The Thames Valley Restaurants

Londoners weekend here, and where they go, stellar restaurants follow. Bray (near Windsor), Marlow, and Great Milton (near Oxford) claim some excellent tables; you need to book months ahead for these. Simple pub food, as well as classic French cuisine, can be enjoyed in waterside settings at many restaurants beside the Thames. Even in towns away from the river, well-heeled commuters and Oxford professors support top-flight establishments. Reservations are often not required but are strongly recommended, especially on weekends.

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  • 1. Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons

    $$$$

    One of the original gastronomy-focused hotels, Le Manoir was opened in 1984 by chef Raymond Blanc, whose culinary talents have earned the hotel's restaurant two Michelin stars—now held for an incredible 38 years and running. Decide from among such innovative French creations as spiced cauliflower velouté with langoustines, beef fillet with braised Jacob's ladder, or Dover sole with brown butter and rosemary. Or you can try one of the fixed-price menus starting from £229; the six-course set-price lunch (£190) is marginally easier on the wallet. There is a separate vegetarian menu as well. With more than 1,000 wines in stock, mostly French, you'll find the perfect glass to accompany your meal. You need to book up to three months ahead in summer. Elegant guest rooms are available, but at upwards of £800 in summer for even a standard double, you could just as well get a taxi back to almost anywhere south of Scotland. The pretty town of Great Milton is 7 miles southeast of Oxford.

    Church Rd., Great Milton, Oxfordshire, OX44 7PD, England
    01844-278881

    Known For

    • One of the top restaurants in the country
    • Flawless French-style fine dining
    • Beautiful surroundings

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Wed., Reservations essential
  • 2. Brasserie Blanc

    $$

    Raymond Blanc's sophisticated brasserie in the Jericho neighborhood is the more affordable chain restaurant cousin of Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Great Milton. The changing menu always lists a good selection of steaks and innovative adaptations of bourgeois French fare, sometimes with Mediterranean or Asian influences. Try the confit duck or the rainbow beetroot salad. In a happy concession to more Anglo-Saxon tastes, they also do a fantastic traditional British roast on Sunday.

    71–72 Walton St., Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX2 6AG, England
    01865-510999

    Known For

    • French classics like bouillabaisse
    • Affordable lunch menu
    • Good wine selection
  • 3. Cote

    $

    This reliably good brasserie serves decent French-influenced cooking in a contemporary setting. Start with an order of excellent calamari, fried in bread crumbs with a subtle infusion of garlic, before moving on to a main of fish parmentier (pie with a potato topping) or a classic steak in peppercorn sauce served with french fries. Desserts are rich and tempting, although the simple French cheeseboard, taken with the last of the excellent bottle of red you had with dinner, can make for an unexpectedly fine finish. Reservations are recommended, especially on weekends.

    41–47 George St., Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 2BE, England
    01865-251992

    Known For

    • Reliably good French bistro cooking
    • Rich desserts
    • Large crowds so reservations are recommended
  • 4. Vanilla Pod

    $$$$

    Discreet and intimate, this restaurant is a showcase for the French-inspired cuisine of chef Michael Macdonald, who, as the restaurant's name implies, holds vanilla in high esteem. The fixed-price menu borrows the flavor of a French bistro and shakes it up a bit, so you might have filet mignon with polenta or something more adventurous, such as fennel escabeche with mackerel and vanilla. The three-course lunch menu is a fantastic bargain at £25, and the seven-course menu gourmand for £60 is a tour de force.

    31 West St., Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 2LS, England
    01628-898101

    Known For

    • French-inspired cooking
    • A flair for vanilla
    • Great value set lunch

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon., Reservations essential
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