The Fox is one of those pubs that have surfaced on the mainstream of casual eating in the UK and are taking an increasing share of the market, evidenced by their growth in numbers and the popularity of what they have to offer. If this results in a 'type' there is certainly no harm in that.

Contemporary pubs such as these usually share a number of characteristics. An important feature is space, preferably a restaurant where you are comfortable, not over-awed, and not sharing elbow space with the next table, however sociable they may be. Good, too, to have a garden, optional al fresco eating out space, and by no means least a roomy and well stocked bar where you can actually get served without undue delay. After all, drinking should be taken seriously.

If a pub offers all of these, and is in a good location, there is little reason in today's economic climate why it should not flourish. The Fox provides ample evidence that this is true. But of course there are other factors, not least of which is the food and drink. The term 'gastropub' covers a multitude of blessings, and it is possible to see influences of brasserie, bistro, restaurant and even café at work within the great gastro umbrella. So expect to find no one single cuisine, but a blend designed to provide something for everybody, no matter what their treat may be.

To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, rustic breads with roast garlic, olives and virgin olive oil, or Mediterranean mezze of hummus, roasted vegetables, feta, fregola, tzatziki, spinach and ricotta pâté with warm flatbreads. Amongst the starters there is always freshly made soup; the like of lamb koftas with mint yoghurt, kohlrabi, cumin and carrot salad; gambas with garlic, rocket, aioli and rustic bread, and sardines on bruschetta with red onion, plum tomato and gremolata are also to be found. Look, too, for scallops in the specials section.

The salads - sorry, that should read 'leaves' - offer crispy duck, mouli, carrots, hoisin, spring onions and plum sauce, and for the seafood enthusiasts some prawn, avocado, pecan, mango, watercress, bacon with orange and pomegranate vinaigrette are well received.

These days no self-respecting gastropub can afford to be without its pizza range; expect to find a classic margherita of tomato, mozzarella, oregano and basil, the rustica with roasted Mediterranean vegetables, goats' cheese, cherry tomatoes and rocket, or the piccante with pepperoni, chorizo, tomato and jalapeños. Pastas include linguini with tiger prawns, crab, chorizo, chilli, tomato and white wine, or the tagliatelle with slow cooked Bolognaise and parmesan.

Indian spiced salmon fillet, wilted spinach and sweet potato with aubergine and mango chutney is popular, a sign of the times and improving taste in eating. The smoked haddock fishcakes with curry Hollandaise, tomato, coriander, mango and red onion salad is worth trying too. For hearty eaters there is a good rib-eye steak, smoked paprika and tomato butter with watercress and frites. A wide range of supporting dishes include Belgium frites and mayo, and cabbage, leek and peas. Desserts are some of the best you'll encounter with apple, blackcurrant crumble and vanilla custard and sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream, and there is also a selection of cheeses to set the buffs alight.

The Fox stocks a wide range of beers, both well-loved draught ales and bottled from further afield. The wine list covers plenty of territory from traditional clarets to Pinot Grigio, and champagne by the glass or bottle is always available. Service is cheerful, brisk and totally in keeping with the friendly nature of a good English gastropub.

For up to date information please refer to their Website. Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

The Pine Marten is an attractive country house that had been lovingly restored, with a thoroughly modern feel but retaining the character of the original building. Upstairs there is a twelve bedroom hotel. It is one of those pubs that have surfaced on the mainstream of casual eating in the UK and are taking an increasing share of the market, evidenced by their growth in numbers and the popularity of what they have to offer. If this results in a 'type' there is certainly no harm in that.

Contemporary pubs such as these usually share a number of characteristics. An important feature is space, preferably a restaurant where you are comfortable, not over-awed, and not sharing elbow space with the next table, however sociable they may be. Good, too, to have an enclosed rear garden with an ornamental pond as a centrepiece, providing some 100 seats as an optional al fresco eating out space, and last, but by no means least, a roomy and well stocked bar where you can actually get served without undue delay. After all, drinking should be taken seriously.

