From Autumn Cocktails To Murder Mysteries: How To Enjoy The Big Eat At The OGH

In partnership with The Old Government House Hotel & Spa

October is shaping up to be a very good month for food lovers in Guernsey.

The Big Eat is back for a month-long celebration of the island’s food and drink scene, bringing together local restaurants, chefs and producers for everything from special menus and dining experiences to events that take things beyond the dinner table.

And The Old Government House Hotel is getting involved in a big way. From a Grande Fromage Tour of Town and cocktails inspired by the season to an immersive Murder Mystery and evenings of food and live music, there’s lots going on.

So, where to start? Here’s what you need to know...

 

 

If You Like A Good Mystery...

How good are your detective skills?

For two nights in October, dinner at The Old Government House Hotel comes with a side of intrigue as the hotel hosts a Murder Mystery Evening. While you enjoy a three-course dinner, professional actors will bring the story to life as clues emerge and suspicions start to fall. Your job is to question the suspects, follow the evidence and work out who did it before the evening is over.

Dinner with friends suddenly became considerably more interesting.

When: 15th October (still a few spots left!) & 16th October (SOLD OUT!)

 

If You Like Cheese...

The Guernsey Grande Fromage Tour is your chance to work your way around some of St Peter Port’s food and drink spots, with cheese firmly on the agenda. Pick up a Fromage Passport and make your way between participating venues, sampling their take on the cheese theme and collecting a stamp at each stop. 

The Crown Club at The Old Government House is one of the venues taking part, and collect six stamps or more over the course of the month and you’ll be entered into a prize draw for the chance to win one of four £250 vouchers to spend at participating venues. 

The good news is there’s no need to do it all in one go. You have the whole of October to make your way around the trail, which sounds like a challenge we could happily get behind.

When: 1st - 31st October

 

 

If You Like An Autumn Cocktail...

As the evenings get darker, the Crown Club is giving its drinks menu an autumn update.

New seasonal serves are joining the menu, created by the hotel’s mixologists around the flavours we naturally gravitate towards at this time of year. Expect warming spices, orchard fruits and richer notes, with four cocktails ranging from lighter seasonal serves to something a little bolder. And if you’re skipping the alcohol, you won’t be limited to the usual soft drink. Two alcohol-free cocktails have been created alongside them, with the same attention to flavour.

One to keep in mind for an after-work drink, a pre-dinner cocktail or your next catch-up in Town.

When: 1 October - 15 November

 

If You Like A Half-Term Treat...

Afternoon Tea gets a spooky makeover just in time for Halloween.

The hotel's Halloween Afternoon Tea runs from 24 October until 1 November, with a seasonal take on one of The Old Government House Hotel's best-known traditions. 

And this one is designed with the whole family in mind, making it a lovely option for a half-term afternoon with the children or grandchildren.

When: 24 October - 1 November

 

 

If You Like A Curry Night...

There are some foods that simply come into their own when the temperature drops, and curry has to be high on the list.

National Curry Week takes place from 7th to 11th October and The Old Government House Hotel is marking it in The Curry Room, with its menu of Indian flavours served in one of the hotel’s most distinctive dining spaces.

This year’s special features a Local Seafood Curry of scallops, locally caught fish, mussels and crab in a fragrant Creole curry sauce, served with pilaf rice and mango sweet chilli jam, perfectly complemented by a 175ml glass of Raimat Saira Albariño, Spain.

Gather a few friends, settle in for the evening and consider this your excuse for a midweek curry night.

When: 7th - 11th October

 

If You Like A Staycation...

Why settle for one dining experience when you can build a few into your stay?

The Old Government House has created a three night Big Eat experience that brings together three very different Guernsey favourites.

There’s dinner at China Red, one of the island’s best-known restaurants and a long-standing favourite for authentic Chinese food, followed by another evening at Balthazar, known for its seafood, steaks and lively seafront setting.

For your third dinner, it’s back to The Old Government House, where you can choose between the Brasserie and the Curry Room, with its award-winning Indian cuisine.

There’s Afternoon Tea at the hotel included too, so this is less about simply booking somewhere to stay and more about making food the focus of a few days in Guernsey.

When: Throughout October

 

 

And If You Like Live Music...

Keep the last weekend of October free.

The Global Collection Festival returns to St James from 29 to 31 October, bringing local and international musicians together for three days of live music. And with The Old Government House practically next door, the hotel is becoming part of the festival experience too with The Ultimate VIP Experience.

Each evening starts with pre-show dining and live music in the Brasserie. On Thursday, Guernsey-born guitarist and vocalist Glenn Holmes brings his finger-style jazz and blues sound to the hotel, followed by  The Likely Lads featuring Eloise Fabbri and their laid-back mix of jazz, soul and classics on Friday.

Then on Saturday, internationally acclaimed clarinettist Adrian Cox and his trio take over the Brasserie, bringing a taste of New Orleans jazz to dinner before the final night of the festival.

And when the main performances at St James are over, head back to the Crown Club, where the music carries on late into the evening. There’s an All Star Takeover and open jam session on Thursday, Eloise Fabbri on Friday and Guernsey guitarist and songwriter Mike Meinke rounding things off on Saturday.

So you can start with dinner and live music at The Old Government House, head down to St James for the main show, then make your way back to the Crown Club afterwards.

That sounds like a good night out to us!

When: 29 - 31 October

 

 

The Big Eat At The Old Government House

Whether you’re looking for an excuse to get together with friends, somewhere different for date night, a family treat or an entire weekend built around good food and live music, The Big Eat is bringing plenty of reasons to head into Town this October.

And perhaps that’s the best way to approach it. Don’t try to do everything. Pick the experience that sounds most like you, get a date in the diary and enjoy it.

The Big Eat runs throughout October 2026, with events taking place across Guernsey. Visit The Big Eat for the full festival programme and The Old Government House Hotel for details and bookings.