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There are few things more absurd than a Michelin-starred restaurant being declared dead by blog post. Not criticised, not reviewed harshly, not even quietly dismissed as “not what it once was,” but pronounced closed, like some sort of culinary obituary written by Chat GPT. And yet this is precisely what happened recently to Lumière in Cheltenham, the husband-and-wife jewel that has just retained its Michelin star (again, because of course it has), and is very much open for business. Not merely open, but flourishing; confident, polished, and quietly at the top of its game. So when the confusion began circulating on social media, we did what any sensible person would do. We booked lunch immediately. Not out of spite, exactly, though there may have been a dash of it, but because if someone is going to spread rumours about one of the Cotswolds’ finest dining rooms, the least we can do is turn up, eat magnificently, and report back. Lumière has now been operating for 17 years under husband-and-wife team Jon and Helen Howe, and it shows in the best possible way. It offers tasting menus in four, six or eight courses (£85, £130, £175). We went for six. Which is the sweet spot, really: enough to feel thoroughly indulged, not enough to require a nap in Montpellier Gardens afterwards with your belt undone and your soul drifting gently out of your body. Jon is the artist in the kitchen, trained under some of the country’s finest Michelin-starred talent, but very much cooking in his own voice. Meanwhile, Helen leads the front of house with warmth and ease, alongside Restaurant Manager Matthew, and together they create that most elusive of experiences: service that feels attentive, personal, professional, but never stiff. There are white tablecloths, certainly, but no sense of intimidation. Nobody is whispering and nobody is judging your pronunciation of “velouté.” A lovely touch is the menu itself, presented on a tablet at the table, a legacy of going paperless after Covid. It sounds like the sort of thing that might ruin the romance. It doesn’t. In fact, it’s rather wonderful: each dish laid out like a chapter in a novel, complete with origins, technique and detail. Between courses I read like a crime novel on a Kindle, except the evidence was crab, asparagus and dangerously good sourdough. The canapés arrived first. Creedy Carver duck doughnut with fig and lime; Cornish crab in a delicate waffle tart with peas and elderflower; and Stinking Bishop with pear and chive. The duck doughnut was an outrageously good one-biter, crisp, rich, sweet, sharp. The sort of thing that makes you briefly consider asking if they do them by the dozen. The crab was all freshness and finesse you could wish for, and the Stinking Bishop was exactly as advertised: you could smell it before you ate it, which was no surprise. What was a surprise is that it may have been my favourite of the three. Then came the sourdough. Not just bread, but an event. A 32-hour labour of obsession, with Wildfarmed flour and the sort of crust that makes a noise when you break it. Two butters followed: Ampersand cultured with Himalayan pink salt, and a chicken butter crowned with crisp skin, which sounds faintly outrageous until you taste it and realise it’s simply genius. Soon after arrived the Cornish John Dory with fennel, St Austell mussels, cauliflower and vadouvan, the dish I would return for alone. Perfectly cooked fish is one of life’s great luxuries, so often promised, so rarely delivered, but this was immaculate. Lightly cured, delicately caramelised, and sitting in a sauce so good I momentarily forgot I was a respectable adult and began mopping it up with bread like a man who’d just survived a famine. Fortunately, I was then told that this was not only acceptable, but seemingly encouraged. Alongside it we had a glass of Woodchester Valley Blanc de Blancs 2019, which felt like the perfect local nod: ripe, elegant, all lemon zest and creamy mousse. The sort of wine that you can't believe is made just down the road. Next came Wye Valley asparagus with morel, wild garlic, truffle and Jersey Royals, a plate that looked like it belonged in a gallery. I'm still a bit unsure how Jon made an asparagus spear look so glamorous. The morels, stuffed and roasted, were earthy and decadent; the truffle butter made everything feel faintly sinful; and the whole dish sang with that early-summer optimism that only asparagus season can bring. Then, a palate cleanser; Lumière’s legendary take on a Tequila Slammer, which has been on the menu for 14 years and is still delivering theatre. Smoke billowed. Sorbet appeared. A lime sphere waited ominously, daring you not to nibble. It was playful, clever, and oddly nostalgic. Tequila is the drink I swore off after a house party at the age of seventeen and have never revisited. If it had always tasted like this, I'd have ended up as tequila connoisseur rather than emotionally scarred. Up next came the “main event”, if such a concept exists on a tasting menu: Mount Grace Farm Kerry Hill hogget, with ewe’s curd, carrot, mint and Cobble Lane pancetta. This was serious cooking. Deeply savoury, beautifully judged, the lamb aged for complexity rather than youth. The loin was tender and caramelised, the belly transformed into something like hogget bacon and the sauce rich with roasted bones and intelligence. It was rustic ingredients treated with refined discipline and the sort of dish that reminds you why fine dining matters when it’s done properly. The wine pairing was Pyramid Valley ‘Earth Smoke’ Pinot Noir 2022, and at £30 a glass it was the price that persuaded us to share a glass. Fortunately, it was superb. Dessert was the first of the British strawberries: New Forest strawberry with duck egg custard, caramelised filo and sorrel. Bright, fresh, intricate, and beautifully balanced. Strawberries in several forms, frozen with liquid nitrogen, compressed, gelled, granita’d (all the technical wizardry I've never really understood). It tasted like the start of summer, centre court at Wimbledon, or, perhaps, like the first day you dare to leave the house without a jumper. And that, really, is the magic of Lumière. It is Michelin-starred dining that never forgets it is meant to be enjoyed. It is clever without being overly showy, luxurious without being pompous. Everything is about the food, yes, but it is also about the feeling. The welcome. The comfort. The sense that you are somewhere special without having to endure any of the stuff that sometimes comes with “somewhere special.” Frankly, this is one of the standout dining experiences in the Cotswolds, and although we went in fully aware of the £130 six-course menu, we still left slightly surprised it wasn’t higher, which is perhaps the highest compliment you can give a restaurant in 2026 without sounding like a complete lunatic. And Lumière, very happily, is not going anywhere. lumiererestaurant.co.uk    
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There’s a new name to note for summer dining in the Cotswolds. LARDON, a European-inspired small plates restaurant championing ingredient-led, wood-fired cooking, is set to open in early summer 2026 at Elkstone Studios, the beautifully curated destination nestled between Cirencester and Cheltenham. Heading up the kitchen is Mikey Bain, formerly of Calcot Manor and Whatley Manor, bringing serious pedigree and a refined approach to bold, seasonal flavours. Leading front of house is Josh Newman, previously of No. 38 The Park (Lucky Onion Group), ensuring the service matches the ambition on the plate. LARDON is the latest venture from the team behind two much-loved Cotswolds staples: KNEAD Bakery and Jesse Smith Butchers. Founders John & David Hawes and Kris Biggs are combining their passion for exceptional produce with a relaxed, modern dining experience rooted in European tradition. Expect honest cooking, open fire, and plates designed for sharing — all set within one of the region’s most exciting lifestyle and hospitality developments. For updates, follow @lardon_restaurant on Instagram or visit www.lardon-restaurant.com.  Let’s be honest, the Cotswolds isn't exactly short of some incredible places to eat in some of its most popular towns. There’s The Old Butchers in Stow-on-the-Wold, Smiths in Bourton-on-the-Water and Juliet in Stroud. All brilliant. But push a little further north, in and around Shipston on Stour (don't squint) and you will stumble upon some of the region’s most exciting food that seems to slip under the radar. Quietly brilliant, exactly where you least expect it. Take The Bower House, the sort of place that makes you wonder why more people haven’t stumbled off the beaten track sooner. Set in a handsome Georgian townhouse in the heart of Shipston on Stour, it feels like a proper neighbourhood restaurant with rooms; warm, elegant, and surprisingly ambitious. Under Head Chef Leo Kattou, menus rotate with the seasons and celebrate British ingredients with ingenuity and restraint, earning AA Rosettes, Michelin Guide recommendations and plenty of local admiration along the way. Now, cross the road, figuratively, if not literally, and you’ll find Bastardo’s Trattoria. Born from the same creative minds (Richard Craven) behind the Michelin‑starred Royal Oak at Whatcote, it wears its Italian inspiration with a distinctly British twist: seasonal produce treated with bold flavour and just the right amount of irreverence. The kitchen is led by John Broughton, formerly Head Chef at the Royal Oak, while the menu is shaped by Craven, whose love of Italian cooking was forged during the early years of his career. Warm, buzzy, and effortlessly confident. The town seems to be staging a culinary coup. And while we're on the subject, we should talk about The Royal Oak at Whatcote. A rarity for the Cotswolds; a village pub with a Michelin star and the quiet confidence to use it without preening. Run by chef‑owner Richard Craven and his wife Solanche, this is proper country cooking with brains and heart. The menu shifts with the micro‑seasons, rooted in wild ingredients and local foragers, from game shot on nearby hills to vegetables and rare breeds sourced from neighbouring estates, all celebrated in dishes pared down to their best possible selves. The service, warm and unpretentious, makes you feel you’re in the hands of friends rather than critics, and that’s part of the magic. Twelve minutes from Shipston is Whichford, one of those villages you could easily drive past without a second thought, which would be a mistake, because it is quietly blessed with not one but two reasons to stop. The Norman Knight (recently reopened under Matt and Katie Beamish of The Kingham Plough) sits comfortably on the village green, all low beams and flagstones, the reassuring heartbeat of a proper country pub and a good menu. Classic dishes are handled with care rather than fuss, making it the sort of place where you arrive for a pint and stay for supper without ever regretting the decision. A short stroll away, The Straw Kitchen at Whichford Pottery offers something more intimate and quietly distinctive. Tucked inside the garden of a working pottery, it's unique, small, brilliant and somewhere that laughs in the face of coordinated colour palettes. Head Chef Christne Bottine creates a menu that is creative without being complicated, the setting charming without trying too hard, and the whole experience feels personal rather than performed. Ten minutes in the other direction from Shipston, The Howard Arms in Ilmington feels like one of those places that has quietly mastered the art of being exactly what a Cotswold village pub should be. The food sits comfortably between classic British pub cooking and something a little more considered, with seasonal menus that avoid unnecessary complication. Inside, the atmosphere is warm and unhurried rather than showy especially with the fires roaring and a dog sitting by you feet in winter months. In addition to these and, again, all within 10 minutes of Shipston you will find The Cherington that offers the reassuring warmth of a proper country pub, honest cooking and long, relaxed lunches. The Fuzzy Duck at Armscote that offers polished seasonal dishes that sit neatly between rustic charm and modern confidence. Meanwhile, Pit Kitchen brings open-fire energy and bold, flavour-forward cooking, proving the countryside can handle a little urban culinary attitude. Herd at Todenham Manor is a quietly confident arrival. The menu leans on farm-sourced meat and locally inspired produce, driven by chef Christopher Ellis in a unique tented restaurant on the farm. in the northern Cotswolds — a wine, produce and pantry concept that feels less like a shop and more like an invitation to savour the region’s best ingredients, with thoughtful selections and seasonal discoveries that reward curiosity rather than hurry. And to wash it down? The Cotswolds Distillery in Stourton does rather lovely things with gin and whisky that reward slow, appreciative sipping rather than hurried drinking. You can lose a morning or afternoon here with brunch or lunch in their Still House cafe. Beer wise, North Cotswold Brewery make proper country ales just outside Shipston that feel designed for worn wooden tables, late afternoon sunlight and conversations that wander pleasantly off topic. They don't offer tours, but you will find their ales behind the bar at many local pubs. Shagweaver is particularly good. And there you have it, this edge of the Cotswolds has been quietly getting rather good at this food and drink lark. While other parts chase crowds and postcards, this is the Cotswolds many people may not have heard about which, in some way, is still part of its charm. If you enjoy eating well, drinking properly, and quietly knowing you’ve found somewhere rather good before the crowds catch on, this is a corner of the Cotswolds worth remembering.  Mentioned in this piece: The Bower House bower.house Bastardo’s Trattoria www.bastardostrattoria.co.uk The Royal Oak, Whatcote www.theroyaloakwhatcote.co.uk The Norman Knight thenormanknight.co.uk The Straw Kitchen www.whichfordpottery.com/visit/straw-kitchen The Howard Arms howardarms.com The Cherington thecherington.co.uk The Fuzzy Duck www.fuzzyduckarmscote.com Pit Kitchen www.pitkitchen.co.uk Herd todenhammanorfarm.co.uk/herd Cotswolds Distillery www.cotswoldsdistillery.com North Cotswold Brewery www.northcotswoldbrewery.co.uk On Monday the 9th of February, the culinary world gathered in anticipation as the new MICHELIN Stars were revealed at the 2026 MICHELIN Guide Ceremony, held at the Convention Centre in Dublin. Here in the Cotswolds, we are pleased to report that five of our restaurants have once again retained their coveted one-star distinction, and here they are!
