- Play Hard
- 1st Jul 2026
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James and Maria Close reveal six new dining concepts at Rockliffe Hall
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The five-star County Durham resort is set to reopen this September with a completely reimagined food and drink offering – and the details are very exciting.
If you’ve been keeping an eye on what’s happening at Rockliffe Hall, you’ll know that the multimillion-pound transformation of the five-star resort has been building to something significant. Now, Culinary Director James Close and his wife Maria have revealed exactly what that looks like; six distinct dining and bar concepts, each with its own identity, its own energy, and a menu that will be worth travelling for.
The resort is set to reopen in September 2026, and alongside a meticulous renovation of the Grade II listed building – including new suites and redesigned communal spaces – the food offering has been built from the ground up.
Here’s what to expect…
Rialto
Rialto will be the beating social heart of the resort: a bright, all-day Italian-American restaurant serving hotel guests and walk-in visitors from breakfast right through to late evening. Think easy warmth, beautiful pasta, sharing plates, and plenty of theatre — many dishes are finished tableside.
Afternoons come into their own with Aperitivo from 3pm to 5pm: seasonal spritzes, a white bergamot drink combining Italicus, Suze and Cocchi Americano, sliced Parma ham, oysters over ice, and freshly baked focaccia with mortadella. Breakfast leans into the Italian-American identity too, with a Venetian bar serving fresh-pressed juices and made-to-order Bellinis. Coffee comes from local roasters Railtown, and seasonal produce is grown in Rockliffe Hall’s own walled garden under the watch of Head Grower Ken Holland.
And for those who can’t face leaving their room pre-dinner? A bespoke Negroni trolley will travel the hotel corridors, delivering cocktails made to order.
“It’s the food you want to eat, the kind of food you keep coming back for. There’s a real Italian-American warmth to it, a bit of energy, a bit of indulgence. And with the terrace on warmer days, it’s exactly where you’d want to be — sitting with a drink, soaking it all in.”
James Close says
Ro
Ro is the resort’s new cocktail bar, and it’s the kind of concept that deserves a moment. Named after the Japanese word for furnace – a nod to the area’s industrial heritage – it’s an intimate, atmospheric space built around craft, theatre and Japanese precision.
The drinks programme pairs signature creations and expertly executed classics with a bespoke vault of cocktails made using rare and vintage spirits dating from the 1930s to the 1960s. The food menu is Izakaya-style: Wagyu Sando, Smashed Cucumbers, Chicken Karaage with Togarashi Ranch dip. Japanese whisky and sake feature heavily. A dedicated team of mixologists will have access to a development kitchen and cocktail laboratory within the hotel for ongoing innovation.
“Drinks that are intentional, not over-complicated, and that communicate confident craftsmanship and well-placed theatre in a relaxed atmosphere.”
The Morning Room
Afternoon tea gets its own dedicated home in The Morning Room, where Head Pastry Chef Ashleigh Pitcher joins James and Maria Close to create a refined British afternoon tea that balances tradition with modern technique. An extensive champagne and English sparkling wine list is on hand, champagne and caviar can be added, and thoughtful gluten-free options are included throughout. Menus will evolve seasonally and reflect key celebrations across the year – and yes, there will be a children’s afternoon tea menu too.
Maria Close says: “It stays true to tradition, but with Ashleigh’s talent and passion — and our attention to detail and obsession with creating engaging food concepts — it’s going to be an elegant experience executed at a really high standard.”
Café TERRA
Already open and already loved, Café TERRA continues as the resort’s boutique café – but Maria Close is expanding the offering significantly. The croissant programme alone is worth mentioning: alongside fresh plain croissants, expect changing signature expressions including Tiramisu and Orange and Marzipan, plus indulgent savouries like croque monsieur. The full menu spans high-quality coffee, fresh smoothies and juices, and nutrient-conscious dishes – a classic Waldorf salad, light lobster rolls, crisp schnitzels. There’s a sun-lit terrace, and it’s open to spa visitors and local regulars as well as hotel guests.
Maria says: “I can’t imagine a better place for a great cup of coffee and a fresh croissant – other than Café Terra’s sunlit terrace.”
The Clubhouse
Overlooking Rockliffe Hall’s championship golf course – the longest 18-hole course in Europe – The Clubhouse is getting a new culinary concept for the September reopening. Think elevated sports bar: chicken wings, burgers, and lobster rolls alongside Indian-influenced dishes including Tandoori Jumbo Prawns, Chaat Puri, and a Tikka Masala-style House Curry. Screens for live sport are being added, and even the halfway house will get a culinary upgrade, with high-quality ingredients in bacon sandwiches and sausage rolls.
ATLAS James & Maria Close
The flagship. A newly built 36-cover standalone restaurant, ATLAS James & Maria Close is the centrepiece of the resort’s transformation into a world-class, gastronomy-focused destination. The 584-square-metre pavilion pairs contemporary architecture with sweeping views across the estate, and the experience begins in a dedicated Champagne and aperitif lounge before guests move into a dining room built around three open kitchen islands.
Dishes are served in thoughtfully curated sequences, moving from small tastes of James and Maria’s global favourites through to refined expressions rooted in specific places — an oyster dish inspired by a visit to La Rochelle, for instance. The restaurant features a six-seat chef’s table, visible ageing fridges, a citrus fridge, and a floor-to-ceiling spice wall.
The team is already taking shape: Adam Molloy as Executive Chef, Shaun Hurrell as Head Chef, Jack Adams as Restaurant Director, and Manuel Ghezzi as Head of Wine. Lewis Hunter joins as General Manager and Cameron Baxter as Director of Food and Beverage.
When can you go?
Rockliffe Hall is set to reopen in September 2026. The resort sits within 375 acres of grounds on the banks of the River Tees near Hurworth, County Durham – five minutes from Darlington Station and Teesside International Airport, with Newcastle Airport around an hour away.
BE THE FIRST TO BOOK THE NEXT CHAPTER
Rockliffe Hall, Hurworth-on-Tees, Darlington, DL2 2DU
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