The Bell at Selsley

From its hillside perch in a village a couple of miles outside Stroud, the Bell at Selsley commands a quintessentially Cotswold panorama – watching over five converging valleys, looking up to blustery commons above, and down to venerable mills beside rushing streams. The inn itself is also easy on the eye, built of honey-hued stone, with a cosy beamed bar as well as a more contemporary dining room, where floor-to-ceiling windows allow guests to watch the last slanting rays of sunset illuminating the rooftops of the town (if the weather is kind). The menu brings together British and European influences, with ingredients drawn from the region and much further afield. Bright ideas and deft execution are the kitchen's hallmarks: Italian black fig, burrata and home-smoked duck made for a spirited medley at our June dinner, likewise salmon tartare topped with wild garlic. Local flavours loom large among the mains – notably a mighty blade of Gloucestershire beef presented regally atop roast garlic mash and king oyster mushroom – although the real highlight for us was a serving of beetroot gnocchi with courgette, rocket pesto and Parmesan cream, a dish positively bursting with bright notes. Desserts have some old-school flourishes (baked Alaska, for instance), but many will prefer to go for the cheeseboard with its heavy West Country accent. House wines start at £22, and the locally brewed Uley Bitter is also a winner.

2 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence