The Woolpack Inn at Totford is a destination restaurant with all the character of a proper Hampshire country pub. Set in the Candover Valley, this four-star inn brings together proper hospitality, comfortable surroundings and an AA Rosette menu built around the best produce available locally. It's the perfect place to visit after a long country walk or even to book an overnight stay in one of their critically-acclaimed bedrooms.
Food follows the seasons closely, with ingredients drawn from the inn’s own market garden and trusted suppliers within a 50-mile radius. Chalk Stream trout, Clarkes dairy produce, Moonroast coffee and Luso Leaf are among the names regularly featured, while the menu caters for both lighter plates and generous pub favourites. The approach is simple but well-loved, allowing good ingredients to do the talking.
Starters might include a chilled market garden soup with cucumber and Hoxton sourdough, or Isle of Wight tomatoes paired with whipped ewe’s curd and black garlic. Crispy Dexter beef offers something richer, finished with parsley and pickled shallot, with seasonal additions such as summer black truffle available when the kitchen has it.
Mains look like The Woolpack Burger which comes with streaky bacon, Monterey Jack, pickles and seasoned fries, while Orchard Thieves-battered haddock is served with chunky chips, crushed peas and tartare sauce. Hand-rolled pappardelle with Amalfi lemon and pecorino provides a tasty vegetarian option, and Cornish cod is treated more delicately with courgette, leek, confit potato and apple. As for desserts, think Yuzu parfait with Candover honeycomb and almond, while dark chocolate crémeux is paired with olive oil and cocoa nib. The Woolpack’s take on an espresso martini uses Moonroast espresso and the chef’s own tonka bean liqueur.
Watch out for Sundays when The Woolpack Inn's signature sharing roasts are all anyone can talk about. Particularly, the 'feast' option which brings together beef, pork and chicken, serving two people. Although, the confit pork belly served with seasonal veg, cauliflower cheese, Yorkshire puddings and roast potatoes sounds pretty fabulous, too.