If a pub offers all of these, and is in a good location, there is little reason in today's economic climate why it should not flourish. The Pine Marten provides ample evidence that this is true. But of course there are other factors, not least of which is the food and drink. The term 'gastropub' covers a multitude of blessings and it is possible to see influences of brasserie, bistro, restaurant and even café at work within the great gastro umbrella. So expect to find no one single cuisine, but a blend designed to provide something for everybody, no matter what their treat may be.

To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, antipasti of Italian meats, dolcelatte, marinated vegetables and warm stone baked flat breads, or Mediterranean mezze of hummus, roasted vegetables, fregola, tzatziki, feta, spinach and ricotta pâté with flatbreads.

Amongst the starters, expect to find freshly made soup, smoked salmon with pomegranate molasses, fennel and micro herb salad, or gambas with rocket, garlic aioli and rustic bread. Look, too, for scallops of the day. The salads offer chargrilled chicken, courgette, fennel, apple, asparagus, hazelnut and balsamic dressing, and for the seafood enthusiasts some prawn and avocado with pecans, mango, bacon, orange and pomegranate vinaigrette receive a rapturous welcome.

These days no self-respecting gastropub can afford to be without its pizza range; expect to find a classic margherita of pomodoro, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and basil, rustica with roasted Mediterranean vegetables, goats' cheese and cherry tomatoes or piccante with pepperoni, chorizo, tomato and jalapeños.

The grill and rotisserie dishes for hearty eaters are well worth trying and choices include spit chicken with lemon, garlic and frites, and rib-eye steak with smoked paprika and tomato butter, watercress and frites. For the big event there is roast rump of lamb with sauce soubise, asparagus, pancetta, button onions and baby potatoes. Blackened cod fillet, egg noodles, pak choi, mango and chilli salsa is popular, a sign of the times and improving taste in eating. Salmon with crab and chorizo fishcakes, roasted sweet corn and cherry tomato salsa add further dimensions to a wide choice range.

Well presented supporting dishes include tomato and red onion, and cabbage, leeks and peas. Desserts are some of the best you'll encounter with apple, blackcurrant crumble and vanilla custard, and sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream, and there is also a selection of cheeses to set the buffs alight.

The Pine Marten stocks a wide range of beers, both well loved draught ales and bottled from further afield. The wine list covers plenty of territory from traditional clarets to Pinot Grigio, and champagne by the glass or bottle is always available. Service is cheerful, brisk and totally in keeping with the friendly nature of a good English gastropub.

For up to date information please refer to their Website. Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

Boisdale of Belgravia was established in 1988 by Ranald Macdonald. The atmosphere is unique in London and could almost be described as end of Empire with a wonderfully comfortable, well-worn, clubbable feel, while the décor is dark green and red with oak floors and panelling and an eclectic ensemble of paintings. The clientele includes local residents and businessmen, city folk, corporate moguls, politicians, adventurers, actors, affable hedonists, hacks and friends of the proprietors.

Boisdale is named for Loch Boisdale in South Uist in the Hebrides. The Clanranald is one of the most ancient and royal of Scottish clans. John MacDonald, the Lord of the Isles, married Amy MacRuari and she bore him three sons. The youngest was Ranald and from him descended the Houses of Clanranald and Glengarry.

But, enough of history, let's get back to the present, and the excellent and most eclectic mix that Boisdale of Belgravia has to offer. The Auld Restaurant has 34 covers, laid with crisp white linen and delicate flower arrangements, and is candlelit by evening. The much admired Courtyard Garden has further 14 covers on one table and 20 covers on two tables, and is planted with heady-scented seasonal blooms. It has a retractable roof for al fresco dining in summer and starlit dinners in winter.

