In the heart of Old Amersham there’s an unassuming converted cottage, smartly spruced up in heritage-green paint – and boasting the best food in Buckinghamshire. Welcome to Artichoke Restaurant
Artichoke has been a fixture on Old Amersham high street for more than a decade, slowly building up a fiercely loyal clientele amongst the commuter belt set and attracting its fair share of high profile fans - including Raymond Blanc.
Run and owned by ultra hard working husband and wife team Laurie and Jacqueline Gear, the restaurant specialises in the highest quality French and Italian cooking. The open-plan, ‘theatre-style’ kitchen means you can see exactly what you’ll be eating and the oh-so-charming maitre d’ Ludo can talk you through the menu and - just as importantly - the wine.
He recommends the lunch tasting menu with a whopping seven courses that starts with a liver pate amuse bouche and includes a deliciously rich truffled swede soup, Cornish plaice with almond butter and a slow-braised shoulder of lamb so tender that it falls away from the bone. Warm coconut rice pudding is presented next as my ‘starter desert’ (I could get used to this) before apple tart with apple sorbet followed by coffee and petit fours. Sated and happy, we roll out into the sunshine promising to be back again. Very soon.
Already a rising star in the in Michelin guide, The Artichoke also offers private dining – perfect for seriously special occasions. Get in now before they become even more famous and fabulous.
Two course set lunch from £21.50 - book via www.artichokerestaurant.co.uk
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