The Eagle and Child, Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire

Stow on the Wold is a pivotal destination on the Cotswold tourist trail. Cotswold stone? Tick. Antique shops? Tick. Full of mediaeval charm, Stow is the kind of place that allows American tourists to confirm they've been somewhere "quaint". It also has one of the finest pubs in the region, the Eagle and Child, which remains great value for money. Start with a deli slate, piled high with anchovies, fat olives and crayfish tails. If you're still hungry, the steak salad is worth a look, too. Its soft, rare beef, is beautifully complemented by crunchy hazelnuts and a sticky balsamic reduction.