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Deriving its name from George Mason, a high-quality grocer who once owned the building, Masons Bar and Bistro is a promising find for anyone interested in a tasty, satisfying meal served in a quaint Mediterranean setting. Many of the original features have been retained in the premises lending character and charm to the place, while kindling curiosity and interest in customers.

There are brunch, lunch and dinner menus serving bistro themed food spanning grilled poultry, meat, steak, fish, salads, platters and more. The sautéed rabbit in brandy, mustard and cream sauce and duck confit stuffed in cabbage leaves do complete justice to the bistro's reputation for serving high-quality, authentic cuisine. Salad lovers shouldn't miss out on the tuna nicoise. A selection of fine wine is available and is a great way to complement the meal. Make sure to leave enough room for dessert and prepare yourself for a sweet dilemma as you skim through the list of irresistibly rich inventions.

Frankie and Benny's combine classic American and Italian in both style and cuisine. They specialise in home style cooking 'just like Mamma used to make it'. This is a great place to take the entire family and represents excellent value for money. The restaurant and bar is suitable for any occasion, whether it's a leisurely lunch, a family meal or a fantastic evening with friends - they make sure you have a wonderful time.

Walking into the restaurant is like stepping back into 1950s New York, from the clatter and chatter of the open kitchen to the bottle lined bar. Walls with black and white family photographs showing life in Brooklyn's 'Little Italy' surround cosy booth seating and tables. Combined with the classic music of the fifties, a mix of American swing and beat, they definitely provide a fun and friendly atmosphere for all to enjoy.

Frankie and Benny's offers starters, main courses and delicious desserts, and favourites include char-grilled burgers, pizzas, pastas, steaks and house specialities such as chicken parmigiana, BBQ ribs, lamb shank and much more. The bar serves a wide range of beers, wines, spirits, cocktails and soft drinks.

Start with sticky wings, crispy coated chicken strips, tiger prawn skewer or Frankie's fried calamari and if you are dining in a group choose the giant sampler platter. The pastas, calzone and pizzas are all made freshly on order. An interesting dish on the menu is a the Boston 7 speciality pizza fully loaded with slices of pork meatballs, spicy pepperoni, ham, crispy bacon, chicken, peppers and red onion, served on a BBQ sauce base. They also serve a variety of sandwiches and burgers throughout the day.

A good value lunch menu is available on weekdays from 11am until 5pm offering a range of popular dishes from the main carte with one course at £5.95, two courses at £7.95 and three courses at £8.95.

For children up to the age of eleven, an all-inclusive menu features a selection of main courses, desserts and drinks starting at £3.95. As an added treat, they'll also receive an activity pack to entertain them whilst you eat.

Enjoy an American Italian meal at Frankie and Benny's with freshly prepared food and warm hospitality that makes you feel right at home.

London's fashionable King's Road was home to the first Henry J Bean's outlet way back in 1985, now a growing establishment spread across major metropolis' across the world. The style can be defined as typical American bar and grill with burgers, steaks and hot dogs in the forefront, complemented by an extensive array of cocktails and spirits.

Nachos, the jumbo Cadillac of starters with paprika, tortilla chips, salsa, guacamole, melted cheese and sour cream finished with jalapeño peppers, olives and tender loving care line up alongside calamari and crab claws. United Plates of America is no longer a typo and these big plates are specially designed to encourage sharing; there's Chicago board of trade, prairie platter and sears towers, which take in anything from half rack of barbecue ribs to Aberdeen Angus burger patties and Cajun steak strips.

The music continues to be eclipsed by American ideas with classics, live music and DJs spinning the wheels well into the early hours.

After a heady, but alas! all too brief an entry into the new Millennium when the place was receiving rave reviews, the Rose and Crown became threatened with development. Enter Martin Burgess, ironically a property developer who, out of pure self interest (he says), decided he could not bear to lose his local and transformed it into a gastropub. If that description sits ill with some people rest assured that it has been done well and its renaissance seems to meet with general approval. The décor verges on the sensuous and for those who loathe the clickerty-clack of heels the oak floors are not welcome news.

