Why The George Inn is the destination pub for Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds this summer

There are nine individually designed bedrooms set around the pub and garden, with a restaurant terrace, and an organic garden that was added during lockdown. Floral-animal artworks are by Georgia Fiennes, crockery from nearby Eliza May Pottery and bathroom products by luxury British brand 100 Acres. Local suppliers include Smith & Clay Butchers, Marks Cotswold Bakery and Sandi’s Jam.

The restaurant is led by Italian-born, French-trained chef Valerio Grimaldi-Plant and offers a flexible, all-day menu that joins the dots from breakfast to supper, comfort-food favourites to gastronomic feasts, with an extensive beer and wine list to match.

Pop in for a pint and a snack or gather up your mates for a special occasion. Along with the main dining area, there’s a Wine Room for private dining with a chef’s table and space for six guests. The George Inn is family-friendly too, with children’s menus in the restaurant – and dogs are always very welcome.

Valerio Grimaldi-Plant became Head Chef at The George Inn in October 2020 following two years as Executive Chef at Dallas Burston Polo Club, an award-winning events venue in the Warwickshire Countryside, where he oversaw the day-to-day running of multiple outlets including the conference centres, The Millstone Hare pub and event day banquets. Previous to this, Valerio was head chef at the now closed Half Moon Pub in Coventry and also worked at the one Michelin starred The Cross in Kenilworth as Senior Chef de Partie. 

As head chef at The George Inn, Valerio brings his passion for classic and contemporary cooking techniques with influences that combine Italian, Mediterranean and Asian cuisine, whilst overseeing the daily running of the kitchen and team and future F&B developments, from menu planning to seasonal rotation and use of local produce and the restaurant gardens.

The summer menus at The George Inn draw on global inspirations, Chef Val’s Italian heritage and local ingredients. Its debut garden menu features small plates such as grilled goat’s cheese, truffle and honey, spiced onion bhaji and pea-and-spinach soup, served with bread from Mark’s Sourdough, along with sharing platters of cheese, seafood and charcuterie and larger plates of honey roast ham with Beechwood eggs and chicken schnitzel.

Puddings include Eton mess with summer berries and classic crème brulée. The set lunch menu, meanwhile, includes options such as goat’s cheese crotin with garden beets and honeycomb, sea bream with crushed new potatoes, and broccoli tart, Roquefort and creamed spinach. Meanwhile the Sunday lunches are epic productions worth planning a country walk around.

Alongside local ales such as Hook Norton and Purity are seasonal cocktails such as  Blueberry Tom Collins and an Orange Mule, and an accomplished wine list with over 100 bottles of New and Old World discoveries.

The George Inn is just eight miles from Banbury and easily accessible from Oxford, Leamington Spa and Bicester, for lunch, dinner or a special occasion with friends and family.