The Back Bar, situated in the mews cottage behind the restaurant, overlooks the Courtyard Garden and is a cosy and welcoming refuge from the bustle of Belgravia. The Macdonald Bar at Boisdale, features an amazing list of classic cocktails from the jazz era and features live jazz each evening. Boisdale of Belgravia also has a private dining room called The Jacobite Room. It is panelled, hung with oil paintings and lit by chandeliers.

Colin Wint, the Head Chef at Boisdale of Belgravia - previously at Livebait, Bertorelli and Rules - offers a blend of traditional and modern British cooking, with ingredients sourced directly from Scotland, including certified dry aged pure bred Aberdeen Angus minced rib eye steak, haggis, salmon, lobster, shellfish and cheese.

Who could fail to be tempted by first courses such as caramelised diver-caught South Uist king scallops, roast Macsween haggis, saffron mash and dry cured Ayrshire bacon; Aberdeenshire steak tartare and toast, or Dunkeld oak-smoked Scottish smoked salmon with organic lemon and shallot and caper dressing?

That could be followed half a roast free-range, corn-fed Black Leg chicken with roast garlic, goose fat roast potatoes, glazed carrots, rosemary and thyme gravy, or, if you prefer fish, 14-16 oz Dover sole served simply grilled or meunière with new potatoes.

Whilst Boisdale does not set out be be a cheap restaurant, they do offer good value set menus at both lunch and dinner, with more information available on their Website.

Boisdale of Belgravia boasts one of the most extensive lists of malt whiskies to be found in any bar or restaurant - a phenomenal selection of 195 Scotch malt whiskies is complemented by a wide range of single grain, premium blended, Irish and American whiskies. Boisdale of Belgravia also offers what must be the most comprehensive choice of hand-made Havana cigars of any restaurant in the world, which can be enjoyed on the first floor Cigar Terrace with sofas, armchairs and heaters, and tartan mugs for the winter.

Boisdale of Belgravia is home to The Boisdale Blue Rhythm Band performing live jazz from the '30s, '40s and '50s on certain evenings. The Boisdale Blue Rhythm Band is a traditional jam band - formed from a portfolio of over 100 of London's finest jazz exponents, the music is fresh and impromptu - as it always used to be.

Located in the heart of Manchester, Smoak Bar and Grill on Piccadilly offers an indulgent experience with superb grilled fare, skilled mixologists at the bar and chic interiors with cosy booths and banquettes. Housed in the Malmaison Manchester Hotel, Smoak Bar and Grill is minutes away from Manchester Piccadilly Rail Station and just a stone's throw from attractions such as the Royal Exchange and the Arndale Shopping Centre.

The à la carte menu begins with starters such as steamed gnocchi with spring onions, chestnut mushroom and parmesan shavings; chicken liver and foie gras parfait with toasted brioche and grape chutney or potted Whitby crab with deep fried oyster and sorrel potatoes also whet the appetite. There's also a raw and cured selection which includes Cornish oysters served with shallot vinegar, lemon and Tabasco; steak tartare with egg yolk and salmon gravlax with Bourbon and sour cherry.

From the Josper grill there's a choice of popular cuts including a 12 ½ oz flat iron steak; rib steak with belted galloway; whole baked lobster with glazed butter sauce and the house signature dish, a 225g burger handmade with naturally reared ground beef and served with gruyère, bacon and skinny chips. Favourites of Kansas City hot BBQ ribs with paprika frites and fried buttermilk chicken with sweetcorn pancake and romanesco sauce are equally tempting.

Other main course options could include a poached loin of lamb with a fine onion tart served with broad beans, peas and morels. Seafood lovers will rejoices in dishes such as collops of fried monkfish with smoked garlic mash potato and tarragon tomatoes or pan fried hake and chorizo risotto with clams, mussels and fennel pollen. Vegetarians are also catered for with choices that could include a vegetarian meatloaf with roasted root vegetables or spicy aubergine and goats' cheese curry.

