Food
and drink
Mention Herefordshire and you think “cider.” Mention Ludlow and you think “one of the foodie centres of Britain.” Mention Worcestershire and you think of asparagus from the Vale of Evesham and Worcestershire Sauce.
If you love good food, you’ll love the area around Aymestrey: There are fantastic places to eat: The award-winning Riverside Inn at Aymestrey is right on our doorstep and a little further afield you’ll find fantastic tea rooms, characterful pubs, superb restaurants and even a smattering of Michelin awards. You can also visit artisan food producers and museums devoted to food and drink.
Restaurants
There are so many great places to eat around Aymestrey that we can’t possibly list them all. We must start with our “local” – just 200 yards down the road and winner of Visit England “Best Tourism Pub 2018”, The Riverside at Aymestrey is a “must visit”. We have also listed half a dozen restaurants that have excited the Michelin inspectors!
The Riverside at Aymestrey
This 16th century black and inn is run by Andy Link who is rightly proud that “everything at The Riverside is made and cooked freshly on-site, from our honey, oats and yoghurt soda bread to our lemon verbena ice cream”. It is so popular that pre-booking is vital.
The Oak Wigmore
What The Michelin Guide says: “The charming, hands-on owner spent 3 years transforming this 16C coaching inn and outbuildings into the smart, contemporary pub you see before you today. The experienced kitchen really know how to get the best out of their ingredients.”
The Stagg Inn, Titley
What The Michelin Guide says: “Deep in rural Herefordshire, at the meeting point of two drover’s roads, sits this part-medieval, part-Victorian pub. Seasonal menus offer tried-and-tested combinations; be sure to open with the home-salted crisps with vinegar dipping foam.”
The Charlton Arms
What The Michelin Guide says: “This pub sits in a commanding position on the banks of the River Teme and is owned by Claude Bosi’s brother Cedric and Cedric’s wife, Amy. Menus offer something for everyone and the carefully prepared dishes are good value and full of flavour”.
Mortimers Ludlow
What The Michelin Guide says: “A local forest gives this 16C townhouse restaurant its name. It has plenty of character, courtesy of exposed stone, sloping floors and lovely wood panelling. Concise set menus offer classically rooted dishes with a personal touch.”
Penson's
What The Michelin Guide says: “The 1,200-acre Netherwood Estate sits on the Worcestershire-Herefordshire border and plays host to this delightfully restored barn overlooking arable farmland. Old agricultural artefacts unearthed during its restoration adorn the walls and, while the interior is design-led, it also has a certain rustic charm.
As much as possible is sourced from the estate: the fabric for the napkins and chair-coverings is woven in the on-site mill; veg is grown in the kitchen garden; and apples, rapeseed oil, flour and honey all come from the grounds. The concise, daily changing menu comprises classically inspired dishes with modern overtones and an unfussy, pared-back style: flavour is to the fore, contrasts are sophisticated and there’s good balance between the courses. The delicious bread is a must and service is endearing.”
The Inn at Welland
What The Michelin Guide says: “Take in delightful views of the Malvern Hills from the charming terrace of this country inn or cosy up inside in the understated New England style dining room. Well-presented modern dishes show plenty of flair and deliver punchy flavours, and there’s a wide choice of wines by the glass.
Foody Tours And Tastings
Swan Brewery
Jimmy Swan founded Swan Brewery in Leominster in 2015. A brewer with 30 years experience, Jimmy brews by hand in small batches in a 10-barrel brewery, applying his expertise to create the very best ales following careful selection of raw materials and precisely honed recipes.
Visit his website to discover when he is running tasting days which feature a wide cask ale line up – typically 6 – complemented by cider, wine, hot and soft drinks. Food is provided by the likes of Origin Pizza, Beefy Boys, El Cerdo Verde, Miniyakis or other local street food vendors. There’s lots of outdoor, covered seating and their resident folk musicians, Richard Fleming and Friends join in to entertain in the afternoon.
