I've been sniffing around for the hottest goss in the 'hood and I've come up trumps. The Ivy's coming to Berkshire. Oh, and there's more.

The Ivy is coming!

Legendary London restaurant The Ivy is coming to Royal Windsor! (*thud*) If you’ve been a bit down in the mouth that The Ivy has popped up in pretty much every county but Berks, fear not, it’s our time to shine. A branch of the celeb-magnet hotspot opens in Windsor (exactly when we don’t know but I’m working on it!) – first person to spot Harry and Meghan win’s an all expenses paid trip on a private jet (joke). The Ivy Garden will be taking over the restaurant at the Harte & Garter Hotel, opposite Windsor Castle, adding a dash of glamour to the town centre. There you will find Muddy at her regular table, scoffing the shepherd’s pie signature dish, sharing bons mots with Angelina Jolie and Christopher Biggins. Come and join me if you think your liver is hard enough.  I’m keeping my ear to the ground and nose to the window – I’ll be the first to know!

 

Go big, or go home. 

Wine o’clock has just got supersized. A Melchior of Jordan Winery 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon will be opened at Uncorked – the brand new food wine and festival at The Vineyard Hotel in Stockcross on Sun 15 Sep. It’s one of only eight bottles made and the only one to be opened in the UK – that’s 18 litres, 24 bottles or 144 glasses of delicious red. Uncorked promises to be a Sunday  session to remember with live music, a Californian posh barbie, masterclasses and oodles of fine wine. Book your tickets here.

 

The Pot Kiln’s back

Following a spenny refurbishment, The Pot Kiln in Frilsham – a gorgeous gastro game pub – reopens on Mon 16 Sep with Michelin-starred magician, Daniel Galmiche as Executive Chef. This 300-year-old pub, set in 9,000 acres of woodland and farmland on the Yattendon Estate, has a long tradition of serving food using foraged local ingredients, so expect a pretty wild menu. The renovation has added guest rooms, a new kitchen, restaurant extension and game cookery school. It’s also the Muddy local, so we’ll be reporting back ASAP.

 

Sizzling Steakhouse

Fancy something a bit more substantial than a limp hotdog when you visit the Showcase Cinema in Winnersh? The new Bar + Block Steakhouse is now open offering high quality steaks and cocktails. It is the 12th branch for the chain, following openings in Birmingham, Bristol, London and Bath. The menu will focus on hand-cut steaks with a special ‘Butcher’s Block’ area featuring seasonal specials.