Sir Charles Napier

Absolutely delighted to share our experience at Sir Charles Napier in Chinnor a hidden gem that exceeded all expectations! First off, let’s put any concerns to rest: parking is no issue at all. There’s plenty of space on a well maintained gravel surface, so you can arrive stress-free and ready to relax. This place is perfectly suited for couples, families with older children, or even a special celebration or corporate dinner. Whether you’re seeking a romantic evening, a memorable gathering, or a professional setting with character, Sir Charles Napier delivers on all fronts. We found it to be a little gold mine in Chinnor, a real treasure tucked away in the countryside. One of the most charming features is the beautiful garden out back, where you can enjoy a leisurely walk among stunning sculptures, vibrant flowers, and an impressive oak tree that stands proudly at the bottom of the garden. It’s the perfect pre or post-dinner stroll that adds a peaceful touch to the whole experience. We were seated on The Terrace, which was absolutely lovely nestled under a vine and surrounded by blooming flowers. The tables are spaced out thoughtfully, offering privacy and a relaxed atmosphere. Everything about the setting spoke of care and attention to detail. You can feel the history here, with roots going back to 1965 and it’s still family run, which really shows in the warmth and pride of the place. The staff were truly outstanding, striking the perfect balance of professionalism and friendliness, and the food was cooked to absolute perfection full of flavour and clearly made with finesse. We didn’t get to dine inside this time, but that just gives us a reason to return which we most definitely will! If you’re anywhere near Chinnor, do not miss this place. It’s a rare combination of elegance, charm, and down to earth hospitality. Highly recommended!

This is a beautiful pub, but sadly the experience was ruined by the maître d’ (who I presume is the owner, as I’ve seen similar complaints in other 1-star reviews and it sounds like the same woman is still there). I went in just hoping to enjoy the venue and have two drinks with my partner in the sun. As soon as I entered, I was asked what I wanted. I said, “Just two beers, please.” I was told they were too busy to serve me — even though there were two staff plus the woman behind the bar, and only about six tables occupied outside. I explained it was just two beers and that I wouldn’t be having food. She then asked, “Are you looking for a pub? The Boot down the road will serve you.” I said again, “I just want two beers, and we’ll be on our way.” She then told the barman to serve me, but it felt begrudging, as if she was doing me a favour. I don’t know if she thought I didn’t fit in or what, but I felt completely unwelcome. We ended up going to The Boot afterwards — I couldn’t recommend it enough. The staff there were friendly and happy to serve us. The lady at the Charles Napier should take a moment to read these reviews and reflect. All customers deserve to be treated with respect.

We have dined at Sir Charles Napier multiple times now and each time was better than the one before. The food is amazing, the staff is wonderful and the grounds are charming. A must visit if you are looking for a wonderful experience.

Our meal here couldn’t have been better - we absolutely loved it. We informed them beforehand that we are vegetarian, and they brought two sets of appetisers (both delicious) and some lovely fresh bread before our meal on the house. The mushroom tart and pumpkin soup were wonderful, as was the sweetcorn risotto. All the staff were really kind and attentive, the atmosphere is relaxed and the garden also looks beautiful (we went in the evening so probably even better in the day). I would really highly recommend a visit, and we’d love to return.

Really nice place, very much outside of all the action of the city. Great garden and tasty food.

Service ruined what should have been an exquisite lunch. Surrounding area was beautiful even if the garden furniture and outdoor tables require some TLC. Food was different, tasty and indulgent. The service however soured the whole experience. I'm all for attentive and efficient service in a fast food restaurant, however this restaurant is certainly not in that category. I felt that we deserved at least a 10 minute interval between our starter and main courses. When I sent the mains back as I had literally put down my spoon from digesting the starter, the head server, a rather elderly lady was quite rude and abrupt stating it was now my fault that these dishes needed to be binned and recooked. I was very taken aback by her appalling attitude towards us as customers when we neither rude or dismissive of the issue she now faced. I also would not recommend wine pairing advice from this lady as red certainly does not complement fish. Its such a shame as this place had been on my must try list for some time.

What a lovely surprise - We stumbled on this lovely restaurant by accident, not aware of its history and culinary expertise. What a lovely place! Obviously food was amazing, staff was lovely offering us a table, without a prior reservation, which I'm sure wasn't a common occurance. Atmosphere which log fires, lovely decor and lovely garden gave a great feel of British country side with French summer dining. Thanks to the staff for a lovely desert and for accommodating us!

This place is quite hit and miss for me. Lovely and slightly quirky place with beautiful outside garden located in on a quaint street. Service is okay, not as friendly as you often get out in the countryside. We were seated in a saloon room at first and were asked to order drinks- these unfortunately weren’t very good (champagne and red wine) and after about 20minutes we got seated in the main restaurant for our food. Sadly it took a very long time until we received our first dish, even the complimentary (and admittedly very delicious) pastry to start with took at least 15minutes to come. The garlic soup was very hearty and tasted good, the crab tartlet was beautifully presented and very elegant in flavor. The truffle gnocchi were very good, however the beef roast was about 40% pure fat and the sides were okay, but just that. Yorkshire pudding wasn’t very good unfortunately. Small portions also considering the pretty hefty price tags (roast was 36£)… our rhubarb soufflé dessert was a nice and unique way to end the meal, but again just overpriced at 16£. All in all we enjoyed the experience here but we drove out 1 1/2hrs just for this and are not sure we’d do it again. If you live close you may want to give this a try, but I do feel like there may be even better options at this price range (or actually, even below that)…