Britain’s cosiest pubs
Published 27 September 2024

Describing their venue as a neighbourhood restaurant inside a 19th-century pub, the good folk at The Camberwell Arms have an appealing proposition on a busy road that slices through SE5. 'Compelling, simple, seasonal' food is the real deal, served up in relaxed, pared-back spaces where the bones of the old pub remain in its stripped floors, fireplaces and high Victorian ceilings. There's a hatch window out front so drinks can pass to thirsty locals on the pavement, and a private dining room with its own bar at the other end of the spectrum. The gauntlet is thrown down with 'Scotch bonnet pork fat on toast' – a dish of fire and fat, and not for the faint-hearted. Share a few small plates such as semolina gnocchi in a 'bright, fresh' San Marzano tomato sauce or charred onions with artichoke pesto and pistachios; otherwise, stick to the trad two- or three-course format. A bigger helping of grilled fish (wild bream or plaice, maybe) arrives with chips and aïoli, while thinly sliced porchetta is dressed with white peaches and rosemary. Two like-minded people can go for sharers such as half a spit-roast chicken (with blistered hispi cabbage and crème fraîche enriched with chicken fat) or aged Hereford rump steak with anchovy dripping. To finish, a 'beautiful' apricot and chocolate galette with crème fraîche and sour-cherry molasses sent one reader away very happy. Sunday lunches catch the eye with more of those sharers as well as roast potatoes cooked with sage and lemon. The drinking options include cocktails and well-chosen wines (from £26.50).

Palatial grand dining in the capital is the principal string to the Galvin brothers' bow, so it's inspiring to find they can also make a good fist of running a traditional village pub (the roots of the Green Man extend back as far as the reign of Edward III). Situated in a hamlet not far from Great Waltham, it's sufficiently ensconced within the locale to have a stretch of the river Chelmer running through its beer garden, and has been smartly done out inside, with a whole suite of dining rooms to choose from.

Chris Ball offers a contemporary British pub menu with a versatile choice, and his dishes are inventive without feeling overworked. Start with a ceviche of sea trout and bass, dressed in lime and chilli with avruga caviar, or opt for a hearty, silky soup such as marrow and red pepper velouté with toasted sourdough. A locally supplied kitchen is always good to find, especially in the game season, when Great Waltham partridge might turn up with beetroot, pickled blackberries and rainbow chard in a concentrated jus, while lively vegetarian dishes have included miso-glazed aubergine with charred spring onion, harissa potatoes and cumin yoghurt.

Desserts mobilise all the treat sweetness you can handle, with treacle sponge and vanilla cream, coffee panna cotta with popcorn and caramelised banana, or Valrhona chocolate mousse textured with puffed wild rice. An impressive drinks list embraces racy cocktails, a decent spread of wines by the glass, and, er, cigars.

At its heart, this gem of a village pub is a proper boozer, ‘pouring great drinks with passion and consideration’, although much depends on the sheer inventiveness of chef Adam Spicer’s menu. There’s more than a passing nod to the ‘St John’ school of cookery (devilled pheasant livers and hearts on toast), with its emphasis on beautiful ingredients, unadorned simplicity and full-on flavours. Great-value bar snacks are perfect with a pint, but that’s just the start. The kitchen’s black treacle and rye sourdough bread is a thing of beauty, while openers on the weekly menu might run from onion, mushroom and sherry broth to fallow buck tartare with St Ewe’s egg and Gentleman’s Relish. Main courses also have an East Anglian flavour, from Suffolk sea bass with mussels, samphire and vadouvan sauce to Naunton Hall partridge with bread sauce and Muscat grapes. Weekday ‘landlord’s lunches’ are great value, and the ‘Sunday Club’ is something special, with whole hay-roasted chicken as the centrepiece, bookended by Colchester oysters, game broth and desserts such as ‘Great Granny Rose’s’ bread pudding. The top-drawer wine list fits every occasion, whether you're after a vintage Burgundy or a lunchtime sip from the Languedoc.

*The pub is closed until further notice following a devastating fire at the beginning of June 2026.*

Stablemate to The Heathcock in Cardiff, this snug village pub brims with folksy features: wonky whitewashed stone walls, stripped floorboards, a Welsh dresser loaded with jars of preserved fruits, and a wood burner in an inglenook that contrasts with the polished metal of the open kitchen. The ever-changing menu takes its cue from the setting – traditional by inclination, but shot through with contemporary freshness. Executive chef (and local boy) Tom Watts-Jones previously worked at Fergus Henderson's St John in Clerkenwell, and it shows. Welsh rarebit (unctuous, glossy and perfectly charred) arrives on a chunky piece of sourdough (from the Hare & Hounds Bakery in Cowbridge) with a bottle of Worcestershire sauce on the side, while seasonally attuned starters might range from a thick, silky soup of new-season's asparagus and wild garlic topped with a runny-yolked crispy egg to a fresh, light risotto incorporating plump mussels and more wild garlic. To follow, our braised, crisp-skinned duck leg – an absolutely wonderful combo of crunchy and fatty – was teamed with velvety butter beans, chunky bacon and a rich cider sauce cut through with the spiky brightness of aïoli. We also enjoyed a tender, perfectly rosy hanger steak with flawless chips and a punchy peppercorn sauce. For dessert, dainty brown butter cakes – oven-fresh and nutmeg-spiced, fluffy in the middle and caramelised on top – were a huge hit, as was the almost impossibly thick and creamy honeycomb ice cream. A compact list of European wines offers plenty by the glass or carafe.

Brett Graham (The Ledbury) and Mike Robinson (game specialist) opened the Harwood Arms on a quiet residential street near Fulham Broadway in 2009, and the kitchen shows a long-running commitment to prime British produce, delivering a concise seasonal menu of four choices at each course – an extremely likeable line-up of reinvented classics we would be happy to eat on a regular basis. It seemed only fitting to kick off with the dish most associated with this pub – a punchy, golden-brown venison Scotch egg accompanied by Oxford sauce, much copied but rarely bettered. This was followed by a superb warm pumpkin tart topped with Quicke’s goat’s cheese, which worked well with a mushroom purée. Complete technique was on show in a dish of excellent Berkshire fallow deer served with a faggot, red leaves and cranberries, as well as in Cornish monkfish (on the bone) topped with brown shrimps and accompanied by roasted cauliflower, tenderstem broccoli and brown crab butter. The accompanying deep-fried new potatoes with garlic butter had us nodding with pleasure. Desserts are convincingly puddingy and feel absolutely right for the setting – from a perfect custard flan with caramel and spiced plum ice cream to a pineapple upside-down cake with malted treacle and crème-fraîche ice cream. The dining area is a low-key space decked out with dark green wood panelling, a proudly displayed stag's head and generously spaced tables (with cutlery kept in a brown-leather gamekeeper's holster). The vibe is relaxed and service is friendly without being overly chatty. To drink, there is quality across the price-spectrum, from a selection of 21 wines by the glass (from £7) to high-calibre representation from Burgundy (including top producer, Domaine Ramonet) as well as Bordeaux's Left Bank.

