Tucked beside the Staffordshire canal in Lichfield, The Boat is more than a restaurant. Under the direction of chef Liam Dillon, it has become a working micro-farm and dining space where sustainability is not an afterthought, but the foundation of every decision made on and off the plate.
Over eight years, Dillon has quietly transformed a traditional pub into a Michelin Guide–recommended destination, pairing modern British cooking with produce grown just metres from the kitchen, redefining what self-sufficiency can look like in an urban setting.
In addition to this, Liam’s aquaponics project has been a long time in the making – a full ecosystem that farms trout/carp and then uses the bi-product to feed and grow crops. In a totally landlocked county, The Boat now plans to grow trout to use in the restaurant that is fed with organic feeds.
This produce, alongside other sustainable and locally sourced ingredients, form the ever-changing, seasonal menu for The Boat, where guests can choose a la carte or a short tasting menu for lunch, then a focused short or full tasting menu in the evenings.
Dining at The Boat
Split into snacks, starters, mains and sides, guests can expect the likes of Porthilly rock oysters, Cornish cod with confit leek, pickled alexanders and smoked dulse butter.
Mains feature Staffordshire lamb with Lichfield asparagus and crispy sweetbread and Cornish monkfish, brown shrimp & green peppercorn.
For dessert, indulge in Liam’s smoked cardamom panna cotta with garden raspberries or a Manjari chocolate parfait with sherry and artichoke ice cream.
Alternatively, opt for a selection of British cheese including Truffled Tunworth, St Andrew’s Cheddar, and Sparkenhoe Blue, paired with a root vegetable pickle, fig laminated roll and wholemeal crackers.
No good meal is complete without a good wine, and The Boat does not disappoint here. Continuing on the theme of sustainability, much of the wine comes from organic and biodynamic vineyards.
