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hand picked restaurants

We hear a great deal about recycling these days - du Vin recycles attractive but sometimes un-loved buildings to restore real gems in the best tradition of British understated style.

Complement that with all that is best in the French bistro ethos, bars that reach out to please, and you have a setting that provides an inspirational background for people to meet, do business, get married, provide a base for golf or fishing, somewhere you can call your own for a private celebration, a spa or - most engagingly - a wine school that breaks the mould.

In Cheltenham, a sacred spot when it comes to horse racing in Britain, du Vin has transformed the former Carlton Hotel into a luxury boutique hotel located in the trés chic Montpellier district of this elegant Regency spa town, strategically placed for exploration of some of the best of the nearby Cotswolds.

The Hotel is noted for its spacious public areas centred on a magnificent spiral staircase. The trademark Hotel du Vin Bistro is but one of these areas. Each of the 49 bedrooms and suites room has handsprung mattresses, fine Egyptian linen, deep baths and power showers in great en-suite bathrooms, and high speed wireless internet access is standard throughout.

Classic bistro fare is served and dishes such as chicken liver parfait, red onion marmalade and toasted brioche or ribeye steak with pommes frites are commonplace on the menu. Other dishes of note are the fillet of salmon, buttered leeks, mussels, and curry cream and the whole grilled lemon sole, tomato and caper beurre noisette.

Whilst one might argue that the whole point of being in a du Vin is to snuggle up to the wine list, this list is designed to march with the food and can only be described as superb. With a team of two sommeliers, headed here by Victor Amaro, there is no room for anything but the best. Service is telepathic in the best possible sense.

If you want to be ahead of the crowd at race times do be sure to book early - there can be few better places in Cheltenham than du Vin from which to conduct an attractive day's racing and celebrate afterwards, or to base yourself for some leisurely touring in the heart of England.

Click on their Website for full information and rates. Hotel du Vin, with fourteen options throughout Britain, awaits your call.

Hidden away with the idyllic peace of the banks of the River Severn at Over, the one AA red rosette Wharf House nestles between that and its restored Canal Basin, offering visitors a blend of countryside relaxation with modern, but local, food and drink. The Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal Trust designed and built The Wharf House in order to provide a steady stream of funds to restore, maintain and promote the canal which, when completed, will once again wind itself from the River Severn at Over to Hereford.

The Wharf House has six luxury bedrooms, all with their own style and character but with the shared benefit of panoramic views of the River Severn and Canal Basin. With a range going from standard double rooms to two luxury large double rooms with connecting central lounge that can be hired to make a suite for 6 persons, The Wharf House has something for everyone. All rooms are fitted with wide-screen TV, full data link-up, video conferencing, film on demand, DVD and music systems and en-suite facilities.

The restaurant and tea rooms offer a delicious array of dishes to tempt the senses and tear your eyes from the idyllic views surrounding this fantastic location. The lunch and evening menus surprise the diner with such delectable foods as tiger prawns dressed with pineapple, coriander and chilli dressing, or crab and mango salsa with rocket and red chard salad to start, or carpaccio of beef with grated parmesan, fiery horseradish, celery and rocket, or rack of Herefordshire lamb with leek and potato dauphinois, honey and rosemary sauce.

Desserts come in the tempting form of a traditional crème brûlée; orange and brandy cheesecake, or - a customer favourite - a dark chocolate cup infused with orange served with a white chocolate cup permeated with lime and raspberry topped with ginger cream - naughty.

The constantly changing menu can be tasted daily, with lunch served from 12 - 3pm, and evening meals starting from 5pm. Throughout the day one can have a preview of what's on offer with coffee and cake from 10am as well as Modern British dishes with homemade Wharf House favourites.

There are few places in and around Gloucester where such a fine blend of setting and dining can be merged so successfully, but The Wharf House truly achieves this goal, making it a fine destination for a relaxed meal with family, a celebration, or even a wedding reception with a difference; and now a delightful place to say also. Find out more by visiting their Website.

The Langton is an attractive addition to the good life in Cheltenham, conveniently close to the Racecourse and nestling in the heart of Charlton Kings. The charming, listed Regency house has been skilfully refurbished, guided by English Heritage, to produce a unique blend of organic, new and old features. This proves that the old and the new can be combined using patience and flair.

