The story
The Pilgrim is a modern British kitchen at 25 High Street, North Marston, near Winslow, and it earned a Michelin Recommended listing in 2026. The village pub is owner-operated, and the food reflects the seasons.
The kitchen sources free range rare breed meat and sustainably caught fish, and some vegetables come from the pub's own veggie patch. Dishes are prepared fresh on site, and the menu shifts with the weather. The Good Food Guide, which rated the pub Good for 2026, describes plates such as hispi cabbage with smoked almonds, crème fraîche and Berkswell cheese. Sunday brings a traditional three-course roast.
Heavy timbers, warming log fires and a cosy bar-lounge define the interior. In warmer months, the beer garden fills up. Locals come for real ales and proper draught cider, and a reduced menu of bar food is available there.
Recognition
Ambience
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History
Independently owned and independently run by chef Brett Newman and his wife Nadia, this cheery, ‘incredibly welcoming’ hostelry ticks all the boxes as a genuine community-minded village local. It hosts quizzes and open-mic nights, stages summer BBQs in its expansive garden, raises money for the local primary school and is cherished by the residents of North Marston and beyond. Food-wise, the owners buy what’s local and seasonal for a repertoire that runs from tapas plates to Sunday roasts, all big on flavour and generosity. Menu formats vary with the seasons, but sharing is normally the name of the game, whether you’re into mac ‘n’ cheese, devilled mushrooms or hispi cabbage with smoked almonds, crème fraîche and Berkswell cheese. Bigger plates could bring sriracha-glazed chicken thighs studded with sesame seeds or line-caught pollack with creamed corn and chipotle chilli. Rare-breed steaks and burgers satisfy too, while desserts might usher in calorific old dependables such as treacle tart, lemon posset or chocolate truffle cake with clotted cream and praline. Locals drinking real ales in the bar can also eat from a reduced menu of similar items, right down to bowls of chips and ketchup. Proper draught cider and a refreshingly priced, varied wine list complete a thoroughly likeable local package.
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