Roux at Skindles

You're heading down Mill Lane towards Taplow, past the familiar Maidenhead sprawl, when suddenly the Thames opens up and you spot Skindles—this 18th-century coaching inn that's been given the Roux treatment. It's the kind of place you book for anniversaries or when someone's getting promoted, but honestly, it doesn't feel stuffy. The dining room overlooks the water, which catches the light beautifully in the evening, and there's a real sense of occasion without the pretension that can sometimes come with Michelin-starred territory. Albert Roux's fingerprints are all over the classical French menu, executed with proper rigour by the kitchen team.