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The first thing that strikes you when you step in to Terminal 3's Three Bells is the four-storey high atrium and the stunning bar. The dining area with its fascinating colour schemes could delight even the most jaded of travellers and tourists could make a quick mental note of London's famous attractions portrayed in the constantly changing slide show.

The all day menu displays starters of crisp fried whitebait with tartar sauce and chicken liver pâté with toasted sourdough and chutney. This could be followed by roast pork and leek sausages with buttered mash and red wine sauce, or lamb curry with basmati rice and black forest gateau for dessert. If you happen to come along for breakfast there's the full English, or freshly baked croissant and toasted English muffins from the bakery.

A John Clevely crafted wine list has done away with dull titles instead we have warm hearted reds, Chardonnay lovers and friends and southern hemisphere.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.

Tin Goose represents a major leap for BAA and Geronimo Inns, who have teamed up to provide the travelling public with a kind of restaurant flight simulator. Built round the legendary Tri-motor, the first all-metal plane ever created to fly passengers, made by Ford, and now recreated in spirit at Heathrow, the world's busiest airport and base to over 90 airlines, Tin Goose brings to life the pioneering spirit and luxury of those early days.

Passengers enduring interminable airport waits will find in Tin Goose a haven from the stress and strain, reminders of the days of early air travel in the form of leather trunks and port-holes, and first class pampering in the way of furnishing, refreshment and service. All of this - and more - is accomplished within a space of over 4,100 feet, encompassed by two vast glass walls overlooking an exterior balcony. The food sets new standards for the airport variety with more than a suggestion of gourmet approach, starting with the breakfast, where porridge served with golden syrup, however much it may scandalise the Scots serves to make it acceptable to the rest of us.

The English breakfast is a symphony in self-indulgence; Tin Goose is one of the few places I know where they don't suspend breakfast at some outrageously early hour, and then there's always eggs Benedict as well. The smoked salmon salad is served with guacamole and rocket, and an excellent charcuterie platter comes with chutney and foccacia. Other delights are Tin Goose fishcake, warm asparagus and dolcelatte tart, or ham, egg and wedges. Chocolate fondant with crème fraiche or baked lemon tart rounds the meal off with a flourish.

Despite dire injunctions about the perils of mixing flying and the demon drink, many still persist, and are even more likely to do so when they see the Tin Goose wine list, particularly as many of the wines listed have helpful little notes intended to enhance your pleasure. How else would I have known that a Louis Latour Chardonnay Grand Ardeche 2002 simply loves chicken and leek pie? To cap it all there is a wonderful institution known as the Coffee Runner who will bring you unlimited coffee all day long at £1 a call. We have allowed £12 as the average cost, though a full meal with wine would clearly come out at rather more.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.

The English breakfast features Cumberland sausage, bacon, tomato, mushroom, baked beans, fried eggs and toast, bacon butty with HP sauce and English mustard and ploughman's board, honey roast ham or cheddar with pickles, chutney and bread. Main course includes crisp gem lettuce, tomato relish, onion bap and chips, pan-fried salmon and prawn fish cake and roast pork and leek sausages buttered mash served with red wine sauce. For dessert try black forest gateau and sticky date pudding and toffee sauce.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.

At the Thistle Hotel in London Heathrow offers a wide choice of dining options, all with some marvellous views of Terminal 5. The Oak and Avocado in this West Drayton hotel is located on the first floor, has a laid back atmosphere and is just right for a relaxing meal in the comfortable and contemporary surroundings. Muted colours grace the decor although there is nothing remotely drab about it. On the contrary, it only adds to the soothing ambience and helps create a wonderful occasion out of a meal.

Head out there for an invigorating breakfast or saunter in towards noon for a satisfying lunch. Towards evening, the venue becomes slightly more sophisticated, although the cuisine stays the same, a good selection of International dishes along with British and European cuisine. They also have an extensive cellar, stocking some classic as well as New World wines to suit any occasion.

When you enter a chain restaurant there is always a sense of déjà vu, yet with the twelve outlets of Giraffe, this may not really be true. Russel and Juliette Joffe and Andrew Jacobs' philosophy behind this group of restaurants is sustaining the driving force of healthy, happy eating, while retaining the difference each location brings. This includes minor variations in the menu too, and explains why the restaurant does not like to be called a chain, but prefers being referred to as a herd. The origin of its quaint name too, is interesting. The giraffe has the largest heart in the animal kingdom, and with its magnificent height is able to perceive things differently. These two features of being different and large hearted sum up the restaurant's proclamation of 'love, eat, live'.

Giraffe offers world food and adds an unusual twist to some familiar dishes. Their breakfast menu has stacked pancakes with bananas and blueberries, warm waffles, ranch styles tostadas and healthy veggie options. Some great starters are a mezze plate with warm naans that offer the best of many cuisines - grilled halloumi, hummus, tzatiki, ratatouille and falafel. Japanese king fried prawns are a hit, while another bright spot on the menu, is the colourful sunshine antipasti bruschetta, a clever combination of artichokes, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, olives, roasted peppers, red onion and rocket on pesto foccacia. If this long list of ingredients is intriguing, just wait until your palate takes over.

The house's special salad, cheekily called 'more than love', is colourful and has crunchy appeal. The Thai chicken and vermicelli noodle version is an equally enticing starter. For mains, there are plenty of options like roasted corn and chilli bran burritos, tangy turkey enchiladas and the much loved sweet potatoes, asparagus, green beans and broccoli served with organic brown basmati rice. One can also settle for a good old burger and wash it down with interesting smoothies. They also offer world wines and unusual cocktails with catchy names like Bombay flower and pomegranate caipirinha.

The dessert section comprises of not just fruit based healthy desserts, but brilliant stars like Swiss mountain chocolate cheesecake, banana waffle split and rocky road ice cream sundaes, which transport the diner to a state of bliss. The friendly staff, who are carefully hired for their sunny disposition, and children's activities help make these restaurants a very special, happy and healthy treat indeed.

Indian food has fascinated the British palate for a long time, and although the curry and lager tradition still survives, there are places like Zayani Indian that have raised the bar in the fine dining realm. This Sipson Road restaurant is a place of calm sophistication with leather banquettes, an impressive sculpted ceiling and plummy accents and its location near Heathrow gives travellers a reason to rejoice at some sign of civilisation.

If you're expecting classic Indian cooking then you won't be disappointed, but that occasional touch of innovation certainly does no harm, so keep an eye open for house specialities such as the aromatic roshan kora lamb oven roasted with garlic cloves and cooked with a homemade chilli pickle in a spicy sauce. Chicken tikka, king prawn puree and seekh kebabs make good starters followed by a mild lamb korma or prawn vindaloo.

Garlic may not be a bad choice after all as the chefs at Zayani have designed a special menu for the health conscious based on herbs and spices including garlic.