Shambolic service and a rather hit and miss menu, sour wine by the glass, plus lots of rather rude…read moreand over privileged "locals" holding court. Decent fish and chips.

This seriously 'gastro' and fashionable pub in a tiny Wiltshire village on the Test above…read moreStockbridge has as many Range-Rovers outside as Daphne's and some of the same clientele. Dedicated to the fishing community on the finest chalk stream in the world, there also are plenty of nods to the shooting brigade who also come here in droves in the winter months. Chef Andrew Clark who with Lucy Townsend used to cook at the Hotel du Vin in Winchester, opened at the 'Spade' only four years ago and now produce classic English fare based on local produce while also managing this comfortable sporting inn. My only criticism is that the pub is now almost completely taken over by diners and there is only one small bar area for simply lounging and talking or reading the papers; the rest is tables. That said, it's all done perfectly, down to the wi-fi, picnic hampers and high-class wine list.

WOW!! I hadn't been in here for a few years despite living nearby, but I called in for Sunday lunch…read morea few weeks ago after my dear mum said it had changed hands and things were on the up. I have to say the food was superb, at the time I think i even said it was the best sunday lunch i had ever had, I think I was a little taken a back by the quality of the food on offer. They have successfully managed to retain some of the old charm and proper pub feel, while making the dining a cosy, friendly experience that is all about locally produced food. The lamb had already sold out (turn up early or book on the phone if you don't want to miss out) so the three of us had duck, chicken and beef. Each dish was cooked pretty much to perfection and the home made yorkshire puddings were great. Sunday lunch just how it should be! This pub focusses on local, fresh produce all of which is prepared on site and served in simple, traditional dishes. The menu is short, but in my opinion that is the way it should be, as it means each dish excels. It is always so disheartening to find a pub that has 30 dishes on the menu as you can almost guarantee each one will be mediocre. Not the case with this pub. To top it all off the ales are well kept, the Bowmans "swift one" was a very refreshing pint and anything on tap from Hopback is a safe bet. All in all this pub comes very highly recommended, great food, nice atmosphere, good beers and friendly service, what more could you want?!

This has to be one of the greatest pubs i've ever been to in terms of food…read more If you like big portions and good quality i highly recommend this small pub! Awesome would be a mild word to use!!

Great classic English Pub with a nice food upgrade. Very good beer, thatched roof, neighborhood…read morepub. Nice garden where the locals bring their dogs and have a pint. Tuscan pork and bean stew (outstanding!), chili with chunks of real steak, first class fish and chips. What more could you want!?

Well, where to start . . …read more I found this place by accident when I was doing my articles to qualify professionally in Salisbury, by sheer good luck I took rooms just a few yards away from a pub I had unknowingly driven past a hundred times - it is - it really is - well hidden. Once I found it I practically moved in . . .. This pub is located in the tiny hamlet of Netherhampton - just outside Salisbury in Wiltshire. If you are in the area - eat here! It is a chocolate-box cover thatched pub - all oak beams, real fires and horse brasses. The beers - ever changing - are kept in such fine condition that they have won awards (plural) from CAMRA. Their lagers are - well - lagers (enough said) if you're in this pub drinking lager you've missed the point utterly. However - their ciders (and I'm thinking Black Rat in particular) are first class. If you want a drinking pub you can't go wrong here However . . . their food . . . is . . . sublime. Now don't get me wrong they serve pub food. You won't find some sort of Cordon Bleu stupid pretentious nouvelle cuisine here. But you will find things like sausage and mash with sausages made from local wiltshire pork with REAL mash made from real spuds. The ham and eggs are made with ham from the local farm simmered in Black rat cider for four hours then roasted slowly and served with eggs from the hens next door. Their Jambalaya Gumbo and Cassoulet are beautiful creations scratch made by their chef (and she really is from New Orleans!!). But - and I challenge you: try their chilli. Normally Chilli is a dish that is best avoided at all times - its usually made with left over roast beef from the Sunday roast or it's just minced beef with tomatoes and hot stuff. This is different - this is real chilli, real steak - in chunks, whole tomatoes braised to a vermilion syrupy sauce ignited with fresh scotch bonnet chillis. The other chef, Taylor (the boss's son), has made this his signature dish. Now listen up: I hate chilli - it's usually secondhand, second-class, reheated muck that I wouldn't serve to my dog. I NEVER order it when eating out - with one exception - the V&A. I regularly travel from my home in London down to Netherhampton just for lunch, and if I'm to be honest, I order one of their fabulous pub meals and get them to pack me a serving or three of their chili to take back home. Great beer, great food and great hosts. I know of no finer pub in England (that hasn't stopped me looking you understand . . .) One more thing, dogs - even three-legged ones - are welcomed. Oh yes - forgot to say - you'll find a picture of it among my photos.

