The ultimate foodie guide to cycling IN the Surrey hills
Want to know where to eat, drink and cycle in the Surrey Hills? Well, we’ve done the hard work for you.
We scouted out all the best routes, restaurants and refuelling spots for our first joyride with Adam Blythe, Joanna Rowsell and Chef Steve Drake, and it would be rude not to share. We’ve partnered with the Michelin Guide to combine our pro cycling and foodie knowledge into the ultimate guide for the cycling gourmand. Find all our routes and recommendations, and relive our unforgettable Surrey Joyride.
Ride
Looking for a new adventure in the Surrey Hills? We’ve got you covered
Surrey Joyride
We’ve had the coldest May in 25 years, but we timed our Surrey Joyride perfectly for the delayed British Summer. The sun was shining, and Surrey looked greener than ever. Joyride Leader Monica Dew couldn’t believe her eyes.
“Fantastic experience, got to meet some great people - thoroughly recommend and looking forward to the next one.”
With Workshop Coffee to kick start the day, Veloforte nutrition to power everyone forward, the sun on our faces and gentle breeze on our backs - it was a day we won’t forget easily.
Everyone enjoyed racing Adam Blythe up the climbs, the poor man had no rest and certainly earned a Michelin-starred feast at Sorrel Restaurant.
Surrey Joyride Routes
Retrace the routes of our Surrey Joyride, which start and finish at the foot of Box Hill and take in all the beauty. We use Komoot to plot our rides, so you can export a GPX file for your device, or amend the start and finish as necessary.
Difficult
Intermediate
Easier
Epic Ride
Fancy something epic? The Leith Hill Octopus is just about as epic as it comes. Eight ways up Surrey’s finest, starting and finishing at Giro - as you’ll need plenty of coffee and fuel for this one. Make sure you fill your pockets or bar-bag with plenty of pastries and Veloforte nutrition.
Scenic ride
This ride is best served steady with a group of friends, especially when ridden in May - as you’ll take in many of Surrey’s bluebell hotspots. The route includes some of our favourite places to dine and drink, starting with coffee at Giro in Esher, then heading to Dorking where you can choose between Michelin-starred Sorrel Restaurant or Michelin Plated Queen’s Head Inn for lunch. Towards the end of the ride in Ripley, we also have Bib Gourmand The Anchor or Nest Café if you fancy cake.
Dine
Hard work deserves a reward. Indulge in Surrey’s finest restaurants.
Sorrel, Dorking
1 Michelin-star
Steve Drake and his team at Sorrel Restaurant in Dorking played host to our Surrey Joyride. The 40-cover restaurant is situated in a 300-year-old building and focuses on seasonal modern British tasting menus - artisan cooking with multifaceted influences.
Perhaps we are a little biased as it’s our favourite restaurant in the area, so here’s the Michelin Guide’s point of view:
“Dorking is home to this delightful restaurant, named after the chef-owner’s favourite herb. Sit on the cosy ground floor or in the intimate upstairs room, where beams divide the area into three, and a glass-walled kitchen provides a modern contrast.
Having worked in the area for many years, Steve Drake understands what the locals are looking for. He has also built great relationships with the local producers and suppliers, and their seasonal ingredients form the backbone of his menus. Don’t be fooled by the simple descriptions, as these belie the complexity of the techniques used in his creative modern dishes, where flavours, textures and temperatures come together in perfect harmony. If you want to know more about how each dish was crafted, ask one of the keen young team.”
“It’s a very relaxed environment, and the food was exquisite. Each and every dish was explained to us by the head chef, Steve Drake, which made that experience even better. It’s a fantastic, fantastic place that I highly recommend.”
“How did broccoli taste so good? Kiwi, green strawberries and caper berries? Seemingly bizarre combinations taste like obvious pairings - that’s the magic of Sorrel.”
“Incredible.”
The Anchor, Ripley
Bib Gourmand
Originally a 16th-century Almshouse (a charitable form of self-sufficient, low-cost community housing), The Anchor became a cycling ‘mecca’ in the 1870s as cycling became popular. Cyclists referred to the London to Portsmouth road as the ‘Ripley Road’. On Whit Sunday 1894, the police estimate 20,000 cyclists passed through Kingston on their way to Ripley.
It’s no coincidence that such a fine, flavourful, filling and well-priced pub is still a second home to hungry cyclists.
The Michelin Guide’s point of view:
“Despite its name, this pub is nowhere near the water. At 400 years old, it retains an appealingly rustic feel, but it also has a modern edge and a friendly, laid-back vibe. Cooking is full of flavour, with enticing snacks on offer alongside good value modern dishes of local ingredients.”
Queens Head, Dorking
Michelin Plate
The pub is named after Queen Anne, a pretty ordinary British monarch who ruled for a short period. Throughout her life she only had one hobby, eating and drinking - a fitting name.
The Queen’s Head is a cosy, warm and quintessentially English pub with a leafy garden, that serves seasonal and wholesome British food using top-quality ingredients.
Michelin Guide’s point of view:
“Look out for the unusual steeply sloping, red-tiled mansard roof of this smartly refurbished 18C coaching inn. You’ll find drinkers in the front bar, tables spread about the place and, out the back, a decked terrace and garden. Classic pub dishes take on a refined style and cooking is fresh and unfussy.”
