THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN THE NOTSWOLDS, FOR FOODIES ON A BUDGET

The early months of the year can be a great time to eat out. Winter deals and set lunches make it possible to work your way through some of the Notswolds’ most celebrated restaurants for less, ideal for foodies on a budget. Think of this as a self-guided food tour, a good excuse to beat the January blues and finally tick off the tables you’ve been meaning to try.

From Michelin-starred lunches for under £50 to some of the region’s most exciting recent openings, this is our guide to the best winter offers across the Notswolds right now.

Where we’re eating this month

HITCHENS BARN Oakham

Set in the heart of Oakham, Hitchen’s Barn is a multi award-winning restaurant known for its modern British cooking and strong focus on locally sourced produce.
Lunch for Even Less
Two courses £24, third course £4
13 January - 28 March
Tue-Sat (excluding Valentines Day)
Telephone bookings only

HITCHENS BARN
HAMBLETON HALL Hambleton

Set on a peninsula overlooking Rutland Water, the renowned hotel and restaurant is celebrated for its elegant Michelin-starred cuisine, attentive service and four decades of ownership by Tim and Stefa Hart.

Lunch for Even Less
Two course £49.50, third course £13.50

5 January - 27 February
Mon-Fri lunch

HAMBLETON HALL
THE OLIVE BRANCH Clipsham

A much-loved, award-winning village inn known for its friendly, knowledgeable staff and thoughtful cooking. Local ingredients sit at the heart of the menu, with a modern touch giving classic pub dishes a lighter, more contemporary feel
Lunch for Even Less
Two courses £29.50, third course £7.50

7 January- 28 March
Wed-Sat (excluding Valentines Day)

THE OLIVE BRANCH
THE SUN INN Great Easton

Set in the heart of the Welland Valley, this welcoming pub offers open fires, and simple, well-executed food made with local produce. A thoughtful field-to-fork approach underpins the cooking, with much of the meat sourced from the restaurant’s own farm in Great Easton.
Lunch for even less
Two courses £26 third course £6

7 January - 2 April
Wed-Sat lunch (including Valentines Day)

THE SUN INN
LANGAR HALL Langar

Set at the end of an avenue of lime trees, Langar Hall is a quietly eccentric country house hotel and restaurant. Created from a family home, it pairs the warmth of a home from home with a kitchen that has championed local produce for decades.
Lunch for even less
Two courses £29.50, third course £5.50
2 January - 27 March
Thu-Fri lunch

LANGAR HALL
FERN Uppingham

Fern is a seasonal restaurant rooted in Rutland, serving ingredient-led small plates alongside organic wines and British aperitifs. Opened last year in The Falcon Hotel, it brings a fresh, confident voice to the local dining scene.
The Good Food Guide Restaurant Month
13 January - 13 February
Two plates and a glass of Balfour Winery Sparkling Brut £24
Tue-Sun, lunch and dinner

FERN UPPINGHAM
MILLY'S BISTRO Stamford

A neighbourhood bistro and lounge at the heart of The William Cecil in Stamford. Milly’s serves season, plates using carefully sourced ingredients and wines chosen to match.
The Good Food Guide Restaurant Month
13 January - 13 February
Two courses £22
Mon-Sat, lunch and dinner

MILLY'S BISTRO
THE BULL AND SWAN Stamford

A traditional English inn on the Burghley Estate, in Stamford. Much of the menu is guided by the kitchen garden, bringing a strong sense of place to the table.
The Good Food Guide Restaurant Month
13 January - 13 February
Two courses £19
Mon-Sat, lunch and dinner

THE BULL AND SWAN