The story
Set in Leominster, Herefordshire, The Riverside at Aymestrey brings a grounded approach to Modern British cooking along the River Lugg. Chef Andy Link directs the kitchen alongside George Parkes, treating sustainability and ethical sourcing as foundational rather than optional. The team cultivates herbs and vegetables in an on-site kitchen garden, then partners with local farms who mirror that careful ethos. This dedication to traceable ingredients and seasonal pacing defines the Modern British kitchen here.
Diners frequently return for the rare-breed Herefordshire steak sandwich served with truffle chips, a lunchtime staple that highlights the county’s agricultural heritage. The menu adapts to what the soil produces, offering grilled cod resting on peas and mangetout with a sharp lovage sauce, or chicken prepared with courgettes, garden chard and wild herb pesto. Sweet finishes lean into homegrown and foraged elements, including a nettle cake and a rhubarb purée paired with custard mousse. Each dish in this British cuisine prioritises texture and provenance over convenience.
The dining space occupies a 16th-century half-timbered building positioned near an old stone bridge on the Mortimer Trail. Warren-like interiors feature heavily beamed ceilings, uneven wooden floors and open fires that carve out quiet corners for conversation. Guests can also step onto the terraced garden when the weather turns mild, a layout that accommodates both intimate gatherings and larger parties. The venue maintains a reputation for straightforward service and a relaxed atmosphere that welcomes dogs and families alike.
Recognition
Details
History
2 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
Off the beaten track, and not an easy place to find, this 16th-century half-timbered building stands on the banks of the river Lugg, positioned by an old stone bridge on the Mortimer Trail (a 30-mile walking route from Ludlow to Kington). Inside, a warren of heavily beamed rooms with wonky floors and open fires provides nooks for a quiet tête-a-tête and separate spaces for louder crowds or those with their four-legged friends; the terraced garden comes into its own on fine days. Service is friendly and welcoming. In the kitchen, Andy Link and his team take sustainability, ethical sourcing and food miles seriously, seeking out the very best that the region has to offer from local farms and artisan suppliers, backed up by their own kitchen garden (and their own hens). We noticed that lunchtime regulars tended to favour the perfectly cooked rare-breed Herefordshire steak sandwich with truffle chips, but we enjoyed a light meal of crispy garlicky Herefordshire snails with truffle mayo, followed by eye-catching river trout cured in beetroot and local Chase gin, plus a delightful poached pear accompanied by a scoop of assertive blue-cheese ice cream to finish. Many other items have been singled out for praise, from a generous piece of grilled and lightly caramelised cod served on a pile of peas and mangetout with a lovely lovage sauce to a dish of chicken with courgettes, garden chard and wild herb pesto that 'had some body’. For afters, readers have endorsed the nettle cake and the rhubarb purée with 'custard mousse'. A good chunk of the decently priced wine list is vegan or vegetarian – though given the impressive ethos of the place, there are surprisingly few English offerings.
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