THE
ORCHARD

✦modern English cooking at the Ivy Hill Hotel

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Guests dining by candlelight in The Orchard dining room
Evening service — conversation over candlelight, a rose on every table.
Sunday Roasts✦Modern English Cooking✦Country Hotel Dining

The House

A Victorian country house, a working kitchen and fine English gardens.

ROOTED IN ESSEX.
A MODERN ENGLISH KITCHEN.

Nestled within the beautiful grounds of the historic Ivy Hill Hotel in Margaretting — Chelmsford, The Orchard is a celebration of modern British dining, where timeless flavours meet craftsmanship.

Our dishes are honest and simple with a contemporary touch, inspired by both rich English heritage and modern tastes. Every dish is thoughtfully created to honour the seasons, allowing the natural quality of each ingredient to shine. Where possible, we source our produce locally from suppliers and growers alike.

Our Kitchen

IS OUR PASSION

Our menus evolve throughout the year, celebrating the very best of each season. From fresh meats and the freshest fish to vibrant vegetables, fragrant herbs and hand-crafted desserts, every plate is prepared with respect for the ingredients and a focus on honest, refined flavours. Our style is modern yet reassuringly familiar, taking classic British cuisine and presenting it with creativity, elegance and attention to detail.

Wherever possible we source from Essex producers and neighbouring counties, building lasting relationships with suppliers committed to responsible farming. Local produce means fresher ingredients, more flavour and keeps our commitment to minimising our carbon footprint.

The Day

FOUR SERVICES
of the room.

Lunch from noon, afternoon tea in the lounge, dinner from six, and a long, unhurried roast on Sundays. Pick the shape of your visit.

  1. LUNCH

    — 12 — 2pm (Last Orders)

    Small plates and large — slider burgers, beer-battered fish, saffron risotto. Served Monday through Saturday.

  2. AFTERNOON TEA

    — in the lounge

    Cream teas and full afternoon teas with sandwiches, scones, clotted cream and cakes. From midday until half past five.

  3. DINNER

    — 6 — 9.30pm

    The full à la carte — fillet steak, pan-roasted lamb, harissa pork belly, and seasonal mains. Monday through Saturday.

  4. THE LONG SUNDAY

    — roasts, unhurried

    Sirloin of beef, belly of pork, rump of lamb — with all the trimmings. Sundays, noon until four.

“Good English food is the produce, plainly. We buy it fresh and close to home; the kitchen keeps out of the way.”

The Kitchen