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ROYAL OAK PUB
We shouldn’t say it, but we think The Royal Oak in Bishopstone is becoming a truly great place to eat and drink.
Great lunches
It’s over a year since Eastbrook and Helen Browning took on the tenancy of this struggling but lovely place, and seeing the menu at lunchtime today it was hard to decide between the pub’s own-smoked baked potatoes with home made baked beans and home cured bacon, or the 35 day aged sirloin steak. Possibly the pigs’ liver pate, from Helen’s pigs just up the road. Jasper Ackroyd, the chef, is driven by local produce, to the extent that he will spend his spare time and days off foraging for crab apples, blackberries, sloes and other produce from the village hedgerows. As you’d expect, everything’s organic wherever possible.
Better suppers
The pub offers a full menu every night, albeit slightly reduced on Sundays and Mondays. Veal, pork, beef—from sirloins to shoulders to burgers, and vegetarian food such as the current triple layer carrot cake. Fish from day boats out of Newlyn. The lunch menu veers between easy home made bite size foods, such as the spuds above, or the astonishing bacon sarnies, or the fish and chips.
Good drinking
The organic wines and champagnes are from Vintage Roots (www.vintageroots.co.uk); the beer is from Swindon’s independent family brewers,
Arkells (www.arkellsbeer.com); the sloe gin is prepared lovingly by pub manager Mark Genders and some of it is nearly ready for consumption.
Warm
We offer an old sofa; eclectic dining tables and chairs; great newspapers and magazines; and a roaring fire. A great and confident welcome - and accommodation if you need to stay over!
Accommodation
At the back of the pub, in a separate building, we have two simple but lovely rooms, both doubles, and both with an additional single thrown in. Crisp and beautiful Egyptian cotton bedding, ensuite showers and loos; this is not The Dorchester but they are good value at £45/head or £60/70 for double/treble occupancy. Breakfast is also worth getting up for.
Our opening hours
Monday-Saturday: midday to 3pm (food 12-2.30pm) and 6pm to 11pm (food 6-9pm)
Sunday: midday to 10.30pm (food 12-3pm, 6-9pm)
How to find us
Bishopstone is about 8 miles east of Swindon, 10 miles west of Wantage. In the village is a large duckpond. If the pond is on the right, the next lane on the left is Cues Lane. The Royal Oak is 50 yards down there on the right. The car park is beyond it and round the back.
The Royal Oak
Cues Lane
Bishopstone
SN6 8PP
01793 790481
royaloak@helenbrowningorganics.co.uk
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