After a fantastic year which included a positive review from food critic Jay Rayner, a Newbury restaurant has been included within the prestigious Michelin Guide for the first time.
The 125-year-old guide commends accomplished eateries, and Goat On The Roof at 1 Bridge Street has been included in its 2025 edition.
Goat On The Roof – which is owned and operated by Patrick Vaughan-Fowler and head chef Sam May – opened in May 2022 in the former premises for the Japanese eatery Arigato.
Goat On The Roof at 1 Bridge Street in Newbury
The restaurant specialises in serving small plates made from high-quality seasonal ingredients sourced from local suppliers. It also has an extensive wine list with more than 150 options.
The Michelin Guide describes Goat On The Roof thus: “Bright, colourful décor welcomes you into this former banqueting hall, where the shelves are filled to bursting with pickled and foraged ingredients.
“It’s an elegant spot, with marble-topped tables lending the place an upmarket bistro feel.
“The menu is appealingly varied, with ‘smaller’ and ‘bigger’ plates joined by breads, dips and skewers – none of which will break the bank.
“It’s an elegant spot, with marble-topped tables lending the place an upmarket bistro feel” – Michelin Guide 2025
“The Trealy Farm ham and Winchester cheese croquettes, along with some knockout crispy potatoes, are great examples of the kitchen’s talents.
“The impressive wine list includes a broad range by the glass.”
Speaking of the Michelin Guide inclusion, Mr May said: “It is quite cool.
“ It is weird because as a younger chef you want to be in the guide and chase the stars, as every chef does, but you kind of get to a point where stars aren’t really anything. It’s more about bums in seats.
“You stop chasing it and then it ends up chasing you. We gave up on wanting to get a star and wanting to go down that road, and then they came to us.”
Goat On The Roof’s head chef Sam May
Jay Rayner’s review in the Observer last August gave Goat On The Roof a boost after he described it as a “terrific” restaurant that features “small and thoughtful” cooking.
It was the second time the famous food writer had returned to Newbury after he infamously compared the West Berkshire town to a dull cheese in 2011.
Mr May said of Mr Rayner’s visit: “That was very scary. It was quite nerve-wracking but he was very nice. A good lad.”
Despite the inclusion in the Michelin Guide, Mr May wasn’t predicting that the restaurant would be receiving a coveted Michelin star anytime soon.
Jay Rayner described Goat on the Roof as a “terrific” restaurant in his review in the Observer last year
“I think with our current set-up and ethos with the food and the sustainability (we only use British products and local suppliers when we can) that limits us,” he said.
“We could use finer ingredients but they come from overseas and we want to be sustainable.
“If it comes, it comes and that would be amazing, but I don’t think we are going to chase that route.
“We are happy just to be in the guide, to be honest with you.”