Sugarvine

Tim is a great host and a fabulous chef. We have just returned from another lovely meal at the Whistling Duck. We were going to go elsewhere but as is so often the case, we opted for somewhere that we know is good.
As people who travel extensively we are often disappointed when eating out in the UK. We love the relaxed atmosphere, Tim and his team are charming, helpful and well informed. Tim takes great pride in his cooking and can even answer tricky questions about actors!
We will be back soon I hope. Oh and price wise, three of us ate all we could and with drinks the bill was £45, very reasonable. Dave

Just words to say a big THANK YOU for the excellent lunch on Sunday. Also the lovely flowers which were greatly appreciated.

Everyone enjoyed their day - the food, the service and the ambience were all typically "Collins" top drawer and true excellence.







Nickname - Anne

I regularly visit relatives in Winscombe and have often driven straight past The Whistling Duck without giving it a second glance. When my sister offered to treat us to a meal there, I thought it would be the usual boil-in-a-bag or deep fried everything type stuff. Nothing of the sort! The food was brilliant and tasted like real food used to do. I enjoyed every mouthful. The staff were very friendly and made me feel at home. I don't usually take the trouble to send in recommendations but I think this place has earned one. Give it a try before it gets too popular.

Seasons Restaurant at The Whistling Duck.

Landlord and chef, Tim Collins, hosted my wife's birthday lunch party for friends and family in August of last year. The venue at Banwell, a short distance from the M5, was chosen because of its central locality for some of our visitors who were travelling on the motorways during that busy summer. Inevitably there were delays.

Start of lunch for thirty people was delayed for over an hour whilst waiting for the poor stragglers. Tim and his staff took care of this entirely (choices of main courses "put on hold", as he modestly said later). I know this is not easy but it was brilliantly handled. Everyone was made welcome and completely at ease, until everyone had arrived, then we enjoyed an excellent lunch.

More importantly, we were not hurried and had time to sit back and relax after lunch. We left late in the afternoon and I had little more than time for a few words of thanks to Tim, then had to join our guests.

The restaurant at The Whistling Duck in Banwell was established a couple of years ago when whole pub was completely transformed.

Home & Local ® published an article on The Whistling Duck last year, in their "Mentioned in Despatches" column. A copy of this was pinned to a small notice board, tucked out of the way, in the lounge bar. By chance the contributor to this column was having lunch whilst I was passing the time away, browsing through the notice board, and I now have permission to quote this in my recommendation - it states all:

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Driving through the village of Banwell you may have noticed The Whistling Duck pub. If you did and stopped you probably regretted doing so, and went on your way as quickly as possible! That is how we viewed this pub until a friend suggested we drop in for a quick drink to see for ourselves how it has changed. Changed???

More like a complete overhaul that has lifted The Whistling Duck from a decidedly less than bog standard pub into a class of its own!
The transformation is staggering! What was a grotty boozer on the edge of the village has been turned into a fantastic pub and restaurant.
Furnished in the style of an Italian bistro, yet it manages to retain a true pub atmosphere.

The welcome is genuine. The staff smile and are attentive. They have much to smile about!

The furnishings are part pub and part lounge, and it works! In the bar you can relax on the deep, comfortable leather sofas, or take a stool at the friendly bar. We were so taken with the place that we decided to try the attached restaurant, and were lucky enough to find a table! The restaurant is very well appointed and the menu is quite definitely one of the best (possibly the best) we have come across anywhere in recent years. We were delighted to find that it actually lists the local producers that supply the kitchen! The wine list is excellent. When we left we knew that we had experienced something very, very special.

You must try it. The Whistling Duck, Banwell, is whistling a totally different tune these days!

Our sincere congratulations to all concerned!
Home & Local ® visited on 1st September 2006.

. Republished with the kind permission of the copyright holder Home & Local ®

Tim has now re-named the restaurant as "Seasons Restaurant at the Whistling Duck" complete with new menus, for each season in 2008, plus pizzas, family favourite (1/2 price for kids), dish of the day, baguettes, etc.

We have always received extremely good value and service, no matter what our choice.

The food deserves more than just a brief comment - which could not possibly do it justice. So, maybe I have said enough, but we are looking forward to visiting Seasons Restaurant in the near future.