Tucked away in rural Wales, with views of the rolling hillside, The Checkers offers a space to wind down, escape from the hustle and bustle, and more importantly, eat good food. Located within the quaint town of Montgomery, Andrew Birch, formerly head chef of Gordon Ramsay’s Savoy Grill, has taken on The Checkers to bring years of experience to his own restaurant. With a focus on seasonal British produce and fine wines, The Checkers promises first-class food in an intimate and relaxed environment.
Throughout the week there are a range of set menus available to choose from, with three and six course options at lunchtime, and an eight-course dinner for guests to indulge in come the evening. Menus change with the seasons, to ensure the produce is at its best when used for each dish. Championing British produce, expect lunch dishes to make use of smoked belly bacon and black pudding, as well as there being a fallow venison tartare with chestnuts on the line-up. For dinner, think Cornish crab with ponzu and sesame, and line caught pollock with laverbread and chervil risotto. For dessert, there is the likes of vanilla custard with apple, hazelnut and white chocolate to satisfy your sweet tooth before rounding off on a cheese and chutney course.
Both the six and eight course menus are available with an additional wine flight, for an extra £40 and £50 respectively. However, if you’re looking to choose your own tipples, then there is a carefully curated wine list offering wines from across the globe. These range from Portuguese reds through to Champagnes, as well as some bottles hailing from somewhere a little closer to home. Some of the most notable ones on the list are those from Montgomery Vineyard, local to The Checkers. Pair your local dishes with local wine like the white solaris, red Rondo, or one of the sparkling options for a fully immersive experience.