Super friendly. When the owners saw we were foreigners, he took special care to bring us a menu…read moreand ask after where we are from. He spent a bit of time chatting. We were even offered free tastes of local beers. Service is amazing. Food is great. Large vegan menu. Superb local atmosphere. Sweet! ! They even offer Spotted Dick on the menu. It's a special today! !

From the owner: We're a small village pub situated right next to the historical, Stonehenge…read more Our staff are extremely friendly and always ensure that the customers are satisfied with their experience.

We called in for lunch. A friendly staff and a pleasant ambiance welcomed us. This is an old…read morevillage pub that offers great food and beer. They also support local community events and activities. Toilets are clean and parking is available. I had the best steak and kidney pudding and all the trimmings while my daughter enjoyed the vegetarian menu, vegan options are also available. The Royal Oak is the essence of what a rural pub needs to be to survive these days. Only a mile or so off the A36 but in a beautiful old village. I heartily recommend, but do book early as this is a place sure to be popular with cyclists, tourists, locals and passing trade.

Don't be put off by its proximity to the A303. This a great pub and once you're past the front door…read moreit feels like a world away. Amazing menu - if I could write a menu packed just with the top pub food I love, this would be it. We only just managed to choose before we were planning a return visit. We both ordered the pie of the day (chicken & bacon) having checked it had a crust base not just a measly topping on a casserole. Staff are friendly and know the dishes. It's a 'slow food' place but we didn't have a long wait for food. PIETASTIC! and excellent value at £12.50 each. If you enjoy good food - do not drive past!!!

Excellent food and drink. Friendly staff. Great atmosphere. Very popular place so book early!read more

Just terrific. Located in an almost 300 year old building, rooms have been lovingly restored with…read moregreat care. Staff was very friendly and helpful. The restaurant was wonderful--clearly the chef takes pride in his work!

This has to be in the top 5 best pubs in the UK!…read more Truly exceptional drink, food and service. I would be going here more often if I lived more local to it. It's a little tricky to get to, narrow country roads, etc, but we'll worth it. If you wanting to eat I would advise booking and this place gets busy from the second it opens. Caters to all, especially families and has a wonderful garden and patio. Tim Gray is the landlord of this gem and is hands-on and welcoming. You will not regret visit this amazing pub.

Wow...what a surprise!! We were on our way to spend a few nights at the Lainston House Hotel in…read morenearby Sparsholt. We were very hungry after a long day in London. It was already very dark and we came to a T in the road and saw the the town name of Crawley and decided to see if we could get some dinner there. As we came up the road we saw some lights ahead and the Fox and Hounds came into view. It was the only place along the road but it looked nice. As we were parking two other cars came in making us feel better. Inside the place was very quaint and the staff friendly. The food was excellent, beers on tap were nice, and the wine list was very good. My daughter had the special chicken and mushroom pie which was chock full of meat and the pastry crust was wonderful. I started with the goat cheese pesto and tomato salad and then my wife and I split the roasted lamb dish which was so very good. All in all this place is a hidden gem!

From the owner: Traditional bar meals cooked and served to a very high standard, pub favourites alongside perfectly…read morekept real ales and a selection of other drinks, extensive wine list sourced with quality and value in mind. Wines you will not see on a supermarket shelf. 4 en suite rooms also available.