cambrian hotel bendigo

love the food; the welsh rarebit, duo of lamb and changing specials are stand outs.
the extensive wine andbeerlist is what draws in my friends and i.
the real icing on the cake though is the fantastic wait staff, especially briony. fun, humourous and it will feel like your local after one visit.

a fantastic little pub! not too big and a great atmosphere. they have a fantasticbeergarden, complete with bean bags and conduct outdoor cinema nights. fresh herbs are grown in their garden and used by the chef and publican andy.

we went here based on others' reviews and we weren't disappointed. our waitress was really friendly and knew about the beers available (and there's a lot, with over 65 different beers available and 8 local craft beers on tap). her service was excellent and food was served promptly.

the food was outstanding! fresh, perfectly cooked and the american ribs plate was amazing! 

edit to my review: on our second trip here, it was quite awkward and embarrassing to see the chef throwing a tantrum and abusing his staff. given the kitchen is open and in full view of diners, if the chef (who is also the owner) is a bit temperamental and likes to yell at his staff in front of customers, then maybe an open kitchen wasn't such a great idea!!!!!

my son was coming to the area for an annual event and our family of three went here purely by chance. but the result experience was fabulous. the duo lamb andbeerwere delicious and the service was beyond great. my son was half full before the dinner. thus he was very disappointed and already claimed to come again next year during the event...

disappointed when i phoned to book a table on saturday night to find that they were booked out. elated to discover that the cambrian serve meals in the public bar. stoked with the qualitybeeron tap, choice of food on offer and footy on the tv. we ate beef rib curry, chicken and chorizo pie, spinach an ricotta ravioli and spiced lamb shank.

an excellent pub.. really good food, excellent wine list and big thumbs up to the craftbeerlist. if you're there on a slow night, have a yarn with chef/publican andy, he's always good value.


-----06 apr, 2015-----

chicken mignonette. it's a delicious chicken mignonette!

my only problem with the cambrian menu is that i can never decide on what i want because i know that it all tastes so bloody good. amazing food, hats off to the chef. the staff are fantastic and really know they're menu and wines/beers. it's nice to see a pub serving real beer.
the outdoor bar is also amazing, kicking back sipping abeerwatching the game on the projector in beanbag chair = heaven.

thanks for the amazing service!

what a gem !. we visit bendigo regularly and are always looking at good places to eat and based on urbanspoon reviews decided to try the cambrian....wow...we had the chicken parma....abeerrecommended by one of the owners and the crepes....this place is unpretentious and just fantastic !! the service was really friendly and we felt so relaxed and welcomed none of us wanted to leave. my only regret is not trying the amazing steaks !!...will save that for next time. well done to andrew carswell (one of the owners who served us!)....oh and this place has no poker machines !!!! does anyone know of a similar experience in melbourne that they can recommend ??
regards to all the foodies out there
james

amazing!!. a group of friends and i decided to try this pub on a sunday night for a quick bite and were overly impressed. between the duo of lamb and perfectly cooked steaks there was not a single fault. staff are friendly and more than happy to answer questions and thebeergarden is the perfect venue for a sunday sip

fantastic food!!. highly recommend, staff are so welcoming and hospitable and everything our group ordered for lunch was beautifully presented and fantastic, order the ribs!!
very family friendly, we had 4 small children with us and they thoroughly enjoyed playing in thebeergarden and relaxing on the beanbags. the cambrian is a must if you're ever in bendigo.

top food - great service. pros:
***** great food - this is not your typical pub grub.

***** good sized meals - i hate it when other places give you a piddly little snack sized meal in the middle of a ridiculously huge plate. you won't leave the cambrian hungry that's for sure.

***** great service - friendly greeting, quickly seated and your drinks and meal order taken. always feel welcomed.

***** great local produce - if you like to support local producers, this is the place to eat and drink. there is a distinctive local focus on the food and drinks menu.

***** reasonable prices - the prices are quite reasonable considering the great quality food. i've had worse meals elsewhere and paid a fortune for them.

cons:
*** dated decor - the old girl is showing her age a bit but this does not detract from the experience. the bistro and front bar are clean, neat and tidy. new owners have made noticeable improvements.

------------
things have changed at the cambrian!

thanks to andy, tash and team, i've never had a bad experience at the cambrian. if you are looking for a good value, enjoyable lunch or casual dinner, you won't be disappointed. my steak is cooked perfectly every time!

cheers!

ps: love what they have done out the back.beergarden looks good and has a great atmosphere. love the big cinema screen and movie nights too!

don't be put off by the exterior... this place has great food and an extensive wine,beerand cider list. will definitely be back again.