The Cotswolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), is home to sprawling landscapes, natural English gardens, centuries-old manors, charming cottages—and Michelin-starred dining.
At The Manor House in the village of Castle Combe, executive chef Robert Potter helms Bybrook restaurant. Tucked inside the main manor and overlooking its lush grounds, the spacious dining room—framed by exposed brick and timber rafters—sets the stage. Soft, ambient lighting highlights beautifully arranged flowers across the tables, but nothing can steal focus from the food.
Potter’s classic British menus tell a story of seasonality, starting right outside in the carefully tended vegetable garden and colourful orchard. This zero-mile dining yields tasting menus of impossible freshness, presented on stunning dishes that seem to bloom and orb from their gastronomic centrepieces.
In season, the menu features chalk stream trout with notes of wasabi, oyster, and roe; Jersey Royal potato with white kombu and Australian winter truffle; and a three-part Isle of Wight tomato dish with stracciatella ice cream, shaved tomatoes in Pons olive oil, and tomato water to sip. Mains might include Peterhead cod with girolles, peas, and Irish dulse or Anjou pigeon with cherry, beetroot, and truffle. For dessert, a perfectly stacked creation of 33% Opalys white chocolate and lemon verbena is finished with a pour of strawberry sauce.
Each course is something to marvel at, shared with enthusiasm, charm, and respect for Potter’s precision—dishes of outstanding natural beauty and taste. —Kim Bastian
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