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The view from the Mandarin Restaurant
Cheltenham’s dining scene continues to evolve, and its latest addition brings something altogether new. COALHOUSE, a smokehouse and taproom created by chef-restaurateur Lewis Spencer and co-owned by Jay Rahman of Prithvi, promises to add depth, warmth and a touch of smoke to the town’s food landscape.
At its heart lies the philosophy of “Brew & Que”- the simple but irresistible idea of live-fire cooking paired with excellent local brews. The inspiration draws from the fire pits of the United States and the bold flavours of Mexico, but the execution will feel firmly rooted in Cheltenham.
Expect dishes led by the smoker; slow-cooked brisket, pulled pork, flame-charred vegetables, each imbued with that unmistakable smokiness which only time and wood can achieve. This is food designed for sharing, generous in both flavour and spirit, with the emphasis on comfort rather than ceremony.
Alongside the food sits an equally important element: the taproom. The bar champions craft beers and ciders from local breweries, with a rotating selection designed to complement the food. A hoppy pale ale with ribs, perhaps, or a crisp cider to cut through the richness of tacos, each pairing is considered, without being overthought.
The atmosphere is intended to be lively and welcoming; less formal restaurant, more gathering place. Music, conversation and the comforting aroma of smoke will define the experience, creating somewhere to settle in for an evening with friends as much as to enjoy a quick bite and a pint.
With Spencer’s expertise in live-fire cooking and Rahman’s proven eye for creating standout dining destinations, COALHOUSE is set to become a distinctive new fixture in Cheltenham. A place where the focus is on flavour, sociability and craft – all the right ingredients for a restaurant the town will quickly make its own.
Where & when:
32-34 Clarence St, Cheltenham GL50 3NX
17.10.2025
At its heart lies the philosophy of “Brew & Que”- the simple but irresistible idea of live-fire cooking paired with excellent local brews. The inspiration draws from the fire pits of the United States and the bold flavours of Mexico, but the execution will feel firmly rooted in Cheltenham.
Expect dishes led by the smoker; slow-cooked brisket, pulled pork, flame-charred vegetables, each imbued with that unmistakable smokiness which only time and wood can achieve. This is food designed for sharing, generous in both flavour and spirit, with the emphasis on comfort rather than ceremony.
Alongside the food sits an equally important element: the taproom. The bar champions craft beers and ciders from local breweries, with a rotating selection designed to complement the food. A hoppy pale ale with ribs, perhaps, or a crisp cider to cut through the richness of tacos, each pairing is considered, without being overthought.
The atmosphere is intended to be lively and welcoming; less formal restaurant, more gathering place. Music, conversation and the comforting aroma of smoke will define the experience, creating somewhere to settle in for an evening with friends as much as to enjoy a quick bite and a pint.
With Spencer’s expertise in live-fire cooking and Rahman’s proven eye for creating standout dining destinations, COALHOUSE is set to become a distinctive new fixture in Cheltenham. A place where the focus is on flavour, sociability and craft – all the right ingredients for a restaurant the town will quickly make its own.
Where & when:
32-34 Clarence St, Cheltenham GL50 3NX
17.10.2025
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Bourton on the Water is the sort of village that looks like it was designed to lull you into a false sense of calm, with the River Windush trickling obligingly under tiny bridges and where tourists clutch cameras and phones as though the scenery might vanish if unphotographed for the umpteenth time. However, if you go in the middle of summer it's anything but calm. It’s also, possibly, the last place you’d expect a burger that could outshine some of London’s finest. And yet, tucked into a modest side street, Smiths of Bourton has quietly been turning patties into an art form, proving that culinary audacity often thrives where you least expect it.
The story begins in 2020, when the world collectively paused and hospitality teetered on the brink. The Smith family’s tea room closed its doors, and the sensible thing would have been to wait it out. Instead, with a leap of faith and youthful confidence, the two brothers Theo and Seb did the brilliant thing: they started serving burgers to locals from the tiny kitchen. It was a survival tactic with swagger and Smiths as we know it today was born.
In less than five years, Smiths has gone from takeaway experiments to national recognition with a much bigger kitchen. Their “MR.P” burger scooped third place at the 2025 National Burger Awards, and they were crowned Best Burger in Gloucestershire. But accolades, as the brothers would happily tell you, are just frosting on a very juicy patty. The real magic is in their 'Passionate About Patties' ethos. That passion permeates everything that the restaurant has to offer, from the service, the music and the ever-evolving menu, turning every visit into a carefully orchestrated, indulgent experience.
This year, Smiths takes on yet another stage: The Big Feastival. For something that started with a handful of buns and a pinch of optimism, this is a remarkable step. The Big Feastival is one of the UK’s most celebrated food festivals. It’s a gathering of culinary talent from all over the UK and, for us, it's great to see a Cotswolds brand taking centre stage. As well as offering a selection of their classics, the pair have been working on the Big Feastival Stack; a one-off creation designed to wow both eyes and taste buds. It’s a burger that makes a statement without shouting and one every patty-loving Feastival-goer should try.
Yet awards, festivals, and viral Instagram reels and TikToks tell only half the story. Smiths is ultimately a tale of resilience and they continue to innovate and refine their product to be the best it can possibly be. From a crisis-born experiment to a nationally recognised brand, it’s powered by sheer determination, creativity, and a healthy dose of stubborn charm and every burger served is a testament to what happens when ambition meets craft, and when a tiny village kitchen refuses to be ordinary.
The bridges in Bourton on the Water will still get their fair share of photos, but we all know the real attraction is now served in a bun.
www.smithsofbourton.com
The story begins in 2020, when the world collectively paused and hospitality teetered on the brink. The Smith family’s tea room closed its doors, and the sensible thing would have been to wait it out. Instead, with a leap of faith and youthful confidence, the two brothers Theo and Seb did the brilliant thing: they started serving burgers to locals from the tiny kitchen. It was a survival tactic with swagger and Smiths as we know it today was born.
In less than five years, Smiths has gone from takeaway experiments to national recognition with a much bigger kitchen. Their “MR.P” burger scooped third place at the 2025 National Burger Awards, and they were crowned Best Burger in Gloucestershire. But accolades, as the brothers would happily tell you, are just frosting on a very juicy patty. The real magic is in their 'Passionate About Patties' ethos. That passion permeates everything that the restaurant has to offer, from the service, the music and the ever-evolving menu, turning every visit into a carefully orchestrated, indulgent experience.
This year, Smiths takes on yet another stage: The Big Feastival. For something that started with a handful of buns and a pinch of optimism, this is a remarkable step. The Big Feastival is one of the UK’s most celebrated food festivals. It’s a gathering of culinary talent from all over the UK and, for us, it's great to see a Cotswolds brand taking centre stage. As well as offering a selection of their classics, the pair have been working on the Big Feastival Stack; a one-off creation designed to wow both eyes and taste buds. It’s a burger that makes a statement without shouting and one every patty-loving Feastival-goer should try.
