It is hard to imagine driving through this quiet little English village that you are in fact in a international culinary hotspot.
In fact, this tiny village in Lancashire, with a population of just over 8,000 has even surpassed Kyoto in Japan as the place with the highest proportion of Michelin stars per head of the population.
Aughton is internationally known for its Michelin-starred restaurants and is home to three such establishments, with a total of five Michelin stars. But food isn’t the only thing the village has been recognised for. It’s well-kept appearance saw it winning the 2023 Lancashire Best Kept Village award.
But what of the top-notch eateries? they are Moor Hall (3 stars), The Barn (1 star) and so-lo (1 star) all within a short walking distance of each other.
Moor Hall, a restaurant housed in a 16th-century property, earned its three Michelin stars in 2024. The Barn, which is considered a more informal sister restaurant to Moor Hall, received its one Michelin star in 2022. sō-lō, the first solo venture by Chef Tim Allen, also holds one Michelin star.
Moor Hall opened in 2017 and received its first two stars in the two following years. Awarding a third star in the Michelin Guide, its inspectors said every dish from chef Mark Birchall was “simply brilliant” and it was now one of the best dining experiences in the world. Birchall said it was something of a dream come true to get what is the guide’s highest accolade.
The guide that getting a third star is “a distinction that often takes years to achieve, as chefs continue to hone their craft to greater levels of excellence. Moor Hall, the delightful gastronomic getaway in rural Lancashire, has now reached those levels.”
The chef said becoming the 10th restaurant to currently hold the honour in the UK and Ireland, only two of which are sited outside London and Bray in Berkshire, was a special moment. He added that he believed the secret to Moor Hall’s success was having a good team and making all its guests “feel so special”
Moor Hall, on Prescot Road, is a Grade II listed manor house built around 1600. It was converted in the spring 2017 to a restaurant with rooms.
The Michelin Guide’s existence dates back to 1889, when the brothers behind the brand launched a travel guide in the form of a little red book to encourage transportation – and therefore boost tyre sales – in France. It has since expanded to other cities around the world and has become a living guide – restaurants can earn – and lose – stars. It awards restaurants either one, two or three stars, with the highest award being given to a select few which its inspectors deem to be delivering “exceptional cuisine” and so be “worth a special journey”.
So if you are thinking of making a “special journey” to Aughton, it is located between Ormskirk and Maghull, approximately 10 miles north of Liverpool and 17 miles south-west of Preston. It can be reached via the A59 which runs between Liverpool and York and passes through the parish from north to south. The parish also has two railway stations, Town Green and Aughton Park, both on the Northern Line of the Merseyrail network.