L'ortolan

Restaurant
BACK
1/7
CLOSE
The grade II listed building
The grade II listed building
The grade II listed building
2/7
CLOSE
Goose liver parfait, coconut and mango
Goose liver parfait, coconut and mango
Goose liver parfait, coconut and mango
3/7
CLOSE
Beef dish
Beef dish
Beef dish
4/7
CLOSE
Dining Room
Dining Room
Dining Room
5/7
CLOSE
Vanilla buttermilk bavarois, strawberries, lemon verbena
Vanilla buttermilk bavarois, strawberries, lemon verbena
Vanilla buttermilk bavarois, strawberries, lemon verbena
6/7
CLOSE
Dining Room
Dining Room
Dining Room
7/7
CLOSE
Head Chef Tom Clarke in the kitchen
Head Chef Tom Clarke in the kitchen
Head Chef Tom Clarke in the kitchen
Visit Website

Overview

Celebrating its fifth decade of service and over 15 years retaining a Michelin star, L'Ortolan continues to be a beacon of Berkshire's fine dining restaurant scene offering a unique, luxury, timeless quality in its style and setting and impeccable attention to detail in its dishes and service.

Where is L'ortolan located?

Just outside of Reading in the quintessential English village Shinfield. The restaurant is located in a grade II listed building with stunning landscaped gardens.

What cuisine is on offer at L'ortolan?

L'Ortolan has now held a Michelin star for 17 years and Head Chef Tom Clarke continues to push the boundaries of French fine dining introducing modern techniques and exotic flavours onto the plate. Each dish is meticulously plated and treated like a rare and delicate work of art.

What is the signature dish at L'ortolan?

Amongst the restaurant's signature dishes are Goose (goose liver parfait, coconut and mango), Salmon (confit with beetroot and horseradish), Halibut (poached with orange and nasturtium) and Toffee Apple (apple, pecan, caramelised white chocolate).

What makes a meal at L'ortolan unique?

Walking through the grand front doors of L'Ortolan having experienced the stunningly manicured gardens surrounding the property, guests are dazzled by sumptuous style and greeted with warm, welcoming staff, amidst the expectation that their tastebuds will enjoy an unforgettable dining experience with exceptionally beautiful dishes.

Reviews

We have wanted to go for some time but had been saving it for a special occasion and used it to celebrate the impending birth of our first child with the in-laws. Everything was done very well and as is often the case with this kind of dining it's the extras that make it such a great experience - from the amuse-bouche to the pre-dessert. I had the Goose liver, followed by the guinea fowl and strawberry parfait for dessert - all were delicious with the liver being my favourite. The service matched the food for flawlessness. We started with drinks in the bar, so were there all in all for two and a half hours. Not cheap in the evening but delicious – the set lunch seems like amazing value and would be a good introduction.

WillS

Wonderful meal. My business partner, my wife (who is also a business partner) and i visited for lunch. We had a super time and the food was delightful, beautiful and very tasty. Starters: I had steak tartar - amazing Mackeral and salmon for the other two in our party and both were completely polished off. All starters looked beautiful and did not disappoint. Mains: Duck for two of us and Chicken for the other. Again, stunning and tasty. We finished off two two slices of Caramel which was so smooth and delicious. I think this was wow food and certainly Michelin star worthy. I highly recommend! And, for the lunch menu starting at £28, very good value too.

ChrisG

For years both my daughters have been sending us to L'Ortolan for birthdays/anniversarys. On our 57 th Wedding anniversary we exposed them to Michelin food. They loved it, both confessed that this was the best food they have ever tasted. Added to this Service exceptional and friendly service and you have L'Ortolan. Anyone that wishes to sample food with tastes that you never come across in day to day cooking/restaurants. Please do yourself a favour and experience it. Not cheap but worth every penny. Thank you to everyone at L'Otolan for educating my daughters to a new experience.

RonT

I've been fortunate to visit some stunning restaurants over the years but absolutely loved the experience. I was fortunate to be given a voucher for a three course meal for two with a glass of wine at L'Ortolan and with it being on my doorstep am only disappointed that I have never visited before. The selection of food was extremely limited with only two choices for start and main but with myself and my wife choosing the different options each meal was phenomenal. The staff exceptional and could not possibly recommend this restaurant highly enough.

RyanH

Fabulous setting on the edge of Reading. Easy parking. Great welcome on arrival, important at any venue. We had the tasting menu. We loved every dish, lots of flavours, beautiful presentation. Service was very good, attentive. Relaxed and fulfilled on exit. Just a bonus point, we were addressed as "sir" and " madam" on arrival and throughout, not " Hi Guys" or the awful "you alright there?" - It makes the difference on having a food experience not just food out! - Other restaurants should take note of these high standards. Well done to all there!

WillO

My boyfriend and I came here for a special occasion recently and we were not disappointed. The hosts were so attentive and the food was beautiful. The Menu of the day was only a small menu but we both found things on there that we wanted to eat. It is very pricey but perfect for a celebration!

RachelL

A fantastic experience - delicious and great quality food, lovely and romantic atmosphere, all the staff was great and very knowledgeable each one in their area. Every bite was a nice surprise plenty of lots of flavours and you can recognize each one of them. I would love to come back.

SoniaR

First visit and couldn't fault anything about the experience. The service, presentation and food was outstanding, how do they make food taste this good! Thoroughly recommended as a very special treat.

FionaB

Consistently brilliant food, have been coming here for years and never once disappointed. Lunch time is fantastic value.

AaronB
View all Submit Review

Facilities & information

Extra info

Closed Times: 2 weeks for Xmas & New Year
Open Times: Tue-Sat 12.00-14:00, 19:00-21.00
Vendor Accreditation: Michelin Star, AA 3 Rosettes, 6/10 Good Food Guide

Arrival information & directions

Address: Church Lane, Shinfield, Reading, Berkshire, ReadingRG2 9BY, United Kingdom

At junction 11 of the M4 take the A33 towards Basingstoke. At the first traffic lights start following the brown tourist signs for L'ortolan, turn left and go through Three Mile Cross. After the garage on the right turn left at the mini roundabout. Go down country lane for 1 mile. Turn right at the 6 Bells / Hungry Horse pub. L'ortolan is the first drive on the left.

Video

View videos

Events

View events

Special offers

View special offers

Travel Inspirations

View travel inspirations

View others nearby

View others nearby
This website uses cookies. Click here to read our Privacy Policy.
If that’s okay with you, just keep browsing. CLOSE