Yet awards, festivals, and viral Instagram reels and TikToks tell only half the story. Smiths is ultimately a tale of resilience and they continue to innovate and refine their product to be the best it can possibly be. From a crisis-born experiment to a nationally recognised brand, it’s powered by sheer determination, creativity, and a healthy dose of stubborn charm and every burger served is a testament to what happens when ambition meets craft, and when a tiny village kitchen refuses to be ordinary.
The bridges in Bourton on the Water will still get their fair share of photos, but we all know the real attraction is now served in a bun.
www.smithsofbourton.com
Photography: Katherine Williams
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Some places in the Cotswolds are so perfectly arranged you half expect to find a National Trust volunteer polishing the scones. The Straw Kitchen is not one of them.
This place is a delightful oddity in more ways than one. It feels like one of the Cotswolds' best-kept secrets that somehow everyone seems to knows about, and bar the pottery itself, the only neighbour of note is the Cotswolds Distillery a couple of miles down the road, which is a fine if your plans involve whisky before noon, but less immediately helpful when you’re seeking coffee, eggs and bacon.
In a world where cafés look like they’ve been born of a mood board, paint charts and week-long branding meetings, The Straw Kitchen laughs in the face of coordinated colour palettes. As you walk in from the car park, you are greeted by an artfully chaotic jumble of mismatched tables, chairs in a red-sided canopy tent stuck to the side of what looks like an old stone barn, half-hidden behind some plants tall enough to demand planning permission.
Walking into the barn, you are hit the waft of coffee like the opening bars of your favourite song, a kitchen alive with clatter and chatter and a much more rustic feel with wooden beams, panels and tables. The walls are a happy muddle of art that doesn’t match, books stacked on shelves that don’t care, clay pots keeping company with yet more books, and a few old tennis rackets which, for reasons I can’t explain, look like they’ve always lived there. It's like boho-chic experiment gone gloriously right and manages to feel both thrown together and utterly deliberate.
It was wonderfully busy and we found a small table next to an open window in the red tent. Just inside enough to be out of the direct sun of this third life-threatening heatwave of the summer, but outside enough to feel like we're not scared. The menus are all above the kitchen inside the barn so it's a case of taking enough photos on your phone to take back to the tables with you, while picking up your cutlery, napkins and bottle of organic tomato sauce on the way past.
The menu, thankfully, keeps things gloriously simple. A Paddock Farm bacon sarnie, homebaked toast, homemade beetroot relish and homegrown leaves (£7.50) or Paddock Farm eggs on toast (£6.50), again all homemade and a choice of poached, scrambled or fried. There are some extras you can add too.
I joined the queue behind someone who was still deciding when ordering and in front of a cyclist in full lycra from a table spandexed-clad gents in the garden, settled in for their mid-ride refuel. I will never fully understand the confidence with which a grown man will stroll into a civilised breakfast wearing cycling lycra, an outfit that leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination, and order scrambled eggs as though he’s in trousers. I ordered poached eggs on toast with added bacon (+£3.50) twice and two flat whites.
The flat white was, naturally, served in a Whichford Pottery mug. There’s something deeply pleasing about drinking from a vessel made just metres away, knowing you could wander in afterwards and take one home. The breakfast arrived, yes on a Whichford Pottery plate, with a couple of eggs ready for the runny yolk fork test with a pile of beautifully smoky thin-cut bacon and leaves on the side. Where breakfasts in the Cotswolds usually cost more than your first car, finding one for a tenner was as refreshing as the charm and character of our surroundings.
The pottery itself is just a short along the path through the middle of the vibrant garden, past the empty table that the cyclists vacated and dogs and humans sheltering under parasols and canopies. Shelves and tables are stacked with the cups and plates you just drank from and ate off and lots more you can buy, so don’t be surprised if you leave clutching a Whichford mug like it’s a trophy. There is an abundance of assorted garden pots too for any budding Monty Dons out there, with one designed in tribute to his old dog, Ned and handmade by the pottery.
We left with full stomachs, a new mug, and that contented feeling that comes from having spent a morning somewhere that matters to the people who run it. It's rare it is to find a place that manages to be both unpretentious and authentically warm. and one that wears its quirks like a badge of honour. It's a breakfast spot for those who want to be fed and not fussed over in a wonderfully unpretentious, relaxed atmosphere that’s welcoming without being twee.
If you like your breakfast with a bit of character, your coffee in a handmade mug, and the company of a crowd that’s equal parts dogs, cyclists, locals, and pottery pilgrims, then The Straw Kitchen is worth the detour, worth the time, and worth telling your friends about, though selfishly, you might also be tempted to keep it to yourself.
www.whichfordpottery.com/visit/straw-kitchen
Whichford, Nr. Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire, CV36 5PG
Open: Wednesday to Saturday: 10am to 4pm
Closed: Sunday to Tuesday
This place is a delightful oddity in more ways than one. It feels like one of the Cotswolds' best-kept secrets that somehow everyone seems to knows about, and bar the pottery itself, the only neighbour of note is the Cotswolds Distillery a couple of miles down the road, which is a fine if your plans involve whisky before noon, but less immediately helpful when you’re seeking coffee, eggs and bacon.
In a world where cafés look like they’ve been born of a mood board, paint charts and week-long branding meetings, The Straw Kitchen laughs in the face of coordinated colour palettes. As you walk in from the car park, you are greeted by an artfully chaotic jumble of mismatched tables, chairs in a red-sided canopy tent stuck to the side of what looks like an old stone barn, half-hidden behind some plants tall enough to demand planning permission.
Walking into the barn, you are hit the waft of coffee like the opening bars of your favourite song, a kitchen alive with clatter and chatter and a much more rustic feel with wooden beams, panels and tables. The walls are a happy muddle of art that doesn’t match, books stacked on shelves that don’t care, clay pots keeping company with yet more books, and a few old tennis rackets which, for reasons I can’t explain, look like they’ve always lived there. It's like boho-chic experiment gone gloriously right and manages to feel both thrown together and utterly deliberate.
It was wonderfully busy and we found a small table next to an open window in the red tent. Just inside enough to be out of the direct sun of this third life-threatening heatwave of the summer, but outside enough to feel like we're not scared. The menus are all above the kitchen inside the barn so it's a case of taking enough photos on your phone to take back to the tables with you, while picking up your cutlery, napkins and bottle of organic tomato sauce on the way past.
The menu, thankfully, keeps things gloriously simple. A Paddock Farm bacon sarnie, homebaked toast, homemade beetroot relish and homegrown leaves (£7.50) or Paddock Farm eggs on toast (£6.50), again all homemade and a choice of poached, scrambled or fried. There are some extras you can add too.
I joined the queue behind someone who was still deciding when ordering and in front of a cyclist in full lycra from a table spandexed-clad gents in the garden, settled in for their mid-ride refuel. I will never fully understand the confidence with which a grown man will stroll into a civilised breakfast wearing cycling lycra, an outfit that leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination, and order scrambled eggs as though he’s in trousers. I ordered poached eggs on toast with added bacon (+£3.50) twice and two flat whites.
The flat white was, naturally, served in a Whichford Pottery mug. There’s something deeply pleasing about drinking from a vessel made just metres away, knowing you could wander in afterwards and take one home. The breakfast arrived, yes on a Whichford Pottery plate, with a couple of eggs ready for the runny yolk fork test with a pile of beautifully smoky thin-cut bacon and leaves on the side. Where breakfasts in the Cotswolds usually cost more than your first car, finding one for a tenner was as refreshing as the charm and character of our surroundings.
The pottery itself is just a short along the path through the middle of the vibrant garden, past the empty table that the cyclists vacated and dogs and humans sheltering under parasols and canopies. Shelves and tables are stacked with the cups and plates you just drank from and ate off and lots more you can buy, so don’t be surprised if you leave clutching a Whichford mug like it’s a trophy. There is an abundance of assorted garden pots too for any budding Monty Dons out there, with one designed in tribute to his old dog, Ned and handmade by the pottery.
We left with full stomachs, a new mug, and that contented feeling that comes from having spent a morning somewhere that matters to the people who run it. It's rare it is to find a place that manages to be both unpretentious and authentically warm. and one that wears its quirks like a badge of honour. It's a breakfast spot for those who want to be fed and not fussed over in a wonderfully unpretentious, relaxed atmosphere that’s welcoming without being twee.
If you like your breakfast with a bit of character, your coffee in a handmade mug, and the company of a crowd that’s equal parts dogs, cyclists, locals, and pottery pilgrims, then The Straw Kitchen is worth the detour, worth the time, and worth telling your friends about, though selfishly, you might also be tempted to keep it to yourself.
www.whichfordpottery.com/visit/straw-kitchen
Whichford, Nr. Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire, CV36 5PG
Open: Wednesday to Saturday: 10am to 4pm
Closed: Sunday to Tuesday
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One of the Cotswolds’ most iconic racing pubs, The Hollow Bottom, is set to reopen its doors on Friday 25th July 2025, under the experienced stewardship of chefs Nathan Eades and Liam Goff.
Situated just 25 minutes from Cheltenham Racecourse in the heart of the Cotswolds, The Hollow Bottom has long been a favourite among racing fans, locals, and visitors alike.
Nestled within a few miles of the legendary stables of Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies and Jonjo and AJ O’Neill Racing, the pub’s strong horse racing heritage will continue to be celebrated at its core.
Eades and Goff, who already run two acclaimed pubs - the Michelin recommend Halfway at Kineton and Horse and Groom in Bourton on the Hill that was awarded a coveted Bib Gourmand in 2025 - bring with them a passion for honest food, warm hospitality, and breathing new life into beloved village pubs.
“We’re incredibly proud to be taking on such an important local institution,” said Nathan Eades. “The Hollow Bottom is more than just a pub, it’s a huge part of Guiting Power and the local farming and racing community, and we’re honoured to carry that legacy forward and give the village their much-loved pub back. It’s sadly lost its way in recent years and we very much want to take it back to its glory days of yesteryear.”
