Check In, Dine Out: Monkey Island Estate, Bray
For the first instalment of The Knife’s new hotel dining series, 'Check In, Dine Out', we cross the footbridge to Monkey Island Estate: a historic private-island retreat in Bray, where modern British cooking, Champagne by the Thames and afternoon tea beneath centuries-old frescoes make dining central to the stay.
An Island with an Appetite
Bray has long enjoyed an outsized reputation among serious food lovers. Yet beyond the village’s famous Michelin starred dining rooms, another experience awaits on a private island in the River Thames.
Accessible by footbridge and surrounded by seven acres of landscaped grounds, Monkey Island Estate feels considerably further than its relatively easy journey from London might suggest. Its two Grade I-listed pavilions were commissioned as a fishing retreat by the third Duke of Marlborough in 1723, later welcoming an intriguing cast of monarchs, aristocrats, artists and performers.
Today, the five-star hotel pairs that history with 40 individually styled rooms, contemporary countryside interiors and a collection of dining spaces designed to make the river part of the experience.
It is exactly the kind of property 'Check In, Dine Out' has been created to explore: a hotel where the restaurant is not an afterthought, but one of the strongest reasons to check in.
Modern British Dining by the Thames
The Monkey Island Brasserie is the estate’s culinary centrepiece. Its vaulted ceilings, open kitchen and imposing wine wall lend the dining room a sense of occasion, while French doors open onto a terrace overlooking the Thames. On a warm summer’s day, there are few better places to settle in for a meal.
The summer à la carte menu we experienced during our recent visit was built around bright, seasonal flavours, with British ingredients supported by considered Mediterranean and French influences. A chilled tomato gazpacho paired sun-ripened tomatoes with crisp cucumber and fragrant basil oil, while charred aubergine and heritage tomatoes came with creamy buffalo mozzarella and grilled sourdough.
Elsewhere, dill-cured salmon was accompanied by pickled cucumber pearls, compressed apple, redcurrants and a cucumber and elderflower vinaigrette. Beef tartare offered something richer, elegantly presented with confit egg yolk, mustard dressing, capers, sourdough croutons and bone marrow butter. Hand-dived scallops provided the most luxurious opening, served with silky pea and mint purée, trout roe, crisp prosciutto and basil beurre blanc.
The main courses continued the seasonal theme. Courgette risotto combined basil pesto, creamy stracciatella and aged Parmesan, while chicken supreme arrived with broccoli purée, dauphinoise potatoes, confit cherry tomatoes and a tarragon white wine sauce.
Fish was given particular prominence. The catch of the day was served with Provençal ratatouille, braised fennel, fondant potato and bouillabaisse, while whole lemon sole came with tourné potatoes, brown shrimp beurre noisette, pea and mint purée and sauce vierge. For those craving a classic, the grilled beef fillet was joined by hand-cut chips, truffle-infused cauliflower purée, grilled tomato and watercress salad.
This is polished, produce-led cooking with enough familiarity to suit a relaxed country-house stay, yet enough finesse to hold the attention of more discerning diners. With the river drifting quietly past the terrace, the setting proves every bit as appealing as the menu.
From Monkey Bites to Champagne Tea
Dining at Monkey Island Estate need not always mean settling in for three courses. The Monkey Bar offers a more relaxed setting, complete with its own garden terrace, bespoke cocktails, fine Champagne and wines from the cellar.
Its daytime Monkey Bites menu is made for sharing: anchovies on toast with French butter and pickled onion; crisp polenta cubes with Parmesan and truffle oil; garlic prawns with chilli and parsley; and chicken croquettes served with sriracha mayonnaise. These are the kind of plates that encourage an unhurried afternoon to stretch a little further, ideally with the river still in view.
Afternoon tea provides a more traditional expression of the estate. Finger sandwiches include coronation chicken, smoked salmon with soft cheese and rocket, and truffle egg mayonnaise, followed by plain and sultana scones, seasonal pastries and a choice of teas and infusions.
It can be enjoyed in the brasserie or within the Grade I-listed Monkey Room, beneath its distinctive 17th-century, monkey-inspired ceiling frescoes. For a hotel with such an unusual sense of place, it is a fittingly theatrical setting for one of Britain’s most enduring dining rituals.
Those in no hurry to leave can finish the evening inside the Whisky Snug. Hidden above the Monkey Room and reached by a discreet staircase, the intimate space feels built for a final dram after dinner.
Taking Lunch onto the River
This summer, the estate’s dining experiences extend beyond the restaurant and onto the Thames. Private self-drive boats return from May, carrying up to six guests for leisurely trips along the water.
A continental breakfast can be added for a morning voyage, while charcuterie or cheese and wine turn an afternoon cruise into a floating picnic. It is a simple but effective extension of the hotel’s appeal: the food, landscape and river are treated as parts of the same experience.
The Shepherd’s Hut Hideaway goes further. Available exclusively to hotel residents, it includes private use of a riverside hut between 3pm and 10pm, a one-hour self-drive boat trip, Billecart-Salmon Champagne and a selection of canapés. There are gardens for lounging, croquet for those feeling energetic and enough privacy to make the rest of the estate temporarily disappear.
Even the resident bees contribute to the hotel’s food story. A 90-minute beekeeping experience introduces guests to the island’s hives and honey harvesting, connecting the luxury of the estate with the ecosystem supporting it.
Stay for the Setting, Return for the Table
There are electric bikes for exploring Bray Lake, holistic treatments aboard the estate’s Floating Spa and peaceful grounds made for slow summer afternoons. But Monkey Island Estate’s greatest strength lies in the way its food and setting complement one another.
A riverside dinner, Champagne afternoon tea beneath historic frescoes, charcuterie taken onto the Thames and whisky hidden away above the Monkey Room each reveal a different side of the property.
For a refined escape less than an hour from Central London, Monkey Island Estate offers more than somewhere beautiful to spend the night. It provides ample reason to arrive hungry.
