The story
Beneath the individualistic Queensberry Hotel on Russel Street, the Olive Tree is one of Bath’s longest established independent restaurants. It was awarded its first Michelin Star in 2018, a distinction that makes it the only Michelin-starred restaurant in the city and, as of the award, Somerset’s only 4-rosette restaurant.
Here, classic flavours meet modern techniques. The restaurant describes its style as "de-formalised fine dining," where beautiful, seasonal dishes are enjoyed in a welcoming, chic atmosphere. The Taste of the Season menus are built around fresh, local produce, showcasing the best of both Bath and British cuisine.
Executive Chef Chris Cleghorn is the driving force in the kitchen. He honed his skills in top restaurants including the Fat Duck in Bray and worked alongside Michael Caines. His focus remains on a close relationship with local suppliers, with a full commitment to seasonality. The team, from commis chefs to chef de parties, describe the kitchen as "fun, creative and rewarding," with a shared passion for making everything from fresh. Chef de partie Jasmine, who works on larder and garnish, notes that plating the dishes after a day of prep is "something special."
The Olive Tree is serious about lunch, offering a range of tasting menus from three to nine courses. The wine list has also earned national recognition, having been awarded the AA England and Overall Wine Award. The restaurant's commitment to its team is reflected in its status as a Living Wage Employer, a principle close to the heart of this southwest hospitality business. Whether for a long, luxurious lunch or an evening of modern cuisine, the Olive Tree offers a dining experience that is both accomplished and relaxed.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
High quality cooking
Head chef Chris Cleghorn has been honing his technique in the Queensberry Hotel's basement restaurant for more than a decade now, and things are down to a pretty fine art. If you're looking for inventive, refined and beautifully presented dishes, then his tasting menus (choose anything from three to nine courses) hit the mark. Cleghorn places great emphasis on seasonality as well as provenance, and is rightly proud of the wealth of local produce he can draw on. It is perhaps a shame that cooking of such flair is hidden away below ground in a room which, although well lit and tastefully decorated, is a little characterless. Service is suited and formal, though efficient and helpful. You will not be pouring your own drinks here. Each dish is carefully explained by the kitchen staff as it is brought to the table – a starter of cured trout with wasabi cream, purple radish and apple sorbet, for example. Even the seasonal lunch menu offers overtly opulent ideas such as poached and barbecued Cornish lobster with vanilla salt, fermented sweetcorn, lovage oil, verbena leaves and a frothy, light lobster cream. Cleghorn's technical mastery is showcased in a late-summer dessert involving mildly smoky, intensely flavourful barbecued raspberries with tonka-bean parfait, coulis, fennel strands and 25-year-old balsamic vinegar. The extensive, globetrotting wine list is user-friendly, with an excellent selection by the glass and various bottles grouped by style ('rich, intense, opulent') so you can easily choose something to suit your mood.
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