We’ve long been fans of a weekend break in the Cotswolds, an area that, despite its reputation as a Red Trouser Brigade heartland, is undeniably beautiful
But while it’s been charming us all with its picture-perfect little villages and stunning countryside vistas, the one area it’s been slightly lacking in is decent food. Lots and lots of lovely pubs with cute boutique rooms – but, with a few exceptions, mostly pretty ordinary grub. Well that appears to be no more, as the newly opened The Bull at Charlbury is the real deal.
The Bull was revamped and reopened in July 2023 by Phil Winser and James Gummer, the pair behind one of our favourite London pubs, The Pelican. They chose Charlbury for their next project as they both grew up just down the road, so it’s something of a homecoming for them. It’s a classic Cotswolds village with just enough going on – as well as The Bull, there’s the Rose and Crown boozer opposite; The Bell just around the corner (also newly revamped by Daylesford); plus cafes, galleries and churches. It’s also just an hour and ten minutes on the train from Paddington so it’s super convenient and nice to be able to ditch the car.
We’re sure The Bull will be brilliant in summer too (there’s a huge garden) but man have they nailed the cosy winter pub vibe here. We’re talking big armchairs by open roaring fireplaces; low ceilings with ancient wooden beams; cosy nooks and crannies; and an atmospheric candlelit dining room. Even in the garden there’s big fire pits to sit by (where you can make s’mores) and a covered section with its own outdoor bar. If you can make a trip here before spring, it doesn’t get much better than this in terms of cosying up for the winter.
On the menu, overseen by chef George Williams, you’ll find elevated pub dishes that make the most of produce from the pub’s own farm as well as local community growing projects. The menu will of course change regularly but if you see dishes like raw beef with mustard sauce or scallop with langoustine gravy on there, snap them up – yes that scallop was exactly as good as it sounds. Salt baked celeriac with green sauce and leeks with Lincolnshire Poacher were both flavourful, naughty veg dishes that you won’t want to skip. Then for mains, a perfectly cooked sea bass fillet with crisp skin and a tomato and mussel sauce, plus a superb pork chop with smashed swede and a side of roasted new potatoes. We loved dinner here, with the cooking easily on a par with any top-rated London pub.
There are 10 rooms at The Bull and you’ll definitely want to stay the night when you see them as they are absolutely gorgeous; decorated very simply but with an expert touch. They’re split across the main pub building or the old barn, so they share many original features similar to the pub such as the wooden ceiling beams or old fireplaces. The minimal, modern interior design is spot on, with a neutral colour palette and splashes of dark green across the doors and furniture. Many of the rooms have roll top baths too, which is of course what everyone wants in a countryside escape, especially in freezing winter.
The guys have totally nailed it with The Bull, ticking all the boxes for what you’d want in a UK countryside getaway. They’ve set a new standard for the area so hopefully we’ll see many more like this in future years. Charlbury is a brilliant little village too – we’re already monitoring Rightmove to maybe make this weekend break a little more permanent.
Sheep Street, Charlbury, OX7 3RR
thebullcharlbury.com