olivemagazine
type: channel
link: https://www.olivemagazine.com
date: 2026-02-25T14:39:45.000Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
items: Best restaurants in St Ives: an expert shares their favourite local spots
items: Best Cornwall hotels for food lovers
items: Best restaurants in Bath: where locals eat and drink in this Somerset city
items: Best restaurants in Penzance, Cornwall
items: Best restaurants in Frome, Somerset: where locals eat and drink
items: Best burger restaurants across the UK
items: Totnes, Devon foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
items: Koffmann and Mr White’s, Bath: restaurant review
items: Padstow, Cornwall foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
items: Win return flights to the beautiful Isles of Scilly
items: Langford Fivehead, Somerset: restaurant with rooms review
items: Tim Spedding: chef interview
items: Woky Ko, Wapping Wharf, Bristol: restaurant review
items: Tudor Farmhouse, Clearwell, Forest of Dean: hotel and restaurant review
items: The Churchill Arms, The Cotswolds: pub with rooms review
items: Chris Staines’ Supper Club, The Igloo, Bath: restaurant review
items: Corkage Bath: wine bar review
items: Feather down glamping site at east shilvinghampton farm: review
items: The Queens Arms, Corton Denham: pub with rooms review
items: Comins Tea House, Bath: Café Review
items: The Cary Arms, Devon: hotel and restaurant review
items: Timbrell's Yard, Bradford on Avon: hotel and restaurant review
items: Abode, Exeter: hotel and restaurant review

Best restaurants in St Ives: an expert shares their favourite local spots
type: item
date: 2026-02-23T17:11:30.000Z
creator: Janine Ratcliffe
subject: Restaurants
subject: South West
subject: South West travel
subject: Travel
subject: UK
description: Discover the best restaurants in St Ives, serving up everything from Mediterranean tapas to fresh seafood and unbeatable brunch on the beach
encoded: This popular corner of Cornwall is filled with great restaurants, cafés and interesting bars. Here's our pick of the best places to eat and drink in buzzy St Ives. For more Cornwall inspiration, check out our guides to the best restaurants in Cornwall, best restaurants in Penzance and the best hotels in Cornwall. Best places to eat and drink in St Ives Brine For inventive brunch dishes Grab a coveted window seat at this cute first floor café overlooking St Ives Harbour and try one of the inventive brunch dishes, like the Ful (beans with flatbread, pickles and tomato confit) or the Jaffle toastie, stuffed with fresh crab, Singapore chilli sauce and cheese. In the evening Brine transforms into a cosy spot with freshly shucked and topped oysters, small plates (such as smoked mackerel caesar) natural wines and cocktails. Look out for the late afternoon wine and oyster happy hour bargains too. @brine_stives Ardor For Mediterranean grilling The Josper grill is the star of the show at this central Fore Street spot. The Med-influenced menu runs from lighter tapas dishes like scallop, prawn and octopus pil pil, and grilled sardines with chorizo and piperade, through to perfectly seared dry-aged steaks, duroc pork chops and monkfish skewers cooked over charcoal. There’s a concise European wine list with lots available by the glass to try. It’s an elegant spot perfect for date night and buzzy enough for a fun group outing. ardorstives.co.uk Silco Bar & Kitchen For stellar sharing plates This fun, casual space which hugs the Downalong side of the harbour is perfect if you fancy a drop-in lunch or perfectly mixed cocktail. Bag a seat outside and watch the boats bobbing as the sun goes down over the harbour. There’s a lovely playful menu of small sharing plates with eclectic global touches. The small kitchen turns out stellar dishes including a puttanesca butter flatbread with white anchovies and crispy capers, and a crisp pork belly, meltingly tender, with a nuoc cham sauce. You…

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Best Cornwall hotels for food lovers
type: item
date: 2025-10-27T17:00:08.000Z
subject: South West
subject: Travel
subject: UK
subject: Restaurants
subject: Hotel guides
description: We pick the best foodie places to stay in this south-western county, from a stylish farmhouse retreat with its own smokehouse to a jaunty harbourside b&b with outstanding breakfasts
encoded: Looking for the best places to stay in Cornwall? After a bed and breakfast on the Cornish coast? Want to find a romantic hotel in Cornwall? From St Ives to Penzance, we've rounded up the best foodie hotels in Cornwall, from seaside bed and breakfasts to Cornish farmhouse retreats, as well as restaurants with rooms to stay in Cornwall. See our guide to the best restaurants in Cornwall for all the best places to eat and drink during your stay. Now discover UK spa hotels for food lovers, the best hotel baths worth travelling for in the UK or our best European hidden gem hotels for more travel inspiration. Best Cornwall hotels for food lovers Pedn Olva, St Ives Doubles from £136, check availability at booking.com or pednolva.co.uk Perched on the granite rocks above the sands of Porthminster Beach, the Pedn Olva has recently undergone a transformation, creating a luxurious space to spend a long, lazy weekend. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer breathtaking views of every angle from the sweep of St Ives Bay out to the open sea and all along the beach. Grab a pint of Mena Dhu stout in the cosy Lookout nook for seal and dolphin spotting or head to one of the open terraces (including a huge roof terrace) for panoramic views. The décor is warm and inviting with loungy mid-century modern chairs, sheepskin throws and reclaimed wood tables. Walls showcase the work of local artists in a nod to St Ives’ colourful art history. Rooms have been given a plush makeover with rich upholstery in mustard and soft blues, and warm wood cladding. There are cloud-like Hypnos beds and Nespresso machines should you want to linger over morning coffee. Bathrooms are generous with rainfall showers and toiletries from Cornish company Land & Water. We stayed in a snug dog-friendly room which had the advantage of its own outside entrance with a route directly down steps to the beach – perfect for sunrise swims and late-night walks. The menus showcase local suppliers with spankingly fresh fish dishes such …

