When you think of the British countryside, you imagine going for a walk and ending up in a cosy country pub. The Warren in Wokingham fits that bill – apart from the fact that the best way of getting there is to spend a bit of money on a taxi or someone having to drive.

The gastro pub is located on the corner of a roundabout in Binfield, easily accessible if you’re driving and has a big enough car park to accommodate guests and a newly refurbished garden area.

Lighting fixtures glowed the newly paved patio upon entering the pub and the first thing you notice upon arrival is how the place has been completely transformed – with its art deco furniture, velvet seats and an extended bar area.

The pub was founded in 1854, aimed to accommodate anyone looking for a traditional and cosy dining experience. Now it establishes a modern feel, while keeping the ambience dimmed for a classy touch.

Staff made sure guests felt welcome, smiling at every customer and taking them to the bar area to listen to the live vocalist before tucking into the meal in the restaurant area.

The refurbishment cost over £300,000, making the pub more open plan and changing its style to suit a more updated country appeal. Some features have a discreet vintage feel, with its velvet textured chairs and gold mirrors juxtaposing the modern fire place and newly painted feature walls in dark green. Even the extended bar reminds you of the 1920s with its art deco design.

Finally, the food and what a choice they offer. The menu exceeds expectations with its options such as traditional dinners, Mediterranean meals and even a brand-new menu dedicated to the vegans out there.

Our server was rather pleasant and friendly, recommending two tasty starters to try.

My love for cheese never ceases to amaze me, so I opted for the deep-fried Brie which was creamy and flavoursome and had a bite to it with the crumbly texture. The chutney relish complimented the taste finely.

We also shared portobello mushrooms, served in a creamy sauce dipped with the rustic toast and was bursting with flavour, along with crispy calamari which was cooked perfectly and had the right amount of batter making it crispy.

My partner ordered the karaage chicken which was served on a bed of cucumber ribbons, cauliflower couscous salad and a warm katsu sauce showing the diversity of Asian inspired flavours on the menu.

The menu showed a huge range of main courses which were hard to choose from. After much deliberation and the help of our lovely server, I opted for the king prawn, crab and chorizo linguine – an all-time favourite dish that the pub has served since it first opened.

A variation of burgers were also on the menu, two of which my dad and partner ordered and they were stacked like a tower. They said the meat was cooked perfectly, bursting with flavour and the sweet potato fries really accompanied the plate.

There’s always room for desert, so we had to try the infamous melting chocolate and peanut bomb, which came complete with edible flowers and an oozing caramel sauce.

Overall, The Warren is highly recommended and has an option to suit anyone. I’ll definitely be going back.

The pub opens its doors on Saturday, November 24 and can be found at Forest Road, Wokingham, RG40 5SB. Call 01344304446 to book a table.