Harden's survey result
Summary
“Laurie Gear and his team never fail to delight in this French fine dining establishment”: a “small and intimate” haunt in a characterful part of Old Amersham, where “the best seats are downstairs by the kitchen where you can witness how hard and skilfully the chefs work”. For many years now, the opinion has been widespread that its “impeccable” cuisine and “warm and welcoming” service were being inexplicably ignored by the tyre men, but in October 2019 Michelin finally gave way and gave it its long overdue recognition with the award of a star.
Summary
“Why no Michelin star?” Laurie Gear’s “simply brilliant” fixture in a characterful part of Old Amersham espouses all the values the Tyre Man is supposed to hold so dear. “The tasting menu is a stunning experience” with “first class” cuisine and service highly “professional”. “The open plan kitchen is interesting to watch too”. Gripes? “It can feel a bit squeezed-in at busy times”. And “try to get a table downstairs, you’re more in the action: the upstairs room is a little quiet”.
Summary
“Perfect, perfect, perfect!” – “It’s such a surprise to find this gem nestled in Old Amersham”, and Laurie Gear’s “magnificent” establishment on a picturesque Georgian street would enjoy a much higher profile if it were not bizarrely overlooked by Michelin year-on-year. Chef/Patron Laurie Gear’s “complex cooking comes with a very deft touch”: “beautifully crafted, rich, with gorgeous accompanying wine, and delivered by staff who make you feel a million dollars”. “It is incomprehensible that it doesn’t have a star” – in fact some say “it’s worthy of two” – yet a number of fans feel that “the fact that it lacks recognition almost improves it”: “please let them keep missing out, because it keeps the place just about affordable, and we can get a table when we want!”
Summary
“I cannot understand why this simply sublime restaurant has yet to achieve a Michelin star!” – inexplicably, Laurie Gear’s “classy” operation in Old Amersham continues to fly under the tyre men’s radar. “Chef Laurie always seems to be in the kitchen, and the entire team provide a genuinely warm welcome combined with professional service” in a setting that’s “very pretty and cosy”. “Fabulous tasting menus deliver so many flavours and textures”…“some dishes are so memorable, and all are delightful”, and it’s good value too – “at the high end of fine dining and the lower end of the haute-type price bracket!”
Owner's description
The restaurant was extended into the adjoining building in May 2011, which ironically was the scene of a devastating fire in June 2008, which forced Laurie and Jacqueline to close the Artichoke for 18 months to rebuild the property to its former 16th Century glory. The interior was designed by Fiona Johnston Parke from the Award winning Emily Todd Hunter, who combined the original features of the building with Scandinavian inspired interiors, in memory of Laurie’s time spent at Noma; with muted grey tones and accents of amethyst, which create a seamless, comfortable but stylish extension of the original building.
Now the Artichoke offers three dining areas including a Private Dining Room with its own wine cellar, the Kitchen Dining Room with an open Pass, Chefs’ Tables, and the Garden Room, with a view onto a botanical “living wall” of herbs.
Laurie’s innovative cooking showcases well sourced ingredients, changing with the seasons, using highly dedicated producers. The open kitchen with its willow resin screen offers the opportunity to experience the culinary theatre of the Pass. The collection of expressive menus include an approachable set lunch, intriguing five and six course lunch tastings and an artisan seven course tasting featuring highlights of the main menu. Dishes focus on flavour, presentation and taste combinations, often inspired by time spent with Rene Redzepi at the legendary Noma during the enforced closure.
The notable wine list features forward thinking winemakers and local ales with all tasting menus offering eclectic wine pairings, chosen by Restaurant Manager/Sommelier Matteo Scaccabarozzi, combined with the open pass and the ultimate Chefs’ tables, the Artichoke offers a unique fine dining experience.
