Pining for large open spaces and fresh country air? These pubs are all close enough to town for you to countenance a day trip - and some have rooms to stay over if you fancy.
The Horse Guards Inn at Tillington
Upperton Rd, Petworth GU28 9AF
Fans of cottagecore will adore this South Downs pub where the daily changing menu is filled with produce from their own vegetable patch along with hedgerow foraging. Dishes are plant-forward but if they do a pub classic like ham egg and chips you can bet each element of that dish came from just down the road.
Getting there: Take a train to Pulborough and then it’s a 20-minute journey by bus to the pub.
Staying over: There are three en-suite country-chic bedrooms to choose from with a breakfast menu that runs from freshly-made cinnamon toast through to a Full English.
Follow them on Instagram: @horseguardsinn
The Beehive at White Waltham
Waltham Rd, White Waltham, Maidenhead SL6 3SH
The couple behind this Berkshire pub met while working at Kensington Place back in the day and also have hospitality in the blood (Dominic's family own the Castle Hotel in Taunton). Now they're responsible for one of the county's best gastropubs in this pretty village where you'll find them opposite the cricket fields. Any pub where the snacks include pork fritters with date brown sauce and you know you're in for a treat.
Getting there: If you're driving it's literally just off the M4. Otherwise, take the train to Maidenhead and then it's a 20-minute bus ride on the 234 to White Waltham.
Follow them on Instagram: @thebeehive_whitewaltham
The Jolly Cricketers
24 Chalfont Rd, Seer Green, Beaconsfield HP9 2YG
Come here in wisteria season for the full Insta-worthy country pub experience, but at all times of the year this is a lovely welcoming pub, set on a village green and very dog-friendly. A quick glance at the food menu shows you that the kitchen prides itself on seasonal food and there's a huge beer garden to sit out in on sunny days.
Getting there: It's a 20 minute train journey from Marylebone to Seer Green and an easy 15 minute walk from there to the pub.
Follow them on Instagram: @thejollycricketers.
The Star, Witley
Petworth Road, Witley GU8 5LU
This 17th century pub was recently restored by the duo who own The Drumming Snipe. There's a huge beer garden as well as a cosy, historic interior but it's the food menu that makes this Surrey pub stand out. Think pub classics given a contemporary tweak, so the cheeseburger is double chuck and rib and a spring risotto might be wild nettle and barley. Plus, anywhere with beef shin and truffle pasties on the snacks menu has our vote.
Getting there: Take the train to Witley and it's a five-minute bus ride to The Star from there.
Follow them on Instagram: @thestarpubwitley.
The Plough at Shiplake
Plough Lane, Reading Road, Shiplake RG9 4BX
This recently updated country pub features a contemporary menu that would make any Londoner feel quite at home - if you’re here in a group, the friends’ sharing boards are just the ticket. Come summer they’re planning an outdoor kitchen in the revamped garden with plenty of wood-fired cooking on the horizon.
Getting there: 10-minute bus ride on 800 bus from Henley on Thames.
Follow them on Instagram: @theploughshiplake
The White Hart at Fyfield
Main Rd, Fyfield, Abingdon OX13 5LW
Tipped by Michelin and with two AA rosettes to its name, this 15th-century village pub and restaurant not only looks the part, but also delivers on the food front. Part of that is down to how much is grown in their own kitchen garden - they even make their own horseradish sauce for the Sunday roasts in-house. In the summer months, a wood-fired pizza in the oven adds to the pub’s foodie offerings.
Getting there: Take the train to Oxford and it’s a 30-minute bus ride on the S6 Gold bus to Fyfield.
Follow them on Instagram: @thewhitehartfyfield
The Alford Arms
Frithsden, Hemel Hempstead HP1 3DD
In the heart of the Chilterns, right by Ashridge Forest, you’ll find this lovely pub (just don’t call it a gastropub, whatever you do). Regularly topping the Good Pub Guide as Hertfordshire pub of the year and with a new mention by Michelin, this is worth a visit for any Londoner. Sourcing locally is a big deal for head chef Jamie and puddings are a particular strength.
Getting there: You can take a taxi from Hemel Hempstead station but there’s also a really lovely 5k walk to the pub if you want to work up an appetite.
Follow them on Instagram: @alfordarms
The White Hart, Wadhurst
High St, Wadhurst TN5 6AP
A jack of all trades, this is a village pub and a restaurant with rooms with menus that reflect how serious your dining ambitions are. English wines are celebrated here with so many vineyards close by and the regular a la carte has recommended wine pairings and they’re happy to suggest vineyard tour itineraries.
Getting there: It’s under an hour by train from London to Wadhurst and the pub’s a 10-minute bus ride from Wadhurst station.
