Lunar at World of Wedgwood is Staffordshire’s first fine-dining establishment.
Already fully booked until the end of the year this modern fine dining experience brings a high-end culinary experience to the World of Wedgwood in Barlaston but prices aren’t as steep as you may think.
Starters begin at £8 with main meals starting at around £22.
The name is taken from The Lunar Society social network of the 18th century of which Josiah Wedgwood was a key member.
The 120-seater venue features four different dining areas and a bar and the main focal point is an overhead hanging full moon over the Lunar Bar.
This celebrates how the Lunar Society would meet under a Full Moon in the 1700s.
The 80-seat restaurant comes complete with a four-metre concrete table has room for up to 12 as a group or for individuals to share.
There is also a Bubble Room that serves informal drinks and light snacks and The Parlour that leads into the Botanic Garden private dining area which can accommodate up to 20 people and can only be accessed through a secret bookcase.
Two time Michelin star chef Niall Keating is overseeing the establishment.
Niall is one of only a handful of chefs in the UK to currently hold two Michelin stars.
He told Stoke On Trent Live:
I’ve always wanted to do something back at home, back in Stoke-on-Trent.
It means more to me than any other accolade to bring something back to the area and to do something worthwhile for the county.
Unfortunately it feels like the county has had a bit of a poor reputation for the last couple of years and I wanted to bring something exciting here.
It’s an amazing feeling to have a vision of something and for it to then come fruition.
It’s very special for me to be able to have a restaurant in Stoke-on-Trent that my family can go to and be proud of.
I said to the all the chefs that I used to work with that I would bring something back to Stoke-on-Trent one day and now I’m here doing it.
It will be challenging for the area, but restaurants have to be challenging. It is easy to follow a formula and have bits and pieces on the menu that you know people are happy to eat, but we’re striving for more than that.
Lunar is pushing the boundaries of hospitality and catering in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.
It will make Staffordshire a destination, we can bring people to the area. We are doing something special.
The walls are lined with art from local artists and all dishes and drinks will be served on Wedgwood tableware and Waterford Crystal glassware.
My First Impression
Whilst the first impression left a lot to be desired from the initial pictures that were released it was a different story when more images surfaced online.
I still stand by the fact that the seating plan is too open and there’s nothing particularly private about this fine-dining experience with almost every seat out in the open and even tables next to each other and there’s nothing more awkward than having a date night sitting next to random strangers.
The exterior of the building has a wonderful edgy class to it but that edginess absolutely vanishes inside and looks like a cross between a hipster bar and your nans living room.
Take a look at the photos of the establishment HERE
I do look forward to sampling some Michelin Star food in the new year but I certainly know it won’t be a private intimate experience going off those photographs that’s for sure.
Despite questionable layout having Michelin star food to hand is great for the local area and it’s wonderful to see it fully booked until the end of the year but who on earth designed it?!
Lunar is open Thursday and Friday from 5pm to 11pm and Saturday and Sunday 12pm to 11.30pm.