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Best restaurants in Bath: where locals eat and drink in this Somerset city
type: item
date: 2025-06-03T15:01:56.000Z
creator: Alex Crossley
subject: South West
subject: South West travel
subject: Travel
subject: UK
subject: Restaurants
subject: Burda
subject: Local city guides
description: From perfect cinnamon buns to seafood displayed in a rolltop bath and fry ups in an antiques shop, a local shares her guide to where to eat, drink, shop and sleep across this Somerset city
encoded: Looking for restaurants in Bath? Want to know where to eat in the historical spa town? Local residents, past and current, share their tips for the best restaurants in Bath, along with where to find the best coffee, bakeries and gin bars. Plus, find out the best afternoon tea in Bath here. Check out more UK restaurant and travel inspiration, from city breaks to pubs with rooms and foodie day trips from London by train. Or find our local guides to the best restaurants in Oxford and where to eat in Cornwall. Jump to: Best places to eat and drink in Bath Where to stay in Bath Food shops in Bath Best places to eat and drink in Bath Landrace Bakery and Cafe – for cinnamon buns Every time you return to this unassuming corner of Walcot Street, Landrace is doing something new and brilliant. Most recently, the bakery has expanded into a fully-fledged café, with ample seating and space to linger. The new interior is lovely and bright, and the bakery itself is unparalleled: cinnamon and cardamom buns galore alongside the iconic breads, sold in various other outlets across the wider countryside, because they're just so good. The bakery works in conjunction with Landrace Milling, a portion of land at Westcombe in southern Somerset, where specialty grains are grown and milled. Grab a coffee and a pistachio cornetto, and pause on a window seat to watch the world go by. landrace.co.uk Upstairs at Landrace – for elegant bistro vibes First came the bakery, and then came the excellent restaurant above. Set across two fetching upstairs dining rooms, donned with wine bottles and vibrant posters, this neighbourhood bar and bistro is doing brilliant things, with Chef Rob Sachdev at the helm in the kitchen. Seasonal sharing plates sing of beautiful produce and rustic provenance. Start with a plate (or two) of the cheddar fritters, accompanied by a glass (or two) from the adventurous natural and biodynamic wine list, and then meander through the succinct but perfect array of plates that foll…

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Best restaurants in Penzance, Cornwall
type: item
date: 2025-03-03T09:49:34.000Z
creator: Milly Kenny-Ryder
subject: Restaurants
subject: South West
subject: South West travel
subject: Travel
subject: UK
subject: Local city guides
description: Creative cruffins, lively pizza spots and coral-pink rose gin and tonics are the highlights in this artsy coastal town
encoded: Looking for Penzance restaurants? Here are our favourite restaurants in the Cornish town. Although Penzance may lack the cachet of neighbouring St Ives and Padstow, it has a rootsy, sea-blown charm that feels gutsier than many of Cornwall’s harbour towns. Its streets and shopping arcades are ramshackle and bohemian, and the place is bathed in that same soft, wispy light that has inspired artists for centuries. Drawn by its no-fuss atmosphere and supportive community, artisans have moved in, seeking an affordable, unpretentious place to develop their products. For more travel inspiration, check out our guide to the best Cornwall hotels for food lovers and the best restaurants in Cornwall. Jump to: Best places to eat and drink in Penzance Where to stay in Penzance Best places to eat and drink in Penzance Loafs This neighbourhood bakery, found in the heart of Penzance, is a one-stop shop for all things baked, from hearty sausage rolls and sandwiches, to creative cruffins and all the classics in-between. Speciality coffee is on offer to complement your pastry, made using beans from the brilliant Square Mile Coffee Roasters. The black-tiled exterior and fun branding shows it doesn't take itself too seriously, but when it comes to bread and croissants, it's not messing around. instagram.com/loafsbakery/ Barbican Bistro Barbican Bistro is a family affair, run by local brothers Jack and Jay Liddicoat. The duo pride themselves on championing suppliers from the area, including fish from their dad Shane, who delivers it straight off the boat from Newlyn. The charming historic building overlooks Penzance Harbour and has a menu of small plates to share – highlights include crab croquettes with brown crab mayo and lemon sole fillets with wild mushrooms and garlic. barbicanbistro.com Pizza Plz Found on Market Jew Street in the very centre of town, Pizza Plz serves Neapolitan-inspired pizza and Italian bar snacks. The lively corner spot offers a few sit-in stools, but most choose t…

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Best restaurants in Frome, Somerset: where locals eat and drink
type: item
date: 2024-08-02T13:01:46.000Z
subject: South West
subject: Restaurants
subject: Cook Like A Local
subject: Local city guides
description: Totter along the cobbles of this Somerset market town and you’ll stumble across a trove of indie food shops, cafés and stalls serving local cheeses, ciders and dumplings
encoded: Looking for places to eat in Frome? Read our expert guide for the best places to eat in Frome, great places to stay in Frome, and the best bars and pubs in this Somerset town. Discover more UK foodie guides with our roundup of the best restaurants in Bath, best restaurants in Nottingham and best restaurants in Cornwall. Best places to eat and drink in Frome Best street food in Frome – At the Station Behind its historic architecture, Frome is a town packed with foodie character and modern entrepreneurial spirit, well connected to the area’s farming landscape. The Station is an excellent compilation, bringing an eclectic mixture of independent food and drink businesses under one roof just back from the railway. Its placement is easily accessible by public transport and within walking distance from the town centre. On summer evenings it's a free-flowing space for outdoor eating and music with an indoor gallery at its centre. Pre-order a cheeseboard from The Cheese Lord for pairing with new-wave artisanal wines. For something more filling, opt for a seasonally topped wood-fire pizza from Rye Bakery, a South Indian inspired feast from Lungi Babas or the weekly changing silly sausage hot dog from Owen’s Sausages & Hams. Dietary requirements like gluten-free options are catered for. You’re guaranteed to leave well fed, watered and full of family-friendly merriment. discoverfrome.co.uk/meet-the-recent-arrivals-the-station/ Best place for chocolate in Frome – Choc et al This family-run gourmet chocolate shop is on Cheap Street, one of the quaintest spots in Frome (there’s even a little stream cut into the street’s flagstone floor). Choc et al stocks a range of carefully produced local chocolates, including toasted pistachio and cinnamon milk chocolate from Seven Hills in Bath and peanut and caramel chocolate salami sticks from Wiltshire’s Coco Chemistry. Stop by in the summer for a soft-serve ice cream made with Ivy House Farm organic Jersey milk – it comes drizzled with mel…

