Dining Out at The Olive Branch

In 2024 The Olive Branch is celebrating 25 years of relaxed excellence… so what better time to reacquaint yourself with brilliant dishes or Tapas on the Terrace in Clipsham this summer?

Some things get better with age. Good wine, classic cars, antiques, venerable trees and friendships, for example. Add to that list The Olive Branch, Clipsham’s village pub which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Founded in 1999 when three friends and some dedicated villagers decided to save their pub, the place reopened with a pretty cottage garden outside, and open fires, pantiles and pine tables inside. 

Even with a more humdrum offering of food it would be a desirable place to spend time, but from the very beginning its owners, including Ben Jones, were determined to make the place something very special indeed in terms of its provision of dining, whilst determinedly retaining the relaxed and friendly feel of a village pub.

The result 25 years on is a dining experience that gets better and better with every visit, ensuring not just a lovely looking place to dine but first class dishes prepared with a huge amount of care and skill.

Head Chef Ben Fisher leads a brigade of five chefs plus other team members in the kitchen, whilst Andy Devine as front of house manager ensures the welcome guests enjoy is as warm as the look and feel of the place, and up to the same standard as the plates Ben and the team create.

Over the years The Olive Branch has been praised in the Michelin guide, the Good Food Guide, Harden’s and Sawday’s, achieving two AA rosettes and taking the title of Leicestershire & Rutland Dining Pub of the year on no fewer than 16 occasions.

Whatever the Great British summer decides to throw at us, weather wise, The Olive Branch has you covered with open fires during our visit on a fairly grey day in April but the covered terrace due to reopen as Pride goes to press for dining in the fresh air.

Accordingly, Tapas on the Terrace is being offered during early evening service from 6pm-7pm too, having previously only been available during daytime service.

The offering for £39.50/person provides no fewer than 10 small dishes served on a board all packing big flavours. The experience also includes an assiette of mini puddings too including a mini pistachio tart, mango pudding with yoghurt sorbet and mini cones of ice cream and sorbets.

A Lunch for Less and à la carte menu is available during daytime service and in the evening there’s an à la carte menu with seven dishes per course, plus the availability of a seven-course tasting menu for £95/person with optional flight of wine. Sunday lunch is available too with both set lunch and à la carte options.

The rear of the menu is a map of the area showing the vast number of local suppliers and food heroes that The Olive Branch values. The chefs also have a productive kitchen garden, The Paddock, opposite the pub adjacent to its six-bedroom boutique bed and breakfast, Beech House.

The chefs butcher their own meat on site utilising a Stretton producer of hogget, Launde lamb and Essendine fallow deer as well as Price & Fretwell of Derbyshire. Meanwhile everything from pickles and preserves, to ice creams and petit fours are made in house. Bread is supplied by Hambleton Bakery, but we’ll excuse that, given its superior sourdough.

Meanwhile, The Olive Branch curates a list of more than 100 wines, also offering a range of real ales and ciders including those from Oakham’s Grainstore Brewery. There’s also a selection of house cocktails including non-alcoholic mocktails for drivers.

Other local suppliers are represented in the form of Belvoir Fruit Farms with its range of pressés and juices, Mallard Point and Multum Gin Parvo. As this month includes English Wine Week, it’s worth mentioning Hambleton Classic Cuvée from Hampshire is one of the pub’s sparkling wine options.

If you’re in the mood to spend a lazy summer afternoon grazing with friends, there’s a choice of snacks on the menu too, also available as a bar board designed for friends to share.

Diners can also take home The Olive Branch ethos thanks to a pub shop with the kitchen team’s olive and herb butter, jam, chutney, plus local cheese, and wine too.

If it’s the chefs’ expertise you covet, however, we recommend joining The Olive Branch’s mailing list (join up on the pub’s website) for updates on events and experiences from bread and butchery to fish masterclasses in June and July, cookery demonstrations (one on Thursday 4th July), and wine tasting suppers (including the Zinio Bodegas Spanish Wine Dinner on Thursday 13th June).

The Great British Summer may not be predictable, but at least you can always rely on The Olive Branch to deliver the taste of summer, with the very best dishes and a truly enjoyable experience guaranteed.

The Olive Branch Clipsham, Rutland

“Celebrating 25 years in 2024, Clipsham’s award-winning village inn features friendly & knowledgeable staff, passionate about food & drink.”
Lunch food orders taken Wednesday-Friday, noon until 2pm. Saturday noon to 2.30pm, 
Sunday 12 noon to 4.30pm.Dinner food orders taken Wednesday to Saturday 6pm-9.15pm.
The Olive Branch, Main Street, Clipsham, Rutland, LE15 7SH.
Tel: 01780 410 355. www.theolivebranchpub.com.