Despite its cosy brace of bars, dining holds sway at this alluring stone-built pub in the centre of a village on Northampton’s outskirts. To the rear, Hunters restaurant may be homely in appearance
(think painted beams, an Artex ceiling and red-leather chairs), but there plenty of culinary ambition here – witness a palate-sharpening amuse-bouche of pumpkin and goats’ cheese salad. Highlights
of the meaty monthly menu are top-quality Welsh beef and lamb, perhaps including luscious braised ox cheeks with red wine jus. The pickings from an autumnal meal have also featured rather dry
rabbit loin (from a local game dealer) stuffed with smoked chicken mousse, and a maple and pecan tart for afters. The wine list has some decent suggestions for pairing (a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon
with the beef, for instance), and service is generally informative.