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The Holly Bush Inn in the village of Salt, close by the River Trent, is seriously popular and seems to thrive, as many successful restaurateurs are aware of, on giving people what they like, not what you happen to think they ought to. Leave the education process to the subsidised elements of this world.

Furthermore, if you happen to be running the reputedly second oldest pub in the country, set in attractive country near a major conurbation, you are off to a head start anyway.

A visit on any weekday towards evening might reveal the true scope of their popularity with a friendly and diplomatic staff who manage the bar as well as the restaurant with admirable efficiency.

The menu could include starters of Staffordshire oatcakes stuffed with spiced black pudding and herby tomato sauce or pan fried calves liver in garlic butter with mixed leaf salad. Main courses number at least twelve on any day and top contenders for dish of the day could easily be the homemade steak and kidney pudding with a rich onion gravy, a traditional venison casserole cooked with home cured bacon, button mushrooms and red wine or the deep fried cod with mushy peas.

Should that not tickle your fancy there is the House mixed grill, a journey down memory lane with generous helpings of gammon, pork chop, sirloin steak, liver, kidney and not least the hand-made local sausages. The steaks, again from Mr Perry of Eccleshall, are a revelation with a 20 oz T-bone on the menu. For cheeses, think in terms of Fowlers of Earlswood, the oldest cheese making family in England.

The real ales are a revelation, with about four variations monthly, and a wine list offers fair choice at prices that will not spoil your appetite. There are no frills when it comes to the supporting tackle, though you can eat in the bar, and the dining room does make some concessions in that direction.

This may not be Michelin star country, but it is a place for hearty eaters who appreciate sound cooking, as well as a celebration of what Staffordshire can produce in the way of honest local ingredients. Whilst it has an array of awards to support this, the real proof lies in the overflowing car park.

The Holly Bush Inn is very proud of the fact that they were awarded Best British Food 2003 at the prestigious Publican Pub Food Awards. Hosted by celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson the ceremony was held on the 13th November at the Queen Elizabeth Centre, Westminster where Holly Bush Landlord Geoff Holland accepted the award.

For masses of additional information, do visit their extremely comprehensive and interesting Website.

Burton on Trent has a classy looking brasserie that it should be proud of, a place where you can visit with friends or family and have some well prepared modern British food, all in a most relaxed setting. It's quite easy to tick off all your objectives for dining out at 99 Station Street, as they concentrate on using only fresh, local and seasonal produce, their cooking is simply superb.

A warm welcome from the friendly front of house team sets the ball rolling and you could soon be seated in the comfortable restaurant, perusing the concise menu that is not overburdened with items, so choosing your meal becomes a pleasurable and simple activity. Lunch time rumblings can easily be assuaged by starters of homemade pâté with dill pickled cucumber, followed by fillet of salmon with soft herb crust and wild garlic oil and orange, lemon and lime cheesecake.

Evenings warrant a more elaborate service and starters such as thin slices of home oak maple smoked venison saddle with sweet and sharp hedgerow fruits and port caviar, or warm Cornish crab in Chapel Down Flint cream sauce on a toasted spring onion, cream cheese and chive pancake drizzled with herbed Staffordshire rapeseed oil are right on the mark. This could be followed by main courses along the lines of baked loin of halibut topped by a soft herb crust with poached mussels in a white wine and roasted garlic velouté finished with double cream, or roast rack of Stockley park lamb on a spring onion and Staffordshire cheese potato cake with a sharp mint puree and red wine sauce.

Those not on a calorie counting spree will enjoy a glance at their dessert menu listing delicious confections ranging from a rather unique bread and butter pudding, layered with single malt soaked raisins on creamy custard, to warm apple crumble tart with homemade cinnamon ice-cream. Chocoholics will love the blissful combination of coconut Cambridge cream topped with a chocolate crust and served with short bread biscuit whilst those who prefer savoury endings can opt for the cheese board.

99 Station Street has a few local wines, some classics as well as some New World creations including cava and champagne, which are eminently suitable for different courses of the meal. They also have private dining options and cater for special occasions with specifically prepared menus and they positively welcome add-ons such as hand made place settings and cakes to infuse that distinctive touch to your party.

They have garnered some prestigious accolades already, and judging by their popularity some more are surely bound their way. For information about menus, wine list and upcoming events, do check their Website.

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.