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Best burger restaurants across the UK
type: item
date: 2019-09-03T09:10:57.000Z
creator: Mark Taylor
subject: East England
subject: East Midlands
subject: London
subject: North East
subject: North West
subject: Northern Ireland
subject: Restaurants
subject: Scotland
subject: South East
subject: South West
subject: Wales
subject: West Midlands
subject: Yorkshire & Humber
description: Get your burger fix courtesy of Britain’s finest patty purveyors, from Korean brisket burgers in the North West, to beef short rib cheeseburgers in the capital
encoded: Looking for the best burger restaurants across the UK? Want to know where to find the best gourmet burgers? Read on for our restaurant guide, or check out our burger recipes here... Best burger restaurants in London… Buster's, Brixton A stone’s throw from Brixton station is potentially the best new burger in London. You’ll find it at Buster’s, effectively a hole in the wall joint, bar a few small tables, serving up delicious wagyu beef and fried chicken burgers. The London restaurant scene is full of spots trying to claim they do ‘simple things, executed perfectly’ but Buster’s is a spot that is actually nailing it. The wagyu cheeseburger is made up of tender meat, seasoned perfectly and cooked to a juicy medium. The green peppercorn dijonaise adds a welcome acidity, and the potato roll it is all sandwiched between is soft and bouncy. The chicken burger is equally excellent, crispy, juicy and served with plenty of pickles. The IPA cheese sauce is aerated and rich, perfect for dipping lots of hot, crispy fries in. We finished off the meal with a chocolate mousse, which was light but decadent. If you’re looking for a great burger south of the river, Buster’s is where it’s at. busterslondon.co.uk Supra Burger, Queen's Park Housed as a permanent pop-up in the cosy rotisserie restaurant Cocotte, Supra does smashed burgers and it does them well. The burger menu is short and the five burgers on offer are a variation on double stacked smashed cheeseburger, to which you can add bacon or salad, or change up the sauce to make it a Supra, truffle or barbecue burger. The burgers are generously portioned but without being too big to eat. There’s attention to detail in the preparation, along with the use of high-quality ingredients, resulting in burgers that are juicy, flavourful and smashed to perfection. The fries are crisp, golden and fresh from the fryer, and a side of chicken tenders were succulent from what we guessed must have been a wet brine. As well as a choice of six sa…

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Totnes, Devon foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
type: item
date: 2019-08-27T13:47:45.000Z
creator: Alex Crossley
subject: South West
subject: Travel
subject: UK
subject: Restaurants
subject: Local city guides
description: The mung bean- and homemade yoghurt-loving reputation of the locals is being ripped up by an influx of young chefs more interested in craft beers, artisan cheeses and contemporary osteria-style cooking
encoded: Looking for Totnes restaurants? Here are our favourite restaurants in the south Devon town, plus where to get the best pizza, wine and artisan cheeses. The Bull Inn Geetie Singh-Watson was awarded with an MBE after opening the UK’s first organic gastropub, The Duke of Cambridge, in north London in 1998. Come autumn 2019, Geetie will open The Bull Inn, a Grade-II organic pub with nine bedrooms, in Totnes. The setting couldn’t be more fitting. Totnes is one of the UK’s greenest towns, with a high street made up of independent and eco-friendly businesses, including the UK’s first zero-waste shop, just around the corner from The Bull Inn. Brought up on a self-sufficient commune in the shadow of the Malvern Hills, Geetie has felt deeply in touch with the land from an early age. Just as at The Duke of Cambridge, The Bull will be organic and run with minimum environmental impact. Water will be warmed by solar panels and heat recaptured from the kitchen, furniture will be reclaimed, organic linens will come from local firm Greenfibres and mattresses for the bedrooms will be handmade (using Dartmoor sheep’s wool) by Exeter-based Naturalmat. Interiors will largely be left in a natural, stripped-back state, with lime plaster and exposed stone walls. As for the food, chef James Dodd will be cooking veg-heavy meat and fish dishes. Think tender grilled monkfish with braised white beans, fennel and oregano, or roast local venison with bright salt-baked beets. Curator Kitchen In a clean and bright first-floor space, Ancona-born Matteo Lamaro creates seasonal Italian dishes in the Curator Kitchen, a modern osteria he launched in 2015. Amid decor that’s part rustic Italian and part pared-down Scandi (large windows, painted floorboards and menus written on blackboards) Lamaro serves monthly-rotating menus that are heavy on produce from the Totnes area, as well as Matteo’s home in Le Marche, where he has built up a network of artisan producers - his ‘Italian Food Heroes’. Typical dishe…

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Koffmann and Mr White’s, Bath: restaurant review
type: item
date: 2019-01-03T17:32:00.000Z
creator: Kate Authers
subject: South West
subject: Restaurants
description: Does a regular diner reach the same conclusions about a restaurant as a food pro, who may get special treatment if recognised?* Critic Kate Authers and reader Sarah du Feu compare notes on Pierre Koffmann and Marco Pierre White’s joint venture
encoded: About Koffmann & Mr White’s, Bath The duo behind Bath’s latest hotel restaurant need little introduction but here’s a foodie refresher. Pierre Koffmann has been on the British restaurant scene for the best part of 40 years. It was at Chelsea-based La Tante Claire that he reached the heady heights of three Michelin stars, a feat his former employee, Marco Pierre White, was to later repeat at his own eponymous restaurant in Hyde Park. Now the much-lauded chefs have rekindled their professional relationship, this time as restaurateurs, in Koffmann & Mr White’s, a pared-back French-English brasserie inside the Abbey Hotel. Minutes from the city’s train station, the restaurant has a menu of French and English classics, from shepherd’s pie and steak au poivre to sherry trifle and pain perdu. There’s other familiar names to look out for, too – from Bath-based baker Richard Bertinet’s sourdough, to Cotswold adoptee and former Blur bassist Alex James’s cheeseboard. Head to the hotel’s ArtBar for after-dinner drinks. abbeyhotelbath.co.uk The pro restaurant reviewer Bath-based journalist and entrepreneur Kate Authers is olive’s West Country correspondent and has been reviewing restaurants in the local area for more than a decade. @kateauthers The punter restaurant reviewer Sarah du Feu lives in South Yorkshire and teaches printmaking at Leeds Beckett University. Her favourite dining experience was the tasting menu at The Black Swan at Oldstead. Our pro’s Koffmann & Mr White’s, Bath restaurant review… At Koffmann & Mr White’s there are immediate glimpses of both culinary greats’ heritage stamped all over the space. It’s decked out in historic muted colours, with an original Georgian floor and lovely old artworks lining the walls. Flickering candelabras add to the romantic vibe; globe lights, taupe leather banquettes and marble tables make the space feel fancy yet relaxed, in classic Parisian brasserie style. Service is friendly, though gets off to a chaotic start, and our own w…