The menu changes monthly and could include a ballotine of duck with kumquat chutney, a fillet of seabass with pea veloute or a button mushroom risotto. Puddings perhaps do not have quite the same degree of flair but they meet the need and could be a banana tarte tatin, a duo of crème brûlées or a fruit salad in a Pimms syrup with mango sorbet. Service is of a very high standard, somebody has clearly gone to the trouble of really training people who take a pride in what they do.

Pizza Express remains a hugely popular bedrock of casual eating. Its popularity is testimony to the fact that across the country, they have restaurants where you will always be guaranteed a good nosh, with children's tastes being well catered for.

Pizza Express has gone even more Roman, and following the success of that particular example of listening to their public have introduced Romana pizzas, including the scorching Etna and the hearty Siciliana.

These pizzas are now thinner, bigger and crispier, and if that sounds like a marketing line, it is. However, unlike many such lines, this one is true, and their quality is always consistent, though cleverly they have still managed to retain a homemade feel to their pizzas.

As an alternative to pizza, try their pollo pesto - cavatappi pasta with torn chicken breast, mushrooms, red onions and mozzarella in a creamy gruyere, parmesan and pesto sauce and finished with grana padano - or the niçoise salad with mixed leaves, yellowfin tuna, free range egg, green beans, potatoes and tomatoes with olives, anchovies, capers and house dressing.

Many of the big chains have come a long way, and Pizza Express is certainly amongst them. One of the first to be quoted on the Stock Exchange - in 1993 - Pizza Express is not a franchise operation and retains tight control through its own staff.

Their wine list - though short - contains some surprisingly good offerings, especially their intense Australian Chardonnay, and a big, full-bodied Merlot from Cusumano, Sicilia.

You can always expect a warm welcome at the Fauconberg Arms - a family run 17th Century Inn, nestling in the village of Coxwold on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, it is owned and operated by Simon and Helen Rheinberg, plus the next generation, as their daughter Harriet is married to Jonathan Chadwick.

Traditional British, local food that offers value for money is the emphasis at the Fauconberg, but with Harriet and Jonathan's catering experience in France and the USA plus a family love for all things Italian, you shouldn't be too surprised to find a hint of something different every now and again!

With the success of Melton's now assured Michael and Lucy Hjort have turned their attention to establishing a less formal addition to their stable, apt terminology since the premises they have chosen were, until 1998, a saddlers.

The conversion has retained as many of the old features as are practicable, including the splendid horse's head on the front. However, that is the only nod towards French inclinations on flesh of which you are likely to see.

The café bar on the ground floor does, however, have a somewhat Gallic approach and pleasant informal eating is the keynote.

Upstairs in the larger bistro activity is rather more focussed and the same menu used in the café offers excellent meals drawn from a wide range of cuisines. The levels of precision and quality that have always prevailed in Melton's have certainly been translated here and the same applies to the wine list. Regular wine tastings are held, yet another expression of the mature attitude adopted towards gastronomy at both the Meltons.

What happens when you step into Café Concerto and find strains of jazz music wafting within manuscript-papered walls, creating a laid-back atmosphere? You may be inclined to think that this charming little bistro-style café truly lives up to its name. The compact dining area is invariably buzzing and booking is recommended.

The cooking offers fresh interesting dishes, locally sourced wherever possible and using only high quality ingredients. The food is sure to please all ages and tastes; from comfort foods such as salmon fishcakes with fresh herb mayo and Aberdeen Angus cottage pie, to a gourmet 3 course dinner, or simply a soup and baguette combination. Drop in for a cappuccino and homemade cake, or their famous chunky tomato soup with parmesan and pesto. These dishes sit alongside a brilliant chicken liver pâté with port and brandy, delicious salads, filo parcels, dips and platters.

Café Concerto's daytime menu features baguettes and deli sandwiches like Caesar club on ciabatta, soups, pâtés, duets and trios.