Prestwood Restaurant Guide

Experience excellent food and fine wine in the 4 silver star Crowne Plaza Marlow’s newly refurbished Glaze Restaurant in Marlow, AA Rosette awarded for its culinary excellence. Having recently undergone a huge refurbishment project, the Glaze Restaurant is no...

“Lovely as ever and long may it continue” – Giancarlo & Katie Caldesi’s “welcoming” country venue (their flagship is in Marylebone) provides “wonderful Italian cooking”, including “silky-smooth homemade pasta” and “top-quality, tender calf’s liver in white wine”.

“The big ol’ Compleat Angler hotel might be thought a bit dated but I rather love it, right on the bank of the Thames at Marlow”. This “pretty dining room” is right over the water and is “one of Atul Kochhar’s finest” with “excellent customer service” and “delicate and finely cooked dishes”.

Julie Griffiths’ “atmospheric gastropub with lovely real ales and log fires” has been a feature of the Chilterns deep in countryside off the M40 south of Oxford for yonks and is, for its many fans, “an amazing institution that just keeps giving”. “Julie and her team look after you very well” and its unchanging attributes include “good if expensive” cooking and “a wonderful selection of wines”. (“A recent house move prompted the alarming thought that the first visit to the Napier was around 40 years ago. Since then we have visited dozens of times, celebrating special occasions and the everyday. What has never changed is the friendly and attentive welcome, the sense of ease settling by the fire in the bar or taking an aperitif in the beautiful garden. The menu always feels reassuring but upon closer inspection reveals constant fine- tuning in response to availability and season. Once installed in the eclectic dining area, the Napier remains an unchanging, unalloyed pleasure”.)

On the surprisingly picturesque (for the inner Home Counties) high street, a 16th-century pub where Hugh first kissed Andie in ‘Four Weddings’ – and where starry chef Atul Kochhar now delivers “outstanding” and upscale Indian food. The latter ranges far beyond the usual suspects, with ‘British Indian’ dishes tapping ingredients like Hertfordshire venison and grilled Lake District lamb – and with particularly good value set menus also part of the attraction.

Nestled in the heart of picturesque Buckinghamshire, the Crazy Bear Beaconsfield stands as a beacon of extravagance and unique style, blending traditional British heritage with an audacious twist. Our restaurant prides itself on a diverse range of exquisite ...

2023 Review: “Still going strong” – this comparatively un-foodie pub has thrived in this gourmet village by offering an attractive and traditional backdrop for easygoing British cuisine, realised with wit: fish finger sandwich, steak, top burgers and so on.

The Crazy Bear Beaconsfield introduces an exquisite Thai dining experience, where modernity meets tradition in a symphony of flavors. Our Thai cuisine is celebrated for its originality and provenance, embodying the essence of authentic Thai culinary art with a contemp...

“Other restaurants in the vicinity attract more hype – and even have stars – seemingly because they have a ‘TV chef’, but they really aren’t as good and cost much more” than Michael Mcdonald’s high-quality fixture (one of the top-100 most commented-on spots outside London in our annual diners’ poll). Some compare the experience to being “like dining in a back living room” – not all together a surprise as it’s part of a house that was in fact once home to TS Eliot – but the main events here are the “beautiful precise flavours” of the “excellent and reasonably priced” food and “wonderful polite service”.

“A classic, inspired menu is served in a lovely dining room on Old Amersham’s beautiful high street and supported by a great wine list” at Laurie & Jacqueline Gear’s 16th-century converted cottage. It waited almost 17 years for its Michelin star – having been founded in 2002 and winning the accolade in 2019 – and cynics say it’s “consistently good even after the award!” delivering “fantastic food, year after year”. “Prices are reasonable for the quality with dishes embellished with flair and complemented by the polite and engaged staff”. Many best meals of the last 12 months are reported here, and one reporter thought it “as enjoyable as any restaurant we have tried in the past three or four years”. It’s one of the top-50 most commented-on destinations outside London in our annual diners’ poll.

Owner Ranka Lani began her career at Soho’s Bar Italia, and nowadays owns and runs this “relaxed” country pub in the Bucks countryside: a “high-quality” operation with numerous menu choices, from an à la carte brasserie-style menu to set Sunday lunch and tasting options.