The bar menu offers light bites of salt and pepper squid with oriental dressing; mussel and bacon chowder; Vietnamese duck salad and kung fu Josper chicken wings as well as sandwiches of pulled pork butt with coleslaw. Alternatively you could opt for the Smoak burger or hot dog served with relish, mustard and fries. There are also a number of substantial mains including traditional fish pie; Tuscan brick chicken served with sweet potatoes and Bourbon mayonnaise or the ever-popular mac and cheese. A Sunday brunch menu is also available.

To finish, consider a cheerfully decadent jam roly poly with jam syrup and custard, peach Melba with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sponge with chocolate custard or pineapple pannacotta.

The extensive drinks list offers cocktails ranging from classic martinis to contemporary favourites such as a White Cosmopolitan of lemon infused vodka with triple sec, lime juice and white cranberry juice; Vanilla Daiquiri and Pernelle which blends premium vodka, St-Germain elderflower liqueur and Poire William with fresh lemon juice topped with soda. The wine list offers a tempting selection of whites and reds including a Chenin Blanc from South Africa, a Gruner Veltliner from Austria, a Shiraz from Argentina and a Chateau Lugagnac from France.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.

Hidden away with the idyllic peace of the banks of the River Severn at Over, the one AA red rosette Wharf House nestles between that and its restored Canal Basin, offering visitors a blend of countryside relaxation with modern, but local, food and drink. The Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal Trust designed and built The Wharf House in order to provide a steady stream of funds to restore, maintain and promote the canal which, when completed, will once again wind itself from the River Severn at Over to Hereford.

The Wharf House has six luxury bedrooms, all with their own style and character but with the shared benefit of panoramic views of the River Severn and Canal Basin. With a range going from standard double rooms to two luxury large double rooms with connecting central lounge that can be hired to make a suite for 6 persons, The Wharf House has something for everyone. All rooms are fitted with wide-screen TV, full data link-up, video conferencing, film on demand, DVD and music systems and en-suite facilities.

The restaurant and tea rooms offer a delicious array of dishes to tempt the senses and tear your eyes from the idyllic views surrounding this fantastic location. The lunch and evening menus surprise the diner with such delectable foods as tiger prawns dressed with pineapple, coriander and chilli dressing, or crab and mango salsa with rocket and red chard salad to start, or carpaccio of beef with grated parmesan, fiery horseradish, celery and rocket, or rack of Herefordshire lamb with leek and potato dauphinois, honey and rosemary sauce.

Desserts come in the tempting form of a traditional crème brûlée; orange and brandy cheesecake, or - a customer favourite - a dark chocolate cup infused with orange served with a white chocolate cup permeated with lime and raspberry topped with ginger cream - naughty.

The constantly changing menu can be tasted daily, with lunch served from 12 - 3pm, and evening meals starting from 5pm. Throughout the day one can have a preview of what's on offer with coffee and cake from 10am as well as Modern British dishes with homemade Wharf House favourites.

There are few places in and around Gloucester where such a fine blend of setting and dining can be merged so successfully, but The Wharf House truly achieves this goal, making it a fine destination for a relaxed meal with family, a celebration, or even a wedding reception with a difference; and now a delightful place to say also. Find out more by visiting their Website.

Set alongside the River Nene on the outskirts of the public school town of Oundle, the building which used to be the Barnwell Corn Mill has taken on a new lease in its 1,000 years of history as a chic restaurant with rooms. Whatever your purpose in coming to Oundle Mill you can hardly avoid being taken over by the combination of a stunning location, sophisticated yet rustic environment, fine modern European food, smooth service and sense of calm.

However, 2010 will always be remembered by everyone involved with Oundle Mill as not only were they awarded two rosettes by the AA but they were also named Restaurant of the Year in the Northamptonshire Food Awards.

Oundle is a fine example of an ancient, stone market town and is perfectly situated for diners and guests from Peterborough, Kettering, Market Harborough and Corby as well as the Rutland towns of Uppingham, Oakham and Stamford.

