Dating back as far as the 1600s, the beautiful stone-built Fox and Hounds, set in the pretty village of Charwelton, has undergone quite a transformation in recent years, having been purchased as a community asset and renovated to a really high standard, it’s now both a welcoming village pub and a superb restaurant serving exceptionally crafted classics and innovative dishes that you won’t find elsewhere nearby. Think hake fillet with herb fregola, mussels and lobster bisque; ricotta gnudi, caponata, parmesan crisp and wild garlic dressing or lamb rump with dauphinoise potatoes, spring veg a rosemary jus. These guys are raising the foodie bar and we are here for it.

Boasting elegant, country-chic vibes, The Fox and Hounds, with husband and wife team David and Sarah at the helm, is one of our fail-safe destination pubs that works for a cosy drink by the fire, cocktails with the girls, a family feast in the courtyard garden or a relaxed but intimate date night, plus the bar area is pooch friendly. We can highly recommend a pre-Sunday lunch country walk along the Jurassic Way towards Church Charwelton and past the bucolic Charwelton House if you’d like to imagine yourself living in a Jane Austen novel.