5 North Street: Cotswold dining at its best

Winchcombe is an ancient Cotswold town that continues to possess a yesteryear charm and where local shops rather than high street chains means there's more hours of window shopping to be done here than in towns ten times the size. There are butchers (yes, more than one) selling locally shot game, and there are cake shops for after dinner treats. And rather than a Cafe Rouge, there's 5 North Street, a 28 seat restaurant whose charming frontage of Cotswold stone, leaning black and white timbers, and bay windows gives it quintessential Cotswold appeal. Inside, warm reds, dark wood tables and exposed beams makes for a cosy habitat on a chill winter's day, but all this is a bonus, for we are not here because of its cuteness, we're here because 5 North Street has a mighty reputation for its food. In that sense, it is by no means your average small town restaurant.

The restaurant is run by husband and wife team Marcus (Gus) and Kate Ashenford, and the restaurant has held a Michelin star since opening in 2003. On the website they talk of sourcing ingredients from the local area, meat from the Cotswold Hills, fruit and veg from the Vale of Eversham and knowing their suppliers well does seem important to them.

Despite being Michelin starred, don't expect a phalanx of white shirted waiters, for this is very much a small family affair and on our visit, Kate was running the front of house alone. It's quite possible that Gus was similarly alone in the kitchen, but this approach makes it friendly and endearing and we are positively willing it to be good. A canapé of Welsh rarebit is a different and welcome approach and when this is followed by a cosy cup of tomato soup with chive oil, and a twin loaf of bread complete with your own bread knife, our interest is sufficiently piqued. So far, so very good.  

Also, very thoughtfully, with chive oil appearing on one of our chosen starters, this was replaced in one of the soup cups to avoid repetition.

Welsh rarebit

tomato soup and chive oil

twin loaf bread (apricot and walnut, sesame seed)

Of a lunch time, there's a two choice set menu, though with the restaurant reasonably quiet, we were kindly offered choices from the dinner menu also. The first dish brought to the table, Salmon and John Dory looked stunning with horseradish cascading over a fine piece of salmon to the John Dory below, all crowned with caviar. While there was a risk that there was simply too much going on with this dish, the end result was a very satisfying and flavoursome starter that ultimately tasted as good as it looked.

Tea smoked duck breast, confit spiced leg with plum chutney also delivered. The spicing on the leg was perfectly balanced, as was the tea smoke on the breast, while the chutney, crisp apple and greens provided the appropriate fresh and acidic counterpoint. 

Home cured Loch Duart salmon, John Dory, blinis, caviar & horseradish, chive oil

Tea smoked duck breast, confit spiced leg, crisp skin, plum chutney, caramelised hazelnut dressing

With local partridge on the menu, that was simply a must and coming with a game and golden raisin reduction, it has all the makings of a winner. Perhaps the only real criticism of the meal here, the partridge was a touch over cooked. The Long Horn fillet of beef however was perfectly done and while it's a challenge to get some jazz into a traditional beef fillet dish, the addition of the 'crisp tongue' on the plate did just that. The plating too sought to further lend a contemporary touch to the classic, while for those who don't put so much store by how it looks, but rather by how much there is on the plate, this in the end equated to a lot of food. Everybody then can be happy with this dish. 

Long Horn fiullet of beef, crisp tongue, sweet onion, girolles, artichokes & Madeira sauce

Winchcombe partridge, chestnut & Morteau bubble & squeak, creamed parsley root, game and golden raisin reduction

Desserts were an absolute treat with a dark chocolate delice, roasted pistachio, salted caramel, fennel and orange salad and fennel sorbet arriving like abstract art but delivering on every note. Meanwhile the warm malt loaf, poached figs, toasted sesame, honey & almond ice cream and mulled wine is Christmas in a bowl.

dark chocolate delice, roasted pistachio, salted caramel, fennel and orange salad and fennel sorbet

warm malt loaf, poached figs, toasted sesame, honey & almond ice cream and mulled wine

Overall, we were delighted with our meal at 5 North Street, lots of original touches, but lots of classic comfort too. Plating was well considered with considerably diversity, while dishes show skill, and more than a little love.

The Cotswolds are reasonably well blessed with places to eat, and 5 North Street definitely deserves to be included amongst the top rank. On a cold winter's day, to enjoy comforting local food while looking out to Winchcombe life passing by the windows feels like a real treat. And with prices offering real value, for anyone staying or living in the area, this is surely a must visit restaurant.


Return to homepage

5 North Street website

also nearby

Le Champignon Sauvage

Lumiere