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- Jul 9 2021
- By The Cocktail Society
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The Best 35 Cotswold Pubs
The Cotswolds is not only a stunning part of the UK but it also is equipped with some of the best pubs on this fair island. The area is known for its chocolate-box villages, gently rolling hills and a food and drink scene that delivers to every taste.
The great British pub has been sorely missed over the last 18 months so we have put a guide of our favourite Cotswold pubs in the area.
Cotswold Pubs Gloucestershire
The Bell
The Bell opened not so long ago in the village of Langford near Burford (both deliciously Cotswoldian as you would expect) and has been an instant hit. Lauded by food critics (Giles Coren loves it there) and the media alike, The Bell has an irresistible rustic charm that you can only truly find in Cotswold pubs.
The food is beautifully simple and cooked to perfection by chef Tom Noest and includes dishes such as lamb neck, tomatoes and samphire, burgers, wood-fired pizza and their world-renowned bone marrow flatbread.
It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of some other supposed gastro pubs but it is one of the best pubs you will find anywhere in the area and the food is a real treat. It has a beer garden and rooms also.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: Yes
Discover The Bell Inn
The Mount Inn
High St, Stanton, Broadway WR12 7NE
Situated in Stanton – what some say is the most beautiful of all the Cotswold Villages – is The Mount Inn. Befitting of its name, the pub sits at the top of the village high street in an elevated spot that affords it stunning views across the landscape.
The Mount Inn is a proper, traditional pub that offers a great range of cask ales (from the local Donnington Brewery), roaring log fires, cosy seating areas and great pub grub.
Rooms: No
Food: Yes
Cocktails No!
Discover The Mount Inn
The Frogmill
Shipton Oliffe, Cheltenham GL54 4HT
Another hybrid pub-hotel-restaurant and a darn fine one it is too. After a major refurbishment (to the tune of £3.5m) what we have been given is a stunning venue that will suit practically every hospitality occasion you might have. Located in a tiny village near to Cheltenham, The Frogmill is a classic Cotswold pub (hotel/restaurant) that boasts tasty food, a great selection of drinks and a stunning garden.
What we would say about The Frogmill is it is huge and this can be slightly overbearing, particularly on a busy weekend. This is no bad thing, but it does offer something different to a smaller village pub. They have a large number of comfortable rooms for the weary traveller too so as we said, there’s something for everyone.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: Yes
Discover The Frogmill
The Horse and Groom
Bourton-on-the-Hill, Moreton-in-Marsh, GL56 9AQ
The Horse and Groom is a Cotswold pub nestled at the top of Bourton on The Hill with views for miles across the Cotswold countryside. The pub has been well known for years for offering consistently great gastro food.
As well as being able to tuck into exceptional award-winning food, there is a bar stocked with a great drinks selection with a particularly good line in real ale. The interior is traditional and cosy, a particularly nice spot on a cold winters day with the fire roaring in the corner.
However, the garden is a lush oasis away from the main road with plenty of seating. Overall, the Horse and Groom offers laid back charm with some excellent food to compliment it.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: No
Discover The Horse and Groom
The Churchill Arms
Paxford, Blockley, Chipping Campden GL55 6XH
Paxford is well off the beaten track…a map to The Churchill Arms will be needed. What you find at your destination is one of our favourite Cotswold pubs, a golden coloured pile in a quaint village that offers award-winning food and superb service. A food-led pub at heart, The Churchill Arms is lauded for dishes such as Cotswold white chicken, hasselback potato, asparagus & black garlic and Pan-fried fillet of Cod, shellfish sauce, crushed new potatoes. Again as with many Cotswold pubs, we are deep in walking country here with many beautiful strolls on the pub’s doorstep.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: No
Discover The Churchill Arms
The Hollow Bottom
Guiting Power, Cheltenham GL54 5UX
The Hollow Bottom is nestled in the village of Guiting Power deep in the Cotswolds countryside near Cheltenham. Owned by The Lucky Onion Group the pub offers all of their usual quality of food, drinks and ambience. What The Hollow Bottom is particularly well known for though is its affiliation with horse racing and during big meets at Cheltenham the atmosphere here is electric.
