Moor Hall Aughton

July 4, 2025 Chef @markbirchall has had quite a year! First, Michelin awards his Moor Hall ⭐️⭐️⭐️, only the 2nd UK restaurant outside of greater London to receive that honor followed by the National Restaurant Association’s choice of him as Chef🧑‍🍳 of the Year. To those accolades, we nominate him for being amongst the most gracious hosts in the country. The entire Moor Hall experience is simply wonderful; the ideal one (or two) day getaway. Gorgeous grounds, a one ⭐️ restaurant (The Barn @thebarnmh) for lunch as well as breakfast, superb accommodations and, of course, stunning local and regional product on the plate with Chef Mark and his teams masterful and subtle touches. We have already planned our return.

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Turbot cooked in brown butter, artichoke, pear, mussel and roe sauce. At three-Michelin-starred "Moor Hall" in Aughton, Lancashire.
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Moor Hall, under the leadership of Chef Mark Birchall, has firmly established itself as one of the finest dining destinations in the world. The restaurant’s evolution has been marked by a commitment to precision, refinement, and an unwavering dedication to ingredients. At the time of this visit, Moor Hall held Two MICHELIN Stars, a recognition of its exceptional quality and consistency, with an experience that felt on the cusp of something even greater.

Nestled within a beautifully restored 16th-century manor, Moor Hall seamlessly blends historic grandeur with contemporary sophistication. The approach to the restaurant takes guests through meticulously maintained gardens, offering a glimpse of the ingredients that will later appear on the plate. The experience begins in a refined lounge area, where an initial series of meticulously crafted small bites set the tone for the evening. Guests are then invited into an open kitchen space, where Chef Birchall personally introduces the key components of the meal, emphasizing the restaurant’s deep-rooted connection to seasonal and local produce. The main dining room, featuring a sleek, Scandinavian-inspired design with expansive glass windows, contrasts beautifully with the manor’s classic charm, creating an ambiance of understated luxury.

The service at Moor Hall embodies a seamless fusion of professionalism and warmth. The team operates with an effortless rhythm, ensuring that each interaction enhances the dining experience without overshadowing it. The hospitality is polished yet relaxed, offering an inviting and comfortable atmosphere where every guest feels valued. Attention to detail extends beyond the dishes to the way in which they are presented—any theatrical elements are executed with finesse, ensuring that the focus remains on flavor, balance, and harmony.

At the heart of Moor Hall’s approach is a philosophy that prioritizes ingredient purity and precise execution. Chef Birchall’s cooking avoids unnecessary complexity, instead emphasizing natural flavors, perfect balance, and meticulous technique. Sustainability is not just a concept here—it is woven into the restaurant’s ethos, with much of the produce coming directly from its own gardens. The menu showcases how seasonality can be transformed into something truly exceptional, with each dish demonstrating a deep respect for the raw materials.

Moor Hall’s tasting menu offers a journey through carefully composed flavors, with each course reflecting a keen understanding of seasonality and ingredient synergy. Among the most memorable dishes:

TURNIP AND CRAB, anise hyssop and sunflower seeds. A masterclass in balance, this dish features a crystal-clear turnip consommé, initially carrying a slight bitterness that is softened by the sweetness of thinly sliced turnip and exceptionally fresh white crab meat. A rich cream made from the brown crab parts adds depth, resulting in a dish that feels both innovative and deeply harmonious.

ISLE OF MULL SCALLOP, fermented green tomato, Larkhill asparagus and grains. The scallop was beautifully seared, its natural sweetness enhanced by the acidity of fermented green tomato. Asparagus from Larkhill added a fresh, grassy note, while the grains contributed texture, making for a dish that was both delicate and substantial.

TURBOT COOKED ON THE BONE, artichoke, mussel and roe sauce. The turbot, cooked on the bone to retain maximum flavor, was perfectly executed, with its firm, pearlescent texture shining through. Artichokes brought an earthy complexity, while mussels and a rich roe-infused sauce elevated the dish with deep umami notes, creating a layered and satisfying course.

GARDEN APPLES, woodruff, birch sap and apple marigold. A dessert of remarkable sophistication, where the simplicity of presentation belies its intricate balance of flavors. A vibrant apple sorbet was enveloped in woodruff- and birch sap-infused whipped cream, introducing warm, herbal undertones. Apple marigold added a subtle aromatic finish, making for a refreshing and elegant conclusion to the meal.

Moor Hall exemplifies a philosophy of culinary purity and restraint, where the emphasis is placed firmly on ingredient-led excellence rather than unnecessary embellishment. Chef Birchall and his team have cultivated an experience that is both technically brilliant and deeply enjoyable, defined by impeccable service, a stunning location, and a menu that celebrates the finest produce with clarity and precision. At the time of this visit, the restaurant already delivered an experience of remarkable refinement, making it evident why it had secured Two MICHELIN Stars and felt poised for further recognition. Less

GINGERBREAD
roots and pine

WILD BLACKBERRIES
buttermilk, verbena and begonia

GARDEN APPLES
woodruff, birch sap and apple marigold

Fresh back from @koks_restaurant and the Faroe Islands, my next stop on this restaurant rollercoaster was back in the North of England at the much lauded ⭐️⭐️ and current #1 on the @nationalrestaurantawards list, @restaurantmoorhall where @markbirchall and team cook a delicate, produce driven menu inspired by their exceptional natural surroundings in this stunningly refurbished 13th century Manor House. Check out my Facebook page (link in bio) for my review of this meal .

