30 years of exceptional dining in the South West of England
The South West’s answer to the Michelin Guide, the Trencherman’s Guide only features establishments that meet the very highest quality criteria – from rustic dining pubs to innovative urban restaurants.
Celebrating the glamour and theatre of extraordinary food in extraordinary locations, the Trencherman’s Guide is the portal to some very memorable experiences.
The guide has some big name fans: Rick Stein calls it ‘A guide with teeth‘, TV food critic and broadcaster William Sitwell says: ‘Very few areas of the country have a guide that rivals Hardens or Michelin in terms of how it’s put together – the Trencherman’s Guide has really experienced food writers bringing their know-how and knowledge to it’, while leading British chef Nathan Outlaw, who this year won the Award for Special Contribution at the Trencherman’s Awards, said: ‘I’ve been in the South West for well over 25 years and the Trencherman’s Guide has always been at the forefront of the scene. It’s one of the guides you want to get into as a chef. I don’t think there are many guides in the UK, let alone the world, that have got 30 years under their belt!’
Since we were asked by acclaimed chef Michael Caines MBE to take over the guide in 2009, we’ve turned it from a small pamphlet which featured just 25 quality restaurants to a 200-page annual guidebook with around 120 member restaurants and a developed grading system. Each year the latest guide is launched with a fabulous dining event featuring a multi-course meal cooked by Trencherman’s chef members. We’ve also introduced annual awards which see the movers and shakers of the industry come together for the best bash in hospitality. Take a peek at what went down at the latest awards night here.
We’ve built the guide a beautiful website, and promote member restaurants year-round via fortnightly email newsletters, tonnes of social and regular PR campaigns.
