Dorney, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

This smart boozer is a “great all-rounder with reliable gastropub fare and a fine garden with covered seating”. It’s the flagship of Brucan Pubs, a small group of ambition founded by a pair with strong credentials, ex-Savoy, Ivy and Groucho club chef Jamie Dobbin and James Lyon-Shaw , formerly operations manager at the ETM group.

“Not only did it live up to the hype and our expectations… it exceeded them!” “The theatre of a meal at the Fat Duck is like nowhere else” and for many reporters the “absolute culinary sorcery” and showmanship at Heston Blumenthal’s converted pub in bijoux Bray make for a “once-in-a-lifetime culinary blow out”, with a dazzling array of dishes that are “either divine or merely mind boggling”. All that conjuring can fall flat though (“the science lab style, and focus on sounds and lighting actually detracted from what was probably exquisite food”); or equally it may not stand up to a repeat visit (“maybe I have been too often but the experience is becoming repetitive – we need some renewal!”). And then there’s the fact that for about one in three of our reporters, more prosaic matters of value for money intrude on their consciousness, and their main takeaway is: “how expensive was that!?” “Some courses were fantastic, others not so good, but to be honest I’ve had better food at other restaurants that didn’t charge us £1,200 for two people”.

This “stylish restaurant” near the bridge to Windsor has been run for almost 50 years by co-founder Lin Gilbey, who is responsible for its interior design. Her husband and business partner Bill (scion of the Gilbey’s Gin dynasty) sadly passed away in 2022, but Lin has pressed ahead with improvements, acquiring the premises next door to offer corporate entertainment and private dining facilities. Modern British cooking is generally felt to be “solid”.

“A stunning tasting menu where every course offers a unique experience” wins nothing but praise this year for Adam Handling’s out-of-town operation, in a “charming converted pub in Old Windsor”, acclaimed for the “same high-quality, creative cuisine as his other ‘Frog’ restaurants” (“my favourite was brill with hispi cabbage and lobster bisque emulsion!”). There are a number of menus including an à la carte selection and one dedicated to Sunday lunch; and “at £65 per head for six courses it’s tasting menu is great value” too. In September 2023, it was crowned ‘Dining Pub of the Year’ in the Great British Pub Awards.

The “lovely location overlooking the Thames” – a spectacular Grade I listed country house dating from 1666, now owned by the National Trust and operated as a Relais & Châteaux hotel – is enough in itself to make any meal a “wonderful experience” here; especially if accompanied by “an interesting walk around the parkland” where historical figures from Queen Victoria to Christine Keeler came for R&R. The dining room occupies a prime site within the property with stunning views, where you can enjoy cuisine that’s “good but not inspirational” considering the “eye-watering” prices.

Former stables have been converted into a “wonderful dining room” for the cheaper eating option in the “amazing setting” of Cliveden, the Astor family’s country pile forever famous for hosting the scandalous 1961 pool party at which war minister John Profumo met showgirl Christine Keeler. “Service is friendly and fun” but the food can seem rather “ordinary” – which is “disappointing given the excellent location” (“the menu has the usual staples such as fish ’n’ chips or burger” plus an array of more ambitious brasserie items, but is “not much better than you would get in a pub”).

2023 Review: “Good food at a fair price” was reported again this year at this well-regarded pub: part of a local group with siblings in Gerrards Cross and Beaconsfield. In good weather you can eat on the terrace, or book an ‘Oak Pod’ which seats up to 6 people, and incorporate a heater.