Memories of L’Ortolan
The building used to have three floors, but it is thought that it suffered fire damage during World War Two.
Sample menu only, view current menus.
The office staff have been having a bit of a spring-clean of the L’Ortolan offices, and have dug out some fantastic snapshots of the building’s history.
Restaurant Reading Fine Dining L’Ortolan
The building used to have three floors, but it is thought that it suffered fire damage during World War Two which resorted in the top floor being destroyed.
The building was first opened as a restaurant by chef Richard Sandford, and was named Milton Sandford.
Nico Ladenis bought the restaurant, but left the then-named Chez Nico after less than a year. Read his statement as published in The Caterer in 1986 here.
John Burton Race opened the restaurant in Shinfield a few months later calling it L’Ortolan.
And this was when the L’Ortolan bird was born:
L’Ortolan is looking forward to celebrating it’s 10th birthday under the current ownership next year, and so please let us know all about your favourite experiences of dining with us.