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
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| Lunch | £30.00 |  |
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| Dinner | £50.00 | |
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| Cost | Availability | Courses | |
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| Menu1 | 80.00 | D only | 8 |
| Drinks |
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| Wine per bottle | £43.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £5.50 |
| Extras |
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| Bread | £5.50 |
| Service | 12.50% |
Restaurant details
Artichoke Restaurant Diner Reviews
"At last the French booking agency cum restaurant guide has come to its senses, and, not for the first time, Laurie Gear and Ben Jenkins demonstrated why this restaurant has been in the Good Food Guide top 50 for so many years. This was possibly the best meal we’ve had here, once again demonstrating the positive attitude to developing new dishes and combinations of flavours and ingredients that always has been the marker, with special mention in this respect for the “seasonal vegetables” dish which was so good we even thought there might possibly be a chance of our being persuaded to become vegetarians, although that would mean missing out on many of the marvellous dishes set before us here. The 8-course tasting menu is de rigueur for us and, headed up by the lovely black ale bread with malt vinegar butter which went beautifully with the amuse-bouche of pumpkin velouté topped with roasted seeds to set the taste buds trembling. A starter of superb smoked haddock tartare with russet apple and perfect horseradish cream had us smiling in appreciation of the match of textures and tastes, and our curiosity about the next dish of seasonal vegetables was soon satisfied when we were assailed by the nose of black truffle which blended so well with the Lancashire bomb cheese, enoki and roasted hazelnuts in a sort of umami taste attack. Absolutely mind-blowing! In a departure from the usual local sourcing of ingredients, the next course was Landes quail with perfect stuffing and a memorable quail tea, and that was followed by skate just how it should be served, off the bone with a super shellfish sauce and cauliflower brought to new heights. My wife chose venison for her main course which was tender and full of the proper game taste one expects from smoked saddle, while I opted for duck, another wonderful confirmation of this kitchen’s skills and highlighted by delicious smoked morteau sausage and a lovely maple and clementine glaze. The soaked goat’s cheese balanced perfectly with quince, crab apple jelly and celery led us into one of the best pre-desserts ever with rhubarb presented in two guises, poached with crême brulée and lemony biscuits, and in liquid form as a cocktail with ginger. The stunning chocolate dessert, a dark chocolate tart with nuts, pear slices and pear sorbet made for a suitably excellent ending to an outstanding meal. Dining experience rating: 18.5/20"
"This was our fourteenth visit in the last three years to the Artichoke and in that time have become good friends with owners Laurie , Jackie and head chef Ben. So therefore when the announcement came on Monday 7th October that they they had finally earned the distinctive honour of holding a Michelin Star ?? I couldn't have been more pleased. The food here has been so consistent and we've even noticed that on our last three or four visits this has definitely risen to the next level. The imagination and creativity using excellent local produce in order to put these fabulous dishes in front of their customers is amazing. Their front of house team has also been very good over the years which is now under the leadership of manager Jerek. Once we heard the exciting news we really couldn't wait to pay another visit and luckily that happened to be yesterday. So on a nice bright saturday we headed from east to west and enjoy another nice afternoon in the lovely little town of Amersham. As soon as we entered the restaurant you could still clearly see that everyone was still on a high from receiving the fantastic news. So after our nice friendly welcome we was escorted to our table in front of the fabulous wine rack which obviously used to be a fireplace. While we were given the menus to look through they poured us a glass of complimentary champagne as part of them celebrating the achievement with their customers. There are five menus to choose from the Lunch , A la Carte , Lunch Tasting Menu and a short six course and long eight course Tasting Menus. We decided to choose the eight course tasting menu as since it had been a few months since our last visit all the dishes were new.?We started with the fabulous Chiltern Black Ale Bread which this time came with a Bee Pollen Butter. This was followed by a delightful little Amuse Bouche of Taramasalata , Cucumber & Kohlrabi to cleanse the palate before we moved onto our first course a Seafood Ravioli with Pumpkin Veloute & Sea Herbs. The next course was definitely one of the highlights a Truffle Choux Bun with Lincolnshire Poacher , Cep Ketchup & Salsify and with the mixture of hot and cold this dish was stunning. We then moved on to our next course of Pan Fried Duck Liver which together with Poached Quince & Spiced Bread was a little taste sensation. This was followed by the Atlantic Halibut with Squid , Mussels , Seaweed and a beautiful Shellfish Miso. Now it was time for the main course to which their is a choice of two a Venison Saddle smoked with Douglas Fir and served alongside Venison Salami , Beef Dripping Potato , Red Cabbage & Beetroot and the other a Chalgrove Estate Partridge with a Black Pudding Tartlet , Morteau Sausage & Golden Raisins. Both dishes were amazing but I have to say my choice of the Partridge was without doubt the highlight of the day. During our little rest before we moved onto the next course it was nice of Laurie & Ben to come over for a quick chat and therefore gave us the opportunity to personally congratulate them on their prestigious award. Now we moved onto the cheese course a delightful little combination a Panna Cotta of Blue Murder with Roasted Walnuts , Black Figs , Apple & Celery. This led us onto a delicious palate cleanser of Poire William Sorbet with Poached & Pressed Pear a mixed seed Tuille & Vanilla Cream Cheese. Now it was time for dessert which was a very good Blackberry Baba with Somerset Apple , Brandy Ice Cream & Sorrel. This was paired with a Familia Castano Dulce Monastrell sweet wine with flavours of Plum Jam & Dried Figs which was nice & light and therefore a So another fabulous lunch at the Artichoke is brought to and one in which I'm looking forward to repeating again in the near future. It really is worth making the the trip to this great little town of Amersham and enjoy for yourself a fantastic dining experience at this amazing restaurant. Even if you can't make it for lunch you could stay overnight in one of the hotels on the opposite side of the road.?Congratulations once again to all the team at the Artichoke on receiving a Michelin Star perfect match. We then finished with a coffee & Petit Fours to end a fantastic lunch. "
"`Not the best evening we have had here and possibly the last, nothing hugely wrong perhaps because this was our first time upstairs and it was a busy Saturday. From the start the cucumber foam amuse bouche was not very impressive perhas it needed a couple of additional touches the rest of the meal was OK if rather small portions we ate from the short a la carte but they seemed more part of a "tasting" menu, having a young waitress reciting the ingredients in a very blurred French? accent was not a helpful addition. We were rather underwhelmed."
9 Market Sq, Amersham, HP7 0DF
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Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6:15 pm‑11 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6:15 pm‑11 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6:15 pm‑11 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑11:30 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑11:30 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
