The Pot Kiln - Yattendon

TV chef and presenter Mike Robinson had his very first pint in the Pot Kiln and, many years down the line, he decided to buy the place and run it as his very own pet project. These days, beer comes from the West Berkshire Brewery, (which began in outbuildings behind the pub before moving to bigger premises in nearby Yattendon) and the pub is still a haven for drinkers.

Even so, food is now top of the agenda – as you might guess from a man who spends much of his time demonstrating his skills on UKTV. Cooking game and wild food is one of his passions, witness dishes like warm salad of wood pigeon with crispy bacon and black pudding, slow-braised wild rabbit with rosemary and garlic, or pavé of fallow deer with juniper jus.

Away from the hunt and the shoot, you will also see grilled goats' cheese and fig salad, sole Véronique and slow-cooked ham hock with pease pudding, parsley and caper sauce, followed by desserts like honeycomb parfait or hazelnut and chocolate torte.