The story
The Oarsman is a bistro at 46 Spittal Street in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, where Scottish chef Scott Smith runs a seasonal kitchen. The Good Food Guide lists it as Good for 2026, and the AA awarded it one Rosette the same year.
Scott Smith cooks bistro-style dishes from an open kitchen, and the menu changes often with the season. Starters carry much of the appeal. A goat's curd salad with broad beans and peas, finished with fennel leaves and toasted hazelnuts, stood out on one summer visit. Mains lean richer, such as braised lamb neck served in an iron casserole with spring vegetables and a jug of gravy. The kitchen uses regeneratively farmed produce wherever it can.
The wine list runs to about 300 bottles, mostly organic and biodynamic, with ciders from Normandy and Herefordshire beside it. Harrow & Hope, made in Marlow, appears on the fizz list. Food is served in the dark-hued bar, the snug, or the dining room, which has a large serving hatch and views of a small terrace.
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Think Marlow and two things spring to mind: rowing and restaurants. Despite its name, this large town-centre 'bistropub' eases down on the former but puts its back into the latter. Yes, there’s a little wooden dinghy by the side entrance and the odd vintage Boat Race advert, but more prominent are the prints devoted to drink: wine is important here, with a regularly updated, 300-strong list of mainly organic and biodynamic bottles; ciders (from Normandy and Herefordshire) and an eclectic range of spirits are notable too. Food is served in the roomy dark-hued bar, the cosier snug or the well-proportioned dining room with its large serving hatch and views of a little terrace. Scottish chef Scott Smith (ex-Arbutus and Wild Honey) works methodically, delivering an inviting, oft-changing menu that lists three courses plus ‘larder and bar snacks’ such as charcuterie. Starters are especially appealing. In early July, a refreshing salad of goat’s curd with broad beans and peas was made still more summery with fresh fennel leaves and chopped chives, while toasted hazelnuts added extra crunch; in winter, expect more robust offerings such as pig's trotters and bacon on beef-dripping toast. To follow, braised lamb neck with spring vegetables was a gloriously rich and tender piece of meat presented in an iron casserole with baby turnips, courgettes and lightly pickled onions, together with a jug of first-rate gravy and little mounds of puréed aubergine and garlicky parsley on the plate. After that, our Ecclefechan tart, a Borders speciality, was a rich, moist Christmas pud-like confection described by the affable waiter as ‘Scotland on a plate’ – though the accompanying slice of Bonnet goat’s cheese (itself a full-flavoured treat) was best eaten separately. Prices are Marlow-high but, unlike some local rivals, the Oarsman steers a true course through crowded waters – especially when it comes to wine. Arranged in imaginative style categories, such as 'Amber Revolution' for skin-contact tipples, as well as regional locations from more than 40 countries, it is a passionate exploration of today's global wine scene. A clutch of fine sherries is worth a look, but so is the fizz list, which includes Harrow & Hope Brut Reserve No 7, made right here in Marlow itself.
1 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
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