Worcester Restaurant Guide

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”.

“The obvious attraction of this restaurant is the spectacular view from the Malvern Hills across the plain” – unusually dramatic for an English dining room – that creates an away-from-it-all impression at this small hotel owned since 2015 by Nick & Julia Davies, who have constantly upgraded it over the years. Service is “friendly and professional” and the cooking has become ever-more “impressive”. In July 2025, after our diners poll had concluded, they announced a redesigned offering from chef Mark Potts, with the introduction Thursday-Saturday of a tasting-menu-only format of seven courses for £95 per person. This will be followed with the opening of a new brasserie, with cheaper à la carte options.

“A miracle for Malvern” – this “pleasant and professional” year-old venture takes meat reared on the Lygon family’s 900-year-old Madresfield Estate and chef Tom Friedli prepares it here over fire in an open kitchen, with the menu providing a selection of cuts (or you can order a ‘Butcher’s Board’ for £64 for two to share). “Meats are tender, juicy and beautifully cooked and presented, while traditional ingredients are enhanced by some more contemporary flavourings such as wasabi, nori and yazu”. “Desserts can be similarly a little out-of-the ordinary such as thyme ice cream”.