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The awards list at The Old Vicarage cannot be lightly ignored, unlike some of its kind, amongst them are AA Three Rosettes for food, the Michelin Bib Gourmand and numerous awards for the distinguished wine list. I mention them as the best way of underlining the attention to detail and confidence evident in the cooking.

Once an Edwardian vicarage, the Old Vicarage is now a luxury country house hotel in rural Shropshire, in a quiet and peaceful area near Bridgnorth. It is furnished with antiques, original paintings and limited edition prints. Each bedroom is unique and has its own charm and character. You could choose from a romantic four poster, a sumptuous half tester or perhaps you might prefer the luxury Allscott Room in the Coach House with french windows opening onto its own private garden.

However, it is most famed for its food, and has been included in The Good Food Guide for many years, one of very few in that part of Shropshire; achieving recognition through such signature dishes as homemade black pudding with sweetbreads and a swede and rosemary galette to loin of Bobbington boar with creamed Savoy cabbage.

A former 17th century blacksmiths shop in the heart of the Shropshire countryside is the setting for this cosy family-run restaurant owned by Raymond and Sarah Hall. In its former avatar, the refuge served horse drawn travellers along the busy A49 Shrewsbury to Ludlow Road. Today, it is counted among the area's most respected dining venues.

The ambience is warm and friendly, and you could sit either in the restaurant or the garden that offer views over the Shropshire Hills and the Ragleth. Don't be alarmed if you come across Sid, the White House's friendly Jack Russell who appears on late evenings and special occasions to check things out.

Lovingly created homemade British dishes ranging from a warm salad of shredded duck, chorizo sausage and marinated figs with Long Mynd heather honey and soy dressing, and roast fillet of lamb Shrewsbury with a pine nut and rosemary crust and redcurrant and port sauce are delivered by friendly and attentive staff.

According to Andy Richardson in the Shropshire Magazine Review, "The White House knows what locals like, and is deserving of its success".

The Riverside Inn at Cound benefits from one of the most attractive positions in the beautiful county of Shropshire as it sits on a bend on the River Severn, but well up the bank, so no fear of flooding, only seven miles from Shrewsbury.

They are proud of their use of local produce, with eggs that come from their own free range hens, and also try to make everything in-house, even the ice cream.

Their menus are fairly eclectic in their approach with everything from duck with pancakes and blackcurrant sauce to bubble and squeak with a pot of garlic mayonnaise that might appear among the starters through to a plain sirloin steak, herb crusted hake, hoi sin pork stir fry or roast partridge for mains.

All too often ethnic restaurants which pop up in unexpected places tend to be ignored, by reviewers in particular. I think they deserve every encouragement, since they have either perceived or intend to create, a demand. After all we are given to understand that there are now more Indian restaurants in London than there are in India itself. Such a one is Spice Empire, an Indian which certainly goes the extra mile and is well regarded by more adventurous souls in South Shropshire. It is all very traditional (Indian) and the value for money is excellent. Long may their dal delight.

The Horns is at least 300 years old and was a regular stop-off for cattle drovers taking their charges along the old Holyhead road. In recent years it has had its ups and downs but new management has recently (2004) ensured a return to the good days and an air of relaxed enjoyment now pervades. The panelling and warm decor in the restaurant make for discreet comfort in which matters of business or more social inclination can equally prosper.

The menu aims to hit a spot somewhere between brasserie and gastropub. The food is not fancy, but freshness, attractive content and comfortable portions prevail. For starters expect to find around ten choices, plus specials, to include avocado, Parma ham and prawns with a sour cream and chives sauce, venison pate and an imaginative range of home-made soups.

Main courses, excluding the excellent range of steaks, number around sixteen - choose from a half shoulder of lamb, fillet steak medallions wrapped in smoky bacon and served with a hollandaise sauce, a delicious home-made steak and kidney pie, or a potato and red cabbage layer cake with Madeira sauce. Vegetarians are particularly well looked after.

A sensible, both in content and pricing, wine list offers a range of choice that will bring a mellow contentment to the occasion. It is encouraging to see what used to be decent pubs that suffered from the decline caused by the breathalyser, having new life injected into them by proper management able to drive a safe line between profitability and customer satisfaction.

The Golden Ball dates back to 1728 and is the oldest licensed premises in the Ironbridge Gorge. It started operations some fifty years before the world famous Iron Bridge opened in 1781; and although the bridge has served its purpose and is now a World Heritage Site, The Golden Ball is still going strong; welcoming people who wish to enjoy a meal or a drink, or stay a night or two in its bedrooms.

The restaurant is situated in the original brew house and has a wealth of character and charm. Their menu is updated daily and incorporates local and seasonal produce where possible. Large chalkboards in the dining room and bar display dishes such as homemade chicken liver pâté served with granary toast, and a hearty main course of wild duck and local pheasant breasts, oven-roasted and served with a mixed berry sauce, Parmentier roast potatoes and buttered green vegetables or Cornish sea bass fillets on a bed of creamy leeks.

The bar area offers real ales, draught and bottled cider and a range of imported continental beers.