The Miller of Mansfield has undergone a major transformation in recent years and has recently been awarded the highest possible accolade by the AA, earning five Gold Stars as a restaurant with rooms – one of only three such properties in all of Oxfordshire and Berkshire. This beautifully appointed restaurant with 13 individually designed en-suite bedrooms has been completely refurbished with comfort and style as priorities. Originally an 18th-Century coaching inn, The Miller now offers truly memorable modern British cuisine in a picturesque and unspoilt Thameside village setting, overlooking the beautiful village green and Norman church beyond.

Just 50 yards from the River Thames the pub area is warm and welcoming, with old oak beams, comfortable sofas and open fires, where one can enjoy a relaxed bar meal or just sit comfortably sipping a glass of pinot grigio or pint of local real ale. The bar food is no ordinary pub fare however, produced from the same fresh local and seasonal ingredients as the restaurant cuisine, and representing tremendous value with mains starting under £10.

The restaurant boasts an elegant but comfortable decor, with an open fire and lovely bleached wooden tables. The head chef’s culinary expertise is evident in every delicious dish – it is no wonder that many of the lucky locals who have discovered this gem treat themselves to the fine food on a weekly basis. The reason for such fine cuisine is in part due to The Miller’s sourcing policy, where everything is free range (wild or organic where possible) and sourced from local suppliers and farms. Portions are generous and stylishly presented, with a nod to tradition. I chose lemon and dill-scented goat’s cheesecake with a pecan and walnut base, poached pear and beetroot purée to start. The flavours and textures exploded in my mouth beautifully. Asking from where the wonderful warm bread was sourced we discovered that it is baked fresh daily in the Miller’s kitchens – a sign of real commitment from a truly talented chef and his team. After a suitable pause during which we took the opportunity to sit back and savour the atmosphere, the main event arrived at our table. I savoured the flavours of the line-caught Brixham oven-roasted cod with curried lentils, fine beans and bacon and a brown shrimp beurre noisette. My partner tucked into the 28-day-aged and hung Berkshire rib-eye with fat chips, steak garni, roasted confit shallots and a peppercorn sauce and only came up for air after polishing off the entire plate. Both mains were expertly executed and, at only £17.95 (from £24.95 for three courses from the à la carte menu, including an amuse-bouche and fresh bread, and £14.95 for the three-course set lunch menu from Monday to Friday), it’s no wonder that Zoe Williams raved about The Miller’s value-for-money pricing in the Daily Telegraph.

For a fresh and exciting meal, in a newly transformed chic restaurant (with the advantage of some truly stunning bedrooms just upstairs), I urge you to make The Miller of Mansfield your next port of call. The restaurant also caters for inspired weddings, conferences and other private functions, and the friendly staff will make you feel right at home, leaving you wanting to return again very soon.