A table on a balcony overlooking lush green fields. There are two champagne glasses and a chilled bottle of champagne in an ice bucket. Red cushions are on the chair by the table.
Restaurants & Nightlife

Vine and dine: UK vineyard restaurants

Six of Britain’s best, from a Welsh winery with a brilliant bistro to a Michelin-starred spot in Sussex.

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Words by Georgie Young

5-minute read

Until recently, touring a sunlit vineyard fell under the ‘not on these rainy shores’ category of day out. However, thanks to recent bounds in UK-produced wine, Britain’s winery scene has bloomed – especially when it comes to English sparkling wines.

‘2016 was an excellent crop for English sparkling wine,’ says Mike Wagstaff, MD of Greyfriars vineyard, which produces Searcy’s award-winning English sparkling. ‘The notes and flavours are complex and exciting’ – two words you’d have never heard used to describe English wine until recently.

According to WineGB, visitor numbers to British vineyards were up 17% in 2022, and a survey by VisitBritain found that 42% of inbound tourists said they would enjoy a visit to a UK winery. And while most vineyards offer a café or cheese board in some capacity, only a handful have invested in full-scale, five-star restaurants that are as much of a pull as the vineyards themselves.

Most are based in the south of England (due to obvious climatic reasons), but there are a couple of good ones further afield – like the bistro at Llanrech Vineyard in Wales. So, if you’re looking to be vined and dined right here in the UK, here are six of the country’s best winery restaurants.

Tillingham, Rye

Tillingham has history. There’s been a farm here since the 13th century, surrounded by 70 acres of sheep-dotted hills, ancient woodland, and – since 2016 – 40,000 vines. Its brightly bottled wines are organic and low intervention, with some aged in a Qvevri – a huge stone pot used by Georgian winemakers for the last 7,000 years.

A traditional building with two conical roofs stands amid lush greenery. The structure has a brick facade with wooden elements, surrounded by wildflowers in the foreground under a clear sky at Tillingham Rye.
A group of people stand in a vineyard surrounded by lush green vines and trees under a clear blue sky. Fields and woods stretch into the distance, creating a picturesque rural scene at Tillingham Rye.
Tillingham, Dew Farm, Dew Lane Peasmarsh, Rye TN31 6XD

The restaurant is in a converted barn with a south-facing terrace looking over the ambling vines (book the private dining room for the best views). And unsurprisingly, for a menu created by ex-Silo chef Brendan Eades, it was awarded a Michelin Green Star in 2021. Despite changing every day, plates always feature Tillingham-reared produce – e.g., mutton, caramelised cream, and smoked pink firs – and come dinner time, you’ll be there for a full five courses.

Chalk Restaurant, Wiston Estate

Fragrant wildflower meadows. Bulbs of pesto-lashed burrata. And you, frolicking through a vineyard to taste the sparkling wine British Airways now serves instead of Champagne in its first-class lounges. If this sounds like your day out of dreams, set your navigation in the direction of Wiston Estate.

Outdoor cafe with umbrellas and tables, set against a historic stone building with a red-tiled roof. People sit and enjoy the sunny day. Pink and purple flowers in the foreground enhance the scene at Chalk Restaurant, Wiston Estate.
A dining table set with a seafood dish in a white bowl, two glasses of wine, a Caesar salad, roasted potatoes, a small skillet with vegetables, a pepper grinder, and a vase with dried flowers on a marble surface at Chalk Restaurant, Wiston Estate.
Wiston Estate and Chalk Restaurant, North Farm, Pulborough, RH20 4BB

Its alfresco restaurant champions a sustainable approach to food and farming, with a menu by chef Tom Kemble – who won a Michelin star at Mayfair’s Bonhams in 2015. His dishes use seasonal and hyperlocal produce from the estate and neighbouring suppliers – stay for dinner to try all six courses.

The Tasting Room at Rathfinnny

You’ve only been able to taste Rathfinny wines since 2018, but the vineyard has already got one of the most comprehensive restaurant offerings in the UK. Of the three available, The Tasting Room is the most luxurious – and sustainable (the entire vineyard is a certified B Corp and powered by renewable energy).

