The Fox Reformed

Hungry Stokey residents are now spoilt for choice on Church Street, but back in 1981 Robbie & Carol Richards blazed a trail with their quirky establishment on the site of a school once attended by Edgar Allen Poe. The menu mixes old-fashioned posh (cucumber ‘spaghetti’ with smoked salmon, capers & crème fraîche) with bistro favourites such as snails in butter, moules frites & steak, adding the odd surprise (roasted poussin with garlic & ginger). The fireplace, grandfather clock, bookcase & brass umbrella stand give the place the feel of someone’s slightly shabby but cosy front room. There’s work by local artists for sale on the claret-coloured walls. The Fox calls itself a wine bar, & takes vinous matters seriously (in a friendly way) with a regular wine-tasting club. Backgammon lovers are catered for too, with a weekly tournament.