From bar to beer garden, the Heathcock majors in laid-back sophistication: expect simple white walls, reclaimed furniture, a decent selection of beers, and warm, efficient service. Here, informality never equates to idleness, and the same is true of the food, which – for all its rustic edges – is intelligent and considered. A big, chunky sourdough doorstep, say, quilted with the cheesiest, beeriest Welsh rarebit you could wish for, a bottle of Worcesterhire sauce on the side. Or grilled Wye asparagus teasingly dressed in grated Welsh black truffle and breadcrumbs then laid on a swirl of wild garlic purée. Native ingredients are trumpeted: a clutch of fluffy ricotta dumplings luxuriate in a heritage tomato sauce, with chunks of fresh tomato tasting of the summer sun thrown in for good measure. Game makes frequent appearances, as do native fish and seafood: smoked eel might be breadcrumbed, deep-fried and served with horseradish, rhubarb and chard on sourdough toast, while native mussels go Welsh with a leek and cider sauce. This is a small-plates menu, so expect to try at least three dishes each – and be sure to order dessert: a flawless, cloud-like rhubarb soufflé was a ‘sparkling highlight’ for one diner, while a perfectly crisp and syrupy pear tarte tatin delighted another. A good spread of European wines includes plenty by the glass. A recent addition is a Champagne and oyster bar upstairs.

‘A real anchor in the community,' the Inn at the Sticks covers so many bases: at its heart is the pub and restaurant, with bedrooms upstairs, but it also encompasses an art gallery and a shop/deli, while the garden provides the backdrop for live music, events and summertime street food. The interior is rustic and uncluttered without being chintzy, and the place is blessed with some of the friendliest, well-informed staff you could wish for, while the menu is an ever-evolving line-up of ‘visually stunning’ tapas-style plates based emphatically on 'hyper-fresh' Welsh seasonal produce, with influences garnered from far and wide. You might find anything from boquerones with smoked mussels to crispy pork belly on creamed parsnip, Calvados sauce and wasabi emulsion, although veggie plates are the standouts – perhaps tandoori cauliflower florets or chargrilled hispi cabbage with chickpea and tahini houmous. Sunday brings further surprises – one visitor was delighted by a serving of zaatar-spiced roast Welsh lamb with crumbled feta followed by summer berry pudding with Greek yoghurt. To drink, there’s an excellent choice of ‘signature’ wines and beers.

‘It's the kind of place you want round the corner, but it's in the middle of a very beautiful nowhere,’ comments one reporter who loves everything about this terrific hostelry. The barman pulls pints and entertains everyone, chef/co-owner Stosie Madi sends out glorious plates of food, and Kathy Smith out front is the epitome of peerless hospitality. Farmers, fishing folk and walkers with dogs congregate here, and the pub’s close-knit family team does them proud, serving all and sundry ‘without faff or fuss’. The main menu is shot through with seasonal Lancastrian produce, from confit Tarleton tomato tart to chargrilled 40-day aged Bowland beef – although the pub is renowned for its majestic pies, constructions of exemplary roast-fat hot-crust pastry, generously filled with good things. To finish, the kitchen procures everything from Yorkshire rhubarb to Kentish cherries, as well as garnering elderflowers from the garden. The Bowland Brewery's exceptional ales top the drinks list, wines are accessibly priced and the Negronis infused with foraged wild pickings are a must. All of this, plus ‘long views of the fells’.

‘I’m from London but happily go to Wiltshire to eat at the Red Lion,’ declared one reader who loves everything about this ‘brilliant village pub’. Snuggled away in a pastoral backwater on the remote fringes of Salisbury Plain, the self-styled and impressively thatched ‘Freehouse’ amply fulfils its obligations as a local (indie real ales and jolly chatter at the bar), although Guy and Brittany Manning have long established the place as a serious gastronomic destination. The food is defined by big natural flavours in the Anglo-European idiom, be it a terrine of Salisbury Plain venison with Armagnac prunes, chargrilled chateaubriand of Wiltshire beef or Cornish monkfish accompanied by roast romanesco, cauliflower purée, brown shrimp and sauce grenobloise. These are dishes culled from the carte, but you can also partake of a five-course tasting menu offering the likes of scallop and crab tortellono with ras el hanout bisque or English rose veal partnered by potato millefeuille, steamed spinach and chanterelles. Desserts follow a similar path, so expect anything from orange-blossom panna cotta with Yorkshire rhubarb to dark chocolate délice with poached kumquat, fennel pollen and biscotti ice cream. Otherwise, the cheese plate is ‘immaculate.’ The well-annotated wine list includes around 20 selections by the glass or carafe, with bottles from £23. Accommodation is across the road at the Troutbeck Guest House, a boutique B&B by the river.

It may date back to the 16th century, but the vintage timber-fronted Anchor is now a clever blend of old and new – pastel tones with exposed brickwork, lead-light windows, beams and smart wood furniture – while a trump-card courtyard is overseen by staff who are genuinely helpful, well-informed and attentive to a fault.

The kitchen treads a neat line between cleverly executed fine dining and approachable modern-day pub food, with British and European influences intertwined, and ‘careful consideration for every flavour in every part of a dish’. On the plate, that might mean crispy venison with Cumberland sauce and radish or an on-trend pairing of cured trout, beetroot, kiwi and grapefruit gel with a hit of pickled jalapeño. To follow, keen sourcing shows in dishes such as skrei cod with shellfish and pearl-barley risotto or guinea fowl breast paired with sweetcorn purée, bacon and a crispy onion loaf.

Sides of hash browns with harissa mayo are on the money, likewise desserts such as a modern twist on Arctic roll or vanilla cheesecake with gingernut crumb and marinated pineapple. Set lunch deals and five-course tasting menus broaden the Anchor’s all-round appeal. Real ales from breweries in the Home Counties vie with craftily mixed cocktails, while eight house selections by the glass or carafe head up the well-spread international wine list. 

‘A family feel, everyone welcome, great food and great beer line-up,’ the stone-built, 15th-century Kew Inn aims to satisfy all the requirements of a village hostelry in the 21st century. Inside there’s a traditional bar with St Austell ales and others on tap, plus four dining areas, all imbued with an air of country-inn conviviality. Outside is a stunning garden area dotted with mature trees in the shadow of the village church. The kitchen offers a broad choice across the board, whether you’re in the market for a ploughman’s, curried crab rarebit, moules marinière or something more adventurous – perhaps crispy buttermilk monkfish with katsu sauce or the ‘superb’ smoked short rib with champ mash and piri-piri hispi cabbage. To finish, the lemon meringue posset or the s’more toasted marshmallow with chocolate sauce and cherry syrup might tempt – otherwise plump for a plate of West Country cheeses with poached pear and candied walnuts. Sunday roasts come with their time-honoured seasonal accompaniments. In addition to Cornish ales and ciders, the drinks list also takes in some well-chosen mainstream wines.

