Despite its bucolic name, The Harrow is not some timeless local pub, but a full-blown country restaurant in a secluded village on the Kennet and Avon Canal. It’s quiet Wiltshire location makes for a great foodie getaway and there are plenty of places to stay in the surrounding area, ranging from quirky B&Bs to sleek five-star hotels.
The unstuffy dining room is flooded with plenty of natural light thanks to large windows, while muted modern shades, high-backed leather chairs and crisp white linen secure The Harrow’s status as a restaurant with both style and substance.
The menu of accomplished modern cooking is driven by high-quality seasonal ingredients, with day-boat catches from British waters showing up strongly. The Harrow offers a choice of three menus to their guests – an eight-course gourmet set menu, a set six-course tasting menu and a five-course lunch menu, with both vegetarian and vegan alternatives available.
The menus at The Harrow are subject to daily changes as the restaurant uses only the best seasonal ingredients which are delivered to the kitchen team each morning, but courses may include dishes such as carpaccio of Welsh black beef with mango chutney, pistachio and chilli, or free-range chicken and foie gras ravioli with truffles and ceps.
Sweeter dishes meanwhile may see a dish of chocolate and cherry, or perhaps rice pudding with rhubarb and ginger ice cream. For the savoury-toothed, there is a selection of British cheese available.
The Harrow’s other stand-out selling point is its 900-bin wine list, which is an oenophile’s delight, featuring bottles from serious growers at very fair prices, from locations such as Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.