Pecks at the Lion and Swan

Food The 7-course tasting menu at Pecks delivered a genuinely enjoyable evening of flavours. Each dish arrived beautifully presented, with the standout of the night being the beef — cooked perfectly, rich, and honestly one of the best plates I’ve had in a while. The pacing between courses is intentionally slow, as part of the Pecks “dining theatre” style, where the next course is only served once the whole room has finished. We did have a slightly longer wait than usual because of a large work party dining that evening, but overall, the food quality held strong throughout. Experience The experience itself was pretty unique and definitely one to remember. We arrived to live music in the bar, which instantly elevated the atmosphere — such a lovely touch. The dining room is elegant, and although it would’ve been even nicer with some festive decorations (it is the season!), the overall setting still felt special. Just be prepared for a slower pace — it’s all part of how Pecks runs the show. Staff The team on the floor were genuinely great — young, enthusiastic, and working incredibly hard. You could tell they cared and were doing their absolute best. The only downside came towards the end of the evening. After the main course, service dropped off a little, and we waited around 15 minutes just for a peppermint tea with hot water. Other tables seemed to be waiting too. It felt like the younger team members were rushing around trying to juggle everything — petit fours, hot drinks, closing duties — while the managers (two male, one female) were more present in the room than active. A bit more hands-on support from management at that point would have made a huge difference and taken pressure off the younger staff. Overall, the staff were lovely and absolutely not the issue. They just needed stronger backup from leadership at the end of service. Overall: A great dining experience, fantastic beef, memorable setting, and genuinely lovely staff. With a little more end-of-service support from the management team, Pecks could easily elevate from great to exceptional.