The Avenue Restaurant in Winchester

The Tom Hamblet Menu was incredible. The whole evening was devine. The food was sublime, service incredible and ambience was great. I would recommend for any special celebration.

As part of a special celabration we treated the family to a night at the chefs table. I'm delighted to say that it was remarkable. Each course was beautifully curated and presented with each chef carefully explaining the dish and it's provenance. We loved being able to look into the kitchen - very professional ran. I would recommend going very very hungry - you will not want to eat for a while! We didn't have the wine flight but the two wines recommended to us were stunning.

Very civilised and elegant wood-panelled restaurant within the Lainston House hotel. The menu is very focussed and supported by a massive wine list. Service is impeccable; the meals are presented beautifully and cooked perfectly. All reflected in the bill, of course We missed out starters, although took full advantage of the bread choice and the selection of amuse bouches. As expected, main courses of venison for me and flat iron steak for me were splendid and we were also pleased with our choux bun dessert. All washed down with a very palatable Languedoc merlot. Only slight downside was that whilst it was all hugely enjoyable, it wasn't exactly the sort of meal that you would need to loosen the belt for afterwards. Consequently, next stop was to the adjacent bar for port, cheese and crackers to plug the gaps; Not a usual occurrence by any means. Notwithstanding that, a highly recommended experience.

MasterChef Tom is an amazing chef. Highly recommend this place. This place is on the pricier side, but it is definitely worth it.

We had a great evening at The Avenue. We went for the 6 course tasting menu, with the wine flight, which whilst not cheap at £180 per person was fantastic. As always, the service in the restaurant was amazing with each course and each wine carefully explained. The pace was just right and there was a nice buzz in what is obviously quite a small dining room. The food was exemplary, lovely presentation and fabulous tastes. Our only constructive feedback is that service in the bar was very slow, we arrived an hour early, on what was a beautiful sunny evening, to have drinks before dinner. In that hour, we managed a single drink and it was necessary for me to go to the bar to ask for a drinks list. It was similar post dinner, where we had a long wait for service. That didn't dampen what was a lovely evening, just not quite 'on it' like they normally are.

Absolutely fabulous and what a special location. We enjoyed every course and detail. So many extra little touches. The staff were so attentive. My only small complaint was that there was too much salt on everything savoury which slightly distracted from the taste. Incredible though!

My friends and I recently came for the six course tasting menu and I genuinely could not have enjoyed the experience more! Everything from the setting of the house, to the beautiful interiors and the wonderful waiting staff served as the perfect pairing to the lovingly crafted six courses. Each dish was spectacular and it felt like everything had been though of. A personal favourite was the ricotta egg yolk ravioli, although the recently added celeriac was a close second. Special thanks to Mirka for bringing us on her day off, to Michael, Alberto and Lucy for the spectacular service and of course to the spectacular chefs, but hats off to everyone at Lainston House - you were incredible!

We stayed at the hotel for a couple of nights and chose The Avenue for our final meal to go out with a bit of a flourish; we were disappointed. The food was bland, my fish was overcooked ( not inedible but over and the waiter said they would tell the chef). A couple of dishes were not well co-ordinated so one of the sauces had a slight skin on it. The staff kept getting the dishes mixed up for service, something that happened at every meal we had across the hotel; it should not be like this in a "fine dining" establishment. And to cap it all one of the drinks on the aperitif list was not available but it took nealy 20 minutes for the bar staff to discover this. Sorry but this has put us off returning despite liking the hotel; there are lots of other places that do better.

Wow! It was a significant birthday so we booked the formal Avenue restaurant for dinner that night. So glad we did! From first entering the restaurant it oozes class and sophistication, without being stuffy. The staff help in that respect, being attentive without being over formal. The room is wood panelled, warm and welcoming. Menu had 5 choices for each course, was imaginative and appetizing. Pleased to see a move away from more "niche" dishes like pigeon and venison which filled the menu on our last visit, which may be some people's taste but was a bit off-putting for those who like more mainstream ingredients! I had amazing scallop starter and main was a gorgeous pork fillet dish with charred pineapple and beetroot - utterly delicious! We didn't really have room for dessert but ordered the raspberry souffle to share - also delicious. We really enjoyed our evening.

We had a lovely family afternoon tea here. The food was excellent and vegans were catered for very well. The big improvement since our last afternoon tea here was that more sandwiches were offered (last time they were actually refused unless we paid more for them). It is usual to be offered more sandwiches when having afternoon tea at a good hotel such as this and we were pleased to see this change. The staff were very good and the setting is beautiful. We will definitely be back.

We had the pleasure of dining at The Avenue last night. Throughout the meal the staff were amazing, pairing the wine with each dish to perfection. We went for the Taster menu and were delighted with each bite. The flavours and textures were skilfully combined to make this an outstanding place to eat. Easily comparable to Michelin experiences in the past and so good we have booked the next visit.

We went here for our wedding anniversary dinner at their Avenue Restaurant. We havent been to Lainston House for several years and I have to say, since our last visit, it has really upped it's game. The staff were great and really friendly and attentive. We had their suggested menu and every course was amazing, easily the best formal dining experience I have had in a long time. The Sommelier was really good and happy to recommend an extensive selection of wine by the glass. We definitely won't be leaving it so long as last time before visiting again. I can thouroughly recommned this to anyone who enjoys formal dining.More

We ate in the main dinning room. The service was excellent. We had three courses, my celeriac starter was so delicious I chose it both evenings. Superb food beautifully presented.