This born-again Victorian hostelry is a thoroughly likeable proposition with plenty of box-ticking attributes – not least its glorious location on the fringes of Ashridge Estate (NT). Fans applaud the pub's tasteful farmhouse-chic interiors, hand-pulled Chiltern ales and savvy all-European wine list, although the venue’s trump cards are its unwavering commitment to local produce and its community spirit. After 27 years at the helm, long-serving hosts David and Becky Salisbury decided it was time to retire in August 2026 and handed over the reins. Thankfully, the new incumbents have retained all the staff and chef Jamie Celnik – so it’s business as usual. The pub’s famous bubble 'n' squeak with oak-smoked bacon, free-range poached egg and hollandaise still takes pride of place on the menu, but everything else changes every two weeks. Expect a rolling repertoire of appealing seasonal dishes ranging from chargrilled local Padrón peppers and confit duck leg with chicory and plum salad to Ashridge venison cottage pie. Chatty, well-informed staff provide first-class service across the board. ‘Our go-to for celebrations and a post dog-walk pint,’ says one regular.

The medieval village of Nun Monkton must be one of the prettiest in Yorkshire, a picture-book collection of ivy-clad cottages, complete with a duck pond, a village green and the tallest maypole (88ft) in Britain. At its heart is the exemplary Alice Hawthorn (named after a famous racehorse), a Grade II-listed inn of old mellow brick with a grassy courtyard at the rear for outdoor dining and 12 newly built contemporary-style bedrooms. Inside are flagged floors, old beams and rough-hewn tables, though if that sounds rustic think again. This country inn is as neat and polished as a pin with Turkish rugs, button-backed banquettes and chairs upholstered in modern ‘Yorkshire tartan’. Current hosts John and Claire Topham are experienced hoteliers – for many years they ran the General Tarleton in Knaresborough and before that, John worked alongside the sadly missed Denis Watkins at the Angel at Hetton. They have made the pub such a go-to destination that it’s sometimes hard to score a table. Persevere, because our autumn seasonal menu was excellent, featuring the likes of heritage beetroot with goat’s curd, pickled cantaloupe melon and double-podded broad beans. A bright sea bass ceviche, cured in lime and combined with finely diced onions, tomato, mango and coriander, made for another superb starter. Generous mains brought a deep, rich, slow-cooked beef cheek, served with stretchy, cheesy pommes aligot and a big-hearted fish stew rich in mussels and clams with a tomato-based broth. For dessert, a prettily presented crème catalan with raspberries and praline shards was spot-on. Everyone is put at ease by the relaxed, personable service – as well as the wide-ranging, kindly priced wine list.

Since opening its doors back in 2003, the laid-back Anchor & Hope has maintained strong pub credentials, making it a great, buzzy bolthole for drinkers and diners alike  – and offering something completely different to the chain restaurants in the immediate area. Indeed, when it comes to food, 'it's definitely still the place to go post-Old/Young Vic if you can get in’, advises a reporter, adding ‘it would always be my choice in the area.’

Comfort levels are basic, but diversion comes in the form of views into the busy kitchen, where seasonal ingredients feature heavily on the short daily menu. It’s a zesty assortment of dishes, the tone set immediately by the likes of a couple of hand-dived Brixham scallops teamed with green tangerine, capers and mint, or a three-cheese and hazelnut soufflé with winter chanterelles and radicchio.

Braised wild venison Provençal with spätzle and Parmesan, or seven-hour lamb shoulder with preserved lemon, cumin, tomatoes and gratin dauphinois (for two), are just a couple of comfort-zone main courses the kitchen does well, followed perhaps by quince and almond tart with clotted cream. There’s a worker’s lunch, too, starting at £11 for one course, and a reasonably priced European wine list with a good choice by the glass or carafe.

Currently part of the Public House Group (which also runs contemporary venues such as the Pelican in Notting Hill), the reenergised Bull has become a magnet for the smart out-of-town set, although ‘the locals can still be found occupying its nooks and crannies’. The departure of big-name chef Sally Abé early in 2026 hasn't affected the fortunes of the place one jot – judging by recent reports of ‘superb food’ and ‘exceptionally attentive staff’. A good time is had by all. There's plenty of finesse on show in the kitchen, which proves its prowess across the board: the ever-present ‘Bull pie’ is ‘exceptional’, or the whole table can splash out on a rib of beef with horseradish.  A pairing of mushrooms and monk’s beard has hit the spot, likewise a strawberry and custard bun for dessert; also, don’t ignore the ‘Bull Whippy’. The atmospheric, moodily lit interior feels just right – or you can head to the lovely garden space for a summertime BBQ. A terrific drinks selection includes an enterprising list of local cask ales alongside an adventurous wine selection.

The fact that the 55-mile Taff Trail passes its door underpins the uncompromising Welshness of this forward-thinking pub – no wonder it’s been dubbed ‘a jewel in the community’. 'The Bunch' is not only a staunch supporter of native produce, it’s also home to the Cwrw Otley Brewery and craft beer shop. As for food, local and sustainable ingredients lead the way, with spent grains from the brewery used for the excellent home-baked bread that features in everything from pulled brisket sandwiches to miso-glazed, sautéed mushrooms with vegan labneh on toast. Eclectic small plates open the show, before the BBQ and charcoal grill take over for punchy offerings such as a ‘dirty’ pork tomahawk chop or picanha steak with smoked artichoke purée. Sunday means roasts, while desserts could bring rice pudding or warm chocolate brownie. 'They also do the ‘best Christmas dinner I’ve had in 20 years,' says one diehard fan. Beer is the drink of choice, with a rolling roster of Otley ales (and others) at the bar. Just add regular live music, cheese nights and ‘classy quizzes’.

In secluded countryside and surrounded by orchards, this is a 'lovely traditional pub with an immaculately kept garden,’ noted one visitor. Inside, the bar with its open fires and dried hops entwined across low-beamed ceilings doubles as the restaurant, creating a cosy atmosphere. The menu of ‘good, simple, seasonal dishes’ offers excellent value for accomplished homely cooking. At inspection that included a ’very fresh and summery’ squid salad with shavings of raw fennel, and a dish of thick, creamy and 'not overly smoked' cod’s roe with seaweed crackers, a soft-boiled egg and fresh radish. Cornish cod was ‘perfectly cooked’ and accompanied by fresh broad beans, basil pesto and Jerey Royals, while a special of 'lobster frites' came dressed with garlic and parsley butter. ‘Perfect’ desserts included strawberry shortbread with fresh raspberries, crème patissière and coulis, and a chocolate crémeux with homemade honeycomb and lusciously boozy cherries. Staff are ‘super chatty, friendly and very efficient’. If the line-up of cask ales and ciders doesn't tempt you, there's also a short, reasonably priced wine list with bottles from £25. A gem of a place.

