All the Michelin stars in Surrey
We all have an idea of what a Michelin-starred restaurant should be like breathtakingly posh, teeny tiny meals on huge plates served up by snooty waiters.
But Surrey now boasts, if not a galaxy, then certainly a sprinkling of Michelin stars – and they deserve a look, serving fresh, seasonal food that’s been locally sourced and expertly prepared, presented to you in a range of gorgeous settings. Here’s our guide to every Michelin star in the county…
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1. The Latymer Restaurant at Pennyhill Park
Close your eyes, summon up an image of a Michelin-starred restaurant, and you’ll probably have imagined something like The Latymer.
Located in the ancient heart of Pennyhill Park - a grand hotel, country club and spa – this stately restaurant has wood-panelled walls and an oak-beamed ceiling. Mullioned windows command views over rolling gardens and terraces.
Luckily, the food on offer is more than a match for the imposing setting.
The menu is masterminded by award-winning chef Matt Worswick, who earned his first Michelin star at Glenapp Castle when he was only 26 years old. His food is simple, earthy, and bold, crammed with locally sourced ingredients and bright, punchy flavours.
Our recommendation: Try salt-baked celeriac with rémoulade, lavage, and truffle, or munch on chocolate délice with milk crumble and yoghurt sorbet.
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2. Sorrel in Dorking
Steve Drake's Sorrel has surprised everyone in a sleepy market town surrounded by the beautiful Surrey Hills. The intimate venue earned its Michelin star in under a year and has received enthusiastic critical acclaim. Housed in a 300-year-old building with exposed beams and uneven floorboards, the décor remains contemporary.
Expect a light, airy space upholstered in cool grey velvet, entered through a greenhouse where Drake grows fresh herbs for the restaurant. Menus are presented to diners inside pale green envelopes, and the food is prepared before your eyes in a state-of-the-art open kitchen.
The discovery menu includes a carrot tobacco pudding, a blackcurrant Waldorf, or an item simply called ‘green, green, green’, which is revealed to be an airy broccoli mousse spiked with lime and kiwi. No wonder Sorrel has been named AA’s restaurant of the year 2018-19.
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3. The Tudor Pass at Great Foster
The Tudor Room at Great Fosters lives up to its name. Set within a 16th-century mansion, it boasts crackling log fires, beamed ceilings, and huge antique tapestries hung on silk-lined walls.
Amid all this ancient grandeur, the food may come as a surprise: simple, seasonal and contemporary fare served up by head chef Douglas Balish. Dinner could be sea bream with cucumber, caviar, sea herb, or gnocchi with cauliflower, truffle, and chestnut.
The ingredients are hand-selected, organic and locally sourced, with vegetables and salad ingredients picked daily from the Kitchen Gardens. The estate’s rare pigs provide meat, and honey is made on-site. There’s also a full vegetarian menu, so no one will go hungry.
After dinner, you can walk off your meal in the estate’s 50 acres of gardens and parkland or explore a house that has played host to film stars, celebrities and royalty.
And a little further afield…
I know it's not in Surrey, but those searching for fine dining should take a trip a little further afield to Bray. The tiny Berkshire village boasts a whopping seven Michelin-starred restaurants (including two of the five restaurants in Britain with the full complement of three Michelin stars).
If you don't mind travelling, why not try the experimental food at The Fat Duck, legendary French cuisine at The Waterside Inn, or authentic Italian fare at Caldesi In Campagna? It’s a culinary destination that’s not to be missed!
The Fat Duck Restaurant Bray
4. The Fat Duck in Berkshire
Famous for its culinary creativity, this three Michelin star restaurant will enchant its theatrical menu. Headed by the enigmatic Heston Blumenthal, The Fat Duck specialises in culinary journeys, taking diners through exotic textures and memorable palettes.
With five-star ratings for food service and presentation, The Fat Duck is a popular choice with diners, and tables are often booked up months in advance.
Wikimedia, Nancy
Waterside Inn Restaurant, Bray
5. The Waterside Inn, Berkshire
A family-run business, The Waterside Inn in Bray prides itself on a luxury dining experience. Headed by famous chef Alain Roux, The Waterside Inn boasts a diverse menu combining French classics and new palette-defining dishes.
From pristine crockery to carefully selected fresh ingredients, it is little wonder this restaurant has retained its three Michelin star rating since 1985.
"Fabulous meal, couldn’t fault it. Service as expected was excellent, the staff couldn’t do enough. Very helpful on recommendations as well. Didn’t constantly pester you as well and let you enjoy the food and experience." - Aijaz, Berkshire.
6. Starling, Esher
A relative newcomer to the restaurant scene the Starling restaurant in Esher has already claimed its first Michelin star five months after opening.
"The first solo opening of experienced chef Nick Beardshaw is this neighbourhood restaurant, where its lack of pretension makes it all the more endearing." - Michelin Guide.
Headed by Great British Menu winner Nick Beardshaw, the restaurant specialises in quality British ingredients and styles itself as a friendly 'neighbourhood restaurant.'
