Is The Loch & the Tyne Britain’s Most Forward-Thinking Pub?
- James Massoud
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 17 hours ago
Set in the Berkshire countryside just outside London, The Loch & the Tyne has quietly become one of Britain’s most influential gastropubs. Following its recent Pub & Bar Award win at The Cateys, Adam Handling’s destination pub feels more relevant than ever. A place where sustainability, British produce and relaxed luxury converge. Here’s why this Old Windsor favourite is setting the pace for the future of modern pub dining
A Pub Built on Purpose
In an era where sustainability risks becoming a buzzword rather than a belief system, The Loch & the Tyne stands as a quietly radical counterpoint. When The Loch & the Tyne opened in May 2021, it marked Adam Handling’s first venture outside London. A move that felt less like expansion and more like a statement. The vision was simple: take the comfort and familiarity of a great British pub and elevate it through sourcing, technique and zero-waste thinking.
The timing couldn’t be better. As diners increasingly look beyond central London for meaningful food experiences – places with provenance, personality and purpose – the Berkshire countryside has become fertile ground. And at the centre of it sits a pub that manages to feel both deeply traditional and quietly future-facing.
Set within two restored gatekeepers’ cottages, the space immediately signals warmth rather than formality; upcycled furniture, modern art, and the hum of a dining room that feels lived-in rather than staged. But beneath the relaxed façade sits an operation driven by serious intent.
From produce grown in the pub’s own gardens to partnerships with local suppliers, sustainability isn’t an add-on here, it’s the framework. Offcuts become snacks, cocktail ingredients or ferments. Even festive decorations have a second life; the team famously turned a Christmas tree into pine salt, a small but telling example of the kitchen’s mindset.
It’s this approach that has helped the pub earn a Michelin Bib Gourmand and a raft of industry accolades, culminating in the Cateys recognition that judges attributed largely to its "world-class" commitment to sustainability.
Luxury Without the Stiffness
If sustainability is the philosophy, hospitality is the heartbeat.
Handling has long spoken about "luxury without intimidation," and The Loch & the Tyne might be the purest expression of that idea. The menu reads like a love letter to British produce; deeply seasonal, rooted in comfort, but executed with the precision you’d expect from a chef whose flagship restaurant holds a Michelin star.
Think dishes that feel familiar yet refined. The kind of cooking where sauces are quietly complex, vegetables take centre stage, and everything arrives with the confidence of a kitchen that knows exactly what it’s doing.
The drinks programme mirrors the kitchen’s ethos. Rare wines are offered at lower margins to encourage exploration, while cocktails lean heavily on garden ingredients and repurposed kitchen elements. A subtle but effective reminder that creativity and sustainability can coexist beautifully.
The Rise of the Destination Pub
Part of what makes The Loch & the Tyne feel so current is its role in a broader shift: the resurgence of the destination pub as a serious dining format.
Post-pandemic, diners have shown a clear appetite for experiences that combine quality with escapism; somewhere you can spend an afternoon rather than just a meal. With rooms, gardens, and a countryside setting just outside London, the pub taps directly into this mood.
Yet it avoids the trap of feeling like a retreat for special occasions only. Locals drop in for a pint, dogs curl up by tables, and the dining room hums with a mix of celebrations and spontaneous visits. That balance – high-level cooking without exclusivity – is what keeps the place grounded.
A Team Effort
While Adam Handling’s name carries weight, the day-to-day success of The Loch & the Tyne is driven by its team, led by Chef Proprietor Steven Kerr – a long-time collaborator whose partnership with Handling spans nearly two decades. The Cateys win was as much a recognition of this continuity as it was of the concept itself, underscoring how culture and consistency underpin the pub’s success.
There’s a sense here of a team building something enduring rather than chasing trends. A rare quality in an industry often defined by rapid openings and reinventions.
The Future of British Pubs, Today
So why does The Loch & the Tyne feel particularly relevant in 2026?
Because it sits at the intersection of several defining shifts in British dining:
Sustainability moving from narrative to action
The countryside as the new stage for serious food
Luxury becoming more relaxed and accessible
Handling’s broader collection – from Michelin starred Frog in Covent Garden to recent Michelin star winner, Ugly Butterfly in Cornwall – has always championed British produce and zero-waste thinking. But here, in the quieter rhythm of Old Windsor, those ideas feel most tangible, most human.
It’s a place where big ideas manifest not as grand gestures but as everyday decisions: what’s grown, what’s reused, what’s poured, and how guests are made to feel.
The Loch & the Tyne doesn’t shout about innovation, and that’s precisely why it resonates. Its success lies in making progressive thinking feel natural, proving that sustainability, comfort and culinary ambition aren’t competing priorities but complementary ones.
As Britain continues to rethink what great dining looks like, the most influential ideas may not come from glossy city openings but from places like this: stapled in community, driven by craft, and quietly setting new standards.
And if the past year’s accolades are anything to go by, the industry is finally paying attention.
