The Greenman

Drive through the Herefordshire village of Fownhope and you can’t miss the large lemon and beige building that houses this superb pub and restaurant. The inside may be rustic, but it’s chic, too, with thumping great wooden tables, warming fireplaces, blackboards and beams galore: classy with cool touches. When owners Sean and Sarah Mason took over the pub and renovated it, they deflected the wrath of locals just after a quiet pint by giving them their own designated Drinkers’ Table, with no food allowRustic yeted. Beer aficionados come from miles around to sup Greenman bitter, specially brewed just down the road by Wye Valley Ales. But really, it’s a shame to come and not try Chef Joe Dowling’s tempting food – pan-fried pigeon breast, black pudding scotch quail egg, trio of chocolate doughnuts, come on! The Herefordshire beef is particularly succulent. Cheese fiends will adore Stinking Bishop, Slack-ma-Gurdle and Hereford Hop, and when you're done it's nice to know that there are 17 beautifully furnished, boutique-style rooms spread over the property, including 5 spacious, well-equipped rooms in the Old Cottage which can accommodate self-caterers.