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.

Do you like pub food? Do you like Michelin stars? Do you want an amazing meal with little to no…read morepretension? Do you want to go to a pub that's practically in the middle of nowhere? If you answered yes to these four questions, head immediately to The Royal Oak. We had a slight concern when my GPS said we had arrived and it was a completely different pub. Luckily, the right pub was just a bit further up the road. We booked Sunday Lunch, because who doesn't like Sunday Lunch in a pub? If you bring your Ferrari, you can park right in the front as well! The inside is really warm and charming. There are really friendly staff there to welcome you in and let you sit in some comfy chairs and couches and have a drink while you're waiting for your fourth dining companion to arrive. So kudos to that. Our table was in the back in what looked like was an add-on. But one whole wall is full of windows overlooking a beautiful garden, so you don't really feel like you're shoved way in the back corner. The service was a bit slow, but if you're not in a rush, why does it matter? We ordered the baked Vacherin Mont d'or cheese (which in the winter, I will be doing at home instead of baked brie or Camembert) and a couple of Scotch Eggs and Rabbit on toast as pre-nibbles. The eggs and rabbit were nice, but not amazing, but the cheese dip was great. And the bread basket they served was awesome as well. Several types of bread with butter. The olive flatbreads were awesome, and since two diners didn't like olives, two of us got to eat a lot of them. They'll bring as much bread as you ask, but it's super easy to go overboard. For my starter I opted for something different than everyone else and got the game terrine. What a mistake that was. Not that the terrine wasn't delicious. It was, but the rabbit lasagne was like heaven in your mouth. I was super jealous of everyone else. For my main I ordered the hare and trotter pie. The crust wasn't the most amazing, but the filling was probably the best pie filling I've ever had. The hare and trotter were soft and luscious and the gravy was phenomenal. It was really rich so toward the end I had to cut the richness with the delicious mash they served with it. The other half had the woodcock and I tried a few bites of that as well. Awesome. Simply awesome. His only complaint was that it was huge and very rich so it was hard to finish it all, and he didn't want dessert at the end of the meal. For dessert, two of us ordered the chocolate fondant and one the butterscotch pudding. I loved the fondant, but again it was really good sized and incredibly rich. It was a lot after the rich pie. And the filling was almost too oozy. At least it wasn't over done. We also ordered some Madeleines and our coffees and teas came with Petits Fours. The Madeleines were kind of boring for me, they needed more flavor, but the Petits Fours (a raisin cake, coconut marshmallow and a chocolate truffle) were great. The coffee not so much. I hate ordering filter coffee and just getting a long pull espresso. They are not the same. But the bad parts were really minor. The good parts far outshown and some of the dishes we had were some of the best dishes of the weekend. The woodcock was fantastic and I'm still having dreams about my pie. I need to figure out how to make something that good at home. With a better pie crust. It's unfortunate that it's not really conveniently close, because I could see myself ending up here quite a bit. Since I was driving, I couldn't drink either, but given my state the night before, it was probably a good thing. If you're in the area and fancy an amazingly laid back atmosphere with awesome food, book this place!

Wonderful gastro pub tucked away in the Berkshire countryside. Beautiful tasty food (the rabbit…read morelasagna in the starters is to die for!!!), very friendly and professional service, and reasonable prices. Go for a long morning walk along the Tames nearby and then go and enjoy a warm & hearty Sunday lunch.

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!

The food was excellent. We had the fish & chips and the grilled pork chop. Service was quick and…read morefriendly. Parking could be a bit of a challenge at busy times.

Definitely a cut above other pubs in this area. Lovely service and very good food. We ate there…read moreon a Saturday lunchtime and chose from the main menu. The baked camembert was served with a generous amount of toast which in turn was generously buttered with garlic. The fillet steak was perfectly cooked and a great cut, it was served with plenty of good chips. There is plenty of parking at the side of the pub. I look forward to another visit.

This is a great pub, and it is everything I enjoy in a British pub. I ordered the Fish and Chips…read more The cod was simply amazing! The batter was golden, crispy, and light. Inside, the cod fish was moist and flavorful. Perfect all around!

