Experience a Relaxing Countryside Escape at The Loch & the Tyne, Old Windsor
Today we’re heading a mere hour out of London to the charming countryside town of Old Windsor. We’re going to stay in a pub overnight and try out their restaurant.
But it’s not just any pub, it’s the award-winning venture by Chef Adam Handling, MBE, The Loch & the Tyne.
Adam was born in Scotland and started his career at Gleneagles before opening his own restaurant, Frog, in London’s Covent Garden in 2017. I ate there not long after it opened and loved it, demolishing a selection of his small plates with relish. One food memory that stayed with me over the next nine years was the taste of his chicken butter. One of the best things I’ve ever eaten.
Fast forward to 2021 when Adam opened The Loch & the Tyne (L&T for short) under Chef Proprietor Steven Kerr, just outside a village near Windsor. Which is where we’re heading. On our way we pass through Runnymede and spot signs saying “The Site of the Magna Carta” so of course we have to stop.
It’s here, in 1215 that King John met a group of very fed-up barons and signed the Magna Carta – a document that planted the seeds for the rights and freedoms we take for granted today. There’s no grand castle or flashy museum here, just rolling meadows and gentle bends in the Thames, and a few thoughtful memorials including a magnificent statue of Queen Elizabeth II, erected in 2015. On it’s plinth? A simple plaque that reads: RUNNYMEDE – The Birthplace of Freedom.
It’s a humbling and moving experience in a quiet sort of way, though I couldn’t help thinking perhaps they should make a bit more fuss – it’s not every field that helped shape democracy, after all. Anyway, enough for reflection – it’s time for the next great British tradition: the pub.
L&T is down a small country lane. It’s recently refurbished and manages to be both rustic and modern at the same time. There’s a large verandah at the front (perfect for a summer’s day) and a terrace at the back. We’re shown to our room on the first floor – Loch. There are only two rooms in the pub and the other is called, you guessed it, Tyne.
Loch is spacious with a seating area, huge bed and a standalone bathtub in the corner as well as a separate shower and toilet. Outside there’s a large balcony overlooking the gardens and countryside beyond. There’s a fridge stocked with soft drinks and a tea and coffee station. While we’re settling in there’s a knock at the door. The chef has sent up some freshly baked shortbread – it’s buttery and crumbly and still warm from the oven. The perfect welcome.
As night falls, we head downstairs for a pre-dinner drink on the veranda and to peruse the menus. And I can’t resist ordering some of that legendary chicken butter I’ve been dreaming about for nine years. The bread arrives on a tray with two little bowls, one filled with soft butter topped with little morsels of crispy chicken skin and the other with chicken gravy. It’s the flavours of a roast chicken dinner condensed into a snack which goes perfectly with my summer cocktail – a garden spritz. A wonderful start.
We move inside to the air conditioning (it’s a hot summer night in the English countryside). Our starters suit the weather perfectly, sublime, light, and packed with flavour. The yellowfin tuna is served with green chilli and ponzu and melts on the tongue while the BBQ mackerel is wonderfully fresh, with a crispy skin and served on a zesty bed of grapes and jalapenos.
For mains we go meaty. The Herdwick lamb is served with red pepper, BBQ leeks and a delicious lamb kofta made from the offcuts. And the burger is nothing short of superb – two pieces in a smashed style topped with lardo, cheddar and bacon jam. Bacon jam – now there’s something else to dream about.
Summer desserts are on the cards with the prettiest L&T trifle served in a stemmed glass and bowl of cooling peach melba soft serve.
The dinner experience at L&T is so memorable. Our waitress Mia goes out of her way to take good care of us. She recommends cocktails and wines, gives us tasters of English bubbles and even matches our puds to two different wines. Her smiling face, knowledge of the food and wine and the effort she makes to go the extra mile means our night feels all the more special. Give her a raise I say!
We were asked to select our breakfast and preferred time before retiring for the night, then made our way upstairs, replete, content and ready for rest. We slept deeply in the comfort of our luxurious suite.
Another summer’s day dawned bright and sunny – so we started with early morning tea on our balcony before taking a walk down country lanes in preparation for breakfast. On our return frothy cappuccinos awaited and I tucked into light and creamy scrambled egg and smoked salmon – eggs cooked exactly the way I like them.
Well,I wouldn’t expect anything less at L&T. It’s a great pub, serving great pub food in a lovely bucolic setting with an excellent chef and the most welcoming of staff. And it was awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2024. It almost makes me want to move to the country. Almost.
Find out more at https://www.lochandtyne.com/
Words by Sandy Cadiz-Smith