The story
The Woolpack Inn in Stroud delivers refined Modern British cooking within a historic Cotswold setting. Head chef Adam Glover has guided the kitchen since 2013, building a concise menu that prioritizes seasonal produce over elaborate presentation. His approach blends a classical French sensibility with precise culinary technique, allowing the quality of local ingredients to drive each plate. Vegetables and edible flowers arrive directly from the two acre organic plot at nearby Lypiatt Park, creating a tight dialogue between the soil and the stove.
The kitchen applies this British cooking philosophy to generous portions designed to satisfy a proper appetite. Starters like fasolakia, a slow simmered bean stew paired with aged feta, sit alongside roasted pork schnitzel finished with fresh borlotti beans and girolles. Rabbit cooked with pastis, saffron, fried bread, and aïoli arrives in farm labourer sized servings, particularly when ordered with the house dripping chips. Regulars frequently return for senior sous chef Nige’s pig’s head and potato pie, while desserts range from simple bowls of chilled cherries to rich Saint-Émilion au chocolat.
The three hundred year old stone hostelry clings to the steeply beautiful Slad valley, preserving a slightly shabby and historic charm throughout its interior. Visitors navigate a series of intimate spaces, from a fireside tavern to a compact dining room featuring a painted mural of the valley across the ceiling. Bare wood tables rest on scuffed floors, decorated with fresh posies harvested from the estate gardens. Outside, vine covered terraces provide a sheltered backdrop for meals, while a dedicated book cabinet quietly honors the literary heritage of local author Laurie Lee.
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