Guests can expect daily-changing menus with some local favourites, drinks that pay homage to the pub’s heritage, cracking wines and a vibrant warm welcome.
The kitchen will be headed up by Josh Murphy, who has worked in Michelin starred establishments, including Lucknam Park near Bath and Le Champignon Sauvage in Cheltenham. He will be supported by Nathan and Liam’s long standing chef Felipe Escoda, formerly of The Cross at Kenilworth, The Ritz and, more locally, The Wild Rabbit.
he pair, alongside Operations Director Silviu Dinu, have appointed Claudio Liquori as Restaurant Manager where they all worked together at The Wild Rabbit.
Miles Partridge, who has worked in pubs locally in the last few years, will be assisting and ensuring the bar runs like clockwork.
Eades added “We are just very excited to get going and welcome everyone back to ‘The Hollow’ to enjoy its unique atmosphere, outstanding hospitality, and rich heritage.”
“Our main aim is to put the heart and soul back into this fantastic pub, with daily happy hours, racing and other on the TV, a buzzing garden and high-quality food on the plates”
The pub will open its doors on Friday 25th July 2025. For reservations, please contact the restaurant at [email protected]
www.thehollowbottom.com
Situated just 25 minutes from Cheltenham Racecourse in the heart of the Cotswolds, The Hollow Bottom has long been a favourite among racing fans, locals, and visitors alike.
Nestled within a few miles of the legendary stables of Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies and Jonjo and AJ O’Neill Racing, the pub’s strong horse racing heritage will continue to be celebrated at its core.
Eades and Goff, who already run two acclaimed pubs - the Michelin recommend Halfway at Kineton and Horse and Groom in Bourton on the Hill that was awarded a coveted Bib Gourmand in 2025 - bring with them a passion for honest food, warm hospitality, and breathing new life into beloved village pubs.
“We’re incredibly proud to be taking on such an important local institution,” said Nathan Eades. “The Hollow Bottom is more than just a pub, it’s a huge part of Guiting Power and the local farming and racing community, and we’re honoured to carry that legacy forward and give the village their much-loved pub back. It’s sadly lost its way in recent years and we very much want to take it back to its glory days of yesteryear.”
Guests can expect daily-changing menus with some local favourites, drinks that pay homage to the pub’s heritage, cracking wines and a vibrant warm welcome.
The kitchen will be headed up by Josh Murphy, who has worked in Michelin starred establishments, including Lucknam Park near Bath and Le Champignon Sauvage in Cheltenham. He will be supported by Nathan and Liam’s long standing chef Felipe Escoda, formerly of The Cross at Kenilworth, The Ritz and, more locally, The Wild Rabbit.
he pair, alongside Operations Director Silviu Dinu, have appointed Claudio Liquori as Restaurant Manager where they all worked together at The Wild Rabbit.
Miles Partridge, who has worked in pubs locally in the last few years, will be assisting and ensuring the bar runs like clockwork.
Eades added “We are just very excited to get going and welcome everyone back to ‘The Hollow’ to enjoy its unique atmosphere, outstanding hospitality, and rich heritage.”
“Our main aim is to put the heart and soul back into this fantastic pub, with daily happy hours, racing and other on the TV, a buzzing garden and high-quality food on the plates”
The pub will open its doors on Friday 25th July 2025. For reservations, please contact the restaurant at [email protected]
www.thehollowbottom.com
One of Montpellier’s most iconic pubs is making its comeback, promising the same legendary vibe that has made it so popular over the last decade or more.
The Beehive Montpellier has officially reopened with a brand-new kitchen, a bold food direction, and a powerhouse team at the helm. This isn’t just a reopening – it’s a complete reset.
Leading the charge is a formidable duo.
Tom Rains, Executive Chef at the acclaimed Fildes Restaurant at Montpellier Wine Bar, is now taking the reins across both venues – becoming Executive Chef for Fildes and The Beehive. With a background that includes kitchens like The Berkeley, Claridge’s, L’Escargot, and Gstaad Palace, Tom brings serious culinary firepower to Cheltenham’s pub scene. At The Beehive, he’s delivering elevated comfort food with real craft: handmade pies, stacked burgers, and scratch-made sauces — done properly, with no shortcuts.
The Beehive Montpellier has officially reopened with a brand-new kitchen, a bold food direction, and a powerhouse team at the helm. This isn’t just a reopening – it’s a complete reset.
Leading the charge is a formidable duo.
Tom Rains, Executive Chef at the acclaimed Fildes Restaurant at Montpellier Wine Bar, is now taking the reins across both venues – becoming Executive Chef for Fildes and The Beehive. With a background that includes kitchens like The Berkeley, Claridge’s, L’Escargot, and Gstaad Palace, Tom brings serious culinary firepower to Cheltenham’s pub scene. At The Beehive, he’s delivering elevated comfort food with real craft: handmade pies, stacked burgers, and scratch-made sauces — done properly, with no shortcuts.
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Joining him is returning favourite Richard Shakeshaft, now back as General Manager after a much-loved run at The Beehive from 2016 to 2019. With 25 years in hospitality, a passion for real ale, and a CV packed with CAMRA-recognised pubs and standout independents, Richard brings warmth, precision, and personality to the front of house.
“We’re not just back — we’re better,” says Shakeshaft. “We’ve kept the soul of The Beehive, but we’ve raised the bar. Proper pints, handcrafted food, and the same buzz locals love.”
thebeehivemontpellier.com
There are lots of places where I go to eat and don't write about, however, I feel a bit of a need to shout about the lunch we had this weekend at BAO + BBQ in Cheltenham.
We're already in a good mood when we arrive. The sun is shining, although not as warm as it has been in previous days, the town is buzzing with the Jazz Festival in full swing and we're off to watch David Gray in the evening. It's a pretty good day.
After getting a seat downstairs in the corner by the window, it dawned on me that it must have been three years since I last came here which is utterly ridiculous. It was my wife's first time.
We browsed the menu over a Marg (hers) and a Asahi (mine) and picked some of the things we wanted and some of the things we definitely didn't.
The dreaded second "are you ready to order" after asking for another few minutes came, and you feel obliged to decide. However, this time was different. The waiter asked how many dishes we were thinking (five to six?) and whether we wanted them to choose for us. We told him what we didn't want; chicken wings (too messy), anything tofu (I imagine these guys can make it taste nice) and the Sticky BBQ Pork Ribs (for the same reason as the wings. You just can't take that risk in a white t-shirt).
First to arrive were the Longhorn Brisket and Cornflake Chicken bao buns. The brisket was smoked with a sake BBQ sauce, chillies and pickles. The chicken and a panko and cornflake crumb (hence the name), Korean hot sauce, pickled chilli and cucumber. It was seriously good and quite possibly both of our favourite dish of the meal.
We're already in a good mood when we arrive. The sun is shining, although not as warm as it has been in previous days, the town is buzzing with the Jazz Festival in full swing and we're off to watch David Gray in the evening. It's a pretty good day.
After getting a seat downstairs in the corner by the window, it dawned on me that it must have been three years since I last came here which is utterly ridiculous. It was my wife's first time.
We browsed the menu over a Marg (hers) and a Asahi (mine) and picked some of the things we wanted and some of the things we definitely didn't.
The dreaded second "are you ready to order" after asking for another few minutes came, and you feel obliged to decide. However, this time was different. The waiter asked how many dishes we were thinking (five to six?) and whether we wanted them to choose for us. We told him what we didn't want; chicken wings (too messy), anything tofu (I imagine these guys can make it taste nice) and the Sticky BBQ Pork Ribs (for the same reason as the wings. You just can't take that risk in a white t-shirt).
First to arrive were the Longhorn Brisket and Cornflake Chicken bao buns. The brisket was smoked with a sake BBQ sauce, chillies and pickles. The chicken and a panko and cornflake crumb (hence the name), Korean hot sauce, pickled chilli and cucumber. It was seriously good and quite possibly both of our favourite dish of the meal.
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Next to arrive before we had taken a mouthful of the buns were the Gochu-glazed King Prawns in a sesame yogurt and three Wagyu beef sliders, both of which looked potentially very messy.
We'd have never had ordered the sliders, but these were awesome with juicy little brisket patties, BBQ mushrooms, pickled cucumber, chillies and caramelised onions. And the prawns? We would go back for these alone they were that good, and the yogurt became the dipping sauce for everything else on the table.
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Some courtesy greens arrived in the shape of scorched sprouting broccoli, cashew miso butter, garlic ginger and lemon (if I'm going to have to eat broccoli, this is the way to do it) and some kicky kale + cucumber salad, followed by a smoked brisket rice bowl with a cured duck egg and beef bone broth and the glazed pork belly in the most incredible blueberry hoisin sauce with crispy cabbage and pickled veg.
We probably didn't need the rice bowl but we gave it a good go. In hindsight, maybe, six dishes was too many, but YOLO and all that!
The pork was one of the best plates I have eaten for a long time. It was the cherry on the cake dish, at the end of a gruelling (in the loosest sense of the word) 90 minutes of eating. I had genuinely forgotten just how good this place is.
baobbq.co.uk
If you have ever experienced the Woozy Pig food, you will probably be as excited as we are about their brand-new restaurant on Suffolk Road in Cheltenham.
Opening its doors of Friday 9th May, the restaurant will offer their classic burgers, sides and tater tots, as well as an awesome brunch menu on a Sunday including the Woozy full English, waffles and, of course, brunch burgers.
You will find local brewers Deya on the taps with a quality selection of cans and bottles from the fridge, alongside a few cocktails including a Spicy Mango Marg, Spiced & Stormy and a Woozy Groni.
You can check out the restaurant here www.woozypig.co.uk.
Illustrations: Punkross
Tables: Barebones
Photos: The Same Grain
Opening its doors of Friday 9th May, the restaurant will offer their classic burgers, sides and tater tots, as well as an awesome brunch menu on a Sunday including the Woozy full English, waffles and, of course, brunch burgers.
