The Woolpack Inn

Hidden away in the Hampshire countryside, this old flint-&-brick inn is a sheer delight. A sibling of Chelsea’s Admiral Codrington, it has been extensively remodelled, with a pared-back, traditional-looking bar (think country furniture & an open fire) contrasting with the more fashionably attired restaurant (brown leather chairs & coordinating stripped banquettes). It’s an accomplished act, with a kitchen driven by local produce & straightforward British cooking: blackboard classics such as bangers & mash with onion gravy in the bar, slow-cooked pork belly served with bubble & squeak, apple sauce & crackling in the restaurant. Desserts don’t stray far from the homely sticky toffee pudding/apple cobbler path. The Woolpack now belongs to the new breed of rural dining inns, with the bonus of boutique-style bedrooms & a big terrace ensuring year-round appeal.