Lost in peaceful countryside between the A339 and the A340 near Basingstoke, the Wellington Arms is pretty little restaurant cum watering hole that once served as a hunting lodge for the Iron Duke.

Refurbished two years ago, its characterful and cosy dining room has space for eight tables that can seat up to 30 people. Jason King, co-owner and head chef, relies on ingredients from within a five-mile radius, with herbs and vegetables from his kitchen garden and eggs from his 35 chickens.

King’s lunch menu is a simple, two (£15) or three-course (£18) affair, offering a choice of three dishes for each course. Typically, it may include duck liver and cognac parfait with spiced apple chutney, crispy fried pollack in real ale batter with hand-cut fat chips, and steamed damson sponge and custard.

Dinner moves things up several gears, with scallops wrapped in pancetta on crushed peas and mint among the starters, followed by roast whole Bucklebury partridge on slow-cooked red cabbage or seared turbot on sautéed spinach with brown butter, capers, lemon and new potatoes. Leave room for roly poly pudding with quince jam.

The “Welly” is more restaurant than pub these days but you can still sup a pint of Wadworth 6X. When the sun shines diners can migrate to the huge garden.

SAMPLE MENU

Sweet potato and pumpkin soup, £5.50; rack of lamb, bashed root vegetables, crab apple jelly, £18; local venison pot pie braised in real ale, £14; dark chocolate truffle torte, £5.50

The Wellington Arms, Baughurst, Hampshire 0118 982 0110