You will find local brewers Deya on the taps with a quality selection of cans and bottles from the fridge, alongside a few cocktails including a Spicy Mango Marg, Spiced & Stormy and a Woozy Groni.
You can check out the restaurant here www.woozypig.co.uk.
Illustrations: Punkross
Tables: Barebones
Photos: The Same Grain
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Kingham Plough Head Chef Ashleigh Farrand will represent the South West on the new series of the Great British Menu on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.
Keep your eyes peeled this coming Tuesday 4th February at 8pm.
We wish Ashleigh all the very best!
Keep your eyes peeled this coming Tuesday 4th February at 8pm.
We wish Ashleigh all the very best!
IMAGE VIA THE KINGHAM PLOUGH
IMAGE VIA THE KINGHAM PLOUGH
It was three weeks ago when a video popped up on Instagram and opened with the words "Please, Please, Help... Please!" splattered across the screen.
It was a plea from Ols Halas, probably best know for being "The Circus Chef" at Giffords Circus, who had got his 25-tonne wag’n’drag lorry stuck in a field near South Cerney. This wasn't just a lorry getting stuck in a field, this was the home of Ols, his partner Amber, their four-month-old baby Zephyr, black lab Steve and their business. In layman's terms, they were royally buggered.
A week later, thanks to some lads with tractors, they were out and on their way.
Their next destination was a bit of a secret, unless you looked on their website which told you it was another field (what could go wrong?) in Evenlode, three-four miles from Stow on the Wold.
The reason I had access to their website was because I was sent an invite to the "soft launch".
I then did something I never ever do, I accepted.
This was for a few reasons;
A donation to their gofundme page and a cash tip after I had eaten eased the guilt slightly.
We arrived at the new site on a mizzly, November, Thursday evening and I wondered whether "summer under canvas" would be a better idea than Christmas.
From the outside, it was a canvas awning on the side of a lorry. However, inside (when we eventually found the "door") was a beautiful. warm space full of oak tables, candelabras, foilage and a raised kitchen from an adjacent trailer.
It was a plea from Ols Halas, probably best know for being "The Circus Chef" at Giffords Circus, who had got his 25-tonne wag’n’drag lorry stuck in a field near South Cerney. This wasn't just a lorry getting stuck in a field, this was the home of Ols, his partner Amber, their four-month-old baby Zephyr, black lab Steve and their business. In layman's terms, they were royally buggered.
A week later, thanks to some lads with tractors, they were out and on their way.
Their next destination was a bit of a secret, unless you looked on their website which told you it was another field (what could go wrong?) in Evenlode, three-four miles from Stow on the Wold.
The reason I had access to their website was because I was sent an invite to the "soft launch".
I then did something I never ever do, I accepted.
This was for a few reasons;
- I really like Ols and really loved his food at Gifford's.
- The invite came from a friend and amazing creative wizard who was helping Ols create this brand and promote the restaurant.
- Seeing them stuck in the mud two weeks earlier, how could I possibly say no?
- I wanted to meet Steve.
A donation to their gofundme page and a cash tip after I had eaten eased the guilt slightly.
We arrived at the new site on a mizzly, November, Thursday evening and I wondered whether "summer under canvas" would be a better idea than Christmas.
From the outside, it was a canvas awning on the side of a lorry. However, inside (when we eventually found the "door") was a beautiful. warm space full of oak tables, candelabras, foilage and a raised kitchen from an adjacent trailer.
PHOTOGRAPHY: TOM CROSS
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We were greeted by Ols who showed us inside the lorry. "Once you start living this life, it's hard to escape it" he mentioned as we walked up the steps. The interior was ridiculously impressive with a Scandi-like wooden cabin feel. A double bed took up one end which Steve sleeps under.
Back "downstairs" it was a case of sitting wherever we liked, before being greeted with wine, homemade sourdough and a butter softened by a candle wick.
It wasn't long before the stunning, crispy and zingy King Prawn Butterfly, Spiced Cocktail Sauce and Avocado arrived.
Naturally, I had read the menu before we arrived and was very excited about the Roast Hereford Beef, Braised Blade, Sticky Dates, Hazelnuts, Root Vegetable Pave, Winter Greens main which was truly immense, but I think the prawns were the highlight of my evening.
Between those two courses were some delicious, festive feeling Chestnut Cream Canoli with a rosehip jam, before the meal concluded with the most insane Winter Berry Knickerbocker Glory.
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Another reason I never accept soft launch invites is because you are obliged to say something positive, even when it's actually mediocre.
However, this was anything but. This was cooking of the highest quality in the most wonderful unique setting, and you can't get much more unique than sitting in a the middle of a field in early November. And, we never got to meet Steve which gives us the perfect excuse to go back, as if we needed one.
josserrestaurant.com
Christmas Under Canvas officially starts on Thursday 28th November and is available on Thursday, Friday & Saturday Evenings.
They are also doing the most incredible sounding Sunday lunch under the canvas too which start on December 1st.
There are 28 seats for every sitting which makes it a beautifully intimate and truly special dining experience.
Photographs: www.crosscreative.uk
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After much anticipation, Jeremy Clarkson has finally named his new pub, The Farmer's Dog.
Located in Asthall, near Burford, the pub will open it's doors this Friday (23rd August).
The full address for the pub is Asthall, Burford OX18 4HJ.
Follow them on instagram - www.instagram.com/thefarmersdogpub
Located in Asthall, near Burford, the pub will open it's doors this Friday (23rd August).
The full address for the pub is Asthall, Burford OX18 4HJ.
Follow them on instagram - www.instagram.com/thefarmersdogpub
IMAGE VIA THE FARMER'S DOG ON INSTAGRAM
The highly anticipated Circo Brasserie will finally open its doors on August 9th on Cheltenham's Bath Road
Inspired by the busy French Brasseries of the 1900s through to the roaring twenties, Circo will bring a ‘little theatre’ to the area and a menu focusing on British plates and European classics.
It is the latest venture by JM Socials, a hospitality group that are also behind Cheltenham favourites Prithvi, The Mayflower, For the Saints, BAO + BBQ, Holee Cow, Bhoomi, Petit Social and a string of restaurants in Oxford.
Co-founder Jay Rahman, said: “Our vision for Circo Brasserie has always been to bring a little theatre to the Bath Road, taking inspiration from the busy French Brasseries of the 1900’s to the roaring twenties. It's been a long wait but hopefully worth it.
“We wanted to create a playful yet chic environment that would appeal to families and also appeal to date night and cocktail time. With a menu that will serve up European and Italian favourites we hope that we have got the mix just right.”
Visitors to Circo will enjoy a lively interior with the colour palette inspired by the vintage tones of early ‘Circus’ motifs.
Stephen Quiddington, interior designer for Circo, said: “The circus inspiration can be seen in the furniture fabrics, the curtains and murals. Red velvets, stripes, chevrons, rusted tones complimented with light sage wall panels. This theme is exaggerated with numerous illustrations hand painted onto traditional timber fielded panelling inspired by the comical 1900’s French lithographically cafe food and drink posters of the era. Entry is via a rich red velvet curtain which shouts ‘Let the show begin’.”
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, diners can expect dishes including Smoked Aubergine Parmigiana, prawn, crab and tomato linguine; BBQ cauliflower and Israeli couscous; beefburgers and steaks cooked over Binchotan charcoal on a Konro grill, a range of sourdough pizza; and Limoncello panna cotta and pistachio cannoli for dessert; with a dedicated kids menu and some vegan options, too.
Circo will be open 7 days a week, from 8.30 am until 10pm and reservations can be made through the website www.circobrasserie.co.uk.
Inspired by the busy French Brasseries of the 1900s through to the roaring twenties, Circo will bring a ‘little theatre’ to the area and a menu focusing on British plates and European classics.
It is the latest venture by JM Socials, a hospitality group that are also behind Cheltenham favourites Prithvi, The Mayflower, For the Saints, BAO + BBQ, Holee Cow, Bhoomi, Petit Social and a string of restaurants in Oxford.
Co-founder Jay Rahman, said: “Our vision for Circo Brasserie has always been to bring a little theatre to the Bath Road, taking inspiration from the busy French Brasseries of the 1900’s to the roaring twenties. It's been a long wait but hopefully worth it.
“We wanted to create a playful yet chic environment that would appeal to families and also appeal to date night and cocktail time. With a menu that will serve up European and Italian favourites we hope that we have got the mix just right.”
Visitors to Circo will enjoy a lively interior with the colour palette inspired by the vintage tones of early ‘Circus’ motifs.
Stephen Quiddington, interior designer for Circo, said: “The circus inspiration can be seen in the furniture fabrics, the curtains and murals. Red velvets, stripes, chevrons, rusted tones complimented with light sage wall panels. This theme is exaggerated with numerous illustrations hand painted onto traditional timber fielded panelling inspired by the comical 1900’s French lithographically cafe food and drink posters of the era. Entry is via a rich red velvet curtain which shouts ‘Let the show begin’.”
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, diners can expect dishes including Smoked Aubergine Parmigiana, prawn, crab and tomato linguine; BBQ cauliflower and Israeli couscous; beefburgers and steaks cooked over Binchotan charcoal on a Konro grill, a range of sourdough pizza; and Limoncello panna cotta and pistachio cannoli for dessert; with a dedicated kids menu and some vegan options, too.
Circo will be open 7 days a week, from 8.30 am until 10pm and reservations can be made through the website www.circobrasserie.co.uk.
The doors to THE PIG-in the Cotswolds will be flung open on Monday 2nd September with bookings opening next week.
THE PIG-in the Cotswolds is tucked away in picture-perfect Barnsley, just four miles from Cirencester and within striking distance of the cobbled-street towns of Bibury, Burford and Bourton-on-the-water. A little further away is the spa town of Cheltenham; home to much-loved festivals of literature, jazz and the Cheltenham Races.
