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Hartlepool has come a long way in the last decade, especially the makeover of the marina. Home to the award-winning historic quay, it is always alive with tourists, and is only likely to get busier with the city's future beautification plans.

Farrar's Bistro Restaurant in Hartlepool, boasts of a magnificent view of the marina with its anchored boats and yachts. It serves modern British and Mediterranean food, and as English cuisine today is influenced tangibly by Asian cooking, don't be surprised if you see onion bhajee served with mint and cucumber yoghurt rubbing shoulders with pasta or pork and apple terrine.

Some of the other popular dishes here are haddock goujons and medallions of pork loin. Apart from these, ham, roast chicken, pork form the base for the main meal at Farrar's.

They also have a sandwiches and light bite menu, and their interesting selection of side orders has garlic dough balls, onion mash potato and slow roasted tomatoes with balsamic vinegar.

For desserts you could pick the dark chocolate fondant with griottine cherries and vanilla ice-cream, poached pear in red wine sauce or banoffi pie. Their dessert menu changes daily while the food menu varies each season.

The food is bought locally and prepared to the highest standards, ensuring there is a wide variety of seafood, meat and vegetarian dishes as well as an excellent selection of wines to complement your meal.

The service is informal and relaxed allowing you to relish your meal in an unhurried manner. Opened in June 2002 by owner and head chef Mark and Charlotte Farrar, this bistro has carved a niche for itself in the local restaurant scene.

Mention has been made elsewhere of the insufficiency of eating spots, never mind good ones, in the city of Durham, so it is a relief to find outposts of the empire lurking in the vicinity making a determined effort to redress the balance. The Seven Stars, loaded down with antiques, is very busy with those wishing to escape the city and aware of the extensive range of decent pub food on offer.

A handsome 17th century coaching inn with a good reputation for a cuisine that traverses the globe. Whilst you eat, live piano music eases you into the mood and friendly and efficient service rises well to the occasion. Such dishes as seared lamb rosettes with black pudding and a casserole of field mushrooms are well executed.

Chilli infused cuisine and a warm, friendly and festive atmosphere make Mohujo's a popular hotspot in Billingham and those looking for traditional Mexican or Tex Mex combinations need no longer stray too far in their pursuits. Recipes are sourced directly from Mexico to lend an authentic touch while daily supplies are often acquired from reputed local suppliers. Contrary to popular belief, it's not all about chillies and the menu can cater to those who are not too enamoured with spicy and hot food too.

Amongst appetisers, the baked jalapeno peppers stuffed with creamy cheese and chipotle chillies offers a fiery start while tostadas, pan fried tortillas layered with refried beans and shredded chicken is a good choice for those who look for milder flavours. Amongst the main courses, do try the award winning chicken parmesan served with salad or rice. Bring in the Latin flair with San Miguel beers, spirits and liqueurs or tequilas of course.

For a bistro serving remarkable international and Mediterranean fare, Café Lilli on Norton's High Street has notched up a lot of brownie points with locals and visitors alike. It is simple, unpretentious and yes, it is the food that will draw you back there, time and again. The décor is very bistro-ish implying that the focus is on creating a place where people can relax, be informal and have a lively time eating out.

Specials on the blackboard indicate what could be the best possible choices although there are firm favourites too such as Thai mussels steamed with coconut milk or grilled sardines over sweet olives, tomatoes and garlic. For main course you could try the medallion of fillet of beef and potato and celeriac gratin, whereas the passion fruit pannacotta with coconut biscuits makes an enticing dessert. The reasonable wine list has a wide enough number of choices to offer.

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 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.