Cleobury Mortimer Restaurant Guide

A 20-minute walk from the hallowed foodie ground of Ludlow, this handsomely renovated Georgian spa hotel is home to a casual bistro and this more formal haunt – a “lovely place to dine” that’s set “in a large light conservatory” with “beautiful views” of the surrounding countryside (“including the short row of small ‘Forelle’ pear trees after which the restaurant is named”). “The food is usually very tasty” (be it the à la carte or tasting menu) and, despite the odd ‘off’ report this year, a “relaxed, pleasing evening is the rule”. “The hotel has recently changed hands” (to a private Midlands-based buyer, who acquired it in March 2024) “though Phil Kerry, the head chef, remains in post so it is to be hoped that Forelles retains its special character despite the change”.

“This lovely, cosy French-style bistro” in the centre of Ludlow, from husband-and-wife team Olivier & Lynette Bossut, “serves good hearty helpings of rustic Gallic food” – such as “fabulous onion soup served with a vast cheesy crouton” and “coq au vin with more chicken than some poultry farms!”. With “friendly service”, it’s “usually busy with locals and tourists”, so you “need to book”.

“Located in a gorgeously oak-panelled dining room in a grand old building half way up the hill in steep Corve Street”, this “unpretentious, traditional restaurant is a favourite Ludlow eatery” for all who comment on it. (“Previously it was the location of Claude Bosi’s Hibiscus when it was in Ludlow and then Alan Murchison‘s La Becasse where Will Holland was Head Chef”). “In summer, there is a quiet courtyard for pre-meal drinks and a small bar at the entrance for drinks in winter and hors d’oeuvre prior to dining”. “Chef-patron Wayne Smith has perfected his dishes over time and continues to serve excellent, accurately cooked food using delicious local ingredients and although regulars may recognise dishes from previous visits, the food is thoroughly enjoyable”. Top Menu Tip – “some of the local beef is highly memorable for its tenderness and flavour”.

The black-and-white timber building dates back to 1430, but this beamed rural restaurant has operated in its current guise since 1998, and serves a straightforward, rather traditional and old-fashioned menu that’s consistently highly rated in our annual diners’ poll: “always reliably good food” with “a successful combination of flavours and complementary sauces plus good house wines; all alongside more innovative specials changed daily”.