Set in the idyllic village of Coulsdon, on the outskirts of London, The Ramblers Rest is a delightful country pub offering a modern British menu with Mediterranean influences. Just south of Croydon and Sutton, and easily accessible from the A23, the Ramblers Rest is a striking Tudor building, with a pretty garden, in a superb location close to Chipstead Rail Station.

Beautifully refurbished, the pub neatly balances contemporary chic with traditional, rustic décor and pulls it off by combining a wood beamed ceiling, exposed brick walls and a stone floor with plush leather sofas, banquettes and colourful silk cushions that invite guests to relax and unwind.

The á la carte menu offers sharing plates of antipasti - dolcelatte, Italian meats, marinated vegetables and warm stone-baked flatbreads or individual starters of smoked salmon with citrus ponzo dressing and fennel and herb salad; crispy fried pumpkin ravioli with parmesan and tomato salsa or winter bruschetta with asparagus, gorgonzola, prosciutto, balsamic onions and stirata Romana bread.

The pizza selection goes beyond the usual suspects with innovative topping selections such as the gamberetti which combines tiger prawn and char grilled courgette with chilli, tomato and gremolata, or and calzone with pork cacciatore. Tempting pasta dishes include chorizo and crab linguine, smoked haddock macaroni, and slow roasted pork lasagna. Likewise, salad of crispy duck with mooli, carrots, hoisin and plum sauce or chicken with avocado, melon, pomegranate, feta, cilantro and lime aioli pleasantly surprises with its singular mix of ingredients.

The attention to detail is also applied to longstanding pub favourites in the form of black and blue burger with dolcelatte, mushrooms and frites; braised short rib of beef with Lea and Perrins glaze, bubble and squeak and crispy fried onions; and rib eye steak with horseradish, parsley butter and frites. Steak and Wine Supper Wednesdays take it to another level with superb steaks and a bottle of red wine at half the price, while for those seafood fans there can be nothing better than Fish Fridays with a range of fresh specials and white wine at a very tempting 50% discount.

For a quick lunch or early dinner, a prix fixe menu offers one and two courses. For that special occasion with family and friend, The Rambler's Rest offers facilities for group dining with a menu tailor made for the event.

Dessert of apple and blackcurrant crumble with vanilla custard, sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream, a choux bun with fresh cream, espresso and chocolate sauce or white chocolate crème brûlée brings the satisfying meal to an end.

The wine list includes a variety of Mediterranean whites and reds with examples from Spain, Italy and France as well as singular varieties from the rest of the world. There's an excellent choice of cask ales that can include Sharps Doombar, Fullers London Pride and St Austell Tribute as well as chilled lagers, bottled beers and an unexpectedly comprehensive cocktail list to dispel any lingering, out-dated notions that country pubs are peopled by hicks in the sticks.

Liked it at The Rambler's Rest? Try one of its sister pubs close by including The Arkle Manor in Betchworth, The Derby Arms in Epsom and The White Hart in Brasted.

More information can be found on their Website.