Set within the idyllic Cornwell Estate, Good Gathers is a seasonal, open-air dining experience that perfectly captures the relaxed magic of a sunny Cotswolds evening. Created by the team behind Ross & Ross Events, this pop-up brings together long communal tables, fire-led cooking, and a laid-back, sociable atmosphere where guests enjoy great food and drinks as the sun sets. Menus are creative and locally driven, often featuring BBQ dishes, wood-fired flavours, and vibrant seasonal ingredients, all served in a wonderful countryside setting.

Herd, located on Todenham Farm, offers a true field-to-fork dining experience that celebrates the very best of the Cotswolds. With much of the produce sourced directly from the surrounding land, the menu is rooted in seasonality and showcases high-quality ingredients prepared with simplicity and skill. The atmosphere is relaxed, with a cosy tented dining space plus outdoor seating with sweeping countryside views. Herd is a must-visit for those seeking authentic, locally inspired dining, whether you’re looking for brunch, one of the best burgers in the Cotswolds, or a hearty Sunday roast.

Pit Kitchen is a pretty lively and informal spot, also on the site of Todenham Manor Farm. Pit Kitchen delivers open-fire cooking in a rustic countryside setting, with the chefs serving dishes inspired by Middle Eastern street food and elevated with a modern twist. Expect everything from perfectly spiced shawarmas to inventive small plates, all made with locally sourced ingredients and served either in a converted barn or out in the open air. With music, communal seating, and a genuinely fun energy, Pit Kitchen is the kind of place you come for the food but stay for the atmosphere.

We have become frequent visitors to The Duke of Cumberland’s Head, a charming village pub that perfectly balances cosy tradition with a refined menu. We love their à la carte menu, but the Sunday roast menu is a real winner; an incredible rosti, one of the best roast dinners you’ll ever have, plus a scrumptious dessert, all for the amazing price of £35pp. We simply couldn’t believe the quality and the quantity of the food that you get for that price! If you’re in the North East of the Cotswolds, this is one pub that you simply cannot miss.

At The Kingham Plough, the Sunday roast leans into everything you want from a classic Cotswolds pub lunch, but with a slightly more refined, ingredient-led approach. Served in a cosy 17th-century inn overlooking the village green, the atmosphere is warm and quietly bustling, making it an ideal spot for a long, unhurried Sunday. The menu centres around traditional roasts with all the expected trimmings; think crisp roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables, and rich gravy, executed with a focus on quality produce. The Sunday menu also boasts plenty of other pub classics, and some inventive starters, making this elevated pub a fantastic crowd pleaser.

We are always blown away with the food at The Duck on the Pond, a beautiful 18th-century pub tucked away in the little village of South Newington. With its honey-stone exterior and relaxed interiors, it feels effortlessly welcoming. The menu focuses on seasonal ingredients with a modern British twist, and the presentation is always spot on. They offer a fixed-price Sunday menu, with a choice of two or three courses. Choose from starters such as a trout scotch quails egg, or a Waldorf salad, while the roasts include a fillet of beef with ox cheek, or a mouth watering pumpkin wellington with goats cheese. Their dishes are both inventive and delicious, and being able to see the food miles of the ingredients on the menu is a really nice touch.

Newly taken-over and reopened, The Norman Knight in Whichford is a fantastic gastro-pub which is now run by the group behind The Kingham Plough and several other excellent local pubs. The menu at The Norman Knight is as sophisticated as their interiors, with starters such as spicy soft shell crab, and mains such as pan fried skate with coconut dahl to choose from. They also serve a range of delicious bar snacks to accompany a casual drink at the bar if you’re not stopping for long.

The Howard Arms is your typical cosy country pub. Think roaring fires in the winter months, dogs lounging by the bar and an upbeat, jolly atmosphere; The Howard is a truly welcoming pub. The Howard is an establishment known for it’s pub-classics done very well, and you can expect fish and chips, a delicious burger, and an incredible sticky toffee pudding that you simply have to try! The Howard offer the occasional pop-up tasting menu, one of which we’ve attended and thoroughly enjoyed, so be sure to keep an eye out for the next one.

The Fox at Oddington is the most modern of the three pubs mentioned here, owned by Carole Bamford, the creator of Daylesford Farm. The Fox is a very vibey pub that offers amazing cocktails that’ll make you feel like you’re in a swanky London bar. If you’re looking for something more substantial than just a tipple, they offer woodfire pizzas, as well as elevated pub mains such as shoulder of lamb with smoked aubergine purée and wild garlic, or steak and chips with peppercorn sauce. The interiors are beautiful at the Fox, and the flower-filled-garden buzzzes with bumble bees in the summer months.

For a more refined yet still deeply rooted Cotswolds dining experience, The Wild Rabbit in Kingham is hard to beat. Set within a beautifully restored historic inn, it blends rustic charm with a polished, design-led aesthetic, creating a space that feels both relaxed and luxurious. The award-winning kitchen focuses on seasonal, organic produce, much of it sourced directly from the nearby Daylesford farm – resulting in menus that change frequently and celebrate ingredients at their peak. From elegant tasting menus to thoughtfully executed à la carte dishes, the cooking leans towards modern British with a farm-to-table ethos at its core, offering plates that are as refined as they are grounded in the surrounding landscape. Whether you’re dining in the light-filled restaurant, settling into the cosy bar by the fire, or enjoying the terrace on a summer evening, The Wild Rabbit delivers a dining experience that feels effortlessly elevated without losing its countryside soul.

If you’re looking for a restaurant for a special occasion such as a wedding anniversary or a milestone birthday, then look no further than Moda at The House of George. Moda feels very different to the Cotswold pubs we’re used to, and you’d be forgiven for forgetting that you’re in the Cotswolds completely, and thinking that you were in a swish London restaurant. The only real giveaway that you’re not in fact in London, is the price of the tasting menu. While not exactly cheap, the 8 course tasting menu being £65 feels very fair when you consider the skill of the chef, the quality of the ingredients and the fact that the restaurant staff have foraged many of the fresh herbs by hand. There is also the option of trying the chef’s tasting menu for £115, and while we were tempted, the shorter tasting menu was plenty of food and we left feeling extremely satisfied and eager to return again soon.

The most affordable of our three upscale dining recommendations but no less delicious, The Bower House in Shipston-on-Stour is a wonderful choice for an elegant dinner with family or friends. The atmosphere in the Bower House is really lovely; fantastic interior design, the perfect lighting for a cosy dinner, and a buzzy but not over-crowded feel. The menu is very creative, with options such as scallop ravioli with a curried lobster sauce, or apple crumble soufflé served with ginger ice cream. The Bower House also offer incredible cocktails, delicious Sunday roasts, plus a tasting menu; making it a restaurant that one simply must visit again and again.