Perch & Pike, South Stoke, Reading

A Brakspear pubco gastro pub in a small rural village.The outside is pleasing and shows the buildings age.The interior is rustic with a very low beamed ceiling,the servery is in two halves with the handpumps to the left side.You can just enter the pub to drink and the section by the handpumps has a few small tables with traditional chairs ,the right section has a doubled sided real fireplace creating atmosphere,a cosy spot by the fire will be grabbed by diners despite the fact that beyond the rear fireplace sofas there is a formally laid dining room,again rustic themed.There is a paved beer garden to the front of the exterior looking over the car park. On my visit just Brakspear Bitter and Oxford Gold (NBSS 3.5) on handpump with dull keg beers.However the food is very good but pricey with starters around £13,mains £22,deserts £9 with a very decent wine list and a short food menu which is usually a good sign. If just drinking the mundane ale options would count against the pub ,a recent refurb has left a functional interior lacking a bit of charm and ,it's not really a pub for a long session but the food offering may well induce another visit.Worth booking a table at popular times.

Attractive 17th century brick and flint village local. A Brakspear pub so a couple of their ales on in decent nick. Three rooms inside, not much of note and it felt a bit sparse in the atmosphere stakes. A fair beer stop-off but not necessarily one to go the extra mile for.