The Duke Hotel

At first glance, The Duke looks like just another charming village inn, but step inside and you’re transported to another world.

Owners Matteo and Brandon Romeo-Marais have shaped their independent pub with rooms around Matteo’s passion for Japanese and pan-Asian cooking, creating something rare in the English countryside. Local ingredients from nearby farms and producers underpin the menu, while classical techniques and Asian influences give it a distinctive identity.

The monthly Japanese nine-course tasting suppers have earned a devoted following and deliver a blast of theatre in dishes that balance precision with creativity.

Caviar features prominently throughout the menus, while the ever-evolving Tree of Life dessert has become a signature finale.

For all its originality, The Duke remains refreshingly unpretentious: a village pub at heart, with a few surprises up its sleeve.