Marlborough Restaurant Guide

“If ‘Cheers’ was a restaurant, this would be what it felt like” – a local indie (now with a marquee) that has built up a “good reputation locally”, and where Aussie owner “Dan (Bond), Charlotte and their team produce great grub” by most (if not all) accounts; however, “what really matters is the embracing atmosphere, defining the phrase ‘neighbourhood restaurant’”.

“Rick Stein is the only restaurant open on a Sunday night in Marlborough” and its lure doesn’t stop there – the posh High Street venue (est. 2016) enjoys a “good ambience” courtesy of its (unusual for the chef’s empire) Grade II-listed premises and the food is always “reliable” too.

2021 Review: It might not look like much from the road – an out-of-town bathroom showroom might be on the mark – and the location on the A4 doesn’t help, but brave the underwhelming façade of this outfit and you’ll find a “swanky” restaurant turning out “inventive Indian cuisine”.

2021 Review: “Really healthy food” (be it gluten-free, veggie, vegan or even more specific – think raw vegan) is the calling card of this bright “cafeteria-style” outfit, which spawned a Sunningdale spin-off in 2017.

“Great pub food at the funky end of gastro” and “amazing Sunday roasts” are crowd-pleasers at this 18th-century coaching inn in the centre of town, which also ticks the boxes for “friendly staff and good service”.

2023 Review: Complete with a riverside terrace, this privately owned pub near Newbury receives a good rep in our annual diners’ poll for its 40-seat dining room overlooking the river Lambourn, where chef Sam Cary aims to deliver ‘refined modern British pub food’. In an April 2022 visit, Tatler’s Fay Maschler declared it “a rare jewel of a country pub” offering “everything you want a welcome to be”.

2023 Review: “Always reliable, serving exceptional food for a village pub”, say fans of Dave Watts’s rural inn, where classic pub dishes jostle on the menu with somewhat more ambitious fare. Top Tip – “the plat du jour is unbelievable value!”