Cotswold pubs and restaurants
 

i have looked on this board and i have not found any new ?'s and answers about places to eat in the Cotswolds. We stay in Gloucestershire and would love some up to date advice!! we travel by car far and wide each day- or take a ramblers' walk-- thank you

I would not even begin to collect data on pubs and restaurants, all that does is make you chase adresses while you should be enjoying a stroll down the narrow streets in those towns (you want to park as soon as you get close, they were built for one-way traffic with carts and horses...)

As you stroll, you look at shop fronts and menus and you leave discoveries to chance - much nicer than chasing a name and address that someone else whom you don't know from Adam liked on a different day, but that you may not like on that day for whatever reason.

When you rent a car, make it the smallest you can find that accommodates you, you'll be glad - every inch in width is a bother in towns and also on country roads with the stonewalls and hedges not giving an inch on either side...

WK

I'm more in agreement on this with Mr Kringen than I usually am on most things.

The good news is that it's pretty difficult to get bad food in the area these days.

The bad news is that there are still no outstanding eateries between the Manoir aux Quatre Saisons and Ludlow (ie, none in the Cotswolds). And probably never will: property's too expensive, and good staff move around to easily. Quality changes all the time, and places that get Michelin stars almost inevitably fall out the following year.

So recommendations based on last year's performance can rarely be trusted.

In overton's shoes, I'd buy a copy of the CAMRA good pub guide. There really are an awful lot of good pubs. Even though turning them into gastropubs kills their soul, the conversion almost always ensures cleanliness, at least OK food, and a decent range of well-kept wines and real beer. And the frequent landlord changes they go through rarely makes them really lousy - though your chances of hitting one when it's going through some changeover hiccups are quite high.

I'd organise my walking to take in these pubs. I'd have no high hopes of finding outstanding restaurants in the towns*, but I'd have few reservations about eating anywhere that looks reasonable. But I really wouldn't go out of my way for an eatery in the area.

Where do I eat? At home, at friends', in London restaurants or at whatever Cotswold pub is on my walking path - preferably (but not necessarily) one that's in the CAMRA guide as well.

*Michelin currently gives one star to the Trouble House just outside Tetbury and 5 North St in Winchcome (and nowhere else in Gloucestershire or West Oxfordshire). If you want to sample 5 North St, make sure you also walk to Hailes Abbey and see the medieval wall paintings at the (separate) Hailes Church. Coming back the lazy way (over the hill rather than round it) will ensure you walk off whatever 5 North St puts on. If it's wet, a stick helps a great deal on the downhill. And yes, those sheep with the very long necks in the field you go through on the way down really ARE llamas.

WallyKringen is correct that when wandering through a town you can check menus and discovery someplace.

However, with a car you are free to venture out to the countryside. There you do need a guide (Good Beer Guide or Good Pub Guide are our two favorites). Too many of the best places to eat or drink, are hidden down farm lanes or in forgotten villages where you wouldn't normally spend an afternoon. And you can plan your walks better as CotswoldScouser suggests.

Hi - You must eat at the Catherines wheel in Bibury. it's quaint with low beams and will give u a feel of a great country pub. Please walk in Bibary. There's a great walk around the back of the houses in Arlington row. My husbands american and loved it here. Food is great also. let me know if you have anymore questions on this area. would love to help.

We had a lovely dinner at Caminetto's Italian Rest. on the High Street in Chipping Campden. We stayed at the Red Lion Inn but didn't particularly like the lunch we had there. Breakfast, however, was excellent.

i have written everything down from y'all. thank you so much for the help. we have eaten lunch at the Trouble House and it was terrific. The pub at Fossebridge changed hands last year and i think it will be good once again-i shall get the books y'all mentioned - thanks-

There are plenty of very pleasant pubs serving very good food around the mid-Cotswolds.

For example, the White Horse at Frampton Mansell on the A419 between Stroud and Cirencester. Tipputs Inn on the A46 above Nailsworth on the Bath road. Egypt Mill in Nailsworth. The pub at Calcot Manor, just off the A46, can't remember it's name right now. The Butchers Arms at Oakridge, the Lamb at Eastcombe, the Ram in Bussage, the Bear at Bisley, the Black Horse in Amberley, the Rose and Crown in Nympsfield (there is a really good walk around Uley along the top of the Cotswold escarpment that incorporates this pub).... the list goes on and on.

If you like rambling, try to get hold of a book on Cotswold walks. I just went to amazon.co.uk and typed in cotswold walks and there are quite a few books on the subject. I'll leave it up to you to search and find the most suitable option for you.

i loved your list- thank you so much-- i have not heard of a few of those-- so-- it will be fun trying them-- The Bell at Sapperton has gotten quite spiffy lately and lost some of the pub feel-- but, food is still great-- it does seem as tho-- "bangers and mash" are a thing of the old pub days--

I have to 2nd Bettyk-Caminettos is WONDERFUL. We had an amazing dinner, wine, great atmosphere. Highly recommend.

far too many cotswold restaurants, pubs, hotels and b&bs are owned by people who have lost interest in the business. they leave the work to young poles who would much rather be working in london where the clubs are. this is the problem.

"they leave the work to young poles who would much rather be working in london where the clubs are. this is the problem."

Not quite. They leave the work to Poles who seem perfectly happy to work their asses off - and, in my experience, are delighted they're not being tempted to squander their savings in London clubs. And are, if anything, more charming than the Aussie and Saffer WHVers they're replacing.

There's a minor problem that these Poles all disappear occasionally: bizarrely, their weekly social highpoint seems to be the 11am Polish mass in Oxford (the pavement outside the Dominican monastery is now chocker with 25 yo Poles every Sunday lunchtime)

More importantly, these rather flaky business owners can't delegate actually managing the business. Without the Poles (and the Liths and Lats) for the grunt stuff, the pubs would simply disappear. With them, they teeter on, barely adequately, till the owners can sell the property.

And don't forget the large conglomerates that have purchased pubs, breweries, and distilleries. The fact that so many of these establishments are actually owned by corporations who have no interest in them except as profit centers doesn't help. Far too many establishments, especially breweries and distilleries, are now defunct because of this practice.

It's been some time, but we loved The Bell in Charlbury, Oxfordshire, both the hotel and restaurant, excellent.

The Sherborne Arms at Aldsworth is another great pub/eatery. I'm jealous so have a fab time and emjoy. Please be sure to have fish n chips out of the paper at least once on this trip.

"excellent" is practically the last word I'd use for the food at the Bell, Charlbury, which is an absolutely classic example of why recommendations based on experience months or years ago is a terrible guide to how places are today.

It's OK as a pub, though - and may well be an OK hotel.

"OK" is actually pretty mealy-mouthed.

On a cold night, when the log fire's raging and there's a decent jazz group in the back room, The Bell can be a bloody good pub. It keeps its beer well. Its definition of a large glass of wine is about the same as many health professionals' definition of a sensible month's consumption. And its bar snacks can be fine.

But I wouldn't cross the street to use its restaurant.

Cream teas- the best scones I've tasted at Hicks (next to The Cotswold House Hotel in Chipping Camden). Do you put the jam on before the cream or vice versa??

We enjoyed the dinners we had at Wesley House, High Street , Winchcombe..even better than Lords of the Manor, where we were staying.

Jody--We are considering staying at Lords of the Manor in October. Is it worth it? We liked Washbourne Court in LS last year--especially their restaurant--but looking for something different. I have read some negative reviews of LOTM and wonder about this. It looks beautiful.