Wild Shropshire Restaurant in Shropshire

There are so many good things about this restaurant, and despite my experience, I would probably still recommend that you try it. It is quite unique in the area, however, for me it missed the mark by a mile and the food was ultimately disappointing. Its feels like the chef has lost his way a bit in his foraging / micro-seasonal concept, and has forgotten to feed his customers. I have umm-ed and ahh-ed about writing this review, but I have had a couple of other tasting menu meals over the past month, where the food was so much better, I felt compelled to put something down. First the good. The restaurant concept is fantastic. The restaurant itself is small, but feels spacious with no cramming in of tables. The space feels modern, and has It has a great vibe with the music fitting in with the venue seamlessly. James - the chef patron - comes to each table, kneels down and has a chat about the restaurant, the concept and finds out a bit about why you came. This is a really nice touch, and he comes across as affable, knowledgeable and really committed to what he is doing. The kitchen area is completely open - so you can watch a bit of theatre as the dishes are prepared. Its a blind tasting menu - so you really have no idea whats coming until it arrives. We were really excited to get into the meal. The service is really good. The waitress and sommelier were top notch. Personable and knowledgeable, introducing each dish in detail and recommending some fantastic wines. They seemed well trained and very experienced. Now the not so good. I guess I should have taken more notice of our chat with James when he said something along the lines of - there is a chippy across the road if you end up hungry. Well we did end up hungry - but the chippy was closed. I still find that comment a little bit annoying as James obviously understands how small his meal actually is. The portions are tiny, and I mean tiny. Don't get me wrong - they look beautiful, and are obviously meticulously prepared. But it is like an unwelcome step back in time to the portion size of nouvelle cuisine. Most of them were tasty - but nothing unusual or particularly exciting. Personally I have never liked the idea of bumping up the "course count" by including a bite size amuse bouche or two and a chocolate at the end. But that is quite common these days - so not really a complaint specific to this restaurant. And of course, bread in now included as a course in the course count... sigh (although it was one of the better ones !) The portion size leads on to the next problem which is about timing. All tables are booked in at the same time, and each course is served to all tables at the same time. This is fine, except it does mean that there is quite a wait between courses. Not normally an issue, but when the courses are so small - most of them gone in a couple of mouth fulls - or a couple of sips - it does leave a bit of a void. My wife and I can talk to each other until the cows come home, and frequently do, but it just serves too remind you what a small part of the evening was taken up by the food. Ultimately it led us to talk about how little substance there was. Finally, I was not impressed by some of the ingredients and cookery. The fish dish was over cooked - to the point it had the consistency of cotton wool - and a taste to match, The sauce it was in was nice - but that misses the point a bit. In any other restaurant I would have sent it back. Here I was too embarrassed to do so - because of how long it took to get to me in the first place - and because all dishes are served at the same time. I was too worried that everyone would have to wait for my fish t be redone. The beef dish presented the tiniest portion of meat and it was gone in two tiny bites. If the beef is so expensive that the portion has to be this small, it needs to be spectacular... it wasn't. That sort of sums up the courses - ungenerous portions, and unnecessarily so in many cases. Perhaps it is a menu of tastes rather than a tasting menu ? We left the restaurant with my wife muttering about James' throw away line about the chippy and headed home. We were both still hungry when we got back and had to make ourselves some sandwiches for supper. Not really what I expect after spending over £200 on a meal out. We read all the reviews on the restaurant before booking in, so our expectations were really high. I have found it difficult to reconcile my own experience with all the rave reviews. Maybe our expectations were too high, maybe it was a bad day at the office, maybe it was just not to our taste. Either way, you probably need to try it out yourself - it will definitely give you something to talk about one way or another. We won't be going back but I do wish James and his team success as they have a concept that is so nearly great.

What a wonderful night, food was out of this world, staff were attentive and very friendly. We have been here before and last night the food was just as good, if not better, than last time. You can’t guess the ingredients and that’s the best part of it, amazing to look at and out of this world flavours. We sat at the chefs table and enjoyed every minute of the experience, one of the best restaurants we have been to and that puts it up with 3 star Michelin ones, hope they get a star soon as they really deserve it.