The Inn is truly a place for all seasons, and the menu reflects this as it embraces not only the seasons, but also the atmosphere within, ranging from cool chic in summer to the cosy warmth of a winter's day with the hatches well battened down. It is a wonderful surprise to find a pub that has firmly grasped the gastro nettle in and around the Midlands, with pretty sensational results that include demonstrably freshly cooked food and a high zing factor.

To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, antipasti of cured meats, dolcelatte, roasted vegetables, parmesan, rocket, stuffed peppers, green chillies and baked flat bread, or Greek mezze of taramasalata with red pepper humus, tzatziki, feta and flatbreads.

Amongst the starters, expect to find freshly made soup, sake cured salmon with wasabi crème fraîche and pickled ginger, or fennel with chilli crusted squid, pineapple and coriander salsa. Look, too, for scallops of the day. The salads - sorry, that should read 'leaves' - offer pang pang chicken, Asian greens, satay, cashew nuts and cucumber, and for the seafood enthusiasts some prawn, avocado, spinach, watercress, crispy bacon and garlic dressing receive a rapturous welcome.

These days no self-respecting gastropub can afford to be without its pizza range; expect to find a classic margherita of tomato, mozzarella, oregano and basil, another with roasted vegetables, goats' cheese, tomatoes and rocket or the delicious Siciliana with Serrano ham, roast artichoke, olives and mozzarella.

The grill and rotisserie dishes for hearty eaters are well worth trying and choices include spit chicken with cacciatora sauce and frites, and rib-eye steak with rocket, fresh horseradish sauce and crispy onions. For the big event there is calves' liver with sweet potato, beetroot gratin and watercress. Persian spiced lamb chops with tzatziki, tomato and red onion salad is popular, a sign of the times and improving taste in eating. Scottish salmon with Asian greens, chilli salsa and tempura sweet potato fritters as well veal paillard add further dimensions to a wide choice range.

Well presented supporting dishes include tomato, rocket and mozzarella, and cabbage, leeks and peas. Desserts are some of the best you'll encounter with apple and frangipane gallette and Cognac ice cream, and there is also a selection of local cheeses to set the buffs alight.

A well-travelled wine list and service that is cheerful and efficient completes the recipe for success. The Langton also has ten different beers on tap, ranging from standard lagers to European speciality beers, such as Leffe and Erdinger, as well as great cask ales like the award winning and ever-popular Timothy Taylor Landlord.

They also benefit from outside seating with 50 seats on the terrace and a lawn at the rear; but, to keep up to date with what is going on at The Langton, including the latest menu, take a tour round their Website. Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

It is not often one can say a pub is unique, but you can really think and cross your heart and say just that about The Hollow Bottom, not so much about the food and drink, though that is exemplary, but because of its close relationship with The Cheltenham Races. In the words of owners Hugh Kelly and business partner Charlie Pettigrew, 'our clientele would canter right up to the bar if we let them'.

Much as thoughts of a line of thoroughbreds all quaffing pints of Hollow Bottom Best Bitter at the bar might appeal, our concern here has to be with the two-legged customers for whom Hollow Bottom is often second home. Chef Charlie's pedigree in the culinary world, Young Scottish Chef of the Year, Marine Highland Troon, Claridges, Gleneagles, and the Savoy, is every bit on a par with the likes of Bindaree, who stopped by to celebrate his triumph at 20 to1 in the Grand National 2002. Ably supported by Karen, the pair of them are never far from considering what can be done to improve even further the egalitarian menus at Hollow Bottom.

The big event of the week - apart from racing successes at incredible odds - is the Sunday Carvery when the pub is filled to breaking point with jolly people enjoying this great traditional English repast with its associations of durability and elasticity, particularly in so far as the digestion and waistline are concerned.

At other times a wider cuisine prevails with a sumptuous prawn cocktail starter, chef's homemade pâté with Cumberland sauce and hot toast; Gloucestershire sausages; deep-fried whole tail scampi; freshly carved cold ham; grilled succulent gammon steak are but a few samples of what you may find.