We had a very pleasant vegan afternoon tea here. The sandwiches were very nice, not such exciting flavours as other similar establishments offer (tapenade, pesto tofu etc) lettuce and tomato is a little basic! And the sandwiches were not unlimited as in other similar establishments (whilst the price is the same!) It is a good idea to give more (cheap) sandwiches as it takes longer to eat and more (expensive) drink is sold! The scones were excellent, no vegan cream but there was soya spread. The cakes were also very good. There were very few people having afternoon tea and perhaps that is because you have to pay when you book. I know that people not turning up is a problem but it has put us off going for the last couple of weeks until we decided reluctantly to go ahead. The waiters need to put their masks over their noses, some were so low on their faces their mouths weren’t properly covered. This is a beautiful hotel in a beautiful location and on a sunny day like today was the perfect place to be. The afternoon tea just needs a couple of tweaks and it would also be perfect.

We booked The Chef’s Table as a Christmas present to each other this year. We wanted an experience to remember and that’s exactly what we’ve had. The food was incredible! A six-course taster menu with canapés and cheese board to top & tail it. Honestly I think we’ve just eaten the six best plates of food ever! Local and fresh ingredients, beautifully plated and described to us by the most talented chefs. We were well looked after by the front of house team too.... in fact everyone at Lainston House we’ve met has been brilliant. The chef’s table gives a unique perspective on the way a busy kitchen works - and it seemed amazingly calm this evening. If you’re looking for a great fine dining experience this place hits the spot. Will definitely be back 😊

Just incredible! Loved it from start to finish, sitting in the bar relaxing whilst enjoying a gin and enjoying canapes as part of our meal. Then taken through to our table to start our incredible tasting menu at chefs table, all of the staff were fantastic and a special mention to Hollie who was the chef that looked after us! We will be back again and again...

It is very nouveau cuisine, so small plates but the quality is first class. It's also quite expensive but you get what you pay for. Every mouthful is a delight. There are local pubs and restaurants that are probably much cheaper but they won't be of the same quality. Treat yourself.

De maaltijd was zeer degelijk, goed gepresenteerd met extra tussengerechtjes. Wel duur, wat te verwachten is in dit kader.

We had an outstanding dinner at the Avenue restaurant, Lainston House last weekend. We have been several times before but this was by far the best meal we have had there. We had the tasting menu with the wine pairing. The food was really wonderful, very original and we felt we had an amazing experience overall. The service is excellent and we very much enjoyed learning about all the different wines. I think it would spoil the surprise element to describe the food in detail but I would definitely highly recommend going- I cannot imagine who would not enjoy the whole experience! I think the arrival of their new executive chef has really changed the Avenue for the better. We will definitely return. Thank you to all the team for a fantastic evening.

Beautiful setting and venue but the food was out of this world! Immaculately presented, very tasty and to top it off the staff could not have been more attentive either! Somewhere I will definitely go back to without a doubt!

We had the mountbatten room for my in laws anniversary dinner. Excellent decour. However the star of the show was the food. Many thanks to Phil Yeomans and his team for an excellent menu and superb service. Many thanks and would highly recommend the restaurant.

Thank you so much for such a lovely relaxing evening to celebrate our 50th Wedding Anniversary with our family at the weekend. Nothing was too much in providing our choice of excellent food, which was served and presented to a exceptional high standard by the Executive Chef Phil. Our bestoke menu consisted of Beef Wellington which was cooked to perfection and could I suggest that the Lobster starter feature all the time, so delicious! The service by all the staff was more than professional. Phil kindly took time in giving us a tour of the kitchen seeing the staff working hard preparing meals for fellow guests. Shall certainly look to returning in the future and would highly recommend the Avenue Restaurant at Lainston House. Well done to you all!

We visited during the Southampton boat show. With our friends and our 11 year old daughter. We had a mix of al a carte and the tasting menu at the Chefs Table.This was not just a fantastic culinary delight, but a real dining experience. The exec chef Phil was just brilliant knowledgable friendly and his food was beyond brilliant. The staff followed his efficient friendly attitude nothing was too much trouble they made us incredibly welcome.Highly recommend this beautiful place thank you.Vaughn and Jo Rawson

Pure class. From the food, execution of the dishes, service and dining setting at the Chefs table resulted in an amazing night! The attention to detail, quality, first class and imaginative dishes were all served and explained by the chef himself. A real gem of a place that’s got a very talented chef and well drilled team behind him. No shouting or drama just all working together delivering high quality dining experience. I’ve already booked to return this month and have requested a bespoke menu for a special celebration which the Chef has agreed to. Absolutely recommend! Watch this place continue its journey to the top! Well done.

We opted for the chefs table on the first night and found we were on our own! So we had a great evening with the chef, who explained each dish and plated up for us. The food was extremely good.

Had a wonderful afternoon tea here this afternoon - friendly service with perfect food. The choice of teas/infusions was really good, the sandwiches tasty and small, the scones and clotted cream light and fresh - but the cakes / patisserie were to die for!

We enjoyed the food at the restaurant on both evenings of our stay. The service was excellent and non intrusive and the wine selection is superb.

I was on the Sunday evening DBB tasting menu package.

This is by far the best restaurant I've visited for a long time - it's really up there. I enjoyed every minute of it and it really pushed the boundaries of what would seem like just a hotel restaurant.

I cannot find the words to give this the review it deserves. A culinary masterpiece from start to finish. The Tasting Menu and Wine Parings were superb.

Whatever the meal the chef is outstanding. The 8 course tasting menu on New Year's eve was innovative, varied, beautifully balanced in texture and flavour and exquisitely presented. Each plate of food a work of art. We ate here on both nights of our stay and the standard of food and service never faltered. Can highly recommend.

