Hop Pole Inn

At the heart of Limpley Stoke is the Hop Pole Inn, a 15th-century pub whose recent history is as compelling as its architecture. Saved and reopened by local residents and shareholders, it has been restored not simply as a business but as a place for the village to come together.

This sense of connection extends to the food. Beef comes directly from chef-landlord Charlie Rawlings’s family farm, while seasonal ingredients are sourced through a network of South West producers. The resulting effect is a menu grounded in British pub cooking, elevated by careful sourcing and smart execution.

The smoked ham hock scrumpet has become something of a house signature, while the rib of beef for two – served with smoked cheddar-topped cottage pie, seasonal greens and peppercorn sauce – and the aptly named Toad at the Hop Pole continue the theme of generous, crowd-pleasing cooking.

Original beams and open fires provide character, without tumbling into cliché, at this home of good food and warm hospitality.