Wessex – Restaurants

A French restaurant, run by award-winning Chef Germain Marquis, serving fresh ingredients in an innovative and yet traditional way.

Paris-born Germain Marquis who, from a tender age, watched his maternal grandmother cooking (Personal chef of Cartier Founder Mr Louis Cartier), was taken under the wing of his friend Alain Dutournier, an acclaimed chef in France. Whilst working with Alain he learned to appreciate and respect the authenticity of the products and shares with enthusiasm his philosophy:

"If tradition is my first source of inspiration, the simple idea to bring you some happiness is certainly the second.”

Fresh products, tradition and a pinch of novelty are at the heart of his cuisine. No extravagant presentation but rather a concentration on flavours and quality.

Located in the heart of the Test River Valley, the cuisine reflects an earthy but elegant style of country cooking. Diners are assured of a warm and friendly welcome.

The New Forest’s latest hotel, the TerraVina, is the brainchild of Gerard and Nina Basset. Gerard was one of the founders of the Hotel du Vin chain of hotels and he brings that flair for good food with great wines to this hotel, together with a relaxed modern Californian ambiance.

The hotel uses local, organically-grown lavender for the hand-made toiletries as well as eco-friendly housekeeping products, while in the kitchens, organically-grown free-range local produce is always the preferred choice. Gerard and Nina are delighted to share their venture with guests, old and new.

In addition to his restaurant expertise, Gerard is a well-recognised wine specialist. He holds Master Sommelier, Master of Wine and Wine MBA awards. In 1992 he won the Best International Sommelier for French Wines (Paris), in 1996 he won the Best Sommelier of Europe (Reims) and in the World Sommelier Championship he has finished twice 2nd in 1992 (Rio de Janeiro) and in 2004 (Athens) as well as 2nd equal in 2007 (Rhodes).

Whitley Ridge Country House Hotel and Restaurant is a former royal hunting lodge situated in beautiful secluded grounds near Brockenhurst in the heart of the New Forest. It exudes traditional elegance with a contemporary twist and offers an exquisite fusion of contemporary Michelin-rated British and French cuisine that is "simply extravagant".

Alex Aitken’s Michelin-starred Restaurant reflects both his passion for great cooking and immaculate service.

Self-taught Master Chef (and head of the family) Alex Aitken creates his own tantalizing and flamboyant recipes with flair and panache, utilising local, wild ingredients wherever possible.

The Alton Grange Hotel stands in glorious landscaped gardens and boasts two award-winning restaurants, both having distinctive styles and surroundings.

The elegant, award-winning Truffles Restaurant (2 AA Rosettes/2 RAC Dining Awards - awarded 2005) really is a treat to dine in. An exquisite setting in relaxing surroundings offering excellent Modern European cuisine and an extensive list of fine wines.

David Heath and his team in the kitchen have designed their Fine Dining menu as a dining experience which has been gained by sharing knowledge with some of the finest Chefs from around the world. Each dish has been formulated to compliment each other over the three courses, which are automatically served with appetizers to begin with and petit fours with your coffee.

‘Muffins’ offers a bright and modern feel to lighter dining, set in cool and contemporary surrounding with a fresh light ambience.

Owners Andrea and David Levene and their staff provide a warm welcome to Chaîne members.

This award wining restaurant combines the cosy ambience of a 15th century house with modern French influenced cooking.

Chef Robert Quehan’s passion for fishing is very evident in the stunning fish dishes and his search for fresh local foods provides a pleasure at every meal. Rob’s award-winning dishes are a blend of classic French cuisine using a combination of local and specialist produce from the UK and France.

"There is so much local produce we can enjoy which is of the highest quality so I always try to use it when possible." says Rob.

Because everything is freshly prepared, your dining experience is not one to be rushed and a meal can last for up to three hours.

The Dew Pond Restaurant is an award-winning 16th-century country house restaurant situated at the foot of Watership Down.

The restauirant offers two beautiful rooms, cosy lounges with original oak beams and some of the finest views of Hampshire. Their menus reflect the finest produce available, and this has been recognised by the leading food guides, as well as newspaper reviews and various television appearances.

The Dew Pond has excellent suppliers who provide their wild game, daily deliveries of fresh fish from Brixham, local farmhouse chees and correctly hung Scottish beef.

The Three Lions is a gem in the New Forest National Park. Within this beautiful setting, The Three Lions is a place in which to relax with good food and fine wine and you are assured of a friendly welcome by Mike and Jayne.

For food and wine lovers, the style of cuisine is modern British/French. Each dish is cooked personally for you by Mike. Every ingredient is treated with the utmost respect, using exact technique where balance and depth of flavour are all important.

The menu is firmly based on the best local produce which The Three Lions is lucky to have in abundance throughout the seasons.

The newly refurbished bar is stocked with Ringwood real ales, and the 150 bin wine list reflects some of the world’s best wine makers as well as some of the less well known ones.

Past visitors have included Madonna, Edward Heath, Murrey Walker, Status Quo and many other well known personalities!