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Located in the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon as part of the Shakespeare Hotel, literature enthusiasts will find the perfect setting for inspiration in Othello's Bar and Brasserie. An inn and a meeting place for writers, actors and artists since the 18th century, the building still retains the distinctive gabled frontage of the Tudor period though most of its original features have been tastefully refurbished.

The cuisine is a mix of modern European and traditional English dishes and there's something for anyone who feels like stopping for a bite - be it an elaborate three course meal with fine wine or a quick lunch. Begin with seared scallops or seasonal soup served with crusty bread, followed by lamb three ways or a more traditional cod and chips. Conclude with one of the chef's special homemade puddings. There's a garden terrace where you can to enjoy afternoon tea with homemade scones and clotted cream, or perhaps relax with Pimm's or a glass of champagne with local strawberries and cream.

No place brings the bard to life like Stratford-upon-Avon and Othello's does its part in adding charm to history.

Had he been alive today, William Shakespeare might well have sought inspiration walking along the banks of the River Avon and made merry with friends in the many restaurants and public places that have sprung up in his birthplace. Will may not be with us but the historic town he knew still provides visitors many sights and experiences that transport them to that era, and Wills place at the Falcon Hotel, originally constructed during the sixteenth century, pleases your taste buds and provides a handsome venue for socializing.

This Tudor building, which was recently refurbished, offers guests a traditional dining experience in an interior that is dominated by heavy wooden furniture. Some of their popular dishes include Cumberland sausages with red wine onion gravy, fish and chips served with minted mushy peas and roasted lemon and 7oz sirloin steak with traditional garnish, chips and served with red wine pepper corn sauce.

If you fancy eating and drinking in the place that is reputed to have served as William Shakespeare's off licence, The Vintner is for you. The fine timber-framed building has been little altered since it was built in the late-1400s and provides a handsome setting for the café bar, a restaurant and private dining in the Banquet Room.

Handy for the Royal Shakespeare Theatres and open seven days a week, the cuisine ranges from traditional English cooking through to pan European, and draws on fresh, local produce. Visitors and locals mingle cheerfully, assisted by a wine list that will take you on a challenging journey round the globe, all of which helps towards creating the high zing factor that rings around the ancient beams.

The Vintner has to be one of the busiest places in town. After some five hundred years, it's still privately owned. In 1600, John Smith traded here as a wine merchant and it's reputed that William Shakespeare came here to buy his wine. If the list which he was able to choose from then bears any resemblance to the one on offer to those who eat and drink there now, then Will certainly knew a thing or two!

The Vintner offers a modern café bar and a handsome restaurant. The Private Dining Room is an ideal setting for a wedding breakfast, a reunion, that special birthday party or a meeting of the Board perhaps?

One of two places in the area, the other is Embargo actually in Stratford, both owned by an enterprising lady called Sue Gray. The Fox and Goose is in Armscote, a pretty village of a style typical in Warwickshire, and consists of one third bar - but a proper one with roaring log fires in the winter, and newspapers to read while eating you snacks and drinks - and two thirds restaurant. Many customers comment on the service, which is not of the normal bang it down and walk away variety so prevalent in gastropubs, instead it is friendly, helpful but not over-familiar, and they seemed really concerned that you get exactly what you want. The menu is chalked up on a blackboard, and you order at the bar.

Dishes could include: pumpkin and chilli soup; ballotine of rabbit and chicken or goat's cheese stack with aubergine and tomato to start. Mains could include their famous steak and ale pie or pork and chive sausage with mustard mash and excellent gravy, as well as more sophisticated offerings. Great roasts on a Sunday, normally lamb and beef, with wonderful crispy roast potatoes.