Hand & Trumpet

Big attractive dining pub with good food all day, professional service, nice range of real ales and wines; pleasant garden

Very much out of the Brunning & Price mould, this sturdy building was handsomely converted a few years ago with top quality fixtures and fittings. Cleverly open plan and stylish yet still intimate feeling, at its heart is a solidly built counter with half a dozen handpumps dispensing well kept Caledonian Deuchars IPA, Phoenix B&P Original, Salopian Oracle and guests from brewers such as Boggart Hole Clough, Sharps and Wood. They also keep a fine range of about 22 wines by the glass and about 85 whiskies. Linked open-plan areas working around the counter have a good mix of dining chairs and sturdy tables on polished tiles or stripped oak boards, and several big oriental rugs that soften the acoustics and appearance. There are lots of nicely lit prints on cream walls above mainly dark dado and below deep red ceilings. It's all brightened up with good natural light from bow windows and in one area a big skylight. Service is relaxed and friendly; good disabled access and facilities; board games. French windows open onto a stylish balustraded deck with teak tables and chairs looking down to ducks swimming on a big pond in the sizeable garden, which has plenty of trees.

Food is well prepared, and the menu ranges from good takes on traditional dishes to more imaginative ones. As well as interesting sandwiches, the menu might include starters such as onion and thyme soup, roast sardines on toast with tomato and garlic chutney, potted rabbit and ham with apple and pear chutney, charcuterie for two, light bites such as roast butternut squash with potato ghocchi, peppers and pesto, steak sandwich, chicken and chorizo salad, ploughman's, main courses such as cumberland sausages and mash, battered haddock with mushy peas and hand-cut chips, steak burger, steamed hake fillet with lobster sauce, crispy beef salad with sweet chilli and coconut, rump steak, and puddings such as gooseberry and apple upside down cake and warm dark chocolate tart with orange cream.