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The UK summer dining spots tourists don’t know about

From al fresco Midsummer feasts beneath the stars, to cheerful seaside festivals, here are 21 alternative summer dining spots across the UK to enjoy a taste of the season

SOUTH

Hidden Hut Feast Nights, Cornwall

These outdoor feasts allow guests to enjoy freshly cooked seafood out in the fresh sea air surrounded by idyllic coastal scenery. The events take place above a remote cove near the Cornish fishing village of Portscatho. These wood-fired “bring your own plate” gatherings foster a cosy, campfire vibe, focusing on one key dish centered around local and seasonal produce. hiddenhut.co.uk

Date: Multiple

Price: From £18

Where to stay: Plume of Feathers B&B has triple rooms from £175, plumeoffeathers-roseland.com

WildKitchen x Carousel, Wiltshire

WildKitchen and Carousel are collaborating on a rural dining experience (Photo: Carousel)
WildKitchen and Carousel are collaborating on a rural dining experience (Photo: Carousel)

Guy Ritchie is inviting a limited number of diners to green expanse of his rural Wiltshire estate to enjoy menus presented by an impressive roster of selected guest chefs. The 18-seater al fresco chef’s tables feature a set menu of courses cooked exclusively over fire. There is also availability for some guests to spend the night at the homely renovated farmhouse. carousel-london.com

Date: Multiple

Price: Set menu £175.

Where to stay: Overnight stay on the estate and set menu from £350. The Grosvenor Arms has double rooms from £155. grosvenorarmshindon.com

Little Prawn, Cornwall

Little Prawn is in the heart of Padstow (Photo: Gemma Shapcott)
Little Prawn is in the heart of Padstow (Photo: Gemma Shapcott)

Katie and Rick Toogood, the team behind much-loved Prawn on the Lawn and Barnaby’s are back with another Cornwall summertime pop-up. The casual seafood bar is in the heart of Padstow, offering a daily changing menu of small plates using freshly caught produce and infusing Mediterranean and Asian flavours. Still a working harbour, the seaside town is a foodie hotspot surrounded by sandy beaches and the beautiful Camel estuary. Little Prawn

Date: June – October 2024

Price: A la carte from £12

Where to stay: The London Inn has double rooms from £123. londoninnpadstow.co.uk

New Forest Food Festival, Hampshire

New this year, the New Forest Food Festival will bring together the leafy region’s artisan producers and local and international chefs to celebrate its food heritage. Expect pop-up eateries offering fresh food from Buddha bowls to hearty spit roasts, artisan food and craft markets, bars, live music and cookery demonstrations. The Outdoor Learning Company will be hosting free educational activities for children. newforestfoodfestival.co.uk

Date: 17-18 August 2024

Price: Adults £8 online, £10 on the door. Under-16s free.

Where to stay: The Retreat New Forest has double rooms from £248 for two nights (minimum stay). theretreatnewforest.co.uk

Wild Feasts at Oxmoor Farm, Buckinghamshire

Oxmoor Farm invites the next generation of culinary talent to feed guests (Photo: Domi Rad)
Oxmoor Farm invites the next generation of culinary talent to feed guests (Photo: Domi Rad)

This rural supper club series gives a rotating line-up of talented chefs a beautifully bucolic platform in the ancient woodlands of Chiltern Hills to demonstrate their skills and creativity, with menus that draw from the natural bounty of the local area. oxmoorfarm.co.uk

Date: Multiple

Price: Set menu £77

Where to stay: The George and Dragon Hotel have double rooms from £60. georgeanddragonhotel.com

Crossip X Bingham Riverhouse Summer Supper Club, London

Riverhouse’s Head Chef Vanessa Marx will be serving a summery 5 course set menu paired with cocktail flights mixed using Crossip’s premium non-alcoholic spirits. The restored Georgian townhouse sits on the green banks of Richmond with lovely views overlooking the Thames. binghamriverhouse.com

Date: 11th July 2024

Price: Members £75, non-members £85

Where to stay: The Bingham Riverhouse has double rooms from £193. binghamriverhouse.com

Lymington Seafood Festival, Hampshire

Enjoy fresh seafood at Lymington Seafood Festival (Photo: Lymington Seafood Festival)
Enjoy fresh seafood at Lymington Seafood Festival (Photo: Lymington Seafood Festival)

Celebrating the picturesque coastal town of Lymington and its connections with the sea, the festival will be lined with over 80 stalls offering all manner of seafood delicacies and local craft beers, sparkling wines and gin. Vegetarians and vegans will also be catered for. The chef’s stage hosted by Chris Bavin will showcase local culinary talent and there will be a cookery school for budding chefs – adults and children alike. lymingtonseafoodfestival.co.uk

