The Sparsholt reopens with an aim to put Sparsholt on the map

The Sparsholt launches new menus with a new team

At the heart of a uniquely historic landscape is a place that moves with the seasons. An excitingly refurbished place that invites you to escape, unwind and indulge. A restaurant with rooms. A building with history. A kitchen with talent, high quality ingredients and sublime flavours. The Sparsholt is this place and we couldn’t be more excited for its reopening.

The tiny, tranquil village of Sparsholt in West Oxfordshire abuts a fascinating section of the Ridgeway – thought to be one of Britain’s oldest roads. This chalky trail, running from Avebury in Wiltshire to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire, is punctuated as it passes over the North Wessex Downs by the extraordinary Uffington White Horse, a hillside chalk carving that’s thought to be 3000 years old and is visible for miles around. Alongside it sits a Saxon hillfort.

It’s this undulating ancient landscape that serves as the inspiration for ‘The Sparsholt’ – a destination restaurant with rooms, nestled among the leafy lanes of the village.

Following an elegant refurbishment, this former country inn has recently relaunched with new menus and a fresh philosophy. Overseen by Head Chef Luke Sutton, formerly the Sous Chef at The Woodspeen, the dishes served are earthy and bursting with substance, with only the very best of the season making it to the plate.

Guests are invited to discover a reimagined classic a la carte menu, full of mouthwatering British produce, together with a brand new terrace menu comprising a selection of tasty bitesized snacks and small plates.

The seasonal terrace menu offers some magnificent summer choices, which can be enjoyed al fresco outside the front of The Sparsholt, with bucolic views of the surrounding area.

The small plates, priced at £10 each, include a delicious smoked salmon with horseradish and watercress served on lovely rye bread. The tempura asparagus with a bearnaise sauce is wonderful, with the asparagus locally sourced, impressively sized, full of crunch and lots of great flavour.

We recommend the English burrata with fennel and olive tapenade as it’s filling yet refreshing. Again, the high quality ingredients really shine through.

The favourite though, among the small plates, are the crispy Nobashi prawns with miso mayonnaise and lime. Deliciously moreish you won’t want to share any of them!

Though the small plates are generous in portion, there are ‘Large Plates’ available as well for £18. The star of this offering is undoubtedly the selection of locally cured meats, with crackers and pickles.

“People have walked the hills and valleys around Sparsholt for thousands of years,” says Chef Luke. “It’s the thought of all the stories they could tell – of trade, of travel and hospitality, of friendship and discovery – that have newly fired our imagination and the philosophy behind our menus.

“With our local and quality sourcing strategy, our approach to sustainability, and the incredible culinary moments we plan to create, it’s our hope that new stories will be told – stories that will put Sparsholt on the map.”

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