The fanciest sport hospitality packages

Times

11-06-2025

The game hasn't even begun and I am already one charcuterie board, a platter of prawns, a gallon of sushi, a beef wellington and several beers deep. My football-watching career has started on a high. It was a Chelsea game in the box — a gift for my brothers' 40th (not from me — I'm a good sister but not that good). I left thinking I could watch the beautiful game more often. 'What was the score?' someone asked. 'Who cares? I had a cheeseboard at half-time!'
You can fine-dine at almost all sports, from darts to the FA Cup final. Here is a list of luxury dining experiences at the biggest and best upcoming sports events.
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Now the Six Nations have been and gone, it's time to move on. Luckily for rugby fans, this year's Autumn Nations is ripe for booking. The series will see England battle it out with four of the most exhilarating southern hemisphere teams. It'll be a wild watch and there is no need to do it hungry — you know the players won't be. Fret not — if the burger vans don't tickle your finely tuned taste buds, the Allianz hospitality packages are here for you. 'Today's hospitality offerings go far beyond a simple meal and a seat. Guests are choosing packages based on the culinary style, the exclusivity of the setting, and the opportunity to engage with sporting legends, both past and present,' says Laura Jefferies, head of marketing at Twickenham Experience.
The chef Tom Kerridge (who owns the only pub with two Michelin stars) will be cooking in the Lock restaurant during the Australia, New Zealand and Argentina games. Expect free-flowing fizz and a four-course English-inspired menu. The chef Ollie Dabbous — who has two Michelin stars — can be found creating culinary excellence for the Australia game in the East Wing restaurant. You'll be dining all day, from arrival appetisers to amuse-bouches to a four-course menu — with complimentary drinks. The same package will be available with the chef Tommy Banks — a judge on BBC's The Great British Menu — subbing in to steer the East Wing helm during the New Zealand game. 'On a single match day up to 45,000 plates of food are served within hospitality, with a team of 300 chefs across 41 kitchens and 2,250 hospitality staff, who each undergo training, to ensure the highest standards across every facility,' Jefferies says.
Autumn Nations at Allianz Stadium is November 1-November 23. More information at keithprowse.co.uk and allianzstadiumtwickenham.com
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You could find yourself easily distracted at the races. If you don't have blinkered focus on the horses, your eyes may wander to the outfits and your nose may lead you to the food. Royal Ascot does not hold back when it comes to treating guests to gourmet cuisine — there are 29 Michelin stars shared between the chefs in residence — 'the most ever at Royal Ascot, or any sporting event globally,' according to Jonathan Parker, the managing director of 1711 by Ascot.
Among the runners and riders are Raymond Blanc, who will mark his ten-year residency anniversary at Ascot, returning to the Panoramic Restaurant (which, as promised, serves its four courses overlooking panoramic views of the racecourse). Gazing at the horses in the parade ring is best done at the Parade Ring restaurant, where Simon Rogan will be presenting his five-course à la carte lunch. Lisa Goodwin-Allen, the Michelin-starred chef and winner of Great British Menu, returns for her second year at Royal Ascot, headlining the Queen Anne Enclosure's flagship restaurant, ON 5, which sits on the fifth floor and is glass-fronted to create the ideal view of the course.
If you have been there, done that — you will likely want to do it again. But if you want to try the newbies on the Ascot block, the French chef Yannick Alléno is doing an alfresco pop-up with a small-plate concept that — given his 17 Michelin stars — is bound to be scrumptious. Likewise, Benoit Blin, the patisserie king, is also making his debut with a French-inspired afternoon tea — available in multiple restaurants and private boxes, everywhere short of the horses' stables.
Royal Ascot runs June 17-21. These offerings are available for all guests but need to be booked well in advance; ascot.com
Test cricket may be as English as it gets. Free-flowing Pimm's, polite chitchat in the stands, intermittent sun bouncing off the players' whites. All in all, you're in for a lovely summer's day. Given that the match can last five days, it is more than justified to be entertained by other activities alongside the play. And what better activity is there than eating?
