cambrian hotel bendigo

welsh rarebit!. good stuff:
thefoodwas amazing (especially the welsh rarebit).
excellent selection of wine and beer.

not so good stuff:
the service was a little bit scattered. the waitress didn't take orders from diners in the order they were seated, but her manner was lovely.

we will be visiting the cambrian again!

really nice. took my mum there on saturday, really polite staff, a little slow on the meals, small menu, but thefoodwas really enjoyable......:-)

we waited for our meal for an hour and were put next to the male toilets. admittedly it was white night festival here but they should have told us the wait was long. we were very grumpy. would never come back!
i would say however, that when thefoodfinally arrived, it was good. the 4 of us were happy with our choices and thefoodquality.

a fantastic little pub! not too big and a great atmosphere. they have a fantastic beer garden, 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 andfoodwas served promptly.

thefoodwas 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!!!!!

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 quality beer on tap, choice offoodon offer and footy on the tv. we ate beef rib curry, chicken and chorizo pie, spinach an ricotta ravioli and spiced lamb shank.

for entree, my family of four had the garlic bread, and it was startling delicious. made using turkish bread, olive oil, and finely cooked garlic pieces, it was a very simple but a very appetising and crunchy way to start the meal. for main, i ordered the chicken mignonette and it was quite tasty. the chicken was tender, and the sun dried tomato and feta stuffing was a delicious surprise. the potatoes were crispy and were a perfect accompaniment to the soft chicken breast, and the vegetables were cooked and seasoned well. finally, for dessert, i devoured a creme brûlée with toffee banana. having never before consumed the culinary delight known as the creme brûlée, upon cracking open the top, i instantly fell in love with the contrast of the crunch and the smoothness, and simply the scrumptious taste of the dessert. overall, an incredibly pleasant experience dining at the cambrian hotel, and i very much enjoyed the open kitchen, with the chef's artistic flare and skill in full view of the patrons, which makes you respect more the frantic efforts of the chef in creating your meal. the only downsides of the night were the slightly over the top waitress, and also that the meals did take quite a long time to arrive, though it was a saturday night. i suggest that if you are in bendigo and looking for a decent feed, go to the cambrian hotel, as thefoodoffered at the cambrian hotel are quality pub meals that are made using fresh, local ingredients.

make sure if you dine here ypu font go when it's busy. service poor the night we went. order forgotten. howeverfoodwas good. suggest you get better staff in the dining room.

you beauty!. i have felt welcomed and valued since the first time i visited the cambrian. funny and sociable staff along with fantastic (and affordable)foodmakes this a must-stop place in bendigo.

awesome food!. we highly recommend it. we have tried their new specials : korean beef ribs and balinese curry and thefoodsimply melts in your mouth! the staff is very friendly and sensitive to our needs. we also had their two way duck and duo lamb before and they were superb!

visited on a tuesday night passing through from mildura home to melbourne, date night for my partner and i. i thought with the consistant reviews we would give it a go. corner hotel with no parking we parked across the road, hoping to play a few games of pool and and a couple of drinks before dinner but no pool tables, smaller bar area with a few older friendly locals, moved onto the restaurant area after 6pm, i had the duo of lamb my husband had the parma, it is an open kitchen you can see everything, meal made to order. unfortunately myfoodlooked better then it was, i was underwhelmed, too much beetroot rosti and was flavourless, the parma was smaller and had a small handful of chips, 1 other couple and 1 family in the restaurant, paid just under $100 for both meals and approx 6 alcoholic drinks. wont re visit.

topfood- great service. pros:
***** greatfood- 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 thefoodand 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.

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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. beer garden 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 greatfoodand an extensive wine, beer and cider list. will definitely be back again.

greatfoodon 6 days of the week!. i've been to the cambrian on many an occasion and have never been let down by thefoodquality, quantity, taste or presentation. great effort by andy & tash to keep this fantastic venue going by excellent customer service. i'll be down again this week for another delicious pasta or steak! :)

perfect smiley welcoming service!! perfectfoodcombinations!!! i had the pork belly as i often do ... and i loved it.. highly recommended for a quiet and tasty country meal ... meals presented and cooked superbly ... a must when in bendigo...