Take the vision of two unrivalled hospitality aficionados, combine with the culinary expertise of award-winning chef, Scott Smith, arriving fresh from Michelin-starred kitchens, throw in a bounty of British produce, and drench in 300+ bottles of expertly-selected wines. Wrap everything in cosy yet contemporary bistropub surroundings and drop into the wholesome heart of Marlow. The Oarsman is worth rowing upstream for.
Owners Nigel Sutcliffe and James McLean have created an irresistible place of warmth and welcome; where “just a swift one” becomes sharing a bottle…or two, with nibbles of course, and “Ooh what’s that they’re eating over there? In fact can we see a menu?”. You would expect a partnership consisting of Sutcliffe, who formerly worked alongside Heston as Chief Operations Officer of The Fat Duck Group before becoming managing director of the Crazy Bear Group, and Young Chef of the Year alum McLean to know what it takes to put the Great into British bistropub; and the pair don’t disappoint.
Settle in
As soon as you set foot in The Oarsman, a return visit becomes an inevitability. The traditional style décor evokes the homely hospitality of a classic British pub, albeit with a more upmarket edge. The glow from the central fireplace draws you through the expansive drinking area, complete with long rustic wooden bar that includes the larder counter with chefs at work. Onwards into the laidback Bistro Dining Room where cosy lamplit booths of buttery, smoked blue leather banquettes blend with simple, wooden tables, and the partially open kitchen fills the air with the irresistible scents and comforting hubbub of the pass.
Natural light floods the back of the room where the French doors open out onto the bistropub’s hidden gem of a courtyard; a verdant drinking and dining space where lush planters, a small dedicated bar and heated pergola make for an enticing year-round al fresco option, perfect for those with post-country walk mucky pups in tow.
Groups of up to 14 people can take their Oarsman experience to the next level (literally) with The Room Upstairs. When it’s not being amicably hijacked for exciting residencies by the likes of Michelin-starred chefs like Simon Bonwick, the intimate, oak-panelled space serves as an atmospheric setting for special occasions, or a boardroom and meeting location with added flavour.
Bistro-style with local substance
Food from the proud Winner of Top 50 Gastropubs ‘Newcomer of the Year ’23’ far exceeds country pub expectations yet settles in at a much more accessible price point than many of its Marlow counterparts. The Oarsman’s talented brigade is headed up by award-winning chef Scott Smith whose culinary journey to Marlow took him through some of the UK’s finest kitchens including Soho’s Arbutus, Wild Honey in St James, and Sugar Boat in the Scottish town of Helensburgh.
Impeccable sustainable sourcing (and therefore seasonality) are central to this bistropub’s ethos. The Farmers’ Almanac is the bible on which each menu is mindfully built; consulted for its insight into lunar cycles and optimum timings for each ingredient. Revered local producers are then consulted to provide the goods. Sustainable, ethical and highly nutritious wild venison comes courtesy of Chiltern Venison; grass-fed British reared and rare breed sheep from Chiltern Lamb provide high quality meat with excellent flavour and minimum impact on the environment; whilst Chiltern Heritage Orchard’s organic, regenerative fruit orchard brings back the flavours of years gone by, supplying chefs with heritage varieties of damsons, plums, pears, greengages and medlars, many of which are not grown commercially anywhere else in the UK.
Come the autumn, the larder is bursting with freshly harvested bounty, primed to be plated up as dangerously moreish snacks and starters, handsome mains, and delectable desserts. The Larder Menu presents a smorgasbord of irresistible snacks from Cantabrian anchovies on toast; and spicy fried chicken with lime & coriander; to grilled merguez; or monkfish cheek, katsu; and that’s all before you’ve even taken a glance at the Bistro Menu. Starters consist of the likes of courgette fritters with pickled courgette and whipped feta; steak tartare with croutons and smoked egg yolk, as well as Arbroath smokies with celeriac remoulade and heady hit of horseradish.