Those who stay will find total luxury, with walk-in showers, vast stone double ended baths that will comfortably hold two, fluffy bath sheets and toiletries by Elemis. Italian designed furniture mixes with Bose sound systems and Loewe flat screen TVs, whilst the comfort of 6 foot beds with fully sprung mattresses, goose down duvets and super large pillows and towels will seduce you into slumber.

On matters of gastronomy Oundle Mill is just as uncompromising, and there is a choice of locations dependent upon your mood and purpose. The 'Downstairs' bar offers informality and total relaxation, whilst the 'Upstairs' restaurant extends a change of atmosphere by combining the sophistication of a glamorous dining room with views of the river. But if it is discretion and intimacy that is on the agenda the private dining room extends a welcome.

Our Head Chef Gavin's cooking style can be described as: simple things done really well using locally sourced, great quality ingredients. The menus are designed so that there is something for every occasion and mood, from the more adventurous to the tried and trusted favourites.

To start expect to find North Atlantic prawns with cocktail sauce or Brancaster mussels with cider and parsley-fried bread. Tempura black pudding, hen's egg, crisp shallots, bacon and devilled sauce, or soused and grilled mackerel with apple, ginger and micro coriander make wonderful starters, teasing the palate for whatever is to follow.

On the menu for the main course is Denham Estate venison, turnip purée, confit root vegetables with Cabernet Sauvignon sauce, or perhaps for something more earthy try Seven Wells rib eye steak and fish and chips with mushy peas, lemon and tartar sauce. The Mill believes in its desserts, starting with glazed lemon tart and kiwi sorbet, through warm treacle tart with orange custard to peppered strawberries, balsamic and mascarpone pannacotta.

Less formal eating commands a 'mains for two' menu with free range roast chicken, sage and onion stuffing, roast duck fat potatoes, black cabbage, bread sauce and roasting juices, and rib of beef, wild mushrooms, truffle polenta, Chantenay carrots and mulled shallots.

With its wonderful location and facilities it is hardly surprising to find that the Mill is increasingly popular for those seeking something rather different from the average.

For further information click on their elegant Website.

When one of the country's most respected and leading critics says that a restaurant in this group is 'the best Italian Restaurant outside London' it is time to take them seriously. Britain's love affair with Italian food is a cause célèbre of long standing and shows no signs of waning, so it is always welcome news when somewhere like San Carlo sets out to reach for the skies.

Located in the heart of Leicester, San Carlo is well suited to catch both day and night time business, and the menu reflects this. There are a wide range of dishes, plus blackboard specials, offering snacks, meals, celebrations, all in true Italian style, dishes that bring Italy into the very centre of life in the city. San Carlo is one of a chain of similar restaurants, yet each one has its own personality.

The San Carlo at Leicester is particularly famous for having the city's only wood burning oven, ensuring that they produce the freshest pizzas in the area.

Favourite dishes include sliced prime Scottish fillet of beef with a light dressing of capers, anchovies, garlic and extra virgin olive oil, and that old favourite of connoisseurs the world over, pan fried breast of chicken with white wine, mushrooms and cream sauce, garnished with asparagus. Many of the ingredients to create these dishes are imported from Italy, and it goes without saying that the wine list is unashamedly and spectacularly of the same origin.

A combination of Italian cuisine and fish has always seemed logical - all that coastline - as well as highly attractive to the British taste. The antipasti at San Carlo includes a mixture of squid, prawns and mussels, deep-fried whitebait, and scallops in white wine and garlic. Amongst the main courses expect to find grilled whole sea bass, a mixed grill of fish, special pasta with lobster, brandy, tomato, cream and peas, or giant prawn and scallops in garlic and chilli.