Michelin Guide - ⭐️⭐️
OAD -
W50Best - .

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You know you may be in for something well above average if the chefs are happy to direct you to one of their peers and this was the case with Moor Hall having had two Michelin starred chefs directing me there when chatting post meals. Exec Head chef Mark Birchall gained his Michelin star here for the 2018 guide and of all the new entrants for this year, I couldn’t be more in applaud at this award. I have put all the aspects of the meal below as usual in as much detail as I can, but for those that want the headline, this was intricate cooking that held some superb dishes within the journey that hardly ever strayed in flavour and as a whole, was straying very much in to 2 Michelin starred level territory. I don’t want to give the place the kiss of death for mentioning that, but it really was excellent through and through and I have no hesitation nominating this as the top new 1 star entry in the UK for 2018 and high in its field. The £172 all in for the top tasting menu and continuous drinks was a fair price and there is a Barn serving more causal food as well. I would recommend the main restaurant for virtually any occasion and a must for those needing a dose of prowess.

After being made very welcome in the bar, the meal started with a black pudding parcel with pickled gooseberry which was sweet, gooey and in light casing. The inside was gorgeously soft and well done. Smoked eel with potato, fermented garlic and flowers was pleasantly smokey and light at the same time. The raw mackerel tartare with radish, purslane and nasturtium emulsion had lovely elements but the mackerel was quite subtle and more difficult to gauge, but supplemented very well by the nasturtium emulsion.

After being made very welcome in the bar, the meal started with a black pudding parcel with pickled gooseberry which was sweet, gooey and in light casing. The inside was gorgeously soft and well done. Smoked eel with potato, fermented garlic and flowers was pleasantly smokey and light at the same time. The raw mackerel tartare with radish, purslane and nasturtium emulsion had lovely elements but the mackerel was quite subtle and more difficult to gauge, but supplemented very well by the nasturtium emulsion.

Beetroot, parsley, horseradish snow and quinoa came next with very well balanced sharp from the beetroot and bitter from horseradish making a lovely combination. One of the stars of this meal was unquestionably the baked carrots with Doddington snow cheese. This was absolutely superb complimented well by the sea buckthorn as the latter can very easily overtake everything else. The carrots themselves were fresh and powerful whilst cold. A truly grand dish.

Home made bread was worthy of a course in itself as it was some of the best, spongiest bread had in a long time, perfectly done with cultured and garden herb butters. The turnip broth, turnip and crab two ways was fresh, light, powerful and a basic success. The Caper ham, onion ash charcoal with turnip, shallots and mustard mayonnaise was gloriously rich as well as having large chunks. This was beautifully complimented altogether and another hit.

The cauliflower was in the form of a super smooth purée, with luxury of truffle and fan of the buckwheat & barley grains cooked in chicken jus and truffle at the same time, which was perfectly balanced by the Chardonnay that I hadn’t had before & softened the tangy apple gel. If you’re going to have cauliflower, that’s the way to do it! The onion bread itself was exceedingly light as well as brittle on the outside and perhaps the best onion bread I have had since The Ledbury.

Monkfish was cooked on the bone with mussel and squash stew. A perfect squash purée lifted this dish for the meaty monkfish – whilst mussel is not my favourite ingredient (simply don’t enjoy the rock pool quality of the flavour), but I could see its seasoning purpose which gave the dish just that.

The pre-main came in the form of duck ragu, made from duck leg, mushrooms and duck skin. I can’t see anyone not enjoying this and it held a lovely, sweet base from compote at bottom. It was an entirely rich ragu with a warm and pleasing cranberry gel to balance richness with a smidgen or acid – wonderfully done. The main of Goosnargh duck itself came with beetroot, kale and hen of the woods mushroom. 3 week aged duck, kale cooked in ham fat was wonderful quality and with a deep and pure beetroot and mushroom sauce. This was a stunning duck dish, with wonderful warmth of sauces and supporting components, the mushrooms working well together forming really earthy, lovely flavours.

The gingerbread, roots and pine was a delightful light pre-dessert and the perfect crossover. Gingerbread ice cream candies parsnpps, pine powder & brown sugar crisps all had lightness of crisps and I loved the whole take on gingerbread done in an original way with just the right amount of kick. Another lovely addition was the lemon verbena, preserved blackberry and pear, buttermilk cream with verbena sorbet, pear compote. Again, I couldn’t find any issues with this and the gorgeous pear and verbena combination, delicate meringue shards produced a wonderful combination all round – lovely stuff.

These preludes were finished by the wonderful main dessert of Worcester Permain (Apple), woodruff, almond and whey caramel which was a true delight. The hot drinks list was extensive and it was good to see so many options – for originality and the fact my visit was in the build up to Christmas, I opted for a light variant of hot chocolate which turned out to be a very nice change and amazingly not too heavy. Petit fours of camomile pastry was light and were equally good.

In any tasting menu, it’s very usual for a good few dishes to be not on point, but there was hardly any fault throughout this meal and that is a notable thumbs up. The skill was absolutely evident throughout and the balance of flavours was overall lovely. There were peaks during this meal where simple ingredients were brought to life brilliantly and it is a place that I must go back to when I can.

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