Turville Restaurant Guide

2023 Review: “Foraged food prepared over a fire: unbeatable?” – Nick Mash’s higgledy-piggledy village inn is “an absolute treasure of a place”, with “really interesting, special cooking” on a purpose-built wood-fired grill that helps achieve outstanding results. It’s “well worth the trip” to the Chilterns, “(and the beautiful rooms mean it’s worth the stay, too)”. We’ve rated it in the hope that it can maintain the high standards set by former chef Jon Parry, who departed in mid-2022 after five years at the helm.

“What a gem of a gastropub” – “creativity and good value” (“the set lunch menu is a tremendous bargain”) are the hallmarks of the cooking from chef Ben Watson, who returned to his home district in 2022 after working for some of London’s top chefs (Gordon Ramsay, Jason Atherton, Clare Smyth) to take over this well-established foodie venue just outside Henley. His wife Priya (ex-Gymkhana) runs the front of house, and the occasional South Asian twist on the modern British menu reflects her heritage.

“The lamb to share was beautifully cooked and the bar, beer and surroundings are great!” – this smart pub with nine guest rooms near Henley-on-Thames was relaunched by Sika Inns in December 2023 and is already winning plaudits. Run by a former Harwood Arms duo, its menu features game from the estate, prepared in a kitchen headed by ex-Claude Bosi exec chef Dom Robinson. In summer the “lovely garden” comes into its own.