‘Our local’ noted one reader proudly. For anyone with misgivings about pubs with restaurant inclinations, this urban hostelry should set you straight. As befits a sibling of Southwark’s Anchor & Hope, Stoke Newington’s Clarence Tavern, and the Magdalen Arms in Oxford, the Canton Arms is fully committed to its role as an old-fashioned city boozer. Low-lit and friendly, there’s pretty much a 50/50 split between drinkers knocking back pints of real ale in the front bar and diners in for some consistently delicious food in the dining area at the back.

Ingredients are seasonally spot-on, with the daily changing menu delivering anything from labneh with walnut and pomegranate dressing or crispy blood cake with homemade quince jam to roast hake with crab bisque, steamed potatoes and gremolata or duck confit with Puy lentils. After that, there might be bread-and-butter pudding with praline sauce, which was recently reported as ‘something I dream of weekly’.

It’s all considered good value, and that includes the line-up of drinks, which range from an ‘amazing’ selection of real ales on rotation and an impressive list of classic cocktails to a perfectly judged European wine list.

Located alongside the Galloway Forest Park, the family-run Clachan has everything you could wish for – a traditional, cosy vibe, slate floors, fireside chairs, a ‘fabulous choice of real ales’ and a ‘seriously terrific restaurant’, plus quiz nights and music sessions.  And everyone has a good word for the friendly, engaging staff and their caring attitude to young and old alike. Expect superbly cooked local ingredients and smartly presented dishes, whether you’re opting for a ‘light bites’ lunch or the full works in the evening. Meat and game are well represented with the likes of wood pigeon with potato gnocchi, sweetcorn and ‘nduja or Scotch ox cheek with potato terrine, while fish fans could home in on North Sea turbot with Galloway girolles, peas and baby gem. To conclude, you might find a choux bun with raspberry, white chocolate and lavender or a Scottish cheese plate with house oatcakes and chutney. Aside from the line-up of draught beers, drinkers can dip into a short, accessible wine list with seven by the glass.

‘What a lovely little place,’ observes one visitor to Dominic Chapman’s classy village pub not far from Maidenhead. All-comers are welcome here, and accommodating staff are keen to keep everyone happy – whether you’re in for a pint after walking the dog in the nearby woods or have ‘turned up from London in a fancy car’. Inside, it looks and feels local but with a gentrified veneer; prices on the seasonal carte are at the higher end of the foodie pub scale, but there’s also a set deal (dubbed ‘the village menu’) which will provide three courses for under £30.

Chapman’s sure-footed cooking brings judiciously sourced ingredients (some of them local) and worldly-wise culinary technique to the table – from his renowned lasagne of wild rabbit, wood blewits and chervil to peppered fillet of wild venison with creamed spinach, celeriac purée and sauce poivrade. He also has a way with fish, be it roast Cornish cod (with gremolata and olive oil) or line-caught Cornish sea bass (with potato gnocchi, purple sprouting broccoli, girolles and a boozy red wine sauce). Alternatively, look to the specials if you fancy a plate of tagliolini with smoked salmon or a stomach-warming oxtail and kidney pie with mash.

Desserts are fashioned with immaculate skill, witness dark chocolate délice with cherries, salted-caramel ice cream and almond biscuit – although there’s also room for a generous helping of steamed treacle pud with custard. The wine list is noteworthy too, offering plentiful by-the-glass options covering most major grape varieties. In short, ‘an all-round perfect local’ and a ‘huge asset to the area’. 

‘So consistent, cosy and welcoming,’ commented one regular visitor to this fine old 16th-century inn a short detour from some of the National Park’s best trails. Since taking over in 2019, the Barker-Jones family have given the oak-beamed, slate-floored interior a satisfying makeover, with lots of attention to detail (note the lovely hand-painted photos on the walls). ‘You would feel welcome to just pop in for a drink,’ noted a reporter, but it would be a sin to miss the pub’s main attraction – its menu of carefully sourced local and seasonal food.

The kitchen delivers ‘deep full-on flavours’ across the board, from hunks of warm home-baked bread with Netherend butter and bowls of verdant pea soup topped with seasonal ramsons to panna cotta with rhubarb and shortbread or treacle tart given extra zing with confit orange, candied zest and crystallised ginger ice cream. In between, Jail Ale-battered haddock with triple-cooked chips is a winner, likewise the cider-braised West Country pork fillet and the stone bass and Teignmouth mussels with fennel, samphire and mussel velouté. It’s also worth working up an appetite for the effusively praised Sunday lunch with its offer of roast moorland sirloin and the like. 

Service from really professional, welcoming staff is all you could wish for, as is the wide-ranging drinks list, which covers everything from local Dartmoor Ale to classic cocktails and a small but varied list of mostly Old World wines.

Are Oisín Rogers, Charlie Carroll and chef Ashley Palmer-Watts champions of a new era in pubs? The Devonshire is certainly one of the most enjoyable places to eat in the capital (if you can get in) and looks set to become an institution. Ingredients are impeccable and the strong meat-focused menu delivers hugely appealing dishes in the lively environment of a central London watering hole. If you’re after value as well as quality, look for no further than the fixed-price lunch, which delivers prawn and langoustine cocktail, skirt steak with duck-fat chips and béarnaise sauce, plus luscious sticky toffee pudding – all for £29. Otherwise, flames are at the heart of things, with wood-fired Ibérico pork chops, lamb cutlets, steaks and lobsters keeping company with the likes of lamb hotpot or ‘a pile of langoustines’ on the hand-scrawled menu. On Sundays, roast ribs of beef carved from a silver-domed trolley have helped to restore the tradition in this part of town. Guinness is the tipple of choice in the permanently rammed bar, but you can also drink well from the mainly European wine list. The pub has a rooftop terrace for fine-weather dining, too.

