Spotlight on... Restaurant 209
Introducing Anna Roseblade-Shore and Felix Shore the Directors/Owners of Restaurant 209 in leafy Farndon
2024 was quite the year for you both; from returning to the UK from New Zealand in March, to getting married in June and then opening the restaurant in September. Tell us the story behind opening 209.
Felix: Our year has definitely been eventful and for those that know us, know it hasn’t been easy. Returning to the UK was eventful; we started new jobs in a restaurant together, moved into our home and swung back into the Cheshire scene. All of this whilst planning a wedding which would take place in a tiny church in Llandanwg and then follow into atipi in a field - it sounds easier to say than it was to plan, believe us!
On returning from getting married, we found ourselves facing redundancy, so we acted quickly and made an offer on the old business that was in Top Farm, in Fardon village. Whilst on a reflective trip to London, we had our offer accepted - our dream would be a reality!
When choosing a name for the restaurant, 209 has a special place in our hearts as that is the room number where we got engaged at The Ritz. We hope many others love 209 and give it a place in their hearts.
From there on it was all go, go, go. We spent five weeks renovating the property with help from family, specifically our dads before we opened the doors to the public on the 1st September. Since then we’ve been learning, evolving and changing what we do to create the perfect place for everyone to enjoy.
We hope that 2025 has just as much, if not more, to offer us!
How have you settled into village life?
Felix: Village life is something we really enjoy. Anna grew up in Farndon so settling into the village was easy for her. I grew up in Whitchurch, Shropshire which has a little bit more going on and a regular train service out of the town but Farndon is a village that is growing and is definitely ‘on the up’ in terms of what’s available here. We love it and have felt very welcomed back into life here in Cheshire. Plus having high quality produce on our doorstep is phenomenal for any chef!
Anna, how did your Fashion Design degree lend itself to the design of the restaurant?
Anna: Studying fashion feels like a lifetime ago but I definitely did use some of my skills in the design of the restaurant. We built the banquette seating ourselves and I upholstered the seating - using what I know about pattern cutting and basic techniques to create something we could use. The restaurant itself is actually inspired by Felix’s trips in Scandinavia, we both love the natural, clean, wood and plant looks that Scandinavian design uses. It feels calm and comforting to sit in. If you want to see my fashion design degree in the restaurant then head to the toilets; during my degree I used colour! I love clashing colours and creating an innovative amount of it. Felix let me have the bathrooms so I emptied our memory boxes, favourite books, paints and news articles into the toilets. It’s a scrapbook for all to look at whilst using the facilities.
Felix, you have experienced working in some of the best restaurants in the world; from Norway to New Zealand and back to the UK. How did these experiences help shape what you and Anna have created at 209?
Felix: These experiences gave us perspective and opened our eyes to different cultures and what is possible when using local ingredients, sustainable practices and the feeling of enjoying slow food. We wanted to create a restaurant that encapsulates all of what we love and hopefully open people’s eyes to a more sustainable and local way of eating.
Make no mistake though, just because we have a Michelin background and we have enjoyed working across the world in some of the world’s best restaurants, we are not fine dining. We are a small, family-run business that aims to serve delicious, local food in small plates, larger plates and sides that are designed for interactive yet intimate dining.
Can you share any top tips for guests coming to your restaurant?
Anna: Don’t be afraid to share. The menu is designed for eating a “bit of this” and a “bit of that”. Ordering dishes to put in the centre and enjoy talking, indulging and relaxing. You’ll come into our space and be friends with the table next to you by the time you leave because the restaurant is friendly and warm.
What dish on your menu would you recommend?
Felix: As our menu changes weekly (and sometimes daily) our customers can come back regularly and try different local produce. However, if there was one thing we would recommend it’s got to be the croquettes - they change flavour depending on what we have available.
What is your most popular dish?
Anna: Probably the scallop smaller plate - they are hand dived by a gentleman called Luke and delivered fresh. Felix has had them on the menu from day one but changes the garnish depending on what is available. We’ve had swede, parsnip, artichokes and mushrooms accompany the delicious bivalve-mollusc.
Tell us about the events you host at 209 and what plans do you have for the year?
Felix: At 209 we have an intimate space and we love hosting a variety of events, from wine dinners with tasting menus, private parties and our members club canapé nights. We have already hosted three successful wine dinners with winemakers flying in from Rioja and
Argentina. We plan to host a wine night every other month, so with that in mind - the next one would be April. If you’re keen to find out more then sign up to the mailing list on the homepage of our website.
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