COFFEE
But first, coffee. No ride can begin without a good cup.
GirO, Esher
Giro Cycles in Esher has long been the caffeinating hub for Surrey and London cyclists, who are escaping to the Hills. Their expert baristas pull perfect shots of Workshop Coffee all day long and swirl graceful latte art with smother technique than Sir Brad Wiggins pedal stroke.
“The ride always starts and finishes at G!ro because they are the beating heart of the Surrey cycling community. They make the best coffee around, and welcome us lycra-clad-weirdos with open arms.”
Giro's cakes, porridge and pastries are perfect for carb-loading or as a post-ride reward. If you're looking for something more substantial, their Avo toast is creamy, zesty and sits on a bed of artisan sourdough. There is something for everyone, but more importantly, it's a place where all cyclists are welcome and celebrated.
Cycling is a social affair. Giro organises regular shop rides to connect like-minded people in the local community.
DE CAMPS MAISON GOURMAND, COBHAM
We recommend you visit Decamps Maison Gourmand armed with a musette bag, as you’ll want to take home a fresh baguette, a boule of sourdough and as many pastries as you can manage. Vincent Decamps provides baked goods to Sorrel, so it must be good with Steve Drake’s seal of approval.
Vincent has done the bakers ‘Tour de France’ - learning from the best bakers of each region before developing his own recipes; none of which have any additives or preservatives, and are composed of wheat grown exclusively in France and stored without any pesticides.
The humble loaf is fine fuel, indeed. You’ll find Vincent at Squires Cobham Market on Wednesday and Saturday mornings or if you want to enjoy a pastry and coffee with your ride companions, head over to Vincents French Cafe & Bar Brasserie at Pachesham Golf Club, or simply order online.
Nest, Ripley
Nest is a quintessentially English café nestled in the village of Ripley, with charming teapots and chinaware. Nest became the café of choice for the 2012 Olympic Road Cycling team while staying in the Olympic holding camp in neighbouring Foxhills. Sir Brad, Cav, Ian Stannard, David Millar, Froomie, Lizzie Deignan, Emma Pooley, etc., all sipped cappuccinos on the terrace on training rides, before the race came through the village. There's even a picture of Cav hanging in the toilet. Lovely.
Our friend, pro cyclist Rory Townsend can often be found at Nest and highly recommends their brownies. To plan a ride around a brownie is a perfectly ordinary thing to do, right?
Destination Bike, Box Hill
Is Destination Bike a café or a bike shop? Does it matter? Cycling and Café Cultura go hand in hand. Destination Bike sits atop Box Hill, Surrey’s most iconic climb, but certainly not the toughest.
Run by James Dear, an old friend of our Directeur Sportif, Sean Yates. Purveyors of fine classic and modern bikes and handy mechanics, if you need a mid-ride tune-up, spare inner tube, coffee or some Veloforte pocket fuel.
Relax
Hang your bike up and melt into recovery mode
Beaverbrook HOTEL, leatherhead
DESCEND INTO DECADENCE
Beaverbrook is nestled at the bottom of the descent from Box Hill to Leatherhead - a quintessentially English Country House estate imbued with a romance and style that pays tribute to its glamorous past. Whether you’re dressing up to celebrate or dressing down to unwind, the elegant surroundings have every indulgence to help you unwind: spa, bars, restaurants and grounded hot air balloon dining, cinema, wine discovery, masterclasses and tours, cooking school, gym, gardens, and even e-bikes if you haven’t quite had your fill of riding, but your legs are saying “no”.
Michelin Plate
Beaverbrook is full of places to dine and drink. The Japanese Grill is our personal favourite.
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View:
“Have a drink in the elegant bar of this historic country house before heading for the delightful dining room with its bold décor, impressive ceiling and huge windows overlooking the estate. Extensive Japanese menus mix the classic with the modern, and flavours are appealing.”
DEnbies Farmhouse, Dorking
Vineyard vacation
Denbies Vineyard Hotel is located in the heart of Denbies Wine Estate with outstanding views across the 265-acre estate and rolling hills. Offering 17 ensuite rooms with a new Vineyard Restaurant and bar area.
The original Farmhouse, built in the 1850s, has been newly renovated as part of the expansion into a vineyard hotel. Inspiration for the signature vine wallpaper is drawn from the Jane Austen House Museum, which dates back to 1805.
On a warm summers day, it almost feels like you are in Bordeaux or Champagne. It’s a great place for a cycling staycation - and the start of our Joyride routes, so you don’t have to think about a thing.
Enjoy wine tastings, great food, long walks on Denbies many acres, guided tours, and the farm shop.
The climb from Denbies to Ranmore Common starts on a white road among the vines, then twists and turns through a tunnel of trees before revealing a hillside suntrap with neat rows of vines basking in the light.
It’s possibly Surrey’s most beautiful climb. The views are stunning and it’s hard to believe you are in the UK. The climb has two gates which are open on weekends, you just have to dismount and open them if closed.
Now you have the knowledge, enjoy the ride, drink in the views and feast away.
You’ve earned it.