The foodie village of Bray is awash with Michelin stars, but there are places to eat that live up to the location’s culinary credentials but are more every day and, well, humble. The Crown at Bray is a traditional 16th century pub serving wonderful British pub food in a warm and relaxed environment. The vibe is friendly, laidback, loved by locals popping in for a pint, with an excellent reputation for food that attracts destination diners.

The Crown, just a few miles down the road from Windsor Castle, has a rich history as a hostelry and apparently King Charles II used to stop off for a beer, en route to see his mistress Nell Gwynn. That sense of history remains today. The décor is deliberately traditional and deliciously ‘pubby’ –  low ceilings, dark oak beams, higgledy-piggledy flow and open fires. There are several eating ‘areas’ that lead into each other in the pub, keeping the feel intimate and buzzy.

Right now, it’s all about outdoor dining and the team here have really made an effort to ensure it is as buzzy as eating indoors. Beeline it to The Courtyard and Garden in the summer where you can revel in BBQ evenings and al fresco tipples. Head Chef Scott Smith and his team work tirelessly to create crowd-pleasing, seasonal gastropub dishes –  a bit different from your regular pub grub. The Sunday lunches are legendary, you can grab takeaway fish and chips every Friday, and a simple kids menu will appeal to parents fearing the inevitable food fight when dining out.