The Dog & Gun takes centre stage in the tranquil north Cumbrian village of Skelton. As befits its name, the place will welcome your canine companion (if you give notice), but perhaps leave the firearms at home. It's a welcoming dining space, divided by a central bar, with misshapen ceiling beams and wheelback chairs, and an approach to service considerate enough to turn down the Ed Sheeran when orders are being taken. Ben Queen-Fryer works in splendid isolation at the stoves, offering a style of high-gloss country cooking that puts the emphasis on substance as well as impressive technique. Pasta is spot-on, as in a yolk-yellow raviolo filled with pork, sauced with a reduction of the poaching milk with sage and garlic. A terrine of smoked Jersey Royals, or perhaps a cheesy soufflé, might be alternative starters, but do save room for the trencher-style main dishes – witness a stonking venison suet pudding packed with tender, gamey meat, served with a stick of beetroot done in duck fat, mead gravy and a side of the chunkiest chips. Dover sole is butter-sauced, while the veg option might be earthy cep risotto. Even the crumbly-topped dessert soufflé, made with the Lyth Valley's celebrated damsons and partnered with frangipane ice cream, is a hefty proposition – so that diners not opting for the chocolate millefeuille need not feel skimped. A couple of Cumbrian craft beers and sanely priced wines by the glass lead the drinks offering, with selections forsaking the beaten track for Swiss varietals, Slovak Riesling and an orange creation from Alsace.

Ambleside is well served by the Drunken Duck. It is not one of those pubs that has left its drinking side behind (not with that name); instead, it throws a welcoming arm around locals in an atmosphere of free-and-easy conviviality. That said, an appreciable attempt has been made to give the dining area its own identity with some framed art prints of flowers, a festooning of dried hops, and an open-to-view kitchen. Last booking for food is 8pm.

Staff are expertly clued-up, not least with knowledge of the Barngates beers brewed on site. The food is distinguished by nutritious heartiness, seen to impressive effect in a vegetarian main course of roasted cabbage and mushrooms topped with capers and horseradish, served with potato cakes, which might be preceded by a fricassée of Jerusalem artichokes with apple, black garlic and sunflower seeds.

Homely main dishes make great cold-weather sustenance, even when the cold weather comes round in late June: a bowl of fortifying marjoram-scented rabbit stew arrives with chunky veg, potent gravy and a cloud of lovely mash. Sides of perfectly textured chips and aïoli will help fill any holes.

In the context, the afters seem pleasantly light: yoghurt mousse and rhubarb sorbet team up for a refreshing finish, under a summery dusting of dried raspberries, or there may be a raspberry and fig version of Bakewell pudding. Gluggable wines by the glass head up a no-nonsense list.

The beach at Salthouse, the other side of bird-rich marshes, is a bracing, shingly expanse of wild nature. Fuel your exploration with the generous fare on offer at this friendly pub, either at fire-warmed spots inside, at picnic tables with their uninterrupted views or in a pretty ‘secret garden’ at the back. Some Brancaster oysters and a glass of manzanilla could slip down nicely before a devilled crab and pea tart or sardines on toast with tapenade. Steaks, burgers and sticky toffee pudding are always available, but check out the specials board for the likes of confit duck with braised red cabbage and polenta. 

The initial inspiration for a far more ambitious village project that became 'The Collective of Woolsery', the Farmers Arms may occupy a magnificent 17th-century building but it’s very much a 21st-century pub. The enterprise also includes a 150-acre farm that provides the place with rare-breed and heritage meats as well as just-harvested fruit and vegetables – hyper-seasonal produce that's beautifully realised in the hands of Ian Webber (former head chef at Gidleigh Park). A traditional 'pub menu' offers everything from venison Scotch eggs with sloe jelly to chicken and ham pie with leek and tarragon mash, followed by visually stunning desserts such as coffee trifle with mascarpone cream, coffee jelly and woodruff parfait. Alternatively, trade up to the fixed-price ‘farm menu’ which brings more elevated contemporary ideas such as line-caught Clovelly mackerel with pickled courgette, yellow submarine tomato and fig leaf. ‘Very pleasant and attentive staff always give you a great welcome’, while drinks feature locally brewed ales, homemade cordials and seasonal cocktails, plus a slate of well-chosen wines. Live music on Sunday evenings is a summertime bonus.

‘Eat, Drink, Sleep’ is the mantra at this ever-popular pub with rooms from Charles and Edmund Inkin, who also run the Gurnard’s Head and the Old Coastguard in Cornwall. In many ways the Griffin is an archetypal dream of a country inn – all fireside sofas, knobbly brickwork, low beams and quarry-tiled floors, with craft ales at the bar and fresh, home-cooked food. But for all its heritage vibes, this is a slick, modern operation, with polished service and a kitchen headed by Tom Kerridge alumnus Gwenann Davies. Her repertoire includes traditional ideas such as crab risotto with crème fraîche alongside more contemporary dishes – perhaps brill with silverskin onion, pancetta, cavolo nero and bourguignon sauce. Each dish is carefully considered, right through to dessert – chocolate and coffee crémeux with Chantilly cream, for example. Sunday lunch is an ultra-traditional feast featuring beef and lamb from the lowland hills, greenery from the kitchen garden and plenty of homely touches. In addition to regional ales and Welsh spirits, drinkers can pick from a personally annotated wine list with plenty by the glass or carafe.

A ‘tip-top’ local asset since 2004, James and Bianca Rix’s relaxed, unstuffy pub a few miles from Ware combines its roles with great panache. The casual bar serves as a dedicated drinkers’ den (real ales but no food), while the restaurant is airy, spacious and lit by an ornate gold chandelier – although most plaudits are reserved for the ‘fabulous’ ever-attentive staff. Outside is a pretty garden for all seasons, and the kitchen is also noted for its calendar-driven approach.

Contemporary, ingredients-led Anglo-European cooking is the style, with springtime menus delivering everything from whole Cornish plaice with Jersey Royals and salty fingers (aka ‘jellybeans’, a cousin of marsh samphire) to perfectly pink, crisp-skinned French duck breast with gratin dauphinois and green peppercorn sauce. To start, readers have praised the three-cheese and hazelnut soufflé with spinach, and a dish of sautéed rabbit livers with fairy-ring mushrooms, peas and wild garlic on toast. To finish, a 'beautiful' saffron-poached pear and an almond tart with crème fraîche have gone down a treat. Roast rib of dry-aged Hereford beef with Yorkshire pud and all the trimmings is the highlight on Sundays, when lunch meanders on until 5pm. 

The kindly priced wine list favours France, with a decent smattering of organic bottles and by-the-glass selections. Also check out the owners' pop-up shop, a handy spot for coffee, pastries and deli produce.

One of the smallest towns in England, well-heeled Stockbridge is charming – and the ancient Greyhound is the perfect inn to match the surroundings. From the mind-your-head beams, wood burners in inglenooks, bare wood floors and tables to the evening candles, soft lamplight and a please-all menu, there’s plenty to entice. Its location – the front overlooking the broad High Street, a garden at the back by the Test (Hampshire’s finest chalk stream, complete with half a mile of fishing rights) – is a prime draw whatever the season, visitors coming for food that comforts rather than challenges. In the kitchen, Phill Bishop looks to the locality for ingredients but also mixes up influences in a true modern British way: New Forest asparagus tart with cashew-nut houmous and avocado rubs shoulders with cured Test trout and scallop ceviche served with rhubarb, elderflower and pickled ginger, or there could be new-season lamb cutlets with crispy cannelloni, artichoke, wild garlic and glazed carrots. To finish, poached pineapple with coconut biscuit, lime purée, mint, rum and coconut sorbet makes a big closing statement. Welcoming, efficient staff are dedicated to doing things well. In addition to the carte, the prix fixe is particularly good value, as is the serviceable list of mainly European and English wines, which starts at £24.95. 

