UK's 'favourite' tiny village where footballers, movie stars and royals choose to live
Kingham, a charming village nestled in the heart of Chipping Norton within the Cotswold Hills, has been hailed as the nation's 'favourite' by locals. This idyllic corner of the Great British countryside is a magnet for both A-listers and tourists, drawn to its picturesque cottages and lush greenery.
According to popular lifestyle blog Muddy Stilettos, "This is a Cotswolds village that ticks all the boxes – pubs, shop, good schools, and that rarest of things – a train station on the line to London. Oh, and the odd resident A-lister".
Catering to fewer than 1000 people, the local amenities include a shop and church, but it's the nearby Daylesford Organic farm shop that truly draws the crowds. This iconic establishment, often referred to as the country's poshest farm shop, is said to be a favourite of Princess Eugenie - and Eddie Redmayne has also been spotted shopping.
But it's not just royals who are enticed by the delectable offerings at the farm shop. Kingham has transformed into a foodie paradise in recent years, boasting a range of eateries such as Kingham Plough and The Wild Rabbit, both renowned for their tantalising dishes.
Blur bassist Alex James calls the town home, having moved to his 200-acre farm in 2003. His produce has received widespread praise, with many of his artisan cheeses now stocked in supermarkets nationwide, reports the Express.
The former musician also throws a festival every year called Big Feastival, which "brings together music from the UK's biggest artists, Michelin-starred chefs, award-winning street food and an exciting array of family activities". This August revellers will be able to see Nelly Furtado, The Rizzle Kicks and the Wombats hit the stage.
Daylesford is also thought to have sparked former Top Gear and The Grand Tour presenter Jeremy Clarkson's venture into farming, with the Diddly Squat Farm, and even catered for ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Neighbours to the village, Victoria and David Beckham, pitched up in December 2016. A reputed £.5.5m transformed the grounds into an enchanted garden complete with a pool, an at-home spa, a luxury treehouse and—of course—a football pitch.
Ellie Goulding and ex husband Casper Jopling previously lived in the area, having moved to the lush countryside back in 2021. The pair refurbished a lavish £1.3million manor house and restored its historic barn to its original condition before their recent split.
The village is steeped in history, with many homes dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries. These historic dwellings have been lovingly preserved while also incorporating modern comforts, according to The Sun.
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Return to index Best for fine dining The Muddlers Club This Michelin-starred restaurant still has a bit of a punky edge, thanks to the graffiti walls, open kitchen and the dishes (and cocktails) that arrive at the table in a cloud of smoke. The eight-course tasting menu is heavy on seasonal ingredients, like morels, wild garlic and rhubarb, and there's a full vegetarian menu available as well. The wine pairings are solid, but those aforementioned cocktails are excellent, like their smoked Old Fashioned. OX A light-filled restaurant down by the River Lagan, OX is a slick, elegant space with a Michelin star and a menu of delicate dishes packed with rich flavours, like halibut with lardo and bonito butter, or smoked veal with black garlic. Their three-course lunch menu offers great value. If you can't snag a reservation then OX Cave next door is a great consolation prize, with wines by the glass, charcuterie and cheese plates. Wine and Brine You might not expect to find a restaurant of this calibre in such a small village, but this spot lures people out from Belfast and all over Northern Ireland. The set lunch/early evening menu is incredibly good value, but there's far more variety on the expansive à la carte, with items like beef cheek beignets, brown crab on warm crumpets and fish crudo. James St With exposed brick walls, splashy artwork and simple tables, this bistro has a vaguely New York steakhouse feel. The focus is all on the food, which centres around well-sourced Northern Irish beef; the best being the sharing tomahawks or the pichana cut you'll find on the set menu. There are other dishes available, but really, this is the place to go when only a steak will do. Frae Though the space is fairly unassuming, the food they're knocking out of the kitchen here is exemplary. There's no tasting menu, but you can order a heap of nibbles and sharing plates, like gildas with punchy Young Buck blue cheese and bread with marmite butter, before tucking into larger plates like their star dish, the crispy chicken marbella with capers and olives. There's also an excellent cocktail menu. Return to index Best for walk-ins Walled City Brewery This microbrewery is set in a former barracks and blends historic features like exposed beams and industrial breezeblocks with quirky art and chandeliers made from bottles. Unsurprisingly, there's an extensive menu of their own craft beer (get a flight to taste a few options), but the food is top-quality pub grub, with chargrilled burgers, pork belly and Sunday roasts served in giant Yorkshire puddings. Established With filament light bulbs, communal tables and brushed concrete floors, you could easily dismiss this as a hipster hangout. But while they take their coffee very seriously, it's not just a place for a flat white – their brunch-centric menu features plates like garlicky mushrooms on thick wedges of sourdough or milk buns filled with Irish halloumi. Their 'pie and drip' menu changes every week, with slabs like lemon meringue or coconut cream pie on offer with classic drip coffee. Neighbourhood Café There's a calming, Nordic vibe to Neighbourhood, but the brunch menu is anything but virtuous – think French toast made with banana bread and miso caramel, or a breakfast bap stuffed with bacon, sausage, egg and smoked cheese. Their coffee is excellent, but their range of Masala chai teas (iced on a hot day) are top notch. Save space for a cereal milk-flavoured soft serve afterwards. Return to index How we choose Every restaurant in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, who has visited to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets, from neighbourhood favourites to Michelin-starred restaurants – to best suit every type of traveller's taste – and consider the food, service, best tables, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest opening and provide up to date recommendations. Return to index About our expert Nicola Brady I'm originally from Sussex, and I went on holiday to Ireland 16 years ago and never came back. While I'm now based in Dublin, I spent a decade living on the Northern Irish border and still visit regularly.