White Heron Drinks
Something a little different – a British Cassis farm! Whittern Farms is where British Cassis was born and is still made today.
Whatever the time of year the tour includes a walk through the blackcurrant fields and the farm, tasting our fruits at their freshest (during the summer months only), a visit to the small Cassiserie where you will be taken through the steps of manufacture, the chance to bottle your own Cassis which you will take home with you at the end of the day, a cocktail demonstration and the chance to sample the results.
Ludlow Brewing Company
Located in a sympathetically renovated Victorian Railway shed, Ludlow Brewery has an on-site brewery tap and visitor centre. Brewery tours tell you how their multi award winning craft beer is brewed: You’ll learn more about the history of their railway shed taproom and brewery; the processes of brewing, and get to see and smell different malts, hops and see some beers fermenting.
At the end of the tour you will get to sample each of their core range of award-winning beers. Ludlow Brewery pride themselves on being a modern-day brewery offering traditional, honest ale making, while their brewery tap is a popular venue for entertainment, including live music and comedy. Brewery tours must be pre-booked.
Oliver's Cider and Perry
Oliver’s make a selection of fine Herefordshire ciders and perries with an emphasis on “balance” and “character” coupled with “drinkability”.
Based around the spontaneous ferment of selected varieties of cider apple and perry pear from fruit grown in Herefordshire, The Ciderhouse on the farm in Ocle Pychard, Herefordshire, has a wide range of ciders and perries, many exclusive to the Ciderhouse.
Museum of Cider
Learn how apples were milled and pressed and how the resulting juice was fermented to produce either fine or ‘farmhouse’ cider.
A centuries-old tradition still developing today
Chase Distillery
Chases “field to bottle” distillery is nestled deep in the Herefordshire countryside. Expert tour guides will take you through the secrets and skills that go into making Chase’s award-winning range of gin and vodka.
You’ll discover first-hand the traditional methods of mashing, fermenting and distilling their “field to bottle” spirits, which all takes place on their Herefordshire family farm. During the tour, you will enjoy; a Chase GB Gin & Tonic followed by a tutored tasting and a zesty Pink Grapefruit Gin & Tonic to finish. Afterwards, you’ll be able to browse in the distillery shop. Check the Chase website for availability.
Artistraw Cider
Walk through the orchard and learn about the work to create it, the creatures that inhabit it as well as learning all about how the cider is made.
After admiring the amazing view of the Black Mountains from the top of the hill and having a look at the fermentation rooms you will get to enjoy a small glass of three ciders.
Kerry Vale Vineyard
Kerry Vale Vineyard is a family-run business, owned by husband-and-wife team Russell and Jan Cooke. Your tour will start in the contemporary custom built visitor centre where you can observe the vineyard and beautiful surrounding countryside and hills from a bird’s eye view.
Next you will be taken on an escorted tour of the vineyard where your experienced and knowledgeable tour guide will provide an overview of the grape growing process, explain a little about the history of English wine and discuss how they harvest ready for wine making. You will also discover the secrets of the vineyard’s impressive Roman history. You will then get a tutored tasting of Kerry Vale’s wines.
Hencote Vineyard
A visit to Hencote includes a tour of the vineyard and winery to learn about the meticulous work that goes into producing every bottle of wine: Every vine at Hencote is tended by hand with the aim of allowing the wine to reflect the unique terroir of the Shropshire soil.
By following a minimal pesticide programme their goal is to allow their vineyard to flourish within its natural environment.
Wroxeter Vineyard
On the site of a Roman vineyard, your visit to Wroxeter will begin in the vineyard, where you’ll learn all about how seeds are planted, vines are trained and grapes are harvested.
You will then visit the winery where you will learn about the fermentation and bottling processes. Then it’s finally time for everyone’s favourite part – the wine-tasting! Lunch is included to soak up all that alcohol!
