5 vineyard restaurants to visit in England
In the UK's dynamic wine scene, seasonally led vineyard restaurants are becoming as much of a draw as the wine itself, ideal for languid summer afternoons. Here are five of the best to whet your appetite — from Michelin-starred venues getting creative with locally foraged ingredients to an East Sussex hotspot where wood-wired pizzas are paired with the perfect natural wine.
Operating since 1952, Hambledon is the UK's oldest commercial winery. Its award-winning sparkling wines include the classic cuvee and, new for 2025, its first blanc de blancs. There's a beautiful tasting room and the new restaurant is already a destination in its own right; overseen by head chef Nick Edgar, seasonal menus feature chalk stream trout with watercress, best end of lamb or Old Winchester cheese souffle.
Blending his South African heritage with classic European cooking, executive chef Jean Delport has helped Interlude, the elegant restaurant with rooms at the heart of the Leonardslee Estate, earn both a Michelin star and Michelin Green star. Foraged ingredients from the local landscape include wild garlic, bracken fiddleheads and hazelnuts, while the estate rears its own venison.
Sip and overlook the vines at this rooftop bistro-terrace above Chapel Down's tasting room. Two AA Rosettes have been awarded for British-Mediterranean dishes, which are paired with feted wines from the 1,000-acre estate. Seasonality reigns and the menu might include Romney Marsh lamb with Moroccan mint yoghurt that sings when accompanied by a 2022 bacchus from Chapel Down's Kit's Coty North Downs vineyard. A glass of the rosé brut pairs well with the Kent rhubarb parfait.
Founded in the 1980s, Sharpham Wine has recently shifted its focus to low-intervention wines. Set on the Sandridge Barton estate, the winery is home to rustic-chic tasting barns and a restaurant in the old milking parlour with a menu centered on Devon produce. Try the likes of estate beef fillet, red chicory and anchoiade, or a range of Sharpham cheeses, perfect with its medal-winning pinot noir.
Tillingham has made a name for itself (and earned a Michelin Green star) thanks to its biodynamic approach to viticulture and bucolic setting in the Sussex High Weald. At the estate complex, flavourful natural wines sit alongside wood-fired pizzas and the likes of goat's cheese mousse with charred peach, seared local scallops with black pudding crumb, and Pevensey lamb rump. There are stylish bedrooms in a converted hop barn as well as bell tents in the summer.
Published in Issue 28 (summer 2025) of Food by National Geographic Traveller (UK).To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Skift
3 hours ago
- Skift
Airbnb's Expansion Strategy: How Services and Experiences Are Changing the Trip
Airbnb is evolving into a full-trip platform, expanding globally with curated in-stay services like private chefs and local-led activities—available to both travelers and locals—all seamlessly integrated into its app. Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko talk travel every week. Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko talk travel every week. Learn More Airbnb is going beyond the booking—and rethinking the entire travel experience. Speaking live at Skift Forum Asia in Bangkok, Airbnb Chief Business Officer Dave Stephenson unveiled a major expansion into two areas the company believes will define its future: high-quality local experiences and on-demand services designed to elevate any stay. 'We're not just offering a bed anymore—we're offering the entire trip,' Stephenson said during a live recording of the Skift Travel Podcast. 'Experiences, services, and stays are now integrated in one seamless platform.' This isn't Airbnb's first foray into experiences, but the approach is new. Instead of an open marketplace, the company is curating and hand-selecting activities hosted by local experts, Michelin-starred chefs, and even celebrities—what Stephenson calls 'the world's most interesting people doing amazingly interesting things.' Listen to This Podcast Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | RSS The company is launching these curated experiences in over 650 cities worldwide, while on-demand services—ranging from private chefs and spa treatments to personal trainers and photographers—are now live in more than 250 cities. These services can be booked even if you're not staying in an Airbnb, and are designed to compete with lifestyle conveniences like spa apps, gym classes, and concierge offerings typically found in hotels. 'There's no app out there bringing all this together in one place,' Stephenson noted. 'You can book a blowout in New York, a ramen class in Tokyo, or a chef in your Airbnb—all through the same platform.' Stitching the Trip Together The Airbnb app now features a reworked Trips tab, bringing together stays, booked services, and activities in a single itinerary view. It's a play for full-trip management and a more personalized user experience. As economic uncertainty persists, Stephenson says these affordable offerings (many under $50) serve both guests and hosts. Services and experiences also allow more people to earn as Airbnb hosts, even if they don't have a property to list. 'We're unlocking time as a valuable asset,' Stephenson said. 