Rolling into town
Stratford-Upon-Avon was a place I had visited a number of times during my childhood.
For this trip, I skipped the usual touristy stuff and had a chill night away with my mum and a good friend. No major plans, just catching up and eating well.
We arrived around lunchtime, and straight away, all we wanted was food (and wine). The White Swan was our home base—a cute, classic hotel right in the centre. We left our bags and headed out, ready for something to eat.
Lunch in the Sun at The Encore
It was one of those perfect, sunny days, so we couldn’t resist grabbing a table outside at The Encore, right by the river.
We shared a bunch of small plates from the all day menu.
The pan-fried wild scallops were a winner—juicy and just the right amount of sear, with some really yummy risotto and pops of colour from sweet peppers.
The chipotle sticky chicken was super moreish (not as spicy as I’d feared, more sweet and sticky). It was a karaage fried chicken with a smoky chilli jam. We had to remind ourselves to share.
The sticky beef dumpling wasn’t what I expected—think more pasty crossed with a scone than dim sum—but it was still pretty tasty.
The king prawns in tomato and chipotle were a hit with my companions, though feta isn’t really my thing.
Oh, and the skin-on fries showed up late but were perfect for dipping in all the leftover sauces.
We ended up polishing off two bottles of rosé, Cote De Provence, because why not? It was a perfectly balanced rose – not too dry and not too sweet but deliciously fruity and a great match with the food.
The sun was out and the food just kept coming. Overall a lovely meal with friendly and efficient service throughout.
Quick Ice Cream Stop at Kelly’s
No way I’m walking past Kelly’s of Cornwall (or any ice cream shop for that matter) without getting a scoop, so we made a quick stop. Salted caramel for me—totally delicious. Creamy, rich, and felt a bit fancy thanks to the whole milk and clotted cream.
Dinner at Miller & Carter
At dinner time, we headed to Miller & Carter for steak.
Our waiter Jack was diligent —funny and helpful. I went for the Black Angus 50 Day Aged Sirloin (medium rare, of course) with béarnaise, a lettuce wedge, and plain boiled potatoes (note to self: next time, ask for the fries).
The steak was decent—not mind-blowing, but solid for the price. We shared a bottle of Shiraz that matched up perfectly, a Barossa Valley Estate Shiraz. As the menu suggested this was “Juicy and bold with bags of pepper and rich dark berries”.
Dessert was a sharing platter—rich caramelised banana banoffee pie (so good – especially the real banana topping!), Madagascan vanilla-glazed crème brûlée (not really for me), and a rich Belgian chocolate brownie with vanilla bean ice cream (yes, my second ice cream of the day—decadent).
All in all, a pretty great meal with even better company.
Where We Stayed: The White Swan
I booked The White Swan online via Booking.com and Quidco to take advantage of those Genius perks and cashback deals.
My room was small but cosy, with a Shakespeare quote on the wall—a nice touch. It’s not fancy, but it does the job. There were a couple little quirks—some old furniture and a shower that did its own thing—but I slept like a log and breakfast was solid. Location’s spot on, and I’d definitely stay here again
Finally – taking in the town on my morning run
Stratford-Upon-Avon is just a nice place to slow down, run by the river, and eat well.
Here are some of the photos from my morning run…
