Restaurant in Beaconsfield, United Kingdom
Michelin-recognised cooking, genuine warmth, £££ value.
A Michelin Plate-recognised Modern British restaurant in a 17th-century coaching inn on Beaconsfield's Windsor End, The Greyhound delivers fine dining quality at £££ with genuinely warm service. Two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024–2025) and a 4.9 Google rating across nearly 400 reviews back it up. Book two to three weeks out for weekends; the set lunch is the best-value entry point.
The Greyhound earns its Michelin Plate recognition — two years running, 2024 and 2025 — and a 4.9 Google rating across nearly 400 reviews. At £££ per head, it sits at the serious end of Beaconsfield dining without crossing into London flagship territory on price. If you want fine dining quality in the Chilterns without paying ££££, this is the booking to make. The catch: the concise seasonal carte and tasting menu formats mean availability is limited, and the room is small enough that you should not leave booking to chance.
The physical setting does a lot of work here. The Greyhound occupies a 17th-century former coaching inn on Windsor End, a handsome street close to Beaconsfield's town centre, and the original fabric of the building , exposed wooden beams, period features , has been preserved through a 2019 refurbishment. What was added sits confidently alongside what was kept: a semi-circular yellow banquette anchors the ground-floor dining room, expensive wallpaper signals intent from the foyer, and a terrace at the rear opens for summer eating. A second dining room operates upstairs, styled in the same register. The bar stocks local real ale, but the visual language of the room is unambiguously fine dining. This is a place where the physical space tells you clearly what to expect before a plate arrives.
Ownership pedigree matters for understanding why the operation runs as cleanly as it does. Daniel and Margriet, the couple behind The Greyhound, bring front-of-house experience from Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London and Trinity. The team out front is described consistently across reviews as well-drilled and genuinely warm , attentive service that makes diners feel at ease rather than assessed. For a special occasion booking, that combination of formal competence and personal hospitality is exactly what you want, and it is not common at this price point outside London.
Kitchen has recently transitioned: former senior sous-chef George Sweeney has been promoted to head chef, replacing Jermaine Harriott. The menu architecture remains the same , a concise seasonal carte alongside tasting menus , and the cooking style is consistent with what earned the Michelin recognition: refined but not austere, with hearty character underpinning technical finesse. Think grilled red mullet with carrot, ginger and avruga caviar, or Norfolk quail with pickled walnuts and redcurrants. The set lunch is notable for what it delivers relative to cost: supplementary extras arrive throughout , cheese gougère, white tomato gazpacho with pickled courgettes , making it one of the better-value fine dining lunch formats in the area. The wine list is annotated and thoughtfully assembled, which at this level of dining matters more than it is often given credit for.
Formality is calibrated rather than stiff. Regulars return for what they describe as a cosy, classy and comfortable ambience, and the kitchen's willingness to send out additional nibbles and pre-desserts gives the meal a generous, celebratory pacing. A prune soufflé with Armagnac Anglaise is the kind of flourish that justifies the occasion. For anniversary dinners, significant birthdays, or a business meal where the setting needs to impress without being theatrical, The Greyhound is one of the more reliable options within reach of the M40 corridor. For a broader view of what's available locally, see our full Beaconsfield restaurants guide.
On the regional scale, The Greyhound operates in a different register from destination venues like the Waterside Inn in Bray or Hand and Flowers in Marlow, both of which carry Michelin stars and command longer booking windows and higher price points. The Greyhound's positioning , Michelin-recognised, independently owned, fine dining format, £££ pricing , makes it the sensible local choice when you want the standard of cooking to be beyond doubt without committing to a destination-level experience. For those travelling from further afield who want to compare it to starred British restaurants, Moor Hall in Aughton and Midsummer House in Cambridge operate in a comparable spirit, if not directly comparable geography.
Booking at The Greyhound is moderately competitive. The room is small and the format , tasting menus and a concise carte , means covers are limited. Plan at least two to three weeks ahead for a weekend dinner, more for a specific date tied to a celebration. The set lunch on weekdays is the most accessible entry point, both in terms of availability and cost. There is no dress code information in the public record, but the visual register of the room and the formality of the service suggest smart casual at minimum; arriving underdressed would be conspicuous.
If you are exploring the area more broadly, Beaconsfield's bar scene, hotels in Beaconsfield, and experiences in the area are worth considering alongside your dinner booking. The local winery options may also interest wine-focused visitors.
Yes, at £££, it delivers a Michelin-recognised standard of cooking with genuinely warm service , a combination that is harder to find than the price suggests. The set lunch in particular offers strong value, with supplementary extras included throughout. If you are comparing it against ££££ London venues like CORE by Clare Smyth or The Ritz Restaurant, the cooking is a step below that tier , but so is the price, and the overall experience justifies the spend.
The seasonal carte is the menu to prioritise for flexibility, but the tasting menus showcase the kitchen's range more fully. The set lunch is worth considering if you want to eat well at lower cost , it comes with additional nibbles and extras that make it feel more substantial than a stripped-back lunch format. The prune soufflé with Armagnac Anglaise has been singled out in Michelin notes as a highlight. Beyond that, the kitchen's fish cookery has drawn consistent praise.
No specific dietary accommodation information is available from the venue record. Given the tasting menu format and the level of kitchen precision involved, it is worth contacting the restaurant directly before booking to confirm what adjustments can be made.
