A Norfolk Foodie Escape: Nest Farmhouse Docking Review

Three hours outside of London, down winding, bumpy lanes, and past fields with that certain eau de countryside about them, is a gorgeous, restored cattle shed sporting six bedrooms and a restaurant on 1,000 acres of farmland. I was here, in the middle of nowhere near King's Lynn, to visit Nest Farmhouse, a pretty, secluded getaway spot at the highest point in North Norfolk and my home for the night.

The unique restaurant with hotel rooms comes from co-founders Luke Wasserman, Johnnie Crowe and Toby Neill, AKA the brains behind Nest on Old Street and the Michelin-starred Restaurant St. Barts. Norfolk-born head chef Grant Cotton leads the produce-focused kitchen where everything is made in-house with local, British ingredients, and you’ll find him and his team working away while diners chatter at candle-lit tables in the pastel green dining room.

Calm and cosy: it'd be very hard to fly this nest.

DesignMyNight Review Of Nest Farmhouse

I wandered past the cosy restaurant space to check into my room, Elder (£275 per night), on the first floor. It was the largest of six and featured a king-sized bed, a wraparound private balcony overlooking the garden, and a private ensuite with a shower and bath. Plump, fluffy towels were laid out on the bed, white-washed wooden furnishings lined earthy-coloured walls and the sun pierced through the windows illuminating the beckoning bed with its golden hour rays; the warm welcoming combined with fresh air and complete and utter silence reminded me of home comforts and I felt immediately relaxed.

After traipsing along the balcony and gazing out across clear fields (a novelty I appreciated considering my usual views consist of lime bikes and smog), I ventured down for dinner. I took my seat at a dainty wooden table and cast my eyes over a tempting menu, before being drawn to the specials board boasting a hand-divided scallop (£15) with roast tomato, pickled cucumber and chilli butter.

I’ve inherited a love for the pearl-like dish from my mum so this was a non-negotiable starter for me. Tender and sweet, the scallop was delicious and the tang of the pickle married with the smokiness of the tomato well, leaving me wanting more. My friend opted for the BBQ’d sardines (£13) with a seaweed mayonnaise - an extra layer of saltiness that enhanced the natural flavour of the fish well.

The Elder room is the largest of six for £275 per night. 

For mains, we picked Cornish cod (£26) with a parsley sauce split with ripples of vibrant green oil and topped with a golden salt cod fritter that was incredibly light; the white fish fell apart and melted in my mouth and was the perfect balance of herby and creamy. We also tucked into pork chops (£26) scattered with purple jewels of BBQ beetroot and an apple, pork and plum sauce. The hearty and fruity helping went well with spoonfuls of velvety mashed potato (£5) to create a nostalgic combination that tasted as fresh as the fields outside the floor-to-ceiling windows looked.

The grand finale was the dessert, which I was incredibly excited for. We delighted in Grant Cotton’s very own garden plums (£11) smothered in a light, honey and yoghurt mousse and almond praline which was naturally sweetened by the fruit and incredibly refreshing. They worked well with the star of the show: the Earl Grey creme brûlée (£8). It’s hard to name something more quintessentially British than a cup of tea and to lace a crystalised ramekin with the bitter, earthy taste of our nation's iconic drink is genius - I revelled in a rich, caffeinated flavour that lingered and was disappointed it wasn’t infinite.

After feeling well-fed and satisfied, I curled up on a cosy sofa on the opposite side of the room, nursing a Farmhouse Spritz and watching contented diners leave to drive into the night or return to their rooms, one by one.

Pond strolls are encouraged at Nest Farmhouse, Docking.

The Elder Room made for a peaceful night's sleep - I was undisturbed, swallowed hole by a ridiculously spongy mattress, and woke up to find layers of crisp September mist sprawling across the land, with the pointy tops of wind turbines poking out. Breakfast was included in the stay so, after making the most of the rainshower and rummaging through the cabinets for the hairdryer, I secured mine around 8.30am.

As the first one there (albeit still in my pyjamas), I had the luxury of receiving my Staithe Kippers, poached farm eggs and signature soda bread promptly, alongside a black coffee and a glass of orange juice. I’d never had kippers before but, in the spirit of trying something new, tucked in and discovered why they’d been shunned for difficulty in eating. Despite tasting delightfully buttery, their small bones prevented me from converting to a true kippers-enthusiast (although I did feel very proud about the amount of Omega 3 and essential oils I’d consumed in the past 12 hours).

My guest's Farmhouse Brekky made up for my rogue move anyway: it featured sausages, black pudding, home-spiced beans, a fried farm egg and milk bread - the ultimate fuel for a spontaneous day at Hunstanton Beach, a ten-minute drive from Nest Farmhouse and where I spent a glorious Saturday.

Nest Farmhouse: Overall

I loved my stay at Nest Farmhouse; its intimate location up gravelly tracks made for the perfect country bumpkin-inspired getaway that satisfied the food lover in me. All the dishes tasted fresh and were well presented; you could tell a lot of thought and effort had gone into sourcing the ingredients from local businesses with good farming practices. The farmhouse executed a peaceful, homely feel and is something of a true Norfolk gem, ideal for escaping the city - an activity I'd highly recommend.

Fancy a getaway? Check out our guide to day trips from London.