When one of the country's most respected and leading critics says that this restaurant is 'the best Italian Restaurant outside London' it is time to take them seriously. Britain's love affair with Italian food is a cause célèbre of long standing and shows no signs of waning, so it is always welcome news when somewhere like San Carlo sets out to reach for the skies.

Located in the heart of Birmingham, San Carlo is well suited to catch both day and night time business, and the menu reflects this. There are a wide range of dishes, plus blackboard specials, offering snacks, meals, celebrations, all in true Italian style, dishes that bring Italy into the very centre of life in Birmingham. San Carlo is the father of a chain of similar restaurants, yet each one has its own personality.

If you are one for rubbing shoulders with the various grades of celebrities, San Carlo could be a real winner before you even start looking at the menu, with football players, newsreaders, soap stars and high society movers and shakers all competing for poll positions.

Favourite dishes include sliced prime Scottish fillet of beef with a light dressing of capers, anchovies, garlic and extra virgin olive oil, and that old favourite of connoisseurs the world over, pan fried breast of chicken with white wine, mushrooms and cream sauce, garnished with asparagus. Many of the ingredients to create these dishes are imported from Italy, and it goes without saying that the wine list is unashamedly and spectacularly of the same origin.

A combination of Italian cuisine and fish has always seemed logical - all that coastline - as well as highly attractive to the British taste. The antipasti at San Carlo includes a mixture of squid, prawns and mussels, deep-fried whitebait, and scallops in white wine and garlic. Amongst the main courses expect to find on the blackboard Dover sole, grilled whole sea bass, a mixed grill of fish, special pasta with lobster, brandy, tomato, cream and peas, or giant prawn and scallops in garlic and chilli.

It is customary to look for Italian wines in such places, nor will you be disappointed, but there are a few French inclusions also, with a rather nice Chablis in evidence. House wines, and few off the list, are available by the glass. Service is a good example of that Italian 'just make yourself at home we'll look after everything' manner, when you generally surprise yourself by taking their advice. In Britain we just say 'no problem', which may be succinct, but lacks style.

The restaurant has had a major refurbishment, with the aim of providing more covers in the lower level restaurant, giving a capacity for over 200 guests. Groups are welcome at San Carlo, but to preserve the balance between groups, a limit of up to nine people applies on Friday and Saturday, and twenty to thirty on weekdays. Booking will always make for security but in general the new arrangements mean there is room for everybody.

Ultimately a restaurant is judged by two main factors, each dependent upon the other. Combine quality food with life's movers and shakers in attractive surroundings and you have a sure fire record for the sweet buzz of success that permeates San Carlo.

The San Carlo group have an excellent Website - you are only a click away from more details and updates on their site.

Offering a sumptuous and diverse spread of Italian, Indian, Thai and Chinese dishes, Jimmy Spice's on The Parade has something for everyone. The spacious, open plan restaurant is perfect for the groundbreaking multi-national buffet style service on offer. Located in the heart of the town, the restaurant is a 2-minute drive from Sutton Coldfield Rail Station.

The eclectic menu is filled with a variety of delicious items, made with the highest quality ingredients, to deliver the best of the range of cuisines on offer. Guests have the option of selecting their vegetables and meat along with a sauce of their choice and have it cooked on the spot.

A sample Italian menu offers freshly made pizza, a fine combination of pomodiro pillete and home-made pizza base with toppings of pineapple, ham, sweet corn, mushrooms, mixed peppers, pepperoni, chicken, jalapeno, olives and green chillies. The pasta menu offers a choice of penne or spaghetti served with Bolognese or al formaggi sauce along with basil pesto, chilli flakes, bacon, capers, olives, sun-dried tomatoes. Other main course dishes include baked fish, chicken in mustard sauce, vegetable lasagne and herb roasted potatoes.

The tempting Indian selection features starters of mint chicken pakora, vegetable samosa, aloo chaat and onion bhaji as well as mains of lamb rogan josh, saag paneer, tarka daal and vegetable jalfrezi along with seekh kebab, chicken malai tikka, garlic naan, tandoori roti and onion kulcha from the tandoor.

Chinese cuisine choices include spicy chicken wings, prawn crackers, pork spare ribs, egg fried rice, sweet and sour chicken, beef in black bean sauce, chicken with cashewnuts and water chestnuts and shrimp in garlic sauce along. Jimmy Spice's stir fry options include lamb, chicken, prawns, egg noodles, mushrooms, pok choy, bean sprouts and mixed peppers served with a sauce of your choice.

