Reading, French Restaurant Guide

The “spectacular drive up to the property” is all part of the experience at this majestic ancestral pile of the Astor family (host, in its day, to the events behind the Profumo scandal; where Meghan stayed before marrying Prince Harry; and nowadays owned by the National Trust). The dining room occupies a “gorgeous hall” primely located within the property and with “great views”. As you might expect, a visit is an experience as much as it is a gourmet spectacular, and although cooking from chef Chris Hannon (replacing Paul O’Neill in October 2021) is generally well-received, feedback follows the up-and-down pattern established over many years here. A typical example: “lovely room, pretty good food actually but it isn’t a restaurant that wows. Some dishes were very good but it was a case of hit-and-miss, especially for the high price, and service was good but not outstanding”. Top Tip – “perfect afternoon tea for special occasions”.

“Incredibly original Indian cuisine served gracefully in a wonderful location” makes this well-commented-on Marlow destination one of the country’s top grand Indians outside the capital. “A beautiful dining room overlooking the Thames” and with a “fabulous view of Marlow Weir” (gorgeous in daytime, perhaps less impactful at night) is the venue for “an enormously enjoyable, fine-dining take on Indian cuisine that’s beautifully presented,: “with lovely spicing, but never being overwhelmed by too much heat”. It’s “one of those experiences where practically everything is spot on”.

“Within walking distance of the Monkey Island and Bray high street” – Giancarlo & Katie Caldesi’s “relaxed sister establishment to Caldesi in Marylebone” occupies a converted house complete with “a great bar and attractive glasshouse-type” addition. The dishes from its “excellent, typically Italian menu” are, say fans, “fantastic” and “the cost is rather like loose change compared to the nearby Fat Duck”.

“The wine list is immense, but good sommeliers are on hand to guide you through it” at Sir Peter Michael’s modern, luxury country estate, whose “stunning, if challengingly extensive, cellar” features vintages from his family’s Sonoma County and Napa Valley vineyards. So “do not be daunted, as there is plenty of advice from the wine team” and the selection is “deep, complex, and fascinating… if expensive” (“if you are seriously into Californian wines, this is the place”, but “deep pockets are needed!”). Other aspects of the operation have a hard time living up to the main event and harsher reporters feel aspects of the place are “dull” or “nothing memorable by comparison to the wine”. Others, though, are “surprised by the good food” with dishes noted in despatches including “very good crab tortellini and Berkshire trout with caviar” and “beautifully presented Berkshire game pie”.

“The setting on the Thames at Sonning Eye is just fantastic, but better still, the quality of the food that comes out of the kitchen is always first class”, according to fans of this long-established and well-known Thames-valley institution, which has been owned by the Emmanuel family since 1972. “If you like formal, this is the place to go”, and while fans acknowledge that “it’s a little pricey”, they feel the investment is “well worth it for special occasions”. As well as its signature duck, spit-roasted over an open fire, it’s “very impressive wine list” is another feature (“we call it ‘The Bible’”).