Mobile site
Stay here

Why book with us?

It pays to book with Smith.
Literally.

Find out how

Free membership

Want money back, gifts on arrival and exclusive offers?

Join now

  •  
0000007947_h

Boutique hotels

Self-catering properties

Berkshire Eating, drinking and dancing

Restaurants

(+44 (0)8000 789789)

Cerise

This formal restaurant at the Forbury hotel in Reading takes some beating. Here you’ll find Berkshire's smart set dining in a plush, subterranean setting on dishes such as slow-cooked pork belly and roast cod with seared foie gras. Good seasonal specials are always on offer, too.

26 The Forbury, Reading, Berkshire RG1 3EJ

(+44 (0)1628 780553)

Riverside Brasserie

Another Heston Blumenthal establishment, this bistro handily straddles the gap between his fine-dining Duck and tuck-inn Hind, is located in an old boathouse, and is perfect in summer. Head chef Phil Boardman whips up wry versions of Modern British dishes, throwing in a whiff of France here and a touch of Spain there – let's just say the food is fabulous.

Monkey Island Lane, Bray Marina, Bray, Berkshire SL6 2EB

(+44 (0)118 934 1788)

The Bell

This classic English restaurant is located in the ancient village of Waltham St Lawrence, near Reading, next to the church and the village pond; it’s a must-do for fans of hearty food and well-kept real ales.

The Street, Waltham St Lawrence, Reading, Berkshire,

(+44 (0)870 400 8100)

The Compleat Angler

This popular choice in Marlow (technically in Buckinghamshire) is both a refined riverside restaurant and a conservatory-style brasserie with alfresco terrace. The restaurant's roast globe artichokes are a real treat.

Marlow, Buckinghamshire SL7 1RG

(+44 (0)1628 580333)

The Fat Duck

Foodies who want to take it to the next level would do well to book ahead for this gastronomic restaurant in Bray, where chef Heston Blumenthal’s Michelin-starred eating experience takes food science to a whole new level. Forget all the 'molecular gastronomy' horror stories of snail ice cream and so on, they only make up a small part of what is a varied and overwhelmingly approachable menu. If you've seen any of his TV series, you'll understand what a labour of love each and every whimsical creation really is. Book at least six weeks in advance for weekend tables.

High Street, Bray, Berkshire SL6 2AQ

(+44 (0)1628 626151)

The Hinds Head

If you've missed out on a booking at the Fat Duck, or don't want to spend a week's salary on dinner for two, try Heston Blumenthal's excellent Tudor-style gastropub. The menu is inspired by traditional British cuisine – in some cases going back 500 years for inspiration: try dishes such as soused herrings with beetroot and horseradish; rabbit terrine; oxtail and kidney pudding and treacle tart with milk ice-cream.

High Street, Bray, Berkshire SL6 2AB

(+44 (0)1753 534790)

The Vyse Room

The Vyse Room provides a unique taste in Buckinghamshire of what those clever folk behind Hawksmoor, Green & Red and the Marquess Tavern in London are capable of. What had us swooning were the seasonal cocktails whipped up from fruit and herbs grown on these very grounds. As for the quintessentially British food, head chef Mark Bentley, formerly at Heston Blumenthal’s Hinds Head in Bray, oversees delights such as potted shrimp and roast pork.

Stoke Place Hotel, Stoke Green, Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, SL2 4HT

(+44 (0)1628 620691)

The Waterside Inn

Headed up by legendary chef Michel Roux and his son Alain, this restaurant is situated at the end of a pretty lane on the banks of the Thames and offers fine, fine, fine French cuisine. It has also held three Michelin stars for more than two decades, so book well in advance if you want a weekend table.

Ferry Road, Bray, Berkshire SL6 2AT

Cafés

(+44 (0)1753 857534)

The Crooked House of Windsor

This cute and, yes, crooked, property is steeped in history, boasting a (now sadly blocked) secret passageway to Windsor Castle, which was reputedly used for illicit trysts between King Charles II and his mistress, Nell Gwynne. The menu is a best-of-British feast of teacakes, game and poultry, and cress-with-everything sandwiches

51 High Street, Windsor SL4 1LR

(+44 (0)1753 860914)

The House on the Bridge

Overlooking the Thames and just next to Eton College, this is one of our favourite places for people-watching while indulging in some calorific cream-cake action. See if you can spot the pupils who’ll be the politicians of tomorrow, sitting with their parents and dribbling chocolate éclairs down their chins. One day, these mucky pups will be asking you to vote for them. Delightfully old-fashioned luncheon dishes include gondolas of melon and parma ham, medallions of beef, lasagne verdi and dessert selections from the trolley.

Windsor Bridge, Eton, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 6AA

  • IATA
  • Verisign Secured