Good Food Guide, beef burgers, bob bowles, donningtons ales, and valentine at
The Royal Oak
The Good Food Guide 2012 has published its lists of the best village pubs, town centre eateries etc. and also beef burgers. Bishopstone's humble Royal Oak, in this village of organic cows and thatched houses and chalk streams, comes out fifth in the whole of the UK. Our slavish devotion to the burger, usually made from Helen Browning's prime beef also here in the village. And these prize items are available for only £10 a time during Jan and Feb. Our menu is distinctly cheaper in the early part of 2012.
Donnington's great beers return to the pub in February, for a month. In the meantime, Arkells are definitely upping their game. Even the humble 2B recently has been compared favourably to that over-sold 6X stuff sold by other Wiltshire brewers. The Moonlight bitter, our regular Arkells guest, can be fantastic. Add that to our Peroni, great premium lager, and Old Rosie, the strong scrumpy cider, and we're a pub with a decent range of draught drinks at last.
Entertainingly, Bob Bowles our lovely local blues guitarist plays his first set of the year this weekend, Sunday the 29th, from about 7.30. Simple menu, free entry.
Valentine's Night is not far away. Bring someone else's wife (or husband) if you want to get us talking. Both rooms available, if you need them.
Otherwise, it's the same formula as before, grumpy landlord, grumpy chef, great beer, great workers, menu changing daily, big fire, always something to read or someone to shout at.
