Down Hall Hotel launches open-air woodland dining experience with seasonal feasts and live music

Down Hall Hotel, Spa & Estate in Hatfield Heath, Essex, is launching a new outdoor dining experience called The Woodland Table this summer. Taking place on three Sundays – 20^th July, 31^st August, and 21^st September 2025 – the series offers guests the opportunity to enjoy a four-course meal prepared over open coals, set in the hotel’s 110-acre grounds.

The Woodland Table will be held in the estate’s newly established two-acre walled kitchen garden, where rustic wooden tables and benches, crafted from trees felled on the estate, will serve as the setting for the communal meals. Each event will feature live music, with a vocalist performing as guests dine, and fire pits contributing to the atmosphere.

Executive Chef Robert Pearce has designed a menu that utilises ingredients sourced from the hotel’s kitchen garden as well as local suppliers. The dishes, intended for sharing, will comprise a variety of styles and ingredients, ranging from pork belly, lamb rump, charred miso-glazed celeriac, to wood-charred Chalk Farm Trout. Desserts will include options like Toasted Pavlova with Rhubarb Compote. The complete food menu will remain a surprise until the day of the event, with chefs introducing the courses and discussing their inspiration.

Each gathering will begin with seasonal drinks and canapés, and a full drinks list will be available, including estate-inspired cocktails made with Down Hall’s own gins and vodka, garnished with herbs from the garden. Tickets are priced at £90 per person, comprising the four-course meal and a cocktail. The programme is open to guests aged 12 and over, with seating arranged at shared tables to encourage conversation.

In addition to individual bookings, The Woodland Table is available for private hire for corporate events, celebrations, and wedding brunches. An overnight package is also offered for two people, starting from £200, for event tickets, an in-room hamper, and breakfast. Down Hall Hotel was recently named AA Hotel of the Year – England 2025. 

Food Desk

For further information and reservations, visit the Down Hall Hotel’s website here.