The menu has a wide selection of dishes, including a couple of set meals Food was delicious, and as extra entertainment, you can watch the swans and geese compete for bread, generously fed to them by passers by.”
- Google user
“Me and my partner went for our anniversary dinner tonight, two lovely ladies served us and they were an absolute pleasure to talk to! They were so incredibly kind! The food was delicious and we even got a free drink to celebrate. Thank you for a wonderful evening!! 10/10 we will most definitely be visiting again!!!”
- Google user
“This is a nice restaurant with the added dimension of being on the water which adds interest. The food is freshly cooked and very hot which is great. My only minor criticism is that the courses arrive one after the other and you feel too full too soon. You could easily be in and out in an hour with the set menu. We did ask for a 10 minute break before the main course but were told they would give us 5 minutes.”
- Google user
“A lovely restaurant, the staff were very attentive and the food was good.”
Highlights
- Popular for lunch
- Popular for dinner
- Popular for solo dining
- Vegan options
- Vegetarian options
Amenities
- Paid parking lot
- Accepts reservations
- Takeout
- Dine-in
- Vegan options
- Alcohol
Show more amenities
- Cozy
- Onsite services
- Beer
- Coffee
- Free water refills
- Lunch
- Offerings· 3
- Hard liquor
- Vegetarian options
- Wine
- Planning· 2
- Lunch reservations recommended
- Dinner reservations recommended
- Dining options· 3
- Dinner
- Dessert
- Table service
- Popular for· 1
- Solo dining
- Facilities· 1
- Restroom
- Atmosphere· 2
- Casual
- Romantic
- Crowd· 2
- Groups
- Tourists
- Parking· 1
- Usually plenty of parking
Location
Restaurants near The Grain Barge
- Nando's Peterborough4.11,7360.3 miWheelchair accessible
halal branch, caesar salad with chicken, peri-peri chicken
- Turkish Kitchen4.51,7640.5 mi£20–30Vegetarian optionsWheelchair accessibleGood for kids
sharing meat platters, lamb chops and ribs, calamari starter
- Rotana Restaurant4.32361.4 mi£1–10
chicken shawarma wrap, lentil soup, fresh naan
| Place | Rating | Distance | Price | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Grain BargeVegan options · Vegetarian options · Reservations | 4.5569 | — | £20–30 | set menu, crispy duck, ribs |
| Nando's PeterboroughWheelchair accessible | 4.11,736 | 0.3 mi | — | halal branch, caesar salad with chicken, peri-peri chicken |
| Turkish KitchenVegetarian options · Wheelchair accessible · Good for kids | 4.51,764 | 0.5 mi | £20–30 | sharing meat platters, lamb chops and ribs, calamari starter |
| Rotana Restaurant | 4.3236 | 1.4 mi | £1–10 | chicken shawarma wrap, lentil soup, fresh naan |
The 3 nearest restaurants by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
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