There can't be many cafes in the home counties that accept filthy cyclists as warmly as The Quince…read moreTree. Though not specific themed around two wheelers, the cafe has a healthy atmosphere which is enjoyed by families and locals alike.

Stonor is a tiny village about three miles north of Henley on Thames in the Chiltern Hills which is…read moredesignated as an area of outstanding natural beauty. If I think of my English childhood, more than fifty years ago, this is how I remember the countryside although I suspect that nostalgia, distance and time have let me see my memories through rose colored glasses! Even so, I remember February almost anywhere in England as horrible and most English food from that time being either mediocre or downright terrible so perhaps i can be objective after all. The Quince Tree is new and it's a pub, restaurant, coffee shop and deli in a village that's so small that there are no street addresses that I could find. My eldest son and his family live about a mile away and this trip was to stay with them etc.etc. Anyway, I had two meals at The Quince Tree, during my visit, one for breakfast in the coffee shop and one for dinner. The former was simply a ham and egg croissant plus a reasonably good cup of coffee. This isn't much to judge a restaurant on but I really couldn't fault it; certainly the coffee could have been better but that's true of everywhere I've been in England. The staff are all young, welcoming and seem to be chosen, in part, for their looks. The buildings are light and airy - I didn't go into the pub, and very nicely finished. This goes for the bathroom too. I arrived about twenty minutes after the deli had closed one evening to buy a loaf of bread and they happily opened up to serve me. This isn't all that common in England. Dinner, or "the last supper", on my final night was really great. There seems to be a trend away from elaborate contrived meals, no matter how good they are, back towards more simple meals, often using less common and cheaper cuts of meat, For instance, I had a braised shin of beef, L. had a grilled filet of brill ( a bit like sole) and J. had a stuffed shoulder of lamb . A week later, I can't remember what we started with except that it was all beautifully done. Simple food and reasonably well priced (although the deli is expensive and quite small). Worth a trip!

This is so far my favourite pub anywhere. The pub's been in the same family for about 400 years, if…read moremy memory serves me correctly. And that shows. The welcome is genuine and they have their feet on the ground. They serve beer made down the road and it's popular with real ale fans. The food is good -basic and inexpensive - Ploughman's and sarnies, for example. Good choice of well made cheeses and pate. I love the double seats in the porch. I have fond memories of taking my father here and sharing a seat here. And it's a lovely place to go for a walk along The Ridgeway before or after. And it's wonderful to see such a beautiful old Berkshire building. Lovely location and a pretty garden. Inside is lovely - nothing added, nothing taken away. This is the real thing. PS The pointer in the map showing here is far from in the right place. Check it out on the map. Aldworth is a pretty little hamlet.

Simply the best pub in the south of England. Tiny, friendly, unspoiled. Excellent beers from the…read moreWest Berkshire Brewery ( try the Maggs Magnificent Mild) and simple food. No 'gastro' here. Large garden. Classic cars meet in the field at the rear every fourth Saturday lunchtime throughout the summer. All welcome.

This pub boasts an absolutely astounding location on a ridge overlooking the Chilterns. Kites and…read moreBuzzards soar overhead and the peace and tranquility is unbroken by traffic or town noise. The beers are beautifully kept and the quality of the food has rightly caused the pub to receive numerous awards. Because of it's fame, it's not a cheap place to eat, but you will be impressed by the quality of the ingredients and the finished produce. It can be reached via a circular walk from Henley - if you're feeling fit (about ten mile loop) - and is reached by a lung bursting ascent up the side of a steep valley. If you're in the Maidensgrove area, then this is a must to visit.

Came here a few weeks ago. This pub is in the middle of nowhere, but on a main road. Don't be…read morefooled by your GPS telling to turn off somewhere to the left coming up the hill. Keep going and you'll come to the pub on the road shortly ahead. The car park is across the road. They open at 630pm for food so don't worry if it looks closed; it won't be for long. This is an old fashioned pub with wooden beams and tables. There is a lovely open fire and the staff and their dog are very friendly and accommodating. There is a lovely cosy warm feel to this place. To the food: tremendous. The Tuscan bean soup was lovely and then the roast chicken with cream, mushrooms and bacon was incredibly tasty. We tried a couple of other dishes for research purposes only, and they were equally good. So pleased to have found an establishment worthy of 5 stars in this area!

Lovely owners, tasty food! Would be lovely to see more vegetarian options. Great countryside pub!read more

A traditional 16th Century thatched inn which also has a complete restaurant that serves delicious…read moremeals. If you want to eat here mostly you need to book in advance, the food is of a very high quality. The menu is changed daily so you can come back again and you will want to. If the weather is good then they have a great garden well away from the road so safe for children.

