Giles Coren, a prominent food critic and columnist for The Times, recently paid a visit to The Halfway at Kineton, a popular pub in the Cotswolds, and left impressed by the pizza served there. He described the meal as his “UK pizza of the year”, praising the quality and flavours on offer.
Coren, no stranger to the Cotswolds-where he previously owned a second home in Naunton near Stow-on-the-Wold-continues to enjoy the region’s culinary scene even after selling his property. He has previously lauded local establishments such as Stroud’s Michelin Guide restaurant Juliet, awarding it “tens across the board”, and The Horse and Groom pub in Bourton-on-the-Hill, which he termed “almost certainly the best pub in England.”
Interestingly, chefs Nathan Eades and Liam Goff, who took over The Horse and Groom in early 2024, are also behind the recent transformation of The Halfway at Kineton. The pair completed a sensitive renovation of the pub after assuming ownership in 2023 and launched their pizza venture, Zonda, there in partnership from June 2024. Zonda began in 2022 as a pop-up at Stow-on-the-Wold rugby club but quickly gained a reputation for delivering some of the best pizza in the Cotswolds.
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Coren’s latest review awarded Zonda at The Halfway a score of 9/10 across all categories, including food, service, and atmosphere. He shared that the meal cost him and his family approximately £35 each and called the pizzas “phenomenal.” Among his favourites was the American hot “Enzo” featuring scorched fior di latte, spicy pepperoni, parmesan, and candied chillies, priced at £17. He also commended the Sicilian sausage “Pantera” with fennel sausage, rosemary and thyme, which he described as “perfectly balanced” and “wondrously savoury.”
Alongside the pizzas, the meal included a rich blue cheese and iceberg wedge salad (£6), cheesy garlic bread with tarragon and rosemary (£8), and desserts such as tiramisu (£9), chocolate ice cream (£3), and chocolate mousse with olive oil and salt (£7).
Reflecting on the shift towards pizza in village pubs, Coren commented on the changing dining landscape of the Cotswolds. He noted that with a growing and dynamic population, including many renters and visitors, there is increasing demand for quality food offerings. “You can pine for the days when they’d have walked into a silent beer-only saloon and been glared at until they turned round and left hungry, or you can accept that it’s nearly 2027, get your ’nduja and hot honey “Diablo” down your face and shut up.”
Zonda at The Halfway shared Coren’s enthusiastic review on their social media and website, reflecting the strong positive response from customers. One diner commented, “There was no doubt that Zonda pizza was the best in England,” while another added, “Finally getting the recognition it deserves!”