Lords of the Manor

Lords of the Manor, folded into the Cotswold Hills near Stow-on-the-Wold, lives up to everyone’s idea of a dreamy Cotswold manor house hotel. From a foodie’s perspective, Lords stands out as Gloucestershire’s only Michelin-starred hotel. Under executive chef Richard Picard-Edwards, the superb restaurant has retained the coveted star for the eighth year and is listed in the Sunday Times’ Top 100 UK Restaurants.

The team draws heavily on classic French influences, using light touches and the best ingredients from the British Isles. On a recent visit the menu featured stand-out items such as Salisbury Plain venison, line-caught sea bass and native lobster. Dishes such as roast pork fillet, slow-cooked belly, boudin of shoulder with black pudding, mushroom, spinach and pork jus, and pot-roasted breast of pigeon illustrate the technical ability of the cooking here. A special mention should go to the puddings too – the chocolate cannelloni with toasted peanut mousse, caramelised peanuts, salted caramel and banana sorbet is divine.

Lords of the Manor isn’t an everyday restaurant – it is the perfect place for special occasions and weekends away in warm and friendly surroundings. Add sumptuous rooms and manicured gardens to the mix and it’s a recipe for bliss.