You could say that The Waterside Inn is a family-run restaurant with rooms. Come and eat, and spend the night with us. Be a part of the family. Almost too humble.
But this is not just any countryside inn. This is part of England’s culinary history. It is not a newly decorated place that just picked up its first Michelin star last year.
The Waterside Inn has held three Michelin stars since 1985. Perhaps you were not even born then. And it has kept them ever since. You do the maths.
The Waterside Inn is right next to the River Thames in the picturesque village of Bray. When you pull up in front of the hotel, your first thought is where to park. But that is quickly sorted. A man comes out and takes care of everything—even your bags.
We went inside to check in. We knew the room would not be ready, but wanted to get the formalities out of the way before heading to The Hinds Head for lunch.
Passport and credit card in hand. No need for that, she told us. Just a warm welcome, and payment can wait until checkout. That is it. Sometimes check-in feels like filling out a health form before a massage.
We will never forget Stanley Ranch resort in California. At breakfast, before you could even sit: “Hi, what is your full name? Can you spell it for me? What is your telephone number? What is your room number?
Here, it was such a relief. A proper start to the stay. I must admit I did not expect much from the room (Superior Room). We were here for dinner, and how bad could it be?
But on the contrary—it was really nice. A small terrace overlooking the Thames. A brand new bathroom. A comfy bed. And air conditioning.
We could not have asked for more but perhaps some bacon with the breakfast. Served in your room. This was a promising start to our holiday.
A room with some view
We started outside on the terrace beside the Thames for a drink, where they served three snacks. Sitting there, you could almost hear your shoulders drop.
Rowers glided past, boats drifted by, swans floated near the shore, and the neighbour was lighting their grill.
Then it was time to be seated inside the dining room—though “inside” is generous, as the large open window wall made it feel practically outdoors.
It is not often we pick the same dishes from a menu (A la carte three courses, £265.00 per person), but here we did. Except for the cheese trolley which of course my wife chose.
£39.50 extra per person for the cheese trolley is shockingly expensive, likely one of the priciest in the UK, but also memorable, with lavish French and English selections, skillfully served. But there are more extras on the menu so navigate with care.
Now the shoulders were up again. And I started to think about Per Se in NYC with their extras. And of course then the discretionary 12.5% service charge when the damage hits you when checking out the next day.
Pan Fried Lobster Medallions – Vegetable julienne – White Port Sauce
The lobster or Tronçonnettes de homard poêlées minute au Porto blanc (this is Roux territory, after all), was too big for a starter.
It felt more like a main course. A whole lobster, served in a rich sauce that, frankly too intense and overpowered the lobster flavours. The meat was also tricky to get out of the shells and not cooked evenly. We were not convinced.
Barbecued Fillet of Angus Beef – Caramelised Shallot Tart Tatin – Sautéed Girolle Mushrooms – Savoury Scented Jus
The fillet—Tournedos d’Angus grillé au charbon de bois, tatin aux échalotes et girolles sautées, jus à la sarriette—looked great in the promotional photo online.
In reality, the fillet landed somewhere between The Hinds Head and The Hand and Flowers. We expected more.
Raspberry Soufflé
The dessert—Sablé garni d’une meringue pochée et fraises parfumées à la verveine citronnée, glace panachée ricotta–mara des bois —did not arrive.
Instead, Soufflé chaud aux framboises was placed on our table. We looked puzzled. That was not what we ordered, but they seemed relaxed, and so were we. A simple mix-up, we thought. No scene.
Shortbread Biscuit – Poached Meringue – Lemon Verbena – Strawberries – Ricotta–Mara des Bois Ice Cream
But then, after the soufflé, our actual dessert arrived. The shortbread biscuit. We smiled—one of those tight, polite, “all good” smiles—and said nothing.
The soufflé beat the shortbread by miles when it came to flavours. Perhaps they knew that. Perhaps it was a quiet statement. Or perhaps just a misstep with the order tickets in the kitchen.
Yes, it was too much food. The starter was a main. A beautiful mackerel amuse bouche, a pre dessert and five petits fours to end it all. So you will need that excellent digestif trolley at the end. Trust the French—it helps.
This is old-school French cooking. Our minds went to Paul Bocuse, back when they still had their three stars and were still trying to kill you with cream and butter. The Monty Python sketch comes to mind—”Just a thin mint?”
Here, they did not go that far. No need for a heart starter. Lucky us.
Would we go again? No. But this was not just dinner. It was a piece of culinary history—and we are glad to have had the fortune to experience it.
The healthy French breakfast…
The Waterside Inn is now the second longest-running three-star restaurant in the world. Only Les Prés d’Eugénie, France (since 1977) has held them longer.
What about Georges Blanc?
Georges Blanc in Vonnas earned its third star in 1981 and kept it for 44 years—until it was quietly downgraded to two stars in 2025. A historic run, now ended. The restaurant had held one Michelin star since 1927. Now you really have to do the maths. And yes, we were not born then.
Why is Troisgros not among the top?
Maison Troisgros earned its three stars in 1968 and kept them until 2017, when the family moved the restaurant from Roanne to a countryside estate in Ouches. There, they opened a new restaurant called Le Bois sans Feuilles, now the flagship of the Maison Troisgros estate.
Michelin treats a relocation as a new restaurant—even if the chef and family stay the same.
The new Troisgros regained its stars in 2018—but the original streak ended. Still, among Michelin friends, Troisgros tends to sit at the very top.
This was our experience. Yours might be better, worse, or weirder. Let us know.
