A Staffordshire restaurant that drew national attention after a Michelin nod is set to relaunch with a bold new dining concept as it marks a decade in business.
Little Seeds, run by husband-and-wife team Jake and Sophie Lowndes, will move to a single seasonal tasting menu from next month, replacing its long-standing à la carte offer.
The shift comes after 10 years in Stone and reflects what the couple describe as a natural evolution of the restaurant’s ethos.
Under the new direction, the Radford Street restaurant – rebranded as Little Seeds by Jake Lowndes – will serve just one menu, changing four times a year to reflect the British seasons. The first will launch on 14 May and run for nine weeks, costing £97 per person.
The move is designed to bring greater focus to both the food and the overall dining experience, while also improving sustainability.
Sophie said: “In theory we will have zero food waste, because we will know exactly how many people are coming every week and when.”
The couple are also investing around £6,000 to reconfigure the space, reducing covers from 28 to 16 to create a new lounge area. Guests will be welcomed there for drinks and snacks before moving into the main dining room, with the option to return afterwards.
Sophie added: “It has always been like we are welcoming people to our home. It should be really enjoyable and relaxing.”
The smaller number of diners will allow the team to deliver a more personalised service, while maintaining a strong focus on British produce.
Ingredients will be sourced from across the UK, with an emphasis on local suppliers where possible. Herbs are grown in the restaurant’s garden, while Jake also forages for wild ingredients such as wild garlic. Seafood is sourced from areas including Orkney and Cornwall.
Alongside the food, the new format will include both wine pairings and non-alcoholic options, with plans to introduce a dedicated wine station and expand the restaurant’s herb garden.
Sophie said the changes also reflect wider pressures facing the hospitality sector.
She said: “We are very in favour of the campaign to halve VAT for the hospitality sector. We can’t claim back VAT on the food we buy and it makes things more difficult for the sector. We have also been hit by increases to National Insurance, business rates and the minimum wage.”
Despite the challenges within the sector, the response to the new concept has been overwhelmingly positive, with bookings already coming in ahead of launch.
Sophie said: “We couldn’t have asked for more. Everyone has been very positive and the bookings have already started coming in. We have some people who have been dining with us from day one and have come with us on our journey. It’s a real ‘pinch me’ moment.”
The spring menu, which runs from 14 May to 11 July, features:
- Spring onion and asparagus broth, chive and black garlic
- Rabbit crumpet, carrot and tarragon
- Squid ink croustade, smoked cod’s roe, lemon and dill
- Seeded malt bread, beef fat spread and smoked honey and herb butter
- Wye Valley white asparagus, chervil and vadouvan
- Scottish langoustine, IOW tomatoes, cucumber and dill
- Cornish brill, seaweed, fermented mushroom and herb garden sauce
- Lake District hogget, Jersey royal, wild garlic
- Colston Bassett cheese tartlet, sage, walnut
- Staffordshire strawberry, Oplays white chocolate and elderflower
- Treats
Read the Daily Focus story about a campaign to halve VAT for the hospitality sector here.
