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…
1. The Latymer Restaurant at Pennyhill Park
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Pennyhill Park, London Rd, Bagshot GU19 5EU
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. Try salt-baked celeriac with rémoulade, lavage, and truffle, or munch on chocolate délice with milk crumble and yoghurt sorbet.
The Menu: www.exclusive.co.uk
2. Sorrel
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77 South St, Dorking RH4 2JU
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.
The Menu: www.sorrelrestaurant.co.uk
3. The Tudor Pass at Great Foster
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Stroude Road, Egham TW20 9UR
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.
The Menu: www.greatfosters.co.uk
4. The Clock House
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The Clock House, High St, Ripley, Woking GU23 6AQ
The Clock House has a dramatic past. Once known as Drakes of Ripley, the restaurant lost its name and its Michelin star in 2017 when its husband and wife owners divorced.
Now rebranded as The Clock House (after the clock which hangs above its door), the restaurant has retained its Michelin star and continues to bring international standards of fine dining to the pretty Surrey village of Ripley.
The décor is a little simpler than some other restaurants on this list, with more chic neutrals than Tudor splendour. There’s no dress code, and the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly.
In the warmer months, you can enjoy an al fresco meal in the walled garden or take your drink onto the leafy terrace.
Head chef Fred Clapperton has created an evolving seasonal menu using fresh herbs and vegetables grown in the restaurant’s well-stocked garden. Vegetarian and pescatarian menus are also available.
The Menu: www.theclockhouserestaurant.co.uk
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!
