Great Waltham, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

“A real find in mid-Essex”, this dining pub showcases “beautifully presented” cooking that’s “bursting with flavour” from Tom Clarke, who trained under Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir and was head chef at L’Ortolan in Reading. He took charge two years ago with his business partner Nancy Witte, also ex-L’Ortolan, who mixes “delicious cocktails” and oversees the front of house in style.

Ignore the “standard pub-grub menu” at this cute 17th-century village hostelry on the Essex Way long-distance footpath, and “choose from the specials board every time” – it’s “packed with great dishes using locally sourced ingredients”.