With a 300-year history Squerryes, in Westerham, near Sevenoaks, is known for its award-winning vintage sparkling wines and has a well-deserved reputation for its popular Winery Restaurant, Cellar Door, Estate Deli and Garden Café.
This month Squerryes received the exciting news that the restaurant has been awarded a coveted AA rosette.
Owner Henry Warde said:
“We are very proud of the experience we have created here. Squerryes have been in the business of creating joy for nearly 300 years and our award-winning Vintage sparkling wine and restaurant reflects the amazing spirit, rich heritage and the beautiful terroir of our North Downs Estate.
“Dedicated to sustainable dining and seasonal dishes, our Head Chef Seamus draws on livestock reared on the estate, produce foraged from its woodlands and fields, as well as working with local food producers within a 30-mile radius of Squerryes.
“We are looking forward to welcoming regular and new diners to our award-winning restaurant and the team here hopes to continue winning awards for both our sparkling wine and restaurant cuisine.”
First introduced in 1956, the AA Rosette award scheme is a nationwide scheme for assessing the quality of food served by restaurants and hotels. The scheme is a celebration of successful cooking at different levels across the UK – Rosettes are a clear indicator of culinary excellence and reflect the stand-out experience diners can expect from the moment they enter the restaurant.
The AA awards selected restaurants with one rosette when they have achieved standards that stand out in their local area, featuring food prepared with care, understanding and skill using good quality ingredients.
Head Chef Seamus McDonagh said:
“I am very proud and delighted that the restaurant has been recognized by the AA inspectors who have awarded us with our first AA rosette. The team here at Squerryes have worked very hard since I took up the position of Head Chef, just nine months ago, to create a unique and special culinary experience.
“We create simple, yet delicious dishes which express the natural flavours of the region and our menu changes frequently to reflect the seasons.
“We are also very proud of our sustainable credentials and use fresh produce from the estate which allows us to minimise our food miles.
“We are also extremely lucky to have a unique and beautiful location here at Squerryes and diners enjoy eating, both inside the restaurant or on our terrace which overlooks the picturesque vineyard and the wider estate.
“The team really enjoy the regular visits made by Squerryes owner, Henry Warde, as he brings fresh produce, which he has handpicked from the Estate, for us to use in our cooking.”
Squerryes Winery Restaurant General Manager Sam Spennacchi said:
“When I joined Squerryes last year I fell in love immediately. I always believed with hard work, dedication and the support from our local farmers, guests and the restaurant team we could build something very special. It’s a wonderful achievement to receive a Rosette and I am very proud of all the team involved. I am looking forward to the coming summer season on our beautiful Terrace.”
Complementing the restaurant’s menu is a wine list authored by Laura Evans, Master of Wine. Diners can savour exciting new finds from the old and new world alongside a special collection of English wines. The wine list includes the award-winning, sparkling Squerryes wines.
Squerryes also offers ‘Wine Experiences’ with summer tours and tastings from mid-April to harvest in October, Friday to Sunday and these can be booked in advance.