Being vegan, often you miss out on these experiences. It was refreshing to feel that the plant-based menu wasn’t token and we thoroughly enjoyed every dish. We loved the environmentally minded approaches to the experience. The whole team made the evening feel welcoming and intimate. A must visit!

The food and drinks were exquisite - I'm still thinking about some of the flavours and sensations a week later. I enjoyed the blind tasting menu concept and had fun trying to guess the components of each course. I love the stories and ethical commitments behind James's work, and appreciated that he came to each table to answer questions. The surroundings were restful, which is even more impressive when you consider it was a hot July evening when we visited, and we were facing the open kitchen, where everything seemed very calm. The front-of-house team were delightful: welcoming, knowledgeable and clearly happy in their work. I don't know many fine-dining restaurants where you'd feel relaxed enough to tip a bowl up to your mouth, or run your finger around a dish. I'm not saying I definitely did this, but I might have done this, because everything was delicious.

What an exceptional restaurant and team with a fantastic, sustainable ethos. Superb food and delicious wines - and sitting at the counter so we could watch James, the chef/owner, work and be able to ask him questions made for a really memorable evening. The whole team are wonderful, making you feel welcome and ensuring you have a great evening. Can’t wait to return!

Come to Wild with a friend and you will enjoy a uniquely fun evening trying to figure out each course. Bring a date and you will never have nothing to talk about. The staff are affable and knowledgeable; when chef James introduced himself, we knew that we were in safe hands. The food was the right amount of pretentious; full of flavour with interesting textures and a few surprising ingredients. Service was attentive without being intrusive, while each mysterious dish was creative and delicious. I anticipated great things beforehand, yet the experience exceeded expectations.

Incredible experience at Wild Shropshire. The food is amazing throughout, absolutely brilliant dishes. Love the mystery around what you’re eating until the end. The service was fantastic; friendly, attentive, informative, all without being intrusive. Talking to the chef was really interesting. Atmosphere is laid back and informal; the vibe down to earth and lets the food speak for itself, without any stuffiness or pretentiousness. Absolutely loved it. If you’re looking for a place where the food is so good it becomes art, head to Wild Shropshire.

What an amazing experience. From the moment we were greeted to point we departed, the Wild Shropshire team filled the air with warm hospitality; crafted delicious food and drinks, and truly demonstrated sustainability across the table. As I am shellfish Allergic, chef went the extra mile to customize one of my course to resemble the dish my dinner mates were eating while keeping me safe. The mixture of wine and beverage packages to accompany the 10 course meal were spot on and complemented each course perfectly. This is a 100% recommendation. Making reservations far in advance necessary, but you would be missing a wonderful treat if this kept you from visiting. 10 courses were perfect but we couldn't resist adding a little cheese at the end. Each member of the team was personable and conveyed the passion for the magic that is created at Wild Shropshire. Many Thanks for a very special evening amongst dear friends! 5/31/24

Who would have thought that a Whitchurch Chef - a front of house young lady from Seattle an a “Brummie” sommelier would work ? Well it does in abundance - what a fabulous team. We thoroughly enjoyed this taste surprise with each course. We visited as a group of four not knowing what to expect. What a fantastic restaurant. A must visit for anyone.

Fascinating insight to how a meal is plated. Great to be able to chat to James and all his friendly amazing team. Made fantastic food into a real experience - thanks

Absolutely blown away by the food that James creates. From the first to the last course your taste buds are put through a magical experience and one I will never forget. Hats off to the whole team who were attentive, knowledgeable and took the time to talk to you.

What an excellent way to spend an evening. A great experience we will do again Dave & Catherine

Utterly sublime. I'm so glad we came her. The food is outstanding, as is the service. My only complaint is the stereo system, as its a touch tinny sounding and the music is a bit blokey....sorry. Apart from that, I love everything about this place. The chef was so lovely too

Food tasted great but very small portions even by fine dining standards, very knowledgeable friendly staff and chef definitely recommend giving it a go

Sublime. Loved the whole experience, can’t wait to go again.

and I do not exaggerate! The second course I had a physical response to that I've never experienced before and it almost made me cry it was so lovely. Like other diners I've been to many Beard winners and Michelin starred restaurants and Wild Shropshire was one of my top experiences. Chef and his staff were wonderful, but busy. There is not down time, but everyone took a moment to engage with us and made sure we were comfortable, answer our questions and humbly accept our complements. If I lived in the area, I'd be a regular!

