If you’re planning a pre-theatre dinner at the Waterside Brasserie in the Arden Hotel, right across from the newly opened Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, you’re in for a treat. This restaurant is far too good to be considered just a place for a quick bite. When we dined there last Saturday night, we loved everything about it, from the inventive cuisine to the casual-chic plum and olive dining room, and the champagne by the glass.

The Royal Shakespeare Theatre reopened in 2011 after a major four-year renovation. As a result, the Arden Hotel, part-owned by the RSC, also underwent a significant makeover under its new co-owner, the Eden Hotel Collection. The hotel was completely renovated, re-opening with 45 rooms, the Waterside Brasserie, a terrace, and a Champagne bar. Adam Brown, a new Head Chef with experience in top Michelin star kitchens, was brought in and has been building the Brasserie’s reputation since July.

Some restaurants inspire you to recreate dishes at home, while others offer flavors and textures that are beyond what you could achieve yourself. The Waterside Brasserie falls into the latter category. The sophistication of the food left us in awe, and my husband was still raving about his meal a week later.

We started our evening at the zinc-topped champagne bar in the center of the restaurant, enjoying one of the several champagnes available by the glass. The restaurant is arranged around this central bar area, with some tables at the front overlooking the new Royal Shakespeare Theatre and others in cozy corners at the back. The decor is smart-casual Euro-chic with plum velvet buttoned banquettes and comfortable leather or striped velvet tub chairs. The dark cherry wood floors and tables, decorative table pedestals, modern cutlery, and starched napkins create an upmarket brasserie atmosphere perfect for anything from a pre-theatre dinner to a celebration meal with friends.

Curious about the value menu compared to the à la carte options, I ordered from the Market Menu while my husband chose from the other options. We found no difference in the quality of the dishes, making the Market Menu a great deal considering the standard of the cooking. Head Chef Adam Brown is dedicated to seasonal cooking, and on the winter evening we visited, the menu featured game like Wood pigeon, Rabbit, Pheasant, and Venison, as well as plenty of fish choices and a separate vegetarian menu.

Brown also uses wild food, sourcing ingredients like seaweed, wild salad leaves, berries, and mushrooms from specialist suppliers who gather them from local foragers.

Here’s what we ate:
From the Market Menu, I had a Ham hock croquette with spiced plums and prune puree as a starter. It featured grainy ham chunks in a crispy breadcrumb case, scattered with plums cooked with cloves, finely sliced radish, yellow pickled cauliflower, and fruity chutney on a prune puree. It was a delightful salty and fruity combination. My main course was Pan-fried bream with crisp skin on a bed of caraway cabbage, beetroot batons, and soft-cooked shallots with a pretty pink garnish that looked like cress. It was both beautiful and delicious. For dessert, I had a chocolate truffle cake with a block of chilled soft truffle on a darker chocolate sauce, vanilla cream, and a brandy-snap tube filled with soft chocolate mousse. This dish showcased the same ingredient in various flavors and textures.

My husband, who ordered from the à la carte menu, enjoyed pan-seared diver scallops with a thin slice of pork belly, roasted pine nuts, green herbs, creamy parsnip sauce, and chestnut velouté for his starter. For the main course, he had venison loin cooked juicy and pink, with caramelized plums in its sauce, green wild cabbage, and venison bolognaise on the side. He relished every bite. Not being a dessert person, he opted for the cheese plate with a selection of English and continental cheeses, biscuits, grapes, and chutney. The cheeses were in perfect condition, and I enjoyed them so much that I almost ordered a plate for myself. We also had a bowl of seasonal mixed vegetables, which you might need depending on how many courses you have and your appetite.

The cooking at the Waterside Brasserie is sophisticated and accomplished, using unusual ingredients that feel right for the season. We enjoyed every mouthful, and with the menu constantly evolving based on available ingredients, this would certainly become a regular spot for me if I were local.

There’s a smaller lounge to the side of the restaurant where you can relax with a coffee, also used for afternoon tea between 3 and 6 pm. We admired the pretty floral bone china cups and cake-stands used for traditional afternoon tea with finger sandwiches and homemade cakes. They even offer a children’s afternoon tea to tie in with the Matilda musical RSC production, featuring milkshakes, homemade sausage rolls, raspberry jelly, and chocolate cake.

The restaurant hosts special events throughout the year, from a popular monthly ladies’ lunch with a speaker to seasonal events like Fish and Chips on Good Friday and the Royal Wedding champagne afternoon tea. There’s also a covered terrace perfect for al fresco dining in summer, with a view of the river just beyond the theatre.

We thought the food at the Waterside Brasserie was outstanding and would be appreciated by anyone who enjoys seasonal and local cuisine with inventive taste combinations. The Market Menu was exceptional value, with no drop in quality from the main menu, making it ideal for an early evening meal before a performance at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.