‘A really unique spot’ set within a 1,000-acre deer park just four miles from the Norfolk coast, this idiosyncratic pub/restaurant with rooms is quite a prospect. The grey-stone exterior may seem rather stark but inside there’s a feel of ‘inviting, lived-in elegance’, thanks to soft, warm furnishings, lots of varnished woodwork, leather, blazing fires and the owners' unrivalled collection of contemporary British art. Despite its impressive credentials, the place has never lost its pub atmosphere, with ‘locals enjoying a pint in the bar, a well-used pool table, darts, dogs and muddy-booted walkers’ adding to the country vibe. However, much attention focuses on the mighty Elk Room fire where joints of locally sourced venison, Blickling beef and South Creake pork are dramatically cooked over open flames. Also look for rich, carefully seasoned pies and fish from the coast (perhaps whole grilled mackerel with heritage tomatoes from the walled garden and herb aïoli). For afters, buttermilk pudding with raspberries is suitably comforting. Sunday means roast joints, while drinks range from Norfolk ales to a short, fairly priced wine list.

Single-track lanes wind among gale-blown moorlands, high hedgerows and ancient monoliths to reach the Gurnard’s cheery mustard-yellow facade. Stepping inside, it immediately feels like a place of sanctuary, with locals sipping Cornish ales and ciders beside venerable hearths, and others gravitating to the candlelit dining room, where cartography and artworks often depict the raging seas outside. Unsurprisingly, seafood looms large on the menu, though inspiration comes from near and far – perhaps red gurnard ceviche swimming in ginger, chilli and soy or a warming Thai broth of mussels, chilli, coconut and coriander. The kitchen is also deft when it comes to working with produce from the fields (a main of pork belly with smoked morcilla, BBQ apple and mash, say), as well as fashioning sea-and-land medleys such as 'ndjua-flecked cod balanced atop a tower of mussels, with a tang of cider appropriate to this West Country location. Finish off with a pub classic such as sticky toffee pudding doused in butterscotch sauce. House wines kick off with a dozen 'open' whites and reds by the glass or carafe.

Dating from 1810, this Victorian pub in Maida Vale is a real looker, restored to something like its heritage glory by the team behind the Pelican in Notting Hill. Timber frames and emerald-green tiling abound, and the place now operates across three levels (including an intimate private dining room at the very top). On the ground floor is a proper local complete with chesterfields, real ales and a menu of heroically British pub classics – we’re talking about lamb ribs, cheese toasties, cod cheeks, Barnsley chops, fish pie, roast chicken and other simple but satisfying staples.  

Up on the first floor, the self-styled Grill Room is a very different prospect. We felt as if we had been upgraded to business class as we admired the high corniced ceilings, sash windows, natural oak panelling and leather banquettes, while the arrival of warm brioche with creamy salted butter added to the feel-good vibe – as did the sharp, jaunty service.

The menu focuses on special cuts of meat and fish cooked over an open fire: lightly charred lamb’s sweetbreads came with a silky lobster gravy enriched with clotted cream, while a centrepiece dish of well-timed monkfish on the bone arrived atop a pile of finely sliced runner beans with a scattering of salty capers. To finish, keep it traditional with lemon tart or Eton mess. A cracking little wine list has been tailored to suit most budgets, with just about everything available by the glass.

The village of Kilpeck is now famous for two things: it boasts 'England's most perfect Norman church' (according to Simon Jenkins) and is also home to this hostelry with rooms, once a fairly grand cottage fashioned with stones from the destruction of a nearby castle during the Civil War. The cottage became an inn some 250 years ago, and now refreshes the weary traveller in ways the Georgians could scarcely have guessed. Chef Ross Williams works with the grain of fine seasonal materials, partnering Wye Valley asparagus with a 'houmous' of white beans and a drizzle of hazelnut pesto. Textural and temperature counterpoints add gloss to a serving of scallops and cauliflower with black pudding and dabs of apple purée. Classic European technique can be impressive, as in a pitch-perfect rendition of risotto primavera, while thoroughbred meats might include pork tenderloin rustically stuffed with nettles and sage, served with fondant potato, summer kale and a regionally unimpeachable cider jus. For a fish dish such as sea bream, the supporting roles might be taken by monk's beard and wild garlic gremolata. Nor will you be disappointed if you've come to the pub expecting a burger: there's a half-pounder in a brioche bun with bacon, cheese, apple and fennel slaw, plus rosemary-salted chips. An aromatic theme runs through desserts ranging from gooseberry and elderflower crumble with lemon and elderflower sorbet to raspberry and thyme crème brûlée. Sunday lunchers are happily regaled with beef topsides, pork bellies and chicken suprêmes. The drinks offer is as stimulating as the food, with local ales and ciders, Welsh whisky, Gun Dog gin, and a small but good choice of wines.

The tidy 17th-century Kinneuchar Inn sits alongside Kilconquhar Loch, famous for its winter ‘bonspiels’ – outdoor curling jamborees for the uninitiated (hence the pub’s sporty signage). These days, however, its regulars have something different on their minds: the place is still a cosy local haunt capably run by a superb team, but most interest now centres on the food coming out of James Ferguson’s kitchen. Drawing on the full range of the East Neuk’s formidable natural larder, he creates ‘hearty dishes laced with Mediterranean vibrancy’. Menus change daily, so expect anything from creative seafood dishes such as grilled line-caught squid with Sivri Bibir peppers, chill and parsley to roast partridge with celeriac mash or grilled lamb leg with braised turnips, pearl barley and anchovy. And ‘you won't find a better pie for two anywhere,’ proclaims a devoted fan. On Sunday evenings, the kitchen serves up ‘herb-fed’ rotisserie chicken feasts for the whole family, and there are fried chicken buns to nibble on special occasions. Drinks include craft beers and cider, plus a short but enterprising wine selection.

Set in ravishing open moorland near the Cumbrian border, the Kirkstyle has been a watering hole since the 19th century but now attracts customers from far and wide. It manages to be ‘a proper village pub’ with a telling sense of community and a genuine commitment to the area and its produce – although reporters agree that the owners and staff are what make it special: ‘their warmth, personality and attention to detail run through everything the Kirkstyle does.’ In the kitchen, Connor Wilson is prepared to ‘push the boundaries’, letting local produce define his enterprising, contemporary approach to all things gastronomic. Dinner might open with a game terrine partnered by damson and hazelnut, while immaculately presented mains could run from cod with artichokes and bisque to seasonal grouse paired with hen of the woods mushrooms, chicory and pickled walnut. To finish, Darling Blue cheese panna cotta dressed with guelder rose is an offbeat winning ticket. There are crowd-pulling Sunday roasts, too, while the wine list is a marvel to behold, stuffed with French classics and goodly vintages from around the globe – at remarkably fair mark-ups.

