As the second largest county in England with a population of under one million, this region has always been the beating heart of agriculture in the country. On a recent visit, we discovered why the food and drinks industries are booming in the region and why Lincolnshire is the ideal destination for your next gastronomic adventure.
Tasting menus that utilise the finest Lincolnshire produce
With tasting menus in Lincolnshire, you get seasonal, hyper-local produce without the pretension of Michelin-starred restaurants in larger urban areas and The Pig and Whistle restaurant at Healing Manor is a prime example of this. The hotel boasts 36 acres of scenic landscape with many of the gardens growing the fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers needed at the restaurant.
A warming leek and potato soup was paired with the iconic Lincolnshire Poacher rarebit. For those who enjoy rich, wintry flavours and dark fruits, the pigeon with quince, parsnip and date jus is your dream dish. In a county not known for vegetarianism, they must be applauded for offering a vegetarian-tasting menu. And the drinks flight to pair with the food is an absolute steal at £49pp.
Another option to consider is the recently opened The Old Bakery in Lincoln. Owned by the commercial arm of Lincoln College, they are the only not-for-profit fine dining restaurant in Lincolnshire with the money being ploughed back into local education and training. It also acts as a finishing school for its finest hospitality students.
Dishes have a very innovative, contemporary feel with the likes of cured salmon and smoked kipper served in an eel sauce. Whilst their ultra-tender 14-hour blade of beef comes with an unusual pickled walnut ketchup that helps to cut through any heaviness in the dish.
From a garage industry to a global icon
The story of Pin Gin is the embodiment of the go-getter spirit in Lincolnshire. In 2016, the owners discovered no commercial Lincolnshire distilleries were creating a London Dry Gin, so they set about turning a garage experiment into what is now a world-class distillery.
The distillery offers a tour and taste experience where you can try their full range from the award-winning Pin Gin to the Rum Cat label which was inspired by their family cat. They also offer a white-label service if you ever want to try your hand at creating your own spirit. The state-of-the-art facilities at their distillery might be better than some multi-national drinks brand although that is unsurprising given one of the owners has an engineering background.
The trendiest wine cellar in the county
Owner of The Wine Cellar in Louth, Jak Bakewell is, by trade, a hairdresser with the salon sitting directly above the cavernous wine cellar. The cellar dates back to the 1700s and has been tastefully decorated with paintings of grape vines that transport you to the Mediterranean region where some of the wines are from.
Jak is a real champion of English wines and you can purchase some exquisite varieties like Rathfinny Blanc de Noirs, which has beautiful textured apple notes. Regular wine-tasting nights also include paired cheeses from the local cheese shop and deli and are often known to be rambunctiously entertaining evenings.
Stokes Tea and Coffee – A fourth-generation family-run business
Plaudits aplenty must be given to Stokes, when you learn they are still a family-run business. For four generations – that’s over 120 years of experience – they have been sourcing, roasting, blending and supplying their coffee.
Their coffee-tasting experience is one of the best things to do in Lincoln. You’ll meet their master roaster and learn all the tricks of the trade such as the cupping method, how to compare coffees and best of all, take a tour around their roastery. They even have a small museum dedicated to the equipment, and marketing material used throughout their past 120 years is displayed.
The Lincolnshire entrepreneurial spirit
You might think in a more rural county like Lincolnshire, people might be stuck in their ways, but delve deeper, and you’ll meet plenty of people who are forward-thinking and entrepreneurial. One example is professional chef, Fiona Lucas who opened the Lincolnshire Cookery School in 2020. She’s been a chef for 35 years and with her tremendous connections, she’s managed to open a school that teaches everything from Magimix cook expert masterclass to cook-together courses for an adult and a child to inspire the next generation.
There is also the multi-talented Kieran Matchett who owns the ever-popular food and drinks venue, The Panacea, Luda Brewing Co and the ginormous Tap on the Line, Louth’s brand-new taproom experience. They make some of the tastiest Greek food in the county such as their Piri Piri lamb kofté hanging skewers, although that shouldn’t come as a surprise given Kieran’s partner is Greek.
Where to stay
There is no more centrally located hotel than the White Hart within Lincoln’s historic quarter, sitting between Lincoln Castle and Lincoln Cathedral. Even if you were travelling to the Lincolnshire Wolds AONB to partake in some of the suggested activities above, it would take no longer than 50 minutes by car.
The rooms are incredibly spacious with many offering views of the cathedral or castle and they have high-quality amenities to ensure the most comfortable of stays. The highlight is their award-winning restaurant, Grille, which offers the best in comfort food, using local produce, such as their pan-fried pigeon breast with port reduction and Lincolnshire beef with bone marrow fondant.
Factbox
For more details visit lovelincolnshirewolds.com or visitlincoln.com
