Blogs Archives - Great Food Club

Blogs

Hitchin, a North Herts town going places

18th March, 2026

An interview with Danny Pearson, Town Centre Manager for Visit Hitchin on what makes his home town so special…

Blogs Features Magazine

Cavner’s Fishmongers: A Food Legacy in Melton Mowbray

21st March, 2025

If you want fresh, high-quality seafood in Melton Mowbray, look no further than Cavner’s Fishmongers. Established in 1879, this family-run business has proudly served the community for six generations. Cavner’s, known as Neil Cavner & Son Seafoods, has built a legacy that spans over a century. From its humble beginnings, this fishmonger has been committed […]

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An Evening at The Griffin Inn at Swithland

20th March, 2025

Recently, we had the pleasure of returning to The Griffin Inn in Swithland for an evening meal. Set in the heart of Leicestershire, this pub – run by former England cricketers Stuart Broad and Harry Gurney in partnership with Everards – has evolved into a sophisticated dining destination thanks to a recent no-expense-spared refurb. We […]

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The Rise of Cacaofruit Water

19th March, 2025

Last weekend, cacaofruit water gained attention on the popular cooking show, Saturday Kitchen. Wine critic Olly Smith highlighted it as an ideal beverage to accompany Middle Eastern cuisine. But what exactly is cacao-fruit water? Reducing Food Waste Cacao-fruit water is derived from the pulp of the cacao fruit, which is traditionally discarded during the chocolate-making […]

Blogs Featured businesses Local producers Magazine

From Kitchen Experiment to the Royal Wedding Cake: The Fiona Cairns Story

3rd June, 2024

Tucked away in the gently rolling hills of South Leicestershire is one of the country’s most famous cake makers – Fiona Cairns Ltd. Many of you will recognise Fiona as the baker who, working with her skilled and loyal team, created William and Kate’s wedding cake in 2011. But fewer will know that Fiona’s remarkable […]

Nottingham Food Tour in a Day

16th February, 2024

By Alec Frusher Toast for Breakfast Start your day at the charming Toast cafe. It sits in the same characterful part of Derby Road as the Michelin-starred Alchemilla and fried chicken newcomer Mollis. Toast provides a range of options to suit everyone. It’s quaintly situated amongst the old brick arches of a Victorian coachhouse. Fuel […]

Restaurant of the Year: Great Food Club Awards 2023/24

3rd October, 2023

Winner Chosen by our judges: The Monk, Quorn, Leicestershire Shortlist The top public vote-winners: The Monk, Quorn, LeicestershireThe Kedleston, Quarndon, DerbyLake Isle, Uppingham, Rutland Ember, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire The winner is The Monk – a fun and buzzing restaurant set in a 16th-century thatched cottage. The Monk stands out as the Restaurant of the Year for 2023/4. […]

Hitchen's Barn Oakham

Best Country Pubs & Restaurants in Leicester, Nottingham & Beyond

11th July, 2023

Editor’s Note: We’re passionate about sharing your culinary discoveries. This week, we’re spotlighting two establishments that have captured your hearts – The White Horse in Stoke Albany and The Duncombe Arms near Ashbourne (see below). Share Your Culinary Adventures: Your recommendations are the lifeblood of our community. They help us highlight exceptional places to our […]

A Chat with Five Star Kitchen Contestant Jordan Brady from Leicestershire’s JB Kitchen

7th June, 2023

If the past few years have shown us anything, it’s that life tends to go in unexpected directions. That’s certainly the case for Jordan Brady, owner and head chef at JB Kitchen in Birstall, Leicestershire, and a former Great Food Club Food Hero of the Year. Just over a decade ago, Jordan was homeless and […]

Great Pubs in Nottinghamshire & Leicestershire – and much more

6th June, 2023

Great Food Club Digest: Week of June 6, 2023 We are currently counting all the votes for the Great Food Club Awards 2023/4, and we look forward to announcing the shortlist next week. Cheers to Round Corner Brewing! We want to extend our hearty congratulations to Round Corner Brewing of Melton Mowbray. They took home […]

Nottinghamshire’s Secret Pub Company: Quality, Success and Great Food

2nd June, 2023

In 2016, Mark Osborne, David Hage and their Secret Pub Company embarked on a remarkable journey, opening their first pub, The Railway at Lowdham. Fast forward to today, their dream has expanded into a four-pub group. This impressive collection now includes The Radcliffe in Radcliffe on Trent, The Railway at Lowdham, The Plough at Normanton […]

An Unforgettable Dining Experience at Langar Hall, Nottinghamshire

26th May, 2023

As you cruise up Langar Hall’s driveway, you move between a stunning double line of mature trees before arriving at the charming, apricot-coloured house. Stepping inside, an eclectic mix of styles meets the eye – seamlessly blended to create a comfortable and stylish space that feels both lived-in and chic. There’s a sense of family […]

Coronavirus: Support independents. Talk to them. Spend with them.

16th March, 2020

Great Food Club comment: This is an existential crisis for many local independents. Before heading to the supermarket to stock up, consider what you can buy from your local food shops, traders, pubs and restaurants. Also, talk to them. Give them a call or pop in for a (socially distant) chat. Start a conversation. Explain […]

Pie-making and pie-eating for British Pie Week

3rd March, 2020

Welcome to British Pie Week, which runs from March 2-8. Great Food Club’s HQ is in Britain’s Pie Capital – Melton Mowbray – so we couldn’t let this event pass us by without focusing on the art of pie-making and showcasing some excellent local pie-makers. How to make your own Melton Mowbray pork pie First, here’s […]

The difference between real bread and its factory rival

21st February, 2020

By Tim Hart, owner, Hambleton Bakery The age of supermarket retail has brought many benefits – convenient car parks, one-stop shopping and low prices to name three. But some products don’t fit the ideal of fully-stocked aisles, with everything available 24/7. British bread production has been industrialised to combine large, remote centres of production, plastic-wrapped […]

What Melton Mowbray and other ‘food towns’ can learn from North Brabant in the Netherlands

17th January, 2020

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 […]

What diners really, really hate (and other useful insights)

26th October, 2019

In October 2018, a survey by Feed it Back entitled ‘The Main Reasons Customers Leave Negative Reviews’ found the following: The main complaint on review websites is speed of service – 20% of negative comments relate to slow food service or long wait time 6 out of the top 10 complaints from restaurant customers about […]

Food & drink guide to Ely, Cambridgeshire

2nd August, 2019

Yesterday we scoured Ely in Cambridgeshire for independent food & drink gems. Click on the picture of Ely Cathedral in the Twitter link below to see what we found… Here’s a quick Twitter food & drink guide to Ely in Cambridgeshire based on yesterday’s tour. Thread. (pic: garden on The Almonry Restaurant & Tea Room) […]

UK’s first consumer magazine dedicated to great cider

15th May, 2019

Full Juice is a brand-new free magazine that celebrates the world of craft cider. From four of the world’s most acclaimed cider champions comes a new publication entirely focused upon the fermented apple. Pete Brown, Susanna Forbes, Bill Bradshaw and Gabe Cook have spent the last decade travelling to the world’s greatest cider making regions […]

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