Their cheesecake of the day served with fresh double cream is worth a visit in its own right and there are always specials available, drawn from an all-embracing list that is regularly changed by Charlie and Karen. It would be fair to say that what is on display at the bar equals in importance what emerges from the kitchens.

At draught level expect to find The Hollow Bottom Best Bitter alongside Gloucestershire Ales from Battledown Brewery in Cheltenham, Donnington Ales in Stow on the Wold as well as Guest ales from Goffs and North Cotswold Brewery. The ones to watch are the ciders, amongst which are Westons Strong Organic and Thatchers Cheddar Valley Cloudy, both of which have mercifully continued to escape any attentions from health and safety, the new growth industry. An excellent wine list rises to every occasion.

A click will take you to their humorous and diverse Website, with details of accommodation and new menu items.

Prezzo has been delighting diners for over eight years, and this Italian restaurant chain has since been able to expand throughout large parts of England and Scotland with some 141 outlets.

Interestingly, the company seeks to restore either impressive buildings or ones of local interest. The conversion of the Newbury library and other listed buildings, such as those in Salisbury, Romsey and Mayfair, are all welcome examples of 'new use'. Their trendy and sophisticated décor usually consists of tiled or wooden floors with delicate lights and colourful paintings, along with wooden furniture and sparkling cutlery, creating a setting that is suitable for a relaxed lunch, a family meal or an evening out with friends.

The restaurants are of particular appeal to those who like genuine Italian cuisine, and they use only the best seasonal products, many of which are imported directly from Italy. The menu includes pizza, pasta, risotto, grilled meats, fresh salads and frequently changing specials.

The freshly baked breads, like the garlic bread with mozzarella cheese, are perfect for sharing and give you adequate breathing space to order starters to follow. Crab cakes served with garlic mayonnaise or grilled goat's cheese with plum tomatoes and caramelised onions on foccacia bread with a balsamic glaze set the tone for a hearty meal. Best fun is to order an antipasto platter to share made up from seven well loved Italian nibbles.

Find pastas such as the unusual penne con salmone, with oak-roasted salmon, broccoli and fresh chillies in a red pesto and cream sauce, or firm favourites like spaghetti with meatballs, spaghetti Bolognese, and fusilli al pesto, asparagus spears with field mushrooms and roasted peppers in a basil pesto sauce.

Amongst the special pastas, the pollo mariano, seasoned chicken, pepperoni sausage, roasted peppers and fusilli in tomato sauce, is interesting and different. Italian menus would be incomplete without risotto, like tiger prawns with petits pois in a creamy saffron sauce.

Classic pizzas embrace, among a wide selection, the popular napoletana, topped with yellowfin tuna, tomato, white anchovies, capers, red onion, mozzarella and marinated olives, and the much loved quattro stagioni - pepperoni sausage, prosciutto ham, artichoke, field mushrooms, capers, marinated olives, mozzarella and tomato.

Specials could include the pollo Siciliana, char-grilled chicken breast, prosciutto ham and plum tomato slices, baked with their blend of cheese, only one example from the many tempting offerings that come out from the Prezzo kitchens.

You can accompany the food with a variety of tipples, though for many, Italian food requires Italian wines to be enjoyed to the full, ranging from house wine through Morellino di Scansano and Prosecco to liqueurs and beer, and there is espresso or fresh ground coffee to wind up an enjoyable meal, in company with a glass of grappa or sambuca.

This is Italian food at its attractive best, convincing and bringing together the traditional with the modern twist or two against a background of excellent value.

Prezzo is a lively group and opportunities to improve and update are never left on the table for long. Keep up to date with a quick click on their Website.

Prezzo has been delighting diners for over eight years, and this Italian restaurant chain has since been able to expand throughout large parts of England and Scotland with some 141 outlets.

Interestingly, the company seeks to restore either impressive buildings or ones of local interest. The conversion of the Newbury library and other listed buildings, such as those in Salisbury, Romsey and Mayfair, are all welcome examples of 'new use'. Their trendy and sophisticated décor usually consists of tiled or wooden floors with delicate lights and colourful paintings, along with wooden furniture and sparkling cutlery, creating a setting that is suitable for a relaxed lunch, a family meal or an evening out with friends.

