Prestwood Restaurant Guide

“Very good Thai food” remains the order of the day at this “cramped” fixture of the local scene, whose extensive menu (wok dishes, curries, fresh papaya salads) represents excellent value for money. From Tuesday to Saturday there’s a lunchtime noodle bar, and they also do a swift trade as a takeaway.

A “classic English pub” that advertises itself as Britain’s oldest no less, and whose 900-year-old walls have welcomed more than their fair share of TV and film crews (‘The Theory of Everything’, ‘Hot Fuzz’ and ‘Midsomer Murders’ were all shot there, the latter lending its name to their chicken pie). The menu takes in hearty soups, steaks and other pubby fare – and “what a fab atmosphere – it makes the food taste better”. Top Tip – if you want to compensate for the calories, the location offers “good post-meal walking options across fields and woods”.

“Amazing food, top-notch service” – and “the value is OK for fine dining” – such are the attractions of Scott Barnard’s polished neighbourhood restaurant, which divides between a chef’s counter operation with tasting menu and open kitchen seating just 16 people overall; and larger dining room. The latter is considerably cheaper at £60 per person: at the chef’s table the experience is £105 per person during the week, rising to £130 per person at the weekend.

“Hard to park”, but Chris & Amanda Lillitou’s “great little country pub” not far from Beaconsfield has “a superior food menu” thanks to Amanda’s Tante Claire training. You can have a burger, a ploughman’s or a 1/2 pint of prawns, but most of the bistro-esque menu, while avoiding any pretentiousness, is too sophisticated to be termed pub grub.

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.

This “lovely old pub” in the Chilterns, handy for the Harry Potter antics at Warner Bros Studio nearby, built up quite a reputation for its Anglo-French cooking over nearly two decades under husband-and-wife team Sally & Alvin Michaels. The 18th-century venue is now managed by Alvin’s former protégé Matt Jackson (and part of the growing RedCat pub company) but, on limited feedback this year, its “exceptional pub dining” still makes it a local magnet.

“An excellent take on Indian cuisine with a blend of classic dishes and spiced modern British versions” – Atul Kochhar’s “interesting” cuisine at this four-year-old venture is inspired by the cuisines of Punjab and Rajasthan. Some fans still suggest it “just edges Sindhu, its nearby sister in Marlow” but its ratings were undercut this year by a couple of mixed reports.

Where TV chef Tom Kerridge’s venues in Marlow are concerned, there’s an inverse relationship in our annual diners’ poll between their celebrity (and price…) and how well people rate them. His least-known site is a low key, casual venue that combines a proper community pub with well-sourced carnivorous fare. With its ‘Meat Locker’ concept, you select your cut from the butcher’s counter (they’re also happy to hand out advice to improve your home cooking) and watch it being grilled before your eyes; offering “amazing food at a reasonable price”. The happy-go-lucky menu also includes a take on old-school hotdogs and upscale sides like truffle fries. (In December 2023, Kerridge opened a spin-off – his first London pub – on the site of the former Queen’s Head, just around the corner from Chelsea’s Sloane Square.)

“Our favourite of the Kerridge empire” – a view oft-expressed locally on this straightforward local in the town centre, which has modified its no-bookings policy to allow same-day reservations. There’s no celeb swank, it’s just a “brilliant, affordable pub” with chef Sarah Hayward, offers a ‘small plate’ menu that would win praise as a “great concept” even without the backing of one of the UK’s most famous names in food (though whether it would necessarily also have a Michelin Star is more debatable). Ratings were solid here this year and it also held its place as one of the top-100 most commented-on destinations in our annual diners’ poll outside London.

What does it say about the culinary tastes of the British middle classes that this spin-off chain, with about 40 locations based on the original Theatreland icon, has been such a rip-roaring success? True, there’s some “great people-watching” at the “always buzzing” Chelsea Garden venue (which has one of SW3’s best gardens). And, without doubt, those branches in Kensington, Tower Bridge and Kingston also particularly stand out amongst the rest for their “super atmosphere”. In general though, the knock-off look of their locations “isn’t a patch on the original on West Street, yet pretends to be exactly the same”. And when it comes to their brasserie dishes: although its many followers tout them as “acceptable, albeit nothing special”, their rating-average identifies them as “underwhelming tick-box fare”; all offered by service that’s very “indifferent”. And yet they are “always busy”! In June 2024, it was announced that billionaire Richard Caring had successfully sold his entire Ivy restaurants stake. Now that he is laughing all the way to the bank, it will be interesting to see if ratings reverse, continue or deepen their southward trend.

“Individual and with lots of character” – Frederic Desmette’s lovely little French/Belgian restaurant where “the chef greets, cooks and often serves the nicest food”. Its loyal fan club continue to enjoy it and rate it highly, saying “it‘s always a pleasure to visit!” Top Menu Tip – “best scallops ever, fabulous turbot and amazing salmon”.

“Is the Michelin Guide having a laugh” – incomprehension remains a key feature in feedback regarding the two-star status of this Thames Valley pub, whose elevation by the Red Guide in 2012 propelled chef-patron Tom Kerridge to media stardom. There’s no denying it does have its supporters, who say it’s “worth the drive” for “a brilliant experience with imaginative interpretation of pub food and a decent pint beforehand too”. But, given that it is one of the top-20 most commented-on destinations in our annual diners’ poll, it is striking that not a single reporter this year nominated it for their best meal of the year. More eye-catching are the one in three for whom it’s “too expensive by a mile”, with “variable” cooking and service that can seem “rushed”. In particular, a number of former fans just say it’s “not the restaurant it used to be”: “It’s a pub that wants to be a restaurant that wants to be a pub. Overpriced, overhyped. (Not sure why it is still relevant. Was great 12 years or so ago: now it’s just lost its momentum and identity)”. Top Tip – if you want to make up your own mind, a visit in the evening or Sunday lunch will set you back £175 per person. But the set weekday lunch is £48 per person for two-courses and £55 per person for three-courses. Quite a saving!

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”.