Secret Garden Restaurant, The

In the last century walled gardens were an integral part of large country houses and the one near The Secret Garden Restaurant has now been transformed to a working kitchen garden producing fruits and vegetables, many of which find their way to your plate. The restaurant itself is housed within a converted coach house that overlooks the courtyard with an undercover terrace that leads to the walled Victorian garden.

Start with a warm salad of venison with marinated carrot and pancetta or melon and strawberry cocktail, perhaps, ahead of a main course of roasted poussin with a chilli and coriander glaze and sautéed potatoes, or medallions of pork with apple and calvados sauce and crispy leeks. To conclude there's champagne and elderflower pannacotta with seasonal fruits and l'assiette of chocolate desserts to share.

They also serve excellent cream teas and high tea and on a fair-weather day dining al fresco on the terrace is an appropriate thing to do.