The Grove hotel food review at The Stables: Luxurious dining

Nestled away in a picturesque location at the 300-acre country estate, I couldn’t have picked a better day to walk around the stunning site, soak in the sun and treat myself to mouthwatering dishes and delicious cocktails.

Having previously worked in Watford for four years, and after visiting the property years ago for work purposes, I’ve always had my heart set on dining at the stunning venue.

Outside The Stables at The Grove hotel (Image: Joseph Reaidi) Last week (July 12), that dream became a reality as I went down to the Stables restaurant at the hotel to try out its menu this summer.

While sat outside in the shade and the sun beaming down, I was excited to tuck in, as it felt like I was at a mini vacation out of London.

The service was seamless, everyone felt so attentive and friendly, particularly with standout hospitality from Edyta who helped perfect our experience.

We started our feast lightly with artisan sourdough and fresh salter butter as an appetiser, along with a burrata served with tomatoes, sumac red onion and seeded lavish bread – as well as a refreshing salad that had avocado, broad beans and crispy chick peas.

The chopped salad at The Stables (Image: Joseph Reaidi) The burrata paired beautifully with the crispy lavash bread, while the salad was bursting with flavour with its variety of ingredients.

The burrata at The Stables (Image: Joseph Reaidi) For mains, we were excited to stuff ourselves with a British grass fed 32-day-aged sirloin and a 35-day-aged ribeye.

Both cooked medium as requested, the juicy and tender steak hit all the right spots and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal.

The rib-eye steak at The Stables (Image: Joseph Reaidi) Even though I only tried out the food and didn’t stay a night or use the spa facilities there, it was easy to get lost into the idea that I was at a luxurious getaway.

Craving a sweet ending, I opted for the hazelnut rocher dessert and tried out some of the leafy lemon tart too.

The hazelnut rocher, with hazelnut milk chocolate parfait and sea salt caramel (Image: Joseph Reaidi) They were an exquisite way to top off my time there.

Throughout our dining experience, we tried out many of the cocktails on offer including the bump and rum, bunkers, horseshoe, artful dodger, Grove royale and Grove 75.

The stand out for me was the bump and rum – which had a fiery kick of spice that mixed perfectly with the sweetness of the pineapple and dark rum alcohol.

The horseshoe and the artful dodger cocktails (Image: Joseph Reaidi) Food and drinks may be on a slightly pricier side, but I believe the price tag is also fairly reasonable given the level of luxury offered.

It was no surprise that many guests around us seemed to pick this place for memorable celebrations – we must have counted at least six times where people began to sing ‘happy birthday’.

Walking around The Grove (Image: Joseph Reaidi) To end the day, I left the Stables to explore the greenery and golf course surrounding the Georgian manor house.

For anyone looking to have a quick trip out of London, take in the beauty of Hertfordshire and have a fantastic meal, I cannot recommend The Stables at The Grove enough.