Hitchen's Barn

Neil and Louise Hitchen run this restaurant at 12 Burley Road, Oakham, serving modern British food built around seasonal, locally sourced produce. Neil cooks with more than twenty years' professional experience behind him, and the à la carte menu changes through the year, with dishes such as heirloom tomatoes with goat's curd and pesto, or halibut on the bone with asparagus and brown shrimps. The Good Food Guide has singled out the kitchen's handling of local ingredients, and the restaurant holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand listing in the 2026 guide. Louise runs the front of house, keeping the dining room to a scale where the couple can greet regulars by name. It occupies a converted barn setting a short walk from Oakham's market place, drawing diners from across Rutland rather than passing trade alone.