Leicester keeps cooking up plans despite lockdown
By Leicester editor, Tim Burke It’s extraordinary how despite everything, the food and drink industry continues to show its indomitable spirit. Look, for example, at Leicester’s Clarendon Park which is building its reputation as a foodie destination with several new openings during lockdown. Prominent among them is The Verandah, an Anglo-Indian cafe bar, specialising in […]
What Melton Mowbray and other ‘food towns’ can learn from North Brabant in the Netherlands
It should come as no surprise that Great Food Club’s HQ is Melton Mowbray. This pleasant Leicestershire market town has a rich farming culture and has been well known for pork pie and Stilton cheese for more than 200 years. In recent years, it has taken this heritage and run with it. Now branded the […]
Farm Shop of the Year: Great Food Club Awards 2020
Winner Farndon Fields Farm Shop, Market Harborough, Leicestershire Finalists Welbeck Farm Shop, Welbeck, NottsMarch House Farm Shop, Great Dalby, LeicsHackwood Farm Shop, Radbourne, Derbys The winner is Farndon Fields Farm Shop of Market Harborough. It started with a farmer selling a few spuds direct from the field out of his garage. Some 36 years later, […]
Drink Producer of the Year: Great Food Club Awards 2020
Winner Round Corner Brewing, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire Finalists Brentingby Gin, Melton Mowbray, LeicestershireRothley Wines, Rothley, LeicestershireWitham’s, Grantham, Lincolnshire The winner is Round Corner Brewing of Melton Mowbray for its outstanding, well-balanced beers, relentless energy and policy of teaming up with other food and drink independents. Round Corner was founded by two Irishman who met in […]
Lilu’s Pratik Master launches #notjustacornershop
Last week I visited a corner shop (aka #notjustacornershop) in Wigston, Leicestershire, that is taking a brave new approach to retailing. Many Leicester food lovers will know Pratik Master for the indefatigable enthusiasm he brings to the running of his top-end Indian restaurant, Lilu (known on social media as #notjustacurry). Now he’s turning his attentions […]
Reflections on blogging and Leicester restaurants, by Tim Burke
OK, so I’ve not posted a blog for a long time. There are plenty of reasons for this. For one thing, blogging of the type I’ve done over the last 10 years seems to fit less easily with the bite size nature of more instant social media platforms – newsy bits seem better suited to […]
Review: Cue, Stoneygate, Leicester
When I were a lad, cafés were places to get a full English. Some were bad, some were good. Nowadays they are more likely to involve avocados and chia seeds – but again, some are just following a trend, others are a real treat. Newly opened Cue is definitely in the latter camp. It fits […]
Review: The White Swan at Shawell’s ‘Express Lunch’
Even the best restaurants, especially in rural areas, can sometimes struggle to pull in strong lunchtime trade. GFC favourite The White Swan at Shawell, Leicestershire (recommended by us here), is in a beautiful village location but is actually well placed for many businesses in Lutterworth, Rugby, Magna Park or indeed those passing through the busy […]
45 West launches regular distillery tours
Leading light of the craft-gin revival, 45 West of Leicestershire, is well known for its Gin School Experience (10% off for GFC members). It now hosts regular distillery tours, too. The 90-minute events give juniper fans a chance to hear distiller Liam Armstrong explain how he crafts the three main expressions of the company’s Burleighs […]
A day at Manor Farm Cookery School in Branston, Leicestershire
As food and cookery programmes continue to spread across TV schedules, it’s possibly no surprise that more and more people want to get a bit of extra hands-on experience. Throw in the likes of students looking to learn how to cater for themselves, active retired types wanting to indulge passions, and businesses looking for enjoyable […]
Leicestershire’s Stone’s Dairy – bringing back that traditional dairy taste
It’s bit of a cliché for a small-scale, independent producer to claim that their organic alfalfa sprouts or whatever “taste like alfalfa sprouts used to”. However that is the entirely accurate bottom line when it comes to Stones Dairy and its raw (unpasteurised) milk, butter and cream. Farmer Matt Stone and wife Katie may only […]
Leicester folk set to break down the doors at Delilah Fine Foods
Delilah opens in Leicester, plus plenty more goings-on – Leicestershire editor Tim Burke gives a round-up of the latest news on his patch…
New Leicestershire & Rutland Cookbook celebrates region’s best
Every food lover in Leicestershire & Rutland needs this new book celebrating local independent restaurants, food producers and retailers…
Great news for chocolate and gin lovers in Leicestershire
Leicester chocolate shop/producer Cocoa Amore expands and Charnwood-based gin distiller 45 West opens its own city bar…
Leics update: Bewicke Arms, Lotus Bakery and Odd John’s Kitchen
Leicestershire correspondent Tim Burke with all the latest local food and drink news from his patch…
Delilah plots new Leicester venue as Melton Mowbray food school plans develop
Leicestershire news round-up by Tim Burke…
Leicestershire asparagus – herald of the summer
Tim Burke heads to Cattows Farm in north Leicestershire to report on the arrival of one of our favourite crops…
Leicestershire update: British Pie Awards, Meatcure, Lilu…
Leicestershire correspondent Tim Burke reports from the British Pie Awards and shares news of new openings…
Four new Leicester venues to check out
A handful of new places in which to enjoy burgers, coffees, braises and beers have landed in Leicester…
Maiyango Thirty Fifty wine tasting
Leicester’s Maiyango is hosting a series of tasting events with UK wine educator Thirty Fifty. Tim Burke attended the first…
Meet The Chef: 34 Windsor St, Burbage
GFC’s Leicestershire correspondent Tim Burke talks to 34 Windsor St’s new head chef about simplicity and seasonality…
Peter Pizzeria creates a stir in Leicester
There’s a buzz around the opening of Peter And That’s Enough Pizzeria in Leicester. Tim Burke reveals why…
A chat with Two Birds Spirits, Market Harborough
Union Distillers of Leicestershire is a new entrant to the craft spirits scene. Tim Burke finds out more…
North’s Bar & Kitchen, Leicester
Leicester’s West End is celebrating the launch of a stylish new independent bar and restaurant…
Leicestershire restaurant news: John’s House, Kuru Kuru and Cultura
Leicestershire correspondent Tim Burke files his January 2015 report covering three restaurant launches, including a new fine-dining venue on a family farm…
How truly keeping it local makes a real difference
Tim Burke on how getting involved with the local community is bringing benefits for one independent restaurant in Leicester…
Leicester – unsuited to gastro pubs?
With the closing of the Almanack and opening of The Queen of Bradgate in the centre of Leicester, Tim Burke wonders if Leicester and gastro pubs can be bedfellows.
Review: 34 Windsor St, Burbage, Leicestershire
Tim Burke heads to a new fine-dining restaurant and enjoys a few hits along with some interesting misses…
Walker’s pork pie shop returns to Leicester
Pork pie maker Walker and Sons has reopened its food on Cheapside in Leicester…
The Lighthouse wins Bib Gourmand
The Lighthouse restaurant in Kibworth, Leics, has been awarded a Bib Gourmand…
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