Pub fare on the Michelin menu in 2015 ‘Eating Out’ guide

It’s Friday, and many people will be heading to the pub this evening for a pint or two and something to eat. Those hoping for a meal to remember can increase their chances by picking up a copy of the Michelin Eating Out In Pubs Guide 2015, which was released today and available for £13.99, or €14.99 in Ireland.

The new look 2015 guide recommends more than 590 pubs from all over Great Britain and Ireland, of which 70 are new entries. All the pubs have been selected, first and foremost, for the quality of their food. “Pubs are a quintessential part of British life,” commented guide editor Rebecca Burr. “And the standard of food being served in them continues to reach new heights. A pub is a great place to be in all seasons – who doesn’t enjoy lunch and a pint in a pub garden on a sunny day or a fireside meal in a cosy inn in winter?

“The value of the local pub cannot be underestimated, particularly in rural areas. From the local darts team to the village cricket eleven, from quiz nights to wine tastings, pubs provide more than just a meeting point – they are often the hub of the community,” she added. “With this in mind, customers are now demanding that chefs use more and more local produce and want to see local recipes and specialities on the menu. Chefs and pub owners are not only embracing this idea but some are taking it a stage further by growing their own fruit, vegetables and herbs, and by keeping chickens and rearing pigs.”

This year’s edition of the Pub Guide has a new look, with more pictures and a simplified layout making it even easier to use. Each entry features colour photographs and an in-depth description, as well as prices, directions and a list of real ales; there are also regional maps and indexes by both pub and town name. Pubs with accommodation are highlighted, as are those offering something extra special – the guide’s so-called ‘Inspectors’ Favourites’. The guide also highlights the 43 pubs which have been awarded Bib Gourmand status for their great value cooking – and the 16 holders of a coveted Michelin Star, awarded for top class cuisine, including the Treby Arms, which is run by a former MasterChef winner, and Tom Kerridge’s Hand and Flowers, the only two-starred pub.

Every year the guide singles out one particular pub as its ‘Pub of the Year’. For 2015, this accolade goes to The Wild Rabbit in Kingham. “This chocolate box pub is situated in a charming Cotswold village and its capable kitchen works with the best organic ingredients to produce seasonal British cooking which is full of flavour. With an animated atmosphere, cheery service and stylish yet rustic bedrooms, the pub ticks all the right boxes,” said Burr.