Harden's survey result
Summary
Reopened in June 2024 (after our diners’ poll had concluded), this well-known inn (Kate Middleton’s favourite back in the day) has been relaunched under new management and after a £750,000 refit with seven rooms for accommodation. Gone are the days of its traditional British menu: Nick Galer and his team now present Basque-influenced dishes, including tapas and cured meats, and the interior has been significantly changed, incorporating a charcoal-fired grill at the centre of a big open kitchen. There’s still a separate bar and big outside area; and they still run their popular weekly pizza nights (now on Sundays) when they fire up the big oven in the garden.
Summary
Kate Middleton’s favourite pub, apparently (Raymond Blanc is a fan too) is this rural inn deep in the Berkshire countryside, where noise from the nearby M4 doesn’t impinge on its tranquility. Much-expanded in recent years with the addition of a cookery school, it’s nowadays run by Kate Robinson and her partner, musician Rocky Rockliff (Kate’s ex-husband, game expert Mike Robinson, is no longer involved). Though still popular with our reporters too, there’s a feeling that “the menu has been scaled back in recent times” with meals that are increasingly “good but not special”.
Summary
This “lovely country pub in the middle of nowhere” (deep in the Berkshire countryside, where it’s easy to ignore the nearby M4) hits all targets with “big portions of delicious, gamey, meat dishes, friendly knowledgeable service and a relaxed atmosphere”. Owner Kate Robinson made a few changes when she took over from her former husband, the well-known shooting chef Mike Robinson, and now runs it with her partner, musician Rocky Rockliff. Top Tip – the snacks in the bar and huge garden are high quality, and considerably cheaper than eating a full meal inside.
Summary
“Specialising in game served in an innovative way” from the Yattendon estate which surrounds it, this “delightful” country pub makes the most of its location “in beautiful countryside”. It came to prominence under the shooting chef Mike Robinson and is now run by his former wife, Kate Robinson, and her musician partner Rocky Rockliff. They reopened it after a revamp two years ago with a “tasty new small plates menu” whose highlights include “delicious venison” and “amazing pheasant pie”. In summer, lunch from the bar menu in the vast garden.
For 34 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at The Pot Kiln?
Yattendon Estate, Frilsham, RG18 0XX
Restaurant details
The Pot Kiln Restaurant Diner Reviews
"I really want to like this pub, i have been coming for years and its situation and ambience is idyllic quintessential English countryside. Beautiful pub, beautiful setting, nice friendly service, but the food is so disappointing. For a start the prices are expensive and what you get for your money is quite frankly on the small side. The menu is spanish tapas style small plates and mains to share an is pretty uninspiring. Food just wasn't that inviting, i didn't really like any of it. In particular the fries with patatas bravas flavouring were dry, unsavory and felt like they were covered in sawdust, very unappealing. The scotch egg was laughably small. Really disappointing and trying too hard."
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £30.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 10.00% |
Yattendon Estate, Frilsham, RG18 0XX
Opening hours
| Monday | 12 pm‑10 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑10 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑10 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑11 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑11 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑6 pm |
Best Game restaurants nearby
British, Modern restaurant in Fulham
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British, Modern restaurant in Newbury
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