The Avenue

Wonderful food from Maestro Tom Hamblet, backed up by the attentiveness of all staff. A beautiful venue. It's a personal preference, but I wouldn't have had the selection of Muzak which included heavy rock! Not very relaxing! That doesn't affect the 5 star review, however, well deserved.

Robert Thompson

I was treated to an amazing surprise meal at The Avenue, Lainston House for my birthday and would highly recommend it. Due to the size of our party we had a private dining room and this really enhanced the experience and made my family and I feel even more special. Chloe was assigned to us and ensured our glasses were full and we knew exactly what we were eating at each stage of the 8 coarse tasting menu. Each coarse was amazing and also pushed some of our boundaries, as new tastes were experienced. Each item on every plate was beautifully paired and had different textures and looked exquisite. From the pigeon, to sweetbread, to crab and lamb, all was devine and looked too good to eat. Dessert and the "Squeeze them in" were all so delicate and packed with flavour. The pastry on some the tartlets and accompaniments were so fine,it amazed how they held the filling. Despite the food looking like delicate art on a plate, we all left full and very satisfied. The evening was completed with an appearance by the very humble and talented, Professional Masterchef winner,Tom Hamblet himself. Tom has designed and executed an amazing menu that I am sure will be receiving at least one Michelin star very soon. If you like fine dining, The Avenue at Lainston House Hotel is a must.

Andrew Harper

Beautiful and delicious. They're using lots of vegetables from their own garden, the dishes are appealing and tasty. We went for the 3 dishes menu and it also came with more appatisers, bread and pre dessert. We came with our crawling baby and got a separate room that allowed him to freely play around us. Thanks for a lovely evening.

Tal Brener Haker

A beautiful building and grounds, intimate setting, and excellent service. Probably one of the best meals I've ever experienced.

Russell Morris

Phenomenal chef’s table experience. I’ve always been a big fan of The Avenue, but since its recent revamp, this place has somehow found another gear. The new dining room is stunning, the service is impeccable, and I’m so glad they’ve retained top talent like Alberto, their sommelier, over the years. As for the food, I think it would be unfair to call Tom Hamblet a future star—he’s clearly already one. Without a doubt, the best young chef in the country. It’s been incredible to see his growth, from sharing his MasterChef-winning menu during his residency to maturing into a chef who truly understands his environment. At Lainston House, he has embraced the estate’s seasonal offerings, creating dishes that feel completely in tune with their surroundings. His cooking has always been exceptional, but now it’s refined, confident, and deeply connected to the ingredients at his fingertips.

chrisbristol

I am blown away at how good this meal was. I have been to the finest 3 Michelin star restaurants in the world, and this beats most of them. I’d highly recommend visiting. To the chef, please don’t change anything about this menu so I can come back and have it all again. The chef starts you out with three “snacks” all three are amazing the liver mousse being the star, and the salty ham and truffle bite was also incredible. Get the pigeon as a starter, is absolutely beautiful and tastes fantastic. The sauces are so deep flavorful, you just want to eat more and more. The bread course is by far the best bread I’ve had in a restaurant. The only complaint I have all night is, I would like 2 pieces instead of one, it’s just that good. The pre dessert was stunning, maybe the best pre dessert I’ve ever had. And the dessert was a show stopper. I had the coffee and chocolate mousse, with the banana ice cream it was a standout dish and one of the best desserts you will ever have. BUT the Mille-Feuille was even better. Honey Caramelized pastry crust, with sharp rhubarb and sweet orange zest. It was a top 3 dessert. I can’t wait to come back, if you are on the fence about visiting, trust me, come now before Chef gets 2 Michelin stars and the price goes up.

G O

Amazing food. Every course on the tasting menu was absolutely delicious and beautifully presented. The service was perfect in every way and the recommendations from the sommelier were excellent. A wonderful evening.

Rowena Nixon

Had an amazing meal here with Masterchef: The Professionals winner from 2023, Tom Hamblet featuring as Head Chef! The food was beautifully presented and tasted delicious, while the service was top class.

Michael Thompson