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Surrey’s Finest: Our Top Food & Drink Suppliers From Across the County

7th August 2019

Surrey has recently received a number of plaudits, with many of the county’s towns named amongst the 100 best places to live and top 10 places to raise a family. The county is also a firm favourite with foodies, boasting a number of Michelin Star restaurants.

Fetcham Park is also home to a thriving new foodie business The Artisan General Store, who offer unique and quality artisan produce including delicious office snacks, currently available for our clients via the Tuck Box, hampers (perfect for corporate gifts) and other treats.

A few of our favourites from The Artisan General Store: Liberty Fields 6-year-old Apple Balsamic is delicious on a simple salad. The balsamic has a rich, intense taste, with a real depth of flavour. Perfect for salads, grilled meats, charcuterie or strawberries.

Great British Biscotti – a moreish selection of flavours including Almond and Earl Grey have been expertly crafted to complement tea or coffee for an added taste sensation. Hard to resist during a well-deserved break from work!

Clare’s Preserves Strawberry, Rhubarb & Vanilla Jam proved a straight sets winner at our recent Wimbledon screening and Afternoon Tea. We also love Clare’sstunning Pink Exmoor Gin marmalade.

To celebrate the county’s gourmet greatness, we’ve compiled a Surrey Food Guide of top suppliers, restaurants and events:

Eating In 

• Etherley Farm  rear and produce free range chicken, duck, lamb and eggs so you can buy fresh produce to cook up a storm at home. The delicious duck often appears on the menu at nearby Michelin-starred restaurant Sorrel in Dorking.
• Offering a true farm to fork experience, Farnham Community Farm’s Veg Boxes are delivered weekly to your door. Every Veg Box is packed full of seasonal, freshly picked vegetables grown on a fully organic farm.
• Surrey Hills Butchers is a traditional butcher for modern times. Produce is locally sourced and of superior quality. They even offer free local delivery from their shop in Oxshott.
• Bookham’s Ildikos Chocolate makes all of its tasty treats on-site, including chocolate slabs, truffles, artisan gelato and more. You can even attend a workshop, or organise one for staff as a team building day, to learn how to make your own chocolate masterpieces!
• Truly Scrumptious Delights opened their first shop in Shere in 2013. Five sweet years later and there is now a second shop – the ‘bigger brother’ – in Godalming. Visit both outlets for truly scrumptious ice cream loved by young and old alike and a popular addition at parties and private events held throughout Surrey, plus retro sweets, chocolate and more.

Dining Out

• Dorking’s Sorrel boasts a Michelin Star and was also named Restaurant of the Year 2019 and AA Restaurant of the Year 2019, impressing critics with a modern approach to fine dining.
• Egham’s Great Fosters Hotel and Michelin Star Restaurant The Tudor Room fuses its rich history with contemporary luxury. With options including afternoon tea, summer picnics, a cocktail bar and private dining, it’s sure to satisfy even the fussiest of foodies.
• Luxury country hotel Beaverbrook is a 15-minute drive from Fetcham Park and perfect for a post-meeting lunch in the Garden House or post-conference dinner at the Japanese Grill. The Garden House is relaxed with a rustic style of Italian-inspired dishes. The Japanese Grill offers an elegant dining experience with a modern approach to Japanese cuisine in a classically British setting.
• The mastermind behind Sorrel, award-winning chef Steve Drake, is also the proud owner of The Anchor in Ripley. Its impressive resume includes 2 AA Rosettes, awards from both The Good Pub Guide and Surrey Life Food and Drink Awards in addition to a highly coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand.

Drinking Up

• The award-winning Silent Pool Gin Distillery produces a delicious premium gin which has quickly gained an international reputation. Originally inspired by the surrounding natural beauty of the Silent Pool – a spring-fed lake at the foot of the North Surrey Downs – months of research went into extracting exactly the right combination of flavours from their romantic botanicals. Silent Pool has been busy this summer with exciting collaborations including a garden designed by David Neale at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and a beautifully themed Silent Pool Gin summer terrace at The Ivy Cobham Brasserie.
• Surrey Hills Vineyards produce sparkling rose and white wines, with outstanding quality in every bottle. Operating from an area of outstanding natural beauty, this cluster of vineyards is a trailblazer in the booming English wine industry.
• Part of Surrey Hills Vineyards but worth a separate mention is Denbies Wine Estate that has recently opened the luxury Vineyard Hotel and the wonderful Village Greens Farmshop stacked full of delicious, fresh, seasonal and local produce. We love a walk through the vineyards to stock up on treats and essentials. The views are spectacular and there’s nowhere else quite like it!
• Nestled off the beaten track near the picturesque village of Shere, Tillingbourne Brewery offers traditional brews alongside seasonal and special options. Brewing an incredible 4896 pints of ale every week, it’s no wonder the brewery is an expert in all things hops related!

Going Out

• This year, The Woking Food Festival will take place from August 30th to September 1st in Jubilee Square. Showcasing high quality, artisan local produce the buzzing ‘feastival’ is set to attract in excess of 100,000 visitors. An array of incredible chefs from the region will also be on hand to share their expertise with attendees.
• Surrey Hills Food Festival celebrates the delicious food & drink from the Surrey Hills & beyond. Set in the stunning grounds of Denbies Wine Estate, local and regional stalls will be offering a tasty range of produce including artisan bread, cheeses, gourmet BBQ, locally reared meat, chocolates, Surrey Hills wines and locally made gins and craft beers. Children can enjoy the pop-up rare breeds petting farm, games, storytelling, live music and face painting in the Kids Zone. There will be a full programme in the Talks and Tastings Hub from national and regional Chefs including Gennaro Contaldo.
• Every other Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm, Ripley Farmers’ Market plays host to more than 35 local food and drinks suppliers. It’s the perfect way to kick off your weekend and pick up fresh food and delicious drinks, all while supporting local businesses.
• Surrey Life’s Food and Drink Awards celebrates the very best in local cuisine every year. You still have time to give a shout out to your favourite food and drink suppliers, as voting closes on August 16th. The prestigious awards ceremony will take place at G Live in Guildford on September 26th.

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