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RestaurantsCounty DurhamDarlingtonDL2
Darlington, DL2 2DU

survey result

Summary

£106
£££££
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

James Close with wife Maria closed his acclaimed Co Durham restaurant the Raby Hunt (a regular on our UK Top 100 list) after 14 years and relaunched in the Orangery of nearby Rockliffe Hall in mid 2024, after our annual diners’ poll had ended. Initially billed as ‘A modern bistro by James Close’, from October 2024 the site has launched new tasting menus – ‘Expresssion’ (£105 per person) and ‘Experience’ (£170 per person) – that aim to take the diner on a ‘global culinary journey’. The ultimate aim is clearly to establish the dining room as one of the best in the UK.

Summary

£106
£££££
3
Good
3
Good
3
Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“A lovely location for a special event” – this five-star property sits in over 365 acres on the North Yorks border, and its more formal dining option (you can also eat in the clubhouse overlooking the golf course) lives up to its name – a tall, striking pillared space with glass roof. Chef Paul Nicholson offers a four-course à la carte menu for £70 per person, or there’s a six-course tasting option for £95 per person, backed up by an impressive 400-bin wine list.

Summary

£95
 ££££
3
Good
3
Good
4
Very Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

The striking interior is a talking-point at this five-star retreat, near the North Yorks border, set in over 365 acres: a very airy, glass-ceilinged conservatory with leafy views. Our annual diners’ poll also acclaims the “excellent tasting menu” (there is also an à la carte option) and “friendly service”; and there’s an impressive 400-bin wine list.

For 34 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).

Have you eaten at The Orangery, Rockliffe Hall?

Owner's description

Enjoy a unique dining experience as you enjoy menus created by newly appointed Head Chef, Paul Nicholson.

Our ethos is to use the very best seasonal produce, while championing sustainability and many of the dishes use ingredients grown in the walled kitchen gardens or foraged within the estate.

The Orangery offers varied menus from a la carte to tasting experiences, alongside exquisite wines, beers and carefully concocted cocktails to allow you to fully experience its welcoming surroundings and hospitable team.

Eating is not just about food in the Orangery — it is about the experience.

Prices

  Cost Availability Courses
Menu1 125.00 Dinner only 9

Traditional European menu

Starter Main Pudding
£18.00 £36.00 £13.00
Drinks  
Wine per bottle £50.00
Filter Coffee £4.50
Extras  
Bread £0.00
Service 10.00%

Restaurant details

Yes
Yes
60, 36, 8, 8
No trainers
46
12
Yes

The chef

Paul Nicholson has worked at some of the country’s finest restaurants including the Yorke Arms in the Yorkshire Dales, Storrs Hall in the Lake District and Lords of the Manor and The Dial House, both in the Cotswolds. Paul has relocated to the north east to take on his new role in The Orangery Restaurant at Rockliffe Hall. Paul has joined the Orangery from The Clock House restaurant in Ripley, Surrey, where he has retained a Michelin-star and three AA rosettes since joining the team in 2020.

Originally from Bath, Paul first trained as a chef through an apprenticeship at the Hilton Hotel before joining the brigade at Bath Priory as a commis pastry chef, which was his first experience of Michelin-level cooking.

Private dining

Private dining in the flagship Orangery is a great way to celebrate a special occasion.

Private dining rooms include the atmospheric Campernella situated next to the Orangery Restaurant, or the Old Hall's Sequioa and Sycamore rooms for a more intimate affair.

In regards to food, impress your guests with an Orangery tasting menu and matched wines or choose from the a la carte menu. Bespoke menus are also available.
 

Darlington, DL2 2DU
Opening hours
MondayCLOSED
Tuesday6 pm‑9 pm
Wednesday6 pm‑9 pm
Thursday6 pm‑9 pm
Friday6 pm‑9 pm
Saturday6 pm‑9 pm
Sunday6 pm‑9 pm

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