Uppingham’s newest restaurant has already enjoyed huge praise from diners for its exceptional dishes, elegant setting and wonderful staff. This month, we underwrite its excellence with our own experience of the Mediterranean-influenced restaurant too…

If something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well. Really well. Really really well. That’s the philosophy of the team behind Uppingham’s newest restaurant, No.23.

Whilst No.23 may be new to diners in Uppingham, the team who are enjoying such early success have considerable experience in creating not just good but great local places to dine. The company behind the venture already runs The Red Lion at Great Bowden, The Sun Inn at Great Easton, and The Nevill Arms at Medbourne.

That’s definitely a fine pedigree, and now the company is making its first Rutland – rather than Leicestershire – venture, which is also its first restaurant rather than a quality dining pub, and one with Mediterranean-influenced dining.

General Manager Sian Ellis welcomes us in, and apologises quite unnecessarily for the place being so busy. We’ve tried to arrange to visit at a quiet time, but there’s no such thing; the place is consistently proving very busy, both with first-timers keen to explore the new restaurant in town, and with a freshly established cabal of regular diners who are already enjoying return visits.

Head Chef Dan Smith joins us. We know him from the Exeter Arms at Easton, but other notches on his wooden spoon include Claridges in London, Hambleton Hall and The Olive Branch.

“It was an offer too good to refuse,” he admits. “The owners have afforded me the chance to establish a brand new restaurant with a brand new state-of-the-art kitchen and any equipment I need.”

Opening on 23rd November, the place occupies the former newsagent on the town’s High Street East and has been given a substantial makeover by the clearly talented local interior designer Clare Simpson. The place looks fantastic. There’s a lovely sage green decor, local prints, plus antiqued mirrors, and a bespoke marble bar.

The team is currently awaiting delivery of marble furniture for the terrace due to be created to the rear of the restaurant, adjacent to its private dining room, as well.

“We’re not just an Italian, or even a  pure Mediterranean restaurant,” says Dan. “We’re Mediterranean-influenced, so we’ve elements from Italy, Spain, Morocco, France and of course, Rutland.”

“The idea is to remind you of the authentic and delicious dishes you enjoyed during your last holiday without restricting ourselves to a remit which is too narrow.”

“Alongside our dishes, we’re serving refined cocktails and a carefully curated wine list  exclusively comprising old-world bottles including some unusual but really interesting examples from lesser-known countries like Georgia and Slovenia.”

If the wines have been appreciated, though, Dan’s dishes have gone down an absolute  storm with local diners. The main menu comprises six tapas-style sharing options, four starters, three pasta dishes, and six main courses. Side dishes include paprika-spiced fries and garlic and Parmesan sourdough.

A set menu lunch menu for £18/two courses, £23/three courses has two or three options per course, and there’s a brunch menu with five options too.

On Friday – Market Day in Uppingham – the team visits the greengrocer, fish and butchers’ stalls in the town. Dan and the team then challenge themselves to create two or three weekend specials from ingredients purchased ad hoc which not only keeps the specials board fresh, and affords the kitchen a chance to flex their skills, it also helps to support the local market traders.

Otherwise, the parent company has its own farming operation providing No.23 with beef from Belted Galloway cattle and its own lamb, butchered in Launde.

Desserts and focaccia are made in house and so is pasta, every day thanks to a very expensive specialist pasta machine which doubtless made the owners regret the expression money no object when offering Dan the chance to equip his kitchen.

The fresh pasta that Dan and sous Dom “the best sous I’ve ever worked with” can make, the chef says, will be the best spaghetti, rigatoni, farfelle or lasagne you’ll ever taste, impossible to improve, making the machine worth every penny. Surely they mean worth every penne, I quip, congratulating myself on the pun.

Each dish we try is delicious, fresh, made with real skill and creativity.  No.23 is a phenomenally good place, with a great setting and dazzlingly delicious food. The team is lovely, the place looks immaculate and every detail is satisfied.

In addition to the  38-cover restaurant and private dining room in the garden, the terrace will add an enjoyable extra dimension to No.23 as well. When it’s revealed, you’ll be able to enjoy Champagne, cocktails or  No.23’s Mediterranean dining over what will hopefully be a long, hot summer with lots of sunshine.

Wherever you dine though, make a booking today. We promise you won’t be disappointed, because No.23 is absolutely fantastic!

On The Menu

To Share

House focaccia with sunblushed tomato butter, £6.

Honey & red wine chorizo, £7.

Starters

Seared scallops, escabeche tapioca crisp, £15.

Peppered bresaola, chicory, Parmesan, mushroom ketchup, £10.

Tempura purple sprouting broccoli, pink peppercorn aioli, £8.

Fresh Pasta

Salmon fettuccini, goats cheese cream, broccoli pesto, £12 (£21/main).

Wild mushroom and truffle rigatoni, rocket and Parmesan, £11 (£20/main).

Classic meatball marinara spaghetti, Parmesan, £10 (£18/main).

Main Courses

Roast cod loin, braised puy lentils, shallot petals, cavolo nero, £26.

Wild halibut, brown shrimp, caper potato terrine, sauce vierge, £30.

Chicken parmigiana, mozzarella, tomato & basil sauce, tenderstem, £24.

Desserts

Apple tarte tatin, with fiore di latte gelato, £9.

Chocolate and maraschino cherry globe with cherry ice cream, £9.

Dining Out at No.23: Kitchen, Bar & Terrace…

The Pitch: “A new restaurant in the heart of Uppingham offering a Mediterranean-inspired menu, alongside refined cocktails and a carefully curated wine list.”

Dining Times: Brunch from Friday to Saturday. Lunch from 12 noon Tuesday-Sunday. Dinner from 5.30pm Tuesday-Sunday.

No.23, High Street East, Uppingham LE15 9PY Telephone 01572 303023 or see www.23uppingham.co.uk.