The Swan, Southrop, restaurant review: Do village pubs come more twee than this?

Thanks to a hefty restoration the pub has been modernised but still retains its chic country feel. Emma Henderson gets a taste for country life again

The quaint village pub offers a welcomed break from the madness of the metropolitan

(Photography by Rich Stapleton)

The Cotswolds are well known for being picturesque, quiet and almost too quaint to be real, feeling more like a life-size version of a model village. But Southrop is real enough. I grew up in the country, but city living gives you a tainted version of life that nothing exists outside of constant traffic, black railings, pavements, and not blinking an eye to near-constant sirens.

I was once used roads without markings, more greenery than cars, empty roads (except for high season) and sheep in fields at home in Cornwall. But here, Southrop’s quietness feels oddly surreal, like we’ve walked into a film set.

It’s not until we walk up to the village pub that we realise where everyone is. Ah, yes at the newly renovated The Swan pub. Good sign.

With plenty of stone, wood and classic country tones, the renovation is sensitive and fresh

And do country pubs come more quintessentially British than this? It’s doubtful. It’s a 17^th century Cotswold stone, slate roof building with low ceilings, adorned in gorgeous bright green ivy, a huge open fireplace inside and a village green next to it.

It’s chocolate box. And it even has the huge British flags hanging outside the windows (it was the royal wedding when I visited and not a permanent feature, I don’t think). The pub’s had a generous rejuvenation and been given the up-market country feel package thanks to owners Caryn and Charlie Hibbert. It's part of their larger project that includes the Thyme hotel over the road too, made up of a huge barn, farmhouse and out buildings that have been brought back to modernity with beautiful interiors to rival that of the Artist Residences, as well as the famed Thyme cookery school.

Back in the Swan, it’s busy, with locals and visitors alike. In the kitchen it’s head chef Matt Wardman and Charlie Hibbert as culinary director, but despite its truly British setting the menu is a mixture of French and British, while the wine menu is almost entirely French, save for a Spanish, Italian or shock, English, white here and there. It's supposedly a nod to the area’s Norman heritage (including the local church) as well as French bistros.

Of course, it’s all seasonal and local – who isn’t now? – with vegetables, herbs and salad leaves coming from the kitchen gardens and other areas of the estate, but at least the mantra feels more at home in a countryside village than every other Tom, Dick and Harry high-end city restaurants.

The restaurant menus are on paper (of course, as they’re seasonal) and a huge chalkboard bar menu is brought round too, with the latter acting as while-you-choose small plates. Always a good idea in my book. We go for the potato croquettes: they’re creamy bite sized pieces of heaven you don’t want to end (nor share) which are ordered alongside olives and bread and butter, the homemade rustic variety. Of course.

Much of the produce is grown in the kitchen gardens and other areas of the estate

Portion sizes are a stern reminder you’re out of a city (and at a pub, instead of fine dining) and are more akin to what your mum would plate up for you on a Sunday when you go home for a roast. The pressed ham hock and duck liver terrine starter is a dinner size plate full, with half of the plate taken up by a huge array of accompanying pickles and capers that are a little too much to finish and sliced toasted brioche. The smaller lemon and dill salmon is fresh and perfectly simple with a little crème fraiche and salad leaves.

My Guinea fowl breast is fairly hefty in itself, but beautifully cooked, if a little salty. It sits on gorgeously buttered large slices of Jersey royals, pureed peas, while a handful of pea shoots are sprinkled over the top of the dish. It’s practically spring on a plate.

The meaty hake dish is rather dominated by garlic, another nod to the French. No bad thing, unless you’re not such a fan. It’s a generously large piece (keeping with the theme) that’s served crispy skin side up on broad beans and violet artichokes. The fish is, as expected, creamy and meaty and has little to go wrong.

The staff are a mixed bag of extremely friendly and obviously professionally trained to a put-it-down-and-run-away type, who don't even notice that we're missing the tools to eat our mains.

I finish with a little chocolate mousse that’s topped with cream and a hazelnut biscuit. It’s the smallest thing we’ve had, and ticks the box for being rich and filling a sweet tooth craving. The classic pudding, rhubarb crumble and vanilla ice cream, makes use of the season’s best again and is wonderfully tart.

The Swan is achingly seasonal which leaves little room for experimenting too far out of the box, but that doesn’t necessarily make it a bad thing. If it ain’t broke etc. The dishes are well paired, the food well cooked and you’ll leave feeling happy, content and probably rather pleased with yourself. You certainly won’t be hungry.

Three courses for two with bar snacks and two glasses of wine comes to around £85.

Food: ★★★★☆
Service: ★★★☆☆
Value: ★★★★★

The Swan, Lechlade, Southrop, Gloucestershire GL7 3NU; thyme.co.uk/dining/the-swan-at-southrop; 01367 850205; open daily