Date: 12-14 July 2024

Price: Adults £10, children £3. Masterclasses £45 for adults, £25 for children

Where to stay: The South Lawn Hotel has double rooms from £166. southlawnhotel.co.uk

Waddesdon Chilli Fest, Buckinghamshire

The festival takes place in the gardens of Waddeson Manor
The festival takes place in the gardens of Waddeson Manor

One for the heat lovers – this annual chilli festival takes place in gardens of Waddesdon Manor. The exhibitors will be a mix of favourite national independents and local producers. Offering much more than just chillis, stalls range from barbecue to cheeses to sweets and baked goods. Throughout the weekend there will be live music and performances for children. Visitors can also explore the Manor’s colourful gardens. waddesdon.org.uk

Date: 30 August-1 Sept

Price: Adults £19.50, children £10.50

Where to stay: The Lion has double rooms from £110. thelionwaddesdon.co.uk

Dine in the Vines at Wiston Estate, West Sussex

Tucked away within the South Downs, Wiston Estate Winery is hosting a one-off summer dinner within the lush pastures of their original vineyard. Diners will be treated to drinks and canapés in the vineyard, ahead of an open-air three-course sit-down dinner on long fete-style thistle tables under a stretch tent. wistonestate.com

Date: 10 August 2024

Price: £85 without wine, £130 with wine

Where to stay: The Village House Coaching Inn has double rooms from £110. villagehousefindon.co.uk

MIDLANDS

Richard Corrigan at Wilderness Festival, Oxfordshire

Chef Richard Corrigan will host a lunch and dinner banquet as part of the foodie line-up at Wilderness Festival in Oxfordshire. His menu will reflect his championing of British and Irish produce from independent suppliers. wildernessfestival.com

Date: 2 August 2024

Price: £120 (table wine included). Attendees must have a Wilderness Festival weekend ticket.

Where to stay: Wilderness Festival is a residential festival. Camping available from £600 for 3 persons.

Social Supperclub at Wilderness Festival, Oxfordshire

Top chefs Mike Davies (The Camberwell Arms), Lasse Petersen (Lulu’s) and Patrick Williams (Kudu) will join forces with prison leavers employed by Social Pantry to prepare a borderless feast for Wilderness Festivalgoers. This will be the 5th supperclub from Social Pantry since the initiative, which gives prison leavers the opportunity to work alongside industry leaders and get kitchen experience, began in 2018. wildernessfestival.com

Date: 1 August 2024

Price: £80. Note attendees must have a Wilderness Festival weekend ticket.

Where to stay: Wilderness Festival is a residential festival. Camping available from £600 for three people.

EAST

North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival

Taking place in the Walled Garden of Holkham Hall, the festival celebrates the abundance of Norfolk’s agricultural produce. Treats for sale range from fresh meat and vegetables to cakes and confectionery and artisan beer. Activities for children include face painting and storytelling, and local chefs will teach a trick or two at the cookery theatre. northnorfolkfoodfestival.co.uk

Date: 31 August – 1 September 2024

Price: Free entry

Where to stay: The Globe Inn has double rooms from £115. theglobeatwells.co.uk

Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival 

The Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival promotes regional producers (Photo: Alexander Ward)

Set within Snape Maltings, besides the River Alde and surrounded by the National Landscape near the Suffolk coast, the festival showcases Suffolk’s emerging and established food businesses. Live cookery demonstrations on the main stage will include a line-up of local and celebrity chefs such as Michelin starred chef Tom Aikens. A Seafood Stage will celebrate fresh seafood caught and prepared on the East Coast. The Family Area will run a schedule of hands-on cookery and craft activities for children. There are also celebrity chef masterclasses for up to 15 participants available for booking. aldeburghfoodanddrink.co.uk

Date: 28-29 September 2024

Price: Adults from £12, under 16 free. Masterclasses £40.

Where to stay: The White Lion has double rooms from £132. whitelion.co.uk

NORTH

Seaham Food Festival, Co Durham

Seaham Food Festival takes place on the shore of the lively harbour town (Photo: Durham County Council)
Seaham Food Festival takes place across the lively harbour town (Photo: Durham County Council)

Set in the seaside town above the jagged cliffs of Durham’s coastline, the festival brings together local traders and producers to showcase the best of the region’s foodie offering. This year, for the first time, there will be a live music stage. As well as indulging in the wide range of treats available, from Armenian fare to Grasmere gingerbread, visitors can enjoy demonstrations from TV chefs such as Rosemary Shrager, and take in the scenic views of the coastal path. seahamfoodfestival.co.uk

Date: 3-4 August 2024

Price: Free entry

Where to stay: The Seaton Lane Inn has double rooms from £157. inncollectiongroup.com