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Padstow, Cornwall foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
type: item
date: 2018-08-15T15:02:56.000Z
creator: Clare Hargreaves
subject: Restaurants
subject: South West
subject: South West travel
subject: Travel
subject: UK
description: Check out our favourite restaurants, cafes, bars and foodie spots in Padstow, Cornwall, including plenty of fresh fish and seafood
encoded: Looking for Padstow restaurants? Few stretches of British coast harbour more culinary talent than the Atlantic-bashed area around Padstow, where Ainsworth and Rick Stein reside have their seafood restaurants. Here's our pick... No 6 Paul Ainsworth There are only a handful of restaurants we’ve been to where we’ve wanted to book a return visit upon first bite. Chef Paul Ainsworth’s pin-sharp No 6, located in a tiny Georgian townhouse in Padstow, is one of them. The morsel that did it? A plump, deep-fried Porthilly oyster served with charcoal mayonnaise and chunks of soul-satisfying sourdough. Despite the hype around it, No 6 avoids being stuffy. Ainsworth, who trained under Gordon Ramsay and won TV fame through Great British Menu, has the playfulness and boyish energy of a labrador puppy. The décor is just as lively, with outrageously bright Cole & Son Miami wallpaper (bring your shades), and windows on to the kitchen’s theatricality. The food is equally free of fussiness, stripped of cheffy canapés and tasting menus in favour of à la carte dishes such as a Jacob’s ladder ragu with spaghetti; raw seabream served on a slaw of sand shrimp with tuna-rich katsuobushi mayonnaise; and tournedos Rossini made with chicken instead of the usual steak. The latter – a stuffed chicken breast topped with morels and a cold parfait of livers from duck, goose and chicken – is laced with a rich madeira sauce, its stock derived from an entire chicken. number6inpadstow.co.uk Caffè Rojano, Padstow Are we in Cornwall or on the sun-baked Med? Neapolitan-style pizza is one draw at Paul Ainsworth’s Caffè Rojano. Elsewhere, its menu, capably executed by chef Mike Probert, ranges from baby squid with romesco mayo or pasta with pork shoulder, chilli and Balearic sobrassada sausage, to an epic hot dog with truffled mayo, fontina cheese, sweet Cévennes onions and remoulade. Mains from £13; paul-ainsworth.co.uk Prawn on the Lawn A few cobbled streets from No 6, Padstow's Prawn on the Lawn offers ta…

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Win return flights to the beautiful Isles of Scilly
type: item
date: 2018-01-24T09:03:59.000Z
subject: Competitions
subject: South West
subject: South West travel
subject: Restaurants
subject: UK
subject: Travel
description: Make this the year you connect to the Isles of Scilly, the UK destination that feels like an exotic escape. Isles of Scilly Travel is offering one lucky reader the chance to win a pair of return Skybus flights to this unique archipelago.
encoded: ***This competition has now closed*** Lying just 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall, Scilly is the first place summer arrives in England – and the last place it leaves ­– and is a truly unspoiled paradise that offers a welcome sanctuary. Its five inhabited islands of St Mary’s, St Martin’s, Bryher, Tresco and St Agnes all offer crystal-clear turquoise seas and white sandy beaches, and you can easily hop between the islands by tripper boat. It’s easy to discover Scilly with Skybus flights from Exeter, Newquay and Land’s End reaching the islands in less than an hour. Alternatively, you can opt for a relaxing sail from Penzance aboard the iconic Scillonian III passenger ferry. Enter the competition and discover for yourself why people who visit the Isles of Scilly come back time and again. The prize offers return flights for two to the Isles of Scilly with Skybus, departing from your choice of Exeter, Newquay or Land’s End airport. Travel to and from the point of departure and airport car parking is not included. For more information about Isles of Scilly Travel, and to discover how you can #ConnectScilly, visit islesofscilly-travel.co.uk/connect or call 01736 334 220. To enter, simply answer the following question. Terms & conditions Not to be used in conjunction with any current bookings or discounts. Excludes travel and accommodation on bank holiday weekends and school holidays. Travel to be taken in March, April, May, September or October, and bookings are subject to availability on requested dates. Deadline for competition entry on 8 March 2018. Winners will be selected at random after that date and no cash alternative will be offered. Click here for full T&Cs

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Langford Fivehead, Somerset: restaurant with rooms review
type: item
date: 2017-08-31T11:48:12.000Z
creator: Clare Hargreaves
subject: South West
subject: South West travel
subject: UK
subject: Restaurants
subject: Travel
description: Read our expert review of this farm-to-table restaurant with rooms in the West Country countryside. Expect classic French cooking techniques using local food and luxurious bedrooms, ideal for a romantic break
encoded: We love a weekend getaway (check out our favourite bed and breakfasts for couples here), especially when there's great food involved, too. We check out Langford Fivehead in the Somerset countryside. Here’s our review of the farm-to-table restaurant and luxurious bedrooms… A gorgeous pre-Tudor manor, on the Somerset Levels, Langford Fivehead oozes history from every one of its flint- and fudge-coloured stones. Inside are vast Ham-stone fireplaces, four-poster beds and an ancient staircase of oak and elm. But if all of this smacks of stuffy country house hotel, it’s anything but. Thanks to Olly and Rebecca Jackson, the dynamic couple who run it (he in the kitchen, she front of house), Langford Fivehead is friendly rather than fusty, and intimate and indulgent rather than intimidating. And contemporary touches, such as the swanky bathrooms and artworks by local artists, mean it pleases young urban-based foodies and local retirees alike. This is very definitely a relaxed restaurant with rooms (six of them) and not a hotel. Rebecca is a natural and diligent hostess with a knack for making you feel instantly at home, while Olly is so chilled he’s happy for you to watch him cook if you wish. The food Having previously manned the stoves at Suffolk’s Crown and Castle and Cornwall’s Trelowarren Estate, Olly understands plot-to-plate eating. Here, the couple have put their seven acres of grounds to productive use so much of the vegetables and fruit come fresh from the kitchen gardens and orchard. But while ingredients are local, Olly’s techniques are firmly classical French, so expect braises, sauces and confits rather than techie tomfoolery. Dinner is available Tuesday to Saturday, lunch Wednesday to Friday, and guests eat in one of two intimate dining rooms (one a library housing Olly’s amazing collection of cookery books), choosing from a menu that’s pleasingly concise with three choices per course. Olly’s cooking is confident, creative and beautifully presented. The highli…

