The Three Cups Inn, Stockbridge

The Three Cups is another of the former 15th Century coaching Inns located on Stockbridge High Street. It is a Free House, but like the others in this moneyed Hampshire Town, its main focus seems to be on dining.. Internally there is a small lounge room with a wooden beamed ceiling, stone-wood flooring, and a large brick fireplace. And then the rest of the internal space is the dining area in the form of the Orangery which leads onto the outside patio. Here a lunchtime sandwich will set you back £7.00 and a Burger or Fish and Chips will cost you the wrong side of £12, although you can get 2 for £20 during the week, and then other more exotic mains are west of £16.00. The outside place is one of the positive points of The Three Cups with a very pleasant secluded garden area beyond the patio section with one of the narrow tributaries of the River Test running alongside. There are 4 real ale pumps on the bar and the beer choice was pretty good with focus seeming to be on South England Breweries . Itchen Valley Faggins seems to be a permanent feature and Palmers Best Bitter was on for our visit, and both of these were good. Comfortable enough inside but more gastro pub restaurant than traditional, so if you are only drinking, probably best to wait until the sun is out and then you could utilise the very good garden for an alfresco pint.