Harden's survey result
Summary
Chef-patron Wayne Smith “continues to fly the flag for fine dining in Ludlow even if the town’s once-unassailable place as a food lover’s site of pilgrimage has now entered into history”, following the departure of high profile chefs such as Claude Bosi and Will Holland, both of whom operated Hibiscus and La Becasse respectively from these very premises: “a period building with panelled walls and a courtyard close to the town centre”. Smith’s focus is on “traditional but fine dishes using excellent local ingredients” including, appropriately, Mortimer Forest venison (“the Herefordshire beef never fails to delight”, too).
Summary
“Located in a gorgeously oak-panelled dining room in a grand old building half way up the hill in steep Corve Street”, this “unpretentious, traditional restaurant is a favourite Ludlow eatery” for all who comment on it. (“Previously it was the location of Claude Bosi’s Hibiscus when it was in Ludlow and then Alan Murchison‘s La Becasse where Will Holland was Head Chef”). “In summer, there is a quiet courtyard for pre-meal drinks and a small bar at the entrance for drinks in winter and hors d’oeuvre prior to dining”. “Chef-patron Wayne Smith has perfected his dishes over time and continues to serve excellent, accurately cooked food using delicious local ingredients and although regulars may recognise dishes from previous visits, the food is thoroughly enjoyable”. Top Menu Tip – “some of the local beef is highly memorable for its tenderness and flavour”.
Summary
“This lovely Ludlow restaurant” makes a suitable setting for “old-fashioned high-end dining” that showcases “top-notch” cooking from well-travelled chef Wayne Smith, who has worked for luminaries including Pierre Koffmann, Richard Corrigan, Tom Aikens and Claude Busi – the latter having put this address on the gastronomic map as Hibiscus. The venue “has been a little inconsistent over the years”, going bust as La Bécasse, but Wayne has brought stability since 2015, and “recent meals eaten there have been excellent, each course finely prepared and very tasty”.
Summary
“The food can be exceptional”, while “service is spot-on without being overbearing and condescending” in chef Wayne Smith’s oak-panelled dining room – a lingering taste of Ludlow’s former heyday as a gastronomic destination. The cuisine may not quite match the heights of Claude Bosi’s late, lamented Hibiscus, which used to occupy the same premises – but “it is certainly value for money”.
For 35 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Mortimers?
17 Corve St, Ludlow, SY8 1DA
Restaurant details
Mortimers Restaurant Diner Reviews
"We booked an early evening table for 6.30 as we planned to catch the 8 pm train. Naturally, we were the first group there so we had the restaurant to ourselves. We had lovely service and selected the three course menu due to our time constraints. I enjoyed the chicken with black pudding, sweetcorn and leek and the loin of pork that followed was perfectly cooked and seasoned. We had two glasses of fizz and a nice bottle of wine. The bill was £240 including service. A very enjoyable evening. And the next time we go we will book a later train!"
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £40.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £5.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 12.50% |
17 Corve St, Ludlow, SY8 1DA
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | CLOSED |
| Wednesday | 6:30 pm‑8 pm |
| Thursday | 12:30 pm‑2.00 pm, 6:30 pm‑8 pm |
| Friday | 12:30 pm‑2.00 pm, 6:30 pm‑8 pm |
| Saturday | 12:30 pm‑2.00 pm, 6:30 pm‑8 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
Best British, Modern restaurants nearby
British, Modern restaurant in Ludlow
British, Modern restaurant in Norton
British, Modern restaurant in Shrewsbury
Best similarly priced restaurants nearby
British, Modern restaurant in Malvern Wells
restaurant in Birmingham
British, Modern restaurant in Cheltenham
