Boldre, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

This two-year-old restaurant in a “boutique hotel on the main street of Lymington” specialises in “simply prepared and beautifully presented fish, straight from the local boats”. Experienced chef Matthew Tomkinson, previously of The Hambrough on the Isle of Wight, took over the kitchen in early 2024.

“A really lovely restaurant that’s a real find in Lymington” – Andrew and Marjolaine Du Bourg have run this fine dining venue near the harbour since 2014 and all reports suggest that “if you want to celebrate a special occasion, or just have a self-indulgent dining experience, then Elderflower is the place to come”. It’s a consciously ‘haute’ experience, where there are four, five and seven-course modern British tasting menus for £85, £95 and £105 per person with “interesting and flavourful ingredient combinations, beautifully presented” – “Michelin star level food without the fuss and extra expense”. “The staff (a young team) are all pleasant and professional” too.

The “idyllic New Forest location” is the big draw at the original Pig, where Robin & Judy Hutson set the template for their shabby-chic country-house hotel group that had grown to 11 branches by the time they stepped back into retirement at the end of 2024. The “food is perhaps not quite as adventurous as it used to be”, but its basic premise of “fresh local produce, cooked perfectly” still passes muster for most reporters. Black marks, though, for some “poorly trained staff” and “seriously overpriced wines”.

“As weird and wacky as ever: a top-class restaurant tucked away where no one would ever look for one… in the back of a fishmonger’s” – chef David Wykes, who cooks every service, has established his “delightful and unique” venue as one of the country’s leading fish and seafood specialists in the last 15 years (“I’ve been to lots of restaurants in Cornwall this year but a return visit to Verveine has reinforced its place as my favourite for fish, combining wonderful freshness with imaginative accompaniments and seasoning – and excellent desserts too – all at very reasonable prices”). “Chef David is so creative, always unveiling new ingredients, with each dish so well balanced in terms of composition and flavour, while Sally’s wine pairings are also excellent”. The “decor doesn’t quite match the extremely high calibre of food” and the space can feel “quite cramped” – but nobody is complaining when there’s “a range of tasting menus including a very reasonable six courses at lunchtime for £43 (but I’m yet to try it as the £29 three-course lunch is so good!)”.