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My parents were visiting from London, so we did the classic Sunday stroll through the postcard-perfect streets of Shere, followed by a short hop over to Gomshall to lose ourselves in the nooks of the fantastic Coach House shop.

Then it was time for lunch. The nearby Gomshall Mill had good reviews (4.5 stars on Google), so in we went.

We all know Google ratings are a flawed metric… But until someone invents a divining rod for finding great restaurants, we have to use the information at hand.

The Gomshall Mill has been sitting on the river since the 11th century. It milled grain for hundreds of years. It milled through the Norman Conquest, the Crusades, forty two monarchs, and the invention of the trouser press. Sadly, the mill stopped turning in 1953, and just missed the first Eurovision.

Later, in 2022, New Dawn Pubs took over, and transformed the building into a public house, restaurant, and garden with a large car park. And the march of progress goes on…

To start: Ham hock and chicken terrine with toasted farmhouse cob

A terrine that is well-executed and sparing with the gelatin (nobody wants to eat ham with jelly) is whetted by a silky, lively and beautifully made sauce with oodles of tangy tartar flavour.

The side salad was more than an afterthought – a mix of leaves, slices of pear, and crunchy, peppery watercress – warming, bright and thoughtful.

Minted lamb & vegetable pie, parsley mash, sauteed greens, red wine gravy.

Crisp-and-sturdy pastry housed zingy, minted lamb, buffered by a bright, bitter and sweet mix of seasonal greens. The meat was chopped curiously small, but I cannot argue with the impression it made.

But let’s zoom in and talk about the mash…

To build a magnificent pie and serve this mash is a heartbreak. It’s like a Hollywood epic that keeps you gripped for two hours, only to reveal in the final scene that it was all a dream. A dry, starchy dream.

A small extra jug of extra gravy would have easily moistened a multitude of potato sins, but was sadly absent.

Finally, for dessert: Spiced banana bread and butter pudding with clotted cream ice cream.

The bread and butter pudding had a clever, crisp, almost brulee’d top which gave way to a pleasant and plump pudding underneath.

The ice cream was a curious colour for clotted cream. It means the chef (or the producer) went rogue with the egg yolks, leaving it with a tacky and waxy mouthfeel.

This dish was crying out for a hearty splash of rum to round the flavours and shine a spotlight on the spices and banana.

What’s The Damage?

I can understand why this place enjoys such healthy Google reviews. There are signs of genuine care on the plate, even when the execution falters, and it’s a comfortable place to spend an afternoon. With a few minor refinements, the kitchen here could be very good indeed.

Right now, it is serving plates that don't quite match their own ambition.

The mill wheel may have stopped turning in 1953, but with a little more gravy and a splash of rum, this kitchen could get things flowing again.

The Gomshall Mill, Gomshall.

Friday, 3rd April

Bookham Country Market

⏱️ 10am to 12 noon

📍 The Old Barn Hall, Bookham

Saturday, 4th April

Walton-on-Thames Farmers' Market

⏱️ 9:30am – 2:00pm

📍 New Zealand Avenue, Walton on Thames

Maltings Monthly Market

⏱️ 9:00am – 4:00pm

📍 Farnham Maltings, Bridge Square

Sunday, 5th April

Epsom Farmers' Market

⏱️ 9:30am to 1:30pm

📍 Market Square, Epsom

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