The Baraset Barn at Alveston to the northeast of Stratford upon Avon was included in the Michelin Guide in its 2012 to 2016 editions. So why not now?
The present Head Chef is Aaron Bodaly who has previously worked at the Kings Head in Napton On The Hill, a little east of Leamington Spa, from April 2019 to 2021 and then, after working for a recruitment agency, he worked from April 2024 to May 2025 at the Tite Inn, in the Oxfordshire village of Chadlington near Chipping Norton, where the television personality Jeremy Clarkson has his farm. Bodaly started to work at The Baraset Barn in April 2025. He therefore has a strong background in preparing pub food.
Passing a couple of days in Stratford to go to see ‘the play with the dog in it’ at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, I had been tempted to make a reservation at the Baraset Barn after an acquaintance had told me she had been served there the very best scallops she had ever eaten in her life. Well, there was a recommendation one just had to follow up on. Unfortunately there were no scallops on the present menu but I was up for it especially as the restaurant is dog-friendly.
My dining companions and I were seated in the light, bright, comfortable bar area and Lucy the Pup Labrador was calmed by the kind, friendly and indulgent staff with little tidbits. The humans chose from a tempting menu and clearly we both had to start with the recommended scallops. We were not disappointed, they were indeed exquisitely cooked, unimpeachable. The accompanying pea purée was very agreeable and the little cuts of pancetta were indeed the perfect match to scallops as of course they should be.
We were both delighted with our mains. She enthused about her dish of roast rump of lamb served with peas, pistou, celeriac purée and goats cheese and I myself enjoyed equally my main, chosen from the list of ‘specials’, of king prawn and white crab (though I would have happily paid more to have been served more crab, a lovely lobster bisque risotto and very successful, pleasingly tender samphire. These had been excellent and interesting mains.
Desserts were very good. I had lovely rice pudding with pineapple (shown above) and my companion chose salted caramel tart.
Baraset Barn serves lovingly prepared food and I shall not hesitate to dine there again on one of my future visits to Stratford.
Rating:- 🌞
26 August 2025.
And so, on to the Hotel du Vin in Stratford with the aim of seeing The Winters Tail at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. I saw it and thought it was excellent and the next morning chose scrambled egg on toast for my breakfast. Scrambled eggs can so often be ruined by overcooking but those served that morning were perfect - buttery and mildly baveuse - exactly to my preference. Absolutely delightful.
On arrival at the hotel, the day before, we received a wonderful welcome, it being International Dog Day, and the hotel had come up with the idea of greeting each dog staying there with a special doggy bag containing little pleasures for them. Lucy posed nicely for a publicity photograph, her coooperation assured by a chew dangled before her. Well done, dog friendly Hotel du Vin.
