Hampton Poyle, Italian Restaurant Guide

Five-year-old French bistro in Summertown offering “a limited but well-executed menu”, alongside “delightful service and a warm and friendly ambience”. Chef-patron Pascal Wiedermann (ex-Racine, Terroirs and Six Portland Place), who runs it with his wife Laura, scatters his Gallic cuisine with touches from across Europe. Even fans, though, say “sometimes the food is excellent, but unfortunately it can be variable”. Top Tip – “look out for the early evening drink and snack offers”.

2023 Review: “A foodie gem”, this well-known eighteenth-century pub in a village on the outskirts of Oxford has been going through a period of flux, hence we’ve removed a rating for the time being. High-profile chef Jon Parry joined in summer 2022, after our annual diners’ poll had concluded, having made a name for himself cooking over an open fire at The Mash Inn in Buckinghamshire, and declared his ambition to ‘turn The White Hart into something really special’. Four months later, owner Baz Butcher announced his intention to sell up and retire to France.