The story
In the quiet Oxfordshire village of Murcott, the Nut Tree Inn is a traditional village pub that has held a Michelin star since 2008. Chef Mike North and his wife Imogen are the owners and the heart of the place, having bought the freehold in 2006 and turned it into a destination restaurant without losing its local roots.
Mike’s own history with Murcott runs deep—he spent much of his childhood here with his Granny Peg. When the couple saw the pub was for sale, it was over budget, but Mike’s instinct was clear: “we’ll make it work.” They opened in November 2006 and earned their Michelin star two years later. The Nut Tree has also collected three AA Rosettes and a place on the Hardens Guide UK Top 100, among other accolades. The team, including Mike, Imogen, and their dogs Mattie and Cyril, have made the inn their home.
The cooking is Modern British, driven by the seasons. The restaurant’s own kitchen garden supplies much of the produce, and the menus change with what’s available. Guests can choose between a six-course Tasting Menu (available at lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, and exclusively on Friday and Saturday evenings) or Pub Classics during lunch and Tuesday-to-Thursday dinner. On Sundays, the kitchen serves its own version of roast beef—“not your standard roast,” they note. A vegetarian tasting menu is also offered, and the kitchen can adapt for most dietary requirements with advance notice. The drinks list includes a house Nut Tree IPA, a carefully chosen wine list, and cocktails.
The Nut Tree Inn is a proper village pub. In summer, there is alfresco dining in the garden; on colder days, a fire burns inside. The restaurant is intimate, and the atmosphere is warm and unhurried—the team recommends allowing at least two and a half hours for the Tasting Menu. It is a place that balances fine dining with the easy charm of a local.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
High quality cooking
It’s hard not to be seduced by the Nut Tree, the 15th-century pub-restaurant in an Oxfordshire hamlet that chef Mike North and his wife Imogen have run to great acclaim for almost 20 years. The low-slung thatch may be showing its age, but scrambling roses, a vegetable garden, and homely pubbiness (especially in the older bar area) make up for any rooftop bedragglement. In any case, you’re here for the food and drink. Drop in for a pint and a pub classic in one of the cosy alcoves. Fish and chips fly out during the week, ditto flavour-packed cod brandade with runny quail's eggs and luxuriously creamy mushroom velouté flecked with chives and a soupçon of truffle oil. As one regular reported: 'No matter what I go in for, whether it's dinner, a snack or a drink, I'm welcomed just the same.' The kitchen’s ambition shows on the tasting menu, where beautiful ingredients are prepared with classical confidence and minimal showmanship. Settle in for the full six courses (plus excellent bread and an optional cheese course) or ask for servings to be scaled up to build a conventional three-course deal. A piece of pearly turbot comes with smooth baba ganoush, spring vegetables and a lightly aerated vermouth sauce; it’s a delight with an Austrian Grüner Veltliner (Domäne Baumgartner 2023). Beef fillet with morels and more vivid greens is a standout, the meat exceptional in its tenderness, the accompanying Madeira sauce glossed with luxury, while a ripe Côte du Rhône (Domaine Arbouse 2022) provides strong berry-cherry support in the glass. To conclude, an eggshell filled with salted caramel, chocolate mousse, Chantilly cream and popping candy is a fun pre-dessert fixture, while a passion-fruit soufflé and sorbet with a little jug of coconut and rum custard is refreshingly, tropically zesty. There’s a loyal following locally for the Norths’ brand of gracious hospitality and classical cuisine delivered in a super-comfortable setting – and we also say 'yes' to the padded seats, white tablecloths and sparkling glassware. Prices reflect the times but also the exceptional quality of produce. Worth it? Absolutely.
3 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
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