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The Morritt dates back to the late seventeenth century but the air of timelessness and tradition are never lost because what they do is done well and with a personal flair that is tremendously engaging.

Leather chairs, silk blinds and quirky artwork fill the dining area decorated in oak panelling and wooden floors. The menu is reassuringly cosmopolitan with marinated mackerel served alongside beetroot, potato and crème fraîche amongst starters. A main course of hoi sin Gressingham duck is accompanied by sesame noodles, bean sprouts, spring onion and pak choi or Chinese cabbage. To conclude there is the caramelised banana bavarois with banana fritters and caramel ice cream.

Charles Dickens stayed at Greta Bridge when he was researching Nicholas Nickleby, and in the novel it became the meeting place between Nicholas and Wackford Squeers. Now go and air your knowledge over a pint of Amaretto in the Dickens Bar.

Dating back to the Norman Era, Blagraves House sits on a sloping street in the picturesque town of Barnard Castle. Marked by its stone façade, the attractive Grade I listed building is the oldest in the town and resonates with centuries of history. Used for residential purposes and then as an inn, in medieval times, it is now one of the most sought after restaurants in the county of Durham.

The stone steps at Blagraves lead to a spacious dining area with traditional British décor, highlighted by crested ceiling and a marvellously carved door; a reminder of the times gone by.

A seasonally changing menu encompasses dishes such as grilled fillet of sardines, roast loin of venison with blackberry sauce and pan fried breast of chicken seasoned with rosemary and goats' cheese.

After a hearty meal, you could retire to the oak beamed lounge; it's perfect to enjoy a digestif or coffee by the warm fireplace on a cold winter's evening.

Paul O'Hara's name has been synonymous with many of the North East's finest restaurants and, after six years of working for acclaimed chef Terry Laybourne, he's upped sticks and settled down in the quaint little village of Whorlton, three miles outside the picturesque market town of Barnard Castle, County Durham.

So, if you enjoy the sophistication of dining in the city and happen to live in the countryside around Barnard Castle, then here's your opportunity without having to travel too far. The Bridge Restaurant and Bar gives you the chance to sample what chef Paul calls, "a fusion of the creativity and excitement of the city, with great quality, freshly available local produce". Set amid some stunning scenery, customers can choose to sit indoors or relax in their spacious outdoor dining area.

Start a meal with grilled Mowbray black pudding, crispy onions and olive oil crushed potatoes, while smoked salmon is served with rocket and horseradish salad, and hazelnut terrine and marinated beetroot could accompany Hunter House goat's cheese. The fillet of local roe deer venison with bashed neeps and tatties is a well-praised main, or you could opt for the roast breast of chicken with Lyonnaise potatoes, wild mushrooms and béarnaise sauce. Their wine list has been specifically put together to complement the depth of flavour their menus deliver.

Finish with sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce, dark chocolate brownie with Jack Daniel's ice cream, or a selection of cheeses, artisan biscuits and chutney. Apart from regular dining, The Bridge holds what it calls a specialist evening every month, guests are served champagne on arrival followed by a four-course meal with accompanying wines.

The restaurant at the Teesdale Hotel, a converted 18th Century coaching house, continues the tradition of providing hospitality and refreshment. Surrounded by breath-taking scenery, the restaurant's spacious dining area and is bright and airy and provides a peaceful and relaxing environment to dine with friends and family.

The simple but carefully prepared menu is drawn from fresh and seasonal produce sourced from a range of local suppliers including butchers, anglers and even organic fruit and vegetables from local allotments. Guests can choose from starters of garlic mushrooms on brown toast; and black pudding with crispy bacon and spicy rhubarb sauce. They can then move on to mains of Teesdale lamb chops, served on a bed of mashed potato surrounded in a rosemary and red wine gravy; and leek and potato bake served with seasonal vegetables.

A selection of great home-made puddings and local cheeses, including Cotherstone and Blue Wensleydale, round any meal off perfectly.