A modern restaurant interior with red cushioned chairs, neatly set tables, and large windows. The ceiling features wooden panels with hanging lamps, and an elegant bar is visible on the right. Natural light fills the spacious room at The Tasting Room at Rathfinnny.
Two people enjoying glasses of white wine on a balcony overlooking lush, green vineyards. A bottle of wine sits chilled in a Rathfinny ice bucket on the table. The scene exudes relaxation and scenic beauty under a clear sky at The Tasting Room at Rathfinnny.
Rathfinny Wine Estate, Alfriston, Polegate, BN26 5TU

Everything you eat is elevated, elegant, and designed to pair with Rathfinny’s renowned sparkling wines. Plus, on selected dates throughout summer, special long-table, barbecue-themed dinners take place in the vineyards themselves.

Llanrech, Wales

Staying on a vineyard in Wales? It’s possible – as Llanrech has proved since the ‘80s. The hotel is based around a whitewashed farmhouse that has been tastefully decked with wine-themed décor and a corresponding vineyard which produces a good selection of whites and rosés.

Aerial view of a large modern building surrounded by lush green fields and trees under a partly cloudy sky. The structure has a gray roof and white walls, with a small pond visible nearby. The landscape is picturesque and serene at Llanrech, Wales.
A person in a white shirt and apron holds a wine bottle next to a dining table. On the table, theres a plate of sliced meat with garnish and two wine glasses, one filled with white wine at Llanrech, Wales.
Llanerch Vineyard Hotel, Hensol Rd, Hensol, Pontyclun, CF72 8GG

However, the bistro is where Llanrech excels. It’s a stunner of a restaurant, with the vineyard on one side and an open kitchen on the other – neither of which you’ll be looking at by the time the food arrives, which is seasonal stuff to the tune of pan-fried skate wing, ham hock terrine, and hay-baked lamb steak.

The Rows & Vine at Ridgeview

If it’s English sparkling wine you want, it’s to Ridgeview you must go. The first vines were planted when the idea of good English wine was laughable (about 30 years ago) – now, its sparkling varieties have won countless awards.

An outdoor restaurant features several wooden tables with chairs, each set with glasses and napkins. A bar with a stone facade and wooden slats is in the background, under a pergola. Lush greenery is visible in the foreground at The Rows & Vine at Ridgeview.
A copper tray holds oysters on a bed of salt with lemon wedges and a small bowl of sauce. Two glasses of white wine and a bottle labeled Ridgeview are beside the tray, set on a wooden table outdoorsat The Rows & Vine at Ridgeview.
Ridgeview Wine Estate, Ditchling Common, Fragbarrow Ln, BN6 8TP

Its restaurant is a bit more casual than the others listed here, with most plates coming in at around tenner. However, you can still order oysters and Blanc de Blancs – Ridgeview’s award-winning answer to Champagne – or the likes of pork tenderloin and green pea orzo with maple cauliflower.

Eighteen Acre Restaurant at Bolney Estate

Sipping a glass of bubbles from a balcony overlooking one of England’s oldest vineyards? We’re sold. Bolney’s neatly plaited vines have been in place for over 50 years, producing Pinot Noir grapes that have won it many awards over the years – including for its 2018 English red.

A bottle of Bolney Estate red wine and a filled wine glass on a table with a dish of meat and greens. The table is set in a cozy restaurant with wooden chairs and blurred background ambiance at Eighteen Acre Restaurant at Bolney Estate. A bottle of Bolney Estate red wine and a filled wine glass on a table with a dish of meat and greens. The table is set in a cozy restaurant with wooden chairs and blurred background ambiance at Eighteen Acre Restaurant at Bolney Estate.
Foxhole Ln, Bolney, Haywards Heath RH17 5NB

Its restaurant is also worth stopping by – if only for the view from the balcony. Each dish is inspired by the surrounding Sussex countryside, resulting in plates like smoked mackerel pâté, braised pork belly, and – of course – a selection of local cheeses.

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