High above Piccadilly, The Terrace Restaurant is one of the roomiest venues in London; with its vented natural sunlight captured in the shadows of the stone pillars, it boasts a blend of old and new world within its classical yet contemporary surroundings. Compared to the bustling West End below, the restaurant offers a relaxed and refined dining experience.

Alternatively, if you prefer a chic slice of a Venetian 'al fresco', lunch can be served on the balcony.

They describe their menus as, 'Being modern European with a cool fashionable twist, serving food which is mouth watering and sumptuous - satisfying the ultimate connoisseur'.

Particularly good value - especially for a top hotel restaurant in London - is represented by their fixed price menus at £17.95 for lunch for three courses and £27.95 menu served for pre-theatre.

The menus are seasonal and during a summer visit be prepared to find starters ranging from curried scallops with cauliflower purée and crisp pancetta, ham hock terrine with gooseberry relish, or smoked duck breast with spiced orange marmalade.

This imaginative and diverse approach continues through to the main courses from organic Scottish salmon with sautéed wild mushrooms and celeriac purée, pan fried sea bass with tomato fondue and gremolata dressing to roast fillet of beef, marrow bone, camembert fondant with red wine shallots.

Their pan fried Guinea fowl breast with fricassee of peas, pearl onions and lettuce served with barrel new potatoes and crème fraiche mustard sauce make a luxurious meal for a truly indulgent dining experience.

Diners could, perhaps, enjoy a comfortable aperitif or digestif in the Bar lounge area, before or after dinner, with a wide range of wines and champagnes to choose from.

Their afternoon tea can be similarly meaningful as you enjoy 'Tea on the Terrace', this is an experience that is all too rare in London these days.

For further details, including information about staying at Le Meridien Piccadilly or holding private parties and conferences there, do visit their Website.

The Betjeman Arms at St Pancras Station is part of a small group of friendly, but individualistic pubs, which if you pressed me I would concede are probably gastropubs - reluctantly, because I am never quite sure what the term means.

The fight to preserve St Pancras Station is well catalogued, and it is very much to the credit of Sir John Betjeman that it stands today restored, reinvigorated and ready for the 21st century with a series of dining rooms, terraces and drinking spots to accommodate a range of customers, moods, events and offers.

The station terrace allows views of the arriving trains and a full length view of the truly spectacular Barlow shed. The Euston Road terrace makes the most of our limited English sunshine, under the façade of the gothic station and hotel.

Inside the high bar helps identify the weary traveller or local over a sea of faces, seeking a pint of ale in a handled glass. Through the bar are two dining rooms as well as a boardroom. The Kitchen dining room is reminiscent of the country kitchens of old and is ideal for a glass of wine and a quick bite to eat before heading under the Channel to foreign fields, whilst the main dining room is wonderfully grand without being imposing.

Betjeman Arms opens at 7.30am and serves breakfast until 11am. Naturally this includes the Full English, traditional fare for those away from home, the hungry, and some would say the wise. Scottish smoked salmon and scrambled eggs or a bacon sandwich with tomato chutney are also available, and for those who prefer the healthy option there is Greek yoghurt with granola and honey, or a fresh salad of seasonal fruit. Croissants, pain au chocolat and toasted buttered crumpets all help to revitalise the spirit, as well as the body. Sir John would have approved.

The all day menu kicks in at 11am with a good selection of gastro dishes, and seven starters could include a Welsh rabbit (or rarebit depending on your opinion), bubble and squeak with soft poached egg and smoked bacon or chicken liver and wild mushroom pate with rye toast. Some of these dishes make good light meals.

Main courses of beer battered fish and chips is served with crushed peas, 28 day aged Hereford rib eye steak has chips and béarnaise sauce for company, or head for the tuna steak with white beans and chorizo. More light meals of a ploughman's made with Cornish Yarg, pickles, bread and salad, or a salt beef sandwich with pickle and English mustard are available, before a look at the short but versatile puddings list where rhubarb crumble is served with fresh cream, or enjoy a deliciously moist treacle tart with crème fraiche.

The Betjeman and its siblings have not been slow to appeal to a discerning public, and their list of Awards from 1996 onwards demonstrates beyond doubt that here is a small group of pubs, wise enough to retain the Britishness of its houses to the obvious delight of its customers.

Located in North West Suffolk, between Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds and not far from Cambridge, and serving quality, Modern British food, Tuddenham Mill, a converted 12th century flour mill has all the inbuilt charm and permanence that one might expect from its history and such a superb setting. Much of the machinery remains intact and on view, and the mill pool provides a soothing view from the restaurant and a number of rooms.