The restaurants are of particular appeal to those who like genuine Italian cuisine, and they use only the best seasonal products, many of which are imported directly from Italy. The menu includes pizza, pasta, risotto, grilled meats, fresh salads and frequently changing specials.

The freshly baked breads, like the garlic bread with mozzarella cheese, are perfect for sharing and give you adequate breathing space to order starters to follow. Crab cakes served with garlic mayonnaise or grilled goat's cheese with plum tomatoes and caramelised onions on foccacia bread with a balsamic glaze set the tone for a hearty meal. Best fun is to order an antipasto platter to share made up from seven well loved Italian nibbles.

Find pastas such as the unusual penne con salmone, with oak-roasted salmon, broccoli and fresh chillies in a red pesto and cream sauce, or firm favourites like spaghetti with meatballs, spaghetti Bolognese, and fusilli al pesto, asparagus spears with field mushrooms and roasted peppers in a basil pesto sauce.

Amongst the special pastas, the pollo mariano, seasoned chicken, pepperoni sausage, roasted peppers and fusilli in tomato sauce, is interesting and different. Italian menus would be incomplete without risotto, like tiger prawns with petits pois in a creamy saffron sauce.

Classic pizzas embrace, among a wide selection, the popular napoletana, topped with yellowfin tuna, tomato, white anchovies, capers, red onion, mozzarella and marinated olives, and the much loved quattro stagioni - pepperoni sausage, prosciutto ham, artichoke, field mushrooms, capers, marinated olives, mozzarella and tomato.

Specials could include the pollo Siciliana, char-grilled chicken breast, prosciutto ham and plum tomato slices, baked with their blend of cheese, only one example from the many tempting offerings that come out from the Prezzo kitchens.

You can accompany the food with a variety of tipples, though for many, Italian food requires Italian wines to be enjoyed to the full, ranging from house wine through Morellino di Scansano and Prosecco to liqueurs and beer, and there is espresso or fresh ground coffee to wind up an enjoyable meal, in company with a glass of grappa or sambuca.

This is Italian food at its attractive best, convincing and bringing together the traditional with the modern twist or two against a background of excellent value.

Prezzo is a lively group and opportunities to improve and update are never left on the table for long. Keep up to date with a quick click on their Website.

Brewer's Fayre restaurants offer a warm welcome to those who want a reliably tasty meal in pleasant surroundings, with plenty of choice, minimal fuss and friendly service. With a reputation going back 25 years they should have a fair chance of doing that, but don't take our word for it. Give them a try and see if you agree that this is how good quality pub food should be served.

Whether it's snacks, grills, pub classics, fish, Sunday roasts or side dishes they think their way through the options, talk to their guests, and then come up with the goods. Not everybody wants a full meal so they've considered the needs of those who want to keep the gap filled and the children contented, perhaps on a journey or a day out.

Hot filled baguettes are always popular be it sausage and red onion or a classic chicken club sandwich. Jacket potatoes are good on their own but filled with mature cheddar cheese and beans they take on a new dimension.

More paced occasions demand a wide menu, perhaps with starters of breaded butterfly prawns, chicken goujons or breaded camembert bites. Grills are there for the hungry and whole rack of meaty BBQ pork ribs served with extra sauce, chips and coleslaw can be very welcome. The days of the mixed grill are back - or did they ever go away - a 4oz rump steak, two pork sausages, and a gammon steak topped with a fried egg served with all the trimmings will remind you if they did.

Salmon and prawn fishcakes are served with buttered new potatoes, tartare sauce and a lightly dressed salad. A combination of sea and land comes with a rump steak, whole grilled chicken breast and breaded breaded butterfly prawns, served with chips and a side salad or garden peas.

The rise of eating out in pubs has brought into our daily lives a whole legion of what might be termed 'pub classics'. Many of them have their roots in what used to be called 'good home cooking' and include such dishes as sausage, egg and chips, beef and ale pie, chicken and mushroom pie and for the very daring a beef lasagne. Well, all of them and many more are on the menu at Brewer's Fayre, supplemented by such new regulars as vegetable Goan chicken curry, pork chop, chilli con carne and grilled chicken and bacon salad.

