Warren, The

Located just outside Wokingham on the Forest Road, The Warren is a real country pub. Its deep leather seating, spacious interiors and teak furniture give it a relaxed atmosphere, while the stone fired ovens and log burning hearth lend it warmth. The garden has a great south facing sun trap where one can eat, drink and get away from the pressures of the day. When it was first opened in the 1850s, The Warren, surrounded by lush farmlands, was the centre of village life of a thriving community. Even today, it combines the values of traditional pub hospitality with modern service and attracts a regular clientele.

Contemporary pubs such as these usually share a number of characteristics. An important feature is space, preferably a restaurant where you are comfortable, not over-awed, and not sharing elbow space with the next table, however sociable they may be. Good, too, to have a garden, optional al fresco eating out space, and by no means least a roomy and well stocked bar where you can actually get served without undue delay. After all, drinking should be taken seriously. If a pub offers all of these, and is in a good location, there is little reason in today's economic climate why it should not flourish. The Warren provides ample evidence that this is true.

But of course there are other factors, not least of which is the food and drink. The term 'gastropub' covers a multitude of blessings and it is possible to see influences of brasserie, bistro, restaurant and even café at work within the great gastro umbrella. So expect to find no one single cuisine, but a blend designed to provide something for everybody, no matter what their treat may be.

To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, Spanish tapas of Serrano ham, manchego, sardines, chorizo and tortilla, a baked Camembert with rustic bread, Greek mezze with taramasalata with humus, tzatziki, feta and flatbread, or a pizzette with garlic, rocket and Parmesan. Amongst the starters, touchingly referred to as 'little dishes', there is freshly made soup, grilled asparagus with poached egg, parmesan and rocket, crab cakes with mango, chilli and coriander salsa, or caramelised onion tart. Look, too, for Black Pearl scallops when the market is right.

The salads - sorry, that should read 'leaves' - offer a traditional Caesar salad with chicken, marinated anchovies and parmesan, or for the seafood fiends some seared prawns with chorizo, chilli, spinach and lemon crème fraiche. A recent addition to the menu is the delicious coconut chicken, with spinach, coriander, mango chutney and chilli salsa.

These days no self-respecting gastropub can afford to be without its pizza range; expect to find a classic margherita of tomato, mozzarella and basil, or the challenging diavolo spiced chicken with peppadew peppers, chilli and tabasco. For those who like to build their own pizzas you can, for a modest sum, add to the basic dish with a choice from chorizo, olives, jalapenos, mushrooms, spring onion, or bacon. Or of course the whole lot if you're feeling that way.

Pastas include fettuccini with salmon, prawns, coconut, spring onions and chilli, chef's choice risotto, or penne with crab, tomato, and pepperonata. For the big event there is always a fish of the day on request. The steak burger with Swiss cheese, bacon, relish and fries is popular, a sign of the times and improving taste in eating, as is the Moroccan lamb cutlets with saffron potatoes, chorizo, peas and mint. For hearty eaters there are good fillet steaks with horseradish Chantilly, green beans and frites.

A wide range of supporting dishes includes buttered new potatoes, Belgium frites and mayo, and greens, leeks and peas. For those who have to be lashed to a plank to induce them to eat root vegetables, try them here, honey roasted and altogether different from the all too often pallid steamed variety. For desserts resort to the blackboard, where there is always a good display, often with some of the local cheeses to set the buffs alight.

The Warren stocks a wide range of beers, both well-loved draught ales and Continental lagers, with bottled from further afield, including Leffe and Belle vue Kriek. The wine list covers plenty of territory from traditional clarets to Pinot Grigio, and champagne by the glass or bottle is always available. Service is cheerful, brisk and totally in keeping with the friendly nature of a good English gastropub.

A well constructed Website enables you to keep in touch with menu changes or forthcoming events. Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.