We had a fantastic dinner here. The quality of food is worthy of the price tag; it is not cheap so definitely recommend for a special occasion/weekend away. In addition to our three courses, we were given three different complimentary amuse bouche, as much warm sourdough bread as we wanted and a palate cleanser before dessert. All of these were delicately balanced and delicious. The meal itself was of an extremely high quality; the bounty bar was the best dessert I’ve ever had. As well as superb food, the service was excellent - professional, warm and the waiter was knowledgeable about each dish brought to the table. A memorable meal. Thank you!

El restaurante Avenue en el hotel Lainston House, en las afueras de Winchester, siempre ha sido muy bueno. En nuestra visita más reciente, experimentamos un aumento tanto en la cocina como en el servicio. El menú es más limitado que antes, pero definitivamente más en la clase de alta cocina que antes. Se ofrece el menú degustación. El servicio era elegante, incluyendo la entrega de guantes blancos. Alojarse en el hotel hizo que el transporte no fuera un problema. Recomendamos comenzar con una bebida en el bar del hotel y terminar en el mismo lugar con un café o una copa después de la cena.

A beautiful setting, a Jane Austen style country retreat, surrounded by gardens, fields and trees and is a lovely place to head to for dinner. The food was - and most importantly - the best part of the experience. Restaurant offers three options, an a la carte which is fixed at 3 courses (£62 per person plus service and drinks), a shorter tasting menu (£68) and a "regular" tasting menu at £78. The difference between the two tasting menus is mainly that the first is shorter and did not have any fish/meat courses on it and the latter did. Food was beautifully presented and included:-

Great service and lovely people serving delicious food in a lovely location. It’s real fine dining and if you deserve a treat you should go.

We had dinner here on our wedding anniversary. We only live 15 minutes drive away, but this was our first visit. We both had the tasting menu and my wife had the accompanying wines recommended by the restaurant. The sommelier, incidentally, was very interesting to talk to and my wife thought the selection was very good, although at around 550 ml, quite a lot to get through.

Went for an early lunch one Sunday. Much the best food I have found in the Winchester area. Good service.

Brilliant food from Andrew Birch. A comprehensive tasting menu that covers all the bases and is executed beautifully. Meat, fish, game, chocolate and cheese paired with some lovely wines. What’s not to love?

Fuimos por la carta, el servicio era bueno y la comida era buena. Camarero atento y el servicio era bueno, así como la calidad de la comida.

We enjoyed a delicious tasting menu with wine pairing. All served in a meticulous manner, with an informative description of each course and pairing. A memorable evening.

Wonderful menu and presentation - a la carte, or choice of 2 tasting menus (vegetarian or all-in) - brilliant flavours compositions and execution Deserving of higher recognition

My wife and I have had an amazing meal at The Avenue. The quality of the service was outstanding as was the food. We had the three course meal - which was actually a six course meal if you added in the delicious canapés, amouse bouche and pre-dessert. We have been lucky enough to eat in quite a few Michelin starred restaurants and cannot understand why this one does not even have one star - we would give it two.

We met family here for Sunday lunch.

Took my father in law for Fathers Day

Had tasting menu for 4 people with their wine recommendations. Front of house was excellent and the sommelier described each wine in detail. The chef (Andrew Birch I was told) produced superb food. Really surprised that this place hasn't got a Michelin star. A huge improvement all round from the last time I was here a few years ago. Not a cheap night out but price reflects service, food, and venue.

Wonderful 3 course meal in The Avenue. Food was delicious using local produce, beautifully presented and tasted amazing. Will definitely be back.

My wife and I had an anniversary dinner in the Avenue and loved not only the quality of the food and service but also the creative use of locally-sourced ingredients. The desserts were outstanding.

My wife and I visit this resturant several months back and where blown away with the food, service and staff. A vast improvement from when we visited for a meal a couple of years back. We where told a new head chef and mostly new front of house team where in place. We will be returning again shortly and will be make this resturant our place to go for special occasions

Had not visited before and choose because of its mid point location for both parties and reviews etc looked promising.

I’d never visited before and was really looking forward to this visit, but left disappointed. We were in a private dining room which I think meant we missed out on service, waiting long periods to be served or checked on - it took over three hours for three courses! Not only that, but at one point, a course was brought in and they hadn’t cleared plates from the amuse bouche!

In the past month, we have visited twice for weekday three course set-menu lunches and the service and food have been outstanding on both occasions. Delightful canapés with drinks, two very tasty amuse-bouches in addition to the three courses ( each chosen from three options) included in the £32.50 which is very good value for the quality. Our only concern is that the menu had not changed in any aspect in the two week interval. Even the canapés and amuse-bouches were the same. Disappointing in a place of this standard. Also, concerning from the hotel's point of view in that we will not visit as frequently as we might otherwise do. As locals, this could be quite frequent!

We went here because of the look of the tasting menu. The food was excellent, and with a few improvements could one day be michelin star'd! The service also was very attentive. The dining room needs a bit more atmosphere, maybe louder music and candles...

We visited The Avenue for lunch as a treat after Christmas and before the arrival of our baby. Although there was a wedding on and it was quite quiet in the restaurant the staff were very attentive and looked after us wonderfully. They were really kind in helping me with menu choices that I could eat during pregnancy and we ended up choosing the three course lunch menu. Everything was absolutely delicious and we both enjoyed ourselves very much. The deserts in particular were fabulous; very good balance between sweet and bitter for my chocolate mousse with mandarin and my husband thought the eggy brioche was perfect. Especially for the price it was a really lovely lunch out and we will definitely have to come back!