The Thai menu offers fish cake, vegetable spring roll, prawn toast, beef red curry, chicken green curry, prawn Penang curry, gaeng phed  and nuer pad namman hoy.

From the salad station diners can help themselves to freshly prepared Moroccan carrot salad with green olives and mint, chicken and mango salad, strawberry and feta cheese salad, tuna salad, Thai sorn tarn and potato au gratin. 

If you fancy a quick lunch choose from a selection of sandwiches, pizzas, starters with choice of sauces, salads with choice of dressings, Chinese stir fry dishes and Indian main courses with rice and naan bread.

The restaurant also provides a tempting, and equally eclectic array of desserts for diners with a sweet tooth. Choices include familiar dishes such as strawberry cheesecake, chocolate brownies, pineapple cake, and fresh cut fruit to more exotic options including, gulab jamun, moong daal halwa, and banana fritters. Alternatively you could opt for ginger pudding, crème caramel, chocolate fudge cake, apple crumble, coconut and raisin cake and kiwi pannacotta all of which bring any meal to a fitting end.

At the bar enjoy a range of red, white and rose wines as well as champagne, alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails and shooters, soft drinks and juices, aperitifs and liqueurs in addition to a variety of spirits including single malt whiskies and cognac.

An early bird deal is value for money at £9.99 per person from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Check out their Website for the latest offers.

Close to the historic towns of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick and Royal Leamington Spa, The Queen & Castle offers a delicious modern British cuisine menu with Mediterranean influences in the heart of Warwickshire. Nestled on Castle Green, directly opposite Kenilworth Castle, it's the perfect place for unwinding after a day of sightseeing. The pub also boasts a beautiful, secluded garden that is ideal for al fresco dining in warm weather, with an outdoor play area for the kids and ample onsite parking, making it a wonderfully family-friendly venue for a weekend meal.

The Queen & Castle's traditional brick and tiled roof exterior gives way to a bright and airy interior with wood floors, beamed ceilings and comfortable leather chairs. The light coloured walls and ceilings offer a stunning contemporary take on traditional Tudor decor and witty touches, such as the antler coat-hooks above the hearth complete the stylish setting. The same attention to detail is discernible in the friendly and attentive staff and the excellent service ensures a pleasant experience.

The seasonally changing à la carte uses the finest market fresh ingredients and delivers a range of sharing platters and starters such as winter bruschetta of asparagus, gorgonzola, prosciutto, balsamic on stirata Romana bread and red onion and gorgonzola tart with roasted apple and mustard seed dressing to whet the appetite.

Follow with a flavourful stone baked pizza topped with luganega sausage, chorizo, pepperoni, spit roasted chicken and crushed chillies or roasted Mediterranean vegetables, goat's cheese, cherry tomatoes and rocket. There's also choice of wonderful pasta dishes, no dull uninspiring spaghetti Bolognese here, instead there's lasagne with slow roasted pork, red peppers and roast garlic or linguini with tiger prawns, crab and chorizo in a spicy tomato sauce.

Salads of crispy duck with mooli, carrots, hoisin, spring onions and plum sauce or grilled goat's cheese crostini with roasted sweet potatoes, borlotti beans and blush tomato dressing provide a light main course. While more substantial mains include succulent grilled fare of fillet steak garni with watercress, confit tomato, grilled mushroom and hand-cut jenga chips or blade of beef, slow braised in red wine, with creamy parsley mash and horseradish crème fraiche. Classic burgers come with onion, gherkin, mustard mayo, cheese, relish, and chips with a host of extras including chorizo, bacon or flat mushroom. Alternatively, try one of chef’s daily specials on the blackboard. You could also enjoy Fabulous Fish Fridays with delicious fresh fish and shellfish specials with a whopping 50% discount on a bottle of white wine.

On Sundays, guests can enjoy a variety of beautifully prepared classic roasts with lashings of gravy and seasonal veggies. A prix fixe menu is available mid week until 7 pm while the bar menu includes a variety of small plates and main dishes.

The expertly selected wine list includes a variety of Mediterranean whites and reds, as well as examples from the rest of the world available by the glass and bottle, while the drinks menu offers a variety of aperitifs non-alcoholic drinks along with a range of excellent cask ales and bottled beers to quench the thirst.
 
