In the beautiful surroundings of Stourhead, food is never far away. The restaurant provides quality local, seasonal produce.
There is also a successful farm shop run by a local tenant farmer, regular farmers’ markets, a pub / restaurant at the entrance to the garden and a productive kitchen garden.
Locally sourced produce
The Trust’s Stourhead restaurant is located in a modern, award-winning building and produces quality seasonal British food, locally sourced. Menus change according to the season and availability of local produce. Stourhead has its very own walled garden which produces seasonal vegetables and herbs, uses beef from its award-winning tenant farmer and sources as much of its produce as possible locally.
© NTPL / David Levenson
All the meats for the restaurant are from the surrounding farm land and are organic. Free range eggs come from St Martin’s Farm and all the sausages are handmade. If you like the taste when trying the menu in the restaurant you can buy the ingredients in the farm shop.
The walled garden
Our own walled garden supplies vegetables for the restaurant. Stourhead gardeners harvest beetroot, lettuce, potato, leek, squash, herbs and much more. The famous Dorset Blue Vinney and Somerset Brie are both from local suppliers 'Crook & Churn' who supply the most wonderful tasting cheeses that can be found in some of the dishes served at the restaurant.
© NTPL / David Levenson
Schools and community groups
Stourhead works with local community groups, schools, local producers and tenants in on-going partnerships and projects. The 'From Plot to Plate' initiative has been running for nearly four years. Local schools and groups such as the Amber Foundation have learned gardening skills working on small allotments in the walled garden and producing food for the farm shop and restaurant.
Among the tasty dishes on the menu at this time of the year, could be organic beef or lamb casserole. The menus change with the season and the availability of local produce. An example of the sort of dish that could be on the menu at this time of year can be found below.
A sample dish that may appear on the menu
Lamb and Apricot Pie (serves 4-6)
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg diced lamb
- 50ml veg oil
- 750g diced onions
- 125g plain flour
- 3 desertspoons tomato puree
- 250ml lamb stock
- 500g tin apricot halves
- 2 dessertspoons mint sauce
- salt and pepper
- pastry – shortcrust or puff
Method
Heat oil in large pan and fry meat until sealed.
Reduce heat and add onions and seasoning. Cook until translucent.
Add flour and tomato puree, cook 4-5 minutes. Add stock and simmer until meat is tender.
Drain and add apricots and mint sauce. Adjust seasoning.
Transfer to pie dish and top with pastry. Pinch the edges to ensure it fits tightly to the top of dish.
Brush with egg wash. Make small incisions in pastry top and cook in moderate oven (180°C) until golden brown.
Serve with seasonal vegetables.
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