This was from last November. The food that James produced was outstanding! Along with Jo the sommelier and the wine pairings it made this visit incredible. What makes it more interesting is that you haven't got a clue what's going to be on the menu!

Absolutely fantastic! the food was delicious with a special surprise in every course. You don't know what you are going to get because you don't get the menu until you've finished. A very unique restaurant.

Just amazing. Perfect level of attentiveness from staff, atmosphere pitched just right between quiet and noisy (enjoyed listening to post-OK Computer era Radiohead all night!) and the food was incomparable. Every dish was a new and surprising adventure for the tastebuds. Never would have picked Whitchurch as a culinary hotspot but Wild Shropshire is single-handedly making it so.

We had a fantastic experience at Wild Shropshire! The concept of the restuarent is brilliant and we so enjoyed not being told what we were being served and trying to work it out - receiving the menu at the end of the menu was really fun! The staff were incredible - very attentive, knowledagble and friendly. The food was amazing and cooked with so much love and passion - loved being able to talk with James afterwards and hearing his plans for the farm and the future was brilliant. We would love to return! Thank you!

This restaurant is incredible in every way. The food is utterly delicious and James and his team deliver that amazing level of service that is warm, friendly and impeccable. I can’t recommend this restaurant highly enough.

If I had to use one word to describe Wild Shropshire it would be - incredible. The food through to the wine and through to the atmosphere is just perfect. I love the concept of not knowing what you’re eating until after as it really tests your tastebuds! All of the people who work there are friendly, knowledgable and super welcoming. There’s no stuffiness here and James is so down to earth and you can tell that he and his team genuinely enjoy what they do. I think I’m due to have my 5th visit to the restaurant as we can’t keep away! Highly recommend this as a place for a date or with friends - it’s just brilliant.

Exemplary service from the minute you arrive. Chef James seems to have asked and answered a simple question, 'what would your perfect dining experience be like?'. With extraordinary care and love for local, high quality and innovative ingredients he and his brilliant team deliver 9 courses of near perfection in a relaxed, friendly and attentive - but never stifling - environment. Best dining experience for many years. Thank you all.

A lovely evening food was devine. Will certainly return to this little gem

Absolutely amazing experience! Never had a tasting menu where we've enjoyed every single course until coming here. James seems to really care about the customer experience and is obviously very passionate about the food that he cooks - understandably so! Jo was also amazing and really helped to make our evening worth remembering with some great wine recommendations. Can't wait to come back and would recommend to anyone!

Wasn't sure what to expect, as from my experience of taster menus this is very reasonably priced. I was pleasantly surprised ! There's no menu or clue as to what you are about the eat, which I really enjoy. The flavours and textures were interesting and enjoyable. The wine list was good and the Sommelier knowledgeable. Service was efficient but not too formal. We will be returning !

Absolutely fantastic, great service. Food was out of this world, with fantastic wine pairing. Definitely a place to come back to again. It's a different experience not knowing what's on the menu until the end, but that makes you enjoy it in a different way.

A superb culinary experience for those who enjoy good food, drink and service and who can appreciate how these can be combined to deliver more than the sum of the parts.

I visited this restaurant to celebrate my partner’s birthday. The food was amazing, with a variety of flavours and textures. We’ve loved everything and James was really nice explaining the dishes and answer my questions 😃. Wonderful staff. We will visit again.

Absolutely an excellent and exhilarating experience. Go. Thank me later (you will, if only in your own head). Update 18/05/2023: Listening to my own advice, went again. Well done me. Good advice. (Read as: Well done to James and his team who met their own extremely high standards, thank you.)

Fabulous experience. Beautifully prepared food made from local and seasonal produce, with your own personal before and after discussion with the chef. I really enjoyed discussing wine choices with the sommelier who managed to explain what I was drinking and why it tasted that way without sounding pretentious. It will be interesting to go back during a different season to see what difference it makes to the menu.

