The story
Chef Simon King established 1861 in Abergavenny, bringing a career spanning the Roux brothers' Waterside Inn and Martin Blunos' Lettonie to his own Modern British kitchen. He applies a philosophy of respectful simplicity, allowing high-quality regional produce to lead the cooking. The supply chain stays exceptionally local, with most vegetables arriving from a nursery in Nantyderry run by co-owner Kate King's father. The Good Food Guide recognized these efforts, awarding a Good rating for the locally sourced cooking and Kate King's exemplary hospitality.
Menu highlights include truffled goat's cheese accompanied by pickled baby beetroot and chicken liver parfait set with port jelly and melba toast. Savoury mains showcase precise execution, from hake fillets bathed in champagne and chive cream to lamb shanks slow-braised in red wine and rosemary. Longer tasting menus allow diners to sample complex pairings like the duo of smoked and confit duck served with pickled cherries, illustrating the depth found in the restaurant's country cuisine.
Kate King directs the front-of-house operations, fostering a hospitable environment within a beamed dining room that retains the character of its old building. The team provides knowledgeable service, readily adapting dishes for vegan or vegetarian diets while maintaining the integrity of flavors. Visitors can book overnight stays in any of the six en-suite guest rooms, which feature floral names such as Bluebell and Snowdrop, turning a meal into a full Monmouthshire escape.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
Out in Cross Ash, to the northeast of Abergavenny, amid the majestic undulations of Monmouthshire, 1861 is a rural retreat and then some. The beamed dining room feels a little snug to some, but is undeniably atmospheric, and the front-of-house, led by Kate King, is a model of exemplary hospitality. Simon King cooks a menu of locally sourced country cuisine, with Kate's dad providing some of the home-grown produce. To start, truffled goat's cheese might be combined with pickled baby beetroot, while gentle alcohol-based saucing brings out the inherent qualities of main-course stars – Champagne and chive cream for a hake fillet, red wine and rosemary for a braised lamb shank. There is nothing earth-shaking about the cooking, but sometimes the earth doesn't need shaking, and those intent on sampling the range can opt for a six- or seven-course taster that might centre on two cuts of duck in passion fruit sauce. Sweet treats have included a pre-orderable pineapple tarte tatin. Wines start at £24. The restaurant now has six en-suite rooms for those wanting to stay over.
2 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
Location
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