Looking out over the Cotswold hills, Adam Taylor’s gastropub impressed our inspector with its ‘cosy, intimate’ ambience and outstanding cooking. You can dine at well-spaced tables from a tasting menu, or à la carte on dishes such as honey-roasted duck, cream mash, crispy wonton, fennel, mandarin, duck jus; for vegans maybe butternut squash, black garlic purée, carrot, broccoli, clementine. ‘All the food was beautifully presented in creative bowls and on unusual plates. Tuna tartare melted in the mouth. Roasted cauliflower was so delicious that we virtually licked the plate clean.’ Oh, and ‘the parmesan fries are a must.’ The menus change daily, which is great if you plan to stay a while, in one of four bedrooms. They are a mix of contemporary and traditional styling. Cockerel’s Roost has sloping ceilings, a double bed, a drench shower. The other three have a free-standing bath and walk-in shower. All have an espresso machine and homemade cookies.' The younger staff were especially engaging.' ‘The outdoor area around the pub is so well landscaped,’ a reader wrote, ‘we could have sat around there all day!’ (VS, and others)