Berkshire, British, Traditional Restaurant Guide

Reopened in June 2024 (after our diners’ poll had concluded), this well-known inn (Kate Middleton’s favourite back in the day) has been relaunched under new management and after a £750,000 refit with seven rooms for accommodation. Gone are the days of its traditional British menu: Nick Galer and his team now present Basque-influenced dishes, including tapas and cured meats, and the interior has been significantly changed, incorporating a charcoal-fired grill at the centre of a big open kitchen. There’s still a separate bar and big outside area; and they still run their popular weekly pizza nights (now on Sundays) when they fire up the big oven in the garden.

“An ex-pub that’s turned itself into a wonderful restaurant with very interesting menu and excellent-value lunch” – well-known chef Dom Chapman took over this destination just outside Maidenhead in late 2022 and all reports attest to its “delicious food, attentive service and delightful setting”.