The Hind's Head

The Hind's Head is a historic gastropub and restaurant in Bray, Berkshire, England. Its building dates from the fifteenth century and retains architectural features associated with its earlier uses, including an open fireplace. The original purpose of the building is uncertain: it has been described as possibly a hunting lodge or an abbot's guesthouse. For much of its later history it operated as an inn before being converted into a restaurant in the twentieth century. The premises became a restaurant in 1928, when London nightclub owner Kitty Henry acquired the inn and combined it with the neighbouring cottage. The building was subsequently operated by a brewery and was formally designated a Grade II listed building on 25 March 1955. Its history also includes associations with British royal and aristocratic visitors. Philip Mountbatten, later the Duke of Edinburgh, held a stag party there in 1947 before his marriage to Princess Elizabeth. He returned in 1963 with a large party that included Elizabeth, Prince Charles, the Princess Royal and King Olav V of Norway. Diana, Princess of Wales, also dined at the restaurant with Princes William and Harry. Chef Heston Blumenthal bought The Hind's Head in 2004. Blumenthal already owned the nearby Fat Duck, and the acquisition initially had a practical dimension: the site supplied parking and office space for the Fat Duck. It subsequently developed into a distinct dining business rather than simply an adjunct to its more experimental neighbour. Whereas the Fat Duck is associated with molecular gastronomy and highly theatrical tasting-menu cuisine, The Hind's Head focuses on recognisable British dishes, historical recipes and pub food presented with careful technique and, in some cases, modern refinement. Its menu has included Lancashire hotpot, oxtail and kidney pudding, steak and kidney pudding, tea-smoked salmon with sour-cream butter and soda bread, Scotch eggs, Eton mess and Blumenthal's triple-cooked chips. The restaurant has also used the kitchen as a testing ground for historical dishes researched by Blumenthal, including Tudor-era quaking pudding and seventeenth-century chocolate wine. A bar remains part of the concept, with snacks such as quail's-egg Scotch eggs, draught and bottled beers, Greene King products and guest beers from smaller breweries. The restaurant's chefs have included Dominic Chapman, Clive Dixon and Kevin Love. Chapman later moved to the Royal Oak in Maidenhead, where he subsequently received a Michelin star. The Hind's Head has received several industry and guidebook distinctions. It was named a Bib Gourmand restaurant in 2005, received three AA Rosettes, was recognised by Michelin's Eating Out Guide as the best pub in the United Kingdom in 2011, and placed second in the 2012 Scotch Egg Challenge. It received a Michelin star in the 2013 Michelin Guide for Great Britain and Ireland, becoming the fifth British Michelin star associated with Blumenthal. The announcement was reportedly exposed early because of a technical fault on Michelin's website. The Hind's Head occupies a position between a traditional English pub and a destination restaurant. Its appeal rests on the combination of a historic setting, accessible British dishes, beer and bar service, and the reputation of Blumenthal's culinary research. Reviews have been mixed: some writers have praised the cooking, especially the oxtail and kidney pudding, while others have criticised the cramped interior, atmosphere, presentation and limited vegetarian choice. The restaurant's identity nevertheless remains separate from the Fat Duck: it translates historical and technical culinary ideas into a more familiar gastropub format.

The Hind's Head occupies a fifteenth-century building in Bray, Berkshire. Its original function has not been established, although historical accounts have suggested that it may have been a hunting lodge or an abbot's guesthouse. The building retains elements of its earlier history, notably an open fireplace, and later served as an inn. In 1928, the premises changed direction when Kitty Henry, a London nightclub owner, purchased the inn. She combined it with the adjoining cottage and operated the enlarged site as a restaurant. The property was later taken over by a brewery. On 25 March 1955, it became a Grade II listed building, formally recognising its architectural and historical interest. The restaurant has a notable connection with the British royal family. Philip Mountbatten held his stag party at The Hind's Head in 1947 before marrying Princess Elizabeth. He returned in 1963 with approximately fifty guests, including Elizabeth, Prince Charles, the Princess Royal and King Olav V of Norway. Diana, Princess of Wales, later visited with Princes William and Harry after visiting them at Eton College. Heston Blumenthal bought The Hind's Head in 2004. At first, the property helped meet practical needs created by the expansion of his nearby restaurant, the Fat Duck, especially parking and office space. The Hind's Head nevertheless developed its own culinary identity. Rather than reproducing the Fat Duck's experimental tasting-menu style, it concentrated on traditional British food, pub dishes and historical recipes. Blumenthal's approach brought technical precision and culinary research to familiar preparations without removing the venue's pub character. The menu has included oxtail and kidney pudding, Lancashire hotpot, steak and kidney pudding, tea-smoked salmon, Scotch eggs, Eton mess and triple-cooked chips. The restaurant also served as a venue for testing historical dishes researched by Blumenthal, such as Tudor quaking pudding and chocolate wine based on a seventeenth-century preparation. Its bar offered traditional pub beverages, Greene King beers and guest beers from smaller breweries. Several chefs shaped the restaurant during its development under Blumenthal. Dominic Chapman served as head chef before leaving in 2008 to run the Royal Oak in Maidenhead. He was followed by Clive Dixon, who later moved to Koffmann's at the Berkeley in London. Kevin Love, previously a sous chef at The Hind's Head, subsequently replaced Dixon. The restaurant's culinary reputation grew through guidebook and industry recognition. It received Bib Gourmand status in 2005, held three AA Rosettes, and was named the best pub in the United Kingdom by Michelin's Eating Out Guide in 2011. In 2012, its distinctive Scotch egg placed second in the Scotch Egg Challenge. The Hind's Head earned a Michelin star in the 2013 United Kingdom and Ireland edition. The result was reportedly revealed prematurely after a fault on Michelin's website. The award reinforced the restaurant's position as a high-end gastropub and represented the fifth British Michelin star connected with Blumenthal. Commentary on the restaurant has not been uniformly positive. Reviews have praised the cooking, particularly the oxtail and kidney pudding, while criticism has focused on the cramped interior, atmosphere, presentation of some dishes and the lack of an adequate vegetarian main course at one point. These differing responses reflect the restaurant's hybrid model: it is simultaneously a historic pub, a destination restaurant and an outlet for Blumenthal's interest in British culinary history.