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Tim Spedding: chef interview
type: item
date: 2017-05-12T14:03:25.000Z
subject: London
subject: Meet the chef
subject: South West
subject: Restaurants
subject: Guides
description: Introducing British chef and restaurateur, Tim Spedding, whose prestigious career has been bubbling away in London before his move to Cornwall this spring
encoded: Interview conducted by Adam Coghlan In February this year, Tim Spedding and his girlfriend, Louise Rødkjær Jørgensen, spent four days in Cornwall. It’s something they’ve made a habit of over the last 12 months. Sometimes it’s for pleasure; on this occasion it was for business. During the visit they viewed 16 different properties – the first stage of their planned relocation to the Southwest this spring. The pair have an acute appreciation of hospitality – their chef and front-of-house partnership is just one pillar of the memorable experience they provide. “Louise has always wanted somewhere cosy and beautifully styled – that’s her dream,” he tells me. His dream is to be a part of that (working title ‘Louisiana’). Other than a sensational residency on two induction hobs at P. Franco in Clapton last year, Tim’s career as a chef has not been all about his being the front-man. Now they’re at liberty to realise their idyll: “We’ve had this vision of a place in the country where we can grow our own veg, have a [real] relationship with suppliers, live near the coast, go surfing,” he says, smiling. The fact that people are calling Cornwall the ‘San Sebastián of England’ is convenient from a marketing perspective. Tim is more than au fait with suppliers Kernow Sashimi, Warren’s Butchers and Keveral Farm, as well as chef Tom Adams at Coombeshead Farm. But his connection to the county dates back to a summer holiday, aged 17, at Porthminster Beach Café in St Ives where he first cooked professionally. After that, when at catering college, he was posted for summer work experience to The Headland Hotel in Newquay. His parents had to drive there to bring him back to Slough; he’d caught the surfing bug, loved it there, and appears always to have had one eye on going back. He went to university in Plymouth, and left as student of the year with a scholarship to what was then Michael Caines’ Gidleigh Park. It’s tempting to assume that the good life in Cornwall is a convenient way of g…

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Woky Ko, Wapping Wharf, Bristol: restaurant review
type: item
date: 2016-11-27T14:47:35.000Z
subject: Guides
subject: Restaurants
subject: South West
description: This pint-sized eatery serves top-notch, street-food-inspired dishes – whipped up by a MasterChef finalist, no less
encoded: In a nutshell Woky Ko is one of many new, remarkably small restaurants and bars housed in CARGO, a converted shipping container part of the Wapping Wharf housing development on Bristol’s harbourside. The menu is made up of flavours you'll recognise, but all have been cleverly lifted or shaken up a little. These are dishes that could easily be greasy or heavy, but, instead, taste fresh and lively. Who’s cooking You might recognise Woky Ko’s creator and head chef, Larkin Cen: he made it to the final of MasterChef in 2013. After his success on the show, Larkin quit his job as a solicitor to start his own foodie business. Following his first venture (Hokkei, a takeaway delivery service), Larkin began working at the five-star Celtic Manor Resort in Wales. He took time to refine the ideas that Hokkei was originally based on, and Woky Ko was born. What's cooking Plates arrive as and when they’re ready – swiftly, and in quick succession. Larkin pops out from behind the pass to have a chat, and talk us through the menu. He tells us how, after MasterChef, he felt there was an expectation that fine-dining should be his next move. But that wasn’t what excited him: having grown up in a Chinese takeaway in Wales, and fallen in love with the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong’s eateries, Larkin wanted to create food that was more personal to him. So the dishes at Woky Ko offer everything street food stands for: they’re fast, flavoursome and accessible, and are made with obvious care too. Plus, the whole menu is pleasingly healthy - there’s no MSG, and all ingredients are responsibly sourced. What’s the room like/atmosphere The space seems impossibly small from the outside – more cupboard than restaurant. But it still manages to feel cosy and companionable. Due to the unusual size of the place, all the wooden, minimalist furniture is bespoke. The open kitchen takes up a third of Woky Ko’s space, which leaves room for around 20 covers. It’s easy to forget that the open kitchen is right …

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Tudor Farmhouse, Clearwell, Forest of Dean: hotel and restaurant review
type: item
date: 2016-11-14T13:47:16.000Z
subject: South West
subject: Travel
subject: UK
subject: Restaurants
description: We head to the beautiful Forest of Dean for 24 hours at chic rural retreat, Tudor Farmhouse, a historic boutique hotel which effortlessly mixes laid-back luxury with seasonal, people-pleasing food that’s sourced within a 20-mile radius
encoded: Tudor Farmhouse in a nutshell A historic boutique hotel which effortlessly mixes laid-back luxury with seasonal, people-pleasing food that’s sourced within a 20-mile radius. The vibe Found in the postcard-pretty village of Clearwell, Tudor Farmhouse’s gently weathered brick façade, clad in climbing creepers, had us sold before we’d even crunched our way across the drive. With 20 farmhouse-luxe-style rooms, the hotel is made up of a handful of buildings – some of which date back to the 16th century – set around a leafy courtyard garden and surrounded by 14 acres of meadow. Which room should I book at Tudor Farmhouse? The beauty of a restaurant with rooms is that you only have to wend your way up two original Tudor staircases to roll into bed. The Roost – at the top of the oldest part of the farmhouse and pecking order – is one of three spacious suites which features everything from a roll-top bath to monsoon shower and beautiful old beams in the seating area. There are thoughtful touches such as artisan china cups, homemade biscuits and Cotteswold Dairy milk to go with your Nespresso. And with a ‘your stay, your way’ policy, there’ll be no raised eyebrows should you wish to eat cheese, dessert or breakfast in your supremely comfy bed. The food and drink Seasonal, foraged ingredients are at the heart of the menu, which chef Joseph Williams looks after. Choose between a la carte or a seven-course tasting menu – on the former you can feast on the likes of twice-baked double Gloucester souffle with beer pickled onions, pork belly with pickled pear or potato gnocchi pepped up with braised black cabbage, while the latter highlights star dishes from the main menu with a few exclusive dishes added. Breakfast We chose to explore the breakfast buffet with its six types of Ragmans Lane Farm apple juice and array of pastries, fruit and yoghurt and settled on softly scrambled local eggs and Severn & Wye smoked salmon on buttered crumpets in the conservatory. It’s not hard to rela…

