carriebrighton: a lovely lunch

Last week, the boyfriend and I went out for lunch at a lovely country pub in a little village named Oaksey, in the heart of the Cotswolds. After a short drive down a country lane, you come across a beautiful old stone inn, The Wheatsheaf.

Inside, I was very pleased to be greeted with an open fire in the bar, as it was starting to snow outside. The bar area was wonderfully cosy with a leather armchair to sit in while you warm yourself by the fire, low wooden beams and old stone walls. There are multiple dining rooms, and we ate in the area situated at the end of the bar, so could stay in reach of the fire.

We both ate from the £5 lunch menu, perfect for students and those on a budget. We were served very quickly by the landlady herself (who, I'd like to add, was absolutely lovely) and our food was freshly prepared and served within 15 minutes. I had a sandwich, which was a baguette filled with haddock in panko breadcrumbs, with tartare sauce and salad, served with french fries, and the boyfriend had a gloucestershire pork pie, with homemade spiced apple chutney and hand cut chips. I of course, had to try both, and both were absolutely delicious. I actually had to steal the spiced apple chutney to have with my own chips, because it was just so darn tasty! The portions were very generous, and bigger than I was expecting for the price of the meals.

We demolished our lunches, and couldn't leave without having a sneaky peek at the dessert menu. Although I was sorely tempted by a rather tasty sounding sorbet, I was full up from my lunch, so opted for a coffee instead. The boyfriend just could not turn down the prospect of a chocolate brownie, served with homemade vanilla ice cream, which he assures me was absolutely delicious. Sadly I couldn't steal it due to silly dairy allergies, but if I could have done, I would!

Being my usual nosy self, I had to have a look at all the other food the pub had to offer. They offer a large and varied A La Carte menu, in addition to the £5 lunch menu that we ate from. They have a Tuesday Steak Night, and Wednesday Burger Night, and a Sunday Lunch Menu, leaving you spoilt for choice! If you're a bit of a foodie, like me, you will not be disappointed, with unusual delicacies on the menu, such as Wagyu Kobe beef steaks or burgers, a japanese delicacy, that has been referred to as the best beef in the world. I will definitely be giving this a try at some point! All of the menus offer Gluten and Dairy Free options which is a wonderful added bonus, so there really is something for everyone.

I loved everything about this pub, the food was delicious and affordable, the pub itself is a cosy countryside haven with its exposed stone walls, old wooden beams and that roaring open fire, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting from the minute we stepped through the doorway. I will definitely be visiting every time I am back in this part of the world, and would highly recommend you pop in if you are ever passing by!