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Kerachers has now established itself as one of Perthshire's leading restaurants; since its opening in May 1999 it has steadily gained in reputation, mainly owing to the relaxed style of the Restaurant, the interesting and innovative menus delivering quality dishes and of course the marvellous fresh fish supplied by the Keracher family.

Owners Pamela and Peter Keracher run the front of house and kitchen respectively so they are personally on hand to ensure a consistently excellent dining experience; the restaurant has a total of fifty six seats and is light and spacious, thus ensuring comfort for all their diners.

The menu relies heavily on the excellent Scottish produce, particularly the fish and seafood, so their starters might include a Finnan haddock pastry case lined with leeks and smoked bacon served with cream leek sauce and topped with mature cheddar or Skye scallops lightly seared served on asparagus with a warm tomato and herb dressing.

Similarly with the main courses, offering medallions of monkfish fillet wrapped in Parma ham set on vegetable flavoured couscous with a sun dried tomato dressing, or fillet of North Sea halibut set on fondant potato and winter vegetables garnished with Skye Scallops with a fresh basil and pine nut dressing; carnivores are by no means neglected either with a loin of Perthshire Lamb set on puy lentils with baby roast potatoes and honey glazed carrots with a pea and mint dressing or fillet of prime Aberdeen Angus beef, cooked to order, set on a mustard mash with a pepper cream sauce garnished with wild mushrooms.

If you have any room left then their puddings should finish you off completely, try their sticky toffee pudding, which is superbly rich, naturally it is homemade, served with a warm toffee sauce and luxury ice cream or a traditional rhubarb rumble with a hint of cinnamon served with double cream.

Their fixed price menus at lunchtime and dinner during the week, pre theatre only on a Saturday, offer exceptional value for money, though naturally a la carte comes out a bit higher.

Killicrankie House Hotel overlooks a gorge with the river cutting its way through the hills and was originally built as a private country residence in 1840. The restaurant maintains its reputation for contemporary Scottish cooking with two Red Rosettes under its belt.

Their menu opens with starters like salad of Rannoch smoked duck breast and walnuts with orange dressing. You could try the grilled fillet of monkfish wrapped in dried ham accompanied by roasted vegetables and herb oil and the desserts feature dark chocolate tart with Chantilly cream and coffee crème anglaise. Their wine selection numbers over two hundred and is available in half bottles and by the glass.

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.

Enjoy the warm hospitality of McKays Bar and Restaurant in Atholl Road which offers a Scottish menu. Relax and unwind in the pub, watching sports, listening to live musicians or joining in the themed nights. Local music is allowed pride of place here.

The menu offers starters of spicy chicken wings, smoked salmon and haggis with mashed tatties and neeps and local black pudding with spiced apple chutney. Having whetted the appetite, now proceed with homemade steak and ale pie with creamy mash, traditional Buckie haddock and chips, roast half chicken with stir fried leeks and smoked haddock and mozzarella fishcake. Choice of sandwiches extends to tuna mayo and red onion, honey roast ham and cheddar cheese and crispy bacon, lettuce and tomato. McKays' mega grill mix offers rump steak, sausages, chicken breast, gammon steak, tomato, fried egg, haggis, black pudding and chips. Choose from a selection of over 100 different malt whiskies to warm the insides.