If racing is not your thing this is deep in walking country so a brisk hike followed by some top-notch food and drink should satisfy most.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: Yes
Discover The Hollow Bottom
The Wheatsheaf Inn
West Road, Northleach, GL54 3EZ
The Wheatsheaf Inn is a sight to behold, an imposing ivy-clad Cotswold pub that has been stylishly designed inside. As with many of the Cotswold pubs in the area the food and drink are locally sourced and delicious. Dishes such as Wild Pigeon Wellington, Glazed Baby Carrots, Pom Puree, Black Garlic Jus and Aromatic Dry Rubbed Lamb Cutlets, Spiced Lamb Neck Ragu, Potatoes & Saffron Labneh really stand out.
The rooms are super comfy, the garden is an oasis and Northleach itself is a proper Cotswold town.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: Yes
Discover The Wheatsheaf Inn
The Five Alls
The Five Alls is a hugely popular pub with rooms offering great service and delicious food. You do need to book ahead though, particularly. on weekend lunches as the place gets packed. The food includes dishes such as chargrilled country toast with girolles mushrooms and poached duck egg and crab, chilli, garlic and parsley linguine. A fine line in local ales and some
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: Yes
Discover The Five Alls
The Bull
Market Place, Fairford GL7 4AA
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: Yes
Discover The Bull
The Lion Inn
37 North St, Winchcombe, GL54 5PS
The Lion Inn is a 16th-century coaching in that has been given a trendy, shabby chic makeover that is so prevalent in Cotswold pubs. It looks great though and as you’d imagine it serves brasserie-style food and has a well thought out and executed cocktail menu (which we love).
The Lion definitely offers something different to the more traditional Cotswold pubs, which is definitely a good thing as variety is the spice of life. Location wise Winchcombe is in the heart of some great countryside and a stone’s throw from Sudeley Castle and some epic walks on Cleeve Hill where you can see for miles around.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: Yes
Discover The Lion
The Plough
Chapel Ln, Cold Aston, Cheltenham GL54 3BN
The Plough is something of a gem. An approachable and friendly pub with some serious credentials on the cooking side it’s a fantastic place to have a pint or stay for the weekend while exploring the local Cotswolds scenery.
The dining though is where we think The Plough really excels itself with dishes such as Cold Aston Lamb with Rainbow Chard or whole woodfired Plaice.
It has some delightful accommodation also and is a good pick if you are wanting to avoid the slight pretentious undercurrent of some Cotswold pubs in the area.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: Yes
Discover The Plough
The Bell
Sapperton, Cirencester GL7 6LE
The Bell in the sleepy village of Sapperton deep in the Cotswold countryside is a pub that punches way above its weight. Beloved by locals and visitors alike, The Bell is an award-winning Cotswold pub that offers incredible food and drinks in a classic Cotswold venue. The menu offers mouthwatering dishes such as Crab bisque, saffron rouille, parmesan, sippets and Roast tenderloin of pork, black pudding, apple puree, tenderstem of broccoli. The garden is stunning, as is the accommodation and it’s even got a horse park for the local riders to stop by for a drink.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: Yes
Discover The Bell
The Swan
Southrop, Gloucestershire GL7 3NU
Another ivy-clad coaching inn that is as quintessential as it gets, The Swan is a beautiful pub located on the grounds of the picturesque Southrop Manor (where the renowned restaurant/hotel/spa Thyme resides) Food wise The Swan is right up there with some of the best Cotswold pubs you’ll visit with a key focus on provenance and innovation in the cooking.
Rooms: No
Food: Yes
Cocktails: Yes
Discover The Swan
The Snowshill Arms
Steeped in tradition – The Snowshill Arms is an unspoilt pub in the truly picturesque village of Snowshill perch on a hillside overlooking the town of Broadway. This is a Cotswold pub which is a far cry from the modern chic of many of the Cotswold pubs on this list. Many original features remain in the pub (including that very British thing – a skittle ally) and it serves a simple but delicious lunch and supper menu that includes anything from sandwiches through to steak.
