16-20 of the top 30 Gastro Pubs

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The Hoste Arms, The Princess, The Greyhound, The Woods and The Drunken Duck 16 The Hoste Arms Paul Whittome's 17th-century inn overlooks the village...

The Hoste Arms, The Princess, The Greyhound, The Woods and The Drunken Duck

16 The Hoste Arms

Paul Whittome's 17th-century inn overlooks the village green in upmarket Burnham Market. Having bought the freehold in 1989, Paul's relentless enthusiasm for the property, which had suffered years of brewery abuse, ensured his ambition to create Norfolk's "best inn" was fulfilled.

Today it is that rare combination of pub, stylish restaurant and smart hotel. It now pleases all comers, from cosmopolitan city folk up for the weekend to local fishermen popping in for a pint.

No food is served in the bar. Instead, eating takes place in the brasserie and in the numerous classy, but very informal, dining rooms that radiate around the bar.

The extensive menu is modern British with Pacific Rim influences, yet focuses on fresh Norfolk produce with a policy of sourcing ingredients from within a 20-mile radius, notably fish and seafood. It combines classic pub dishes with more inventive cooking.

Behind the scenes at...The Hoste Arms

Owner/licensee: Paul Whittome

Head chef: Rory Whelan

Wet:dry split: 40:60

Covers a week: 2,000

Covers for diners: 120 plus 70 outside

Best-selling dishes: Oysters, braised ham hock, sea bass

On the menu: Holkham pigeon breast with strawberry compote (£5.95); half-dozen Burnham Creek oysters (from £7.50); mixed seafood, cockle and horseradish chowder (£13.95); Whittome ground rump burger, toasted brioche, melted foie gras with hand cut chips (£16.25); apple and cider crumble (£4.95); dessert plate for two (£8.30).

Top tip/why successful: "Always look to improve areas of the operation and give customers what they want."

New for 2006: On-going room refurbishment.

17 The Princess

Paul Street, London, EC2A. Tel:0207 729 9270

Following the success of the Easton, their Clerkenwell gastro pub, the Princess is a second venture for Australian owners Zim Sutton and Andrew Veevers. Formerly drinking den the Princess Royal (owned by East End legend One-Eyed Ron), this Paul Street gastro, just along from the Fox Dining Room, opened in May 2005 and has rapidly become one of London's finest food pubs.

Former DJ Zim shares stove duty with Charles Landrick to conjure up rustic menus with a strong Mediterranean flavour, and occasional nods to Antipodean influences like Bill Granger and Maggie Beer. Downstairs, the bustling bar is the place to quaff Timothy Taylor's Landlord with a lamb, rocket and tomato sandwich.

Climb the spiral staircase and the light, airy dining room has white linen tablecloths, Riedel glasses and a more restaurant mennu. Balancing gastro-pubbery with fine dining is a hard trick to pull off, but the Princess achieves it with aplomb.

Behind the scenes at...The Princess

Owner/licensees: Zim Sutton and Andrew Veevers

Head chefs: Charles Landrick and Zim Sutton

Wet:dry split: 40:60

Covers a week: About 1,000

Covers for diners: 80

Best-selling dishes: Braised pata negra pig cheeks; cinnamon and date sticky pudding with hazelnut ice cream.

On the menu: Chargrilled squid with chilli breadcrumbs and chorizo aioli; braised rabbit with pancetta, rosemary and olives, and crisp polenta; blood orange and almond cake with rosewater cream.

Top tip: "Keep your prices affordable and make the pub a special place to be"

Best business ideas/innovation: " The wine list. We spent six months working on it with our supplier before choosing the 70 we liked."

18 The Greyhound

Stockbridge, Hampshire Tel:01264 810833

Revamped in 2001, the Greyhound is a gentrified gastro pub in exclusive Stockbridge. With its bare boards, log fires and minimalist décor it was not entirely divorced from its pub roots and became a dapper food-and-wine-centred affair under chef Darron Bunn, who had worked for Marco Pierre White. The pub wet distinctively upmarket, with Bunn's short, pricey menu (no bar food) earning him a Michelin star in 2003.

The accolade effectively turned the Greyhound into a restaurant, according to manager Tom Renshaw. In reality both Tom and the owners wanted the pub to be "informal enough to visit regularly".

Since Bunn left in early 2005 the pub has been remodelled, with eight bedrooms opening for business. New chef Heléne Schoeman has introduced a lighter bar menu next to her inventive, seasonally-changing carte and has maintained the coveted star to become one of only five female Micheli-star chefs.

Behind the scenes at...The Greyhound

Owner/licensee: Tim Fiducia

Head chefs: Heléne Schoeman

Turnover: £600,000

Wet:dry split: 30:70

Covers a week: 400

Covers for diners: 52, plus 70 outside

Best-selling dishes: Greyhound fishcake, poached egg, chive beurre blanc; pork tenderloin, Koffmann cabbage, mustard mash.

On the menu: Confit of rabbit, sun-dried tomato & sage terrine (£7); roast wild sea bass, shellfish linguini, king prawns, sauce nero (£18.95); spiced pineapple tarte Tatin (£6).

Top tip/why successful: "Well-trained, ambitious and committed chef who is meticulous about quality ingredients and who she employs."

Best business ideas/innovation: "Adding the bar menu and investing in the bedrooms."

19 The Woods

Dulverton, Somerset. Tel: 01398 324007

Country pubs don't come much more rural than the Woods, set in the heart of Exmoor National Park in the small town of Dulverton. In the late 1800s, the building was a cider house called the Barnstaple Inn and since then it has been the Woods Chocolate House, Balsom's Bakery and Woods Café.

Experienced publican Paddy Groves took over in 2004, after successfully running the Blue Ball at Triscombe. Paddy's also a parttime farmer and has introduced an increasing amount of his own produce to the menu, which is almost exclusively locally and seasonally sourced.

Former Rick Stein chef Andrew Croft-Brown and Dutchman Werner Hartolt use this to good effect and simple, nofrills good food has become one of the pub's selling points, as have well-kept real ales from the Exmoor and Otter breweries, real cider from Cheddar Valley and a 400-strong wine list, all of which are available by the glass.

Behind the scenes at...The Woods

Owners/licensees: Sally and Paddy Groves

Head chefs: Andrew Croft-Brown and Werner Hartolt

Wet:dry split: 50:50

Covers a week: Between 500 and 600

Covers for diners: 40

Best-selling dishes: Classic bouillabaisse with aïoli and croutons; fillet of Ruby beef with beef and oyster steamed pudding, green beans, white truffle mash and red wine sauce; white chocolate cheesecake with fresh berries.

On the menu: Pan-seared sweetbreads and pigeon breast with Madeira sauce and caramelised shallots; boiled ham hock with grilled black pudding and parsley sauce; steamed treacle sponge with crème Anglaise.

Best business ideas/innovation: Fortnightly, informal wine tastings for customers.

New for 2006: "Make the menu even simpler."