The venue has two dining rooms , ground floor and a room upstairs , which suggests some flexibility for group bookings. For parties of six or more, contact the restaurant directly rather than assuming standard reservation channels will cover it. The semi-formal atmosphere and fixed menu formats suit corporate dinners and celebratory group meals better than large casual gatherings.
If you are coming specifically for the cooking and want the full picture of what the kitchen can do, yes. The tasting menu format here is well-suited to the occasion-dining audience the room attracts, and the additional courses and pre-desserts are included as a matter of course rather than as paid supplements. For comparison, starred tasting menus at venues like Gidleigh Park in Chagford or L'Enclume in Cartmel cost significantly more and require more planning to reach.
It is one of the better options in the Chilterns for exactly this purpose. The 17th-century room, the attentive service, and the celebratory pacing of the menu make it well-suited to anniversaries, milestone birthdays, and significant dinners. The formality is present but not oppressive, which means the atmosphere works for couples and small groups equally. Book as far ahead as you can for weekend evenings tied to a specific date.
Within Beaconsfield itself, fine dining options at this level are limited , The Greyhound is the most decorated. The nearest comparable choices involve travelling: Hand and Flowers in Marlow is around 20 minutes away and holds two Michelin stars, making it the step-up option if budget and availability allow. For Modern British cooking at a similar £££ tier elsewhere, hide and fox in Saltwood and Opheem in Birmingham offer comparable ambition in different regional settings. See our full Beaconsfield restaurants guide for local context.
Book in advance , two to three weeks minimum for weekends, more for celebrations. The set lunch is the most accessible entry point. Dress smart casual at minimum; the room signals fine dining from the moment you arrive. The cooking is refined and seasonal, so the menu changes , do not book expecting a specific dish from an old review. George Sweeney is now heading the kitchen following a promotion, so the food is in transition while remaining within the same established style. The service is genuinely hospitable rather than formal-for-its-own-sake, which makes first visits less intimidating than the setting might suggest. For wider area planning, the Restaurant Andrew Fairlie in Auchterarder and Ynyshir Hall in Machynlleth give useful reference points for the wider UK fine dining tier if you are calibrating expectations.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Greyhound | Modern British | £££ | Your visit here will be an instantly enjoyable one thanks to the genuine warmth and friendliness of owners Daniel and Margriet. They are natural hosts, providing attentive service while making all their diners feel at ease. The setting for their endearing hospitality is a charming 17th-century former coaching inn that retains many of its original features. The cooking itself consists of eye-catching dishes that are refined yet hearty, showcasing carefully crafted, classic combinations which burst with natural flavours – like the terrific prune soufflé with Armagnac Anglaise.; * 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.; Michelin Plate (2025); Michelin Plate (2024) | Moderate | — |
| Restaurant Gordon Ramsay | Contemporary European, French | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| CORE by Clare Smyth | Modern British | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| The Ledbury | Modern European, Modern Cuisine | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library | Modern French | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Dinner by Heston Blumenthal | Modern British, Traditional British | ££££ | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
A quick look at how The Greyhound measures up.
Yes. At £££, The Greyhound delivers two consecutive years of Michelin Plate recognition alongside a level of hospitality — owners with Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Trinity backgrounds — that is harder to find at this price point outside London. The set lunch brings the kitchen's output within reach if the full carte feels steep. For comparison, you are getting a credentialled cooking team in a 17th-century coaching inn at a fraction of what London equivalents charge.
The seasonal carte is the most flexible route, with dishes like Norfolk quail with pickled walnuts and grilled red mullet with avruga caviar representing the kitchen's style well. The set lunch is the strongest value play — it arrives with extras including cheese gougères and additional pre-courses that punch above its price. The tasting menus are worth considering if you want the full range of what head chef George Sweeney's kitchen can produce.
No specific dietary accommodation policy is confirmed in the venue record. Given the precision involved in tasting menu formats and the kitchen's evident attention to detail, it is reasonable to contact them directly at 33 Windsor End, Beaconsfield HP9 2JN before booking to discuss requirements. Do not assume flexibility — call or email ahead, especially for the tasting menu.
The Greyhound has two dining rooms — a ground-floor restaurant and a room upstairs — which provides some flexibility for larger parties. For groups of six or more, check the venue's official channels before booking to confirm room options and whether a set menu format applies. The semi-formal atmosphere suits a group celebrating an occasion more than a casual gathering.
If you want the clearest picture of what the kitchen can do, yes. The Michelin Plate recognition for 2024 and 2025 reflects cooking with genuine technique, and the tasting menu format here suits diners who want a paced, considered meal rather than à la carte flexibility. If you are cost-conscious or prefer to choose your own dishes, the seasonal carte is the smarter call.
It is one of the stronger options in the Chilterns for this purpose. The 17th-century coaching inn setting, the attentive service from a well-drilled front-of-house team, and the pacing of the tasting menu all suit a celebratory dinner. Owners with Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Trinity backgrounds means the hospitality is trained rather than incidental — that consistency matters when the occasion does.
Within Beaconsfield itself, The Greyhound is the most decorated fine dining option at this level. For comparable cooking in the wider area, look at Crazy Bear Stadhampton or The Hand and Flowers in Marlow (two Michelin Stars) if you are willing to travel 20-30 minutes. If the occasion calls for a step up in formality and you can get to London, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and The Ledbury both operate in a different tier entirely.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