Rooms: No
Food: Yes
Cocktails: No
Discover The Snowshill Arms
The Porch Inn
1 Digbeth St, Stow-on-the-Wold, GL54 1BN
Said to be the oldest inn in Britain, its dates back to an incredible 10th Century. Its all oak beams and original features (and to be honest is slightly wonky in an endearing way), The Porch House is a great pub with rooms to explore the local area from. Stow on the Wold itself is full of character and quirky shops and eateries. The pub is a buzzy place with plenty of locals and tourists sharing the bar and good quality pub food being served in the restaurant.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: No
Discover The Porch House
The Potting Shed
The St, Crudwell, Malmesbury SN16 9EW
Lauded for its lovely food and atmosphere, The Potting Shed ticks so many boxes. The food is locally sourced included tasty-sounding dishes such as pan fried lemon sole, lemon and caper butter, French fries, house salad or 16oz Chateaubriand for 2, French Fries with Watercress.
The pub has a wonderful garden for enjoying the summer sun but the pub really comes into its own in the winter months with its super cosy interior and roaring log fires.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: No
Discover The Potting Shed
Cotswold Pubs Oxfordshire
The Wild Rabbit
Church St, Kingham, Chipping Norton OX7 6YA
Part pub, part hotel, part restaurant, The Wild Rabbit in Kingham is owned by the Bamfords (of JCB fame) who also preside over the stunning Daylesford Farm just up the way. The Wild Rabbit manages to wear its many hats with aplomb though and it’s just as comfortable for a quick after-work pint as it is for a special occasion meal.
The food and drinks here though are to be reckoned with, they take both extremely seriously (TWR actually held a Michelin star a few years ago). Most of the produce comes from a matter of miles away in Daylesford and is more sophisticated in its delivery than your typical Cotswold pubs.
And the cocktails, we can’t forget those. The cocktails are sensational, thoughtfully made and delicious. One of our favourites is the Raspberry Sour, a lip-smackingly good blend of fresh raspberries and lemon juice, local vodka, pisco and egg white.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: Yes
Discover The Wild Rabbit
The Falkland Arms
19-21 The Green, Great Tew, Chipping Norton OX7 4DB
Situated in the impossible beautiful village of Great Tew (a stones throw from trendy hangout Soho Farmhouse) sits The Falkland Arms in all its glory. A proper village pub with all the quaintness and quirks you’d expect from a Cotswold pub.
The ivy-clad, 16th-century building is an absolute delight both in the winter or the summer, with a stunning pub garden or a cosy interior with log fires for when the weather takes over.
Expect to find locals ales and local pub food, that’s a step or two above the average (don’t ask for a French Martini though as you may get thrown out) The Falkland Arms is well worth a visit if you want to find an authentic Cotswold pub experience. In fact, the pub has been described as one of the last genuine British pubs and we can see why.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: No
Discover The Falkland Arms
The Maytime Inn
Asthall Manor, Asthall, Burford OX18 4HW
Pub gardens don’t get much better than that of The Maytime Inn in Asthall near Burford. On a summers afternoon overlooking the rolling Cotswold hills we can’t really imagine anywhere we’d rather be. The garden is well manicured and features a gin bar and a boules pitch.
Talking of gins, The Maytime has over 100 on offer making this one of the best-stocked pub bars you’ll find.
It’s not all about gin and their award-winning pub garden here though, the food is top-notch and offers dishes such as Wild Boar burgers and seared tuna with soy and ginger. One of the most idyllic Cotswold pubs you will visit.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: Yes
Discover The Maytime Inn
The Kings Head Inn
The Green, Bledington, OX7 6XQ
Located a stone’s throw from Daylesford is The Kings Head Inn, Bledington. The local residents should count their lucky stars with the abundance of Cotswold pubs on their doorstep and The Kings Head Inn is shoulder to shoulder with the best of them.
