The White Oak, Maidenhead

It describes itself as a "Modern British pub", Greene King owned but with three pulls carrying Rebellion, and a house ale, no doubt brewed in Bury St Edmunds, one pump was unclipped. Highly tasteful decor with seating areas to left and right. The dining room is to the rear with a private dining room to the side. Bar decor is obviously modelled on a posh kitchen with the drawing room at one end complete with leather sofas and armchairs.

Essentially this is a restaurant with a small bar that will nonetheless allow you just to drink. Owned by GK but the branding is almost non-existent, just their name in small print above the pub sign. Interior a multi-roomer, modernly decorated in many shades of brown. Rear garden is pretty tasty though so we headed out there. Nice bogs. One ale at the teeny bar, a surprisingly palatable GK Abbot. Very high class staff, minding their P’s and Q’s. Again, another Cookham one that’d be nice enough for a summer beer but a pub it is not.