The Trout at Tadpole Bridge

The Cotswolds has long provided an escape for stressed-out Londoners and, when you arrive at The Trout, you realise why: it’s located in a little patch of rural heaven, next to a humpbacked stone bridge that crosses the Thames. Built out of mellow Cotswold stone, it offers tables in a snug brick & timber bar, in a riverside garden & in a modern dining room painted in shades of cream. The food lives up to the surroundings. A terrine of chicken & foie gras with a dollop of fig chutney was as enjoyable for its texture as its taste. A hearty main course of beef fillet on horseradish mash with a wild mushroom sauce was just as good & the meal concluded with well-judged rosemary-spiked crème brûlée. Service is friendly & helpful, while the wine list mixes classic bottles with more interesting discoveries, all at reasonable prices. And, should you find yourself over-indulging in its delights, the pub offers six prettily decorated bedrooms where you can sleep it all off.