Vervain in Croydon

Amazing food and service. Faultless, Rosa looked after us impeccably. 10 out of 10. Cannot recommended this place enough! Great atmosphere!

We had a fantastic lunch here: the cod for mains and the chocolate tart for dessert - they were both superb. Very reasonably priced as well if you're going at lunch time during the week. And you get to walk around the grounds afterwards!

It must have been a very difficult task to re-vamp and re-furbish this great baronial pile and I’m not sure they’ve succeeded with the confusing decor at Vervain which, whilst being undeniably spacious, has been decked out in earthy umberish tones with a few ferny plants scattered about, perhaps to give the place a healthy Japanese relaxing ambiance, (a clue being the bamboo furniture in a glassed lounge further down the corridor.) Of course the view is spectacular and the mullioned windows beautiful, but the whole effect doesn’t quite work in this cavernous space. However, we spent a very pleasant time admiring the view. Staff here are very friendly and helpful, but much more training is clearly needed for staff to acquire the professionalism and skill needed in such an establishment. We initially ordered glasses of wine at the bar and waited more than five minutes for the employee to master the computerised billing. He dithered, tinkered and tinkered on his tablet and phone before a bill was produced. My friend had ordered a large glass of Sauvignon blanc and myself, a small glass of Shiraz, (they apparently had no Merlot) which we took to our table. As we placed our glasses on the table, my friend noticed that her “large” glass of wine was the same size as my “small” glass of wine. She called a waitress over, explained and was told that “ we only do 125 ml sizes.” Bizarre, when we weren’t told that upon ordering. The menu looked good for lunch and the set lunch, priced at £19.00 for two courses appeared to be good value, but we opted for pre-starters and starters, so a bowl of humus and crudities was produced, but no bread which we had to ask for. This dish was undeniably healthy and the crudities very varied, but many of the ingredients needed to be sliced much more thinly, because the vegetables were far too thick, crunchiness was too pronounced and the effort of chewing the items thoroughly, required considerable jaw strength and took up a lot of time. The humus itself was very nice, spicy with a little kick. My friend ordered a salmon and prawn cocktail which she pronounced “uninspiring” and my chicken liver parfait with “brioche” was fine, the parfait light, well-whipped and flavoursome, but the tiny slices of fried bread, (not brioche) which accompanied it, were not enough to consume the parfait, so I used my fork, (with difficulty) to finish the dish. Yes, I could have asked for more bread, but I simply couldn’t be bothered. We ordered two more glasses of wine, (having already paid for the first round) after which we called for the bill which was £30.00 per head - rather a lot for one glass of wine, a small bowl of humus and chicken liver parfait. We applaud the conservation project at Birch and fully support it. We’re delighted that the estate wasn’t turned into some giant, ghastly housing estate. Birch’s setting is idyllic, the hotel an impressive building, but waiting/catering staff clearly need much more training to give clients a 4* experience - Birch has got a long way to go.

Went to the Vervain for brunch. Service was attentive & quick. Loved the Burrata & lamb… oh & the garlic tender stem, cauliflower cheese & amazing chips (omg these chips are sooo good!!!) The whole setting was warm & welcoming… followed by wine outside in the wild grasses. Perfect end to Sunday xx

We visited a few weeks after opening so appreciate that things are still being developed. However it did very much have a soft launch vibe to it (with full prices). When we went the restaurant was about 20% full. The service was friendly but not great. The waitress didn’t seem to know the menu well, our water was not tipped up at all and cutlery was dropped- it was all a bit haphazard. We didn’t particularly mind but for a place that is aiming for high end, it falls short. Both a drink and a main we ordered were “unavailable.” This was quite odd as half way through us eating the table beside us ordered the main which was available to them. The food itself was of a high standard and really tasty. We went for walk afterwards and the grounds lovely but still being developed/ renovated. We couldn’t help but think that it would have been better for them to stay closed until they finished all the works given that they are marketing themselves as a members club (and an expensive one at that). We will definitely return in a few months when hopefully things are more imbedded to give it another shot!

Great food, great restaurant, great atmosphere, great location, great view and great service. 10/10.

The food here was absolutely gorgeous. The sticky toffee pudding was next level. Staff are super kind and I loved the vibe. Returning this month

The Vervain dining room is beautiful, the food was all excellent (I had the pasta which was really really good), and I also loved the relaxed feel of the place (but still with great service) and how dog-friendly it is.

This newly opened hotspot is fast becoming my favourite place. It's only been open a short time, but I have already been for dinner twice - and each time was faultless! The heritage beetroot salad, and the pig's head (you've got to try it!) were delicious, and the staff were so attentive and friendly. Also, I've never been a trifle person UNTIL I tried Vervain's - absolutely incredible! It is also a member's club apparently - where do I sign?!

I was aware of Lee Westcott as I've had many a great meal in the past at the Typing Room Restaurant in Bethnal Green when he was there. When I heard about this new restaurant in south London at the fabulous Birch, I was keen to give it a try. Great food and a superb team that actually have personality! It was the soft opening period and you can see the the hotel is still having its finishing touches but we had a great evening with delicious food. Highlights were the Crispy Pigs Head and the Shepherds Pie!