The Pub of the Year in the 2015 edition of the Michelin Eating Out In Pubs Guide is The Wild Rabbit in Kingham.
Rebecca Burr, Editor of the guide said, “This Cotswold pub is a chocolate box delight: stylish yet rustic, spacious yet cosy, it offers a convivial welcome, knock-out bedrooms and, of course, first-rate food”.
The latest venture from Lady Bamford – of Daylesford Organic fame – this creeper-clad pub has been given a top-to-toe makeover and the result is an understated, ultra-contemporary rural inn with flagged floors, log fires, leather sofas and vast expanses of wood and stone.
“The Daylesford ethos champions the self-sufficient, the sustainable and the organic”, said Burr, “and it is this influence which is at the heart of the pub – and indeed at the core of the menu. The capable kitchen works with the best organic ingredients to produce seasonal cooking which is British at heart and full of flavour.”
The bar menu offers light bites like goujons of sole, potted rabbit or crisp pig’s head croquettes, while dishes on the main menu might include satisfying hare ravioli or a substantial Gloucester Old Spot for two. The smell from the Josper oven tempts many a hungry diner into choosing a juicy steak, and comforting puddings range from a rich chocolate mousse to a creamy rice pudding with prunes soaked in Armagnac.
“Like the pub itself, no expense has been spared when it comes to the bedrooms”, said Burr. “They are beautifully appointed, with rugged wood flooring, stone walls, exposed beams and extras like cotton robes and homemade biscuits. Most are in the main house but there are also four garden rooms, ideal for those who’ve brought along their four-legged friends.”
The Wild Rabbit
Church Street
Kingham
Oxfordshire OX7 6YA
01608 658389
With 70 new entries, take a look at the full list of Michelin Pub Guide here.