We had a very special and unusual dining experience and the food was excellent. The service was outstanding. The staff were obviously very passionate about their food and drink and explained about the ingredients. The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly. It is a top notch place to go for a dining experience but don't expect a slap up meal!

What a fabulous find! Wild Shropshire is a unique and very enjoyable experience. From the moment you enter the restaurant, James and his colleagues make you feel welcome. Their attention to detail is superb. My husband and I had the Taster menu with accompanying wines, each of which was explained and, I must say, went very well with the dishes. We had a great time trying to guess our menu, the food being exceptional, and was finally explained to us by James at the end of the evening. I fully recommend Wild Shropshire as a wonderful experience.

Mmmm lovely food, A different (in a good way) and really enjoyable dining experience with some excellent food wizardry:)

Brilliant experience, very relaxed, food kept flowing at a very comfortable pace. Excellent value for money.

Lovely time, excellent food, great accompanying wines and lots of fun trying to figure out what we eaten before being told at the end of the night! Will be going back.

Great experience, James takes the time to greet and talk to guests, it feels more like an relaxed dinner party rather than a high end restaurant. Learnt a lot, especially about wine production. He doesn’t take himself too seriously and is very down to earth. I was wary it all initially, particularly about the duration (~3 hours), but I need not have been, time flew by. Food fantastic and wine flight very good. I would try and English wine flight next time possibly and visit in a different season, to see what magic James and his team create with other ingredients

Relaxed dining with very exceptional food. James Sherwin has built a tasting menu with an abundance of local ingredients which is lovely to experience.
James is super friendly and passionate about food and you can get a real taste of that in the Wild Shropshire. Set in a building that looks like it could have been an office or shop building previously with a relatively small looking kitchen it does not look to be a place to experience the level of food it delivers. Should easily be deserving more praise from places like the Michelin guide. Haute cuisine without the faff. No overbearing wait staff at something like Restaurant Gordon Ramsay or dress codes like The Ritz. Feels homely and British, but with a level of finesse much higher than a gastropub. It is definitely worth a stop (if you’re able to get a table!) Food was ever so slightly heavy with the oniony flavours, but it was brilliant nonetheless.
My only concern on sustainability is the price. I think this place might be too cheap! I hope they are able to stay profitable with the pricing as in 2023 the UK’s top restaurants are well past £100 a head (plus drinks and service, eg >£10 a course). Wild Shropshire charges £45 a head for a 7/8 course lunch and only about £20 more for dinner. Their drinks are very moderately priced as well as being super tasty. Will love to go back and gladly pay more for the privilege again. As a side note make sure you figure out where to park before heading up if you are driving. There is a public car park before the restaurant and if you miss it you have to go in a bit of a circle on a one way route to get back.

A very enjoyable experience. The food was fantastic. Actually amazing. James and the staff round off a wonderful night. Highly recommended

Highly recommended. Perfection A curious delight that kept on coming.

Wonderful Restaurant. The attentive staff and experience were as good as anywhere I have been, but the cooking is still the real high point.

Had a lovely experience at Wild Shropshire. Staff were friendly & attentive. James is obviously passionate about the food & this shows in presentation. James explains each dish at the end of the evening & it’s a delight to discuss the food with him. We had the wine flight but overall the wine was not to our taste. Would perhaps consider ordering wine rather than wine flight.

A great restaurant and had the pleasure of meeting James. No menu, and it was a guessing game to work what you had, very different. At the end of the meal we were given the menu. I won't spoil what we had but photos show the quality. Next time we're in Shropshire we will definitely be back

We all had such a good evening, the food is fantastic and the atmosphere is lovely and relaxed. All the team are brilliantly passionate and friendly. Couldn’t recommend more.

