No 3. Restaurant in Ross-on-Wye

This summer we spent a week near Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire to attend an intensive pottery throwing workshop. We were in the heart of Wye Valley, an area known for its outstanding natural beauty. We stayed in the most wonderful bed and breakfast (more on which soon) and our hosts there kindly recommended several local restaurants, of which No.3 was their top suggestion. Closed on both Sunday and Monday (our first two nights in the area), we booked a table for the Tuesday night and loved our meal so much, we booked to go back again the very next night!

Why did we love it so much?

A combination of really delicious food, friendly and very well-trained service from staff who clearly care about customer experience, and very reasonable prices for the quality of ingredients and cooking.

No 3 Restaurant Ross on Wye - a review by Kavey Eats No 3 Restaurant Ross on Wye - a review by Kavey Eats No 3 Restaurant Ross on Wye - a review by Kavey Eats

The interior is simple, bright and comfortable, with tables reasonably spaced out. We lucked out in being allocated the only table in the corner between the bar and entrance, tucked away on its own, it was a perfect cosy spot.

No 3 Restaurant Ross on Wye - a review by Kavey Eats No 3 Restaurant Ross on Wye - a review by Kavey Eats

For our first visit, we shared the No. 3 Special Sharing Platter(£14.95) as a starter, a polished wooden board bearing ‘duck liver pate, bacon and cheddar croquettes, crispy pork, Chinese slaw, Cumberland sauce and crusty bread’. This was a superb start, the pate rich, smooth and with great flavour; the croquettes served hot from the fryer crunchy on the outside, melty soft inside; the crispy pork was a real surprise, kind of like Chinese crispy aromatic duck, not sure how they did it but we loved it. The Asian slaw didn’t look very Asian but tasted wonderful, and the fresh bread and condiments were all spot on. Portions were generous and this would also work well as a filling meal for one.

No 3 Restaurant Ross on Wye - a review by Kavey Eats No 3 Restaurant Ross on Wye - a review by Kavey Eats

The second night Pete ordered the Twice baked Hereford hop soufflé (£7.50) made with Hereford hop cheese and served with apple & cider chutney. Feather light, as a good soufflé should be, this was light and tasty, and a good choice if you’re worried about filling up before the generous main courses to come.

No 3 Restaurant Ross on Wye - a review by Kavey Eats

I went for the Garlic king prawns (£8.95), described as ‘pan fried shell off king prawns in garlic butter, fresh lemon, salad panache’, and I loved them. The light lemony garlic butter was perfectly balanced and I mopped up lots of it with both prawns and bread.

Pete’s main course on the first evening was from the specials board, hake we think, served with saute potatoes, seasonal green vegetables and a beurre blanc or light Hollandaise sauce. The fish was perfectly cooked and the sauce just right to complement rather than overpower it.

No 3 Restaurant Ross on Wye - a review by Kavey Eats

The Slow cooked pork belly (£14.95) with Bramley apple compot [sic], creamed potato, spring greens and brandy peppercorn sauce blew me away! The pork belly was cooked so perfectly, the meat fall-apart tender but without being pappy, the fat nicely rendered, and the skin so crisp it shattered shard-like under pressure from my knife. The flavour of the pork was superb too, and held its own against a satisfyingly robust brandy peppercorn sauce. Oh and I must mention the mash, pillowy piles of buttery potato, it was the best kind of comfort food. Loved the fresh summer vegetables too.

No 3 Restaurant Ross on Wye - a review by Kavey Eats

On evening two, Pete chose a veggie option in the Sweet potato, butternut and feta ragout (£12.95), ‘cooked with courgettes, fresh tomato and herbs, topped with a crisp filo wafer’. It was everything he expected of it, hearty and filling, with great flavour and texture.

No 3 Restaurant Ross on Wye - a review by Kavey Eats No 3 Restaurant Ross on Wye - a review by Kavey Eats

My second evening main dish was the Seared breast of duck (£15.95) with ‘potato dauphinoise, pomegranate and lime, spring greens and a port jus’. You can’t tell from the photos – the meat was unusually pale – but its cooked to what would normally look pink, and was once again superb quality. The deeply flavoured port jus was super rich, but offset brilliantly by the light bright flavour of pomegranate seeds in lime juice.

No 3 Restaurant Ross on Wye - a review by Kavey Eats

Sadly, on the first night, we just didn’t have space for dessert but we were determined to squeeze some in on our return visit. Pete’s No. 3 Treacle Sponge (£6.50) with golden syrup and vanilla ice cream was “what you dream a treacle sponge should be“, much softer and lighter than the typical stodgy offering but still with all the moist richness you could crave.

No 3 Restaurant Ross on Wye - a review by Kavey Eats

My Salted Caramel and Pecan Slice (£6.50) was served with Cornish clotted cream and oh my god, it was served warm, and was a glorious, fudgy, sticky mass of deliciousness. The combination of chocolate, pecan nuts and salted caramel is a winning one, and the clotted cream was the perfect foil to that motherlode of sweetness!

I mentioned above that service was particularly good. What I mean by that is that the staff at No. 3 didn’t just take our orders, bring drinks and food, sort the bill… in the perfectly acceptable but somewhat perfunctory way that is common. Instead, every member of staff we interacted with was fully engaged in the customer experience, noticing and acting on all those little things (such as needing more tap water or another round of drinks, a dropped napkin or item of cutlery, a lifted head and querying smile to catch someone’s attention) that make a really great impression.

