The Olive Tree Restaurant

Michelin mastery at Bath’s big hitter

This chic restaurant below Bath’s boutique Queensberry Hotel needs little introduction, thanks to its impressive accolades (three AA rosettes and a Michelin star for five consecutive years) and inventive menus from Trencherman’s Award-winning executive chef Chris Cleghorn.

For the best part of a decade, dedicated gourmets have made the pilgrimage to the Georgian city to delight in course after course of Chris’ complex dishes.

Each plate focuses on a core British ingredient, which is complemented by an array of unusual extras. English rhubarb, for example, is paired with a Szechuan meringue, Ivy House sour cream and preserved rose, while Isle of Skye langoustine is coupled with kohlrabi, Tahitian vanilla and lemon balm. These unexpected fusions of flavour never fail to excite and surprise.

Precede dinner with drinks in the hotel’s hip Old Q Bar, which has an inventive cocktail menu inspired by classic tipples from bygone eras. If you love rum, plump for a Hemingway Daiquiri – a refreshing concoction of Devon’s Two Drifters white rum, grapefruit, lime and Luxardo Maraschino.

Trencherman’s tip: follow the spectacular dining experience with a comfortable night’s slumber by booking a room in one of the hotel’s chic guest suites.