Real ale and a crackling log fire certainly ensure traditional country pub credentials, alongside The Gumstool Inn’s distinctive gastropub edge. Whether popping in for a swift pint, or lingering over a leisurely lunch or a cosy supper, The Gumstool’s many regulars know they are guaranteed a warm welcome and a buzzing atmosphere, just as first-time visitors will also discover.
Sourcing top-quality, seasonal ingredients for its menus is the key to why food at the 35-bedroom Calcot Manor hotel is so widely acclaimed. That, and then treating such great produce with the respect it deserves. This holds true for The Gumstool Inn just as it does for the hotel’s more formal Conservatory Restaurant. The menus for each are developed and perfected according to their particular style and sense of occasion. Honing good home cooking, The Gumstool serves up favourites such as grilled calf’s liver with smoked bacon, or free-range British chicken, spit-roasted with lemon and thyme. There are foreign flavours too, with dishes such as Asian duck salad with a sweet and sour dressing. Either way, The Gumstool’s menus steer towards hearty, comforting eating.
While very much part of Calcot Manor, The Gumstool Inn also has its own dedicated entrance and so can be reached from a charming garden with bench tables – perfect for alfresco meals in warmer weather.
