Founded in 1970 by Mrs. Sylvia Rew, the Rew Hotel Group is still family managed. Beautifully positioned right on Torquay’s magnificent sea front lie three of the bay’s finest 3 star hotels. Uniformly high standards of food, service and attention to detail are their hallmarks, while possessing individual characteristics all of their own. The Orchid Restaurant is the Gastronomic Flagship Restaurant for Rew Hotels.

The Orchid Restaurant

Opened in July 2000 by Mrs Sylvia Rew of Rew Hotels, the Orchid achieved 2 AA Rosettes in its first year, and had maintained them every year until January 2006 when it was awarded with an incredible 3 AA Rosettes. This will be featured in the NEW 2009 AA Restaurant Guide......"a must for foodies everywhere."

The AA Rosette Restaurant Award Scheme

The first of its kind in the country, the AA's Rosette Award scheme assesses restaurants for the quality of their food. Annual awards, on a rising scale of one to five, are made solely on the basis of meal visits by highly trained inspectors. For them, the top and bottom line is the food. Although presentation and competent service are important, they cannot affect the Rosette assessment. Not all restaurants qualify for an AA award, but they still serve enjoyable food.

Inspections are un-announced, so consistency is all important . For its three Rosette Award, the Orchid Restaurant in a period of 12 months had more than five AA Restaurant inspectors.

The 3 AA Rosette Award

Outstanding Restaurants demanding recognition well beyond local area
Selection and sympathetic treatment of highest quality ingredients
Timing, seasoning and judgement of flavour combinations consistent
Excellent intelligent service and a well chosen wine list
Around 10% of Restaurants in the AA Restaurant Guide have three Rosettes (over 1,800 Restaurants in guide)

Quotes from the AA Restaurant Inspectors

"This award takes a restaurant into the big league. Expectations of the kitchen are high: exact technique, flair and imagination must come through in every dish, and balance and depth of flavour are all-important"

The AA Guide quotes

"The cooking style fits the surroundings perfectly; modern, refreshingly simple, clean and sharp. There's a confidence that impresses about the food, the imaginative but intelligently uncluttered style comes carefully presented using the best of local produce, the majority organic"

Here is a link to the AA Website for an up-to-date review.

Click here for the review

Michelin Guide 2008

The Orchid Restaurant, Torquay is also listed as a recommended Restaurant in the latest edition of the Michelin Guide for 2008

The Trencherman's Guide 2006/2007/2008/2009, 2010

The Trencherman's West Country Guide is by invitation only and the Orchid Restaurant was invited in at the beginning of 2006 which coincided with the 3 AA Rosette award. The Guide features the West Country's best eateries. The Trencherman’s Guide is available to order at indulgesouthwest.co.uk or by calling 0870 442 0880

Harden's Restaurant Guide 2008, 2009, 2010

A new 2008 entry accompanied by three awards in the renowned London based Harden’s Restaurant Guide.

The Orchid is one of only 2 Torquay Restaurants that appear in the Guide with 1 Harden’s star with the Orchid also winning the Red A Award, and the top honor of gaining the coveted “UK Top Scorer award” from the reporters.

Harden’s Restaurant Guide is in it’s 10th year, Harden’s is perhaps the UK’s leading upmarket restaurant guide. The Guide features the UK’s top Restaurants.

Quoted by the Daily Mail as the ‘Restaurant Lovers Bible’ and Giles Coren of the Times
says “Harden’s Guides are probably as economical, democratic and unponcy as Restaurant criticism gets” Harden’s Guides are based on over 100,000 unannounced Restaurant reviews each year. Harden’s are quoted as saying “The Guide accepts no advertising, payments or free meals from Restaurants, you can be assured of our total independence” Harden’s started over 10 years ago in London and now covers the whole of the UK. It reviews over 1,800 of the UK’s best restaurants each year.

Committed to serving Locally Sourced,

Organic & Free Range Produce