Visitors enjoying a hot drink in the cafe at Stowe, Buckinghamshire — Relax with a drink after exploring the estate at Stowe | © National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra

Places to eat in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire

Whether you'd like to sit down for a hot lunch in a café or dine al fresco on your best picnic rug, there are plenty of options for you to choose from.

A mother sits with her baby at a table in the café at Stowe, Buckinghamshire, where they're eating a slice of cake.

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Eating and shopping at Stowe Gardens

Pop into the shop and plant centre for the perfect gift or plant for your garden and enjoy hot or cold drinks and food made fresh at Stowe Gardens every morning.

Inside the Conservatory Café at Cliveden, Buckinghamshire

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Eating at Cliveden

Choose from a range of refreshments at the cafes and kiosks at Cliveden fuel your visit around the estate.

Visitors in the Angkor Wat room in the cafe at Basildon Park, Berkshire

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Eating and shopping at Basildon Park

Enjoy food and drink and buy a reminder of your day out on your visit to Basildon Park. Pick up a tasty treat in the tea-room or grab a gardening must-have in the shop.

An image of two adjacent single-storey brick buildings housing the Carpenters Canteen Cafe and secondhand bookshop on the Coleshill Estate in Oxfordshire

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Eating at the Buscot and Coleshill Estates

The two estates and their villages offer convenient spots for refreshments, lunch or cream teas, a cosy country pub and a smattering of local shops.

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Eating and shopping at Claydon

Set aside some time on your visit to Claydon to head for this historic courtyard – run by Claydon Estate – to relax, shop, or to enjoy a drink or a bite to eat at the Phoenix Kitchen.

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Eating and shopping at Hughenden

Enjoy light snacks, hot meals and drinks in the café, then have a browse in the shop or pick up a bargain in the second-hand bookshop.

If you're seeking peace and quiet, or somewhere the family can get together in the great outdoors, here are some great picnic locations with picturesque backdrops.

The Palladian Bridge at Stowe, Buckinghamshire, spanning the Octagon Lake which is created to look like a river. The arches of the bridge are reflected in the water with a backdrop of green trees. It is one of only four Palladian Bridges in the world and the only one which allowed a carriage to be driven over.

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Stowe Gardens

Meadows and lakes await you at Stowe. Picnic with the grand house at your back, overlooking Octagon Lake.

The parterre in spring with Hughenden Manor in the background, Hughenden, Buckinghamshire

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Hughenden

There are picnic benches in Hughenden’s orchard, or venture to the east slope for far-reaching views over the ha-ha, and across Hughenden valley and the Chiltern Hills.

The Parterre Garden at Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire, with flowerbeds and the chateau-style house in the background

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Waddesdon

The most popular place for picnics at Waddesdon is below the Parterre, but there are plenty of quieter spots with shade and magnificent views of the surrounding countryside.

View of a water garden with autumnal trees, lake, and an ornate roofed seating area

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Cliveden

Cliveden has a wealth of picnic spots. The Water Garden is a picturesque, family-friendly space to picnic on benches. Or take in the view on benches by the river.

The house seen from the parkland at Basildon Park, Berkshire

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Basildon Park

The lawn in front of the mansion has been the chosen picnic spot for Basildon Park's residents for generations. Or for a quieter picnic, find a bench nestled in the sheltered woodland.

Visitors in the garden at Greys Court, Oxfordshire

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Greys Court

There are some lovely picnic spots at Greys Court. Just bring a rug and throw it down under the oak trees. Or, for a picnic with a view, the lower lawn is a favourite spot.

Exterior of the Mill at Coleshill, Oxfordshire. A small, three-storey watermill with two pairs of millstones, and machinery from the 18th and 19th centuries

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Coleshill Village and Parkland

The rolling countryside of West Oxfordshire is ideal for walking and picnics. Why not take a stroll around Coleshill Village and into the parkland?

An aerial view above White Horse Hill, with a group of volunteers visible, re-chalking the bronze-age white horse on top of the hill.

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White Horse Hill

White Horse Hill has to be one of the best viewpoints for a picnic in the whole of the South of England. Pack a kite and some windproof clothes, as it can be breezy.