The Warwick at Mallory Court

Stu Deeley, previously the head chef of Smoke at Hampton Manor, may have swapped one hotel restaurant for another, but The Warwick at Mallory Court is totally different to his last gig, trading open-fire cooking for a refined tasting menu experience at a traditional country house in Leamington Spa. The launch of The Warwick with Stu at the helm marks a homecoming for the chef, who worked at the hotel during his early career. He's since built a bulletproof armoury of experience, including winning a MasterChef title, and returned with the sort of confident cooking style that could put The Warwick in the running for a Michelin star.

Stu’s eight-course tasting menu is an unfathomable £15 more than the a la carte offering - the price of a cocktail – and includes a spectrum of well balanced, brilliantly executed dishes rooted in seasonal British produce. A sprightly pea and mint gazpacho with crunchy blanched peas and velvet burrata are a lesson in well-judged restraint, allowing the freshness of the ingredients to shine on their own. Rare beef rump cap and a sticky medallion of glazed ox cheek is meticulous in its accompaniments: a thumb sized potato fondant laced with shaved truffle, a splodge of caramelised black garlic puree, sweet artichoke jam and the welcome tang of pickled pear.

Most of Stu’s ideas focus on familiar British flavours revived with a playful, often indulgent, twist. A pile of kataifi pastry hides a tempura soft-boiled egg and a warm puddle of tartare sauce, the sauce clinging to each feathery shard. This is a menu that aims to please, and dessert, a pitch-perfect chocolate fondant tart with fresh mint ice cream, solidifies that point.

The pacing is unhurried, and service is friendly and well-judged. Sure, the wood-panelled dining room and widely spaced round tables feel like they haven’t changed much over the years, but it fits with Mallory’s traditional charm. Besides, The Warwick isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. ‘I just want to make it turn really, really well’, says Stu.

The Warwick at Mallory Court Country House Hotel & Spa offers a confident, produce-led dining experience in a refined country house setting. Led by Executive Head Chef Stu Deeley, the restaurant blends classical British cooking with a light contemporary touch, all grounded in a clear respect for seasonality and provenance. It is a space that balances tradition with creativity, bringing warmth, elegance and a sense of place to every part of the experience.

The setting is both formal and welcoming. Housed within Mallory Court’s historic estate, the dining room draws on the building’s heritage while introducing a fresh aesthetic. The restaurant takes its name from the nearby town of Warwick, with its castle, craftsmanship and deep-rooted history providing a quiet influence on the atmosphere. Inside, the space feels calm and polished, offering a fitting backdrop to a menu that is thoughtful, well-paced and full of detail.

The food is driven by the seasons and shaped by the surrounding gardens. Many of the ingredients come directly from Mallory Court’s kitchen garden, which provides year-round produce grown just metres from the pass. Deeley’s menu includes a five-course Taste of the Season offering, as well as a shorter three-course option. Dishes are bold but grounded, with combinations that feel fresh, familiar and deeply satisfying. Highlights include Cornish crab with Isle of Wight tomatoes, a delicate peas and mint gazpacho served with globe artichoke and burrata, and poussin with Asian flavours and a Jamón sauce, a nod to Deeley’s love of San Sebastián. Desserts carry a more nostalgic tone, including an evolving version of his childhood baked Alaska.

The drinks offering complements the food without overshadowing it, with a considered wine list and pairings that enhance each dish. Service is attentive but relaxed, allowing the focus to remain on the cooking and the quality of the ingredients.

The Warwick is not about spectacle, but about substance. It brings together the maturity of a heritage property with the energy and precision of one of the region’s most respected chefs. Whether you’re here for a celebratory tasting menu or a quiet midweek dinner, it offers a dining experience full of confidence, rooted in flavour and designed to linger long after the final course.