Feast on the Harvest
You can't beat beautifully cooked food made with the only the freshest ingredients, from farm to plate. Here in Herefordshire, we're utterly spoilt for choice, with so many glorious pubs, restaurants and friendly cideries on our doorstep. So, tuck in with us, and celebrate the magic of harvest time across the county.
Special Harvest 2024 Events
Dinner with a Ciderologist
Ever looked at a menu and wondered what the perfect cider pairing for your meal might be? Get rid of the guesswork and pop along to The Hereford Bar & Brasserie on Friday 20th September. For £75 per person, you’ll get a three-course meal of sumptuous grub with just the right cider for each dish, selected by expert local ciderologist Gabe Cook, whom you might know from Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch. Check out the mouthwatering menu and book your tickets through the Green Dragon Hotel website.
Hereford AppleFest Banquet
If you're going to celebrate a harvest, you may as well do it with a banquet! Join in on the merriment at Hereford's AppleFest closing do, hosted in the city's historic Town Hall from 7pm on Saturday 12th October. With a delicious menu from Martin Carter, you'll get to sample local ingredients over three courses of pome-themed dishes - all paired with ciders, perries and apple brandy. Tom Oliver, a local farmer and cider maker, and Jane Peyton, the country's first accredited Pommelier, will be speaking at the event, too.
Drink & Dine Straight from the Source
Newton Court
With a café, bar, restaurant and farm shop all on site, there's plenty to do over at Newton Court. Book a cider making tour and learn all about how the Stephens family make their award-winning organic ciders and perries as you explore the farm and orchards. A homemade ploughman's lunch and a tasting session are both included in the £25 tour ticket, so you won't go home hungry or thirsty afterwards! Check Newton Court's website for the tour dates, running until 5th October, making sure you book yours in advance.
Gwatkin Red Cow Cider Mill
Cider shopping can work up quite the appetite... Combine retail therapy with hearty grub by taking a trip over to Gwatkin Red Cow Cider Mill, a working farm and award-winning cider and perry producer in the heart of the Golden Valley. Pop into their onsite restaurant any day of the week for breakfast, lunch and a selection of scrummy homemade cakes, or Friday or Saturday evening for their supper menu. Finish off your visit with a browse around the farm shop, taking one or two of your favourite bottles back home with you.
Little Pomona Cider & Perry
Tucked away among the orchards and hop fields just outside Bromyard, you'll find Little Pomona Cider & Perry. Their tasting room and cider garden is open each Saturday until the end of September, where you can pop along to sample ciders and perries from dozens of apple and pear varieties. Phone ahead to reserve your spot and enjoy a sunny afternoon out in the orchard with a few drinks, and a tasty cheese and local meat or vegan platter if you get peckish. Little Pomona have three cider tours left between now and 8th September - spaces are limited, so make sure you book ahead if you're planning to visit.
The Scrumpy House at Westons Cider
Enchanting wildlife walks, shire horses, and a delicious, locally sourced menu all await you at the Scrumpy House. Part of Westons Cider Mill, the Scrumpy House is the perfect place to refresh yourself after rambling through the mill’s traditional orchards, or a wonderful starting point to your exploration of Herefordshire’s long cider-making history. Learn the making processes and traditions of this very British beverage, from harvest to packing, in a guided tour of the mill. And, because taking in the beautiful views of the Malvern Hills, spotting rare wildlife, and learning fermentation from maturation is such thirsty work, round off the visit with an expert-led tasting of Westons Cider.
The Cider Barn at Pembridge
Over at the Dunkertons Cider Mill, under two miles beyond the medieval market village of Pembridge, is the 450-year-old Cider Barn. In this wonderfully cosy and relaxed Tudor-style barn conversion, you'll get to explore a seasonal menu that champions the flavours of Herefordshire and celebrates the best of their local producers. If you're making your way along the well-loved Black and White Village Trail, why not stop here for lunch, drinks, or tea and cake, and explore some of the barn's own centuries-spanning history?
Award-Winning Eateries
The Riverside at Aymestrey
The black-and-white Riverside at Aymestrey has been welcoming guests all the way back to the 1600s. Today, it's a luxurious, sustainable hotel, with the most fabulous restaurant for you to discover. Book your stay and look forward to having a table ready on your arrival. The Riverside's restaurant is proudly committed to ethical sourcing, so you'll be tucking into glorious dishes using local ingredients, some even from their own kitchen garden and smallholding.
Native at The Netherwood Estate
Native has been around since 2016, but has only called the Netherwood Estate, between Bromyard and Tenbury Wells, home since earlier this year. Here, you'll sample an array of seasonal, sustainable and indulgent dishes - all created with what the surrounding fields, forests and gardens yield. Choose from vibrant tasting menus, traditional Sunday lunches, or Ivan and Imogen's special 'Farm to Table' lunch. If you're looking to stay awhile, book a luxurious room onsite and explore the gorgeous Teme Valley from a network of paths right on your doorstep.
The New Inn at St Owen's Cross
Whether you need somewhere to stay or are simply looking for superb food and drink, the New Inn, a five-star-rated 'Restaurant with Rooms' and 'Good Food Guide Best Local Restaurant' nominee, is a reliable bet for both. Sample an ever-changing selection of refined yet homely food in a wonderfully cosy setting from Wednesday to Sunday, with various menus available on certain days. Try one of the chef-designed cocktails, or a local gin, on your arrival. Then, when you're nicely full and ready for bed, drift off to sleep in one of the inn's beautifully modernised rooms, complete with original beams and features dating back to the 16th century.
Cottage of Content
Plan your day out around a trip to the Cottage of Content in the charming little hamlet of Carey. Run by husband and wife duo, Helen and Richard, this cosy pub serves delicious, homemade dishes made from locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. Treat yourself to their famous Sunday roast, trying a variety of Herefordshire beers, ciders, and gin on the side. If you're in the mood for something more continental, order some tapas to your table. Here, you're near the grassy banks of the Wye - just the place for a scenic potter to walk off a big meal! Well-behaved dogs are welcome in the bar and garden too, so there's no need to leave your four-legged friends at home.
