Lincolnshire Pride

Dining Out at Antlers Restaurant

Happy first anniversary to Antlers, the à la carte restaurant within Lincoln’s White Hart on Bailgate. The hotel has recently been awarded an AA Four Star Silver Award, the only hotel in the county to hold the title. It’s an achievement which we felt justified a return visit to enjoy the place for ourselves!

Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. It’s the second of those conditions which can account for the success of Lincoln’s White Hart. It’s been a year since the opening of Antlers Restaurant within the recently-refurbished Uphill Lincoln hotel, and it’s really gone from strength to strength.

It’s definitely one of the best restaurants in Lincoln, with a smart dining room, a dedicated cocktail bar in which to enjoy an aperitif, and a menu that’s hewn from a solid chunk of satisfaction.

Add to that attentive front of house service and probably the best location in which you could establish such a restaurant in Lincolnshire… and you’ve a recipe for a success.

The hotel dates back to the 14th century, it carries a Grade II* listing, it’s right in the centre of a busy city, and a couple of years back, it was in need of some serious investment. 

Those aren’t ideal conditions even for someone with a robust sense of ambition, but happily Andrew Long has sufficient derring-do to take on even the most challenging projects, as evidenced when he purchased the hotel in July 2022, reopening the White Hart after embarking on a full refurbishment from March to October 2023.

Upon reopening, the hotel’s 49 bedrooms, its Colonnade Cocktail Lounge, Gibson Club Bar and Antlers Restaurant were all beautifully redesigned and they look splendid.

As we celebrate the hotel’s first anniversary since its reopening and relaunch in its extensively refurbished format, there’s more to report, too. The AA has recently awarded the White Hart its Four Star Silver status – the only hotel in Lincolnshire to enjoy such an award – in addition to its AA rosette, underwriting the quality of its dining.

Andrew and his team, including the hotel’s lovely general manager Paul Noble, have also announced that 2025 will see a new pool and wellness facilities opening on the ground floor of the Eastgate Coach House Wing. The team will also be converting the two upper floors of the adjacent Leigh Pemberton House into four luxury suites, which will be fully serviced from the hotel.

Antlers Restaurant’s new autumn menus have just been confirmed, prompting our visit around the first anniversary of the hotel’s reopening. This would be interesting…

Prior to reopening the team undoubtedly had a strong vision for the restaurant. However, diners would have their own idea as to what they wanted too, so we were keen to see how closely aligned the hotel’s aspirations were, with what their customers wanted. 

The answer is the team either completely anticipated what customers would enjoy, or perhaps, had the confidence to execute their vision to the satisfaction and delight of those who have enjoyed dining at the hotel.

This is evident because the menu has evolved, not changed direction, with dishes finessed and with a halo ingredient allowed to come to the fore and just enough flair in tertiary components to complement – not compete with – the main element of the dish.

Lunchtime service is via an à la carte menu with five starters, six main courses and a trio of salads. Antlers Restaurant’s provision of daytime à la carte dining also runs alongside the hotel’s bar menu with its platters, burgers, salads and hot and cold sandwiches.

Evening à la carte dining in Antlers Restaurant, is also hugely impressive, comprising five starters, four Classic dishes, plus salads. Thereafter the restaurant offers four smashing main courses which are beautifully presented and flawless in their chefcraft. There are also three steak options and two sharing options; a 16oz Châteaubriand plus its farmyard-worrying 28oz Butchers Block. Private dining is also offered with dedicated dining areas and bespoke menus.

Kudos to joint head chefs Matt Porada and Thadi Crook who provide well-known dishes but with sufficient innovation and flair to ensure a unique expression of their nature, such as the duo of lamb with pressed belly and pastry-encased Wellington.

Even side dishes and steak sauces are elevated, from Pont Neuf potatoes, English asparagus with aged balsamic and celeriac dauphinoise to Café de Paris butter alongside truffle béarnaise, brandy peppercorn and port & Stilton. Such attention to detail requires a wealth of suppliers, and local businesses are favoured but the team isn’t apologetic about looking a little further when the need to fulfil quality necessitates.

Redhill Pork on the Bailgate, Mel Ward of Rushington and Monk Road’s Fosters supply butchery as well as Derbyshire’s Price & Fretwell, whilst fish is sourced by a couple of suppliers from Grimsby’s fish market.

Welbeck, GW Price and Pilgrims of Boston are three suppliers of fruit and veg whilst Lincoln’s Vines bakery provides sourdough, ciabatta and focaccia. Thadi recalls Gordon Ramsay’s motto; ‘let cooks cook, and bakers bake bread.’ Sound advice when you’ve such a good artisan bakery on your doorstep.

Naturally desserts are made in house, the most popular with diners being Chocolate Textures. However a word about Fruit Salad Flavours, based on Thadi’s favourite penny chews from his childhood and presented as a sort of paté de fruit using pineapple, raspberry and watermelon flavours.

And then there’s Sunday lunch. Following the same theme of ‘excellence, elevated,’ the hotel’s dry-aged beef is cured in treacle and then cooked slowly overnight allowing the molasses to do their thing. Clotted cream potato, Lincolnshire Poacher cauliflower cheese and red wine & thyme gravy are just a few of the accompaniments… suffice to say, we’re definitely heading back to try Sunday lunch at Antlers.

It’s so satisfying to see a restaurant thriving with a new look, great dishes and true talent. But most of all, they’re also a lovely team clearly loving what they do… we wish the whole team continued success for their second year, and each one after that!

Antlers Restaurant at The White Hart

STARTERS
Octopus carpaccio, saffron, fennel, capers, £9.
Pan-fried scallops, rhubarb, pancetta, nasturtium, £15.
English asparagus, bubble & squeak, mint verde, £8.

MAIN COURSES
English lamb, wellington, pressed belly, green onion £28.50.
Duo of pork, tenderloin, belly, peach, wild garlic, £26.50.
Pan-seared turbot, broth, vegetables, smoked oil, £34.

THE GRILL
8oz ribeye steak, vine tomatoes, portobello mushroom, twice cooked chips and watercress, £35.
16oz Châteaubriand, pont neuf potatoes, grilled vine tomatoes, portobello mushrooms,  watercress, choice of two sauces £80/two sharing.
28oz butchers block, chimichuri flat iron, dijon lamb rump, beer & treacle cured pork belly, butter roasted chicken supreme, cavatappi mac & cheese, celeriac dauphinoise £70/two sharing.

CLASSICS

House burger, bacon jam, smoked cheddar, beer onions, vines milk bun, skin-on-fries, frickles £19.
Beer-battered haddock, twice cooked chips, charred lemon, curry sauce, minted mushy peas, tartar sauce, £18.
Chicken parmigiana, pesto, new potatoes, dressed salad, £18.

DESSERTS

Chocolate textures, macadamia, Pedro Ximenez, malt £9.
Fruit Salad flavours, paté de fruit, watermelon, nougat, £8.50.
‘The Fairground,’ candy floss, churros, toffee apple, popcorn, marshmallow £9.

NB: Sample menu and featured dishes, subject to availability and change.

Antlers Restaurant at The White Hart, Lincoln

The Pitch: “The epitome of boutique elegance in Lincoln, with Antlers providing sophisticated à la carte dining.”

Opening Times: Antlers serves lunch from noon-3pm (12.30pm Sunday); dinner 6pm-9.30pm. Colonnade Lounge Bar open seven days a week.

The White Hart Hotel, Bailgate, Lincoln LN1 3AR. 
Call 01522 526222 or see www.whitehart-lincoln.co.uk.