Staying over: They’re just about to open three bedrooms with freestanding stone baths and banana bread and English wine waiting for you
Follow them on Instagram: @whitehartwadhurst.
The Bridge Arms
53 High St, Bridge, Canterbury CT4 5LA
From the same people behind The Fordwich Arms (see below), Bridge is actually the home of Fordwich chefs and owners Daniel and Natasha Smith and saw them taking over the local pub. Although it's more laid back than Fordwich, it still managed to win a Michelin star in an ultra-quick 10 months. This has a changing menu focusing on British produce and Marina O'Loughlin called it "sheer buzzy bliss" in The Sunday Times.
Getting there: Take the fast train from St Pancras to Canterbury West and then it's a quick taxi journey.
Follow them on Instagram: @thebridgearms.
The Drumming Snipe
Guildford Rd, Mayford, Woking GU22 9QT
James Lyon-Shaw and Executive Chef Jamie Dobbin are behind this pub in the lovely village of Mayford. The menu offers daily, hyper-seasonal specials, and plenty of British game, meat and fish. Chef Jamie places the emphasis on wild food and local game, operating a nose-to-tail and rare breed policy on all his produce. The pub also features a private dining space seating up to 24 people and there is a beautiful terrace which seats up to 40 people.
Getting there: Take the train to Woking and then there's either a regularish bus service or it's a 5-10 minute taxi journey.
Follow them on Instagram: @thedrummingsnipe
The Fordwich Arms
King St, Fordwich, Canterbury CT2 0DB
Securing a table at The Fordwich certainly gets you top bragging rights - this is a place beloved of foodies and fellow hospitality professionals alike. On cooler days, a table inside by an open fire is the place to be while summer days make their large riverside terrace and garden particularly beguiling. Here you'll enjoy extraordinary food with a defined local and seasonal bent. Do opt for the tasting menu if your budget allows.
Getting there: Take the fast train from St Pancras to Canterbury West and then it's a quick taxi journey.
Follow them on Instagram: @thefordwicharms
The Fox & Hounds
High St, Hunsdon, Ware SG12 8NH
Chef and co-owner James Rix trained up under Gary Rhodes and Alastair Little and was head chef at The Cow before moving to the countryside with his wife Bianca to open this gastropub. The menu changes daily and Sunday lunches are renowned and were recognised a few years back with a mention in the OFM Awards. There's a lovely covered terrace along with a big pub garden too which chef Theo Randall picked out as his favourite pub garden in the country.
Getting there: A fast train to nearby Harlow Mill takes 37 minutes and then it's a taxi trip to the pub.
Follow them on Instagram: @thefoxandhoundshunsdon
Galvin Green Man
Main Rd, Howe Street, Great Waltham, Chelmsford CM3 1BG
Chris and Jeff’s Essex pub is properly historic with a building that dates back to the 14th century. Newly burnished with a Michelin Bib Gourmand, you can expect the brothers to serve up both pub classics and more modern dishes. Look out for their Bib Gourmand menu too which is great value. You can book ahead for the restaurant but the pub is walk-ins only. Ouside there's both a covered terrace and extensive garden area.
Getting there: Take the train to Chelmsford. From there the regular X10 airport link bus to Stansted passes through Howe Street and takes half an hour.
Follow them on Instagram: @galvingreenman
The Greyhound
33 Windsor End, Beaconsfield, HP9 2JN
Husband and wife team Daniel Crump and Margriet Vandezande-Crump have a background in top restaurants - their CV includes Petrus, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Trinity in Clapham. They took over this 700-year-old coaching inn a few years back and are currently position number 33 on the Top 50 Gastropubs list. The menu roams all over the world for inspiration but returns to Britain for the best produce. Sunday lunches cover the classics and there's an excellent vegan tasting menu for those searching for plant-based inspiration. For alfresco dining, there's a large walled garden.
Getting there: A direct train goes to Beaconsfield from Marylebone in under 30 minutes.
Follow them on Instagram: @greyhoundbeaconsfield
The Hand & Flowers
126 West St, Marlow SL7 2BP
Tom Kerridge’s gastropub in Buckinghamshire made history a decade ago, when it became Britain’s first pub to land two Michelin stars. There’s a separate bar area if you’re just after a drink - but really you’re here for the food The menu features elevated riffs on pub classics like steak and chips or a fish supper, along with dishes like Cornish ‘Tin Mine’ Tart with Spiced Date Sauce. Desserts are very strong too.
Staying over: Situated in two cottages on and off Marlow’s high street, the 15 rooms here come with one unmissable treat - a cooked breakfast at the pub the next morning. One even has a hot tub out on its terrace.
Getting there: The fast train from Paddington gets you into Marlow in just over an hour.
