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For years, Iford Manor has been on my list of ‘to visit’ places, particularly every time spring and summer rolls around. When their Grade 1 listed gardens open to public and summer outdoor plays invite visitors for a laid-back, entertaining afternoon, Iford is ‘the place to be’.
When some friends suggested meeting for lunch, it was inevitable that I proposed going to Iford and checking out the restaurant, even though it was too early in the season to visit the gardens.
The Manor House itself is positioned in a valley adjacent to the River Frome. A narrow winding country lane cuts through the estate dividing the Manor House and its immediate grounds and across the road, a walled garden. The country lane winds itself across the river served by an ornate Romanesque stone bridge. The gardens at Iford are open to public from early April to late September. Tickets can be purchased online.
Views around the area
Even though, we did not have access to the garden, it was a gorgeous day to walk around admiring the scenic views across the river and fields. Iford itself is located in the picturesque town of Bradford-on-Avon.
Getting to the restaurant
There is both a cafe and a restaurant on-site at Iford. The cafe serves the walk-in crowd and does not take reservations while the restaurant, which is linked to the cafe offers a more formal menu and space.
Access to the restaurant when we went was a little hidden as the main entrance and routes to the garden and through the house were closed as it was off-season. Following the stone wall opposite the car park, we eventually came upon a wooden door which opened up to a beautiful flagstone courtyard. The entrance to the restaurant, when we visited for lunch, was through the café. Although it may be that separate entrances are opened during busier times.
We had made a prior booking, but as it was a quiet week day we were offered to pick wherever we wanted to sit. We chose a table with comfy seats overlooking the courtyard towards the far end of the restaurant.
Decor and Ambience
The galley-style restaurant is designed in a rustic style with exposed A-frame wood roof beams and supporting arches with wood cladding mirroring the unfinished floor boards. Earthy tones on the wall and the velvet olive green long bench complement the maroon and dark wood of the other furniture.
The wall panels in the restaurant are decorated with garden and farm tools and utensils, a visual reminder of the Manor’s heritage. Similarly the light fixtures and chandeliers complemented the theme with iron frames and copper shades. All in all, it was a warm welcoming space.
Food
We did not quite know what to expect as the menu while somewhat descriptive, was light on descriptive details. We decided to skip the Starters in favour of Dessert. For the mains, we ordered from the Larger Plates section. The menu offered by Chef Matthew Briddon is seasonal and at the time of writing, the menu has now changed to the Spring 2025 menu. You can find the latest menu on the restaurant section of the Iford Manor Website.
We picked the larger plates for a more fulfilling meal and were not disappointed. Although the price points err towards the higher end of dining out, the quantity and quality of food on offer made it worthwhile.
Wood-roasted Estate lamb | mint salsa, root vegetable shepherd’s pie (gf) 24
The wood-roasted Estate lamb consisted of a large rump perfectly cooked, delicately bedded on a bed of softened mint salsa and an accompanying quart of caramelised red onion. A fine dressing of olive oil and a balsamic vinegar finished the plate.
This was accompanied by individual dishes of root vegetable shepherd’s pie which consisted of coarsely chopped beetroot, carrots and parsley beautifully roasted in a gorgeous gravy topped with golden melt-in-your-mouth rounds of potato lightly sprinkled with gratified cheese.
The large lamb rump was truly cooked to perfection which takes both perfect temperature and timing to accomplish. The outer sear was lightly charred yet not so much that it was over-done or dry while the inside was a perfectly succulent medium. This accompanied by both the mint salsa hit all the right notes against the tang of the balsamic drizzle. The olive oil was not overly ‘green’ thankfully and brought out rather than hindered the juiciness of the meat.
The root vegetable shepherd’s pie was an overwhelming success. With the perfect balance of well-cooked (but not mushy) root vegetables, against the crisp yet floury potatoes that made up the ‘crust’. The accompanying gravy was very tasty with a hint of stock which made the shepherd’s pie a standout.
The only slightly gripe I had would be that, for the excellent food that it was, it could have been improved visually. The lamb was served on a grey-stone coloured plate with slight lip which was the perfect shape and focused on the food. Colour-wise though, the deep colour of the lamb rump would have been better off-set by a much lighter coloured plate. I felt that this was a shame that visually it could have been a very attractive dish.
Sourdough-crusted Cornish Cod | tartare sauce beurre blanc shoestring fries, crispy herbs 24
The Sourdough-crusted Cornish cod was similarly exceptional. The gorgeous crispy crust on the fish was a perfect contrast to the succulent morsels of fish beautifully paired with the sunshine yellow butter sauce.
The cod was served on a bed of shoe-string fries, laid on a platter of gorgeous golden sauce. This was also topped with a deep-fried herb leaves. Although the fries did not come across ‘golden’ they were nicely crisp and the crunch a good complement to the fish. The tartare sauce was equal parts bright and cheerful in a pick-me up sharp tang but not overwhelmingly so.
Visually this was a beautiful spring dish. The presentation almost mimicked a sun of the golden cod with its rays of fries and the sauce the warming sunshine.
The food cannot be faulted. And even though it errs towards the top-end of a typical restaurant meal and certainly a rather pricey lunch, it was well-worth it.
Dessert
The options for dessert are similarly seasonal. Between us, we decided on the apple tart and a combination of three scoops or gelati and sorbetti
Apple tart | clotted cream, Iford cider syrup
The apple tart was served as an individual muffin-size portion with layers of pastry deep-filled with stewed apples and caramelised to a golden hue. The clotted cream was a good accompaniment although the cider syrup was very faint in its flavouring.
Gelati/sorbetti
This was served in a small ice-cream bowl of three small scoops. There were four flavours to choose from:
- Hazelnut and lemon curd
- Rum and maple syrup
- Blood orange and thyme
- Peach and rosemary
We decided on the Hazelnut, Blood orange and Peach options. It is actually quite difficult to imagine that Hazelnut and lemon curd would make a good combination. But surprisingly the creaminess of hazelnut is tempered by the tang of the lemon curd making it a great paring. The thyme in the Blood orange and thyme was very subtle to the point of being almost overpowered by the orange which was refreshing and a granita-like in texture. The peach and rosemary however, worked very well, with both flavours complementing each other and the rosemary scent playing really well off the peach flavour.
Coffee/Tea
To finish, we opted for a latte, Rose-scented China tea and Summer Fields tea. The rose-scented tea was light and refreshing, with undertones of a typical light Chinese tea. The Summer Fields on the other hand was a beautiful combination of summer fruits and floral scents definitely one for a bright warm day.
Service
The service we received at the restaurant was impeccable. Our server was polite, cheery and definitely added positively to what was already a great lunch experience. When we did ask for recommendations, however, it was a shame that she could not speak from experience, mainly from just what the chef would describe or recommend.
Value
Lunch at Iford is certainly not for the budget-conscious. The prices are on the higher end of the restaurant scale and while it is good value for money for the mains, the desserts did feel a little over-priced for what was offered.
Still it did not detract from a really, really nice meal, enjoying a gorgeous space and company and surroundings.
Verdict: Would we go back?
Yes definitely. It would be nice to try something else on the menu. However, it would probably be for a celebratory meal rather than a standard weekly meal out.
Still, are you planning a visit to Iford Manor? Let us know what you tried and loved most from the menu—or tag us in your pics for a feature!
