The UK's hottest new hotel opens, a snazzy new restaurant to spice up your life, a cool new deli and more tipples than you can shake a bottle opener at. It's all going on in Berks

NEW OPENINGS

Set your alarms, the countdown is on. The Retreat Elcot Park – the UK’s hotly-anticipated new boutique hotel and spa – swings open its doors on Sat 2 April.

The refurb of the bucolic 18th century mansion house are now complete, the menus have been finalised and the team are raring to go. As its name suggests, the emphasis at The Retreat is on rest and relaxation, with a wellbeing spa, tennis courts and an infinity pool with Whispering Angel pool bar and private cabanas.

Want to flex that waistband? Take a pew in the pan-Asian restaurant Yu Pan Asian or the more informal 1772 Brasserie, where you’ll find Crispy Devon Squid, Cornish Brill on the Bone and Chicken Milanese and Truffle Crème Fraîche on the menu. In The Courtyard you’ll also find a coffee shop, bakery, wine shop, hair salon and nail bar, wine shop. Jeepers, I’m not sure we will ever want to leave.

One of Reading’s old foodie faves is hopping over the bridge to Caversham and setting up in bigger premises. Clays Hyderabadi Kitchen will be moving to a huge space in the old Baron of Cadogan pub.

Considered one of Reading’s “best” Indian restaurants its current location on London Road in Reading is tiny. It will join Caversham’s thriving indie scene and introducing their delicious food to a wider crowd. The owners will be launching a Kickstarter to help raise funds for the new restaurant.

While we’re hanging out in Caversham, we’re excited to hear that Muddy Award winning café The Collective has just announced it’s been granted an alcohol licence. So Sam and her team are now bus planning. A bottle shop is on the cards (posh offy) selling local artisan wines, beers and spirits. They will also develop the inside space, garden and menu to incorporate this deliciously boozy next step in the business. Make our a double, Sam, we’ll be there in five.

Not wanting to feel left out, over in Maidenhead another exciting new foodie venture has just opened its doors. Sauce & Flour on Maidenhead’s Waterside Quarter is a deli/ restaurant launched by Sandra and Flavio who are nuts about simple, seasonal Italian cooking. The deli sells all the gorgeous ingredients we love, including British cheeses from Neal’s Yard Dairy and charcuterie from Cobble Lane and Italy. The restaurant is fully loaded dishes and wines we love sharing with friends and family. That’s Amoré.

And finally…

We were gutted when we heard Mary and Nick Galer – the gastro geniuses behind award-winning pub, The Miller of Mansfield in Goring – were forced to close at the end of 2021. But Goring’s loss is Streatley’s gain. The couple have just announced they have been taken on by Goring & Streatley Golf Club, just off Rectory Road in Streatley. Nick will be head chef and Mary the Food and Beverage manager. Gold will never be so popular.