Had our evening meal in the Avenue while staying for a pre Christmas treat with my wife. Service and food in the restaurant were excellent. We had the 6 course tasting menu and I would like to specially mention the chicken on the scallop dish which was sensational. I would also like to mention the sommelier who was very helpful and willing to chat. We have eaten here a couple of times before, but not for 12 months and the food has improved considerably. Highly recommended.

Traditional British manor house with French influenced restaurant? It works. Small place in sizable hotel. Formal service. Small menu and small portions for dinner, but food is delicious. Breakfast here also very nice.

Restaurante de hotel, mas prazeiroso e com ótimos pratos e ótimo atendimento. Delicioso, momentos agradáveis .

We stayed at the hotel for 2 nights for our birthdays. We ate in the restaurant both nights. The first night we had the tasting menu and the second the A La Carte. Both meals were extremely good and not far off Michelin star quality. The prices were however very reasonable. Will definitely go back!

Do not book in for dinner here if you are in a hurry !!

We stayed at this hotel earlier this week.

1 clase street, excelente comida, un entorno precioso y muy buen V F M

Necesitábamos un lugar para alojarse cerca de Southampton (antes de un crucero) y elegimos la Casa porque su restaurante Lainston es Guía de buena comida lista.

Fresh off our second visit to Lainston House/The Avenue, I must say that it is one of the best dining experiences I have ever had, and since the experience has been repeated on our most recent visit, it can't just be luck.The first time we went to the Avenue, I gambled on it being good enough to be the place where I asked my lovely lady to marry me - even before we sat down to dinner, I knew it would be perfect, and it was.Starting with cocktails in the bar, they are perfectly mixed, re-assuringly expensive and served with cocktail nibbles.The main dining room is beautiful and elegant, and the service is fantastic - in fact, the service is incredible. The waiting staff simply can't do enough. After we became engaged on our first visit, the attentive staff even delivered us a special dessert, garnished with chocolate congratulations and a glass of champagne. My betrothed and I both love the complimentary breads... the brioche is out-of-this-world, and the sourdough so moreish. The breads are served warm - I don't know if they're heated up or fresh out of the oven, but they're certainly good enough to be the latter.The amuse buche both times have been lovely and really show-case the quality of cuisine you're about to enjoy.The starters/mains have been perfect on both occasions - for a couple who don't fine dine often, the expert mix of flavours, colours and visuals is quite an experience. The chef and kitchen staff are clearly masters of their trade, and genuinely creative and knowledgeable. The ingredients are obviously not in any way compromised - you can well imagine the chef would only want to be working with the best to showcase his talent.Complimentary pre-dessert has, both times, been fascinating - both times a light, almost cloud-like foam over a frozen berry sorbet. The foam seems to hold the flavour of the sorbet so, whilst it has no real substance, it is highly flavoursome. Lovely, and quite an achievement.The desserts are amazing - and surprisingly generous. You don't get a wee splash of chocolate; you get a plate full of various flavoursome bites. Certainly more than we could finish.We really love how the waiting staff actually know about the food they're serving - I asked about a vegetable I didn't recognise on my plate and the waitress was able to explain it was salsify, she explained where it comes from, how it is prepared, and even explained how she didn't like it - I love that honesty in the waiting staff.They also run you through, quite expertly, everything on your plate, and can explain in quite a good amount of detail what's on the menu and make recommendations.The price is most certainly not in a range I would be comfortable paying weekly, or even once a month - but for special occasions, I think the Avenue will have our custom for many times ahead.

Amazing anniversary dinner at the avenue. Every part of the meal and service was faultless will definitely be back

All produce comes from the hotels kitchen garden. it is truly wonderful food. A little on the small side but hey, what do you expect. The wine is something extraordinary...

The Avenue has a great location at Lainston House. The ala carte dinner menu is simple and straightforward and the range a little limited but the quality of food and wine superb.The dining room is a little stark with bare wood tables-tablecloths and gentle lighting would help complement the food and service.

The elegantly-styled restaurant overlooks the pristine gardens. The menu breathes new life into English classics using an eclectic range of local ingredients and if you've got a sweet tooth the desserts will be the answer to your prayers. After dinner, check out the Cedar Bar for a fab array of whiskeys. The service is unfailingly attentive as well. All in all, it's perfect for an intimate date.

Couldn't fault the food or the service. If I had to make one criticism, perhaps a little music in the background. We shared a dining room with 3-4 other couples and it was very easy to be overheard/overhear conversations due to the silence in the room. A small criticism of an otherwise highly enjoyable dining experience.

My wife and I dined at The Avenue last month. From beginning to end, we were thoroughly impressed. Taking a drink in the Cedar Bar before dinner was warm and grande with comfortable arm chairs to sit back and relax into - this is where the outstanding service begun. The bar tender took our order, and so eager to please, fetched some ingredients from the kitchen to make a delicious Bellini for my wife which was not on the extensive drinks menu. Following our drinks we progressed to the dining room, laid out beautifully in a warm and pleasant atmosphere. Each course was delivered with precision by our waiter Alessandro, who with charm and panache detailed each plate and catered for all our needs at the table.We left The Avenue that evening feeling wholly satisfied and with a want for more. The food could not be faulted and the service was outstanding. We will certainly be returning in the future!

We stopped of en-route to Portsmouth for an excellent sunday lunch.Beautiful wood panelled dining room.Fabulous menu and wine list. Our 5 year old daughter was made most welcome.The Staff are attentive without being pretentious.