It has often been said that chicken tikka masala is now the most popular dish in Britain. Some may not really want to believe that, much as they love curry, but travel, population movement and other factors have widened our scope and they are probably pretty keen on fish and chips in Timbuktu.

What is certain is that the great British Sunday roast is exclusive to these islands, though copied maybe elsewhere or in ex-pat outposts. No surprise therefore that it's on the Brewer's Fayre menu. A trade of three roasts with an opportunity to trade up to a mega roast for a modest sum. With it come two Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, fresh seasonal vegetables and that important element - gravy.

A fine list of immensely tempting desserts may well bring the most ardent weight-watcher to their knees. A short but well thought out wine list offers all choices, except champagne, by the glass. Staying the night - check to see if there's a Premier Inn next door - chances are you'll be lucky.

A quick click on their Website is always worth while. The only thing that stays still permanently is the quality which is helped by a changing menu, and some very special offers.

Brewer's Fayre restaurants offer a warm welcome to those who want a reliably tasty meal in pleasant surroundings, with plenty of choice, minimal fuss and friendly service. With a reputation going back 25 years they should have a fair chance of doing that, but don't take our word for it. Give them a try and see if you agree that this is how good quality pub food should be served.

Whether it's snacks, grills, pub classics, fish, Sunday roasts or side dishes they think their way through the options, talk to their guests, and then come up with the goods. Not everybody wants a full meal so they've considered the needs of those who want to keep the gap filled and the children contented, perhaps on a journey or a day out.

Hot filled baguettes are always popular be it sausage and red onion or a classic chicken club sandwich. Jacket potatoes are good on their own but filled with mature cheddar cheese and beans they take on a new dimension.

More paced occasions demand a wide menu, perhaps with starters of breaded butterfly prawns, chicken goujons or breaded camembert bites. Grills are there for the hungry and whole rack of meaty BBQ pork ribs served with extra sauce, chips and coleslaw can be very welcome. The days of the mixed grill are back - or did they ever go away - a 4oz rump steak, two pork sausages, and a gammon steak topped with a fried egg served with all the trimmings will remind you if they did.

Salmon and prawn fishcakes are served with buttered new potatoes, tartare sauce and a lightly dressed salad. A combination of sea and land comes with a rump steak, whole grilled chicken breast and breaded breaded butterfly prawns, served with chips and a side salad or garden peas.

The rise of eating out in pubs has brought into our daily lives a whole legion of what might be termed 'pub classics'. Many of them have their roots in what used to be called 'good home cooking' and include such dishes as sausage, egg and chips, beef and ale pie, chicken and mushroom pie and for the very daring a beef lasagne. Well, all of them and many more are on the menu at Brewer's Fayre, supplemented by such new regulars as vegetable Goan chicken curry, pork chop, chilli con carne and grilled chicken and bacon salad.

It has often been said that chicken tikka masala is now the most popular dish in Britain. Some may not really want to believe that, much as they love curry, but travel, population movement and other factors have widened our scope and they are probably pretty keen on fish and chips in Timbuktu.

What is certain is that the great British Sunday roast is exclusive to these islands, though copied maybe elsewhere or in ex-pat outposts. No surprise therefore that it's on the Brewer's Fayre menu. A trade of three roasts with an opportunity to trade up to a mega roast for a modest sum. With it come two Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, fresh seasonal vegetables and that important element - gravy.

A fine list of immensely tempting desserts may well bring the most ardent weight-watcher to their knees. A short but well thought out wine list offers all choices, except champagne, by the glass. Staying the night - check to see if there's a Premier Inn next door - chances are you'll be lucky.

A quick click on their Website is always worth while. The only thing that stays still permanently is the quality which is helped by a changing menu, and some very special offers.

Café Rouge has over one hundred branches throughout Britain all offering a wide range of dishes drawn from the French cuisine. Slightly less than half their branches are in or close to London. Almost inevitably the décor and design of each restaurant differs from the others, but there is a general curtsy towards La France.

Many restaurants do an excellent breakfast, or shall we say petit dejeuner, at which such delights as scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on toasted brioche, croque Madame, croissants and pain au chocolat make welcome appearances, and to their credit the English traditional gets top billing.