Follow them on Instagram: @HandFMarlow
The Hind’s Head
High St, Bray SL6 2AB
Heston Blumenthal’s Michelin-starred pub in Bray is situated in a beautifully restored 15th-century pub just metres away from The Fat Duck. Start with snacks like Heston's scotch egg and move onto dishes like the always-on pea and ham hock soup and mains like Heston's Oxtail & Kidney Pudding.
Getting there: Take a direct train from Paddington to Maidenhead in under an hour. It's a short taxi journey or a pleasant riverside walk to the pub from there.
Follow them on Instagram: @thehindsheadbray
The Kentish Hare
95 Bidborough Ridge, Bidborough, Tunbridge Wells TN3 0XB
Earning both a Michelin Bib Gourmand and currently No 5 on the 50 Best Gastropubs list, The Kentish Hare features brothers James and Chris Tanner at the helm. The menu reads really well (the set lunch is a total bargain) and there’s extensive use of their Big Green Eggs with a special BBQ section. If you’re just in the area for a walk, the bar area has its own bar snacks menu and a super wine and beer list. There's also an expansive garden area and terrace here.
Getting there: Take the train from London Bridge to Tonbridge and it's an under 10-minute journey on the No 7 bus to Bidborough.
Follow them on Instagram: @thekentishharepub
The Sportsman
Faversham Rd, Seasalter, Whitstable CT5 4BP
This Michelin-starred pub regularly tops critics’ favourite restaurant lists and ex-Sunday Times critic Marina O’Loughlin is a longtime fan. Perched on the Thames estuary, the pub’s Chef Patron Stephen Harris and his team serve up an exemplary fixed menu of thoughtful dishes - the slip soles in seaweed butter are, rightfully, legendary. It’s the kind of place you can go for a walk on the beach, as we did, between the mains and dessert. A very special place indeed.
Getting there: The fast train from St Pancras to Whitstable takes just under 90 minutes. Then it's either a half-hour stroll along the sea to Seasalter or a short taxi ride.
Staying over: They have 5 lovely self-contained cabins for two, and the rate includes a light breakfast.
Follow them on Instagram: @sportsmankent
The Swan Inn
2 Hare Ln, Claygate, Esher KT10 9BS
If you’re looking for something a little different from your usual country pub experience, then José Pizarro’s place in Esher is just the ticket. The menu offers all the delights you’ve come to expect from his London restaurant - Jamón Ibérico croquetas, pan con tomate - all transplanted to the countryside. There's a covered and heated terrace which is perfect for pretending you’re actually somewhere in Asturias rather than off the A3.
Getting there: Fast trains to Esher from Waterloo take around 40 minutes and it's a short walk to the pub from the train station.
Staying over: There are six comfortable rooms in the newly converted barn next to the pub.
Follow them on Instagram: @josepizarrorestaurants
The Wellington Arms
Baughurst Road, Baughurst, Hampshire RG26 5LP
Recognised by both Michelin and The 50 Best Gastropubs list for its food, the menu here roams the British Isles for its provisions. They have their own kitchen garden, chicken coop and flock of sheep all of which makes their menu very low on food miles. You can even buy their sloe gin and preserves over the bar counter to take home with you. And, as you can see, the garden area is large and very enticing.
Getting there: Take a train from Waterloo to Basingstoke which takes 45 minutes. Then it's a 15-minute taxi trip to Baughurst.
Staying over: There are four rooms on offer, ranging from one over the pub to an oak barn - they're all very luxurious.
Follow them on Instagram: @thewellingtonarms
The White Hart
Petworth Road, Witley, Surrey GU8 5PH
Definitely not your average country pub, this one features what they describe as a “modern interpretation of firewood cookery and contemporary cocktails played out to a rock-a-billy, folk and classic blues soundtrack.” In practice, that means must-haves like nori tacos with ox cheek or cornflake fried avocado and a wide range of BBQ options and burgers that, while heavy on the high welfare meat, also provide loads of veggie treats too.
Getting there: Take to train to Godalming and then it's a short bus or taxi ride
Follow them on Instagram: @whitehartwitley
The Victoria Oxshott
High St, Oxshott, Leatherhead KT22 0JR
Heading up the pub here is Matt Larcombe who's the former head chef of Heston's gastropub The Crown at Bray. He and partner Simon King have brought together a talented team to serve up what they dub "elevated British classics". Look out for a particularly good wine list. Grace Dent said she had "almost certainly the finest beef Wellington I will eat in this lifetime" there.
Getting there: Take to train from Waterloo or Vauxhall to Oxshott and then it's a short walk
Follow them on Instagram: @thevictoriaoxshott
Also see
The Bailiwick (Egham) - Run by chef Steven Ellis and just on the edge of Great Windsor Park, this makes the most of the link with the park gamekeeper with dishes like roasted loin of Windsor Great Park red deer making it to the menu
Pubs, mapped
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