Drapers Hall Restaurant

A Shrewsbury landmark dating back to 1556, Drapers Hall is one of the oldest buildings in town, complete with magnificent trappings, ancient beams, fireplaces & antiques – although the music in the dining room comes courtesy of a top-end B&O sound system. Eating here can be as casual or formal as you wish, with a vast all-day brasserie menu taking in everything from mezze platters, caramelised pumpkin risotto & chicken Caesar salad to slow-roast crispy duck or whole sea bass with orange & fennel salad & a salt-crusted baked potato. Desserts also cover a lot of ground, from bread-&-butter pud to passion fruit brûlée with Shrewsbury biscuits, while helpful tasting notes are a feature of the well-spread wine list. As a boutique restaurant-with-rooms, Drapers Hall is also perfectly placed for a getaway.

Wine List Of The Year

A credit to the guys at Matthew Clark who have worked with GM Adrian Bibart to compile a list that looks absolutely fabulous: clear, elegant, easy to follow, with concise, helpful tasting notes that never get in the way. It would be nice to see a few more suppliers in there, however. The sub-categories – ‘Smooth and Fruity’, ‘Rich and Peppery’ and so on – are great.