Eggleston Hall's Old Coach House has been transformed into two large and light spaces for eating and relaxing. The large arched doorways have been glazed to give a spectacular view across Teesdale. With its attractive flagstone floor, painted peach walls and al fresco seating in the summer it acts as a licensed Café, but each Thursday, Friday and Saturday night the Café is transformed into a bistro, providing local people with a new and different dining experience. David Jackson is the creative director, ensuring that whether served 'al fresco' on the terrace or in the comfort of the coach house, the bistro menu delivers.

A typical meal could consist of: chicken liver paté with Cumberland sauce and toasted sun dried tomato bread; field mushrooms baked with blue cheese and a red onion marmalade; Loch Fyne smoked salmon with dill and lemon mayonnaise or pancake stuffed with spinach and Cotherstone cheese with a beetroot and caraway seed salad to commence the meal with.

Followed by: fresh salmon and prawn topped with gruyère cheese tagliatelle; grilled sea bass with a crab mash and roasted red pepper coulis; pan fried fillet steak with béarnaise sauce and fat chips; suprême of corn fed chicken with fresh asparagus, smoked bacon and red wine sauce or mozzarella cheese tart with a spicy chickpea and tomato salad. There is a selection of desserts to finish your evening off.

Most country hotels proudly draw attention to their mature gardens or sweeping woodlands, but at Jersey Farm it's the 12 acres of farmland populated by the customary farm animals, including Jersey and Highland cattle and the rather less customary Llamas who seem to have settled into their new surroundings with remarkable sang-froid. The predictable legislation forbids them to use their own Jersey milk and butter on the premises but the very traditional English cuisine offers many other treats, much of which could be described as well presented comfort food.

A smoked chicken, hamhock and leek terrine makes a tasty starter before you progress to the Carvery where ample portions from the four choices of roast await your pleasure. Should this fail to stir there is a good range of alternative main courses, with excellent steaks and vegetarian options. The local game casserole with mini herb dumplings and root vegetable bash roused pleasant memories of shooting lunches past. To add sticky toffee pudding to such a repast might be misconstrued but in the hearty surroundings of Jersey Farm it seems completely appropriate.

For residents of Barnard Castle, the Riverside Restaurant has been a real find, a lovely restaurant tucked away at the end of County Bridge, offering a remarkable dining experience that excels on all counts. The warm and welcoming atmosphere is enhanced by the low beamed ceilings, numerous candles and Moroccan décor, with relaxed but efficient service. The owners are committed towards using fresh local produce and this passion reflects in their delicious fare, while their focus on slow cooking methods ensures that the richness of taste is unequalled.

The fixed price menus offer great value and Sunday roasts are indeed the talk of the town, while the à la carte brings choices such as starters of grilled fresh sardine fillets on rustic toast, lemon and herb butter followed by a main course of seared rump of venison, slow roasted haunch and champ mash. For a light but sweet end, the fruity pavlova ought to do the trick and the wine selection brings new and old world choices priced attractively.

The charm of Romaldkirk is renowned, with the village stocks, pump and mellow stone cottages all combining to offer a very valid reason for visiting. However, an even better reason is the welcome that awaits you from Alison and Christopher Davy at their delightful pub alongside the village green and handy for the church.

In 2002 the Rose and Crown scooped three awards; AA Pub of the Year for England 2003, an "all round excellence award" from the Northumbria Tourist Board and the Good Hotel; Guide's Inn of the Year 2003.

Chris attributes these successes to remembering the basic formula for a good country inn: a place to sleep, a cosy fire and most important of all, great food. The oak-panelled restaurant is a wonderful setting for the pleasant occupation of enjoying a cuisine which, whilst not all that extensive, has style and interest.

The four-course dinner menu at £26 includes smoked haddock and potato risotto with poached egg and Hollandaise, guinea fowl with tarragon cream with mushrooms, bacon and red wine. Cheaper lunches and dinners are available each day in the Crown Brasserie and Bar.

Bar meals only outside.