Leathern Bottel,nr Goring on Thames

Just sublime. Beautiful old Inn with huge river terrace, surrounded by fields. Tranquility with ducks and swans to feed outside and relaxing calm with beams and beaming staff inside. Exquisite food to linger over cooked by brilliant female chef and team. You COULD just feast on her imaginative breads - but don't. We have found nothing on the seasonally changing menus that we or our guests don't like. In these days of strange and sometimes dangerous liaisons on plates this is pretty surprising. Tiny bar where miniscule but imaginative canapes accompany your pre-prandial drinks: complete with original "Leathern Bottel" (correct spelling) on the wall and warm fire to sit in front of (literally). If you are lucky you might catch a local "celebrity" or two playing the piano after dinner. These sessions have been known to go on 'til 2.30a.m. and the staff are still smiling! In these days of recession this, like all other local but slightly hidden gems needs to advertise itself with "USE IT OR LOSE IT" writ large.

Lady McAlpine - 21/01/2009 | report this review