Given an endless amount of Sundays, I would happily work my way around the country taste testing pub Sunday lunches. But as that is not going to happen anytime soon, I thought I would make a start closer to home at the Chilworth Arms.

Whichever pub you favour as an evening haunt, you can be sure, come the cold light of day – and minus the beer goggles – eating Sunday lunch there can be a very different experience.

The Chilworth Arms is reassuringly still just as inviting the next day, with the dining area surrounded by windows looking out over the massive pub garden and field beyond.

Squishy padded chairs allow you to settle in for a leisurely lunch, with pale rustic wood tables adding to the casual atmosphere.

The set menu offers a simple choice of one or two courses, from £9.95 to £14.95. The starters list soup, caesar salad, mushrooms and dolcelate and beetroot gravadlax.

For us though a sneak preview at the pudding menu steered us straight to the main course. With a choice of chicken, beef, lamb and pork, The Chilworth Arms have the roast dinner options covered. And each dish had its own temptations; bacon chipolatas, Yorkshire pud, apricot stuffing and crackling.

And if you were dining with a veggie friend, there is still the extensive main menu to choose from.

My partner had lamb, and I had the pork. In both case the roast meats were very good, full of flavour, good quality and nicely cooked. The gravy was tasty without being overly salty or swamping the meal, while the roast potatoes were crisp and fluffy.

At first sight the vegetable portion seemed a little meagre, but on eating the yummy roast, nothing seemed to be missing at all.

After a short breather we launched into the puddings, I had the apple and raisin crumble with Cognac ice cream. Proper apples, not too much sugar and a light sprinkling of crunchy crumble, cooled down with the naughty tasting ice cream – perfect.

My partner wolfed down the rich chocolate marquis with cream, a chocolate lovers dream.

All that was left to do was to read the papers and have a snooze – no cooking or more importantly washing up required today!

With two drinks the bill came to just over £30.

The Chilworth Arms Chilworth Road, Chilworth, Southampton, SO16 7JZ 023 8076 6247 chilwortharms.co.uk