Top end restaurants outside London?
Top end restaurants outside London?
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UTH

Original Poster:

10,874 posts

195 months

Thursday 23rd January
quotequote all
I'm planning a client event that needs to be somewhat special - without wanting to sound like a bellend, we are very lucky that the 'usual' entertaining of clients involves a lot of the top restaurants in London already, so for this we're looking for somewhere where we travel a bit outside of London to make it a bit more special.
I'm thinking along the lines of the Fat Duck in Bray etc, where we make a bit of a day of it travelling there and back etc

Probably max an hour or two on the train ideally.....

What have you got?

wyson

3,752 posts

121 months

Thursday 23rd January
quotequote all
Fat duck is really cramped, in an olde worlde rustic cottage. I hated the food there. Its like high end UPF. If you like your food processed beyond recognition, you might like it.

I’d go to Raymond Blanc’s quat season or whatever the name is to make an impression. Country house, amazing grounds and setting. It was lovely how the setting progressed with the meal. Some sort of conservatory, for champagne and amuse bouche, into the main house for the meal. Tea out in the garden. If the weather is nice, its fabulous. The food is also much less poncy than the Fat Duck.

Edited by wyson on Thursday 23 January 12:06

Type R Tom

4,143 posts

166 months

Thursday 23rd January
quotequote all
UTH said:
I'm planning a client event that needs to be somewhat special - without wanting to sound like a bellend, we are very lucky that the 'usual' entertaining of clients involves a lot of the top restaurants in London already, so for this we're looking for somewhere where we travel a bit outside of London to make it a bit more special.
I'm thinking along the lines of the Fat Duck in Bray etc, where we make a bit of a day of it travelling there and back etc

Probably max an hour or two on the train ideally.....

What have you got?
Not at the same level as the Fat Duck, but the Sportsman, Fordwich Arms and Bridge Arms are local to me and all 1 star. A high-speed train from St Panc to Canterbury is less than 1 hour and then a taxi. Some nice bars in Canterbury for a drink afterwards.

simon_harris

2,188 posts

51 months

Thursday 23rd January
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Sat bains in Nottingham - the rooms are really nice (despite living in Nottingham we have stayed in them)

mattvanders

373 posts

43 months

Thursday 23rd January
quotequote all
I recently stayed at Hotel du Vin at Henley-on-Thames and had dinner in the restaurant, might not be posh enough for you but I think it would tick a lot of boxes of somewhere a bit different, just outside London with lovely views over the Thames. Staff were suburb in their service, food was stop on. I know they are a chain but only with a few locations.

ukwill

9,544 posts

224 months

Thursday 23rd January
quotequote all

Beaverbrook has some great restaurants (my favourite is the Japanese) and is a lovely period property. Feels like being in the heart of the country, yet it's on the edge of the M25 (J9).

https://beaverbrook.co.uk/


The G Kid

1,202 posts

140 months

Thursday 23rd January
quotequote all
The Coal Shed or Burnt Orange in Brighton. Not Michelin starred but both excellent.

Newc

2,124 posts

199 months

Thursday 23rd January
quotequote all
UTH said:
I'm planning a client event that needs to be somewhat special - without wanting to sound like a bellend, we are very lucky that the 'usual' entertaining of clients involves a lot of the top restaurants in London already, so for this we're looking for somewhere where we travel a bit outside of London to make it a bit more special.
I'm thinking along the lines of the Fat Duck in Bray etc, where we make a bit of a day of it travelling there and back etc

Probably max an hour or two on the train ideally.....

What have you got?
Can you chopper them around? If so, Moor Hall, near Liverpool. But only the main restaurant, not the barn. Best all round dining experience in the UK at the moment.

Output Flange

16,988 posts

228 months

Thursday 23rd January
quotequote all
What about a private hire of the Chef's Table at Crockers in Tring? It's not Michelin star, but it's very good, and if you have the whole place it'll be much more entertaining than a "normal" restaurant.

FlyVintage

203 posts

8 months

Thursday 23rd January
quotequote all
The Waterside at Bray is excellent. 3 Star Michelin by Alain Roux. I’ve never had a better total experience either before or after going here. I should really stop trying and just go back. You can even hire their boat for a river cruise if that appeals.

Antony Moxey

9,873 posts

236 months

Thursday 23rd January
quotequote all
Michael Caines' Lympstone Manor between Exeter and Exmouth on the Exe Estuary is making a day of it (or night of it too - they do accommodation).

thebraketester

15,134 posts

155 months

Thursday 23rd January
quotequote all
FlyVintage said:
The Waterside at Bray is excellent. 3 Star Michelin by Alain Roux. I’ve never had a better total experience either before or after going here. I should really stop trying and just go back. You can even hire their boat for a river cruise if that appeals.
Agreed. Excellent food and service.

UTH

Original Poster:

10,874 posts

195 months

Thursday 23rd January
quotequote all
Great thank you guys, a nice list for me to have a look at, much appreciated.

TownIdiot

3,527 posts

16 months

Thursday 23rd January
quotequote all
Been a while since I've been but, as recommended above, Raymond Blanc's Manoir aux Quat'Saisons was one of the best freebie days I've had in the UK.

FrankAbagnale

1,818 posts

129 months

Thursday 23rd January
quotequote all
Same direction - Hand and Flowers in Marlow.

A Tom Kerridge Two Michelin Star pub

Quattr04.

655 posts

8 months

Thursday 23rd January
quotequote all
I don’t know about you, but I get very bored of fine dining, small plates and ingredients that just say a single word

Why not try something new and take them somewhere they’ve never been, like a street food type of vendor in box park and Camden market, loads of incredible food but without the stuffy atmosphere and pretence.


LemonTart

1,493 posts

151 months

Thursday 23rd January
quotequote all
Another vote for Raymond Blanc’s place.


UTH

Original Poster:

10,874 posts

195 months

Thursday 23rd January
quotequote all
Quattr04. said:
I don’t know about you, but I get very bored of fine dining, small plates and ingredients that just say a single word

Why not try something new and take them somewhere they’ve never been, like a street food type of vendor in box park and Camden market, loads of incredible food but without the stuffy atmosphere and pretence.
Whilst I do agree on the small plates etc, in this instance it really is about the wow factor - to an extent, money talks so it does need to be high end, stuck up and lavish.

Yes, it's wky, but sometimes that's how this game works.

thebraketester

15,134 posts

155 months

Thursday 23rd January
quotequote all
Another recommendation would be a bit further out of London in tring. Crockers. They do a chefs table which is a great experience and you get into see the inner workings of a professional kitchen and the banter that goes along with it. I think it’s a max of 16 diners. I can imaging it being a great place to host a corporate shindig.

Edited by thebraketester on Thursday 23 January 13:30

Output Flange

16,988 posts

228 months

Thursday 23rd January
quotequote all
thebraketester said:
Another recommendation would be a bit further out of London in tring. Crockers. They do a chefs table which is a great experience and you get into see the inner workings of a professional kitchen and the banter that goes along with it. I think it’s a max of 16 diners. I can imaging it being a great place to host a corporate shindig.

Edited by thebraketester on Thursday 23 January 13:30
I posted exactly the same an hour ago!