Came here for Sunday lunch yesterday after seeing that new chef, new management etc installed…read more Very disappointing, mainly for the service, or lack thereof. Took ages for us to get drinks and menus. When the food came, I had the goats cheese balls which were fine but had no seasoning at all. The other half made the same comment about the vegetable soup. Two of us had the beef and yorkshire pudding, which tasted ok but the meat was really tough. The knives we had were blunt. The broccoli was undercooked and the parsnips and carrots way over. Yorkshire puddings unremarkable. Also it came served with mash and roast potatoes, which was a bit strange. The other two had the corn fed chicken which they liked. Puddings: the ice cream came with 6 different toppings, which you served yourself; nice touch. The sticky toffee pudding was demolished. Not a word of thanks or enquiry about the food when we left. Very odd; like they didn't really care, which was certainly the impression you got in general from the service. Will not return.

A fantastic proper country pub,with roaring log fires,rustic freshly made food & real charm…read more The bar menu has snacks like a fishfinger sandwich or boiled egg & soilders, while the main menu will blow you away with locally sourced delicious meals which change regularly. Very pretty little place too, set in a woods with nice gardens. A real find - we have been back time & again!

Just tried calling to book a table for tomorrow (called at 14.15 as website said they close at…read more14.30), phone was answered by a very rude individual who told me they were too busy with lunchtime and to call back later. I asked if they'd be open to answer the phone later and he shouted 'the pub is open all day I'm very busy' and hung up on me! So won't be dining there then. Sorry, but first impressions really matter - if you're too busy to answer the phone (the only way to book) then DON'T or implement a different method of booking tables. Don't recommend it, they were horrible and obviously too busy to be bothered.

What an amazing little pub and restaurant. I found this place purely by chance and what a little…read moregem. Be warned if you want to eat here book in advance we couldn't get any food! The pub was amazing and quirky. It was all of different levels with the restaurant being an extension out the back. The pub had the log fire going with antiques all around - even some quirky games too! The allowed dogs inside the pub and in the beer garden. The garden was lovely not massive but a good sun trap. Warning there isn't much parking either and had to park on the side of the road. Reasonable prices and great atmosphere I will surely be back

The Shepherds Crook is located in Crowell, UK about an hours drive west of Heathrow. It's a nice…read morelittle village for a day drive to stop in and see the church and have a drink and meal at the pub. The fried chicken burger is excellent. They also have an outdoor bbq and special Sunday menu.

We were traveling south on the M40 and asked "Siri" for a recommendation. She listed The Shepherds…read moreCrook , it was 11 miles in the opposite direction and had one 5 stars review. We took a chance . Wow we're glad we did. It is tucked away in Chinnor, along a very narrow country lane that brings you to the High Street and then the pub. It is stunning from outside and the ambiance and decor inside envelopes you in the years gone by country pub of legend. Only locals here , except us. As soon as we arrived, complete strangers greeted us warmly. We stepped through the door and Coco the owners friendly dog came up to us and said "hello". Lots of local English Bitter on tap and the usual lagers. The menu is compact but it all looked good. The nachos as an appetizer were huge and scrumptious. We both had the steak burger. The photo says a lot, but the taste ! It should be called "wow" Burger. Delicious, The fries ? Best we've had in Britain! Like Gin ? There is a huge list to choose from. The owner and the chef are Polish. This influenced the menu - we had the Polish Apple Cake with vanilla ice cream and did not disappoint. The Shepherds Crook is off the beaten track but is a definite "destination pub" . 5 stars all the way.

This place is f'ng awesome. It's the type of pub you could spend your Spring and Summer coming to…read moreeveryday. Or hope for a snowy Winter day to go inside and drink by the fireplace. Either way it's awesome.

We had flown over from Vermont where we run a small award winning inn, and were looking for a place…read moreon a Saturday afternoon to read the papers, drink some beer and soak up everything the US doesn't do with drinking places! I grew up around High Wycombe and used to frequent the Old Crown in Skirmett...sadly now a private house. Despite living in Shepherds Bush at the time...the Old Crown and the wonderful grumpy Peter (the landlord) was my real local. He could abuse one with style...and still serve an excellent pint of Breakspears, and his long suffering wife Liz, was a marvel in the kitchen. So we'd stopped in the overblown Hand & Flowers in Marlow that couldn't or wouldn't serve us a pint at 12.15...come back at 14.45 was their suggestion, and as it was full of BMW driving Buckinghamshire hedge fund types and their loud kids...we voted with our feet and left to find somewhere else. I then remembered reading about how the Stag & Huntsman had been given a make over...and my lord does it work! The place still has individual rooms to drink in, for food our two bowls of roast tomato soup hit the spot and the beer was excellent. I must also commend the staff in particular a young lady (Claire?) who was very competent, organising the staff, taking phone calls and generally keeping the who place toddling along. Her customer care skills in person or on the phone got a 10/10. We sat, supped and relaxed for a couple of hours reading the Saturday papers, and we left wishing that the US could do pubs.....but it can't! Next time we plan to stay once the bedroom door isssue I read about on TripAdvisor have been fixed.

This is where your hedge fund managers living in Henley come to dine at the weekend. Top class…read morefood - great fish and chips, as well as the duck salad. Service is also excellent. And the pub itself is something straight out of a picturesque movie. Definitely have to book in advance at the busy times - and try to get a seat facing the field.