The Bull Charlbury

The Public House Group (the Pelican, the Hero, the Hart et al) is fast becoming the last word in pared-back cool contemporary British pubs and this Cotswold outpost is a model of its kind. Owners Phil Winser and James Gummer grew up around these parts and cut their drinking teeth in the Bull (which has stood on the corner of Sheep Street since Henry VIII was taking wives). Together with Olivier van Themsche, they've retained an atmospheric air, with low raftered ceilings, welcoming fires and the flicker of pillar candles throughout the flagstoned bar and dining rooms.

With Sally Abé in post to lead the kitchen, there’s just the right dose of finesse cutting through the line-up of contemporary pub dishes. Start with some warm soda bread to bolster the lightness of ‘mackerel, tomato and lovage’ or mushroom and chestnut soup; otherwise, head straight to a heartier Bull pie or pork chop charred on the grill. On one recent visit, a dish billed simply as ‘farm salad’ proved a flavour-flaunting textural medley of green beans, courgette, fresh peas, and crushed and whole-roasted hazelnuts. Delicious simplicity continues right through to desserts such as pitch-perfect chocolate mousse and apricot frangipane tart.

Wednesdays might bring steak night and the otherwise absent chips to the table, while the beautiful garden plays host to summer BBQs. An enterprising list of cask ales and speciality ciders competes with the adventurous wine selection (fleshed out with a weekly changing list of single bottles).