With an array of culinary awards such as 3 AA Rosettes and an entry in the Good Food Guide, whilst their bedrooms were awarded four stars by the AA. The Coveted Editors' Award, one of the widely respected and sought after culinary title 'Up and Coming Chef of the Year' by the Good Food Guide 2012 has been awarded to the restaurant's Head Chef Paul Foster.

The clever combination of new and old is one of the principal charms of this restaurant with rooms and nowhere is this better demonstrated than in the bedrooms where old oak beams run riot, the floorboards are white, and the massive doubled-ended stone baths in some of the rooms are an object of extreme envy to those who do not have one in theirs. Walk in showers, fluffy bath sheets and Elemis toiletries provide further evidence of their dedication to excellence.

Choices between the three main Mill bedrooms, eight Mill Stream and Watermeadow rooms, and the Loft Rooms are by no means easy to make, but rest assured they all attain to the same high standard including Bose sound systems, Loewe flat screen TVs and Italian designed furniture, and those memorable 6ft beds with fully sprung mattresses.

You will find an enticing choice of dishes on the main Mill menu, with six starters that include corn-fed chicken wing with bone marrow, sultana purée and chicory; skate wings with avocado emulsion, bacon, lemon and raw peas, or roasted watermelon, goats' cheese, nettle juice with sea aster.

Denham Estate is brought to you on a plate when you order the fallow deer, red onion fondue, pearl barley, pear with Colston Bassett Stilton, or lamb rump and shoulder with butternut squash, smoked paprika, yoghurt and rock samphire. One of the best things about Britain is you are never too far from the sea and vastly improved facilities for keeping seafood fresh have changed our attitude to such shibboleths as never eating fish on Monday, so dishes such as river trout 40°C, shallot purée, broad and runner beans, kohlrabi, and brown butter, and salted hake with slow cooked cauliflower, confit potatoes, coconut and compressed gem juice are both popular and trusted.

In this haven of high eating it would be nothing short of a tragedy to miss out on the desserts, and bitter chocolate textures with chilled mugwort tea and semi-dried blueberries catch many an eye. The Suffolk strawberries with pine ice cream, granola and goats' milk provides a very unfair contest, but some will stick out for the cheese, not least because of its supporters, apple chutney, fruit and nut bread and Garibaldi biscuits.

Tuddenham Mill has set a new benchmark for excellence in the area. Click on their Website for further information about meetings and private functions.

Sofra, the small chain of inexpensive café restaurants, offers diners the opportunity to sample home style Turkish cooking, with an eclectic blend of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Oriental styles. Sofra has been successful in changing the view of many, who regard Turkish restaurants as nothing more than kebab shops.

Owner Huseyin Ozer who came to the UK from humble beginnings in Turkey, worked in kebab shops before opening his own restaurant. Several ministers and the then Turkish Ambassador would dine at this Mayfair restaurant, fortified with bullet-proof windows to receive these special guests. Ozer deserves credit for introducing Londoners to the delights of genuine Turkish cuisine.

The restaurant's mezze platter is known to give diners a small peek into many delicacies. Hot starters like humus kavurma, spiked with succulent, morsels of lamb and pine kernels, icli kofte, a great classic of the Middle East, deep-fried oval shells of pounded lamb, bulgur and flavourings filled with spiced mince and herbs or the börek platter, a selection of spinach, feta cheese and leek filo pastry parcels help set the stage. Cold starters include imam bayildi made of stewed aubergine, tomato and peppers and salmon sashimi.

For the mains, try the Sofra style lamb tagine, on the bone lamb, oven cooked with vegetable, almond and dry fruit, served with bulgur and lentil. If you're in the mood for seafood or fish, try the marinated Malaysian prawns served with silk route made with stir fried vegetables, rice and yoghurt. The chef's special salmon stew with onions and peppers, with Maris Piper potato puree is worthwhile too. The charcoal grill, dishes out delicious marinated chicken or lamb delights like the kulbasti or the house special of grilled mince on a bed of bread, fresh tomato sauce and yoghurt.

Red and white wines served by the glass include options from Turkey, among other wine making countries. The friendly waiters at Sofra help choose wines that go best with the food ordered. The cubes of milk pudding in rose syrup with berries and nuts are a combination of flavours and one must not leave Sofra without sampling this. Kazandibi, the caramel milk pudding with cinnamon powder and rose ice cream is another delightful choice. The knowledgeable and obliging staff make the experience at Sofra both special and memorable.

More information can be found on their Website.

Located at Exchange Place on Appold Street, The White Horse is minutes away from Moorgate Tube Station and Liverpool Street Rail Station. In the heart of London's financial district, and just a short walk from the Barbican Centre, The White Horse offers a cosy British pub ambience with a stylish blend of contemporary and rustic décor that mixes classic leather armchairs with rugged work benches. A secluded terrace is perfect for al fresco dining in warmer weather. Guests can select from an international cuisine menu which includes signature versions of classic pub favourites.
 
