Just outside is The Loggia, a charming al-fresco pizza spot and wine bar where choreographed chefs dish up around the wood-fired oven. The menu is compact and includes down-home Italian pizzas – from the classic marinara and margherita featuring DOP-certified San Marzano tomatoes and locally sourced cheese to the fresh truffles carefully handpicked from Provence for the truffle pizza, every slice is crafted atop a 72-hour fermented dough. Plus, there are charcuterie boards and small bites.
Within the east wing lies The Orangery, a live-fire fine dining restaurant that strikingly contrasts the traditional neo-classical aesthetic. Towering arched windows on one side welcomes an ocean of natural light, while arched mirrors on the other make the already 22-foot ceiling feel bigger. Come sundown, 567 raindrop-esque light pendants (a coincidental nod to the rainy English weather) dim to accentuate the Calacatta gold marble tables and Italian merino wool velvet seats.
The food is a reflection of the restaurant, epicurean yet unpretentious. The grilled avocado with creme fraiche and Imperial Kaluga caviar is smokey, salty and a burst of umami; the 28-day aged Australian wagyu ribeye is indulgently fork-tender, and the charred peppers come in a tangy balsamic drizzle.
The Orangery also serves chicken and fish – but not just any chicken or fish. It’s a herb-garlic seasoned chicken cooked on a custom Molteni rotisserie and a delicate whole branzino from Greece is grilled over Japanese Binchotan charcoal. There are also salads and sandwiches for a light supper. But for pudding, order the butterscotch crème brûlée. There’s a good reason why the description says “no words”.
The Orangery at RH England
The wine and Champagne list is equally impressive. Bottles originate from English-grown vintners in Oxford and Kent to further in Puglia and closer to the brand’s home in the Santa Ynez Valley in California.
Speaking of wine, the dedicated wine lounge sits adjacent to The Orangery. With over 80 bottles from around the world, it’s the ideal pit stop before roaming the showrooms or settling down by the expansive southern-side terrace overlooking Europe’s largest herd of white deers (yes, they exist). Stay for sunset when reindeer come closer to the estate to show off – a border ensures they are always at a safe distance.
Naturally, for its sixth dining destination, a bistro-style restaurant with American cuisine is set to open in autumn 2023.
RH England, The Gallery at Aynho Park transcends the boundaries of a conventional furniture store, offering an immersive experience that engages all the senses and beyond interior inspiration. Its addition brings a new, exciting buzz to Oxfordshire – and, quite honestly, the whole of Britain.
