Nestled next to the water with fantastic views across the water, our newly refurbished Harbour Café offers something for everyone.
View our handy Food & Drink Map with cycling route and list of places to eat
Rutland is proud of its farming and agricultural background and it is thanks to this strong tradition of supporting local produce that there is an excellent selection of quality food and drink available now, not only when eating out but also with local businesses producing delicious fare to enjoy in your own home.
Award Winning Food & Drink
Inspectors and reviewers are repeatedly impressed with the quality food offer here, with many establishments winning awards in guide books and reviewed in the national press.
The Olive Branch in Clipsham has an enviable clutch of hospitality industry honours. Crowned ‘Best Pub’ in the GQ Food & Drink Awards 2021, this year it has also been recognised as the finest gastropub in the county in the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropub Awards. Being placed in ‘The List’ is one of the pub world’s highest accolades and The Wheatsheaf in Greetham is also proud to be among the recipients of this coveted award.
The Good Pub Guide, awarded The Olive Branch ‘Pub of the Year 2021’ and also recommend these excellent Rutland pubs:
- The Grainstore Brewery, Oakham
- The Kings Arms, Wing
- The Wheatsheaf, Greetham
An AA Rosette Award is an highly sought-after accreditation for culinary excellence, awarded annually on a rising scale of one to five. Rutland is proud to have a multitude of recognised venues:
Hambleton Hall 
The Olive Branch
Lake Isle
The Kings Arms
Barnsdale Lodge
Since 1951,The Good Food Guide has reviewed the best restaurants, pubs and cafés across the UK. Each year, the guide is completely rewritten and compiled from scratch. All reviews are based on a huge volume of feedback submitted by readers, together with anonymous expert inspections to ensure that every entry is assessed afresh. Rutland boasts four entries in 2021;
The Olive Branch, Clipsham | Hitchens Barn, Oakham | Lake Isle, Uppingham | Hambleton Hall
Michelin Awards of Distinction
For top quality English elegance, it is hard to beat Hambleton Hall on the Rutland Water peninsular, it has the longest retained Michelin Star in the UK (since 1982) and appeared in The Good Food Guide’s Top 50 best UK restaurants for 29 years, it is also renowned for a quality wine list, luxury accommodation and an award winning bakery, not to mention outstanding hospitality – come and see what all the fuss is about on your next visit.
Hitchen’s Barn opened on Burley Road in Oakham in 2019 and as well as featuring in The Good Food Guide, has also been distinguished with a Bib Gourmand, an award which showcases “delightful little restaurants selected by MICHELIN guide inspectors for their very good value for money.”
Featured Listings
New for 2023, come and enjoy freshly made soup, served with our famous Sourdough; Salads, filled Focaccias and of course all of your favourite sweet treats….all in the site of the old bakery near Exton.
Bowl Everyone Over With Our Grilling Courses
Bat and Bottle are Rutland’s only specialist importers of Italian wine. Truly multum in parvo, we are winners of the Decanter Retailers Awards for Best Italian Wine Merchant, and came second for Best Subscription Wine Club, as wel as being the first ever (2020) London Wine Fair Wine Buyers Award for: UKs ‘Best Online Specialist Wine Buyer’.
Our small warehouse on Oakham Enterprise Park is packed with artisan wines – shoppers are welcome to drop in whenever we are open; we sell directly to the public and there is no minimum purchase. Our wine club was shortlisted by the IWC as one of the UK’s top two wine clubs, we have even represented UK small businesses at Downing Street… You can be assured that though serious when we buy our wines, you will never find life is too serious when you shop with us.
The 16th Century award winning picturesque freehouse “The Berkeley Arms” is located on the border between Leicestershire, Rutland, and Lincolnshire. Here we aim to provide a friendly service in a cosy, traditional village pub.
Whether a glass of wine, spirit & mixer, classic cocktail, or a draught pint – we’ve got something for you! Showcasing award winning English & World wines, as well as Champion spirits, in a comfortable atmosphere complemented by Top-Tier service.
A cosy and stylish restaurant seating up to 360 people; with an outdoor verandah that’s perfect for summer and a lovely ‘snug’ area by the wood burner in winter. It’s a warm and relaxed environment that welcomes visitors of all ages.
Hambleton Bakery on Cottesmore Road, Exton sprung into life in 2008, since then the little shop at one end of the Bakery has surpassed all of our expectations. Traditional bread, made slowly with top quality English or French stone ground flour, makes up a significant part of our output.
Baines Bakery are a small traditional family run bakers, situated in an early 17th century building in the market town of Uppingham. A true local favourite, the bakery has been passed down five consecutive generations of the Baines family and continues to produce quality bread, cakes, sandwiches and more, all of which are made on the premises.
With panoramic views of the water, waterside café is the ideal location serving breakfast and lunch, along with a wide range of delicious sweet treats to compliment the refreshment of your choice.
Start Date: 01/01/2017
Hambleton Hall, a Relais and Chateaux property, is one of Britain’s finest country house hotels. It has a spectacular lakeside setting and its restaurant is a haven for gourmets.
Set in ten acres of meadowland with a fantastic children’s play area, the Country Cafe offers a warm welcome, and delicious home made cakes.
Occupying a stunning position overlooking the picturesque Chater Valley to the east of Lyndon, the barn was rescued from near ruin and is now home to a wonderful café, with additional meeting area spaces in the extensive mezzanine floor.
Awarding Winning C17th thatched country Pub & Kitchen with lovely decked garden terrace overlooking the village church opposite.
Award winning farm shop, butchery and eatery just south of Rutland, New Lodge Farm has been owned by the Singlehurst family for over 100 years, focusing on cattle and sheep production by using traditional organic methods of farming.
The Fox Country Pub and Dining is an 18th Century Inn idyllically set in the quiet picturesque village of North Luffenham in Rutland, England’s smallest county. An attractive 18th century double fronted stone property with a local Collyweston slate roof, the building affords lots of charm and character.