As quintessential as you might imagine Cotswold pubs to be, it’s a previous winner of The Good Pub Guide Pub of The Year (no mean feat) and takes food, drinks and accommodation very seriously. Another stunning pub, The Kings Head Inn sits on the village green and offers high-quality gastro pub food and a fantastic array of local bitters and lagers and a well-stocked back bar. A proper pub.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: No
Discover The Kings Head Inn
The Feathered Nest
We don’t have all the superlatives at our fingertips we’d like when talking about The Feathered Nest, It really is a stunning example of how good Cotswold pubs can be.
More restaurant than pub (although don’t be put off, you can head down to grab a pint – all the locals do) the food is sensational and the service matches this very high standard. In terms of the inn itself, the atmosphere is great and that is in no small part to the fantastic staff.
The piece de resistance of The Feathered Nest has to be the views from the garden, you would be hard pushed to find a better one. Drinks while looking down the valley towards Stow on The Wold should be on your bucket list.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: Yes
Discover The Feathered Nest
The Killingworth Castle
Glympton Rd, Wootton, Woodstock OX20 1EJ
An ex Greene King pub saved from oblivion by the current owners, it has been completely renovated and now offers exceptional food and accommodation.
Located in the pretty village of Wooton (just down the road from Woodstock and Blenheim Palace) The Killingworth Castle has it all. It has a number of rooms, the food is rosette standard, well-kept ales and a delightful pub garden. If you are looking for Cotswold pubs to visit, this is the perfect outpost for exploring both Oxford and the rest of the Cotswolds.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: No
Discover The Killingworth Castle
The Boxing Hare
A newcomer to the Cotswold pub scene is the Boxing Hare near Chipping Norton which was recently taken over and renovated. Located on the busy Banbury Road, it’s a great stopping off point en route to a weekend at Soho Farmhouse.
The pub is always very busy and this is largely due to the amazing restaurant-quality food and superb, friendly service. It’s no wonder though as the new proprietors are a team from London who is previously successful restaurateurs in the city.
Rooms: No
Food: Yes
Cocktails: No
Discover The Boxing Hare
The Royal Oak
Recently acquired and renovated, this pub has gone from great to sensational. The decor and atmosphere are stunning and it was described by The Telegraph as “a blueprint for the perfect low key bolthole”.
Situated in the lovely village of Ramsden, although a little off the beaten track, it’s worth a visit or booking one of their seriously comfy rooms for a visit to the area. The food is top drawer gastropub fare with seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, the bar is tiny and well stocked with great locals ales and an extensive wine list.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: No
Discover The Royal Oak
The Chequers
Another epic pub for the Chipping Norton set to get stuck into, The Chequers has created some real magic for a village pub. The atmosphere is fantastic in the venue with a near-constant buzz day or night, from weary walkers to post-shoot drinks, there’s always some chatter at the bar.
Large open fireplaces, a bar area and a dining room mean it’s a really spacious pub, the only drawback is the garden is tiny, but that’s no issue when the pub is such a gem.
Food and drink wise The Chequers know their stuff. The drinks menu both wines and beers is extensive, unusual and well thought out.
You can also get epic cocktails here including the Cherry Shrub and house cocktail The Country Creature.
Rooms: No
Food Yes
Cocktails: Yes
Discover The Chequers
The Tite Inn
Mill End, Chadlington, Chipping Norton OX7 3NY
The Tite in sits in the village of Chadlington between Cotswold strongholds Burford and Chipping Norton. The pub has long been popular and has recently been taken on by the Chadlinton Brewery. As such the beer is from about 50 yards down the road and in terms of the food, the menu looks varied and interesting including dishes such as Burrata, heritage tomatoes, marjoram oil, broad beans, yellow peppers, pickled radish.
A lovely, traditional member of the esteemed Cotswold pubs in the area, The Tite Inn also boasts a fab garden.
