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Brewer's Fayre restaurants offer a warm welcome to those who want a reliably tasty meal in pleasant surroundings, with plenty of choice, minimal fuss and friendly service. With a reputation going back 25 years they should have a fair chance of doing that, but don't take our word for it. Give them a try and see if you agree that this is how good quality pub food should be served.

Whether it's snacks, grills, pub classics, fish, Sunday roasts or side dishes they think their way through the options, talk to their guests, and then come up with the goods. Not everybody wants a full meal so they've considered the needs of those who want to keep the gap filled and the children contented, perhaps on a journey or a day out.

Hot filled baguettes are always popular be it sausage and red onion or a classic chicken club sandwich. Jacket potatoes are good on their own but filled with mature cheddar cheese and beans they take on a new dimension.

More paced occasions demand a wide menu, perhaps with starters of breaded butterfly prawns, chicken goujons or breaded camembert bites. Grills are there for the hungry and whole rack of meaty BBQ pork ribs served with extra sauce, chips and coleslaw can be very welcome. The days of the mixed grill are back - or did they ever go away - a 4oz rump steak, two pork sausages, and a gammon steak topped with a fried egg served with all the trimmings will remind you if they did.

Salmon and prawn fishcakes are served with buttered new potatoes, tartare sauce and a lightly dressed salad. A combination of sea and land comes with a rump steak, whole grilled chicken breast and breaded breaded butterfly prawns, served with chips and a side salad or garden peas.

The rise of eating out in pubs has brought into our daily lives a whole legion of what might be termed 'pub classics'. Many of them have their roots in what used to be called 'good home cooking' and include such dishes as sausage, egg and chips, beef and ale pie, chicken and mushroom pie and for the very daring a beef lasagne. Well, all of them and many more are on the menu at Brewer's Fayre, supplemented by such new regulars as vegetable Goan chicken curry, pork chop, chilli con carne and grilled chicken and bacon salad.

It has often been said that chicken tikka masala is now the most popular dish in Britain. Some may not really want to believe that, much as they love curry, but travel, population movement and other factors have widened our scope and they are probably pretty keen on fish and chips in Timbuktu.

What is certain is that the great British Sunday roast is exclusive to these islands, though copied maybe elsewhere or in ex-pat outposts. No surprise therefore that it's on the Brewer's Fayre menu. A trade of three roasts with an opportunity to trade up to a mega roast for a modest sum. With it come two Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, fresh seasonal vegetables and that important element - gravy.

A fine list of immensely tempting desserts may well bring the most ardent weight-watcher to their knees. A short but well thought out wine list offers all choices, except champagne, by the glass. Staying the night - check to see if there's a Premier Inn next door - chances are you'll be lucky.

A quick click on their Website is always worth while. The only thing that stays still permanently is the quality which is helped by a changing menu, and some very special offers.

Hamilton Railway Club now has a pleasant extension of the culinary kind on the upper floor so you can now combine a day at the races at the nearby Hamilton Racecourse with a relaxing lunch or dinner at Anya's Restaurant. The brightly-lit dining area has an appealingly minimalist look with dark furnishings offset by the pastel hued walls.

Finely presented Scottish classics partner with Italian favourites, so at dinnertime you might find a gateau of haggis, neeps and tatties on a Glayva velouté alongside pollo fritto, strips of chicken in a Cajun breadcrumb with a tomato and chilli sauce. Then a pasta course of penne carbonara or scampi risotto is enough to awaken the palate, before choosing medallions of choice fillet steak layered with haggis and presented with a pink peppercorn and cream sauce, or grilled lamb cutlets topped with Parma ham and fresh herb butter.

There are party nights for the entertainment-obsessed in the club downstairs on most Saturday nights featuring local singers and dancers.

The Best Western Popinjay Hotel in Hamilton is a classic of sorts, right from the Tudor styled building to the 34 luxurious bedrooms packed with every conceivable comfort. The scenic location right in the heart of Clyde valley is an added bonus for those wishing to get away from the pressures of life, and the 8 acres of private grounds with beautiful gardens lead to the banks of the River Clyde where fishing is permitted, so visitors can embark fully upon a restorative journey.

The Dalserf Restaurant is the perfect place where you can conclude the journey in a palatable manner and even considering that this is an AA Rosette awarded eatery, the food is undeniably delicious. The bar menu includes tasty starters of oysters served natural with lemon, followed by a traditional main course of breaded scampi with chips or haggis with neeps and tatties. Sandwiches, salads and pasta are other delicious options and all of these are suitably supported by an excellent wine list.

Housed within the Popinjay Hotel and Spa, The Perch Bar is a comfortable little bistro located in the sleepy village of Rosebank on the main A72 Hamilton-Lanark route. Stylish and elegant, the restaurant is frequented by guests wanting to unwind after a hectic day, or families enjoying a leisurely and comfortable lunch. The décor is very contemporary, with elegant wood panelled flooring, comfortable low seating, warm open fires and subdued lighting. The fare is homemade and varied, prepared from local and fresh ingredients.

Offering a mix of British and international cuisine, the menu comprises starters of perch prawn cocktail; wild mushrooms on toasted brioche, and pressed terrine of maize fed chicken with prune puree, celeriac remoulade  and sweet and sour reduction. The mains include seafood dishes of fresh beer battered fish with handcut chips and tartar sauce; grilled Shetland organic salmon with braised lentils, bacon lardons and red wine jus; and non-vegetarian options of slow roasted turkey with sage and onion stuffing together with traditional accompaniments.

The restaurant also serves a diverse and eclectic range of wines that can be enjoyed while looking out over the beautiful Scottish countryside.

Bright modern interiors with comfortable seating make Di Maggio's the friendly neighbourhood stopover for a hearty Italian meal with an extensive menu of home style family recipes and dishes prepared fresh everyday. Dining here is a relaxed affair for all the family.

The restaurant's à la carte menu has a wide selection of items ranging from pizza and pasta favourites to steaks, Scottish seafood, salads and burgers. Choose from dishes such as black tiger prawns roasted in white wine and garlic, BBQ baby back ribs, stuffed mushrooms and red onion and tomato bruschetta, for a start. Seafood lovers can feast on Blueblack mussels in white wine, powder fried salmon fillets served with a sweet chilli dip and pan seared fillet of sea bass topped with pine nuts served with Tuscan roast potatoes. Chicken and meat dishes range from breaded pan fried fillet of chicken with bacon to 16oz of prime Scottish fillet and sirloin steak served on the bone. Puddings of raspberry ripple cheesecake, cinnamon waffles with maple syrup and apple pie will satisfy those with a sweet tooth.