It’s been a decade since the rebooted Marksman opened, serving finely tuned British food for East London hipsters – though its pedigree goes deeper, having been a veteran of this Bethnal Green address for more than 150 years. Past and present blend well here: downstairs is all high Victoriana with mahogany panelling, a miniature cupola and regimental wall plaques adorning dimly lit walls; upstairs, the dining room goes full postmodern with pendant lights, starburst-patterned floors and mid-century furniture. The menu also seems caught between these two worlds, deftly mixing British culinary tradition with more contemporary flourishes – perhaps devilled St Austell mussels with green tomato, or crumbed cod’s cheeks with tartare sauce. As you’d expect from alumni of St John, mains are meaty and mighty: Tamworth pork chop with chard and anchovy, a warming chicken and girolle pie for sharing or a roast Hereford rump of beef for Sunday lunch. Desserts might see crowd-pleasers such as set chocolate with salt toffee and hazelnut crumb. House wines offer decent value, and there's a well-curated selection of beers on tap. Look out for good-value steak nights and curry nights. 

For decades, the Milbrook has defended its reputation as a reliable source of decent pub food in the South Hams but since Caitlin Owens took on ownership in 2021, it has found a new stride. Elegant restoration has amplified the cosy low-ceilinged hostelry into a sophisticated destination, whether you’re staying in the rooms across the road, or rocking up sandy-footed from the beach, ready for a pint of Salcombe Brewery Ocean Cider by the babbling brook at the back.

Beyond good looks, the menu is bolstered by its connection to Fowlescombe – a luxury rural retreat and working regenerative farm – and by Elly Wentworth, who works as executive chef across both sites, balancing prime ingredients with an approachable menu. Brixham crab and fresh corn chowder made for a swoon-worthy opener on our most recent visit, while a Toulouse sausage was packed with flavour and the triple-cooked chips were as good as you’d hope.

Sunday lunches and seasonal desserts such as Fowlescombe farm honey and fig trifle with roasted hazelnuts complete the package, while on dark nights the fireside beckons for a pre- or post-prandial trip through the adventurous wine list, which uses the Coravin system to offer maximum interest by the glass. Service can fluctuate with the seasons but it always supports a convivial hubbub of happy diners.

Think Marlow and two things spring to mind: rowing and restaurants. Despite its name, this large town-centre 'bistropub' eases down on the former but puts its back into the latter. Yes, there’s a little wooden dinghy by the side entrance and the odd vintage Boat Race advert, but more prominent are the prints devoted to drink: wine is important here, with a regularly updated, 300-strong list of mainly organic and biodynamic bottles; ciders (from Normandy and Herefordshire) and an eclectic range of spirits are notable too. Food is served in the roomy dark-hued bar, the cosier snug or the well-proportioned dining room with its large serving hatch and views of a little terrace. Scottish chef Scott Smith (ex-Arbutus and Wild Honey) works methodically, delivering an inviting, oft-changing menu that lists three courses plus ‘larder and bar snacks’ such as charcuterie. Starters are especially appealing. In early July, a refreshing salad of goat’s curd with broad beans and peas was made still more summery with fresh fennel leaves and chopped chives, while toasted hazelnuts added extra crunch; in winter, expect more robust offerings such as pig's trotters and bacon on beef-dripping toast. To follow, braised lamb neck with spring vegetables was a gloriously rich and tender piece of meat presented in an iron casserole with baby turnips, courgettes and lightly pickled onions, together with a jug of first-rate gravy and little mounds of puréed aubergine and garlicky parsley on the plate. After that, our Ecclefechan tart, a Borders speciality, was a rich, moist Christmas pud-like confection described by the affable waiter as ‘Scotland on a plate’ – though the accompanying slice of Bonnet goat’s cheese (itself a full-flavoured treat) was best eaten separately. Prices are Marlow-high but, unlike some local rivals, the Oarsman steers a true course through crowded waters – especially when it comes to wine. Arranged in imaginative style categories, such as 'Amber Revolution' for skin-contact tipples, as well as regional locations from more than 40 countries, it is a passionate exploration of today's global wine scene. A clutch of fine sherries is worth a look, but so is the fizz list, which includes Harrow & Hope Brut Reserve No 7, made right here in Marlow itself. 

‘We did a big walk around Kinder Reservoir, and to come here after for wine and some great food was bliss,’ noted one couple who sought refuge in the ever-welcoming Pack Horse (circa 1577). All-comers are greeted with a mix of friendly familiarity, genuine warmth and professionalism: ‘you can turn up in your tiara or your muddy walking boots’. In return, you’ll be treated to superb hospitality and cracking food based on sustainable supplies from local sources: meat butchered just four miles away, for example, might appear in a pie of beef shin, Guinness and mushrooms. Snack on a ‘Manchester egg’ (aka a black pudding Scotch egg) before tackling a smoked haddock fishcake with warm mussel tartare or a bacon chop with pease pudding, spring greens and cider. Sunday roasts ‘for two’ receive high praise for beef wing rib on the bone or pork shoulder chop – and if you still have room, gorge on one of the creamy desserts (gooseberry and sherry trifle, perhaps). Quality growers abound on the inspiring wine list, and the pub champions local breweries too.

London’s 'tached and tattooed creatives have called it: the Plimsoll is cool. So eager are they to get into this tiny corner pub in residential Finsbury Park, they’ll squeeze into any unoccupied corner of the bar, jostle for a spot at one of the ledges outside, and book up to a month in advance for a table in the scruffy dining room.

The one-page menu changes regularly and is appealing. There’s no rule that says you have to order the Dexter cheeseburger but there’s barely a table that doesn’t. And it is a good burger, well-balanced, with flavoursome aged beef and a shiny brioche bun. Otherwise, there’s a faint Spanish accent to the plates coming out of the open kitchen, albeit less pronounced than at the Plimsoll’s nearby sibling, Tollingtons. Most of what we ate was just a whisker off excellent: ripe early-summer Vesuvio tomatoes with olive oil are perfectly good as they are – even the snowdrift of grated Tomme de Chèvre goat's cheese over the top is too much. The same goes for the oakheart lettuce; it just needs a lighter touch with the mustard vinaigrette. 

