The story
The Braywood in Maidenhead presents brasserie-inspired cuisine within a reimagined historic Royal Oak site. WSH Restaurants transformed the former pub into a bright, 70-cover space that balances a carefree Californian aesthetic with the building's traditional English facade. A vast single-pane picture window frames the lush gardens, while glassy architectural additions house the cocktail bar and main restaurant. General Manager Thomas Gammella oversees a team dedicated to signature hospitality across daily lunch menus and evening service.
Head Chef Sam Brennan draws on training at Petrus and The Woodspeen to craft elegant dishes rooted in seasonality. Raised by French grandparents who maintained a kitchen garden, Brennan focuses on simply delicious food without pretension. His menu showcases provenance through carefully sourced ingredients like Isle of Wight tomatoes served with buffalo burrata, and skate wing accompanied by café de Paris butter and brown shrimps. Lunch offerings include half poussin on the bone with crushed lemon potatoes and rosemary sauce.
The consistency of these seasonal preparations earned The Braywood the AA 3 Rosette for Culinary Excellence in 2026. Sommelier Jacopo Maroni supports the kitchen with a wine list exceeding 600 bins and over twenty selections by the glass. Pouring options span from accessible whites like Soave to premium labels including Bollinger Rosé and Château Dutruch Grand Poujeaux. Evening meals often finish with basque cheesecake presented alongside vanilla crème diplomat and olive oil.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
‘The area has been crying out for an up-market eatery since the Royal Oak closed its doors,’ noted one local correspondent, happy to confirm that the Braywood ‘fills that slot perfectly.' Following an eye-catching, airy wood-and-glass rebuild, the place is now resolutely in tune with the times and does duty as a warm-hearted, professionally run restaurant. Sam Brennan’s cooking is smart and high quality with just enough tasteful, quirky detail never to be dull. Succulent, slow-cooked pork cheek, for example, teamed with the kind of bright, upstanding flavours that properly enhance the main item – namely celeriac, apple and lemon thyme – was a hit when we visited, as was a rolled fillet of Dover sole stuffed with mussels, covered with a creamy white wine and mushroom sauce and served with seaweed-buttered potatoes. Elsewhere, pink, tender slices of lamb loin with Wye Valley asparagus, wild garlic and a lamb sauce were also flawlessly cooked. Leave a special space for desserts – our banana soufflé with salted caramel, balsamic and miso ice cream succeeded decadently at every step. High prices are in keeping with this affluent area, though the set lunch (also served at dinner Tuesday to Thursday) and the well-reported Sunday roast are excellent value and broaden the appeal. The sharp list of cocktails (served in the smart bar) is a particular strength, and an excellent by-the-glass selection provides affordable access to the impressive, wide-ranging wine list.
Location
Nearby
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