Pretentious or a great experiance

[richhead]

My o/h has a big birthday coming up, and i was thinking about taking her to a fine dinning restaurant, you know the sort with a tasting menu, as she has never been anywhere like it.
We are not powerfully built directors, but not poor, the price with wine's, depending on the place seem to be around £400 a head.
For me that is alot of money for a meal, but as a special occasion i dont mind.
My question it to those that have done similar, was it a brilliant experience or will i leave feeling like ive been robbed.
Next question for those who have done it, recommendations for hants/wiltshire would be great.

[grumbledoak]

Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons was fantastic. Well worth it.
https://www.belmond.com/hotels/europe/uk/oxfordshi...
Sadly it is apparently closed for refurbishment.

ETA try here
https://guide.michelin.com/gb/en/selection/united-...

[sherman]

Well worth it.
Make a trip out of it.

Only tasting menu I have ever done was at Hugh Fernley Whitingstalls River Cottage in Dorset.
Pre drinks and canapes whilst walking round the kitchen garden and dinner in the main hall all on a glouroius dummer evening.

[ukwill]

Thomas Frakes just won MasterChef’s Champion of Champions, having previously won Masterchef in 2020.

His pub is The Silks near Marlborough. If that’s relatively close I’d suggest trying to get a booking.

I’m sure it will be fantastic food, and great value in comparison.

[JKRolling]

In that neck of the woods take her here for a night. I’m sure you will get a powerfully built directors treat.

https://www.chewtonglen.com/

[Stella Tortoise]

Maybe try lunch if you are not used to this kind of dining?

Will be cheaper and less extravagant but can still be a brilliant introduction to fine dining.

Sadly the days of a 3 course Michelin star lunch for under £30 are over but there are still some relative bargains to be had.

[loskie]

Or take her to a place like San Sebastien for a short break.
A place well known for gastronomy.

Possibly without the pretentiousness.

Will she feel comfortable in the situations that you suggest?

[LimmerickLad]

We went here a couple of weeks ago....not our usual thing but really enjoyed it as a 1 off.....seafood based obviously

https://www.verveine.co.uk/welcome.html

[richhead]

loskie said:

Or take her to a place like San Sebastien for a short break.
A place well known for gastronomy.

Possibly without the pretentiousness.

Will she feel comfortable in the situations that you suggest?

We dont want to travel really if we can help it, but happy to stay the night. I spend my entire life in an airplane to somewhere so would rather keep it a short drive away.
She will be comfortable, we do often stay in some very nice places, and have eaten in some very nice places, we dont get much time free and together so try to make it special when we do, just never done the "fine dining " thing, it was actually her idea.

[richhead]

LimmerickLad said:

We went here a couple of weeks ago....not our usual thing but really enjoyed it as a 1 off.....seafood based obviously

https://www.verveine.co.uk/welcome.html

Thank you, will look into there, thats the sort of thing i was thinking of. Have friends in lymington too,

[ClaphamGT3]

It doesn't meet your 'short drive away' criteria but the most down to earth and least pretentious fine dining restaurant that I've ever been to is Chez Bruce in Wandsworth. Infallibility exquisite food and relaxed, laid back but super-professional ambience.

[LimmerickLad]

richhead said:

LimmerickLad said:

We went here a couple of weeks ago....not our usual thing but really enjoyed it as a 1 off.....seafood based obviously

https://www.verveine.co.uk/welcome.html

Thank you, will look into there, thats the sort of thing i was thinking of. Have friends in lymington too,

6 course with wine menu is more than enough.......was surprise we enjoyed it to be honest......stayed here also

Stayed at the Beach Hotel just up the road and walkable from restaurant.

[Lotobear]

I note you've placed yourself down south but for a special occasion why not travel?

I'm not really into 'fine dining' and all of the theatre that usually goes with it but I do enjoy very good food created intelligently. One place that really stands out for me was a visit to The Old Stamp House, Ambleside, in early 2025. It's somewhere I would be very keen to go again - not in the least pretentious but the food, its local connections, and flavours were utterly memorable and so intelligently created.

I think it cost around £175 a head for myself and Mrs Loto with a bottle of mid priced wine (Hungarian ISTR but very, very good) - you could probably stay the weekend in the Lakes and go there for your meal for not much more than £800 all in:

https://www.oldstamphouse.com/

...one of the very few eating experiences that has stuck with me as being truly memorable, and well worth the price

[PRO5T]

Done numerous ones, the "best restaurant in Britain" L'enclume is on our doorstep.