Presentation throughout is winningly simple; decorative details being limited to the vintage floral china. Whole plaice, a scrawny specimen, comes grilled and drenched in 'nduja butter, while lamb rump (juicy and pink) arrives in thick slices with mint and spiced yoghurt. Pudding is the highlight: a slice of strawberry jam tart with custard and cream. Drinks-wise, there is plenty of interest including orange wines, sparklers, apéros, ciders and, of course, Guinness.

In the relatively short time since the Rum Fox opened, its owners have 'immersed themselves in village life' and the place has become a much-appreciated local asset. Nestled in the lovely village of Grindleton in the Ribble Valley, against a backdrop of rolling Lancashire hills, this splendid double-fronted pub has been stylishly renovated and is now in fine fettle. You can eat in the traditional beamed bar area (presided over by the antique, red-coated M Reynard himself) or in a spacious, light-filled open-plan contemporary room with its flagged floors, solid ceramic tables, contemporary stoneware and open kitchen. Service from a band of genuinely lovely staff is confident and enthusiastic.

A good-value set menu culls dishes from the carte, perhaps taking them down a notch or so in terms of refinement – although you never feel short-changed. Our summer menu included a glossy pea, lettuce and mint soup served with one of the kitchen's now-legendary stuffed potato skins, followed by cod loin with salt-and-pepper Jersey Royals and chilli crab sauce (quality fish but over-spiced for our taste). For afters, never mind the weather, it has to be exemplary sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream.

The kitchen's seasonal endeavours have a kind of muscular style and ambition, although it's all very controlled and the chef knows his market – hence popular pies and suet puddings such as chicken and chorizo or ox cheek, onion and mushroom, not forgetting apple and rhubarb crumble to finish. There might also be a riff on venison – perhaps haunch, shoulder and cottage pie with artichoke, wild garlic and rowanberry sauce. Wines and beers do their job admirably.

One local who has been frequenting Andrew Pern’s country inn for more than 50 years now feels like part of the family, making new friends along the way while being ‘treated like royalty’. Pristinely re-thatched and restored, the Star still hides more than seven centuries of history behind its thick stone walls, while its warren of beamed rooms is home to a collection of hand-crafted furniture. The bar is always buzzing with drinkers, while the serious culinary action takes place in the restaurant extension. The ‘rich man, poor man’ starter (pan-fried foie gras paired with grilled black pudding) is rightly renowned as a signature dish, although the carte and tasting menus are stuffed with fulsome, richly flavoured delights – consider pan-roasted halibut with roast hazelnut pease pudding, homemade blood sausage and smoked bone cream. To conclude, carefully matured cheeses and desserts also play with the local theme – Yorkshire strawberry and white chocolate parfait with wild strawberry sorbet and heather-honey syrup, say. Wine pairings have been thoughtfully chosen, and the full list includes ample drinking by the glass.

About three miles outside Clitheroe, Mitton is hewn in two by the river Ribble, with the Three Fishes on the side to the north, properly glorified as Great Mitton. The pub itself can hardly be missed, sitting as it does on a junction in its coat of brilliant white. Nigel Haworth, king of Lancastrian cuisine, has taken the place a little further upmarket from its initial incarnation, but the vibe is ‘neither stuffy nor formal’, according to one local, with helpful and knowledgeable staff ensuring that everything runs without a hitch.

Local suppliers are front and centre on the menu, hardly more so than the pub's own kitchen garden, which you are welcome to explore. Readers' feedback emphasises the attention to detail that lifts a dish such as teriyaki scallops with sublime jalapeño-spiked tartare sauce out of the ordinary; likewise, popping-fresh broad beans add the final flourish to a summer risotto topped with samphire, pea purée and parsley pesto. Loin of venison benefits from slow cooking and a deeply flavoured ragoût, with a wedge of hispi cabbage and mushroom ketchup to carry it, while sea bass is crisp-skinned and delectable, perfectly served by tempura spring onion and dill butter.

To finish, a whimberry pie seemed 'a little cheffy' to one recipient (all feathery delicacy) but damson soufflé was ‘simply outstanding’, packed with deep, ripe flavour and beautifully risen. There's a traditional ‘chippy tea’ on Fridays (6-7pm), and Lancashire-style Sunday roasts are abidingly popular. Drinkers sup real ales in the flagstoned bar, while the wine list offers a decent spread tilted towards the Old World.

A roadside pub where superlative cooking, sharp service and stylish plates of food meet a dose of easy irreverence. The name’s a giveaway, as is the art that fills the walls, starting with a bronze pig’s derrière behind the bar, a new piece that’s part of a smart post-lockdown refurbishment. Have fun here, and eat seriously well too.

Come for the velvetiest of veloutés, perhaps leek and potato with the salty pep of smoked haddock and a garlicky crostino, or the pub’s ever-popular white onion soup accompanied by a savoury bonbon (perhaps ham hock or blue cheese). Snack on crisp arancini filled with gentle Taleggio and ‘nduja that’s fiery with Calabrian chillies. Pasta is made with silky finesse and, this being a broadly ‘Britalian’ kitchen, it’s given good billing: strands of tonnarelli might come with crab and freshening chilli, lime and spring onion; a raviolo could be packed with rabbit and a flavour-balancing gremolata; tubular paccheri could be served with a rich venison ragù.

Steak and chips – this is a pub after all – often gets the Italian treatment, so well-rested sirloin might be ‘tagliata’, served sliced across the grain. The accompanying Parmesan chips are criminally pinchable, the bone-marrow sauce deeply savoury. To finish, vanilla panna cotta fits the Italian bill, but go British with a rhubarb crumble, or choose a magnificent chocolate délice with a sweetness-tempering espresso sorbet. Sunday roasts are delivered with a touch of elegance and sophistication as well as a keen eye for provenance, while Europe leads the way when it comes to the notable wine list. Tapping into the expertise of the well-led front-of-house team yields delicious rewards, with monthly changing 125ml pours, in particular, enabling exploration.

‘A warm welcome, unmatchable vibes, incredible views and outstanding hospitality’ are just some of the attributes of this revamped riverside hostelry, which now sets out its stall as a neighbourhood pub-cum-restaurant, complete with a balcony for gazing over the river. The kitchen is headed by Sam Andrews (ex-Camberwell Arms and Soho's Ducksoup), who has created a concise, Med-accented seasonal menu with daily specials chalked up on a board – market fish with wild oregano and chilli or steak with beef lardons, for example. The cooking is direct, and the kitchen teases out maximum flavour with the minimum of fuss – as in potato fritters with beef ragù and pecorino, mussels with cavolo nero and San Marzano tomatoes or aubergine and scamorza lasagne. Weekday lunches on Thursdays and Fridays are great value, and Sunday brings a choice of roasts in addition to the usual repertoire (perhaps spit-roast piri-piri chicken or porchetta with fennel relish). Service is everything you could wish for, and like everything here, the drinks selection has been put together with care and proper attention to detail.