Inspiration, bite-size news, reviews & great stuff to do
Drive time
The South West is a magnet for people drawn to its seductive combination of bucolic countryside, rugged cliffs, beaches, moorland and outstanding produce, but how best to seek out its gems? South West 660 is a new road-trip website ranging from Poole in Dorset to Watchet in Somerset via Cornwall and Devon (pictured). The cross-borders coastal tour is split into four regions to help plan your drive, with each section divided into bite-size routes (12 in total) flagging notable food, drink and points of interest. Useful. southwest660.com
What’s good now
New in… Apples, cobnuts, elderberries, pears, oysters, venison, wild mushrooms Still wonderful… Artichokes, blackberries, butternut squash, carrots, celeriac, fennel, figs, salad leaves, marrows, peaches, plums, rocket, runner beans, tomatoes, watercress Last hurrah… Aubergines, courgettes, cucumber, mangetout, peppers, redcurrants, sweetcorn, berries, melons
CAPITAL EATS
The London Restaurant Festival returns this October with over 50 events celebrating the city’s culinary scene. Book ahead for one-night-only dinners at top spots, from home-style Persian cooking at Berenjak to Indian-inspired plates at Kricket (left). Or embark on a ‘gourmet odyssey’ – a six-course, three-restaurant roaming lunch. Pre-sale access for American Express card members from 8 Sep; tickets on general sale from 13 Sep; londonrestaurantfestival.com
PUB OF THE MONTH
THE ROSE INN, WICKHAMBREAUX, KENT
PUBBY CREDS
There’s no pretension here: the staff are a delight and chef-publican Billy Stock is reassuringly smileybeardy and dotty about his craft. He’s also committed to The Rose being a heart-of-the-community drinking pub as well as a beacon for food. There’s a garden for sunny days and a woodburner for when the nights draw in.
THE BOOZE
The bar line-up shows commitment to local producers: Ramsgate Brewery’s Gadds No5, Dune Buggy from Margate’s Northdown Brewery and gin from Chapeldown and Greensand Ridge top the billing.
THE FOOD
Highlights of the sharing-plates menu were merguez sausages with peperonata, and a crab and fennel gratin. The chips are a must-try – layered and baked, then deep-fried to crisp-outside, squidgy-inside perfection. There are spit-roasted chickens to share (or take away) too. Puds? The pistachio doughnut ice cream sandwich was sublime. A pub to make a (regular) beeline for.
theroseinn.pub
Worth a detour
In the heart of the Cotswolds,