• 2013

  Awarded a Michelin star

  [1]The Hind's Headen.wikipedia.org

  The Hind's Head received a Michelin star in the United Kingdom and Ireland guide.

• 2012

  Second place in the Scotch Egg Challenge

  [1]The Hind's Headen.wikipedia.org

  The restaurant's Iberico pork and quail-egg Scotch egg placed second in the competition.

• 2011

  Named the United Kingdom's best pub by Michelin's Eating Out Guide

  [1]The Hind's Headen.wikipedia.org

  Michelin's Eating Out Guide recognised The Hind's Head as the best pub in the United Kingdom.

• 2005

  Bib Gourmand recognition

  [1]The Hind's Headen.wikipedia.org

  The restaurant received Bib Gourmand recognition from Michelin.

• 2004

  Heston Blumenthal purchased the restaurant

  [1]The Hind's Headen.wikipedia.org

  Blumenthal acquired The Hind's Head, linking it operationally and strategically with the nearby Fat Duck while retaining a separate food concept.

• 1955

  The building became Grade II listed

  [1]The Hind's Headen.wikipedia.org

  The property received Grade II listed status on 25 March 1955.

• 1928

  The inn was converted into a restaurant

  [1]The Hind's Headen.wikipedia.org

  Kitty Henry purchased the inn and combined it with the neighbouring cottage to operate the premises as a restaurant.

A destination gastropub combining a historic English inn setting with traditional British food, historical recipe research and refined culinary technique.

• Restaurant dishes

  Traditional British main courses

  The menu centres on established British preparations, including Lancashire hotpot and oxtail or steak and kidney pudding. These dishes preserve the identity of familiar pub food while applying the restaurant's more exacting cooking methods and presentation.

• Bar snack

  Scotch eggs

  The Hind's Head has served Scotch eggs made with quail eggs and sausage meat, including an Iberico pork version. The dish became one of the venue's recognised signatures and was the restaurant's entry in the 2012 Scotch Egg Challenge.

• Side dish

  Triple-cooked chips

  The triple-cooked chip is associated with Blumenthal's early application of scientific and process-oriented cooking ideas. The method aims to produce a crisp exterior and soft interior through multiple stages of preparation and cooking.

• Speciality dishes

  Historical British dishes

  Blumenthal's historical research has informed dishes tested or served at The Hind's Head, including Tudor quaking pudding and chocolate wine based on an older recipe. These offerings connect the restaurant's pub format with culinary history and recipe reconstruction.

• Beverages

  Beer and bar service

  The venue retains a pub bar serving Greene King beer alongside guest beers from smaller breweries. The beverage programme complements the restaurant menu and supports The Hind's Head's position between a traditional pub and a destination dining room.

• 2012Scotch Egg Challenge entry

  United Kingdom

  The Hind's Head entered a national Scotch egg competition with a preparation built around Iberico pork sausage meat, a quail's egg and a seasoned breadcrumb coating.

  Outcome. The entry placed second, increasing attention on one of the restaurant's signature pub dishes.

  Source

• 2010

  Positioning as a destination food pubStrategy

  Background

  Following plans to acquire another nearby pub, Blumenthal described The Hind's Head as having evolved into a destination for food rather than functioning primarily as a local tavern.

  Action taken

  The nearby Crown was intended to serve more directly as Bray's drinking establishment, allowing The Hind's Head to emphasise food-led dining.

  Aftermath

  The positioning clarified the distinction between The Hind's Head's restaurant-led offer and a conventional local pub.

  Source

• 2004

  Acquisition by Heston BlumenthalM&A

  Background

  Blumenthal already owned the nearby Fat Duck and acquired The Hind's Head partly to provide parking and office facilities for that operation.

  Action taken

  He purchased the premises and developed them as a distinct British gastropub concept rather than extending the Fat Duck's molecular-gastronomy format.

  Aftermath

  The restaurant became a destination for British food and later earned major guidebook recognition, including a Michelin star.

  Source

1. 1The Hind's Headen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official websitehindsheadbray.com