LifecanbetoffDaylesford Organic is perhaps one of the most famous farm shops in Britain. At least, it was pre-Diddly Squat, if not the most famous it is Britain’s poshest by far! But, Daylesford has been a longstanding resident of the Cotswolds and since its beginnings has grown into more than just a farm shop. It’s a destination. With the Cotswolds location selling more than just fresh organic fruit and veg, meat and chutney’s it now sells clothes, homeware, gardening equipment and runs a number of cookery workshops and a wellness retreat. There are even Daylesford Organic locations in London.
I’m surprised it’s taken me so long to visit it to be honest. But a recent invitation to try the menu at the Trough at Daylesford Organic, gave us the opportunity to see if it was worth the hype.
If you’re familiar with Daylesford, then you’re probably aware of it being a bit of a hot spot, with customers including famous Cotswold residents the Beckhams and Jeremy Clarkson (pre Diddly-Squat but the inspiration can be linked back to Jeremy’s visits to Daylesford!) and it is rumoured to be somewhat pricy.
Our visit to Daylesford Organic
We visited in early September, it was my birthday and I was also starting a new job. So a meal out at the delightful Daylesford Organic seemed like a perfect way to celebrate.
The setting
The Trough is located through the front of the store, navigating through the neatly presented vegetables and past the butchers counter to get into the restaurant. With gardens either side, delightful bar and seating areas. It’s thoughtfully decorated, light and airy with natural stone and wood features, it is not overly cluttered, and has a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
Of course we arrived whilst it was still light, but were lucky enough to stay until after the sun had set. The candles glowed and the fairy lights outside twinkled. I’m sure had there been anyone outside using the tables, that the garden burners would have been warming the night air.
We were seated at a table overlooking the garden and with a great view of the chef’s working hard creating the food. We didn’t feel crammed in alongside any other diners, and there was a nice hubbub of activity to allow us to do a spot of people watching.
The service
After some initial confusion over our booking, we were treated to some excellent service. The staff really helpful when asked questions about the menu and were sure to request any allergies.
It was a top class service with seemingly no customer demand too much to cater to. It wasn’t a massively busy night in the restaurant, although there were other functions going on in one of the other barns.
The menu
The menu was the summer menu, reflected produce of the end of the summer season. Much like the store, the food served in The Trough is all organic where possible, with wild sourced produce included in the menu too. There’s a delightful selection of drinks available too, from Daylesford’s own soft drinks to delicious cocktails and mocktails.
I was surprised at how reasonable the prices were – expecting to see prices much higher for an evening meal, I was really surprised to see prices reflective of your local pub.
As we’re not big drinkers, Jon opted for the Daylesford lemonade and I had a summer blitz berry mocktail which was absolutely delightful!
We started our menu with some freshly baked bread and delicious olives selection.
The menu wasn’t full of choice, but there was enough to make me take some time to decide. In the end, drawn to the shoulder of lamb, a treat I don’t often get at home. Jon had one of the Daylesford wood fired sourdough pizzas.
I wasn’t sorry for my choice too. The lamb was deliciously tender, the roasted new potatoes crispy and light and the pesto was delightfully tangy. When asked how his pizza was, Jon informed me it was “very good” I could tell that the organic heritage tomatoes were juicy and cheese was oozing! It looked a delicious pizza – though I wasn’t offered a slice!
We were so stuffed from our meals that we couldn’t fit in dessert. As much as I enjoyed watching them go past from the pass to waiting customers, I couldn’t have forced another bite! Which is a testament to the generous portion sizes.
Would we got to Daylesford Organic again?
Absolutely! I was only sorry that we hadn’t arrived an hour or so earlier than our reservation so that we could wander around the farm shop. Having not been before it was a missed opportunity for a bit more of an afternoon out. On our way back to the car, I noted the dog friendly stations and said that we’ll have to return with Toffee the next time.
As mentioned, the prices at the Trough were incredibly reasonable, and if I was in the area on a day trip, I’d certainly try the cafe too. The emphasis on local organic produce is always appealing to me and the fact that Daylesford Organic farms sustainably is also a major plus point.
I can understand why some might consider it to be pretentious, the car park was abundant with luxury vehicles and the scale of the shop itself could be perceived as being a bit on the expensive side. But you know, that’s what makes it what it is.
At the end of the day, it’s not mass produced, run of the mill products they are selling at Daylesford Organic. It’s sustainably produced, quality produce and products. Which yes, can command a premium price. It has experience factor too.
Overall, we had a fantastic evening out and very much enjoyed celebrating my birthday and new job! In the words of Arnie, I’ll be back.
Peace out!
Jangles x
Our meal was complementary for the purpose of this post, views and opinions are my own.