Seasonal mains gliding out of the open kitchen include: Half lobster drenched in garlic butter with French fries; rack of lamb with salsa verde, radish and a lamb croquette; and a classic Flat Iron steak with Béarnaise sauce and French fries. And comfort-laden desserts come in the form of a Strawberry Pavlova – with locally sourced strawberries from Rectory Farm; warm ginger loaf with butterscotch and salted caramel ice cream; and lemon choux bun with basil and lime. Purists can satisfy a sweet tooth with a bar of the world’s most sustainable chocolate from Original Beans.
Great British Pub series
Exclusive and exciting one-off dinners take place throughout the year to celebrate the nation’s knack for delicious casual dining with a notable Great British Pub series that has featured the cheffy-stylings of some of the nation’s biggest names. Unruly Pig’s Dave Wall, Henry Harris of Bouchon Racine, Stephen Terry, and Ben Tish have all previously taken charge of the pass and the spotlight will next fall on 2016 Bake Off winner Candice Brown of The Green Man in Eversholt who’s arriving in October with more headline-grabbing names to be announced.
Wine snobs to the core
The Oarsman folk don’t shy away from being snobs about wine. That’s because to oenophiles such as Nigel Sutcliffe and his team, S.N.O.B. stands for all the things a good wine should be; Sustainable, Natural, Organic, and Biodynamic.
Nigel’s passion and knowledge of the wine industry has informed a carefully curated approach to the extensive list of 300+ rare and fine wines which spans varietals procured from hyper-local family affairs to far flung terroirs across more than 40 countries. Heralded as the AA’s Notable Wine List 2024, The Oarsman’swine bar gives Marlow’s own tiny producer, Harrow and Hope, a strong billing alongside wine and interesting ciders from Seer Green’s Woodfine Wine – both of whom can often be caught at the venue’s special Producer nights. Further afield, Little Pomona’s Taunton Orchard of Cidery supports the BistroPub’s much-loved tradition of wassailing.
The team is educated about every drop, so that diners can simply sit back and enjoy, learning as little or as much about their chosen grape’s journey as they wish. But how to choose when faced with so many options? Well, the oen-cycolpedic list is cleverly categorised by style to encourage adventure. Those with a taste for Sauvignon Blanc can follow the same ‘Crisp, Brisk & Refreshing’ flavours to France, Spain, Italy or the States. Embark on a journey ‘Around the World in Twelve Chardonnays’, explore the ‘Amber Revolution’ of orange wines, or be introduced ‘Cabernet & Friends’ featuring wines from Bordeaux and Tuscany to Australia amongst others.
The list by the glass changes every week and if there is something drinkers would prefer to enjoy by the 500ml carafe rather than the bottle, it’s opened and served as such for the simple equation of 2/3rds the full list price (excluding those priced in excess of £100). Meanwhile, the refreshing selection of locally-made ciders and perries is the perfect alternative for those looking for lower alcohol options.
A particularly memorable conclusion to The Oarsman experience can be found by flicking to the Digestifs where lies the fascinating likes of an Apple Eau de Vie made by Barney Wilczak at Capreolus Micro-distillery, Cirencester. A place where every piece of locally-sourced fruit is hand-sorted and then distilled in a copper still without any additives. Or try the fruit of a different vine with a Liqueur de Tomates from Maison Cazottes, in Tarn, France where Laurent Cazotte grows 72 different varieties of tomatoes which are hand-picked, chopped, and then macerated in his organic brandy over time.
Similar to that of the River Thames that flows through Marlow’s rich meadows, The Oarsman’s ever-evolving nature promises a subtly different experience each time it’s visited. Whether it’s for a languid Sunday lunch stretching long into the evening, or cosy catch-ups over drinks and snacks, there’s nowhere that pushes the boat out quite like this.
The Oarsman BistroPub & Wine Bar
46 Spittal St, Marlow SL7 1DB
01628 617755
@theoarsmanmarlow
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