In Maidenhead, the previously historic site of the Royal Oak has been transformed into an elegant restaurant, The Braywood. Despite its serene natural landscape, it’s actually quite close to London too — just hop on to the Elizabeth Line and you’ll soon be there to escape the city. The Braywood is more than a local restaurant. This is superb quality dining competing with the best London restaurants in a relaxed countryside setting.
Design
An architectural masterpiece, the restaurant was reimagined by Chris Bagot Architects, who carefully drew the line between innovating the building while still respecting its heritage. To ensure it blends well with its surroundings, the firm intentionally used naturally weathering materials and thoughtfully designed landscapes.
Now, The Braywood Maidenhead looks bold, contemporary, and inviting, featuring a cantilevered flat roof on the western side, creating a sleek 70-cover dining room and a striking pitched roof on the eastern side, where the cocktail bar resides. Guests will notice the abundance of natural light bathing the space, with stunning panoramic views opening onto landscaped gardens with a sun-drenched terrace ideal for al fresco dining. The feel of the room is futuristic and elegant.
While sophistication defines the space, sustainability is key for the restaurant, incorporating energy-efficient lighting, passive ventilation, and heat pumps. In fact, the landscaping has been thoughtfully designed to improve the site’s biodiversity.
The Food
Overseen by Chef Sam Brennan, previously from The Woodspeen, Braywood’s contemporary menu centres around seasonal British produce, sourced only from local suppliers. Coming from a foodie family in Wokingham, Sam’s cooking philosophy revolves around being ingredient-led, tasty, and unpretentious.
The restaurant is inviting–most tables are able to see the stunning open kitchen. Before the starters arrive, snacks and bread are delivered to the table. The bread is a stunning 72-hour marmite-infused sourdough with salted butter: fresh, warm and brilliant.
To start, order the Orkney scallops, paired with Braywood black pudding, squash, and apple, or the rich and decadent Crab Agnolotti served with a shellfish bisque. Also a standout, Game Terrine combines port and quince with a delicate lemon thyme brioche. If you’d like a vegetarian option, get the Winter Salad—it comes with pesto, beetroot, celeriac, and orange.
Onto the mains, highlights include the Barbecued Monkfish, complemented by salt-baked celeriac, mussels, and a fragrant curry sauce, and the elegant Halibut, served with clams, Jerusalem artichoke, and a white vermouth sauce. For meat lovers, the Fillet of Beef pairs tender short rib with swede, salsa verde, and port sauce, while vegetarians can savour the Crown Prince Squash, enhanced with pumpkin seeds, chicory, and a delicate white wine sauce. For those looking to share, the Chateaubriand is a must-try, coming with dauphinoise potatoes, hispi cabbage, beef cheek pie, Périgord truffle, and port sauce. The Braywood also has daily specials, including an already popular Sunday roast.
To end your meal, there’s plenty of options to choose from. Decadent and rich, the Bitter Chocolate Soufflé melts in your mouth with chocolate sauce and marmalade ice cream. Another favourite is the Salted Caramel Tart with pickled blackberries and buttermilk sorbet. Warm and spicy, the Ginger Cake comes glazed with pear caramel, hazelnuts, and vanilla ice cream.
The Bar
Modish and lively, the bar at Braywood serves exceptional spirits, cocktails, and non-alcoholic options. Among the standout classics are the Mandarin Mimosa, a refreshing blend of mandarin sorbet, honey, and Prosecco, ideal for starting the evening. Bitter yet refreshing, try the Campari Spritz with Prosecco and soda, or the Negroni combining gin, Campari, red vermouth, and a touch of port. Deep and indulgent, the Espresso Martini features a rich mix of vodka, coffee liqueur, and espresso.
Braywood’s philosophy on seasonality also stretches to their cocktail menu. Vibrant and refreshing, the Orange Shade combines toasted hazelnut Mezcal, tangerine sorbet, baked pastry syrup, soda, dark chocolate, and mint. More complex and rich, Fig on the Rocks features Islay gin, fig-infused Campari, Cocchi red vermouth, Prosecco reduction, and the most delicious dried fig. For something decadent, Sweet Velvet blends vanilla vodka, sweet sherry, brandy milk-wash, and a coffee tuile. They even have seasonal mocktails like Tea Thyme made using a homemade pear & thyme infusion, Lyre’s Dark Cane Spirit, ginger ale, and grilled pear.
Curated by Head Sommelier Jacobo Maroni, Braywood also has a 600-bin international wine list including many options from English vineyards, drawing on years of experience having worked in Italy and the UK.
A New Set Menu
The Braywood’s set menu offers a perfect way to experience its culinary expertise. The menu is served Tuesday to Friday for lunch and Tuesday to Thursday during early evening (6pm-7:30pm). Diners can start with dishes like smoked haddock risotto with cauliflower and hazelnut, pork terrine with celeriac remoulade, or a velvety butternut squash soup finished with Braywood olive oil and aged balsamic.
For the main course, options include roasted cod with hash browns and balsamic sprouts, guinea fowl paired with pearl barley and a port wine sauce, or a vegetarian delight of salt-baked celeriac with truffle and poached hen’s egg. To finish, desserts range from the bright flavours of blood orange curd with lemon thyme meringue to the comforting richness of sourdough treacle tart with miso ice cream. Priced at £39 for two courses or £45 for three, it’s superb value.
Ethical and Sustainable Sourcing
With sustainability and ethical sourcing at heart for The Braywood, the restaurant only has partnerships with local suppliers that they fully trust—ensuring that the meats and produce follow certain ethical and healthy standards. A pioneer since 1886, the Vicars Game is one of Braywood’s most trusted suppliers from Reading. Having maintained a reputation for delivering top-notch English meats for over a century, Vicars ensures that their pheasant, partridge, rabbit, hare, and deer aren’t just ingredients—they reflect the rich landscape and nature surrounding them. One must-try at Braywood is Vicar’s aged beef; it brims with flavour and depth. In fact, Chef Sam has worked with them for years, so you can be confident it’s served with care.
The Braywood Maidenhead invites anyone to send their recommendations of well-trusted local suppliers for poultry and other produce. So, if you know anyone, just reach out to them on Instagram @TheBraywood!
To make your booking, visit thebraywood.co.uk
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All imagery courtesy of the Braywood Maidenhead.