Wild Food Restaurant Native Is Moving To The Countryside

Native was a pioneer in low-waste, foraged food, having opened its first branch in Covent Garden back in 2016. Founded by Ivan Tisdall-Downes and Imogen Davis, the concept has had a number of iterations since then, including a stint on the island of Osea plus a residency in Brown’s, Mayfair. And now the restaurant is entering a new era, this time setting up camp in the Netherwood Estate on the Worcestershire/Herefordshire border, on the former Pensons site.

Native Is Relocating To The Former Pensons Site

Set to launch in May 2024, the new Native will continue to showcase the pair’s seasonal, eco-minded concept. Many of the ingredients will be grown on the grounds of the estate, as well as sourced from carefully chosen local suppliers, including Huntsman Court Farm for traditional reared breads, and The Shropshire Boar Company for wild boar. Moorcourt Fruit Farm will supply strawberries, raspberries and cherries, while Tuston Market Garden will provide a range of produce from their eight-acre organic farm.

Image by Jodi Hinds

All this will be used to create three menus: a choice of four or seven courses, or a three-course Sunday offering – with vegetarian and vegan options available for all menus.

Diners can expect dishes like Regeneration Risotto, made with heritage grains and Lincolnshire Poacher; Herdwick lamb with Wye Valley asparagus and black garlic; rhubarb and rosemary trifle with freeze-dried raspberries; and a Sunday roast made with Hereford beef, Tuscan kale and Yorkshire pudding.

The drinks offering will follow similar principles, focusing on organic, biodynamic wines alongside kombuchas, foraged teas and Butty Batch beer from Wye Valley brewery. There will also be cocktails such as the Native Negroni and the Meadowsweet Sour. 

Image by Britt Willoughby Dyer

Before or after their meal, guests can explore the restaurant’s kitchen garden and greenhouses – and even choose to stay overnight at one of Native’s on-site bedrooms.

Self-trained chef Ivan grew up in London, going on to work at places like River Cottage HQ and Blue Hill Farm at Stone Barns in New York. Imogen, meanwhile, spent her childhood on a rural farm, so was immersed in the world of foraging and sustainability from a young age. 

The pair met at university in Brighton, and connected over a love for wild food. They began by hosting pop-ups and markets focused around seasonal produce, before launching their own establishment in Neal’s Yard, London. 

BOOK IT:

Native at Pensons, Pensons Yard, Stoke Bliss, Worcestershire WR15 8RT, nativerestaurant.co.uk