RH England launches new countryside culinary destination at historic Aynho Park in Banbury

RH England launches new countryside culinary destination at historic Aynho Park in Banbury – a rare Grade I listed landmark and an exceptional example of British Architect Sir Joan Soane’s work. Image: Courtesy RH England

RH England has launched a brand new culinary emporium housed within its new gallery at the historic Aynho Park – the American furniture brand RH’s first destination outside the US.

Aynho Park is a Grade I-listed landmark estate in Banbury on the Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire border that stands among England’s most exceptional properties.

The Library honours the legacy of Sir John Soane with a carefully curated collection of vintage, contemporary and rare out-of-print books from some of the most influential creators of the last 2,000 years.

Now reopened for the first time since its sale to RH, previously Restoration Hardware, in 2020, the 73-acre estate has been restored and reimagined as a first-of-its-kind design and hospitality destination envisioned to inform and inspire.

A destination for dining nestled in the heart of the English countryside, RH England comprises a fine dining restaurant, The Orangery, alongside The Loggia, an informal pizza terrace, an elegant Tea Salon and Wine Lounge and a specialist Juicery.

The Orangery
Known as the Greenhouse in the mid-18th century, the palatial Orangery is now a dramatic live-fire destination restaurant. The Orangery will feature dishes cooked on custom Molteni rotisseries or over Japanese Binchotan charcoal, including fresh-carved Devon White rotisserie chicken, a whole branzino and the house favourite, a wood-grilled avocado with 15 grams of Petrossian Imperial Kaluga Caviar.

The Orangery by RH England at Aynho Park offers a dramatic live-fire dining experience in a luminous setting with abundant natural light

Fine wines and Champagne will be accompanied by a host of English-grown bottles, including Preamble No. 3 from Hundred Hills in Oxford and sparkling rosé from Herbert Hall in Kent.

The warmth of the live fire in the marble-sheathed hearth will beckon guests into the luminous dining room, where a wall of towering arched windows will welcome abundant natural light. A centrepiece lighting installation by master glass designer Alison Berger, composed of 567 blown-glass pendants, will be reflected in an elegant procession of mirrors.

The Loggia
The West Wing, formerly the servants’ quarters, is now home to the Loggia, a relaxed open-air restaurant and wine bar offering wood-fired pizzas, charcuterie boards and rustic sharing plates. Landscape architect Capability Brown’s naturalistic gardens will serve as a stunning backdrop to the Loggia’s shaded canopies, French limestone fountains and glowing fire tables.

The Loggia is a relaxed open-air restaurant and wine bar offering wood-fired pizzas, charcuterie boards and rustic sharing plates.

The Tea Salon
Located in what was once the formal dining room, the Tea Salon is a quiet destination for afternoon tea. RH England’s tea service includes a selection of classic speciality teas accompanied by freshly baked scones, clotted cream and housemade preserves.

The Wine Lounge
Formerly the French drawing room, the Wine Lounge serves Champagnes and fine wines from around the world, including limited edition vintages from renowned small vintners and bottles from English estates. Guests will be able to enjoy their drinks in the warmth of a 19th-century Louis XV-style fireplace or whilst exploring the rest of the estate.

The Juicery
Previously the site of Aynho’s centuries-old kitchen, the Juicery will retain its old-world character with original limestone floors and a Clinker brick façade. The menu features organic made-to-order juices, craft espresso drinks and grilled baguettes with cultured butter and fresh jams, which can be enjoyed at communal farmhouse-style tables or while touring the vast estate grounds.

Created in partnership with Sir John Soane’s Museum in London, this exhibit highlights the architect’s life and works at Aynho Park and other fine English country houses. Image: Courtesy RH England

Alongside five exciting new culinary offerings, guests are invited to experience the architecture & design library, the Sir John Soane exhibition, the naturalistic gardens by Capability Brown and the RH interior design studio, all encapsulated within the RH England Gallery, its first outside North America.