Image
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.

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.

Image
Image
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.

Image
Image
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).

Image
Image
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.

Image
Image
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.

Image
Image
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.

Image Image
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.

You’ve got good taste. We’ve got the specialist knowledge. So, if you become a Quintessentially member, we’ll keep you up to date on all the latest restaurant openings and trends – as well as securing you priority seats and exclusive perks at the world’s finest drinking and dining spots. Click here to discover membership.

Image Image

You’ve got good taste. We’ve got the specialist knowledge.

We keep our members up to date on all the latest restaurant openings and trends. And we secure them priority seats and exclusive perks at the world’s finest drinking and dining spots.

More to explore

Restaurants & Nightlife

The best restaurants in Greenpoint

From high-end tasting menus to one of the city’s best bakeries, here’s where to dine in this NYC hotspot.

Read more
Restaurants & Nightlife

Hong Kong’s best dim sum for every occasion

Whether you want to try the city’s oldest eatery or the latest innovations flying out of Happy Valley, here are six places to get your dumpling fix.

Read more
Restaurants & Nightlife

Monaco’s best restaurants

A slew of new openings has transformed this petite principality’s dining scene – here’s where to try next.

Read more
Quintessentially Noted GIF

NOTED

Stay in the know with our monthly newsletter – a complimentary edit of everything new and noteworthy in the luxury world.

Loading Loading

By signing up to the newsletter you confirm you have read & agree to the Privacy Policy.

Make an enquiry