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The Churchill Arms, The Cotswolds: pub with rooms review
type: item
date: 2016-10-10T13:16:56.000Z
subject: South West
subject: South West travel
subject: Restaurants
subject: UK
subject: Travel
description: Read our review of The Churchill Arms, a cosy Gloucestershire pub with cooking much more refined than the rustic setting suggests – plus two bedrooms to retreat to at the end of a long meal
encoded: Next discover the best restaurants in the Cotswolds. Set the SatNav and, whichever way you approach The Churchill Arms in Paxford, you’ll travel along winding roads, lined with thatched cottages, through sleepy Cotswold villages. Your destination is equally quaint - a honey-hued pub dating back to the 17th century but re-opened after a sympathetic refurbishment earlier this year. You’re made to feel at home as soon as you step through the door of this family-friendly hostelry. Stand with the traditional inglenook fireplace on your right and choose from the bar, on your left, or a cosy dining room on your right (reached across a flagstone floor). The food The pub’s owner and head chef, Nick Deverell-Smith, is a local boy and grew up eating here with his family. But while he is clearly passionate about this pub, Deverell-Smith also brings the kind of depth to his cooking that can only be won through stints in Michelin-starred kitchens (in his case, Marcus Wareing’s, Marco Pierre White’s and, most influentially, Eric Chavot’s of Brasserie Chavot). Using local suppliers is important to the team here, which sources everything except fish from within a 10-mile radius. Refined dishes such as smoked haddock soufflé with a creamy chive velouté, pan-fried sea bream with crab beignets and seasonal greens, and smoked duck with textures of artichoke sit alongside elevated pub classics such as fish and chips, ham and leek pie and pork T-bone with apple, sage and shard-like crackling. If you’re really hungry (and a little ambitious), the mammoth (450g) sirloin steak on the bone, sourced locally from Todenham Farm, is a must-order. For dessert, opt for the rich dark chocolate tart with orange sorbet or on-trend caramelised roast pineapple with rice pudding, rum panna cotta and a mango sorbet. Cheese is always a good way to get the measure on a place and the board at The Churchill Arms is impressive; on our visit a local selection of St Eadburgha, St Egwin, Oxford blue and a soft an…

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Chris Staines’ Supper Club, The Igloo, Bath: restaurant review
type: item
date: 2016-09-05T14:39:08.000Z
subject: South West
subject: Restaurants
description: Chris Staines is a former Michelin-starred chef and Asian flavour fanatic; we take him up on an invite to share in his culinary passions and dine with him, in extraordinary surrounds
encoded: It’s not every day you get to eat in an igloo, complete with a stark white arched ceiling, ice-block-effect bar and Northern Lights-inspired lighting. In the vaults beneath the Abbey Hotel in Bath, where executive chef Chris Staines presides over the kitchen in its much-revered Allium restaurant, a new event space is now being put to similarly good use as the venue for Chris’s monthly supper club. Chris opened Allium back in 2012, fresh from seven-years as head chef of the Michelin-starred Foliage at the Mandarin Oriental, before which he worked under Marco Pierre White at his three-Michelin-starred Oak Room. He has, he says, always been a fan of Asian cooking, and attributes his love of Eastern-inspired flavours to an event he did with David Thompson, widely touted as “the world’s best Thai chef”, who earlier this year was given a lifetime achievement by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants for changing the face and reputation of Thai food globally. The great thing about the supper club, apart from the friendly communal vibe and family-style dining, is that Chris gets to cook the food he’s really passionate about, something that’s not always apparent on the menus proffered upstairs at Allium. And while Chris has never been a seeker of the limelight, he also gets to talk about the cuisine he loves, and the bin-end wines he’s carefully chosen to go with each course. Sharing starters such as cucur udang (crisp, juicy prawn fritters originally introduced to Chris by his good friend, MasterChef champ and Bath local, Ping Coombes) were served with Sriracha mayo, while soft, pillowy pork and prawn dumplings came with a salty, spiky soy and chilli sauce for dipping. The Asian noodle salad was the star of the show. The simple, yet totally addictive mix of rice vermicelli noodles with green papaya, baby gem and fist loads of coriander, Thai basil, mint, peanuts for crunch and a nam jim dressing of fish sauce, lime juice, soy, palm sugar and chilli, was so good that digging in for…

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Corkage Bath: wine bar review
type: item
date: 2016-06-07T12:38:33.000Z
subject: Bar reviews
subject: South West
subject: Drink
subject: Restaurants
subject: Wine
description: Read our review of Corkage, the wine bar, small plates venue and bottle shop in Bath. Big flavours, jewel-like salads and outstanding wines by the glass are putting this new opening on the local culinary map
encoded: Like vegan dining - or the pizza slice emoji - Corkage started out in a niche fashion, appreciated only by a few foodie insiders, but has suddenly rocketed into the mainstream. Six months on from its opening (originally just as a pop-up) this wine bar, bottle shop and small plates venue in Bath is being talked about at every dinner party, drinks bash or school gate across town. Unsurprisingly it has also just gone permanent, its owners Marty Grant (of Bath’s Gascoyne Place) and Richard Knighting (previously of the city’s Marlborough Tavern) having signed a 10-year lease. With a blink-and-you-would-walk-right-past-it setting, in what was previously an (unrelated) wine shop on the city’s Walcot Street, Corkage is appealingly fuss-free. Scaffolding poles help prop up wrap-around timber boards and a row of simple wooden tables sits beneath sail-like linen sheets billowing across the ceiling. The overall effect is part ski bar, part Parisian bar à vins. Small and intimate, with 50 covers at an absolute push, it doesn’t take much to get a buzz going here. And while our recent Saturday night visit was perfectly civilised, despite bottoms being packed into every inch of space going (if you’re planning a romantic night out, try to book the one table set on its own by a window at the back of the bar), we didn’t have quite as good a time as on our previous three visits here, each of which had been on quieter, Wednesday, evenings. Food-wise there’s a small but imaginative menu of around 15 small-plate dishes, each costing between £3.50 and £8. Some dishes stay on for a few weeks (by popular demand the crab toast has remained on since the start), others change within the space of a single service and there are usually four of five tweaks each week. While the food is good (often great, in fact), it’s designed to accompany the wines rather than as the starting point of the venue. There are no printed menus or wine lists, just one small blackboard that’s shipped, personally, around…

