Thame Out The complimentary magazine for the Thame area
Entente Cordiale
The Clifden Arms. A quintessential English pub with a French flavour.
T he Clifden Arms dates back to medieval times. An independently owned public house, steeped in history, full of character and surrounded by the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside.
It now has a French connection.
The Head Chef is Mark Davey. Classically trained by French Chefs, Mark is bringing these influences to the menu at the Clifden Arms in Worminghall. His résumé is pretty impressive.
Claridges – Gordon Ramsay (1 Michelin star), Royal Garden Hotel – 5 star, (3 Rosettes), George Hotel Isle of Wight – Kevin Mangelloes (1 Michelin star), Petit Blanc – Raymond Blanc – (2 Rosettes), Yynshirr Adam Symonds (1 Michelin star) and L’Ortolan – John Burton Race (2 Michelin stars).
The Pub launches its new menu on the 11th March. You will always find some pub classics, but you will also find dishes with a French twist. Operations Manager, Kenza Page (who incidentally is actually French) is confident the food will be at ‘another level of cuisine’.
Some menus feature a never ending choice of dishes, meaning most would be frozen. This is not the case at the Clifden Arms. There will be a carefully selected choice of starters, mains and desserts. These are based on the availability of locally sourced and seasonal ingredients.
As you would expect, food is freshly cooked on the premises.
The team are passionate about working with local producers for their vegetables, and meats for the grill like the popular Barnsley Chop.
Look out for a very special and ever changing Fish of the Day. With Mark at the helm in the kitchen, you can expect food served with a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ Vive la différance!
The Clifden Arms is the perfect setting for life’s special events such as birthday and anniversary parties, christenings and especially weddings.
Blessed with beautiful gardens and stunning views over the countryside, the venue also boasts The Clifden Barn.
The Barn is a self contained building that features its own fully licensed bar, dance floor, kitchen and toilet facilities.
Kenza herself can recommend the Clifden Arms as a wedding venue, it’s where she got married last year.
Your special event has to be perfect, none more so than a wedding. Fortunately, Events Manager, Jodie will work closely with you, bringing your ideas to life for a truly memorable event.
Adjoining the pub are some beautifully refurbished bedrooms. These are a real bonus for guests wishing to stay over.
Of course, the Clifden Arms is more than an events destination. A fine selection of local ales (Aylesbury Vale & Wycombe CAMRA Winter Pub of the Year 2026) and locally sourced food make it well worth a visit any day and any time of year.
Please call 01844 338090 or email events@theclifdenarms.co.uk for more information.
You can read more articles like this one in the latest edition of Thame Out.
