“Winemakers’ Kitchen” Restaurant To Launch At Balfour Winery

We are delighted to begin to release details of the brand new restaurant coming this winter to Balfour Winery – The Winemakers’ Kitchen.

Launching this December, the concept subverts the idea of food and wine pairing, with a menu which has been specifically created by Balfour’s expert chefs, alongside Head Winemaker Fergus Elias, to be carefully matched with our award-winning wines.

The “Winemakers’ Kitchen” will enable visitors to enjoy their meal overlooking the very vines which inspired the dishes – sitting on Balfour’s stunning balcony which overlooks their 400 acres of vineyards, wildflower meadows, ancient woodlands and orchards. The restaurant is keen to welcome nearby residents with a selection of locally sourced ingredients, alongside diners and wine-lovers from London (which is just 45 minutes from the vineyards by train).

In developing the dishes for The Winemakers’ Kitchen, our Head Winemaker Fergus Elias carefully analysed Balfour’s wines to draw out specific elements (acidity, body, alcohol, sweetness) which will pair with certain foods. Using this information, the menu was then created.

Balfour Co-Founder, Richard Balfour-Lynn, explained how he hoped the new restaurant would capitalise on a growing understanding and appreciation for English Wine

“The potential for English Wine remains exceptional, both for quality and for its ability to inspire” he explained.

“In 2023 at Balfour, we’ve already seen fantastic growth, alongside what, we hope at least, will be a bumper harvest. The Winemakers’ Kitchen means even more people will be able to enjoy our wines in the most perfect way imaginable – with food specifically created to complement them, overlooking the very estate, and in the very building, in which they were carefully created.”

Like many English Wineries, attracting visitors remains a large part of Balfour’s business – and helps to create even stronger ties to the wines themselves.

“Hospitality is in our DNA at Balfour. Whether that’s visiting our new restaurant or one of our 10 superb Balfour Pubs. Creating unforgettable experiences is a real USP for our business and something which, we feel, you only get when visiting an English winery.