The story
In the heart of Beaconsfield Old Town, The Greyhound occupies a Grade II listed 17th-century former coaching inn that owners Daniel Crump and Margriet Vandezande-Crump fell in love with at first sight. After working in some of the UK’s most established restaurants, including Michelin-starred Petrus and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, the husband-and-wife team opened their first solo venture here in December 2019. They restored original features while modernising the space, working with a designer to make every detail—from the cutlery to the wallpaper—feel right for both them and their guests.
The cooking is led by Head Chef George Sweeney, who trained through a Royal Academy of Culinary Arts apprenticeship at The Langham Hotel before working at the three-AA-rosette Sir Charles Napier. His style uses seasonal British produce from the best suppliers across the UK to create modern British dishes with a hint of nostalgia. The menu changes regularly but might include Brixham Brill with beer beurre blanc and white asparagus, or Berkshire Downs Lamb Loin with a faggot, green asparagus, and sauce vierge. Starters such as Creedy Carver Duck Breast with chervil and orange, and a Salt Baked Kohlrabi with Kissabel apple and hazelnut, reflect the kitchen’s precision and respect for ingredients.
The dining room is complemented by outdoor terrace seating for warmer months, and a diverse wine list alongside local beers and ales. The restaurant’s commitment to quality and hospitality has earned it a Michelin Recommended award, placing it among the region’s most accomplished dining destinations. The front-of-house team, led by Restaurant Manager Lauren Gulliford-Brown, aims to make every experience—whether a quick drink, a lunch, or a romantic dinner—one to remember.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
* Former senior sous-chef George Sweeney has been promoted to head chef, replacing Jermaine Harriott.* Set on a handsome street close to Beaconsfield’s main drag, the Greyhound is a highly trained thoroughbred. This 17th-century former coaching inn was refurbished and reopened in 2019 by a couple with extensive hospitality experience at the likes of Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Trinity. They run a tight ship, with an exceptionally well-drilled team out front. Although there’s a bar with local real ale, fine dining’s the thing, pointed up by expensive wallpaper in the foyer and a smart semi-circular yellow banquette installed beneath wooden beams in the ground-floor restaurant. There's a similarly attired room upstairs, and a terrace for summertime food at the back. A certain formality pervades the place, admired by legions of regulars who appreciate the ‘cosy, classy and comfortable’ ambience and ‘immaculate’ staff. The food attracts praise too. As well as various tasting menus, Jermaine Harriott (promoted from sous-chef) serves up a concise seasonal carte where Norfolk quail with pickled walnuts and redcurrants might precede grilled red mullet with carrot, ginger and avruga caviar. There’s a short list of ‘nibbles’ too, including a pair of exquisitely light (and strikingly black) duck and cherry tarts with nori and gherkin. Even the good-value set lunch comes with a showering of additional tit-bits, from a standard-issue cheese gougère to a creamy yet tangy white tomato gazpacho with thinly sliced pickled courgettes. To follow, a quartered loaf of warm, moist, nutty soda bread with caramelised butter outshone our starter – an underpowered sweetcorn velouté, poured onto a tangle of crunchy sliced fennel, spring onions and Thai basil. No complaints, though, about a main course of Cornish ling, the generous portion of translucently fresh fish aptly paired with a punchy warm ‘tartare butter sauce’ and little cubes of potato. Equally enjoyable was a (much-needed) side dish of sugar-snap peas with mint, lettuce and bacon. With pre-desserts, 'sweets' (including a tangy sea-buckthorn pastille) and chocolates also on the agenda, our intense chocolate tart embedded with chewy raw pistachios simply added to the indulgent finale. A thoughtfully chosen, well-annotated wine list completes the picture.
3 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
Location
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