We stayed at Lainston House hotel for four nights at the end of January and ate in the Avenue Restaurant on two nights, one night was actually in one of the private dining rooms so we had the advantage of experiencing private dining and A La Carte in the main restaurant.Both meals were really wonderful, as was the service. The menu is imaginative and enticing and the food lives up to the descriptions on the menu.The ingredients are fresh and of the highest quality, the puddings were just amazing.Some friends had the tasting menu and they said it was superb. This is a lovely restaurant if you want a fabulous meal in very elegant surroundings.Breakfast was very good too, although I would have liked to have seen more fresh fruit, the tinned pears were described as 'poached pears' but this was minor. The cooked breakfast was excellent and I love the homemade bread and toast. I couldn't believe a guest at another table asked for 'plain white doorstep toast' which confused the poor waitress somewhat - why would anyone want that when Lainston House make the most fabulous breads.We had afternoon tea too and it was perfect. I rarely eat sandwiches but again the bread was the best I have ever tasted.This really is a lovely restaurant.

We went as a special Birthday treat and what an amazing experience. We were a little fortunate in that we appeared to be only ones dining that evening so we had the whole dining room to ourselves. Service was attentive but not intrusive which was exactly what we wanted; Lee took our order and served us throughout with an excellent knowledge of all the food she served. Presentation and taste of each course was impeccable. Yes it is expensive but truly worth every penny. For a special treat I don't think it can be beaten in Winchester.

Had a really nice evening meal just before Christmas. All three courses were very good and came with an amuse-bouche and a pre desert. Service was good and the food and wine all came in good time and neither too quick or too slow. Only slight downside was the plates for the starter and mains which were really bowls and you could not put down your knife and fork to drink the wine without them falling in the food. They would be better as normal plates. Otherwise a very good meal.

Our dinner at the Avenue Restaurant in the Lainston House Hotel was skillfully prepared and artfully presented. If they don't have a Michelin star, they should have one.

As my mum and I stayed in the hotel we had both dinner and breakfast here. Poached eggs at breakfast were cooked to perfection and the buffet choices were also very good.At dinner my mum had the ordinary tasting menu and I had the vegetarian one. We paid £20 extra for this which wasn't bad considering the quality of the food everything was absolutely delicious.

Our latest visit to Lainston for afternoon tea was spot on, in all respects. Staff were very welcoming and attentive, explaining the new items on the menu. The food was well presented and included a delicious selection of treats.

We ate here twice this week, and on both visits it was very good. Venison/ partridge/grouse/guinea fowl. Thoroughly different!

"The Avenue is an intimate, elegant restaurant for lunch or dinner. Awarded 3 AA rosettes the menu is tempting to all palates and tastes, and our talented brigade of chefs carefully combine the finest local ingredients with produce from our very own kitchen garden."Catching a night away for my wife's birthday the food started off meeting those expectations. The Hotel was busy with dinners in various rooms and The Avenue was limited to a small room with about 8 tables for 2. I suppose it didn't help that the two of us were seated at a table that could have seated 6 in the middle of the room and that the waiter seemed to assume I wouldn't like rare meat. Overall though the food was excellent and worthy of 3 AA rosettes, although the sweets were unusually large and coffee was extra. Unfortunately my buffalo sirloin was virtually inedible as the meat was almost too tough to cut with a steak knife and after chewing it for rather too long I gave up and sent it back. The reply from the chef was that it was meant to be like that - oh well, at least the uncomfortable £38 for the main was not charged along with the unearned service charge but it spoilt the meal and made me feel stupid.Everyone else seemed to be satisfied with their meals so obviously they didn't have the buffalo. As I munched on a fantastic venison open sandwich at Cowdray Farm Shop on the way home I reflected that the food looked better in the bar.The manager did reply to my email and apologised for the disappointment, thanking me for the feedback and saying he would look into it.

We had the taster menu and the taster wines. What a gastronomic pleasure it was with every dish described in detail by the waiting staff. The Sommelier was so helpful in explaining the wines and where they came from. Looking forward to my next treat.

I visited The Avenue Restaurant with family and friends for dinner with high hopes of a fantastic evening but we were disappointed with the reality of this restaurant.The service and attitude of the staff needs a lot of improvement. We had to wait a long time for menus and when we eventually received them, one has completely different from the others and turned out to be old. We weren't offered aperitifs and it seemed that the staff were bothered about paying attention to their customers (unless perhaps they thought certain customers were going to spend more). The food was of a very good standard but the experience was negatively impacted by the service so I don't think we will be returning. Overall I wouldn't recommend this restaurant as there are many others which offer both fantastic food and great service.

We have been going to Lainston House restaurant for many years and have had some excellent lunches in the past. We took some American friends there for Sunday lunch and were very disappointed with the meal. The pea soup was excellent but the other starters were boring. Four of us had the roast meat, 3 beef and a pork and there was a large quantity of meat but the potatoes and Yorkshire pudding tasted as though they had been cooked in rancid fat. Vegetables were disappointing and I felt that our local pub served a far better Sunday lunch. Perhaps we made the wrong choice but there wasn't much choice on a Sunday. They have an excellent wine list, but be prepared to spend more than £20 a bottle. Desserts were OK but nothing special. We will probably go again but will avoid Sunday's. The ambience of the hotel is special and has lovely grounds. We chose Lainston House because we thought that it would appeal to our American friends and they did love the place, but all of us thought that the meal was a big disappointment.

We had dinner and chose the 3 course menu. Very good starter and main course. I had Grouse for the starter and it was very well made and tasty. My wife had the crab and it was deilicious - I had to taste it! The main course was ok. I was disappointed with the dessert. The wine was very good.

