HENLEY-ON-THAMES

In this Oxfordshire town discover smart delis, restaurants with rooms and a century-old butcher’s shop

A riverside setting, Royal Regatta and unbridled access to the Chilterns countryside are all good reasons to come to Henley-on-thames — but they’re not the only ones. This pretty, 13th-century market town on the edge of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is also home to a thriving food scene. Here, top restaurants are tucked between historic pubs and independent shops, fusing international influences with the region’s agricultural riches.

Chef-turned-restaurateur Luke Garnsworthy — previously chef de partie at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal — chose Henley as the setting for a second branch of his fine dining concept, Crockers. Restaurant with rooms Crockers Henley (henley. crockersuk.com) opened on Market Place, the town’s central square, in August 2020. Here, Luke serves modern British and pan-asian cuisine, along with robatayaki (charcoal-grilled) dishes highlighting local produce. “The passion driving the local businesses is infectious,” he says, listing partnerships with nearby producers Hobbs of Henley, Nettlebed Creamery and English Farm.

An even more recent arrival is Sage + Squash (sageandsquash.co.uk), a deli opened in February 2021 by Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef Emma Nettleton. The glass-fronted space offers a cornucopia of homemade breakfast and lunch dishes, including quiche of the day, fresh pastries from artisan bakery Paul Rhodes and gourmet products such as Giovanni’s Gelato. “We buy fruit and vegetables from the square on market days,” says Emma, who serves Horsebox Coffee, roasted just outside Henley, with all the deli’s meat coming from the town’s butcher, Gabriel Machin.

Having supplied meat — as well as fish, seafood, cheese and more — to Henley residents since 1910, Gabriel Machin (gabrielmachin.co.uk) is part of the town’s fabric. In this small, timbered building facing onto Market Place, the current proprietor, Barry Wagner, and his team continue the tradition as butchers, fishmongers, game dealers, smokers and curers — Heston Blumenthal even came here for advice when setting up his own smokery. House-smoked salmon, ham and trout are offered alongside sausages made using locally sourced and ethically reared pork, local cheeses and Henleyproduced honey, as well as bread from Bosley Patch, a nearby market garden and artisan bakery.

On the opposite side of the square, next to Crockers, lies the first standalone food outlet from luxury department store Harrods. Opened in

2019, H Café (harrods.com) is a chic all-day dining destination with marble touches, serving smart takes on favourites such as cottage pie, as well as pastries, decadent cakes and speciality teas, plus a selection of Harrods’ own wines.

Just moments from here, Hof’s Bar & Dining

(hofshenley.co.uk) offers hearty meat and fish dishes with South African, German and Swiss influences, alongside wines the Hof family has been producing in Robertson, South Africa, since 2009. The winery’s sauvignon blanc, merlot and shiraz reserve, among others, are paired with the likes of potjiekos (slow-cooked South African lamb stew) in a lively space. Wine-tasting sessions are available on request and there’s live music at weekends.