On the first evening of a weekend out of London, lulled into a false sense of security by the general comfortable loveliness of the Cotswolds, I broke my own golden rule - "do your research". Perhaps in Madrid, or Istanbul, or Bangkok you can wander travel-sore and weary from your hotel/AirBnB/tastefully-restored-14th-century-farmhouse (delete as appropriate) to the nearest bar and be happy with the results, but this has never been true of the UK and definitely isn't true of Shipton-under-Wychwood. The pub we found ourselves in on Friday night was certainly handy, being barely 50ft from the front door of our accommodation, but the expensive frozen rubbish they served, reluctantly and only vaguely in relation to what was ordered, was a timely reminder that good food is never guaranteed no matter now nice and low and oak-beamed your ceilings are. Lesson, for the umpteenth time, learned.
In the chocolate box Cotswolds village of Kingham (once voted England’s favourite), the Southwest’s Great British Menu victor Emily Watkins welcomes guests to her cosy country inn, where she cooks with love and attention. Beyond any doubt, Watkins’s mind is firmly fixed on her choice of produce, which allows her to deliver outstanding dishes through thoughtful combinations, accented by her personal style of heart-felt cookery. Authenticity is important too at the Plough, as everything from the sumptuous butter to the freshly baked bread is homemade. Watkins’s cooking is complemented by the warm and witty front-of-house service, which does that magical thing of instantly relaxing upon arrival; a great start to your rural retreat. One thing that is striking about the Plough’s menu is that for an inland country restaurant, its seafood dishes have the same level of creativity and flavour as the dishes that showcase the local meat. Take the razor clam ‘risotto’, with the shellfish served
I had an amazing experience at this pub! From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with warm smiles and a cozy atmosphere. The staff were incredibly friendly and attentive, making sure our drinks were always full and our food was delicious. Speaking of food, the menu had a great variety of options, and everything we ordered was superb.
The ambiance here is perfect for a casual evening with friends or a cozy date night. They also have a fantastic selection of drinks, including excellent local beers.
I can’t wait to return and enjoy more memorable moments at this gem of a pub!
Had a wonderful stay in Kingham and frequented this hostelry many times - the food is delicious and the wine choice is excellent. The crab linguine is delicious and of very generous portions. The service from all the staff is excellent. Ate both in and outside - only comment would be that for a pub of this calibre it would be good if they made more of the garden area as it felt very much like being in a basic pub car park/yard and not in keeping with the general ambience of the pub itself. The tables are on top of one another so not much space or privacy. Inside is delightful.
We came for dinner last Saturday evening and enjoyed a delicious meal. The menu was extensive with so many wonderful options it was hard to decide, the food was good quality and service was lovely.
Despite it being a Saturday it didn't feel overly busy and we were served our food and drinks in good time. They were also very accommodating with making me a delicious non alcoholic cocktail.
I highly recommend eating here, as it is a gastropub it does not feel pretentious but yet serves like a good restaurant with the familiar comfortable setting of a well kept pub.
This is one of the most cosy and fancy Restaurants I've ever been to! And the food is delicious. Please try the beat root, the Salmon & the CHARDONNAY as well as home made bread & butter! This location alone was worth the travel from London to here for about one hour twenty by GWR!
We dined at the restaurant, and had a wonderful time! Great food and service, griendly atmosphere and a celebration to the taste buds. Highly recommended, don't skip dessert!
Only eat here, had a lovely ploughman's board and my wife had curried cod cheeks and fries, both were excellent. Lovely homemade roll with lovely black pickled onion, nice ham and nice spicy tomatoe relish 😋 would eat there again 100%
Votta Sales & Lettings
+5
The epitome of deliciousness! All three courses including the nibbles were just awesome! The flavours, the consistency, the presentation and the service were top quality that’s worth every penny. The staff were so accommodating and always on hand. If you’re looking for good of the highest quality then you don’t be disappointed
Matt Beamish and his team did the catering for our wedding the weekend of the 9th of September. It was for 180 people and it is the finest food and service I have ever had at a wedding. Matt and his charming team exceeded every expectation possible and each plate of food had the quality of if they were cooking for two. At every stage of the process of organising the day in the weeks ahead of it, he played with a straight bat and there were no surprises at the end, I couldn't recommend his team at The Kingham Plough and Potted Goose more highly and have had literally dozens of plaudits to this effect. A massive thank you for making a very special day for us even more special
Hello, fellows.
We had a lunch at the pub on Sunday. It was a large group of us, we didn't book a table but we were kindly offered a table outside.
The service was really good as expected. It took a while to get the mains to all of us, but it was understandable because the pub was crowded and kitchen was busy. However, the drinks were served promptly.
The only issue we had was the mains were not on par with the money we paid. I have sometimes in a canteen in office the pork that is a bit chewy or a chicken that is a bit dry, but I pay less than five pounds for that, so it is not a big problem. But I would hope to have something more enjoyable when I pay twenty.
The starters were good and everyone really liked the desserts.
Overall, we had a great time, but be prepared to wait for your food during the busy time.
Best regards,
Rustam.
Nice friendly pub booked a meal for our first night on holiday enjoyed the meal so much we booked it again for later in the week.
Nice choice on the menu and all three courses were great
Perfect English pub atmosphere, with luxurious dining (not a huge difference to Wild Rabbit, but much more suitable for families/babies as it’s a bit less high end and more local/relaxed). Even tailored a special halal menu for those requiring it. Outstanding - thank you
Lovely place.
Great that there are senior staff there to ensure you get the best service.
First time, while renting a cottage near by in Churchill, and a delight, excellent level of service by the front of house team, seamless. Matched the fantastic food, amazing mushroom soup, and miso aubergine...
We will be back to this wonderful Cotswold pub, which has, or seems too have retained its village pub atmosphere as well as serve great food..
Very good dining experience. Very good service and the food was divine..
An excellent lunch. Both food and service were first class, and at a reasonable cost. The staff even provided a recipe for a sauce. Thoroughly recommended.
Great lunch in the lovely pub. Fantaatic service and tasty food at reasonable prices.
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