THE PIG-in the Cotswolds is a honey-hued 17th century Grade II gem, with original listed gardens designed by renowned gardener Rosemary Verey. This genuinely unspoilt, elegant building has been sensitively restored to keep the character and original features of this beautiful house while still being classically PIG; rooms that feel lived-in with rich fabrics, reclaimed pieces and cosy corners you can really relax in. Plus, there are very large characterful bedrooms with spacious showers and big bathtubs, either in the room or in a separate, large bathroom. Each bedroom has all the comfy, familiar furnishings that are classically PIG, with many rooms overlooking the original arts and crafts style gardens.
Heading into the ornamental gardens, these were Rosemary Verey’s first ever creation - the true essence of quintessential English beauty filled with listed archways, potager gardens and a lush Laburnum walkway. Additionally, there are Simon Verity sculptures and a listed Gothick Summerhouse plus hidden rooms, secret gardens and a small but perfectly formed spa, the Field Spa. Tucked away in the gardens, the spa has treatment rooms, a sauna and a sunny outdoor terrace.
Beyond the back of the house is the large Kitchen Garden - the beating heart of the restaurant’s 25 mile menu. THE PIG gardening team has taken inspiration from the surroundings and history of the land to grow delicious homegrown produce that make up THE PIG’s seasonal dishes.
Rooms start from £250 per night for an Extremely Small, to £775 per night for the real showstoppers tucked away in the historic gardens.
www.thepighotel.com
THE PIG-in the Cotswolds is tucked away in picture-perfect Barnsley, just four miles from Cirencester and within striking distance of the cobbled-street towns of Bibury, Burford and Bourton-on-the-water. A little further away is the spa town of Cheltenham; home to much-loved festivals of literature, jazz and the Cheltenham Races.
THE PIG-in the Cotswolds is a honey-hued 17th century Grade II gem, with original listed gardens designed by renowned gardener Rosemary Verey. This genuinely unspoilt, elegant building has been sensitively restored to keep the character and original features of this beautiful house while still being classically PIG; rooms that feel lived-in with rich fabrics, reclaimed pieces and cosy corners you can really relax in. Plus, there are very large characterful bedrooms with spacious showers and big bathtubs, either in the room or in a separate, large bathroom. Each bedroom has all the comfy, familiar furnishings that are classically PIG, with many rooms overlooking the original arts and crafts style gardens.
Heading into the ornamental gardens, these were Rosemary Verey’s first ever creation - the true essence of quintessential English beauty filled with listed archways, potager gardens and a lush Laburnum walkway. Additionally, there are Simon Verity sculptures and a listed Gothick Summerhouse plus hidden rooms, secret gardens and a small but perfectly formed spa, the Field Spa. Tucked away in the gardens, the spa has treatment rooms, a sauna and a sunny outdoor terrace.
Beyond the back of the house is the large Kitchen Garden - the beating heart of the restaurant’s 25 mile menu. THE PIG gardening team has taken inspiration from the surroundings and history of the land to grow delicious homegrown produce that make up THE PIG’s seasonal dishes.
Rooms start from £250 per night for an Extremely Small, to £775 per night for the real showstoppers tucked away in the historic gardens.
www.thepighotel.com
When making dinner plans in Stow on the Wold, it usually consist of checking The Old Butchers' website for tables, and when they are full dropping Pete and Louise a message to see if they can squeeze us in.
I'm pretty biased as I live just down the road, and If you can ignore trying to park during the day and driving through the town in the summer, Stow is brilliant.
Not only has it got history and beautiful honey-coloured architecture coming out of both both nostrils, it also boasts one of our favourite brunch spots in The Hive, D'Ambrosi which offers the most incredible 'food-to-go' (go and check it out for yourselves as that sentence doesn't do it justice) and in our view, it's the 'coffee capital of the Cotswolds' with at least five properly good places to enjoy a caffeine hit, including one the smallest coffee roasters in the UK, Stow Town Coffee.
There's also The Old Stocks. And if that sounds like a bit of an after thought, it was meant to.
They like to promote themselves as the "best kept secret" (which nobody really wants to be) and it always seems to play second fiddle to The Old Butchers with the locals. There is absolutely no reason why.
The last couple of times we have eaten here, we always kick ourselves that we haven't been back sooner, yet once again, we have left it over two years to come back which is completely crazy.
A lot has happened since our last visit. King Charles III was coronated, The Beatles released a new record and John Broughton became Head Chef at The Old Stocks. The latter happened back in November, but as I detest winter and hibernate for most of it, it has taken until now to finally go.
The appointment of John is huge. For eighteen months before arriving at 'The Stocks', he was Sous Chef, then Head Chef at the excellent Royal Oak at Whatcote, the only pub in the Cotswolds to hold a Michelin Star. Prior to that, he spent five years at Foxhill Manor.
With a Christmas menu already written before he got there, it has taken until the last couple of months for him to properly put his stamp on the food.
The menu he has created is designed as a two or three-course menu. You can have one course if you wish. It's all explained on the first page of the leather-bound files you get presented with as you get seated. I missed the section about the £2 unlimited still or sparkling water for the table that gets donated to charity as I said "tap is fine please" when asked. I'm too used to seeing £15 added to my bill and nobody owning up to ordering it.
Also explained is "The Tasteful Twelve", an idea stolen from a restaurant that GM Richard once visited, which on the surface sounded a bit gimmicky but is actually a lovely addition to the experience. The easiest way to describe it is that each of you roll a dice and the number it lands on corresponds with a flavoured liqueur which they add to a glass of prosecco. It's a clever way to break any ice between the servers, a conversation starter for the table and it shows that there's a playful element to the evening.
I'm pretty biased as I live just down the road, and If you can ignore trying to park during the day and driving through the town in the summer, Stow is brilliant.
Not only has it got history and beautiful honey-coloured architecture coming out of both both nostrils, it also boasts one of our favourite brunch spots in The Hive, D'Ambrosi which offers the most incredible 'food-to-go' (go and check it out for yourselves as that sentence doesn't do it justice) and in our view, it's the 'coffee capital of the Cotswolds' with at least five properly good places to enjoy a caffeine hit, including one the smallest coffee roasters in the UK, Stow Town Coffee.
There's also The Old Stocks. And if that sounds like a bit of an after thought, it was meant to.
They like to promote themselves as the "best kept secret" (which nobody really wants to be) and it always seems to play second fiddle to The Old Butchers with the locals. There is absolutely no reason why.
The last couple of times we have eaten here, we always kick ourselves that we haven't been back sooner, yet once again, we have left it over two years to come back which is completely crazy.
A lot has happened since our last visit. King Charles III was coronated, The Beatles released a new record and John Broughton became Head Chef at The Old Stocks. The latter happened back in November, but as I detest winter and hibernate for most of it, it has taken until now to finally go.
The appointment of John is huge. For eighteen months before arriving at 'The Stocks', he was Sous Chef, then Head Chef at the excellent Royal Oak at Whatcote, the only pub in the Cotswolds to hold a Michelin Star. Prior to that, he spent five years at Foxhill Manor.
With a Christmas menu already written before he got there, it has taken until the last couple of months for him to properly put his stamp on the food.
The menu he has created is designed as a two or three-course menu. You can have one course if you wish. It's all explained on the first page of the leather-bound files you get presented with as you get seated. I missed the section about the £2 unlimited still or sparkling water for the table that gets donated to charity as I said "tap is fine please" when asked. I'm too used to seeing £15 added to my bill and nobody owning up to ordering it.
Also explained is "The Tasteful Twelve", an idea stolen from a restaurant that GM Richard once visited, which on the surface sounded a bit gimmicky but is actually a lovely addition to the experience. The easiest way to describe it is that each of you roll a dice and the number it lands on corresponds with a flavoured liqueur which they add to a glass of prosecco. It's a clever way to break any ice between the servers, a conversation starter for the table and it shows that there's a playful element to the evening.
THE TASTEFUL TWELVE
The menu is short, consisting of four starters and six mains.
I have no idea if it is or it isn't, but I always feel that it must be excruciating writing a menu for a hotel. Having to find a balance for overnight guests and the general public. I think they have got it spot on here. And if, like me, you have a preconceived view that some hotel restaurants are a little bit stuffy with no atmosphere, The Old Stocks is the complete opposite. It was a Wednesday night, vibrant and full to the brim.
We opted for Cornish Crab tortellino, crab bisque & sea herbs and the Smoked ham hock and chicken terrine, piccalilli to kick things off, followed by the Duck breast, confit leg and liver croquette, with celeriac, pancetta and sherry and duck sauce and the Beef, caramelised onion, spring onion, mushroom and Madagascan pepper sauce for our mains. The sharing Côte de Boeuf was very tempting.
Even knowing Chef John's background, I was still a little unsure what to expect. The Old Stocks' ethos has always been to offer luxury without being stuffy or pretentious.
This food is certainly luxury, yet far from stuffy and pretentious. The cooking is, as expected, utterly superb.
The crab starter was so good you would have been excused for thinking you were sitting by the coast rather than in the middle of the North Cotswolds, while although a terrine is never going to blow our minds, the braised ham hock and confied chicken legs were perfectly smoked and the piccalilli was beautifully smoked.
I have no idea if it is or it isn't, but I always feel that it must be excruciating writing a menu for a hotel. Having to find a balance for overnight guests and the general public. I think they have got it spot on here. And if, like me, you have a preconceived view that some hotel restaurants are a little bit stuffy with no atmosphere, The Old Stocks is the complete opposite. It was a Wednesday night, vibrant and full to the brim.
We opted for Cornish Crab tortellino, crab bisque & sea herbs and the Smoked ham hock and chicken terrine, piccalilli to kick things off, followed by the Duck breast, confit leg and liver croquette, with celeriac, pancetta and sherry and duck sauce and the Beef, caramelised onion, spring onion, mushroom and Madagascan pepper sauce for our mains. The sharing Côte de Boeuf was very tempting.
Even knowing Chef John's background, I was still a little unsure what to expect. The Old Stocks' ethos has always been to offer luxury without being stuffy or pretentious.