An array of small dishes takes in pulled pork pâté with French bread, and spicy beef and lamb sausage with harissa mayonnaise. Salads and pasta feature largely, as do baguettes and croques. Quick dishes, ideal for lunch, include slices of saucisson and cured pork loin with French bread.

Moving on to more serious stuff we find steaks, an 8oz bavette and thin cut rib eye, with a choice of béarnaise or peppercorn sauce. No French menu would be complete without the poulet jaune grille, pan-roasted breast of corn-fed chicken served on a warm taboulé of bulgar wheat and a medley of roasted vegetables with minted crème fraîche, or a steak frites before moving on to the crème brûlée, or the tart tatin. Almost invariably the coffee tastes like coffee should, something that sadly can all too often still not be said of our English restaurants, who depend too much upon technology and too little on the acquisition of a certain flair for this important conclusion to a meal.

By now we all know that the French, despite their distinctive habits when it comes to matters of satisfying the inner man, maintain a miraculous longevity of life. This is generally attributed to a number of causes, of which a measured consumption of decent wine is foremost. Café Rouge, you may be pleased to hear, encourages this with a well-chosen selection of French wines. Their prix fixe lunch and meals for children, both at a very reasonable figure, also offer excellent value.

Their Website will keep you updated on menu changes, news and other competitions and offers from the Café Society.

Prezzo has been delighting diners for over eight years, and this Italian restaurant chain has since been able to expand throughout large parts of England and Scotland with some 141 outlets.

Interestingly, the company seeks to restore either impressive buildings or ones of local interest. The conversion of the Newbury library and other listed buildings, such as those in Salisbury, Romsey and Mayfair, are all welcome examples of 'new use'. Their trendy and sophisticated décor usually consists of tiled or wooden floors with delicate lights and colourful paintings, along with wooden furniture and sparkling cutlery, creating a setting that is suitable for a relaxed lunch, a family meal or an evening out with friends.

The restaurants are of particular appeal to those who like genuine Italian cuisine, and they use only the best seasonal products, many of which are imported directly from Italy. The menu includes pizza, pasta, risotto, grilled meats, fresh salads and frequently changing specials.

The freshly baked breads, like the garlic bread with mozzarella cheese, are perfect for sharing and give you adequate breathing space to order starters to follow. Crab cakes served with garlic mayonnaise or grilled goat's cheese with plum tomatoes and caramelised onions on foccacia bread with a balsamic glaze set the tone for a hearty meal. Best fun is to order an antipasto platter to share made up from seven well loved Italian nibbles.

Find pastas such as the unusual penne con salmone, with oak-roasted salmon, broccoli and fresh chillies in a red pesto and cream sauce, or firm favourites like spaghetti with meatballs, spaghetti Bolognese, and fusilli al pesto, asparagus spears with field mushrooms and roasted peppers in a basil pesto sauce.

Amongst the special pastas, the pollo mariano, seasoned chicken, pepperoni sausage, roasted peppers and fusilli in tomato sauce, is interesting and different. Italian menus would be incomplete without risotto, like tiger prawns with petits pois in a creamy saffron sauce.

Classic pizzas embrace, among a wide selection, the popular napoletana, topped with yellowfin tuna, tomato, white anchovies, capers, red onion, mozzarella and marinated olives, and the much loved quattro stagioni - pepperoni sausage, prosciutto ham, artichoke, field mushrooms, capers, marinated olives, mozzarella and tomato.

Specials could include the pollo Siciliana, char-grilled chicken breast, prosciutto ham and plum tomato slices, baked with their blend of cheese, only one example from the many tempting offerings that come out from the Prezzo kitchens.

You can accompany the food with a variety of tipples, though for many, Italian food requires Italian wines to be enjoyed to the full, ranging from house wine through Morellino di Scansano and Prosecco to liqueurs and beer, and there is espresso or fresh ground coffee to wind up an enjoyable meal, in company with a glass of grappa or sambuca.

This is Italian food at its attractive best, convincing and bringing together the traditional with the modern twist or two against a background of excellent value.

Prezzo is a lively group and opportunities to improve and update are never left on the table for long. Keep up to date with a quick click on their Website.