Foodie Farms: A celebration of the best of British food
On a mission to celebrate the array of fantastic food produced in the UK, we’re gradually travelling across the nation to meet farmers who are strengthening the bond between food and farming by running their own pubs, kitchens and restaurants using their own produce.
It’s no secret that British farmers produce some the world’s finest food. From succulent Welsh lamb and Highland beef to the golden grains of the Lincolnshire Wolds and creamy milk from cows grazing pasture in Cheshire, our farmers are the standard-bearers for top-quality produce.
We are calling on our readers to recommend farms that supply their own eateries with home-grown meat, vegetables and dairy goods, we were continually overwhelmed by the responses.
With thorough research, we are whittling down our shortlist down the ultimate “Foodie Farms” which showcase locally produced food at its best.
They range from a cosy Dorset pub offering diners hearty and rustic meals to the modern fine dining experience at a restaurant on a Sussex farm estate, and everything in between.
See all Foodie Farms outlined below and read the full write-ups.
Make a recommendation
Do you know of a farmer-owned pub or restaurant which features quality produce from the farm on its menu? We’re always on the look out for more Foodie Farms to feature.
Send your recommendations to our Community Editor Oli Hill at oli.hill@proagrica.com.
The Foodie Farms
Woods Bar and Restaurant
© David Jones/RBI
All dishes are created using quality lamb and pork from owner and farmer Paddy Groves’ Exmoor hill farm, as well as West Country produce.
There’s a delightful selection, from light lunches, bar snacks and an evening a la carte menu with an extensive, award-winning wine list.
Address: Woods Bar and Restaurant, 4 Bank Square, Dulverton, Somerset, TA22 9BU
For bookings, call 01398 324 007 or visit the Woods Bar and Restaurant website.
The Langton Arms
© David Jones/RBI
Owned and run by Barbra Cossins, her farming family supply this beautiful 17th-century thatched pub with home-grown beef reared just a few miles down the road.
Seasonal vegetables are grown on site and most other ingredients are sourced locally.
Address: The Langton Arms, Tarrant Monkton, Near Blandford, Dorset, DT11 8RX
For bookings, call 01258 830 225 or visit the The Langton Arms website.
Hartley Farm Shop and Kitchen
© David Jones/RBI
Way more than your average farm shop café, this impressive farm diversification uses scrumptious beef, pork and vegetables produced on the family farm to create meals ranging from comforting British classics to exciting dishes with influences from around the world.
Address: Hartley Farm Shop and Kitchen, Winsley, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, BA15 2JB
For bookings, call 01225 864 948 or visit the Hartley Farm Shop and Kitchen website.
Farmer, Butcher, Chef
© David Jones/RBI
Sitting just across the road from Home Farm on the Goodwood Estate, this restaurant is proud to serve its own organic beef, lamb and pork to diners all year round.
Address: Farmer, Butcher, Chef, Goodwood Hotel, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 0QB
For bookings, call 01243 755 070 or visit the Farm, Butcher, Chef website.
Green Cow Kitchen
The low-key exterior of an old pig shed houses the delightful Green Cow restaurant.
Nestled in rolling countryside on the Herefordshire/Worcestershire border, the Green Cow is a true hidden gem serving up farm fresh dishes to treat your tastebuds in the the family farm’s former pig shed.
Address: Green Cow Kitchens, Crumplebury Farm, Whitbourne, Worcester, WR6 5SG
For bookings, call 01886 821992 or visit the website.
The Clive Arms & Ludlow Kitchen Café
Based minutes from Ludlow, this farm estate caters for hungry travellers with it’s Kitchen Café, while recently-renovated boutique inn The Clive Arms offers diners a more premium experience next door.
Address: Ludlow Farmshop, Bromfield, Ludlow, Shropshire, SY8 2JR
For Kitchen Café bookings, call 01584 856000 or visit the website. To book a table at The Clive Arms, call 01584 856565 or go to the website.
The Bison Grill, takeaway and drive-thru
© David Jones/RBI
The estate near Corwen, some 8 miles west of Llangollen has three food outlets – the Bison Grill, On the Hoof takeaway and a Drive Thru, believed to the first drive thru on a farm in the UK.
Address: Rhug Estate, Corwen, Denbighshire, LL21 0EH
For bookings and more information, call 01490 413000 or visit the website.
St David’s Kitchen
© David Jones/RBI
Set in the heart of the UK’s smallest city, St David’s Kitchen is a top destination for hyper-local quality food and drink, with the Pembrokeshire people and environment core to its mission.
Address: 16 Nun Street, St David’s, Pembrokeshire, SA62 6NS
For bookings, call 01437 720009 or visit the website.
The Queen’s Head
Charles Lowther in The Queen’s Head at Askham © Oli Hill
Cumbrian brother-and-sister team Charles Lowther and Marie-Louisa Raeburn run two charming country pubs, The George and Dragon and The Queen’s Head, and have converted Askham Hall – their childhood stately home – into a Michelin-starred restaurant.
Address: The Queen’s Head, Askham, Penrith, CA10 2PF
For bookings, call 01931 712 225 or visit the website.
The Black Swan at Oldsted
The Black Swan at Oldsted is a Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms nestled in the foothills of the North York Moors – named as the best restaurant in the world by TripAdvisor in 2017.
The offer delightfully innovative food and drinks menu, with the vast majority of ingredients harvested from the Banks’ family farm and kitchen garden.
Address: The Black Swan at Oldstead, Oldstead, York, YO61 4BL
For bookings call 01347 868387 or visit the website.
Castle Howard Estate
From left: Mike, Ben and Don Fargher © Oli Hill
Five generations of the Fargher family have been farming as tenants of the Castle Howard Estate, with Michael, his father Don and son Ben supplying beef to its various eateries and farm shop for almost two decades.
Address: Castle Howard, York, YO60 7DA
Call: 01653 648333 or visit the website.