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‘A gorgeous place’ with a magical garden (used for drinks in fine weather), Ruth Leigh and Oliver Brown’s charmingly updated 17th-century farmhouse is popular for its delightful rural location, upper-crust rusticity and laid-back vibe. The unfussy, unpretentious dining room is separate from the main house, found across the lawn in a converted conservatory. Here, ‘Ollie’ Brown’s kitchen team and new exec chef Josh Hughes (formerly at the Hide & Fox) deliver a gently updated version of Italian-accented cooking with strong seasonal nuances. In winter, that might mean ‘primi’ such as shaved raw ceps with Parmesan or cappelletti with prosciutto and ricotta, ahead of baked monkfish with gnocchi or grilled venison loin partnered by juniper, quince and cavolo nero; otherwise, share a fillet of beef with ceps and bone marrow from the wood oven. To finish, how about a ‘parfait Napolitano’? Sunday roasts have that special home-cooked flavour, thanks to 'first-class meats’, an abundance of garden vegetables and big jugs of gravy for sharing. The wine list reflects the ethos of the cooking, with a strong (but not exclusive) emphasis on Italy.