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Feather down glamping site at east shilvinghampton farm: review
type: item
date: 2016-05-31T09:36:19.000Z
subject: South West
subject: Restaurants
description: Read our review of East Shilvinghampton Farm, a working farm close to the Dorset coast that produces its own beef and pork, and is home to a Feather Down glamping site
encoded: First started in the Netherlands 12 years ago but now established in several other countries, including the UK, Feather Down’s recipe for glamping holidays on family-owned farms has drawn a loyal following among certain middle class British families (if you’re a Boden shopper you’re almost certain to have heard of the Feather Down brand, if not have visited one of its locations). Which is no great surprise. Essentially luxury camping, with all the benefits of sleeping (and one-pot eating) close to nature but none of the hardships of – and much less packing than – a regular camping trip, it has helped put a stop to many a family argument over whether or not a camping holiday would be blissful or hellish. Putting the experience to the test ourselves, we made our way to East Shilvinghampton Farm, five miles from Weymouth along Dorset’s Jurassic Coast. We might not have been conflicted about whether or not we wanted to go camping but we did find ourselves swept up in one family dispute early on: how to describe our accommodation. With its proper beds (one double, one bunk and one nest-like cabin bed), flushing toilet, running supply of cold water and wood-burning stove this wasn’t what you’d traditionally call a tent. But then, with its canvas sides and roof and lack of hot water or central heating it definitely wasn’t a standard holiday cottage either. In the end we stole an American phrase and settled on tabin (tented cabin). One of eight such tabins spread out within a field at East Shilvinghampton Farm, the styling of each was impressive. Few of us want to go on a rural break and stay somewhere that looks as though it’s been teleported straight from suburbia and the Feather Down tabins certainly don’t do that. In keeping with its farm setting the décor in ours was rustic in a kind of pioneer-chic kind of way. With chunky wooden furniture, mismatched dining chairs and shelves made from crates, the overall effect was consciously quirky and homespun (especially where t…

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The Queens Arms, Corton Denham: pub with rooms review
type: item
date: 2016-05-05T13:35:51.000Z
subject: South West
subject: Restaurants
description: Read our review of hidden Dorset gem The Queens Arms – a pub with rooms that gets the balance just right
encoded: Head north from well-heeled Sherborne, in north west Dorset, through a labyrinth of country lanes and, just as you become convinced that you’re lost, you’ll come to the tiny village of Corton Denham and The Queen’s Arms. From its pretty honey-coloured stone and flagstone floors to its welcoming atmosphere, sunny garden and ‘muddy paws welcome’ policy, it’s everything a country pub should be. The food: Chef Dan Richards (previously of the River Cottage in nearby Axminster) recently joined The Queens Arms and heads up a kitchen that focuses on local, seasonal ingredients. There’s a map on the back of the succinct menu showing where they’ve sourced their produce and it includes their own smallholding and a kitchen garden; in keeping with the community spirit, the team is also known to accept fruit and veg from regulars’ gardens in exchange for dinner. This level of care really shows on the plate – they’re uncomplicated dishes but everything, even the simplest boiled new potato, is bursting with flavour. Stylish starters, like delicate goat’s curd and candied walnut with earthy beetroot, and silky smooth duck liver parfait with a crunch of hazelnut are both great ways to kick off. Mains include pub classics, like beer-battered fish and hand-cut chips and ground rib burger, as well as more refined dishes like succulent, perfectly pink rack of spring lamb and braised shoulder with charred hispi cabbage, dauphinoise potatoes and red wine jus. The absolute must-order though, is the braised beef, mushroom and ale pie. With its flaky pastry and rich, tender meat, it’s one of the best pies we’ve ever had. Desserts such as orange and cardamom panna cotta with coconut and almond sponge and blood orange sorbet, and Somerset cider brandy and pear parfait with ginger cake and honeycomb both hit the spot but don’t reach the same heights as the starters or mains. The cakes were both the stars of these desserts though, making us wish we’d arrived in time for afternoon tea. The drinks:…

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Comins Tea House, Bath: Café Review
type: item
date: 2016-03-30T09:29:03.000Z
subject: South West
subject: Restaurants
description: Read our review of Comins Tea House, in Bath, the tea equivalent of an artisan coffee shop. Expect single estate teas and a food menu designed to match the teas
encoded: Think of a typical English tearoom and you probably think of floral china teapots, gilt-edged, triple-tiered cake stands and tablecloths draped over tightly packed tables-for-two. The new Comins Tea House, in Bath, is nothing of the sort. The pared-down décor here is light and airy with white walls, clean lines and simple blonde wood. Maps of tea estates, beautifully illustrated with tea-based inks, hang on one wall and a long banquette beneath them is peppered with tables inset with little gutters (to tip your dregs into before you start a second cup), the bench below carved with circular dimples designed to hold flasks of hot water and save space on the tables. The concept is clearly a labour of love for owners Rob and Michelle Comins. Rob, formerly a primary school teacher and property developer, and Michelle, previously in marketing for a pharmaceutical company, had their lightbulb moment on a holiday in India. Michelle had always been passionate about tea but Rob hadn’t drunk it until he was 29, put off for life (so he thought) by early sips of stewed teabag tea. On that fateful trip to India, however, they happened to visit a tea estate and Michelle’s interest took a serious turn. Even Rob became hooked, the delicate black tea he tasted in Darjeeling miles away from the stewed cuppas he’d tried as a teen. On subsequent travels, Michelle started scheduling visits to tea plantations into their plans and gradually an idea was hatched; they would import tea from the estates they visited and see if they could make a business selling it online in the UK. “We bought the smallest amounts we could at first, thinking that if the website failed, the worst that would happen was that we’d be left with kilos of delicious tea to drink ourselves over the next 10 years,” says Rob. Of course, the stockpile in the Comins’ house never materialised. They started the website in 2011 and the business was successful enough for Michelle to leave her job. In 2013, the couple opened a t…

