William Gadsby Peet goes in search of the finest local foodie picks for some Valentine’s Day romance in Windsor, Maidenhead & Ascot
Sweet like chocolate
Monster
A Valentine’s Day without chocolate would be like Christmas without family feuds over board games. Fortunately the local area provides some superb options when it comes to getting your chocolatey fix.
Hotel Chocolat owns a full cocoa plantation in Saint Lucia, which gives you some idea of how seriously the company takes its chocolatiering. The Windsor branch has a ravishing range of chocoholic delights: I’d recommend the ‘Straight from the Heart’ selection (pictured above, £39), which comes in a brilliantly cheesy, heart-shaped box.
Looking for a more personal touch? Check out the scrumptious work of Rosie’s Chocolate Factory in Wargrave, where each customer order is completely bespoke.
Horseplay
Enjoy a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride around Windsor Great Park, with champagne and Grand Prix roses included in the special Valentine’s Day package (£125 for 1hr, £100 for 40 mins).
Tea for two
Picasa
Tea for two
Take a royal stroll around Windsor Castle in the (hopefully) crisp winter sunlight, before heading to the unimaginatively named – but quite superb – Castle Hotel for a spot of afternoon tea (£19.95). Add a glass of Laurent-Perrier Brut for an extra £7.
Eton brewery
Beer might not sound romantic, but believe me, to a bloke it’s up there with a candlelit dinner in Paris. The Windsor & Eton Brewery sells mixed cases of its award-winning beers (£35) that’ll have your other half smiling from ear to ear.
Beautiful bubbly
Champagne!” exclaimed Napoleon. “In victory one deserves it, in defeat one needs it.
Let us hope that it’s the victory of a successful relationship you’re toasting with your bubbly this month – not the bitter defeat of love’s labour’s lost!
Either way Stanlake Park Vineyard – home to the largest variety of grapes in England – produces some fabulous fizz. I’d recommend either the vineyard’s flagship Stanlake Brut (£25.99) for a traditional and crisp sparkling wine, or the Ascot Brut (£24.99) for a more complex bouquet.
Flower power
Last year, staff and volunteers at Cliveden House, the National Trust property near Taplow, planted 30,000 snowdrops that bloom during February, carpeting the grounds in a glorious white winter hue.
After a walk among the flowers, couples can enjoy a light lunch in the Orangery Café, a slice of cake and a cuppa at the Dovecote Coffee Shop or – for those organizing their romance around kids – a bite to eat in the child-friendly Doll’s House Café.
However, if you really want to impress the other half, venture over to Cliveden’s André Garrett Restaurant, where the hotel’s head chef Gavin Edney and his team are putting on a special romantic tasting menu (£97.50 pp). February 10, 11, 14, 17 & 18.
Check out our Food/ Drink section for more delicious ideas
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