The story
1861 is a modern British restaurant with rooms at Old Ross Rd, Cross Ash, Abergavenny, NP7 8PB, and it holds two AA Rosettes for culinary excellence (2026). The European cooking draws on Monmouthshire produce, and the kitchen has built its reputation on local suppliers.
Simon King cooks the menu, and Kate's father grows much of the vegetable supply at his nursery in Nantyderry. That short distance keeps the time between harvest and plate to a minimum. The Good Food Guide lists the restaurant as Good for 2026, describing a menu of locally sourced country cooking.
A typical starter pairs truffled goat's cheese with pickled baby beetroot. Hake is finished with Champagne and chive cream, while lamb shank is braised in red wine and rosemary. Guests can order a six or seven course taster menu. The beamed dining room is snug, and the restaurant has six en-suite rooms for overnight stays. Pineapple tarte tatin must be pre-ordered, and wines start at £24.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
Out in Cross Ash, to the northeast of Abergavenny, amid the majestic undulations of Monmouthshire, 1861 is a rural retreat and then some. The beamed dining room feels a little snug to some, but is undeniably atmospheric, and the front-of-house, led by Kate King, is a model of exemplary hospitality. Simon King cooks a menu of locally sourced country cuisine, with Kate's dad providing some of the home-grown produce. To start, truffled goat's cheese might be combined with pickled baby beetroot, while gentle alcohol-based saucing brings out the inherent qualities of main-course stars – Champagne and chive cream for a hake fillet, red wine and rosemary for a braised lamb shank. There is nothing earth-shaking about the cooking, but sometimes the earth doesn't need shaking, and those intent on sampling the range can opt for a six- or seven-course taster that might centre on two cuts of duck in passion fruit sauce. Sweet treats have included a pre-orderable pineapple tarte tatin. Wines start at £24. The restaurant now has six en-suite rooms for those wanting to stay over.
2 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
Location
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