Housed in a stone building that looks every inch the Cotswold definition, The Stump is anything but old-fashioned. Inside, it’s all about wood-fired pizzas, craft beer, and a young, lively crowd who spill in from Cirencester and Cheltenham nearby. The playlist is always good too, and so is the food – especially the Honey Pot with salami, peppers, and a drizzle of honey. Add a side of death sauce if you dare, then cool off with a pint or two from DEYA Brewing Company.

Clinging to a hillside in the Slad Valley, The Woolpack is the kind of pub you hope to stumble upon – but probably won’t – by accident. One half of it is all pints of brown ale, piano playing and regulars; on the other side is one of the best dining rooms around. The food? Like something from East London’s coolest kitchens – think blood cake, pork chops, oeuf mayonnaise, flaky suet pies. There’s no fuss and no fanfare (and the secret really is no more), but it’s just a proper boozer with serious food to boot. 

Rated the best pie in England by Giles Coren, The Halfway at Kineton is making moves in the British pub scene. This is your typical country pub, though beyond this, the food is unbelievably good. From its beer battered haddock, its double baked 24-month-old Comte cheese souffle, to of course it's pies, The Halfway is not one to be missed. 

Affectionately known as The Vicky, this village pub in pretty Eastleach is a low-key favourite. It’s cosy and wood-fired in winter, buzzy and terrace-packed in the summer. The menu goes further than your average: Provençal fish soup, Turkish-style ratatouille, and affogato with an amaretti biscuit. It still feels like a local haunt – but one with surprisingly good global flavour.