THIS week, I decided to venture outside of Worcester in search of a nice quiet spot for lunch.

And so it was that I found myself in the relaxed, homely surroundings of The Bridge at Tibberton.

The Bridge is a traditionally decorated pub, with old fashioned wooden beams, a fireplace and small bar.

The staff were instantly welcoming and made me feel right at home, as did the two dogs snoozing away in the corner.

Inside, the pub is light and surprisingly spacious, with plenty of tables to sit and eat at and a sofa in the centre of the main bar room.

At the bar itself, there was a good selection of beers and ales, with a range of red and white wines to try too.

Because I was driving, I ordered a Pepsi and settled down to peruse the menu, which has quite the variety.

For starters there are individual options such as smoked salmon or creamed mushrooms on toast, and platters to share.

A couple at a table next to me were sharing one of the platters and I overheard them say they thoroughly enjoyed it.

I chose halloumi with chilli jam for my starter because, really, any pub or restaurant with halloumi on the menu is already guaranteed to get good marks in my book.

When it came I had three decent-sized pieces of breaded halloumi and a small pot of the chilli jam which, while not as spicy as I would have liked, was still a welcome accompaniment to my starter.

The halloumi was cooked well and tasted great with the jam, and the salad it came with was well prepared too.

For £4.75 it was an absolute bargain, and well worth the price.

When it came to main courses, I chose the 10oz rump steak off the 'Grills' section of the menu.

It was, in one word, fantastic.

I ordered my steak cooked medium and when it arrived it was moist and cooked to perfection, with just a slight shade of pink.

Accompanying my steak were home-made chips which were a welcome sight, particularly when so many pubs simply buy in.

These were light and tasty, and went down a treat with my steak, which was accompanied by a large mushroom and some tomatoes.

At £17.50, the steak was not exactly cheap, but the quality of the meal made it well worth the price.

At all times staff were friendly and willing to have a chat with patrons, which only added to the already welcoming atmosphere in the pub, telling me I was welcome anytime as I left.

All in all, my meal came to a not at all bad £25.25, and I left The Bridge feeling thoroughly well-fed and knowing I more than got my money's worth.

For its fantastic food, good choice of drinks, friendly staff and decent prices, I would definitely recommend The Bridge to my friends and will certainly be returning for another meal soon.

Whether for a quiet lunch, or a few drinks in the evening, it is well worth sallying forth from the city to get to The Bridge at Tibberton and spend some time.