Artichoke

Verdict

Book Artichoke if you want serious Modern British cooking at a fraction of London prices, in a setting that delivers considerably more character than most city-centre fine dining rooms. Laurie Gear has been running this Old Amersham operation for over two decades, and the consistency is documented: regulars report returning for 13 years without a disappointing visit, and the restaurant ranked #444 in the Opinionated About Dining Leading Restaurants in Europe for 2025 (up from #391 in 2024). The entry-level three-course menu at £95 per head makes this materially cheaper than comparable London rooms. If you are making a special trip from London, pair it with a browse of our full Amersham restaurants guide to plan your day around it.

The Restaurant

Artichoke occupies a 16th-century red-brick townhouse on the main street of Old Amersham's market square — a genuinely handsome room where an inglenook fireplace and historic structural detail sit alongside considered modern design. A recent refurbishment added an artichoke-green colour scheme and an etched-resin screen that, when drawn open, exposes the kitchen to the dining room. Diners seated near the fireplace can watch the kitchen in action, which adds a layer of engagement the format rewards. The ground-floor dining room connects to a first-floor private dining space, and there is a clear sense that the room has been thought about, not just furnished.

The cooking is seasonal and regionally grounded. Signature bread — a miniature warm wholemeal loaf laced with Chiltern Black Ale , arrives early and sets the register: local, precise, unfussy. The menu structure gives diners meaningful choice: tasting formats sit alongside set menus, and the vegetarian and plant-based options are substantive enough to be a genuine reason to visit rather than an afterthought. Flavour combinations across the menu are described by reviewers as carrying "understated complexity" , the kitchen is clearly more interested in precision and balance than theatrical presentation.

Seasonality drives the repertoire, and the menu changes frequently enough to reward returning visits. Spring brings dishes built around lamb sweetbreads, first-flush garden peas, and morel mushrooms; the kitchen also works well with fish. The wine list is broad, with France and Italy as its backbone but genuine range , Armenia, Croatia, Uruguay , at accessible price points. Sommelier coverage has historically been strong, though it is worth noting the previous sommelier, Valentin, has recently left the business. Service overall reads as warm, well-paced, and attentive without formality.

Private Dining and Group Visits

The first-floor private dining room makes Artichoke a more practical proposition for groups than its compact street-level footprint suggests. If you are planning a celebration dinner, a business meal, or a group of six or more, requesting the private room gives you separation from the main dining room and a more contained experience. This is worth specifying at the time of booking rather than assuming availability. For smaller groups of two to four, the main room near the kitchen screen is the better choice , the visual access to the kitchen adds to the meal, and the inglenook creates genuine warmth in winter months.

For special occasions, Saturday lunch is the most attractive time slot: the kitchen is fully operational, you avoid the weekday lunch time pressure, and you have the evening to extend elsewhere in Amersham. The restaurant is closed Sundays and Mondays, which narrows the window. See our full Amersham bars guide and hotels guide if you are planning to stay over.

Leading Time to Visit

Saturday lunch is the recommendation for first-timers arriving from London. It lets you make a proper occasion of the Chiltern day out, and the dining room feels less hurried than midweek dinner service. Winter visits have the inglenook fireplace as a practical draw. Spring is the strongest season culinarily, when the kitchen's commitment to local produce is most visible , lamb, asparagus, morels, and garden peas feature prominently in the menu at that time of year. The restaurant runs Wednesday through Saturday (dinner from Wednesday; lunch from Thursday), so plan your week accordingly.

Practical Details

The entry-level three-course menu is priced at £95 per head. Tasting menus will run higher. The restaurant is open Wednesday evenings, Thursday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. It is closed Sunday through Tuesday. Bookings are described as moderately difficult to secure , this is not a walk-in venue at any point, and advance planning is required. The restaurant sits at 9 Market Square, Old Amersham, within walking distance of Amersham station (Metropolitan and Chiltern lines from London). If you are exploring the area more widely, our Amersham experiences guide covers the broader Chiltern day-trip proposition. For comparable destination restaurants in the region, see Hand and Flowers in Marlow and hide and fox in Saltwood. For the high end of UK destination dining outside London, L'Enclume in Cartmel and Moor Hall in Aughton are the reference points.

Quick reference: £95pp three-course entry menu | Wed–Sat, lunch Thu–Sat | Moderate booking difficulty | Private dining room available on first floor | Amersham station approx. walking distance.

How It Compares

Explore More

• The Griffin , Amersham's more relaxed alternative for a local pub dinner
• CORE by Clare Smyth in London , the London Modern British benchmark
• The Fat Duck in Bray , Berkshire destination dining if you are heading further west
• Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons in Great Milton , the full country-house tasting menu alternative
• Gidleigh Park in Chagford , comparable chef-driven seasonal cooking in a country-house format
• Midsummer House in Cambridge , a peer for serious destination dining outside London
• Opheem in Birmingham , comparable OAD-ranked cooking at destination level outside the capital
• The Ritz Restaurant in London , if formal grandeur is part of what you are seeking
• 33 The Homend in Ledbury , small-town serious cooking at a comparable tier
• Our full Amersham wineries guide