Stables Bar at The Milestone Hotel

Tucked away behind The Milestone Hotel, The Stables Bar is decorated with Stubbs-like paintings, jockey silks and a mural of horse racing, which all point to the original use of this building. Today, green leather, rich polished wood panelling and deep carpeting have long replaced the hay and straw – and the barman’s ability to mix seriously good cocktails would have him up in front of the stewards. Try Milestone Old Fashioned (as delicious as it is theatrical), but if that doesn’t have you champing at the bit, you’ll find wines, beers and spirits aplenty as alternatives. To eat, there’s a range of wholesome sandwiches, salads and the likes of burgers and steaming bowls of pasta. Round off your meal with a comforting pud (cheesecake or rice pudding, for instance) to match the comforting surroundings.

The Milestone’s sultry, sophisticated Stables Bar is the perfect place to relax with a drink, named as an homage to the building’s original purpose as a stable. Recently renovated, it sports a smart colour palette of dark timber wood panelling, dark green leather banquettes and tartan-clad soft furnishings.

The Stables Bar is the main bar within the hotel, making this ideal for easy going catch-ups as well as celebrations. High ceilings and a glass roof mean that the bar is bright and airy during the day, before moody candlelight changes the evening vibe. The bar is also a suitable dinner space - The Milestone’s executive chef Daniel Putz provides a slick, elegant bar menu that features a variety of snacks as well as larger lunch and dinner options. The menu takes inspiration from far and wide, including dishes like fried sesame chicken with sesame and coriander mayonnaise, tuna tartare with lime and wasabi ponzu, harissa spiced monkfish, and a Wagyu and brisket smash burger. There’s also a small caviar menu provided by Exmoor Caviar, served with crispy potato rostis or blinis.

Just as sophisticated is the cocktail menu, which includes a wide range of seasonal signature mixes. Many of these venture towards the more adventurous, for example, ‘The Rooster’, which uses tequila infused with Doritos Chilli Heatwave crisps, as well as lime, Aperol and ‘pizza cordial’. Or, try the ‘PBJ Fizz’ made with rum, peanut butter and raspberry lemonade.

The drinks menu also includes old favourites, classic cocktails, and an extensive collection of wines and spirits. Hot drinks are also on offer from the Stables Bar during the day.