Oakham restaurant The Hitchen's Barn makes 2020 Good Food Guide

A restaurant that only opened in Oakham early this year has won yet another accolade.

The Hitchen’s Barn at 12 Burley Road is a new entry into the 2020 Good Food Guide, published this week.

Published by Waitrose, the guide lists three other entrants from Rutland.

They are The Lake Isle at Uppingham, Hambleton Hall at Uppingham and the Olive Branch at Clipsham.

The Hitchen’s Barn is run by Neil and Louise Hitchen, who after 20 years travelling and working in luxury hotels and resorts around the world, they returned to the UK and transformed the berkeley Arms in nearby Wymondham into an award-winning pub restaurant.

Then, in January, they moved to Oakham and opened the barn, which offers ‘Modern British’ food.

The guide praised the venue for “Good cooking, showing sound technical skills and using quality ingredients.”

It also cited “Louise’s friendly front of house approach.”

The guide added: “Local produce is the mainstay of Neil’s menus, which retain the Wymondham formula for robust dishes that exert strong popular appeal.”

Louise commented: “Neil, I and the whole team are thrilled with our entry into the Waitrose Good Food Guide - having only been open under 8 months here in Oakham.

“It’s incredible to maintain the same cooking score we have received in previous editions of the Good Food Guide at the Berkeley Arms. We are loving being here in Oakham!

The Lake Isle in High Street East, Uppingham, was praised for its “capable cooking with simple food combinations and clear flavours.”

Hambleton Hall was praised for “High level of ambition. Attention to detail. Accurate and vibrant dishes.”

The Olive Branch was also praised for its “decent cooking, good technical skills, interesting combinations and flavours.”

Read who made the AA's Pub Guide 2020.