The Hayden, London
The Hayden is a surprisingly peaceful place to rest between dives into London’s trendy Notting Hill. Right around the corner you’ll find antique shops, boutiques and the famous Electric Cinema – it’s the ultimate lounging experience with cashmere blankets and waiting staff bringing you drinks.
The menu consists of freshly prepared classics; such as pan-fried salmon, portobello mushroom burger and ravioli. With food served all day and a great cocktail menu, The Hayden is always ready to be your private bolthole.
Toll House Inn, Lancaster
This majestic building was once the office where fees were taken from traders heading for market. It still serves as a stopover for people browsing Lancaster’s shops, but is now a bright and friendly space where you can enjoy locally sourced food and superb ales under tall stained-glass windows.
Ponder a varied menu; locally potted shrimps, Lancashire hotpot, and steak and ale pudding all appeal. In the bar, sandwiches are packed with the likes of Lancashire cheese and chutney. Well-kept Thwaites cask beers await, and there’s a selection of wines by the glass.
The Bull & Swan at Burghley, Lincolnshire
You might be in town (calling Stamford a city would be stretching it) but this lovely old inn has some real country charm about it. Part of the Burghley estate, it’s beams and burnished wood create a snug, welcoming atmosphere in winter, while in summer, the garden becomes the main attraction, with pizza nights and film screenings held in its lovely courtyard space. On the daily menu, classics like rhubarb crumble and pork belly show off the art of simple and superb cooking, while even a Scotch egg at the bar is a real treat.
The Red Lion at Northmoor, Oxfordshire
Half an hour from Oxford, on the road that runs through Northmoor, The Red Lion grows much of the food that features on its menu in its own kitchen garden. The place is a community-run success story that’s seen the pub become the heart and soul of the village. Shepherd’s in the garden have added the ability for guests to stay. Breakfast will be dropped off at your door and you can wander over to the bar for lunch or dinner, if you aren’t too busy wandering the banks of the Thames or strolling in the grounds of Blenheim Palace.
The One Tun Pub & Rooms, London
Right in the middle of the famous Hatton Garden Jewellery Quarter, the centre of the UK diamond trade, it would be remiss not to describe this place as a hidden gem. It’s smart and stylish as you’d probably expect from a London pub, with a menu that picks up flavours from across Asia and serves them alongside a substantial cocktail list, or a classic English ale, if you think it’ll pair nicely. With the whole city on your doorstep, it won’t matter that you have to get breakfast elsewhere. The staff can point you to a tonne of great places that’ll set you up for a capital adventure.
The Grafton Arms Pub & Rooms
The Grafton squeezes whatever it can out of and into its small space. The little courtyard garden is a lovely spot to hide away from the roar of the city, while the contemporary stylings of the bar are a great place to sip cocktails and gear yourself up to dive right into it. You’re only a short walk from the west end, so dinner and a show is a matter of simply heading downstairs to sample something from the Asian-influenced menu, then strolling down the road in time for opening night.
More inspiration…
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