It is customary to look for Italian wines in such places, nor will you be disappointed, but there are a few French inclusions also, with a rather nice Chablis in evidence. House wines, and few off the list, are available by the glass. Service is a good example of that Italian 'just make yourself at home we'll look after everything' manner, when you generally surprise yourself by taking their advice. In Britain we just say 'no problem', which may be succinct, but lacks style.

San Carlo Leicester is a real gem amongst the San Carlo collection, with its location in Granby Street, and its architecture and décor providing the best of Italian luxury. Groups are welcome at San Carlo, but to preserve the balance between groups, a limit of up to nine people applies on Friday and Saturday, and twenty to thirty on weekdays. Booking will always make for security but in general the arrangements mean there is room for everybody.

Ultimately a restaurant is judged by two main factors, each dependent upon the other. Combine quality food with life's movers and shakers in attractive surroundings and you have a sure fire record for the sweet buzz of success that permeates San Carlo.

Make sure you check out their Website to bring you up to date on special events at San Carlo Leicester.

The Malmaison group of hotels has established throughout Britain a collection of centres of excellence where nothing but the best will do. As a concept alone this is exciting, but the reality is brilliant, so that at last there is a hotel group where uniformity of standards is of the same high calibre.

Malmaison Birmingham follows the well-established Malmaison trend in establishing their hotels in buildings of interesting styles and location, and is located in The Mail Box, once a Royal Mail sorting office, that has been transformed into a heaven on earth for big style retail therapists, nightlife hedonists and exhibitionists in a class of their own.

The bedrooms are all that one would expect from a hotel that has genuine regard for its guests and is concerned with every aspect of their wellbeing. Decorated in chocolate, ecru and cream colours, the rooms are large, calm and airy exuding a real sense of style.

Amidst elegant surroundings, with spotless gleaming glassware and shining cutlery, an essentially brasserie menu is offered, where lovers of seafood will be delighted to note at once that their particular needs are well heeded, starting with a delightful smoked ham hock, potato and shallot salad.

Head chef Brian Neath and his team offers excellent brasserie dishes, such as warm open faced Italian plum, tomato and anchovy tart and grilled swordfish that are a few popular choices. Other starters include Maldon hot smoked salmon with toasted sourdough and salad of goats' cheese with slow roasted golden beetroot and pickled walnut.

From the 'field to plate in no time flat' philosophy of the organic farmers of Hopwood, to the succulent pheasant and partridge of Willogame on the Welsh border, they have them all and more on their home-grown and local menu. Inspired choices that include beef cheeks bourguignon and pork chops are perfect for those seeking by this time a slightly more carnivorous approach. Which leads us neatly to the, wait for it, Mal burger, a 250 gram burger made from ground beef tucked into a floured bap to join bacon and gruyere, served with homemade relish and some fries.

Over the years the number of outriders surrounding a good honest steak on the plate has grown to unacceptable dimensions. At Malmaison the thought and care is centred on the 35 day aged rump steak frites and that's it - except for the chips. If you want all the rest go for the side dishes, but steak and chips on its own takes some beating. Vegetarians are well looked after - the pumpkin and gorgonzola filled gnocchi sounded appealing.

Heading the puddings is the sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce, a triumph of timing and co-ordination, supported by other choices amongst which expect to find the baked Bramley apple with caramel sauce and a chocolate orange fondant. Their renowned cheese trolley has a selection of British and French farmhouse cheeses served with biscuits.

Their wine list is a symphony of its kind, clearly compiled by an enthusiast who knows his wines well enough not to disappear into a world of hyperbole when describing them.

Their Website is a wealth of information that will, I predict, only serve to increase your resolve to make Malmaison your next stop in Birmingham. It is worth noting that you can also make reservations Online on their Website.

We hear a great deal about recycling these days - du Vin recycles attractive but sometimes un-loved buildings to restore real gems in the best tradition of British understated style.