Enjoyed eating at The Queen & Castle? Why not try its sister pubs; The Encore in Stratford-upon-Avon and The Saxon Mill in Warwick for a similar experience.

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

The Almanack is a modern British gastropub in the heart of Kenilworth, between Abbey Fields and the High Street. The Almanack belongs to the people behind the Rose and Crown in Warwick. Jeremy Kynaston has enjoyed two years there, winning friends and awards along the way and is now in the process of welcoming old friends and making new ones at the Almanack.

On arrival the entrance takes you into a comfortable bar and lounge furnished with beautiful vintage armchairs and sofas. There is a great island bar in the middle where you can drink, chat and watch the world go by as well as a glamorous dining room with views of the open kitchen. Perfect for dinner parties with family and friends is the Private Dining Room which can sit up to 30 people.

At the heart of a true gastropub is, of course, the menu. Head Chef Jakub Fijak gained cuilnary experience in his own home city of Krakow and spent years in Poland honing his skills. After learning the fine nuances of French cooking in St Helier, he is back in the kitchen serving a fantastic menu featuring both retro and modern pub dishes with his knowledge and love of fresh, simple ingredients.

Breakfast is served from 8am to 12noon, featuring healthy, sensible food with not a full English in sight, and, if you're in a real rush, you can take it away with you. The deli board lives on in five manifestations of cheese, cold cuts, fish, veggie and a favourites board, and an option of adding a classic cheese fondue to any of them. A perfect start to a meal or to share with a friend over a glass of wine or two! For those in a hurry, the roast of the day is ideal. You can check which day it is by what's on your plate, ranging from roast leg of Cornish lamb to the Aberdeenshire 28 day dry-aged roast beef and traditional trimmings.

Their meat is all free range and comes from award-winning local butcher, Aubrey Allen. Other ingredients are sourced from producers who take pride in their products and an ethical stance in their production. The Almanack ensures their menu always makes the most of the best seasonal ingredients - this is to avoid air-freighting and keeps you in touch with the cycle of the year - to maximise freshness, quality and value.

Whilst eating is most certainly taken seriously, a pub wouldn't be a pub without great drinks. For those who like a wine list that does the business with adequate choices, but not enough to cloud your judgement, Almanack is your place. A choice of five champagnes, two by the glass is followed by a selection of whites that embrace Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2009, and start with a South African Chenin Blanc available in bottle, large or small glass on draught, or a carafe for friendly drinking. Amongst the reds you could spot a Malbec, San Rafael from Argentina. Both these countries are now producing wines that will stand with the best from almost anywhere.

The Almanack is a pub with a conscience about eating and drinking, with a real sense of purpose. The customer concern level is high, and would go so far as to say that at last somebody has found a way to combine the best of the gastropub with fresh 21st century bonhomie, that has given new meaning to 'the local'.

Find out even more by clicking on their Website. You might also want to consider visiting The Rose and Crown in nearby Warwick, the sister pub to The Almanack.

Leamington Spa may strike you as one of those places that are full of eastern promise - well, if not eastern, at least promise. As far as the restaurant business is concerned some very interesting enterprises have taken off there, and another has been added with the arrival of Peter and Antje Knibb. Both have worked in Michelin starred restaurants under such culinary notables as Simon Haigh at Mallory Court and Jun Tanaka at Pearl Restaurant, London.

A restyling by designer Emma McIvor has resulted in nicely understated feelings of luxury, comfort and style, creating an immediate sense of confidence and relaxation.

Peter's relatively short career shows signs of meteoric progress, and at the end of this review the urge to place Restaurant 23 on your 'One to Watch' list will be stronger. The serious stuff was a spell at Chez Nico preceded by time well spent at Claridge's under John Williams. The fun bit was six months on a luxury yacht before jumping ship for the Gucci private family yacht. Some very relevant experience in London has proved of real value in establishing himself in the Midlands.

Well located in the centre of town the restaurant draws an egalitarian customer base who, attracted by a combination of excellent food and competitive prices tend to treat Restaurant 23 as their neighbourhood hideout. Peter's international travels have moulded a broad approach to the cuisine, with some interesting little quirks that betray a sense of culinary genius.

For dinner expect to find organic salmon and Cornish crab ravioli with a bisque and lemon grass velouté, and seared hand dived scallops, capers, parsley, cauliflower, crispy bacon and red veined sorrel. Wild mushroom consommé is accompanied by truffle gnocchi, parmesan crisp and poached quail?s egg. Seafood is a speciality; keep a lookout for pan-fried wild sea bass with coriander cress, curried mussel and coconut broth. Roasted loin of venison arrives with butternut squash gratin, braised red cabbage, chestnuts and port sauce.

