Restaurants with rooms are having a revival. In their earliest form they were Roadside Inns, accommodating peasants and farmers en route to or from the urban markets; today, they’re an expert display of world-class hospitality. Following the shift from material to experiences, a new wave of fine restaurants come with adjoining rooms, treating guests to a welcoming, and maybe slightly more luxurious, home-away-from-home. Scattered across the world, these are the places you should be wining, dining, and slumbering.
Restaurante Garzón
Uruguay
Garzón, a small sleepy village at the southeastern edge of Uruguay, is the most unsuspecting of locations for fine dining. Home to fewer than 200 inhabitants, the languished town has become a culinary destination thanks to celebrated Argentinean chef, Francis Mallmann. Known for bringing exceptional fare to unexpected locations, Mallman opened the doors to Restaurante Garzón in 2003, and with it, brought a loyal following of dedicated foodies to the dirt-road, pasture-rich town. The menu alone—which uses regional products, Atlantic fish and ingredients grown from the onsite garden—is worth travelling for. The five guest rooms occupy the Garzón town’s old general store, and serve as an ode to a bygone age and the country’s colonial heritage. Promising utter relaxation, expect king-size beds, private bathrooms and cosy fireplaces. The adjoining Casa Anna also has additional rooms, plus a large garden and outdoor swimming pool.
The Pig, at Combe
Honiton, England
Like all Pig hotels (to date there are five, with at least three more in the pipeline), the kitchen garden and restaurant is at the heart of The Pig at Combe. Set amidst 3,500 acres of verdant Devonshire countryside, it takes advantage of its privileged location to serve up some of the region’s finest fare. Dedicated to sourcing ingredients either onsite or no further than a 25-mile radius, the menu features fresh fish, local meats, and the best Devonshire cheese; there’s even a dedicated section of the menu showcasing ingredients ‘Mostly Picked This Morning’. Guests can then recline and relax in the rural retreat’s guest rooms. Totaling 30, with 17 in the main house and 10 in the converted stables and coach houses, they’re homely, charming, luxurious and well-appointed with 17th century furnishings, freestanding bathtubs, original panelling, and vintage ornaments.
Brae
Birregurra, Australia
A few hours south of Melbourne, Brae Restaurant (brae fittingly means a hillside; a slope) sits on the hillside of a 30-acre organic farm. Conceived by award-winning chef Dan Hunter, who worked his way around the globe before opening the doors to this venture in 2013, it is quickly becoming one of Australia’s best restaurants. Working alongside restaurant manager Simon Freeman—an expert in all things food, wine and hospitality—the pair dish up an ever-changing menu with ingredients grown onsite and at nearby ethical farms. Steps from the dining room are the six open-plan suites which are equal parts rustic and contemporary. Features include red brick walls, panoramic windows and artisanal finishes; they’re also testament to Hunter’s pursuit for sustainability with the use of recycled materials, solar energy, and harvested rainwater.
Lympstone Manor
Exmouth, England
Set at the edge of Exe estuary with striking views of the Devon hills, Lympstone Manor beckons those with a sensibility for world-class accommodation, fine food and wine. Hallmark to a stay is the Michelin-starred culinary journey, which takes place alongside the guest rooms in a historic Grade II listed Georgian mansion. Set across three individually styled dining rooms, head chef Michael Caines treats British cuisine with an innovative touch. As expected, the ingredients are as fresh as possible, changing with the seasons and can be enjoyed by way of an à la carte menu, estuary tasting menu and the signature eight-course tasting menu. Diners can then seek slumber in one of the manor’s 21 luxurious rooms. Named after, and with colour palettes mimicking that of the birds at the neighbouring estuary, the accommodations embody quintessential English charm.
The Three Chimneys
Isle of Skye, Scotland
Named UK Restaurant of the Year 2018 by The Good Food Guide, this hidden gem has been busy making waves in the world of cuisine since opening in the 1980’s. It’s set mere metres from a loch, framed by endless rural grandeur, and is deservedly one of the country’s most famous restaurants. The kitchen, with head chef Scott Davies at the helm, expertly create dishes that reflect the country’s heritage and ancient Nordic connections; think Loch Harport oyster, Dunvegan Dressed Crab and Langoustines, and of course, the signature Three Chimney’s Marmalade Pudding with Drambuie custard. Right next door to the restaurant is the House Over-By, which features six junior suites with romantic interiors for an idyllic countryside stay. They boast uninterrupted views of the sea and are expertly appointed with separate sitting areas, en-suite bathrooms, complimentary fresh fruit, homemade shortbread, DVDs, books, games and more.
Black Swan Oldstead
Oldstead, England
Nestled amidst narrow tree-lined roads in a quaint cottage building, the family-run Black Swan Oldstead promises a culinary journey like no other. Inundated with reservations since winning the prestigious accolade of TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Best Fine Dining Restaurant in the World 2017, if you plan on visiting this local village pub, plan ahead and book early. Doing away with formalities so synonymous with fine dining, Black Swan takes a laidback approach, serving imaginative dishes reflective of Oldstead in a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere. The Kitchen, led by Tommy Banks (who also happens to be the youngest British chef to ever win a Michelin star) uses the best of locally farmed, foraged, and grown ingredients in an inspired, daily-changing tasting menu. For guests staying overnight there’s a total of nine rooms: four in the pub, and five in a restored Georgian home up the road, adorned with classic furnishings and five-star amenities.
La Bastide De Moustiers
Provence, France
Opened in 1994 by acclaimed French chef Alain Ducasse, this endearing home at the heart of the Alpes de Haute-Provence region is a celebration of fine food, wine, and hospitality. Fringed by lavender bushes, olive groves, limestone cliffs and lush fields, the foodie hideaway once sat abandoned until Ducasse took over and restored the property into a charming home-away-from-home. The kitchen, tiny but mighty, upholds a garden to plate philosophy with fresh ingredients sourced from the onsite vegetable garden, and respectfully prepared and served to match the rhythm of the seasons. The guest rooms, which vary slightly in size and features, are the work of Ducasse and interior designer Tonio Peyrot, who worked together to create cosy settings characterised by 17th-century accents and natural materials.