Ate here when we stayed at Lainston House. It feels and looks similar to Gidleigh Park and although the food didn't reach those levels, it was none the less a very good experience. The staff were very professional and attentive, and although it's not cheap by any means, it was good value.

We arrived at our reservation time and went to the garden on a nice evening. We had cocktails but were given no no food menu.. After a while we asked the barman who said it was coming. After 40 minutes still no menu. Another ask then someone came out and the barman had a word and eventually we had a menu! We ordered the gourmet menu and were taken to the restaurant after around an hour. The Maitre d was unfriendly and cold. The food was patchy. The first course of a sort of deconstructed breakfast missed the mark - brioche more like granary baguette and egg yolk hard. Scallop was good as was the goats curd. Fish also good. Iberico pork was disappointing. Both desserts were good. The whole experience was ruined by the service. The couple behind us asked for a coffee cup - it arrived after 3 times of asking and cold coffee - not acceptable in a restaurant such as this. Service needs to be sorted!

Lets start with the good points: fabulous location, stunning house and views, beautiful gardens. It's drop dead, picture book gorgeous, inside and out.What a shame then that everything else fell as flat as our missing bottle of Nyetimber.The welcome was as chilly as a mortuary on a warm summers day, and service moved at a funereal speed in a sombre, rather depressing dining room overlooked by portraits of dead people that looked like their eyes were moving (as in those 1950's horror films).We started with a criminally under seasoned pea soup, followed by a fabulous Lobster bisque amuse-bouche. A stunning bottle of Nyetimber followed, which bizarrely disappeared out of sight into the corridor never to be seen again, until we managed to get staff to return it to us before the end of the meal. Unacceptable.Our main course of lamb would have been historic had it not been shrunk to an Oliver Twist sized portion and arrived with miniature vegetables and nothing else. The waiter said he could see we enjoyed the food. We did, but we were also starving at the end of the meal.The real highlight was my son's chicken nuggets and chips. These were the best we have ever had. Period.Price for 5 people: £219. The food and service represents poor value for money and yes, it's all style and no substance, but if you want to try and best (and most expensive) chicken nuggets and chips, this is the place.

Our friends booked the whole hotel on a Sunday for their wedding. The ceremony was in the stunning Dawley Barn and the wedding breakfast was held their too, food and service was excellent. The evening reception and dance was in the main hotel which was perfect. I've been dining at Lainston, on various occasions as I live locally, since 1999 and it really is a fabulous country house hotel. A very special venue for a wedding or significant age party.

We regularly meet (half way) friends for lunch here, it is such an occasion with delightful staff & in awesome surroundings. Nothing is too much trouble for the staff & the whole afternoon was unhurried, the perfect "ahhh" in our busy schedules. We enjoyed pre lunch cocktails in the stylish bar then moved to one of the dining rooms which is grandly decorated in muted greys & Lainston "brand" orange trimmings. The amuse bouche of a cup foaming leek "soup" with pine nuts & all sorts of other flavours was lovely, accompanied by selection of warm homemade breads. There are only a couple food items I don't like (beetroot & horseradish) & unfortunately both appeared on the starter choices so I chose the 3rd, a charcuterie plate which was delicate & interesting. For my main I eschewed the traditional roasts & chose the cod which was delicious with fabulously tasty touches on the plate, & of modest portion size. That did mean I finished way before my dining companions because they DID opt for the roasts (beef & pork) which were enormous plates of food, looking wonderful but even the chaps struggled to finish. Staff did ask about the sizes & we suggested toning down the generosity of the roast dishes, especially as my fish had been so modest in comparison. My frangipane pudding with rhubarb was gorgeous, all the desserts were stylishly presented. There was a slight mix up with the teas served afterwards, the waiter confused the Earl Grey with the regular, after pouring, so we had to play musical cups & pots among ourselves, & also had to ask for milk. The accompanying petit fours could have been a dessert in themselves, stunning! This is a great way to send a long lunch/afternoon with friends, there's a real sense of opulence & occasion & we will return

one of the worst experience I have had having a meal, friends and I went too the elaborate house, as we wanted a meal for a special occasion, we where prepared to pay more than we normally would , as it was a special evening. My friends frequently eat in top class restaurants , in London and different location around the world, so fine dinning is normal for them, I personally like to eat good quality tasty food, that I enjoy and would be happy to pay any amount. The surroundings are elaborate, but the restaurant , was quiet and lifeless, obviously people wouldn't be dancing on the tables, but there was no atmosphere at all, more like a funeral parlour than restaurant. But we where made welcome, the service was slightly confusing, served water first without menu or wine list to look at, then we where ask several times are we ready to order, it was all a little rushed, we ordered our meal from the al a carte menu, and waited for our taste buds to be blown away.The starter arrived, crab in a pasta parcel, I was surprised at how dry it was, it was surrounded by what can only described in lentil, chick peas, pommegrainite, but the plate was extremely hot so all these little treasure stuck to the plate, you could eat them they are firmly stuck, the parcel was extremely dry, we all agreed on how dry it was , they just smiled.Main course 2 had fish that was ok, nothing fantastic just ok, two of us had pork, it was cooked in a vacuum bag, in a water bath at 72 degres, I cant remember what its called, but I know it should be succulent and melt in the mouth, it was dry and my friend ask me what was it, she said it looked like pate, if I didn't know it was pork you wouldn't have guessed, it was tasteless, no taste at all, just white chewy stuff, there was a beautiful sprout filled with pulled pork in top that was the only thing I could identify, my friend had a taste and was totally shocked ,We sent the meals back, they did ask if we required replacements, but at the time I couldn't be bothered. They agreed that desserts where on the house, and I must say they where the best thing of the meal. We said how disappointed we are, they said that it was a new menu, and only the first try at the pork, so basically we where the first guest to try there new menu, hopefully they had tried the menu on the staff first, I don't think that until a menu is tried and tested the public should not be paying for such expensives mistakes. I chef must be held responsible for this mistake, it really was very poor standard.We should have gone to the DE Vere