This food is certainly luxury, yet far from stuffy and pretentious. The cooking is, as expected, utterly superb.
The crab starter was so good you would have been excused for thinking you were sitting by the coast rather than in the middle of the North Cotswolds, while although a terrine is never going to blow our minds, the braised ham hock and confied chicken legs were perfectly smoked and the piccalilli was beautifully smoked.
HAM HOCK AND CHICKEN TERRINE
The beef rump and duck are water bathed first then seared and sliced for presentation exposing the perfect rose as explained by our superb waiter, and restaurant manager, Bogdan. He wasn't wrong, and I'm unsure if I have ever eaten more tender meat in my life.
The beef is served with boulangere potatoes, thinly sliced, layered with Lyonnaise onions and cooked with beef stock, classic mushroom duxelle, chard spring onion and pepper sauce complete the dish. As I mentioned before, this is proper cooking.
With that said, the duck was possibly even better. Served with confit leg and liver croquette, celeriac and a beautifully rich sherry and duck sauce.
You understand after the mains why two courses are encouraged as one course just isn't enough and doesn't do it justice.
We added a fondant potato side to share which was topped with buttered mash.
The beef is served with boulangere potatoes, thinly sliced, layered with Lyonnaise onions and cooked with beef stock, classic mushroom duxelle, chard spring onion and pepper sauce complete the dish. As I mentioned before, this is proper cooking.
With that said, the duck was possibly even better. Served with confit leg and liver croquette, celeriac and a beautifully rich sherry and duck sauce.
You understand after the mains why two courses are encouraged as one course just isn't enough and doesn't do it justice.
We added a fondant potato side to share which was topped with buttered mash.
CARVER DUCK BREAST
For pudding we opted for a Hazlenut Choux to share and an Espresso Martini (not to share).
I'm no Greg Wallace, but I think I'm a good judge of a pudding. The fact I haven't got a sweet tooth and only ever "want one mouthful" means that if I have more that one, then it's got to be good, right?
This was a choux bun was filled with hazelnut crémeux, candied hazelnut and praline ice cream and I definitely had at least half of it.
I'm no Greg Wallace, but I think I'm a good judge of a pudding. The fact I haven't got a sweet tooth and only ever "want one mouthful" means that if I have more that one, then it's got to be good, right?
This was a choux bun was filled with hazelnut crémeux, candied hazelnut and praline ice cream and I definitely had at least half of it.
HAZELNUT CHOUX
Getting John Broughton in the kitchen has elevated the food to a new level. It's up there with some of the best food I have eaten for quite a while and you can tell the level of attention given to the menu in each mouthful.
You will need two courses, not just to fill you up but purely because it tastes so good. It, definitely, won't be another two years until our next visit.
www.oldstocksinn.com
You will need two courses, not just to fill you up but purely because it tastes so good. It, definitely, won't be another two years until our next visit.
www.oldstocksinn.com
JOHN BROUGHTON
THE PIG have announced that they have acquired the 17th century Barnsley House hotel, tucked away in the quintessential Cotswolds village of Barnsley, just four miles from Cirencester.
Nestled in historic arts and crafts style gardens, created by renowned garden designer Rosemary Verey, this little gem of a property has all the makings of a PIG already weaved into its DNA.
Chairman Robin Hutson commented on the exciting announcement, “We are absolutely thrilled to have acquired Barnsley House, it has been in my peripheral vision for many years as a possible acquisition, always thinking it would make a perfect ‘Pig’ and we are very excited to have our first pub too”.
Barnsley House will continue to operate with its existing team until Sunday 4th February, when the PIG team will go in to start the works to turn this stunner of a property into a PIG, with a view to opening the doors this summer as THE PIG-and The Village Pub, their first "Pig Pub".
THE PIG group is a personal collection of small lifestyle restaurants with rooms where the focus is on authenticity and informality of design, food and service.
With an obsessive commitment to home grown and local produce, THE PIG celebrates the seasons and uses only the best, freshest and most authentic foods and ingredients. It is all about the kitchen gardens, they are the beating heart of the operation. Everything is driven by the kitchen gardener/forager and chef. They grow and source the food and the chef then creates the menu; uncomplicated and simple kitchen garden food, true to the micro seasons with the emphasis squarely on fresh, clean flavours. What cannot be grown in THE PIG’s kitchen garden is sourced within a 25-mile radius of each hotel. There are no ‘cookiecutter roll-outs’; each hotel has its own personality and sense of self.
Every property comes with laid-back warm service and a genuine commitment to environmental and social responsibility. THE PIG hotels aim to deliver an outstanding experience for every guest; a ‘wow’ moment that surprises and delights for a price that won’t break the bank. Home grown in every way – breaking the mould of designed hotels by working with what it has and recognising what is good about that. Designed in the style that has become THE PIG’s signature, each hotel has a garden restaurant and bedrooms with a touch of luxury and bags of homely charm plus Potting Shed or Shepherd’s Hut massage treatment rooms in or near the kitchen gardens.
www.thepighotel.com/and-the-village-pub
Nestled in historic arts and crafts style gardens, created by renowned garden designer Rosemary Verey, this little gem of a property has all the makings of a PIG already weaved into its DNA.
Chairman Robin Hutson commented on the exciting announcement, “We are absolutely thrilled to have acquired Barnsley House, it has been in my peripheral vision for many years as a possible acquisition, always thinking it would make a perfect ‘Pig’ and we are very excited to have our first pub too”.
Barnsley House will continue to operate with its existing team until Sunday 4th February, when the PIG team will go in to start the works to turn this stunner of a property into a PIG, with a view to opening the doors this summer as THE PIG-and The Village Pub, their first "Pig Pub".
THE PIG group is a personal collection of small lifestyle restaurants with rooms where the focus is on authenticity and informality of design, food and service.
With an obsessive commitment to home grown and local produce, THE PIG celebrates the seasons and uses only the best, freshest and most authentic foods and ingredients. It is all about the kitchen gardens, they are the beating heart of the operation. Everything is driven by the kitchen gardener/forager and chef. They grow and source the food and the chef then creates the menu; uncomplicated and simple kitchen garden food, true to the micro seasons with the emphasis squarely on fresh, clean flavours. What cannot be grown in THE PIG’s kitchen garden is sourced within a 25-mile radius of each hotel. There are no ‘cookiecutter roll-outs’; each hotel has its own personality and sense of self.
Every property comes with laid-back warm service and a genuine commitment to environmental and social responsibility. THE PIG hotels aim to deliver an outstanding experience for every guest; a ‘wow’ moment that surprises and delights for a price that won’t break the bank. Home grown in every way – breaking the mould of designed hotels by working with what it has and recognising what is good about that. Designed in the style that has become THE PIG’s signature, each hotel has a garden restaurant and bedrooms with a touch of luxury and bags of homely charm plus Potting Shed or Shepherd’s Hut massage treatment rooms in or near the kitchen gardens.
www.thepighotel.com/and-the-village-pub
After a brief hiatus, one of Cheltenham's most cherished restaurants will reopen its doors this December.
A true icon in the town's culinary landscape, The Mayflower will aim to rekindle the flavours that have long been etched into the memories of locals and visitors alike, with new owners Jay Ahmed and Michael Raphel paying homage to the Kong family who created and ran this much-loved restaurant for over 40 years.
Diners at The Mayflower can expect a meticulously crafted menu that celebrates the diverse regional cuisines of China. The menu will showcase a myriad of influences, combining the best of classic Chinese dishes to Cantonese and East Asian favourites, all created with a passion for uniquely rooted recipes yet with a contemporary flair, showcasing the wonderful flavours of east Asia.
The restaurant's interior is a blend of modern elegance and traditional Chinese design elements, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Reservations will be open from mid December and bookings can be made through the restaurant's website www.themayflowerrestaurant.co.uk or by calling 01242 522426.
You can sign up to receive news from The Mayflower by clicking on the link above.
A true icon in the town's culinary landscape, The Mayflower will aim to rekindle the flavours that have long been etched into the memories of locals and visitors alike, with new owners Jay Ahmed and Michael Raphel paying homage to the Kong family who created and ran this much-loved restaurant for over 40 years.
Diners at The Mayflower can expect a meticulously crafted menu that celebrates the diverse regional cuisines of China. The menu will showcase a myriad of influences, combining the best of classic Chinese dishes to Cantonese and East Asian favourites, all created with a passion for uniquely rooted recipes yet with a contemporary flair, showcasing the wonderful flavours of east Asia.
The restaurant's interior is a blend of modern elegance and traditional Chinese design elements, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Reservations will be open from mid December and bookings can be made through the restaurant's website www.themayflowerrestaurant.co.uk or by calling 01242 522426.
You can sign up to receive news from The Mayflower by clicking on the link above.
Brand new for the 2023/24 season Cheltenham Racecourse has launched The Mandarin, their first walk in restaurant.
For our non Cheltenham Festival fixtures, racegoers will be able to walk in and request a table in The Mandarin. The restaurant offers a glorious and cosy Cotswold pub feel. Its impressive interior takes its inspiration from a traditional country stable. Here you will find exposed wooden beams, quirky racing artefacts and exquisite seasonal food and drink.
Racegoers can simply walk in and request a table and tuck into delicious pub favourites such as The ‘Bookies’ favourite starter Traditional Scotch Eggs and the Local Burger.
Priced at £65 per person for 2 courses and £85 for 3 courses, with children’s meals offered at half price, it’s the perfect destination for those looking to make their Raceday experience a little more special.
Tables are available for 2-8 people and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
The restaurant is named after legendary horse Mandarin who was the winner of the 1962 Gold Cup. He was ridden by the legendary jockey, Fred Winter and trained by Fulke Walwyn, a four-time Gold Cup winning trainer.
