Harpenden Restaurant Guide

2021 Review: Afternoon tea is “a real treat” in the “wonderful and friendly surroundings” of this country house hotel and spa, whose claim to fame is that it appeared in ‘Four Weddings’. Reports of more substantial meals here are more up-and-down.

Phil Thompson has owned this city-centre casual fine-dining spot (offering à la carte or seven-course tasting menus) for over a decade, and oversaw what was another solid performance this year; the dining area “consists of a number of small rooms, which gives a feeling of intimacy” (there’s also a charming Victorian-style courtyard), and Thompson’s classical training alongside the Galvin bros and MPW means “there’s always a good spin on traditional ideas”.

2021 Review: This “very good modern Turk” uses high-quality ingredients, including organic meats from Wales, to produce some interesting meals in this under-served town, and it “gets busy and can be very noisy”. There’s a spinoff branch in Berkhamsted.

“One of the best in the area” – this fifteenth-century hostelry in the cathedral quarter (named for the landlord’s dog) only has “a small dining area at the back of the pub”, but provides “a very good menu – it’s limited to a few dishes which is encouraging as they are all very good!”

“Fairy lights, greenery and charming decor create a warm and cosy atmosphere” at this still-expanding group, which is most popular as a “reliable and friendly brunch option”. Its Med-inspired tapas is typically rated somewhere between “tasty” and “nothing special” and scores overall are dragged well down by those experiencing “chaotic service” and “food that doesn’t live up to the pretty dining room”.

“Long established in St Albans”, and part of a five-strong, sustainability-oriented chain, this glass-roofed outfit by the cathedral continues to please with its “jolly good” bistro cooking (the latter recommended for its “consistent quality” and equally “good value”).

“Not yet back to its old self” seems to be the frustrating verdict on this former hunting lodge, scenically located with a large terrace by the lake of the luxurious Brocket Hall estate. In the early 2000s it was a national name under chef Jean-Christophe Novelli, but has since had its ups and downs. After a hiatus, “its re-opening has been long awaited and eagerly anticipated locally with the pop-ups fully booked”. Early feedback suggests “it still seems to be a work in progress. Menu, food and cooking have been very good, suitably refined and up to the standard expected. However, service can be poor, with staff unable to cope and long waits to order. The general decor is also very dated and doesn’t appear to have changed much during the past three years of closure. Hopefully, it will find its feet but it is taking longer than expected!”

“The food in this small and atmospheric pub is unabashedly French – tasty, interesting and reasonably priced” with “just the right amount of an English touch”. “Splendid service from host Laurent (Brydniak) and his team, who pay a lot of attention to getting the details right”, adds to the appeal of a venue that is “often busy by midday as a walkers’ reward” after strolling around the neighbouring Brocket Hall estate.

This “great country pub” in a Chilterns village makes a handy “all year round” escape from the big city, and has a cleverly constructed menu that changes every week and majors on local produce.

2023 Review: “This lovely country pub” run by brothers Tom (a self-taught cook) and James Bainbridge (a former Fat Duck manager) wins consistent ratings for its high-quality cooking using “good-quality meat and fresh, tasty ingredients”. There’s a “lovely ambience and service to match”, all at “amazing value-for-money prices”.

The “beautiful, charming setting” and “smart atmosphere” of this farmhouse hotel less than half an hour from London win general applause, and “in an area which is something of a desert in respect of ‘fine dining’, it provides cooking that’s a notch above the usual gastropub fare”. “On a warm summer’s day, a table in the garden is ideal for a long, relaxed lunch”.

2021 Review: “Well cooked and presented meals” – and “good value”, too – are served at this unusual venue in the foyer of the beautifully preserved 1930s Rex cinema. There’s also a cocktail bar with live pianist – and a particularly strong lunch and pre-film menu.

2022 Review: Set in a “lovely building” with tables under a 200-year-old olive tree, this restaurant – one of eight in a local chain – is frequently packed with regulars, who come back for its “good honest Italian fare at a reasonable price”. There’s “something for everyone on the menu”.

2021 Review: This former ballroom gains most praise for its “great breakfast/brunch” that makes “a brilliant way to start the weekend, with lots of free top-up coffee and newspapers to read”. In addition to “the best brews, home bakes and bagels”, there’s also a full dinner menu featuring sustainable local produce.

2021 Review: “Just reopened and even better than before”, this ultra-lux country-house hotel has an unusual ‘high-concept’ buffet-style dining room inspired by Asian food halls, with chefs cooking at eight ‘live action food stations’ (robata grill, seafood, tandoor oven et al), from which guests choose as much as they want. It’s not fine dining, but it is good-value in its way and it’s something-for-everyone style suits entertaining or a family get-together.

A “very pleasant country pub” helmed by Sally & Alvin Michaels for two decades, and whose “good food” of Anglo-French bent (including home-smoked fish and meat, and local game) “attracts diners from well beyond its area”; indeed, one reporter who took far-flung American visitors found that they “loved the location and quaintness” of this attractive Georgian locale – also handy for the Harry Potter experience at Warner Bros Studio nearby.

“Prime manages to feel special and cosy all at once” – a family-friendly steak specialist where the main event is dry-aged on the bone and “not cheap but well worth it” for a “special occasion choice”. This branch recently added a new canopied gin garden with heating in winter, and you can also check out a trio of siblings in St Albans, Beaconsfield and Berkhamsted.

2023 Review: This village pub-with-rooms just off the A1 offers “attractively presented food” on a menu which is “a cut above standard gastropub fare” – best enjoyed in the “new outside dining area, which in summer evokes a lovely Mediterranean feel”.

2021 Review: A former boathouse on the high street, turned hotel and dining room, that remains of note for its “delightful food impeccably served in a not overcrowded restaurant” – though you’ll need to book ahead on weekends, when they also lay on a “good Sunday lunch”.

It’s “a fun experience to celebrate a special occasion” at Scott Barnard’s chef’s table-oriented venture seating just 16 people – particularly if you sit upstairs, where chefs plate up the “excellent” eight-course tasting menus before your eyes (ranging from £95 per person for weekday dinner to £120 per person at weekends); downstairs offers a more relaxed sample of the same menu without the drama, and there’s also a glamorous cellar bar if you want to get a head start on the fun.