The last time there I have to say I didn't see the value, only one of us was drinking alcohol and the bill was well into £700. However, if it had been a night away with the kids with our best friends in tow we probably would have enjoyed it a lot more.

As it was, I looked at the bill and just thought we could have taken the kids away on a cheap break for that (it was half term) and it took the shine off it.

So it totally depends on what you want to experience for your money. Gastronomically, nothing beats it-and I love eating and drinking, but I kind of think now I'd have as good a "time" spending the £700 on taking some great friends out and enjoying "normal" food.

It's hard to have a bad experience in these places if you love food (although we went to some Masterchef winner's place in the North East last year and it was comically bad-I can't remember the last time I had to say to the staff I'm not paying for that and they agreed!), I think I've just got to the point where I'm as happy with decent rather than world class as long as I'm with the people I love and enjoying their company (soppy sod).

[Lotobear]

We thought lenclume was massively overrated and overpriced

[shirt]

Depends.

On balance yes, it is definitely worthwhile. Look at the menus and aim for one that covers your tastes but also pushes them somewhat. There are several things I won’t normally touch (offal etc), that I will do so at this level of cooking. Don’t feel pushed to go with the wine flight, by the glass is my preferred method, especially if their drinks menu has a particular niche I want to explore. It’s uncommon to find snooty sommeliers these days.

It’s only when you have been to more that you can come away feeling like it wasn’t good value. I had that at Noma of all places, and more recently at Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall.

[LooneyTunes]

Lotobear said:

We thought lenclume was massively overrated and overpriced

Really? It’s one of my favourite restaurants. Ok, it’s not cheap but they get the food and service absolutely spot on. I think we went three times in 2025 and will likely do the same again this year (already have one booking in the diary).

Ignoring city restaurants:

Le Manoir is “ok” but expensive (even in comparison to l’enclume, with wine markups particularly egregious) and the accommodation tired. None of the food was bad but none especially memorable. I think it’s closed at the moment for refurb?

Slightly outside your search area but not by much, the restaurant at Lucknam Park (Hywel Jones) was pleasant (I think it was 2024 we went). Nice country house hotel if you’re dumping the kids for the night and want to decompress a bit. Restaurant is only a 1*, so solid rather than groundbreaking but I remember it being quite reasonably priced.

The key with all of them is how well and how quickly the staff “read” the table and interact with the diners. Some want in depth explanations of every wine / courses, others don’t. Some places understand that, others don’t.

If you do a tasting menu make sure you don’t book a sitting that starts too late. You’re not going to be in in and out in an hour…

One to avoid: Sat Bains never understood how that managed a star, let alone two. One of the worst dining experiences I’ve ever had.

Having said all of that… few things beat a good Japanese omakase experience.

[Lotobear]

LooneyTunes said:

Lotobear said:

We thought lenclume was massively overrated and overpriced

Really? It s one of my favourite restaurants. Ok, it s not cheap but they get the food and service absolutely spot on. I think we went three times in 2025 and will likely do the same again this year (already have one booking in the diary).

Ignoring city restaurants:

Le Manoir is ok but expensive (even in comparison to l enclume, with wine markups particularly egregious) and the accommodation tired. None of the food was bad but none especially memorable. I think it s closed at the moment for refurb?

Slightly outside your search area but not by much, the restaurant at Lucknam Park (Hywel Jones) was pleasant (I think it was 2024 we went). Nice country house hotel if you re dumping the kids for the night and want to decompress a bit. Restaurant is only a 1*, so solid rather than groundbreaking but I remember it being quite reasonably priced.

The key with all of them is how well and how quickly the staff read the table and interact with the diners. Some want in depth explanations of every wine / courses, others don t. Some places understand that, others don t.

If you do a tasting menu make sure you don t book a sitting that starts too late. You re not going to be in in and out in an hour

One to avoid: Sat Bains never understood how that managed a star, let alone two. One of the worst dining experiences I ve ever had.

Having said all of that few things beat a good Japanese omakase experience.

Yes, really, we both preferred the stamp house which was significantly cheaper but we also felt there was greater authenticity in the food.

[miniman]

I took a good friend for lunch at Gordon Ramsay Royal Hospital Road. It was exceptional start to finish.

[LooneyTunes]

Lotobear said:

Yes, really, we both preferred the stamp house which was significantly cheaper but we also felt there was greater authenticity in the food.

Might give that a look at some point then. Quite enjoy a run up to the lakes (outside main tourist season).