'If you're an expert in something—whether fitness, food, or culture—you can now be a host on Airbnb.' Asia Leads the Way The rollout comes as Asia-Pacific becomes one of Airbnb's fastest-growing regions, with Bangkok now the company's top destination in Asia for inbound travel. Stephenson outlined specific localization efforts for markets like Japan, Korea, and China, from brand campaigns to integrations with platforms like Naver. In Japan, Airbnb recently launched its first-ever brand campaign. In China, the focus is on outbound travelers, especially to destinations like Korea and Japan. Pop Culture, Set-Jetting, and Events Travelers are increasingly influenced by pop culture, from TV shows to concerts. Airbnb sees demand spikes around major cultural moments—Taylor Swift concerts, the Olympics, even filming locations from The White Lotus. 'These events drive 4 to 5x increases in bookings,' said Stephenson. 'People want to go where their favorite artists perform or where shows were filmed—and they often need places to stay as a group.' Airbnb works with influencers to promote these experiences and stays, offering commission-based partnerships and curated listings that resonate with specific communities. What's Next Airbnb is planning additional partnerships and global activations around upcoming major events, including the Winter Olympics in Milan. Stephenson hinted at more announcements in the coming weeks and months. 'We're just getting started,' he said. 'The trip doesn't begin or end with a place to sleep anymore.'
USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Fine dining is booming in Florida. These cities lead the way.
SOUTHEAST | FLORIDA There was a time when travelers came to Florida for a few great culinary hits: Key lime pie, stone crabs, Cuban sandwiches or juicy, handpicked oranges from a roadside stand. Fine dining, for the most part, was not a priority. Not anymore. The Sunshine State has undergone a culinary boom. Migration to Florida has swelled in recent years, bringing young professionals, including chefs and restaurant owners, with it. Miami, Orlando and Tampa, in particular, have raised the bar, boasting Michelin-starred restaurants encompassing everything from sushi omakase to Scandinavian fine dining. Mmmmiami Miami hosts an impressive 14 Michelin-starred restaurants, and chef Shingo Akikuni says the boom can be attributed to restaurateurs offering 'fresh ideas and innovative experiences.' His Michelin-starred Coral Gables restaurant, Shingo, offers a 14-seat sushi omakase experience. Each night, an 18-course meal is artfully presented by chef Akikuni, who has some fish flown in from Japan. Also imported is the restaurant's interior, which was designed and constructed in Kyoto before being shipped to South Florida. The city's two-Michelin-starred restaurant, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon Miami, is tucked into the Design District and has perfected French dining with gorgeously plated crispy duck, Icelandic halibut and lamb saddle. You can watch the chefs work from a counter facing the open kitchen. Stubborn Seed was one of the first Miami restaurants to earn a star in 2022 and has held the rating for the last two years. The tiny spot, helmed by season 13 Top Chef winner Jeremy Ford, has a rotating menu that draws from Florida's native bounty. Its eight- and 11-course tasting-only menus are guided by the seasons, but Wagyu beef tartare, homemade ricotta gnudi and striped sea bass are signature dishes. Magic Foodie Kingdom Orlando has started to shed its image as a theme park-only destination, and the city has several Michelin-starred and Michelin-recommended restaurants to build your trip around. Four Flamingos, a Richard Blais Florida Kitchen, is a color-blasted, tropical-themed offering from the Top Chef All-Stars winner. There's a smorgasbord of seafood options: smoked salmon croquettes, Florida shrimp, stuffed lobster. For dessert, save room for the Baked Florida: A Key Lime pie topped with flambéed meringue. BACÀN, helmed by chef Guillaume Robin, is a gorgeous homage to South and Central American flavors in a sleek dining room adorned with vivid art. Start with the El Cantarito a punchy mix of tequila, grapefruit, lime and orange juice that serves as a tasty prelude for the charred octopus, pork belly asada and lobster tostada starters. The mains are an amalgamation of Caribbean and Latin flavors, and the standout is the crispy Florida snapper seasoned with Guyanese curry and accompanied by mofongo. The Michelin-starred Knife & Spoon at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes is farm-to-table excellence. Chef Tyler Kineman draws his ingredients from a handful of local farms and has a tightly curated menu of seafood, pasta and chicken dishes. But the specialty is steaks, dry-aged for up to four months. Bay of Bounty Tampa continues to serve up culinary ingenuity. The Tampa EDITION, the city's first five-star rated hotel, opened in 2022. With it came Lilac, a Michelin-starred restaurant led by chef John Frase serving caviar and Maine lobster as starters. Everything here feels well thought out: diver scallops on risotto and spice-braised rabbit are part of the four-course tasting menu and served in a glossy, emerald green dining room. Ebbe, a Scandinavian restaurant, earned its Michelin recognition last year. Inside, meals are served on a marble countertop in a minimalist, stark space. The menu changes with the seasons, but chef Ebbe Vollmer's signature dish is beets cooked in brown butter. Another 2024 Michelin winner is Rocca, where chef and owner Bryce Bonsack serves Italian fare in a relaxed atmosphere inspired by his pilgrimage to Italy. Beyond the handmade gnocchi and tagliolini, one of the draws here is the mozzarella cart — fresh mozzarella kneaded tableside.
USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Less driving, more exploring: How open-jaw travel can transform your road trip
Open-jaw travel -- flying into one location, driving to and flying out of another -- means less time behind the wheel and more time exploring. Try it on your next road trip. The great American road trip is a summer travel staple. But for many, the lasting impression might be the seemingly endless serenade of 'Are we there yet?' With efficiency borrowed from European travelers who've mastered open-jaw travel — flying into and exploring one city, driving to another and flying home from yet another — you can maximize your summer vacation. Yes, it adds cost, but you're exploring more while spending less time behind the wheel, which is bound to keep fidgety family members happy. Here are two routes that keep the driving to about three hours while adding a fresh twist to a summer travel staple: Southern Swing We're starting a little ways off the trodden tourist path, but there's lots to do in Little Rock, Ark., beginning with a ranger-led interpretive tour at Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site (Tuesday-Saturday afternoons) and a visit to the Old State House Museum. Outdoorsy types can rent mountain bikes and take in the local trails, including the 88-mile Arkansas River Trail, while those who appreciate art can spend hours in the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, which has free entry. For a quick day trip, visit the spring-fed, Victorian-era bathhouses that make up Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs National Park. From Little Rock, it's a straight 140-mile drive through delta country to get to your next destination just across the Mississippi River. From barbecue to Beale Street, there's plenty to keep you busy in Memphis, and a stay at the Central Station hotel puts you within walking distance to most of it. Memphis barbecue is a unique style, separate from Kansas City, Texas or the Carolinas, with a focus on pork. Make time to stop at Leonard's Pit Barbecue or Charlie Vergos's Rendezvous, which pioneered the dry rub style Memphis is known for. If you're traveling with kids, visit Beale Street during the day; if not, enjoy the bars and music clubs in the evening. Speaking of music: No trip to Memphis is complete without stops at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Sun Studio and Graceland. Now it's time to get back on I-40 and head about 200 miles east to the Country Music Capital of the World. No slouch in the culinary department, Nashville has long been famous for its hot chicken and, more recently, for its James Beard-nominated restaurants such as Bastion and Yolan. After a visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, make time to hear some live music at the Grand Ole Opry, which lends the cultural weight you'll need after visiting the touristy honky tonk bars along Broadway. And keep your eyes on the calendar: The Opry is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Westward Wandering Fly into Glacier Park International Airport in Kalispell, Mont., and get a taste of the Yellowstone lifestyle at the all-inclusive Flathead Lake Lodge. Overlooking the largest freshwater lake in the west, it offers activities such as fishing and kayaking to the typical dude ranch pastimes of horseback riding and hiking. For a change of pace, check out the nearby towns of Bigfork or Kalispell. The next stop, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, is a 200-mile drive from it up by stopping at the St. Regis Travel Center in St. Regis, Montana, for a huckleberry milkshake. A resort town, Coeur d'Alene is renowned for skiing, but the area is an outdoor playground all year, with Silverwood Theme Park nearby or the lure of relaxing days stand-up paddleboarding on Lake Coeur d'Alene. After remote stops in Montana and Idaho, you might be ready for a slightly more urban experience. Spokane, Wash., delivers: As the smallest city to host a World's Fair, it's been punching above its weight for a while. Here you'll find interesting and eclectic eats, a thriving art scene, shopping, and views of the Spokane River from many perspectives.