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The Cary Arms, Devon: hotel and restaurant review
type: item
date: 2016-03-17T14:56:28.000Z
creator: Charlotte Morgan
subject: South West
subject: UK
subject: Restaurants
subject: Travel
description: Read our review of The Cary Arms in Babbacombe, an idyllic blue-and-white inn set on a beautiful Devonshire beach
encoded: Babbacombe is the kind of place that Agatha Christie would have sent a recuperating character to: there’s Devonshire sunshine, an uninterrupted horizon, blue seas and a charming beach made private by the shelter of a steep, tree-lined cliff. There’s even an art deco funicular railway (originally built in 1926), which links the beach to Babbacombe’s pretty clifftop green. Sleep The Cary Arms must be the most tranquil place for a pint in Devon. Happily sat inside the curve of Babbacombe bay, right next to Oddicombe beach, the view from the inn stretches to Portland Bill in Dorset and takes in the pink-soil cliffs of the English Riviera and an old pier where both seals and locals like to fish. The building dates back to the 1800s and its design embraces the view tastefully. Outside is a series of tiered terraces separated by pristine rock gardens, all with beautiful views of the bay (there’s no such thing as a bad table); and inside the inn is all log fire cosiness, with most tables pointing seawards and shiny brass ship paraphernalia throughout. Bedrooms (some dog-friendly) have that fresh coastal feel. If there are more of you, rent one of the adjoining blue-and-white fisherman’s cottages that come with log fires, spacious rooms and fancy bathrooms with slipper baths facing the sea. New for summer 2016 is a row of luxury beach huts, with nothing but a sparkling English Channel in front of them. Eat If there’s a restaurant along this stretch of coast that enjoys better views than The Cary Arms, we’re yet to find it. The panorama changes with where you sit – tables inside the conservatory and the round ‘captain’s table’ outside (pictured below) are particularly lovely. For breakfast, try grilled kippers or the Devon full English; for lunch it’s all about the succulent local white crab meat and lemon mayonnaise bloomer. Dinner centres around fish – pick one of the chef specials for the freshest catch, such as delicately poached John Dory with basil pesto and seasonal ve…

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Timbrell's Yard, Bradford on Avon: hotel and restaurant review
type: item
date: 2016-03-17T12:34:29.000Z
subject: South West
subject: South West travel
subject: Restaurants
subject: UK
subject: Travel
description: Check out our review of Timbrell's Yard in Bradford on Avon for stylish and contemporary rooms, modern gastropub food and a calming weekend getaway
encoded: Timbrell’s Yard, in Bradford-on-Avon, is part of a quiet revolution luring food-lovers away from tourist-packed Bath to the Georgian spa town’s more peaceful (but equally charming) neighbour. In a recently converted Grade II-listed building, tucked away by the river near the iconic Town Bridge and Lock Up, Timbrell’s Yard provides the perfect hideout for a gastropub style weekend getaway. With a well-stocked bar buffeted by smartly upholstered sofas and wooden tables, plus a large restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, you need only leave Timbrell’s Yard to stroll up through the town’s honey-stone houses to cafes, shops and delis, or to stride out along the banks of the River Avon into the Wiltshire countryside. If wet weather interrupts plans, perch on a window seat in one of the hotel’s mezzanine bedrooms and be hypnotised by the river sleepily drifting past in front of Holy Trinity church. These three light and bright rooms are the epitome of Scandi cool - listen to the retro Pure radio while your companion reclines on a contemporary wicker chair plumped up with soft merino wool cushions. These are calming spaces, and a clever transformation of what was previously a gym – Clipper tea and fresh coffee sit in a snug alcove below the light wooden stairs that lead up to the rooms’ mezzanine levels. Pop art and exposed bedside lighting frame large white beds, with huge TVs hooked on the wall opposite for lazy mornings watching TV. Skylights ensure the mezzanine areas are well lit, but electronic blackout blinds do the trick when it’s time for lights out. And local Bramley toiletries add luxury to the black and grey-tiled rain showers in the en-suite bathrooms. For a retreat that’s a little more luxurious, there are larger, and equally stylish, rooms in the older part of the hotel. Room 106 is our pick, dominated by a super-king Manhattan-style platform bed and furnished with a subtle combination of contemporary grey textiles, unique antique furnishings, expos…

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Abode, Exeter: hotel and restaurant review
type: item
date: 2015-11-13T11:28:38.000Z
subject: South West
subject: South West travel
subject: Restaurants
subject: UK
subject: Travel
description: We review England’s oldest hotel, in Devon, where Michael Caines oversees a menu that takes pride in its West Country roots
encoded: First built as an Assembly Rooms, in 1769, what is now Abode Exeter but was for many years the Royal Clarence Hotel claims to be the ‘first’ hotel in England; a 1770 advert for it is the first recorded use of the word hôtel on these shores. Thankfully, despite a recent revamp, many of the building’s period fittings remain in place (stained glass, lavishly monogrammed wood and metalwork and a spectacular lift, complete with internal concertina doors, among them). The modern fittings are less successful, their contract-furniture veneer jarring against such a genteel backdrop, but there are compelling reasons to stay at this 53-room hotel, as recent guest David Cameron would attest to. Firstly there’s that heritage (it’s also said to play occasional host to the ghost of Walter Raleigh, whose father’s house once stood on the same site). Then there’s the dramatic location, with many of the rooms looking directly onto the city’s cathedral across the green (even if you’re not staying here, book in for afternoon tea in the Cathedral Lounge, pictured below, and you can enjoy the same panorama). But the main attraction is the hotel’s kitchen. The food Under the direction of local boy turned star chef, Michael Caines, and head chef, Alex Gibbs, the hotel’s 2 AA rosette restaurant (top image) turns out immaculately prepared, seasonal, modern food, much of it sourced from the West Country. Go à la carte for dishes such as roasted quail with quail egg, herb purée and quail jus; terrine of confit duck liver and leg with rhubarb and toasted brioche; and stone bass with Thai puree, stir-fried mangetout and shitaki lemongrass foam. Or, opt for one of two tasting menus (the more elaborate of the two can only be ordered by the whole table). There’s also a dedicated, and sensibly cheaper, vegetarian menu and, at lunchtimes, a bargain two-course menu. Desserts are classic crowd-pleasers: chocolate fondant with pistachio ice cream, passionfruit crème brulée and pear bavarois with spiced i…

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