Old Fire Engine House

After sales service is not normally a concept associated with restaurants. However, in my case, I would like to focus upon the excellent way they helped me. Foolishly I left my mobile phone in the restaurant at around 10.15pm. By 10.30 pm, they had taken the care and initiative, to ring my landlines to say " We have found your phone. You can collect tomorrow from the office ". I arrived at 8.30am the following morning, was greeted most helpfully, and my phone was returned. Splendid service indeed. They do care.

Always wanted to eat here. So booked a university reunion meal several months ago for yesterday at lunch time. The staff were very understanding when our group number got reduced from 10 to 8 at the beginning of the week, and then finally to 6 diners due to train strike. No booking deposit was required to secure our table. Really good home cooking, the crab starter was thoroughly enjoyed by those who chose it. We were delighted they offered us seconds of the main course but only one diner took up this offer whilst the rest of us saved ourselves for dessert. The dishes may have been a couple £ dearer than most places (£21.50 for mains, £8.80 for starters & desserts) but we were not rushed and overall we had a lovely experience. My husband and I would definitely come again. I can't speak on behalf of the other diners as they came from afar.

Brilliant food, service and atmosphere. We visited for my partner's 50th Birthday celebration. The staff were fantastic... they set the table up with decorations and were wonderful at accommodating us. Delicious food, huge portions and they also were great at making a special gluten free vegan meal. 5 stars all round!

I used to come to the old fire engine house with my work mates when I worked in Waterbeach. That was 7 years ago. I can say that after this time it is still retaining its charm and cozy with the food feeling homemade. The staff are very friendly even though they were running around like headless chickens (we came the weekend before Christmas). And of course the building structure remains as it was which makes it even more charming. I came with a couple of Slovenians dubious of British cuisine and I am glad to say that they thoroughly enjoyed it 😊 Ely has a lot of charm despite being such a small town and The Old Fire Engine House is definitely one of the main reasons.

Quite literally one of my favourite restaurants in the world – I’d give it a 6/5 if I could. Their dishes are generally quite simple (and absolutely delicious), which highlights the quality and freshness of their seasonal ingredients. I didn’t think I liked horseradish until I tried theirs, and I still dream of their trifle. The house itself is just so beautiful; in the cold season you might sit by the fire, and when it’s warm outside you can sit in the garden for tea. Great, friendly, expert service. And they offer second helpings!

What a gem of a place! Considering it’s run by a very small team of superwomen - with just two cooks - it’s mindblowing how extensive and interesting the menu is. Food is delicious, with a homemade feel. It’s more of a Talented Mum’s Cooking type of a place than a hipster-deconstructed-dishes restaurant. Very extensive wine list, too. Stunning garden. A must visit if you’re in Ely - better book ahead, although we were lucky to catch the last table as a walk-in.

Delightful place in Ely. I felt immediately welcomd by friendly staff that seated me in a nice table in the corner, I was on my own so perfect for being tucked away but I had a good view of everything going on to keep me occupied. The place isn't what I'd call 'instagrammble'. You won't find any young fashionable people here and it's all the better for it. It's nicely decorated, crisp and fresh and feels welcoming, more like visiting a friends house than a stuffy restaurant. The people visiting are here to enjoy their evenings with good food and friends, not take pictures for likes. I really enjoyed my roast pork with veggies. Very moist with plenty of crispy crackling. Loads of gravy too which is always a worry in the south. Wine selection lovely. My chocolate mousse was amazing, not had one like that since Bruges. Loads of it too. Washed down with a nice coffee. The only let down was the starter. Just a handful of bagged salad with some tiny bits of goats cheese and two walnuts. There was a vague drizzling of some kind of dressing. Certainly not worth the price, initially very let down. But everything else was marvelous, plus the soups I saw going out to other tables looked and smelt tasty. I need to mention the pacing of the evening. I never felt rushed, every course had a good break in between, but not so long I was waiting. I hate these days how everything is so rushed, in and out. It was nice to be able to relax and savour my food and wine. Thank you for a proper dining experience. Hopefully when I'm in the area I'll visit again and this time with friends.