THIS summer, a popular cocktail bar on Ross-on-Wye’s High Street rebranded after a change of hands to create a brand-new bar and kitchen. Keen to see if it was as good as it was before it reopened under a new name, I headed along to check it out.

The new Tweet Bar and Kitchen, which used to be called Leonard's at 39, is situated opposite the market house in the town centre. 

Leonard's was one of the most popular eateries in the town before it was sold to new owners, so Tweet had big shoes to fill.

The recently renovated bar is striking from the outside with a tasteful navy blue and gold sign.

The interior is also lovely and chic – the space could easily accommodate anything from an intimate date night to a bigger party.

Ledbury Reporter: The interior at Tweet is unique and eye-catchingThe interior at Tweet is unique and eye-catching (Image: Tweet)

The new main bar area looks smart, and the seating areas are comfortable.

It’s unlike anywhere else in Ross-on-Wye – its atmosphere successfully strikes a balance between relaxed and refined.

I had eaten here before it changed ownership and had its refurb, when it was still called Leonards. Back then, I enjoyed the food but would have liked a bit more choice on the menu.

Now, the menu has been expanded with more choices of main courses as well as tapas, and so I was excited to try something different.

I enjoyed my Honeymoon Passion cocktail while perusing the new menu and was impressed with the choice.

The drinks menu featured signature cocktails like the Cookies ‘n’ Cream Alexander and Cut to the Chase, the tapas menu had choices including Loaded Nachos and Beef Albondigas, while main course and dessert options included Ballotine di Pollo, Risotto Porcini, and Churros.

The tapas were tempting, but I had my eye on a veggie burger and knew I wouldn’t be able to manage both, so I decided to keep it simple and skip straight to my main course. Who doesn’t love a good burger, after all?

The Tweet Veggie Burger was a breaded halloumi patty topped with caramelised red peppers, melted cheddar, avocado and chilli mayo, and served with excellent chips and a nice bit of coleslaw.

I’m not vegetarian myself, but I’m a big halloumi lover so this seemed like the right call. I had also had a version of this dish several years ago, before the restaurant rebranded, and wanted to see how much it had changed.

My burger took longer than I was expecting, but I saw this as a good sign that it was being prepared fresh. It arrived accompanied by a serving of crunchy fries – which were mouth-wateringly good.

Ledbury Reporter: The burger was a really good size with a nice combination of fillingsThe burger was a really good size with a nice combination of fillings (Image: Bridie Adams)

Despite being a large burger, it was not over-packed and was manageable to bite into once I had cut it in half.

All the fillings were stacked neatly inside the bun, from the crisp fresh salad and the crunchy flavoursome pickle to the delicious halloumi.

The burger itself was tasty and a great portion size – I happily tucked in and was certainly not left hungry. My verdict, comparing it to a halloumi burger I had tried at Leonard's previously, was that it was a big improvement.

If you’re looking for a veggie burger in Herefordshire that’s a bit different from the usual offering of a bean or Beyond Meat patty, this is a great option.

A burger and chips meal and chips here will set you back about £15, which, when compared with chains such as Nandos and Miller and Carter in Hereford, isn’t entirely unreasonable.

My dessert of a Malteser and Caramel Chocolate Brownie rounded off a wonderful meal.

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It also needs to be said that the staff in Tweet are lovely. The servers checked in on us regularly and made sure we had everything we needed.

I will be sure to go to Tweet again to sample more of the menu.

Next time, I’m tempted to try some of the tapas I missed, and perhaps one of the salads or a chicken burger.