This pleasant pub provides a great alternative to soggy motorway caff sandwiches for travellers, and is a pretty good option for locals too. The kitchen has plenty of ambition: bread is freshly baked and butter is homemade, old classics are given a modern makeover and the presentation is artful. Start with chicken ballotine, served with chorizo, girolles and sorrel, or a postmodern egg and soldiers in the form of crispy duck egg and brioche, with a smattering of truffle and hazelnuts. Move on to chicken breast with dauphinois potatoes and a spinach and bacon velouté, fish and chips or posh ploughman’s. There’s a variety of pig-out puds for afters, plus the usual pub drinks, a decent wine list and interesting ales on tap.