We visited as part of a dinner, bed and breakfast deal with Secret Escapes. After reading some of the reviews we were a little sceptical about the dinner. But we shouldn't have worried! We started in the gorgeous Cedar Bar with a cocktail and some nuts and olives. We were talked through the tasting menu and the a la Carte menu and decided to choose the a large carte. The chef likes his sous vide and foam which were fine but to these were aspects of brilliance with his use of texture and colour! Of particular note were the black pudding type ingredient with the pork loin dish - we would have had many many more! - and the goats cheese accompaniment to the duck! The chocolate pudding with the mandarin sorbet was amazing, and the cheese board was a massive portion of interesting cheeses. A lovely meal, with perfect service. Enjoy!

I have been studying the reviews and felt slightly concerned we may have to book into another restaurant for our evening meals. My mother had also visited the weekend before and was not overally impressed with the meal and portion size. Well I need not have worried; I had pigeon which was excellent and turbot for main which was beautifully presented. The menu gives core ingredients and then you have a surprise as to how they are presented. Portions were more than reasonable; I had asked the waiter whether I could have additional vegetables when ordering and he assured me that I would have plenty of food and I really did. We found a reasonable priced white wine which was perfect match with our meal. My husband had the crab and then the chicken and again was very tasty and fair portion size. Well I am cancelling our reservation elsewhere tonight and looking forward to another special meal in the Avenue. I really hope we can start to see the reviews improve as this is a beautiful place.

Food was very good, beautifully presented. Staff excellent, recommended wines. Would definitely return.

Great venue, oak panelling - see if you can spot the hidden door. Service attentive and proffessional. Food superb. We have had tasting menues and alacarte . Never dissapointed. Wine list extensive. The dessert wine we wanted was out of stock. A substitute , twice the price was suggested.......but we were told at the same price! Great service.

Front of house staff are all exceptionally polite and promptly respond to every need.The hotel itself is, of course, beautiful.The decor in the restaurant is rich and warm with wood panels and spotlessly clean linens and silverware.Food (3 course a la carte) was exquisite, and having dined in other Michelin Star establishments, it's hard to understand why The Avenue doesn't have the same accolade?Would recommend and will look forward to visiting again.

8 Course taster menu for valentine's.£145 each with matching wines for each course.The food served was very nice and well presented. Not sure the combination of dishes really went well together, I have had better combinations in the past of taster menus. Service was excellent from staff.Chef did swap one dish we asked about, the substitute wasn't exactly an exciting swap but a replacement.Would I go back for this weekend again ? probably not TBH if it was only a taster menu again. I would if it was just Al carte choices.Venue setting is very nice as well.