Given the top notch food and service, it’s no surprise that No. 3 is extremely popular. We were lucky to get tables at such short notice (leaving a voicemail on Sunday for our Tuesday booking, and bagging the last table for Wednesday following our Tuesday visit). The restaurant was packed both evenings, and many prospective customers without reservations were turned away. Do make reservations in advance should you wish to visit, especially in peak tourist season.

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No 3 Restaurant Ross on Wye - a review by Kavey Eats

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55 Comments to "No 3. Restaurant in Ross-on-Wye"

  1. Karolína

    My partner and I would definitely enjoy a place like this! We are big food lovers, and have to say it looks really appetising! Good wine with it and that’s what I call perfection!

    Reply
  2. Indrani

    Oh mouth watering spread. King prawns in butter would be my first choice. Love the variety here.
    Love places like this with great food.

    Reply
  3. Melanie

    Oh wow the food looks delicious and I love to share plates. I am a veggie and I think I would have ordered the Sweet potato, butternut and feta ragout 😀 I am hungry nooow 🙂

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    There was a veggie sharing platter two and I think a couple of veggie starters, a couple of veggie mains…

    Reply
  4. Kate

    The Salted Caramel with Pecan looks absolutely sinful!! Plus, it sounds like top notch service with a real focus on customer service. The outside looks so quaint and inviting. Looks like a need to make a stop here!

    Reply
  5. Kellie Anderson

    Gosh it all looks insanely delicious, and how wonderful that the service matched it. I just wish it was on my patch (sadly, many hours away) . What I’m also impressed with is such clear images during an evening meal. Good work, Kavey 🙂

    Reply
  6. kaveyeats

    We are going back for another pottery workshop, I did pull some muscles last time but hopeful I can avoid this time!

    Reply
  7. Mike

    For such gorgeous and gourmet food, those prices were pretty darn good. Sign me up for that salted caramel and pecan slice!

    Reply
  8. Himanshu

    No.3 actually looks a great place to have delicious food in Ross-On-Wye. Your food photographs are really superlative which makes Sharing Paltter looks so awesome. No. 3 treacle Sponge looks super cool. An absolute delightful place.

    Reply
  9. Paige

    Wow this place looks absolutely amazing! The No. 3 Treacle Sponge sounds right up my alley. I have a major sweet tooth. I think that the Garlic King Prawns would be my go-to order. They sound so delicious!

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    I usually go for starters before desserts, but both if I have space. Our sweet tooths were definitely sated!

    Reply
  10. Carrie

    I’d be totally into that salted caramel and pecan dessert. How’s their menu for vegetarians? Do they have at least 3-4 options? It looks like you mostly went with meat…

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    Hi Carrie, when we were there they had two veggie starters, plus a veggie sharing platter, and I’m sure they had two veggie main options too. There’s a link to their website in the first paragraph, and you can look at a (sample) menu there.

    Reply
  11. Nancy

    No. 3 sounds like a winner. I would have eaten there on Wednesday night too. From the Twice baked Hereford hop soufflé to the salted caramel and pecan slice – it all looks delicious. And well-priced!

    Reply
  12. Claire

    An intensive pottery throwing workshop sounds like fun! I might look into that as an excuse to come and eat here!! Omg the sharing platter has all of my favourite things, and I absolutely love duck so I already know what I’d order! 🙂

    Reply
  13. Meenakshi

    Wow…the spread looks sumptuous. I liked the look of the Hop Cheese..You have captured every dish so wonderfully that even its texture can be felt through the pics 😀

    Reply
  14. Michael Hodgson

    That looks delicious! Next time I am in the area visiting, I will be sure to try out the food — starting with the cheese and then the garlic prawns. Mmmmm. Of course, a fine cider will be on tap.

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    We are heading back to the area next week and booked in already for a couple of nights of our visit!

    Reply
  15. AMBER TATTON

    This is literally 5 miles from my parents house. I have never been though, so I need to eat here!

    Reply
  16. Kreete

    Oh my god, all of this food makes me so hungry and I just had dinner haha! I am saving this for when Im in the area. I must say your photography skills of taking food are spot on!

    Reply
  17. Zoya

    I’m so hungry now! All your pics and descriptions look and sound heavenly! I’m especially intrigued by the pork belly with brandy peppercorn sauce. Pork belly is very common here in Taiwan, but I’ve never heard of it being served with this kind of sauce! Don’t get me started on that pecan slice!

    Reply
  18. Choclette

    OMG, I want that salted caramel pecan slice!!!!!!!! The soufflé sounds rather wonderful too. I love it when you find somewhere that’s so good you just want to go straight back. Love the Wye Valley. It really is so very pretty.

    Reply
  19. Yukti

    I loved the presentation of the dishes, they look very beautifully plated and served too. I loved your second-day option ordered by Pete as I am vegetarian. Sweet potato and feta ragout looks interesting and worth trying out.

    Reply
  20. Jas

    Before we talk about the food, wait… A pottery throwing workshop!? That actually sounds so fun. And ok, the food… The all look amazing! Everything from the sharing platter to the mains and desserts just look to die for!!!!

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    Yes, great fun, an intensive course where you spend each day on the pottery wheel improving your throwing skills!

    Reply
  21. noel

    Wow, the food looks so delicious and beautifully presented, I definitely would go back a second time. What a wonderful dinner you had on both nights

    Reply

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