East Burnham Restaurant Guide

Owned by the National Trust since 1942 and a hotel since 1985, former guests at this famous palazzo (dating from 1666) include many of the 20th century’s most famous figures (Churchill, Gandhi, Roosevelt…). The “slightly stuffy but still jaw-dropping ambience of the beautiful dining room” of this famous palazzo makes it a perennial nomination for a “romantic” meal, but its fairly conventional modern European cuisine (with starting options including a wide selection of caviar) has never established itself as an especially foodie one, particularly for those concerned with value. as it can often seem “overpriced”. Top Tip – “Heavenly afternoon tea” – “a nicer location than grand London hotels” and “the views are exceptional”.

A “lovely location – the converted stables on the Cliveden estate”, the Astor family’s Italianate country mansion where Christine Keeler famously frolicked in the pool, to the delight of War Minister John Profumo, is sadly let down by its number two restaurant, in the former stable block – “the main dining room was closed during the week so we ate in the Astor Grill, but the disappointing menu and even more disappointing food led me to wish I had waited a few years until my wife’s birthday fell on a weekend. Suggest you do the same. My only excuse is that you don’t turn 80 every day!”.

Reporters “love this riverside, upmarket bistro which delivers a fabulous location, professional service and simple but well-cooked dishes”. Given its starry pedigree – it was relaunched as a Gallic restaurant by hospitality royalty Alain Roux and late father Michel Roux Sr in 2017 – and also given that it’s in a “well-heeled part of West London suburbia, it represents decent value” too (especially taking into account that it has “that elusive ingredient, the ‘feel-good’ factor”). (The site has an interesting history as one of the world’s top nightclubs in the 1970s, when folks like John and Yoko would party the night away).

Entering its fifth year since its founding in 2019, Daniel Crump & Margriet Vandezande- Crump’s converted coaching inn continues to dazzle with its all-round excellence (and was sensibly rewarded by the AA as their 2024/5 ‘Restaurant of the Year’). It’s not a gastropub, but “an outstanding fine-dining restaurant”, where you can eat à la carte or there’s a tasting menu for £95 per person. “You notice the service from the second you arrive. It isn’t a surprise to find the same staff there, year on year, as they have careers and are developed as professionals. The food is always of the highest quality with a very accomplished kitchen” led by head chef George Sweeney. A very large proportion of locals said it delivered their best meal of the year and it is now one of the top-100 most commented-on destinations outside London in our annual diners’ poll.

“A masterpiece of impeccable food and service” – Alain Roux is doing a fine job of steering the Thames-side flagship of the Roux culinary dynasty, founded by his late father Michel in 1972. It is one of the top-10 most commented-on destinations outside London in our annual diners’ poll and ratings were off-the-charts good this year, with it delivering “everything you would expect from a three Michelin star restaurant”. “This is formal fine-dining at its best” (jackets must be worn and sportswear is not permitted), with staff who “manage to make your experience feel individual and very special”. Of course, there’s a “price tag to match”, but even those who complain on this score (and a fair number do) generally go on to say something along the lines of: “even though I wouldn’t say it was quite worth it, it is a superb destination, even if you actually only go once, or just once a year for that (very) special occasion”. (The late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary here). There is a tasting menu as well as the à la carte, but at heart this is utterly classic French cuisine, with dishes such as: ‘Tartare et queues de langoustines d’Ecosse, caviar osciètre, macédoine de légumes au raifort et émulsion à l’estragon’. Especially in summer, it’s “a lovely setting too”, with pre-dinner fizz out on the terrace. “Superlative every time”. “A real gastronomic experience”.

“Classics are made very very well (with a twist) in a comfortable proper pub environment” at Heston Blumenthal’s ‘other’ operation in Bray – a 15th-century tavern a short stroll from the Fat Duck ‘mothership’. Over the years, it has successfully avoided leaning too heavily on its celeb associations and if its renown has maybe waned a little over the years, appreciation for it has, if anything, grown as a “beautiful and charismatic venue” with “top-quality cuisine in a pub”. (“Who knows how much input Heston Blumenthal still has nowadays, but the dependable menu of imaginative takes on hearty traditional fare still hits the spot!”).

“More an experience than a meal out: an amazing trip with faultless service and a restaurant and kitchen running like clockwork” – that’s a convert’s take on Heston Blumenthal’s temple of bizarre molecular gastronomy, world famous for its outlandish culinary concoctions and wacky ideas (like listening to the sea on headphones as you eat seafood). Especially for a first-timer, it can seem “outstanding in all aspects”, and to be fair even many of its detractors do actually rate the kitchen’s creations here as outstanding. But that it delivers “gastronomic theatre rather than a meal out” leads to a view in some quarters that this is “a once-in-a-lifetime experience, rather than somewhere to return to” (and a reporter who did comment on a repeat visit found the second run lacked variety). Then there’s the perennial issue of the “outrageous” prices, which continue to be a major detractor for about one third of reporters and which foster a feeling among more sceptical diners that the whole schtick is a case of “emperor‘s new clothes” – (“at least paying in advance removes some of the shock of the astronomic cost”). Finally, the ambience of this converted pub is “difficult to score as the decor is minimalist and the room is dark”: it isn’t dire but it’s safe to say that it’s not a huge contributor to the event. None of the above is new, by the way – this is a similar review to the one featured in the guide for many of the last ten years… and the show marches on…

This village gastroboozer was taken over by Terry Wogan’s daughter Katherine and her husband Henry back in 2011 and “what a local” it still is, turning out “always superb food” (“Sunday lunch is amazing”) that’s “great value” too. Having called time on its elder sibling The White Oak in Cookham in 2024, after failing to renegotiate the lease (the new regime there is the Brucan Pubs group), this “top-notch gastropub” is now the couple’s only focus.

“Very friendly service with good-quality food on a menu that’s refreshed regularly” is the recipe for success at this smart boozer that is now the flagship of Brucan Pubs, a five-strong group from chef Jamie Dobbin (ex-Savoy, Ivy and Groucho CLub) and James Lyon-Shaw, ex- operations manager at the ETM group. One unusual feature is the horsebox converted into a mini dining room in the garden – a tribute to the regal town’s equestrian tastes, perhaps.

It has a star chef’s name over the door, but feedback was inconsistent this year regarding this outpost of Atul Kochhar’s empire of Indian restaurants. Amongst reports, one diner described dishes as plain “bizarre” and another who felt the “food is OK” added, “but it’s not worth the price and overall seems overhyped”.

“A wonderful neighbourhood restaurant, which provides all the elements of interesting and delicious dishes and friendly unobtrusive service” – Wesley & Francesca Smalley opened their excellent restaurant in the town centre in 2021 and it‘s been winning awards as a top- quality local ever since. It has a sensibly focused fixed-price à la carte menu that’s “to die for”.

Reopened after a £450,000 refurb and extension in May 2024, this venue from Heartwood Inns, founded by Raymond Blanc as the White Brasserie Company, offers a French-influenced menu of more ambition than most gastropubs.