Had a superb evening here with the tasting menu - didn't know what to expect ( I hadn't twigged that you aren't told what you're getting) but right from the start it was relaxed, good fun, informative, delicious and most of all different. Going out for food hasn't really changed in years but this took it to another level - not for every week but a great treat & special occasion. Oh and despite being sure I'd want more, somehow it was the perfect amount for all three of us though we have different appetites! Go, enjoy it and experience a new way to have a meal out and importantly new flavours. Can't recommend the food & staff and whole experience enough - great to have this "on the doorstep"

My wife and I travelled and stayed in Whitchurch specifically to visit this restaurant. We have been lucky to have travelled and eaten in many top rated restaurants. This is a very special restaurant with a very talented chef. My wife is pescetarian and each of the many little dishes were unique and bold in flavour and incredibly creative. This restaurant will always be very memorable for the incredible food, great restaurant atmosphere and entertainment. Watching the chef create his dishes in the small open kitchen with music playing felt like a chef's table for all. You are not told about the ingredients until the end of the meal and so are kept guessing about the flavours. If you are looking for a unique dining experience, a a very special evening, you appreciate the very best fine dining, then this is a must visit restaurant and one worthy of travelling especially to Whitchurch

Great food. A dining experience.

A surprise present for our birthday and what a great one. We had the tasting menu. Taste buds were excited by the food and the staff were attentive, giving that personal touch with good humour. Recommend that everyone gives it a visit but make sure there is room for us for our next visit.

A unique brilliant dining experience. James seems to actually enjoy his craft and it shows.

Amazing place just so different from anything I’ve eaten at before. James the chef is so friendly and helpful explaining all the different dishes you are eating..

This isn’t just a restaurant, it’s a dining experience. If you love food and want to be taken on a journey of flavour, this is the place for you. Each course is a celebration of flavour! The chef puts so much heart and soul into every morsel that it’s a true joy to discover. It’s a perfectly balanced menu, pure satisfaction! It’s also incredibly fun. The phrase ‘fun dining’ describes it to a T. We loved discovering and debating what was in each dish… waiting in eager anticipation for the big reveal at the end of the night. The drinks menu is innovative, original and simply fantastic: You have a choice of a wine, beer, cocktail (I know!!) and non-alcoholic flight to complement the food. What a fabulous idea, and the attention to and exploration of flavours was an effortless extension and expression of James’ talent and art. We had one each of the wine and cocktail floats and enjoyed trying everything. I couldn’t recommend this place enough, most definitely worth our 4 hour drive!! The staff are wonderful and deserve a gold star and the chef, James, is a truly great guy with an obvious passion and unique creative vision. He introduced himself at the start and he and the team put together their creations in the open kitchen space to the side of the dining space all evening. Fascinating! Thank you so much for this mind blowingly brilliant evening. One of the best nights out we’ve ever had. We shall be back!

What a fantastic evening. A real personal experience from chef and the open kitchen was a nice surprise. The food was so impressive and tasty, we just wanted more. Staff were friendly and welcoming and we super can't wait to go back. Great food, great team and great restaurant. Thanks guys :)

Not enough words to describe the experience... James and his team are awesome

Amazing experience and restaurant. This place is a gem. We had the 8 course tasting menu on Thursday, each dish is a work or art, unique and delicious. There is a great wine menu to match. The atmosphere was really relaxing with great music to combine. We will definitely be coming back!

Excellent food and attentive staff and a relaxing environment

Visited here a few weeks ago on a Saturday evening. To be honest we weren't blown away. The food was ok and wine flight over priced. The wine had to last over a few courses and wasn't sufficient. I had to apologise for asking for water on four occasions. I felt embarrassed to ask and we felt that it would have been a better option to leave the water on the table. In hindsight we would have ordered bottled wine and had a snack before we went.We were hungry when we arrived home and had to have a bite to eat. The potions were tiny with very little carbs. However, we were warned that portions wouldn't be huge. Nail varnish was worn while preparing food and lots of hair on show. Masks were worn at all times which was excellent. We wouldn't rush back but glad we gave it a shot. The experience lasted 2 hours.

3rd time , just keeps getting better. James is a true food artist . You won't get better taster menu in Shropshire, dare I say it anywhere in UK. Don't hesitate get this on your food bucket list

Amazing experience - as a blind tasting menu I was nervous and excited. Put my trust in James and he delivered! Delicious local food, including things I would never normally choose which surprised me. Would definitely recommend without hesitation.

A very different experience but loved every minute. Its very strange to taste food that you haven't a clue what it is other that your own taste buds,you get the menue at the end of the 9-10 tasting courses. They get better and better as you get through them. Value for money 10. Will every one like it all? Depends but very good value for the money .