Set nutmeg duck egg custard is served with marinated Agen prunes, green apple sorbet, almond and orange tuile, and a wonderful combination comes in the form of ginger bread with banana parfait, crispy filo pastry and crème fraîche sorbet.

Leamington Spa still seems to be one of those places where people really do lunch. Restaurant 23 has been quick to respond to this admirable practice with a 1, 2 or 3 course lunch at £13.50, £16.50 and £19 respectively. A choice of three starters might include roasted parsnip and apple soup with curry oil, followed by braised venison bourguignon, potato puree, salsify and baby carrots, with the great cleanser in the form of marinated prunes, cinnamon ice cream and apple sponge.

Yes, there is little doubt about it - an entry in your little black book is warmly recommended. The menu responds well to the seasons and changes are posted on their Website, which is only a click away.

Within the bustling Mailbox Shopping Centre, in the heart of the city, Zizzi The Mailbox, Birmingham provides delicious Italian food to tired shoppers. Spread over two levels, the restaurant boasts a mailbox themed interior featuring vintage mail sorting boxes on the walls and a deep red pizza oven.

With plenty of on-site parking available, and just a short walk from Birmingham New Street Station, Zizzi is also close to the Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre and the Electric Cinema.

The bustling open kitchen at Zizzi turns out freshly prepared, tasty fare. The extensive à la carte offers distinct sections of antipasti, salads, pizza and calzone, pasta, risottos and mains of seasonally changing meat and fish dishes with a variety of tempting desserts to finish.

Zizzi's special antipasti platter has mixed Italian meats with buffalo milk mozzarella, marinated sun-dried tomatoes, mixed olives and red onion focaccia bread. There's also choice of arancini, crispy risotto balls stuffed with mozzarella and peas and served with a tomato chilli sauce as well as gnocchi gorgonzola, potato dumplings in a creamy gorgonzola and spinach sauce seasoned with nutmeg and black pepper, setting the tone for a hearty meal.

For a delicious pasta or risotto choose between penne vodka, king prawns, chilli, peas and Grana Padano in a creamy tomato and vodka sauce; ravioli di capra, goat's cheese and spinach ravioli served with tomato sauce and topped with pesto and pine nuts; zucca e pancetta, pumpkin, pancetta, spinach, sage and Grana Padano topped with mascarpone and rigatoni con pollo e funghi, chicken in a tomato, onion, rosemary and mushroom sauce. Gluten-free pasta is also available on request.

If you prefer a pizza, then you could try Zizzi's speciality pizza rustica, which couples extra thin and crispy bases with a range of toppings such as bufala, buffalo mozzarella with sunblush tomatoes, basil, rocket and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or mare e monti, one half topped with tiger prawn, courgette and mozzarella and the other with spicy sausage, tomato sauce and chilli, all finished off with a rocket and crème fraîche. The carne piccante calzone has marinated chicken, meatballs, Bolognese sauce, mushrooms, chillies, tomato and mozzarella while the clarissa version, has aubergine, and red pepper caponata, olives, goats' cheese, rocket, pine nuts, tomato and mozzarella. Zizzi's calzon'pizzas, half calzone and half pizza, add an interesting twist to the meal.
 
Sumptuous mains include agnello con peperonata, roasted lamb shank served with basil, roasted vegetables and a little pot of potatoes with tomato, red onion and Grana Padano; duck arrosto, slow roasted whole duck leg in a balsamic, olive and pancetta reduction served with Tuscan potatoes and green beans; and sea bass al vino, sea bass pan fried with wine, garlic and baby plum tomatoes and served with herby potatoes.

The scrumptious dessert list offers torta cioccolata with its thick hazelnut chocolate base topped with rich chocolate torte and served with vanilla mascarpone; homemade tiramisu' creamy vanilla pannacotta with fruit compote and torta Zizzi, an almond-based plum and fig tart topped with pistachios and icing sugar and served with gelato.

The wine list is dominated by a range of Italian wines from regions such as Veneto, Lazio, Sicily, Tuscany and Lombardy. Also on offer is an assortment of beers, and spirits as well as a range of soft and hot drinks.

More information can be found on their Website.