Complement that with all that is best in the French bistro ethos, bars that reach out to please, and you have a setting that provides an inspirational background for people to meet, do business, get married, provide a base for golf or fishing, somewhere you can call your own for a private celebration, a spa or - most engagingly - a wine school that breaks the mould.

In Edinburgh, du Vin has taken on the site of a former lunatic asylum, squirrelled away deep in the Old Town of Edinburgh, only a short walk from the historic Royal Mile. Next door to the well-known Bedlam Theatre, this striking luxury boutique hotel has 47 timelessly furnished rooms and stunning suites offering monsoon showers, luxurious Egyptian cotton linen, and air conditioning. Plasma TVs and DVDs are also standard. As a comfortable base from which to explore the fascinating city of Edinburgh, with its great historic and cultural heritage, as well enjoy the nightlife and entertainment scene, the hotel could hardly be bettered.

In the trademark classy bistro the choice of starters could include shell on prawns with garlic mayonnaise, an Isle of Mull soufflé, pig terrine with homemade pickle, or duck rillette with crusty bread. How often the simple things in life are the best, and it applies here to the classic dishes on offer, amongst which the devilled lamb's kidneys, or the choux farci a l'alsacienne, are notable.

Head Chef Matt Powell leaves no recipe book unread in his quest for new dishes, including those of his own, and main courses demonstrate his success. Natural smoked haddock cassoulet with Montgomery's cheddar crust, char-grilled squid, fennel, leeks and a warm chorizo dressing and chicken Cordon Bleu with potato salad all demonstrate an independence of approach that is mirrored throughout the menus, which change daily.

Whilst one might argue that the whole point of being in a du Vin is to snuggle up to the wine list, this list is designed to march with the food and can only be described as superb. With a team of two sommeliers, headed here by Romain Audrerie, there is no room for anything but the best. Service is telepathic in the best possible sense.

Click on their Website for full information and rates. Hotel du Vin, with fourteen options throughout Britain, awaits your call.

The first Browns opened at Brighton in 1973 with one simple guiding belief, that classic food, well delivered in a stylish environment would be a recipe for success. The only thing that has changed since then is the number of Browns, now running at fourteen, of which six are in London, all prospering with the same theme.

Some of their buildings are particularly legendary in style, sometimes listed and always interesting. The premises at Bristol formerly served as the City's museum, art gallery and the University Dining Rooms, and are modelled on the Doge's Palace in Venice.

The main menu, available throughout the day, starts with appetisers, designed for sharing, with antipasti of Italian meat, vegetarian or seafood. Try the flatbreads with a range of interesting toppings.

In amongst the thirteen starters expect to come across smoked duck, crisp noodle and cashew nut salad with red peppers, tumeric cauliflower, spring onions and a sherry vinaigrette. The fish and salad choices include fish and chips tempura battered cod with minted mushy peas and tartar sauce and pan-fried butterflied tiger prawns tossed with linguine in a tomato, coriander and chorizo sauce.

The same theme of comfortable food, well-cooked and presented, continues throughout the mains course with roast chicken breast in sour dough bread with baby spinach, tomato and mayonnaise, served with seasoned chips, and steak frites 6oz prime sirloin, served with a lemon, parsley and peppercorn butter.

The chalkboard carries a list of the day's specials, but every day except Sunday is Browns's afternoon tea day, served from 2 to 5.30 pm, and on Sundays it offers a choice of three roasts. It would be harder to find a dessert much more English than lemon tartlet with crème fraîche.

By the way their breakfast and brunch menu is just one of the best, and they do a very nifty prix fixe menu from 4:00 - 6.30 pm.

The wine list is masterful and not over long, sometimes a great relief to those who find it tiresome to navigate their way through even an interesting list such as this. Many bottles are available by the glass and each group of wines is helpfully classified under headings such as white, red and rose with a reserve selection, house recommendations, New and Old World under them.

Browns at Bristol are well able to deal with groups, and have special menus to look after their particular interests. Click on their excellent Website for further details and menu changes.