A grand total of 13 Gloucestershire pubs serving exceptional food have been selected to be featured in the brand new Michelin Guide to Eating Out in Pubs 2013.
This year’s guide recommends more than 550 pubs in the UK, including 81 new national entries, and while the Michelin Pub of the Year 2013 was awarded to The Gunton Arms in Thorpe Market, Gloucestershire establishments are well represented in this latest edition of the popular guide.
SoGlos takes a look into what’s on offer at the recommended Gloucestershire pubs, with a selection of sample dishes to build the appetite and give diners a taste of things to come before making a visit.
The Michelin Guide to Eating Out in Pubs 2012, published on Friday 2 November 2012, is available from amazon.co.uk.
The Village Pub takes pride of place in the postcard-pretty Cotswolds village of Barnsley. Despite being a traditional country pub, the food served is a high standard modern British fare, complimented by local real ales and an extensive wine list.
Sample dishes include: Quail scotch eggs; aged chargrilled rib eye steak with béarnaise sauce and hand cut chips; and Butts Farm beef in ale pie.
For more information see The Village Pub.
The Horse and Groom in Bourton-on-the-Hill is a lively pub housed in a listed Georgian building, enjoying fantastic views over the surrounding countryside from its hilltop setting. The pub has established an excellent reputation for innovative European dishes from a daily changing blackboard menu.
Sample dishes include: creamed parsnip soup with curry oil; grilled Cornish plaice with Café de Paris butter; as well as apple and blackberry flapjack crumble.
For more information see The Horse and Groom.
The Gumstool Inn in Tetbury is Calcot Manor hotel’s traditional gastropub, which serves modern European dishes in hearty portions and with an imaginative flair. The Gumstool Inn is a popular destination with food-lovers as much as real ale connoisseurs, with places near the log fire at a premium on cold evenings.
Sample dishes include: corned beef, celeriac, mustard and beef tea Jelly; roasted and braised pork belly, Coco de Paimpol beans, chorizo and black cabbage; and Gloucestershire cheese for afters.
For more information see The Gumstool Inn.
Built in the 14th century, the Eight Bells Inn offers visitors a beautiful beamed bar serving traditional ales and ciders on tap, candlelit all year round. Diners can tuck into a selection of international dishes in The Eight Bells’ dining room and main bar.
Sample dishes include: spicy lamb koftas with minted cous cous and crème fraiche; seared lamb’s liver and bubble and squeak with a red wine and shallot jus; and apple and cinnamon sponge pudding with custard.
For more information see Eight Bells Inn.
Drawing visitors from near and far, The Green Dragon Inn is a popular 17th century inn complete with log fires and real ales, renowned for serving remarkably good pub grub. Hunt out the quirky wooden mice hidden around the pub.
Sample dishes include: chicken caesar salad with anchovies, croutons and parmesan shavings; Cotswold game and root vegetable casserole with a herb dumpling; and a changing blackboard selection of desserts.
For more information see The Green Dragon.
The Ebrington Arms is an unspoilt 17th century inn offering real ales, good food and a traditional English country pub atmosphere.
Sample dishes include: souffle of Roquefort cheese with pickled walnut and balsamic tomatoes; roasted loin of cod with prawn gnocchi, and spinach and bacon foam; and chocolate mousse with a chocolate filo crisp and coffee syrup for dessert.
For more information see The Ebrington Arms.
The Fox Inn in Lower Oddington, near Stow-on-the-Wold, is well-known for its excellent quality food, with a modern selection of daily specials as well as classic favourites on the well-priced menu.
Sample dishes include: baked crab gratin with French bread; individually baked steak and kidney pie; and iced mango parfait with fruit coulis.
For more information see The Fox Inn.
A jewel in the Cotswold town of Northleach’s crown, The Wheatsheaf Inn has become a popular haunt for foodies since opening in 2008, thanks to its modern approach to quality British pub grub and cosmopolitan selection.
Sample dishes include: Portland pearl oysters; pan-fried hake with braised potatoes, radicchio, bacon and olives; followed by blueberry and almond tart.
For more information see The Wheatsheaf Inn.
Situated in Paxford, near Chipping Campden, The Churchill Arms’ is a popular destination for Gloucestershire gastronomes and walkers alike – thanks to its position at the start of the Diamond Way and its frequently updated blackboard specials.
Sample dishes include: Pan-fried guinea fowl with butternut squash risotto; saddle of lamb with morels and Madeira sauce; and sticky toffee pudding for dessert.
For more information see The Churchill Arms.
The Bell in the Cotswold village of Sapperton is a stylish and contemporary pub whose owners have placed an obvious emphasis on food. Both the quality and value for money menu make the drive to Sapperton well worth it.
Sample dishes include: Herb- and hazelnut-rolled rabbit and ham hock terrine, with parsnip and date chutney; breast of Madgetts Farm duck, with confit leg, smoked bacon and puy lentils; as well as a daily selection of homemade puddings.
For more information see The Bell at Sapperton.
The pretty ivy-covered Swan in Southrop has certainly earned its entry into the annual Michelin Guide to Eating Out in Pubs – with an enviable reputation that spans far beyond the county borders for its excellent-quality European cuisine.
Sample dishes include: carpaccio of line caught tuna with an avocado, lime, coriander and ginger dressing; braised ox cheek in chianti with chestnuts, bacon, truffled mash and bone marrow crostini; and Victoria plum and frangipane tart with crème fraiche for dessert.
For more information see The Swan at Southrop.
The Trouble House in Tetbury’s unpretentious menu of modern food are the main draw, but the inn’s exposed beams and log fires don’t hinder the popularity either, giving a warm atmosphere and satisfied appetites aplenty.
Sample dishes include: Beetroot risotto with Berkswell Sheep cheese and truffle oil; 18-hour pot roasted pork shoulder with cabbage, carrots and potato tartiflette; and warm treacle tart with creme fraiche sorbet.
For more information see The Trouble House.
As well as an excellent selection of seasonal British food, The Seagrave Arms in Weston Subedge, near Chipping Campden, pulls in real ale enthusiasts thanks to its supply from local breweries, not to mention its choice of local ciders and Gloucestershire wine.
Sample dishes include: Partridge and polenta terrine with confit garlic; seared loin of venison with creamed cauliflower, pancetta and pine nut pesto; followed by a vanilla souffle pancake with poached red fruits.
For more information see The Seagrave Arms.
By Michelle Fyrne
© SoGlos
Sunday 31 March 2013
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