'At the Kia Oval our aim is to match the calibre of the cricket on the pitch with the fine dining we provide to the spectators,' says the director of operations, Alex Lewis. There is a myriad of casual-dining options spread all over the Oval grounds, including the fancy food truck Bob's Lobster serving lobster rolls at the Pommery Champagne bar on the concourse right next to the pavilion. But those seeking the classiest escapades will head to the Duchy Suite. The days starts here with a three-course gourmet lunch curated by the fabulous chef Ollie Dabbous. There's also a Pommery champagne reception, a brilliantly quirky afternoon tea — including Cacklebean egg mayo and cress sandwiches and canales cooked in beeswax — free-flowing complimentary drinks and, of course, padded seats on the Laker Balcony so you can plonk your well-fed self comfortably down as you buckle in for the long match head.
Next chance to nab all that is the England v India Test, July 31-August 4. The Duchy Suite is £1,299 + VAT; kiaoval.com
The smell of burning rubber and highly tuned engines as the mighty cars go hell for leather up the track need not fill your nostrils at these races. Instead, your noses (and taste buds) can be redirected to the equally impressive food. With many hospitality packages to choose from, you could opt for a Lawn Garden party, the award-winning sustainable restaurant Farmer, Butcher, Chef, or the exclusive member-only clubhouse, the Kennels.
For trackside viewing with gourmet dining, you have a few options. The Moss restaurant, named after Sir Stirling Moss — who not only had his first race at Goodwood but also won here more than any other driver — overlooks the starting straight. Clark is positioned on the famously dramatic Molecomb Corner with views of the hill climb from both inside the restaurant and the trackside balcony.
And last but not least there is Goodwood's fine-dining experience at Surtees — named in honour of the only person to win world championships on both two and four wheels, John Surtees. Not only are the views of the action unparalleled, but the Michelin-starred chef Ollie Dabbous (who I'd hazard a guess at being a sports fan) will be preparing cuisine to match. The Surtees package includes unlimited drinks, a live DJ, VIP parking as well as a personalised concierge service. 'Whether it's a private paddock tour, a helicopter flight or photo moment on the balcony of Goodwood House, Surtees is the ultimate way to experience the Festival of Speed,' says Amy Yeates, the hospitality director at Goodwood.
Goodwood Festival of Speed is July 10-13. The Surtees package is £2,100pp +VAT; goodwood.com
Dating back to 1860, The Open is the oldest golf tournament in the world. It is also one of the most popular — so much so that tickets sell out almost instantly. Those for 2025 are sadly long gone. As are the hospitality packages, which included the silver-service fine-dining Engravers package — including breakfast, four-course à la carte lunch, complimentary bar and afternoon tea. Next year will approach in the blink of an eye — so it is best to start getting ahead of the game. The equivalent option on the 2026 line-up at Royal Birkdale would be the premium package. Although not silver-service, the experience holds its own. Guests get access to many wonderful restaurants — including Clarets, where you can dine on gourmet cuisine while looking out over the 17th green. The Retreat serves a charcuterie-style lunch overlooking the 7th green. Complimentary beverages will be served to guests in Clarets, the Retreat, the Platinum Lounge and Links, which all have top-class views of the top-class golf.
The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale is July 12-19, 2026. Prices for the signature package start at £1,000 per person for the weekdays and £2,300 for the weekends; theopen.com
It wouldn't be the British summer time without Wimbledon. Dating back to 1868, this sporting spectacle is the oldest tennis tournament in existence. There is only one thing I can think of to improve this classic English event — fancy food. It's not all strawberries and cream. Whilst the talented players serve on the pitch, the equally talented chefs are serving off the court. For the snazziest of service, you are looking at Le Gavroche at The Lawn. Michelin star mastermind, Michel Roux, will be offering a five-course tasting Menu Exceptionnel with wine pairings, followed by the famous Le Gavroche Cheese Trolley and the Assiette du Chef (selection of five desserts). There will be a complimentary bar for continuous whistle wettening — whether it is with Vintage champagne or bespoke cocktails. Of course, that is just the beginning — this package includes seats with uninterrupted views of Centre Court, a private terrace and access to The Lawn's English-style garden with live music, a whisky and cigar bar as well as a huge outdoor screen so you don't have to miss out on a single second of action while having fun.
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