Maryport Taste of the Sea, Cumbria

A family day out in Maryport’s town centre and harbourside with plenty to keep everyone entertained, from cookery demonstrations, a producer’s market and activities for children. Located on the Solway Estuary close to the Lake District, Maryport offers bracing coastal walks, quaint boutiques, lively pubs and attractions celebrating the town’s maritime heritage, such as the Maritime Museum. visitallerdale.co.uk

Date 10-11 August 2024

Price: Most attractions free, a limited number of events will be ticketed

Where to stay: The Golden Lion Hotel has double room from £110. thegoldenlionhotel.org.uk

WALES

Bert’s Kitchen Garden Summer Supper Clubs, Gwynedd

Bert's Kitchen Garden is in the green Lyn Peninsula of North Wales (Photo: Bert's Kitchen Garden)
Bert’s Kitchen Garden is in the green Lyn Peninsula of North Wales (Photo: Bert’s Kitchen Garden)

This summer supper club series is located on the family run Bert’s Kitchen Garden, a coastal woodland campsite on the stunning Lyn Peninsula of North Wales. Guests can also choose to stay on the surrounding campsite, a short stroll from the beach and with sweeping views of the mountains. bertskg.com

Date: Multiple

Price: £60

Where to stay: Camping pitches are available on site from £75 for up to 5 guests. Luxury woodland huts for 2 available from £145 per night (minimum 2-night stay).

Nos Gwyl Ifan at Hawarden Estate, Deeside 

Get your skates on – this Midsummer Night’s feast takes place on Saturday in the courtyard of the farm shop on the stately Hawarden Estate. After dinner, there will be live performances from fire artists to keep the bonfire spirit going. An ancient parish village at the gateway to Wales, Hawarden is an ideal base for exploring the leafy woodlands of North Wales. hawardenestate.co.uk

Date: 22 June 2024

Price: Set menu £45

Where to stay: Northop Hall Hotel has double rooms from £84. northophallhotel.com

SCOTLAND

Stranraer Oyster Festival, Dumfries and Galloway

Stranraer Oyster Festival celebrates Loch Ryan oysters (Photo: Colin Hattersley)
Stranraer Oyster Festival celebrates Loch Ran oysters (Photo: Colin Hattersley)

Celebrating Scotland’s last remaining wild and native oyster bed, the festival hosts the Scottish Oyster Shucking Championships. An entertainment marquee will provide live music throughout the weekend, and alongside multiple food stalls you can pick up fresh Loch Ryan oysters from the huge oyster bar. Visitors to Stranraer can also take part in activities ranging from water sports, to visiting heritage sights such as Castle Kennedy or the Mediterranean-style Killantringan Lighthouse. stranraeroysterfestival.com

Date: 13-15 September 2024

Price: Adults from £8, concessions £6, children 11 and under free

Where to stay: The Royal Hotel Stranraer has double rooms from £65. Book via booking.com.

Seed Store Restaurant, Glen Dye, Aberdeenshire

New this year at Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages, a private holiday homes estate comprising 15,000 acres of rolling woodland, is the Seed Store pop-up restaurant. Glen Dye chefs will run the 12-cover restaurant across select weekends showcasing local and foraged ingredients. Acclaimed chef and food writer Romy Gill will launch the restaurant on 11 July with a fusion of Indian-inspired flavours and Scottish produce. Guests at Glen Dye can enjoy wild swimming the Dye River or walks towards summit of Clachnaben. glendyecabinsandcottages.com

Date: Multiple dates between 11 July – 7 September 2024

Price: Set menu £69

Where to stay: a night’s stay at Glen Dye starts from £49 for a camping pitch, £175 for a B&B room in The Coach House, or £275 for a holiday cottage.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Woodland Supper, Armagh

As part of the annual Armagh Food & Cider Weekend bringing together over 50 foodie events between the 5 and 8 September, the Chapman Family is hosting a one-off woodland supper in their garden at the Old Game Keeper’s House, beside Gosford Forest Park. Guests will be fed dishes cooked over applewood in the outdoor kitchen fire pit, and seasoned with foraged ingredients under a decorated stretch tent. armagh-navancentre.ticketsolve.com ; visitarmagh.com

Date: 6 September 2024

Price: Set menu £60

Where to stay: Hillview Lodge has double rooms from £94. katestravelexperience.eu

Farm to Fork Supper Club, Ballycastle

This August and September Broughgammon Farm in Ballycastle will host supper clubs showcasing the best of late summer produce. Dinner is served in the renovated round top barn, and uses ingredients grown, reared, and prepared on the farm. Nestled between Giant’s Causeway and Ballintoy Harbour within County Antrim north coast countryside, the sustainable farm also offers tasting tours, workshops and foraging walks

Date: 31 August 2024 and 28 September 2024

Price: Set menu £49

Where to stay: Maghernahar House B&B has double rooms from £120. Book via booking.com

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