You might know Coworth Park as, famously, the only UK hotel to have its own stables and polo field, or as host to Prince Harry’s pre-wedding night. In recent years it has also developed a serious foodie reputation thanks to chef Adam Smith - a Roux Scholar and protege of legendary chef John Williams at The Ritz.
Smith has held a Michelin star at the hotel for years, but Woven is a big relaunch for the restaurant (previously Restaurant Coworth Park) and now, Smith has his name on the door. The restaurant has been beautifully redesigned, in a surprisingly modern way given that Coworth Park is part of the traditionally opulent Dorchester Collection. Woven is much more restrained - gaze through into the main dining room and you’ll see sleek black floor lamps swinging a high orbit over round tables and low-slung armchairs, and a series of loom-like weaves stretching across the ceiling at jaunty angles. Then there’s the light-filled conservatory, complete with views across the beautiful Berkshire hills - a gorgeous, sunny spot for summer months.
A waft of good cheese greets us from the pantry as we enter - one of many areas where Smith shows great appreciation for British produce. The menu is cleverly assembled so you choose a starter, main and dessert from three options, and the rest of the meal is delivered in impossibly beautiful snacks. Smith’s Ritz background comes to the fore in lux treats like a one-bite caviar tart, but there’s also ingenuity in morsels like a spoon of avocado, basil and yuzu with little puffs of quinoa for some crunch.
If there’s a dish that sums up Woven best it’s Smith’s signature combo of turbot, lobster, truffle and baby leeks, swaddled in a foamy Champagne sauce and topped with caviar for good measure. For those who enjoy life’s finer things, this one takes some beating, and it was all the better washed down by buttery Danbury Ridge Chardonnay. All that without mentioning what might be the best bread course in the country - Old Winchester croissants, superb sourdough, glazed Parker House rolls and more, served with lobster oil, pumpkin seed butter and more besides.
Service is well measured too, friendly and attentive at all times, contributing to what is an exceptional from start to finish. Woven could be mistaken for being a simple refurb and menu overhaul, but it is so much more - a sparkling new restaurant for a chef who is firmly in the UK’s very highest echelons.