We ate dinner here while staying at Lainston House hotel over the weekend, as it’s their in-house restaurant.The best way to experience The Avenue is to start in the adjacent Cedar Bar with pre-dinner drinks, while you peruse the menu. There is often a pianist playing and the cocktails are excellent, even if the laudably-promoted Nyetimber sparkling English wine is no substitute for champagne in a Bellini or Rossini. There are two menu options; the tasting menu or the à la carte, with the restaurant’s theme being modern English fine dining. On the à la carte, the menu is very succinct with 4-5 choices for each course that focus on seasonal and local produce, making the most of the hotel’s kitchen garden.The menu simply lists the ingredients for each dish, rather than use a string of attributive adjectives to turn the menu into some kind of M&S advert; ‘this is not just any scallop, this is a line-caught, hand-dived, middle-aged, slightly-myopic, recently-dead scallop called Derek’. The menu’s simplicity, almost minimalism, is as welcome touch.Starters were outstanding; a crab tortellini that was filled to bursting point with fresh, fragrant crabmeat encased in pasta that was so thin and delicate I have no idea how it managed to contain the filling during cooking. The game was beautifully pink, its richness offset by the clever accompaniment of beetroot. Mains were pork and duck, both of which were elegantly presented. The standout dishes though were the desserts; ‘chocolate’ and ‘pineapple’ as they appeared on the menu. Having already been wowed by the taste sensation of pineapple & chili salsa earlier in the day at lunchtime, the fruit was redeployed here in a brilliant dish that combined pineapple, coconut and fresh lime. However, it was eclipsed by ‘chocolate’ that was simply chocolate done a number of different ways. It may sound uninspiring but its execution was impeccable: food can appeal in three ways – taste, texture, aroma – and this dessert nailed the first two. A common mistake in chocolate-themed desserts, in fact in most desserts, in this country is that they are over-sweetened to appeal to our rather base palettes. Here both desserts felt like eating abroad, where food relies upon its natural sugar and challenges your palette more; the first mouthful may initially disappoint but then your tastebuds remember their purpose and start to explore the subtle intricacies of what they are tasting. The only thing I would have done differently would have been to replace the mint with basil, a pineapple & basil is a more surprising & rewarding combination in my opinion (thanks to Bar Boulud in Knightsbridge for that first experience).On the downside,- the wine list is expansive but also expensive. I’ve highlighted this in previous reviews; we drink burgundy and my cellar contains several of the wines that are on the wine list here. I completely accept that wet sales make up a large proportion of a restaurant’s GP but if the wine is so overpriced that nobody orders it, the list is nothing more than a museum piece, rather than a source of revenue. Maybe the restaurant’s clientele has no idea of the price of wine but £169 for a Gevrey-Chambertin village from 2009 is just too much. Again referencing Bar Boulud only because the last time I drank a comparable wine was there, they sold a village 2008 from the excellent Denis Mortet for £85. Hmmm. I will happily pay for high quality wine but I won’t overpay for it. Personally I would increase the price of the food - as its quality certainly warrants it - and decrease the price of the wine. I bet wet sales would go up- having sadly decided to go New World for some red wine (please forgive me) because of the price of the burgundy, none of the first three we selected were available. I could suggest that this was because a load of other people had made the same decision as us. Now, if your decent wine isn’t selling because it’s too expensive and your half-decent wine is selling out, then your wine pricing clearly is wrong and needs rebalancing.- the food was excellent but the main courses lacked a small amount in the taste category; perhaps a little under-seasoned and/or under-flavoured. When the use of local produce is a key part of your dining proposition, winter can be difficult as what is in season tends to be hardy and at the ‘industrial’ end of the taste spectrum. However, a chef’s skill is in (warning: the following phrase contains a Marcus Wareing Masterchef Professionals cliché that some readers may find upsetting) ‘taking it to another level’ and with head chef Olly Rouse being a very capable & talented chef, there is scope to bring more different, complementary tastes to the main course dishes. Sticking with the alcohol (why not?), there are superb ports on the list. On our last visit, we were drinking port that is older than both of us and this time we plumbed for the 1985 Taylor’s. As with any good port, it was the ideal way to round off a meal with a feeling of indulgent decadence.Service throughout was professional and reflected the fine dining feel; the charming João remembered us from the previous year (did we cause that much trouble?!) and Mirka was very attentive and enthusiastic: it is such a pleasure to see servers with smiles on their faces who are enjoying their work. The layout of the restaurant also deserves a mention; it is divided between two adjoining rooms and previously we have tended to eat in the larger room (off the left as you walk in). I’ve commented in previous reviews that the décor is a tad dissonant and the ambience a little thin. This time we asked to be seated in the panelled smaller room that was much more pleasant; a warmer, more intimate ambience but weirdly much better acoustics, as we couldn’t hear the conversation of the people on the table next to us, despite them being only a few feet away. As we booked a dinner, bed & breakfast package I’m not sure exactly what we paid just for dinner The restaurant’s website has 3-course a la carte at £55 per person, so with a bottle of wine, ports and a large bottle of water, I think just the dinner cost on its own was approx. £200. It was worth the cost, as the overall combination of ingredients, cooking, presentation, service and enjoyment created a superb dining experience for a birthday celebration. It’s fair to say that The Avenue is aiming at those types of special dining occasion and there’s nothing wrong with that, as most of the diners are residents in the hotel and you don’t come to Lainston House as an everyday occurrence. The hotel has a sense of occasion about it and the restaurant’s dining proposition lives up to the occasion. Overall, a first-class restaurant and a memorable dinner that helped to make a special meal.

Beatiful settings and a relaxing ambience, we booked a table for Sunday lunch. When you enter the reception the roaring fire is a welcome sight on a cold February Sunday.We were welcomed into the Avenue restaurant for lunch and quickly realised it was bitingly cold. The people at teh table next to ours had their coats over their shoulders and we sound found out why.The food and service was lovely and very reasonable, but the room was uncomforatbly cold, we ate and left and all just thought what a shame. It could have been such a lovely lunch. Would have paid a bit extra for some warmth! what a waste of what could have been a lovely lunch.

My wife and I recently had an evening meal at the Avenue Restaurant. Lovely building but to be honest we weren't particularly impressed with the food. The quality of the ingredients was not very high and some of it was incorrectly served cold. When you are paying £45 each for a starter and main you expect a certain quality. If you are in the Winchester area you would be much better off eating in the Chesil Rectory or the Wykeham Arms - both considerably better.

Celebrating our 10th anniversary at the Avenue restaurant. As an experienced fine diner I expected a taste sensation, to come away feeling fully satisfied and wowed. Starters- beautifully presented and vegetables cooked perfectly.However the crab was ok but no better than Sainsburys.Carrot and swede was bland and the arrangement of pine nuts and twigs was uninspiring.Main course - again perfectly presented.Pork was rolled into a sausage shape rather like luncheon meat and seemed cheap.Duck was cold!Servings were very small, my husband had not eaten during the day and was so hungry that he ate my dinner and his. Also he did not want to ruin our evening by complaining.I phoned the Hotel when we returned home. The manager Joe confirmed that there had been a problem with the order of duck and that the chef had admitted it had been sent out cold! Although shocked that they had admitted serving out cold food at £55 a head, I was pleased that they had been honest.Joe informed me that he would refer the matter to senior manager.The senior manager Alex said that he would look into the matter and we have not heard anything further.

Try the tasting menu - it's a gastronomic odyssey! The head waiter guided us through and made the experience even more enjoyable.

A Saturday evening meal at this restaurant, booked well I advance so I am sure you need to pre-plan to dine here. We selected from the "a la carte" menu which provided a diverse choice of tasty foods. We selected the salmon and duck for main course both dishes very well presented and very enjoyable. For desert our dishes were a banana based dish and a chocolate-mandarin dish which again were superbly presented and very tasty. Complements to the chef!

Very good ...on each course....maybe a little too nouvelle cuisine regarding portion size.Extremely good service ....would have been nice to have fire and candle light as main lighting is rather bright.