Mallard Point is a family-run Single Estate Vineyard and Distillery located in Essendine, Rutland, offering tours and creating a range of local gins and still and sparkling wines.
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 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
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
Discover the Charm of The Falcon Hotel
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.
Founded in 1994, The Grainstore Brewery was formed through the collaboration of two friends, Tony Davis formally Head Brewer and Production Director at Ruddles Brewery and Mike Davies of Davro Fabrication. With Tony’s 30 years of brewing experience behind them, and Mike’s engineering and steel fabrication expertise at their disposal, the two set to work on a derelict Victorian grain store situated next to Oakham Railway Station.
Enjoy local, seasonal produce in beautiful surroundings. The Orangery Restaurant serves locally sourced dishes throughout the day, including delicious breakfasts, a seasonal lunch menu and luxury afternoon teas.
Bat and Bottle are Rutland’s only specialist importers of Italian wine. Truly multum in parvo, we wear Decanter’s Retailers Awards title for Best Italian Wine Merchant, and runner up Best Subscription Wine Club , as well as having been awarded the inaugural (2020) London Wine Fair Wine Buyers Award for: ‘Best Online Specialist Wine Buyer’. We have even represented UK small businesses at Downing Street…
Our small warehouse on Oakham Enterprise Park is packed with artisan italian wines – shoppers are welcome to drop in whenever we are open; we sell directly to the public and there is no minimum purchase.
Inspired by the Rutland county motto Multum-in-Parvo or Much-in-Little, we designed a range of Gins to capture the essence of this wonderful area. Using ingredients that have been sourced locally, we’ve come up with some beautiful and unique gin flavours that we hope you enjoy as much as we do.
A single site vineyard in between two valleys located on Jurassic limestone soil.
Nestled next to the water with fantastic views across the water, our newly refurbished Harbour Café offers something for everyone.
Fresh quality ingredients, an excellent dining space and exceptional service. Come and visit Sarpech, Rutland’s wine bar and fine dining restaurant with an Indian flavour in the heart of Oakham.
The George Inn has been a feature of Oakham’s historic marketplace since the late 16th century. Bought in 2022, the new owners are lovingly restoring this cosy coaching inn to its former glory, and invite you to drop by for a meal, coffee or an evening drink:
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 place to buy your luxury foods and indulgent treats, making it a top destination for foodies!
Our Aperitifs – we’re bringing aperitifs back in a big way and stocking only British ones. These are the base for our cocktail list too.
A multi award winning restaurant in the heart of Oakham.
The perfect pit-stop if you’re heading north on the A1 between Stamford and Grantham, boasting a crowd-pleasing menu of all day breakfast, burgers, kids’ favourites and plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options.
