The Phoenix

Following a mini makeover & a tweaked name, this cheerful member of the Geronimo Inns group is enjoying a new lease of life. Bright orange wallpaper & some splashes of blue & red paint might suggest a kids’ nursery – although that doesn’t bother the throngs who drop by to quaff pints of Adnams & bottles of Côtes du Rhône at the boisterous bar. Those seeking sustenance head to the pretty dining room, which serves a populist menu of pies, rib-eye steaks & dishes ranging from char-grilled sea bass with fennel & lime salad to grilled Kilravock pork chop with confit shallots & rosemary gravy. The Phoenix is also home to Geronimo’s chef-training kitchen, & offers midweek ‘guinea pig’ lunches for those who fancy trying out new dishes (£10/13.50 for two/three courses).