The Phene is a quaint, relaxing gastropub with food as elegant as its décor. Come for their Sunday Roasts – you won’t be disappointed.
They have combined the best of a rustic countryside inn – think mahogany table-tops and shelves cluttered with books and trinkets – with a contemporary eatery, bursts of colour and print coming from the sofas and velvet armchairs dotted around haphazardly. In summer months, head for their outdoor seating terrace, a comforting space filled with greenery and umbrellas to cool down under.
The Phene celebrate the best of British, sourcing locally and infusing dishes with classic English country ingredients. Why not split a seafood board to start? It comes with home-cured Juniper and mustard gravalax, seared mackerel, pan-fried trout, Jersey Royal and fine bean salad plus heaps of crème fraiche, gherkins, caperberries and bread for dipping. For a roast, choose from sirloin of beef, lamb rump and roast chicken (or mushroom and chestnut Wellington for veggies) with all the trimmings. Leave room for dessert as their peach tarte tatin with tamarind caramel sauce and peach sorbet is unmissable.
While it may feel like you’re at an idyllic country hideaway, it’s actually a stones-throw away from the River Thames, with regular trains and underground rail links.