TOBY BAGGOTT AND SAM LAWSON-KING'S INSIDER GUIDE TO THE COTSWOLDS
Two for the price of one! The owners of Cirencester's Roots + Seeds Kitchen Garden walk us through a perfect day in England's prettiest area
Restaurateurs Toby Baggott (above right) and Sam Lawson-King (above left) have made a lasting impact on the hospitality scene in the Cotswolds. Having launched The Scenic Supper in 2020 - a dining concept that saw guests eating in one of nine, custom-built glasshouses with incredible views over the picturesque landscape, they went on to launch the recently opened Roots + Seeds Kitchen Garden, a vibrant café restaurant open for breakfast and lunch or takeaway Monday to Sunday and for dinner, Thursday to Saturday.
With sustainability key to everything they do, the Roots + Seeds Kitchen Garden menus showcases some of the finest, seasonal artisan produce from within a 25-mile radius and fruit and vegetables grown in its own, on-site kitchen garden.
Situated next to attractive listed buildings, once the Bathurst family’s foxhound kennels and stables, Roots + Seeds occupies a new, beautifully designed, light-filled space (54 covers) with vaulted ceilings, industrial fixtures, scrubbed pine farmhouse tables and large windows overlooking the kitchen garden.
Adjacent to the restaurant, a separate children’s room - a bright and airy space designed to entertain families with younger children. Outside, two courtyards offer additional dining space for 30, divided by edible flower and herb-filled raised beds, with access to an exciting outdoor children’s play area and the kitchen garden.
Head Chef, Sam Idione’s menus showcase fresh, home-grown and local artisan produce, including locally reared beef, lamb, pork and poultry, game from the Bathurst Estate and its neighbours, and fresh fish and seafood delivered daily from Brixham in Devon. *Vegetarian and vegan dishes available on every menu.
Sam’s generous daytime and evening menus with seasonal tweaks focus on classic English dishes with creative, French touches. A regularly changing ‘specials board’ offers delicious ‘Field to Fork’ dishes dictated by the seasons and what’s best on the day. A children’s menu features both healthy options and perennial favourites. An all-day takeaway menu is also available. Dinner is served Thursday – Saturday and offers an elevated dining experience to ensure a new and exciting local dining destination.
Three of the Scenic Supper’s iconic glasshouses, previously located at Todenham Manor Farm, have been re-sited in the Roots + Seeds kitchen garden for somewhere to sit with a coffee or take out amid abundant planting.
Sam and Toby grew up in the Cotswolds and the prolific businessmen are also involved with ventures including the King Stone Gin Distillery, so we couldn't think of anyone better to highlight the finest destinations in one of our favourite areas of the UK.
COFFEE
Toby - Coach House Coffee in Stow-on-the-Wold
Coach House Coffee in Stow-on-the-Wold is my go to and it’s just up the road from where I live. Its views over Stow’s main square are perfect for watching the world go by. The cakes are amazing and delivered daily from St George’s Bakery in Cheltenham. I’d always recommend its carrot cake. It’s so moist and really carroty! Their coffee supplier is Ritual Coffee Roasters (Cheltenham) which also supply us at Roots + Seeds. I went to school with Emily, the owner, so it’s always about supporting great local business and friends too.
Coach House Coffee, 1 Talbot Sq, Market Square, Stow-on-the-Wold, Cheltenham GL54 1BQ
Sam - Grouch Coffee, Moreton-in-Marsh
Grouch began as an events business from a three-wheeled tuk tuk Piaggio Ape. Owner, Kelly, then moved on to serving coffee at Kingham and Moreton-in-Marsh train stations before opening Grouch in Moreton. Kelly is an absolute gem of an owner who serves the best flat white around and you’re always welcomed with a big smile and great banter. As a baker’s daughter who started baking herself at a young age, Kelly is an insanely good baker herself and uses fresh, Cotswolds produce in all her cakes and traybakes. I’d highly recommend her renowned banana bread - a delicious treat that makes a great start to the day with a flat white!
Grouch Coffee, 3 New Rd, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0AS
BREAKFAST
Toby – The Straw Kitchen, Whichford Pottery
This is a super cool café in an old, renovated barn made using straw bales and other natural and reclaimed building materials. Set to one side of a lovely lawned garden next door to Whichford Pottery, it makes a fantastic place to head on a sunny day as it has lots of outside seating and canvas-covered awnings for shade. It’s also a uniquely sustainable place to eat.