This Pub/Restaurant isn't much to look at, but once you've tasted the food, and the variety it has…read moreon it's menu, you won't be disappointed. This place is run by Polish Women, and the ambience is not for the romantic people wanting to gaze into each others eyes whilst eating etc. My partner and I had 3 courses, 2 drinks each and a coffee liquer for me, and it came to £80.00, so it's not one of the cheapest places to eat. Although saying that, we did eat the most expensive thing on the menu!! Can't fault the place!!

Incredible pub for food. Tucked down a lane you'd never stumble across, the rough road and tight…read morehedges will make you wonder if you've taken a wrong turn. Don't give up! They have brilliant, brilliant food. Definitely a special occasion-type place. We stayed at a nearby B&B (http://www.qype.co.uk/place/234858-Larchdown-Farm-Reading) that recommended we have dinner here. It's a nice old pub with two small rooms and one larger one. There's no room just for drinks, now, as they do a roaring business in lunches and dinners, it seems. It was very dim and romantic on the night I was there (which suited me fine). The menu is extensive. There's lots of choice, and a lot of game, too. The service was top-notch, efficient but quiet. The menu on their website is representative, but not exact. I had a starter of calves' liver with black pudding and tarragon mustard sauce, with a main of rare roe deer fillet. The wine list was good. Desserts were very nice, too, although my only complaint is that the cheese was far too chilled when they served it. Not a big deal, I let it sit a while. Starters in the £8 neighbourhood, and mains around £17-£20. It feels like the sort of place that celebrities hang out in when they're in the country. I'm told Kate Winslet had her wedding reception here: that feels about right. The posters indicate they get live music in from time to time as well.

Superb country pub, a little out of the way down a country lane. Lots of atmosphere and with…read morehelpful and attentive staff. Food absolutely delicious , and a wide choice. Venue not very large and can be quite noisy when full which it often is. So recommend booking.

This place was awesome! We stayed directly across the street at The Dozing Duck (Airbnb) so of…read morecourse made a reservation for dinner here. (No reservation needed on the pub side-we ate in the restaurant) The food is locally sourced, fresh and authentic rustic farm to table. Even my side salad was delicious. I highly recommend!!

Our go to whenever we are in Oxford visiting family. They have a nice outdoor area, not a lot of…read moretables with umbrellas but no worries if it is nice out. If you eat in the bar area you go to the bartender order your drink of choice and meal. Hint...if you only feel like a half portion of fish and chips you can order a half order and for me it's a perfect portion of food. They do have a bar menu too if you don't want fish and chips. But really who goes to a pub in England and not order fish and chips. This is the place to do so. They do have a restaurant but I believe you need a reservation for that. Worth every bit for a nice meal out and I believe that the menu is a bit different.

Wonderful experience top to bottom. My wife and began with a few pints from the pub since we…read morearrived early. We strolled the garden visited outside. Once seated we began with a hot n delicious tomato and basil soup, also the fresh spring greens mix with blue cheese and pear. Our mains included a perfect tasty ribeye with the most flavorful portobello mushroom and garden tomatoes; also had the tender tuna steak with fancy sides (including a grilled asparagus). Finally for dessert we split an incredible coconut and pineapple rum infused cream brûlée. Pleasant and helpful staff, with a warm and modern design. Overall experience was peaceful, delicious, and filling! We highly recommend. We hope to return and try the roasted duck, lamb, or chicken creations.

A wonderful family run, house restaurant, set in the idylic watership down area. Enjoy a pre-dinner…read moredrink on the outdoor decking absorbing the magnificent view of Beacon Hill. Surperb food from a set menu available at reasonable prices, I've never been disappointed. Enjoy a drink with the hosts after your meal. The Dew Pond also runs a range of wine & food evenings. Highly recommended if you're in the area.

Wonderful small restaurant in the depths of the English countryside. Every single thing that our…read moreparty of three had was delicious and excellent. Good selection of very English dishes (venison, lamb and so on). The wine list was reasonably priced and comprehensive also.