Restaurant-Guide.com
hand picked restaurants

Many people wonder if The White Hart is a pub, hotel, or wine shop but those who have visited this gem of a place in Winchcombe's heart know that the 16th century inn is a great place to enjoy traditional British food in its bar and restaurant, buy fantastic world wines from its wine shop, and stay a night or two in the comfortable bedrooms.

For now, let's concentrate on the Wine and Sausage Restaurant that offers the sort of great yet simple English dishes most Britons have grown up eating. Wherever possible, ingredients are sourced from local and regional farmers, fishermen, brewers and winemakers.

A sausage menu presents around six traditional handmade varieties that range from one with lamb, mint and apricots to another with Gloucester Old Spot pork, cider and wholegrain mustard.

A daily changing main menu opens with wood pigeon, bacon and black pudding terrine with pickled mushroom, before presenting the day's specials or absolutely stunning Montgomery cheddar salmon pie, and desserts of, say, summer pudding with crème fraîche sorbet.

The pretty Cotswold town of Winchcombe is home to No.5 North Street, Kate and Marcus Ashenford's warm and rustic modern European restaurant. The beauty of the perfectly formed three AA rosette dining venue lies in its simplicity, most visible in its half-timbered exterior, and once you enter, in its interior of dark red walls, beamed ceilings and well-spaced bare tables and brown leather chairs.

It is clear that Michelin starred Chef Marcus' focus lies in giving the people of Winchcombe an opportunity to sample beautifully created dishes that are all cooked to very high standards.

You could begin your journey with a starter of smoked haddock and cauliflower puree with baby spinach, poached egg, and a cheese and caraway sable before moving on to a main course of monkfish with sweet-and-sour chicken wings, baby fennel and five-spice reduction. A dessert of coconut milk rice pudding with pineapple and molasses sorbet could provide a hugely satisfying end to the meal.

Winchcombe has quite a deal to offer one way and another, but few better than Wesley House, a Tudor building in the town centre oozing with ancient charm. It's also oozing with some pretty good cooking at the hands of Martin Dunn and a pressed terrine of red snapper with saffron potatoes and mangetout sets the right note.

A wild mushroom and Parmesan lasagne with mixed salad leaves makes a good companion for what went before but for something more robust the rack of lamb with pan fried mousserons, red onion marmalade and devilled sauce has a good bite with it. The strawberry shortbread is a great favourite of the strong local support group who know a good thing when they see it.

Few pleasures in life can be compared to the joys of relaxing over a lovely cup of tea and cake in the beautiful English countryside. One such bakery, tea shop and restaurant called Juri's gives guests an opportunity to do just this and more.

The appealing little place is located in a Grade II listed Cotswold stone building in the beautiful town of Winchcombe. In the summer, the garden or the shaded conservatory is a lovely place to spend time whilst in the winter months you could warm up with a cup of tea or wine by the fire.

Chef and owner Juri Miyawaki does not categorise the dishes as French, Japanese or Italian, she simply uses her techniques as a Cordon Bleu Grand Diplôme to create her own scones, cakes and dishes from fresh, local produce. Handmade scones with clotted cream and jam, finger sandwiches, freshly baked cakes, and more than fifteen speciality teas are served there.

In April 2008, Juri's won the Tea Council's prestigious UK's Top Tea Place 2008 award.