Rooms: No
Food: Yes
Cocktails: No
Discover The Tite Inn
The Bull
The Bull was given a new lease of life a few years ago and was a welcome addition to the other Cotswold pubs in the town. The Bull has a stylish country chic interior and a buzzy bar and restaurant. The attractive garden also has plenty of seating available. Food and drinks are to a high standard but it’s the atmosphere at The Bull which is the real draw.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: Yes
Discover The Bull
The Swan
4 Shipton Rd, Ascott Under Wychwood, OX7 6AY
The Swan offers great Cotswold hospitality in delightful surroundings both the village it’s set in and the venue itself (which has some stunning interior design). As ever with the Country Creatures portfolio (the group that owns the venue) the food and drink are fantastic. With its lovely overnight rooms available it’s the perfect retreat to the Cotswolds.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: Yes
Discover The Swan
The Kingham Plough
A popular food led pub for many years that has recently had a change of ownership. The food is still as good as it ever was. Situated in the village of Kingham (the Wild Rabbit is just down the road) the Kingham Plough is an old coaching in sat in the centre of the village.
Less formal than the Wild Rabbit but no less enjoyable, The Kingham Ploughs delicious food includes dishes such as wood-fired monkfish and chorizo, local steaks and classics such as ploughman’s.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: No
Discover The Kingham Plough
The Swan
The Swan in Swinbrook is in an impossibly beautiful spot just near Burford village. The pub is the Cotswold dream with its golden brick, wisteria clad front, fine real ale and great food. On a summers day, the pub buzzes and the real draw is the beer garden out the front that sits on the banks of the River Windrush. The accommodation is fab too and this really does make an ideal outpost for walking and sightseeing in this stunning patch of the Cotswolds.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: No
Discover The Swan
Cotswold Pubs Warwickshire
The Red Lion
Main Street, Long Compton, Shipston-on-Stour CV36 5JS
The friendliest of all pubs is The Red Lion in the Warwickshire village of Long Compton (a stones throw over the border of Oxfordshire) The pub is over 250 years old but don’t let that fool you, it has a stunning interior and thoroughly modern gastropub fare on the menu including dishes such as Chargrilled lamb chop, crushed peas, roasted butternut squash and twice-baked cheese soufflé, apple, celery and walnut salad.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: Yes
Discover The Red Lion
The Howard Arms
Lower Green, Ilmington, Shipston-on-Stour CV36 4LT
The Howard Arms sits in the northern reaches of the Cotswolds just a stones thor from the historic Stratford Upon Avon. Nestled in the picture-perfect village of Ilmington, the pub is a multi award-winning venue that covers all the bases of great food, drinks and rooms.
The imaginative menu includes dishes such as pan-roasted duck breast, crushed Jersey Royals, peas, braised lettuce, golden beetroot, blackcurrant jus and sun-blushed tomato and feta risotto, parmesan and pea shoots. If you are in need of a touch of Cotswold class, The Howard Arms is a good choice.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: No
Discover The Howard Arms
The Royal Oak
Whatcote, Shipston-on-Stour CV36 5EF
The Royal Oak in the village of Whatcote is the only pub on this list with a Michelin star. So as you would expect the food here is sensational. The Royal Oak offers something different to the other pubs on this list and if you are looking for a special occasion venue for a world-class meal you will be in the right spot.
The menus are based around 3 or 6-course banquets and include dishes such as loin of red stag heritage beetroot and preserved wild cherry. Now while the food is on a different level to most Cotswold pubs the owners have tried to retain the ethos of the great British pub and actively welcome drinkers into the bar.
Rooms: No
Food: Yes
Cocktails: Yes
Discover The Royal Oak
Cotswold Pubs Wiltshire
The Village Pub
The Village Pub, Barnsley GL7 5EF
As civilised as Cotswold pubs can be, The Village Pub is owned by the nearby hotel and spa Barnsley House and it’s as stylish and comfortable as you would expect with an owner like that. The pub is beloved by locals and visitors alike and the accommodation is often fully booked months in advance due to its perfect location for scouting the local Cotswold tourist spots.
Rooms: Yes
Food: Yes
Cocktails: No
Discover The Village Pub
So there we have our rundown of the best Cotswold pubs and there are some great ones. What’s clear is that the Cotswolds has an abundance of incredible pubs, offering incredible food and we are pleased to say incredible cocktails in many of them.
- Jul 9 2021
- By The Cocktail Society
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