Thornbury Castle near Bristol has been described as 'pretty as a picture' in a recent review from UK renowned inspectors. The historic restaurant and hotel has been praised for its 'precisely constructed, intricate and elegant modern British dishes' in the AA Guide 2023.
AA's Rated Trips is much like the Michelin Guide whereby a team of critics - or inspectors as they call them - visit restaurants, pubs and hotels around the country. The popular wedding venue in Thornbury has been awarded three rosettes out of a possible five making it the only venue in the Bristol area to receive this accolade.
Both the food and the setting at Thornbury Castle were described as 'solidly impressive and pretty as a picture' by the AA inspector. Weekend service is almost completely booked until the end of March, offering a afternoon tea from £35, three courses a la carte for £78 or the renowned seasonal six-course tasting menu for £92 per head that all champion British ingredients.
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The AA guide inspectors said: "The very splendid Thornbury Castle (it has some of the fanciest windows you’ll ever see in your life, and fantastically twisty chimney pots) is an extremely impressive setting for equally impressive cooking. You won’t find many more dramatically Tudor buildings where you can eat your dinner, that’s for sure.
"Henry VIII, Sir Lawrence Oliver and Sophia Loren have all tucked into something delicious here and it would be rude not to follow them. Choose from a three-course à la carte or the six-course tasting menu, offering precisely constructed, intricate and elegant modern British dishes of a very high standard."
Executive Chef Carl Cleghorn has worked at Thornbury Castle since 2020 and is delighted with this recognition. “Words cannot describe how thrilled I am of being awarded three AA Rosette," he said.
"I’m extremely proud of the hard work and dedication my whole team back and front of house have put in over the past 12 months and to achieve this accolade is a great privilege. We are lucky to work with the best local suppliers and incorporate some of our homegrown produce from our kitchen garden to create exceptional dishes that highlight the seasons.”
Hotel general manager Simone Arcucci said he was delighted with this achievement, the culmination of a two-year vision at Thornbury Castle. The hotel is now hoping to welcome new guests and discerning food lovers looking for a truly unique experience, combining Tudor History and a love of food and wine.
The hotel was also featured in The Times 100 Best Places to Stay in Britain for 2023 and named as winners of the ‘Best Romantic Hotel’.
Thornbury Castle, Castle St, Thornbury, Gloucestershire, BS35 1HH.
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