The story
The restaurant’s philosophy is simple: use the finest produce available and let every dish shine. The result is a dynamic dining experience filled with laughter, music, and unforgettable flavours. Guests can choose to take control of their own culinary journey or opt for the Chef’s selection, a tasting menu that promises a memorable adventure for the taste buds. This confident, ingredient-led approach has earned the restaurant a Michelin Recommended award for 2026, a fitting recognition for a kitchen that lets quality speak for itself.
The sample menu reflects this ethos. Start with snacks like a Lincolnshire Poacher tartlet with pickled walnut ketchup, or bream crudo on a seaweed cracker with chilli, avocado, and lime. Small plates might include salt-baked beetroot with cod’s roe emulsion and furikake, or a BBQ king prawn with laksa sauce and fennel salad. For larger plates, there is a roast herb-fed chicken ‘Caesar’ with gem lettuce and smoked bacon, or a BBQ beef picanha steak with peppercorn sauce and horseradish cream. A full eight-course tasting menu is also available, priced at £79 per person, with a drinks pairing option at £55.
Beyond the evening menu, Restaurant Auction House also serves breakfast on Fridays and Saturdays, offering dishes from an AH Full English with Lincolnshire sausage to custard-soaked French toast with seasonal fruit.
Whether you come for a leisurely lunch, a full tasting menu, or a morning meal, the focus here is on produce, precision, and a genuinely warm welcome.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
Chef Gareth Bartram made his name at Winteringham Fields but now he is flying solo at this pint-sized spot in Louth, which has ‘brought something refreshing and inspiring’ to the town. Both the bar and the dinky dining room on the first floor are well supported by the local populace, who appreciate the fact that this dynamic, welcoming space ‘evolves seamlessly throughout the day’ – from breakfast and light bites to cocktails and dinner. Snacks open the show (perhaps a Lincolnshire Poacher tartlet with pickled walnut ketchup), while ‘beautifully executed’ small plates bring temptation in the shape of, say, chorizo with crushed peas, house ricotta and preserved lemon. Among the larger plates, the catch of the day with sauce vierge or BBQ picanha steak with peppercorn sauce, Roscoff onions and horseradish cream show off the kitchen’s classic skills, while sherry trifle with Anabel strawberries, vanilla and elderflower brings proceedings to a seasonal conclusion. The succinct, well-priced wine list is a real highlight, with a former Winteringham Fields sommelier sending offbeat bottles from their shop across the Humber in Hull.
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