The Five Elms is a pub in the village of Weedon, five miles from Aylesbury on the cusp of the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire. Now Grade II listed, the pub dates back to the mid 18th century, taking its name from five local elm trees. Today it is run by manager Andrew and head chef Tom, hospitality industry veterans who worked in Michelin-starred establishments around the world before meeting at the Minster Mill Hotel in Minster Lovell. The pair aim to deliver a quintessential English country pub dining experience with food that prioritises local ingredients cooked with modern techniques. This is all set against the backdrop of a low-ceiling, thatched roof pub, with the decor matching these historic and inviting surroundings.
The food menu is routinely updated to match the seasonality of the pub’s chosen produce. Example snacks, ideal for enjoying with a few drinks whether having a full meal or not, include a British charcuterie board, nocellara olives, and freshly baked sourdough with butter.
Starters set the tone of updating and refining traditional pub fayre. Dishes such as duck leg hash with sour cherry onions and egg yolk puree, and whipped goats cheese with beetroot and spiced bread are testament to this. There’s also a crab satay and onion veloute.
Main dishes are hearty and yet still executed with skill. Examples include lamb rump served with braised Sharpham spelt and a mint broth, and treacle glazed aged sirloin steak with roscoff onion, mushroom, and a deeply rich merlot sauce. Lighter dishes are also on offer, such as halibut with leek and burnt cream fondue and the vegetarian aubergine with freekeh and cashew tagine. On Sundays a roast is served. Beef or pork are usually the meat options, and you’ll often find a grilled loin of cod on the menu in the warmer months.