The ethos of owners, Maia and Chistine, is to have as low as possible negative impact on the planet and to offer ethically sourced produce with simple, fresh and weekly changing menus using fresh produce grown in their kitchen garden and what their local suppliers are growing. Their menus are very veg focused and they bake everything in-house, including some incredible cakes, while their bacon sarnies are legendary. One of my favourite breakfasts here is the poached eggs with garden slaw and sourdough.
The Straw Kitchen, Whichford Pottery, Whichford, Warwickshire CV36 5PG
Sam – Martha’s Coffee House – Moreton-in-Marsh
Super local to me, I love coming here to catch up with Dan the owner, over a coffee in his sunny little courtyard garden out back. It’s a really cosy, family-run café in a gorgeous 17th century Cotswold stone cottage on Moreton High Street and where I often head for a locally sourced full English which is served all day or the poached Billy’s eggs from Stow-on-the-Wold with avocado, pickled red onions and feta on Marks Cotswolds Bakery sourdough toast. Mark makes one of the very best sourdough in the Cotswolds and it appears on many restaurant menus in the area and at local bakeries. Martha’s hash browns also deserve a mention – they are the best! The menu also does fantastic takes on American diner favourites, such as pancakes and maple syrup with sausage cakes and their cream teas are also the best locally. They always have good music playing from an old retro record player too.
Martha's Coffee House, Gavel Cottage, High St, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0AG
LUNCH
Both - Zonda Pizza at Stow Rugby Club
Two great guys slinging the BEST pizzas. They bought our old shipping container kitchen from us which we wound up The Scenic Supper and its great seeing it helping a small, start-up business which they launched in 2022 and only uses ingredients sourced from around Stow or imported from Italy to create its short menu of five or six gorgeous, authentic Neapolitan style pizzas.
Zonda Pizza, Stow-on-the-Wold RFC, Stow-on-the-Wold, Cheltenham GL54 1JJ
DINNER
Toby - The Feathered Nest at Nether Westcote
My girlfriend and I love The Feathered Nest at Nether Westcote for special occasions. It’s on a hilltop with epic views across Kingham and Bledington from its dining room and outside on its terrace. It’s the perfect spot on a sun kissed evening – it really is something special. The service is also AMAZING with exceptional local produce being properly celebrated by head chef, Matt Weedon. My partner is vegetarian, and they offer an outstanding selection of vegetarian/vegan dishes too. Again, I think you see a pattern in my choices for eating somewhere with amazing views and that really celebrate why I love the North Cotswolds.
The Feathered Nest Country Inn, Nether Westcote OX7 6SD
Sam - Bellini, in Moreton-in-Marsh
I love the newly-opened Italian restaurant, Bellini, in Moreton-in-Marsh. I’m always very happy to support anyone opening up a new hospitality business in the current climate. Bellini’s is independently owned by a lovely, welcoming Greek, Tasso Dafof, and his staff are also very charming. Bellini’s features fantastically kitsch Italian décor, which I love, and it also does a fantastically authentic Calzone pizza with pepperoni, minced beef and mushrooms which I often order with their excellent house red, Nero de Arola from Sicily, followed by their stunning Affogato.
Bellini, High St, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0AD
EVENING DRINKS
Toby - The Fox, Great Barrington
A beautiful spot on the banks of the river Windrush on the edge of the gorgeous village of Great Barrington close to Burford. Nothing better than enjoying the evening sun here with a non-alcoholic beer as I don’t drink anymore and always a packet of cheese and onion crisps with a pickled egg – it reminds me of going here with my Dad when we were kids.
The Fox at Barrington, Great Barrington, Burford OX18 4TB
Sam - Al Andalus and The Varsity Club rooftop, Oxford
I head to Oxford for a late afternoon punt on the Cherwell before heading to my favourite place, Al-Andalus, a great tapas bar doing incredible and authentic dishes. Current favourites include its calamari, squid ink linguine, seafood and chicken paella and grilled octopus simply served with boiled potatoes and smoked paprika ordered with a bottle of their Albarino or Vino Verde. I then head off to the rooftop bar of the Varsity Club next door to the Covered Market and where I once worked in my 20s. It’s always buzzy and a great place to finish off the evening with a couple of beers.
Al Andalus, 10 Little Clarendon St, Oxford OX1 2HP
The Varsity Club, 9 High St, Oxford OX1 4DB
INSIDER TIPS
Both - order the garlic bread at Zonda Pizza, Stow Rugby Club
We always order pizzas, plus their garlic bread, which is exceptional and the same size as a normal pizza! Their homemade aioli dip is amazing. It’s also in a gorgeous spot overlooking the Evenlode valley which is one of the best views around and its always busy up there with families and kids running around.
Toby and Sam are owners of Roots + Seeds Kitchen Garden, The Old Kennels, Cirencester GL7 1UR
