The Bull, Oxfordshire
Is there a prettier pub in the whole of England than The Bull at Charlbury? If there is, we’d like to see it. Instead of the standard ruddy-cheeked Cotswolds charm (with its vague whiff of Cath Kidston and Samantha Cameron), the pub has gone for a kind of Scandi minimal aesthetic, all bare plaster and coolly contemporary beds. The food served in its understatedly gorgeous dining room is similarly on the money in a very modern way: dishes include pollock with lentils, and pork chop with apple.
Sheep Street, Charlbury, OX7 3RR; thebullcharlbury.com
The Griffin Inn, East Sussex
At the Griffin Inn in the charming village of Fletching, the rooms strike exactly the right balance between country charm and contemporary cool. The food is up a notch or two from your standard pub fare, with crab and lobster bisque, and whole plaice with caper butter for dinner, and croissant croque madames at breakfast. But the thing that really sets the Griffin apart is its hall-of-fame pub garden. Settle yourself in one of its deck chairs, pull up a little wooden table for your pint of Young’s and enjoy the glorious views over the nearby Ouse Valley.
Fletching, Uckfield, TN22 3SS; thegriffininn.co.uk
The Castle Inn, Wiltshire
Given that it sits perfectly placed in the market square of Castle Combe, the almost too-pretty-for-its-own-good village on the Bybook River, you might have forgiven The Castle Inn for resting on its laurels and phoning it in a bit. Nothing could be further from the truth, however. Head chef Jamie Barnett’s food is pub grub elevated to the nth degree: the burgers come with Swiss cheese, house pickles, onion jam and beef dripping chips, and the menu is packed with innovative dishes, from smoked haddock scotch eggs to Isle of Wight gazpacho. And the 12 rooms are lovely homely spaces, with four-poster beds in the bigger ones.
West Street, Castle Combe, Chippenham SN14 7HN; exclusive.co.uk/the-castle-inn
The Harcourt Arms, Oxfordshire
Brothers Olly and Will Oakley have turned this handsome 17th-century pub into a weekend-worthy food destination. The kitchen turns out epic mains cooked on its Josper charcoal grill: whole market fish with brown butter, and porterhouse steaks. And the bar snacks are next level – think homemade scratchings and friggitelli peppers with a smoked garlic dip. The 10 rooms range from simple but charming doubles up to the Blenheim Suite, with its vaulted ceiling and four-poster bed. Stanton Harcourt isn’t as Cotswoldy as other parts of Oxfordshire, but it’s less busy as a result and makes for a great base: there’s carp fishing two miles down the road and you can walk to the Thames from the pub.
Main Road, Stanton Harcourt, Witney OX29 5RJ; theharcourtarms.com
Three Daggers, Wiltshire
With its produce-stuffed farm shop, outdoor pizza shed, on-site brewery, and wellness barn, The Three Daggers is a kind of one-stop-shop, all-in-Wiltshire weekender in striking distance of the big city: nearby Westbury station is a little over an hour from Paddington. In addition to the super-slick cottages, there are three charming rooms at the 18th-century pub and the food is worth the visit alone. Head chef Toby Sharpe turns out all manner of wonders, from Gochujang crispy squid to glazed pork belly with pig cheek croquettes. Wash it all down with a pint of Dagger Edge, brewed just a few yards from your table.
47 Westbury Road, Edington, Westbury BA13 4PG; threedaggers.co.uk
The Dog at Wingham, Kent
Wingham is a lovely Kentish village perfectly situated for exploring Kent. It’s a few miles outside charming Canterbury and delightful old Deal is just 20 minutes down the road. The pub has eight pleasant rooms, but the real draw is the food. Chef Robert Mantegna turns out super-high-end plates, such as slow roasted pork belly with Cumberland pithivier, and spiced tempura soft shell crab. It does a brilliant two-night offer that includes a three-course dinner on both nights.
Canterbury Road, Wingham CT3 1BB; thedog.co.uk
David Annand is editorial director of Secret Trips