The Mandarin is well situated on the ground floor of the main grandstand and is in close proximity to the Parade Ring.
www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/plan-your-day/food-drink/the-mandarin-walk-in-restaurant/
For our non Cheltenham Festival fixtures, racegoers will be able to walk in and request a table in The Mandarin. The restaurant offers a glorious and cosy Cotswold pub feel. Its impressive interior takes its inspiration from a traditional country stable. Here you will find exposed wooden beams, quirky racing artefacts and exquisite seasonal food and drink.
Racegoers can simply walk in and request a table and tuck into delicious pub favourites such as The ‘Bookies’ favourite starter Traditional Scotch Eggs and the Local Burger.
Priced at £65 per person for 2 courses and £85 for 3 courses, with children’s meals offered at half price, it’s the perfect destination for those looking to make their Raceday experience a little more special.
Tables are available for 2-8 people and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
The restaurant is named after legendary horse Mandarin who was the winner of the 1962 Gold Cup. He was ridden by the legendary jockey, Fred Winter and trained by Fulke Walwyn, a four-time Gold Cup winning trainer.
The Mandarin is well situated on the ground floor of the main grandstand and is in close proximity to the Parade Ring.
www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/plan-your-day/food-drink/the-mandarin-walk-in-restaurant/
BOOK THE MANDARIN FOR THE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL
With an option of two sittings throughout each day at the Cheltenham Festival, The Mandarin is a wonderful way to make your festival experience even better.
Morning Sitting: (10.30am – 2pm)
Afternoon Sitting: (2.30pm – 6pm)
Both above options include the below as standard:
Visit www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/hospitality/restaurant-packages/the-mandarin-restaurant/ for al the info.
Morning Sitting: (10.30am – 2pm)
- Morning coffee and breakfast bites
- 3 course pub lunch
Afternoon Sitting: (2.30pm – 6pm)
- 3 course pub lunch
- Afternoon tea
Both above options include the below as standard:
- Club admission ticket
- Car parking is available upon request
- Official Racecard
- TV racing coverage
- Tote betting service
- Hospitality team to ensure the smooth running of your day
Visit www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/hospitality/restaurant-packages/the-mandarin-restaurant/ for al the info.
It was a memorable night for The Killingworth Castle, picking up three AA Rosettes at the prestigious AA Hospitality Awards.
One of the industry’s most highly anticipated events, the glittering awards ceremony at JW Marriott Grosvenor House London was hosted by much-loved TV presenter Claudia Winkleman, celebrating the UK’s top hotels, restaurants, and pubs and the people behind them.
Nestled within the picturesque village of Wootton, Nr Woodstock, The Killingworth Castle has eight luxury en-suite rooms with exquisite food that focuses on seasonal, wild & organic fare from the Cotswolds.
Establishments with three AA Rosettes are all outstanding restaurants achieving standards which demand national recognition well beyond their local area and The Killingworth Castle is one of only 7 new inns with rooms in the whole of the UK to be awarded a third rosette in 2023 at the AA’s annual Hospitality Awards last night.
The AA, which has long been a marker of leading restaurant and accommodation venues, celebrates the crème de la crème of UK hospitality. Following a visit from an anonymous inspector, the hotel was reviewed against nine quality assessment areas, ranging from standards of service to cleanliness and quality of food. The inspector described the establishment as ‘well run in a personalised way with very good hospitality from a customer-focused team which made for a welcoming atmosphere throughout the stay’.
www.thekillingworthcastle.com
One of the industry’s most highly anticipated events, the glittering awards ceremony at JW Marriott Grosvenor House London was hosted by much-loved TV presenter Claudia Winkleman, celebrating the UK’s top hotels, restaurants, and pubs and the people behind them.
Nestled within the picturesque village of Wootton, Nr Woodstock, The Killingworth Castle has eight luxury en-suite rooms with exquisite food that focuses on seasonal, wild & organic fare from the Cotswolds.
Establishments with three AA Rosettes are all outstanding restaurants achieving standards which demand national recognition well beyond their local area and The Killingworth Castle is one of only 7 new inns with rooms in the whole of the UK to be awarded a third rosette in 2023 at the AA’s annual Hospitality Awards last night.
The AA, which has long been a marker of leading restaurant and accommodation venues, celebrates the crème de la crème of UK hospitality. Following a visit from an anonymous inspector, the hotel was reviewed against nine quality assessment areas, ranging from standards of service to cleanliness and quality of food. The inspector described the establishment as ‘well run in a personalised way with very good hospitality from a customer-focused team which made for a welcoming atmosphere throughout the stay’.
www.thekillingworthcastle.com
Following 37,000 nominations and six weeks of Good Food Guide inspections, The Halfway at Kineton continues to attract lots of attention after being included in The Good Food Guide’s 100 Best Local Restaurants of 2023.
Since being taken on in February 2023 by chefs Nathan Eades and Liam Goff, the pub has caught the eye of foodies and critics (including Giles Coren who raved about the pie), and is the only pub or restaurant in the Cotswolds to feature in this list.
The Good Food Guide's Best Local Restaurant awards began 13 years ago to celebrate the places that are the beating heart of communities around Britain.
You can find the full list HERE.
www.thehalfwayatkineton.com
Since being taken on in February 2023 by chefs Nathan Eades and Liam Goff, the pub has caught the eye of foodies and critics (including Giles Coren who raved about the pie), and is the only pub or restaurant in the Cotswolds to feature in this list.
The Good Food Guide's Best Local Restaurant awards began 13 years ago to celebrate the places that are the beating heart of communities around Britain.
You can find the full list HERE.
www.thehalfwayatkineton.com
LOVE FOOD?
VISIT EAT COTSWOLDS: OUR BRAND-NEW FOODIE WEBSITE.
Brad Carter has announced that Carters will be moving to Westlands UK, one of the restaurant’s key suppliers, in Evesham for the summer of 2023.
The Michelin starred restaurant will move its entire team and experience to Evesham for a minimum of 3 months, where they will be supported by Gusborne, the award-winning sparkling wine producer.
Surrounded by living herbs, flowers and fauna, guests will be able to enjoy a unique 9 servings inspired by the area’s natural bounty and Carter’s ethos of ‘ultra-British seasonality’ from from Wednesday 19 July until September 2023.
Brad Carter, said, “I’m thrilled to announce we are taking Carters to an incredible location over the Summer at one of my key suppliers, Westlands UK Evesham.
We’ve always flirted with the idea of building a restaurant at Westlands UK with Director Will Boers. Every time we visited for inspiration days at Westlands UK, it always crossed my mind how good it would be to take Carters there, and now it’s a reality.
Having worked with Will and his family for over 13 years, showcasing all of their amazing produce and helping develop some of the products along the way - it seems so right to take the restaurant to them and create something completely unique and unmissable.
Westlands UK are committed to sustainability so our responsibility is to support their ongoing mission of work - the menu sits at around 75% of produce grown in and around the dining space.
For us, it’s a chance to be creative, think outside the box and take our plates to source - the menu here is complete sustainability - inspired by the herbs, flowers and plants of Westlands UK - in our usual style of complete circle, recycled cooking we will use whole shellfish, whole animals and seasonal fruits to create one-off unique dishes for our time in the glasshouse.
Think of the warmth in the tomatoes plucked from the vines and the intoxicating smell in the greenhouse they produce. Expect edible flowers, herbs and plants picked and harvested by hand within minutes of eating them, experiencing the optimum texture, flavour and peak freshness of the products in the environment they grow.”
As a family-owned, multi-generational business headed up by Managing Director Martin Boers, Westlands UK operate as a team, with a thoughtful approach at every step of the growing process.
Will Boers said, "We're so proud to welcome the highly-regarded Carters of Moseley on-site here at Westlands UK. Brad and I have worked closely together for a number of years and feel this collaboration is an epic match; combining sustainably-grown produce with talented chefs in an inspiring setting can only result in amazing, innovative dishes."
Bookings are open at wearecarters.co.uk
Carters at Westlands UK has been designed by 2G Design and Build
The Michelin starred restaurant will move its entire team and experience to Evesham for a minimum of 3 months, where they will be supported by Gusborne, the award-winning sparkling wine producer.
Surrounded by living herbs, flowers and fauna, guests will be able to enjoy a unique 9 servings inspired by the area’s natural bounty and Carter’s ethos of ‘ultra-British seasonality’ from from Wednesday 19 July until September 2023.
Brad Carter, said, “I’m thrilled to announce we are taking Carters to an incredible location over the Summer at one of my key suppliers, Westlands UK Evesham.
We’ve always flirted with the idea of building a restaurant at Westlands UK with Director Will Boers. Every time we visited for inspiration days at Westlands UK, it always crossed my mind how good it would be to take Carters there, and now it’s a reality.
Having worked with Will and his family for over 13 years, showcasing all of their amazing produce and helping develop some of the products along the way - it seems so right to take the restaurant to them and create something completely unique and unmissable.
Westlands UK are committed to sustainability so our responsibility is to support their ongoing mission of work - the menu sits at around 75% of produce grown in and around the dining space.
For us, it’s a chance to be creative, think outside the box and take our plates to source - the menu here is complete sustainability - inspired by the herbs, flowers and plants of Westlands UK - in our usual style of complete circle, recycled cooking we will use whole shellfish, whole animals and seasonal fruits to create one-off unique dishes for our time in the glasshouse.
Think of the warmth in the tomatoes plucked from the vines and the intoxicating smell in the greenhouse they produce. Expect edible flowers, herbs and plants picked and harvested by hand within minutes of eating them, experiencing the optimum texture, flavour and peak freshness of the products in the environment they grow.”
As a family-owned, multi-generational business headed up by Managing Director Martin Boers, Westlands UK operate as a team, with a thoughtful approach at every step of the growing process.
Will Boers said, "We're so proud to welcome the highly-regarded Carters of Moseley on-site here at Westlands UK. Brad and I have worked closely together for a number of years and feel this collaboration is an epic match; combining sustainably-grown produce with talented chefs in an inspiring setting can only result in amazing, innovative dishes."
Bookings are open at wearecarters.co.uk
Carters at Westlands UK has been designed by 2G Design and Build
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