Breakfast is served Monday to Friday from 7.30 am and offers choice that ranges from continental pastries including croissant, pan au chocolate and muffins, or a more substantial bowl of Scotch porridge. Other choices include eggs Benedict, toasted crumpets with butter, and smoked salmon and scrambled egg on toast all accompanied by breakfast tea, cappuccino, espresso, hot chocolate or a range of soft drinks. For something more substantial try the Full City Breakfast.

A meal from the a la carte menu could begin with starters of smoked salmon served with artichoke salsa and brown bread; Cromer crab on toast with poached egg and horseradish hollandaise; or blue cheese and spinach tart with mixed leaves. Follow with main course of the White Horse cheese burger with hand cut chips and relish; pearl barley risotto with wild mushroom and pumpkin; roast salmon with herb crust, creamed leeks, cabbage and new potatoes or roast Norfolk chicken with warm salad of new potatoes and bacon. Don't miss perennial pub favourites of haddock and chips with mushy peas and tartare sauce, Cumberland sausages with mash and onion gravy, beef and Guinness pie with creamy mash and roast carrots and rib eye on the bone with béarnaise, bone marrow and hand cut chips.

The pub also serves a choice of sandwiches on crusty bloomer or wholemeal bread includes chicken and bacon, West Country cheddar cheese and Branston pickle and crayfish and prawn wrap with Marie Rose sauce. For a quick lunch try the plat rapides which offers two or three courses served together on one large slate such as the Fishmongers board which includes market fresh Valley farm smoked salmon, smoked mackerel pate, shell on prawns, home-made fish fingers and luxurious Jersey rock oysters.

Alternatively chill out at the smart bar with your favourite drink in hand and a range of tasty snacks such as pork pie, raw vegetables with flat bread and hummus, cold roast chicken, salt and pepper squid or artichokes on toast.

The globally representative wine list includes fine examples of champagne and sparkling, whites and reds including Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Le Coq Rouge, Terres du Sud Grenache, Côtes-du-Rhône and Veuve Clicquot. There's also a selection of real ales, bottled beers, spirits and liqueurs.

The White Horse is available for private hire, be it a wedding reception, birthday party or corporate event, on a Saturday or Sunday for up to 80 seated or 180 standing guests. It's also available for group dinners and drinks bookings Monday to Friday.

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

The Albany has a stunning position on the bank of the River Thames, opposite Hampton Court Palace and dates back to 1886, when it provided a cosy base for an up-and-coming theatrical community that had been forced out of the West End scene. The atmosphere was one of jollity, and lasted the year round with theatre and regattas supplying the raison d'etre. Events have come full circle and The Albany is now back in the mainstream.

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, though there are few as large as the one at The Albany with a huge area of 300 seats as an optional al fresco eating out space, and by no means least a roomy and well stocked bar where you can actually be 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 Albany provides ample evidence that this is true. It has a stunning position overlooking the River Thames, and is one of those places 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.

But of course there are other factors at play, 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, pecans, bacon, mango, orange and pomegranate vinaigrette tends to please.

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

The rotisserie dishes for hearty eaters are worth trying and choices include spit chicken with garlic, lemon, thyme and frites. For the big event there is always roast rump of lamb with sauce soubise, pancetta, asparagus, button onions and baby potatoes. Blackened cod fillet with egg noodles, mango, pak choi and chilli salsa are worth trying too.

A wide range of supporting dishes includes 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 Albany 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.

A well constructed Website enables you to keep in touch with menu changes or forthcoming events. Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

We hear a great deal about recycling these days - du Vin recycles attractive but often 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.

Think quintessential British style, elegant and unpretentious. Combine this with a great spirit, wit and an unquestionable devotion to wine, and you have captured the essence of Hotel du Vin.

This area of Dorset is a popular destination for visitors and holiday makers alike as well as a welcoming stopping-off point for the many yachts and cruisers that ply the waters of the harbour and the wider Purbeck heritage coast. In Poole, also the haunt of the well heeled, du Vin has taken on the former Mansion House. In addition to the customary delights of a first class hotel they have some extra goodies. For cigar lovers there is the Bothy Lodge where enjoyment of that particular kind can be pursued lawfully and without hindrance. You can dine there al fresco too in the sheltered courtyard. A La Roche tasting table in the hotel permits wine-lovers to embark on a voyage round the world's finest vineyards with minimal effort.

Thirty-eight bedrooms and suites incorporating many of the original features of the Mansion House, with handsprung mattresses, fine Egyptian linen, plasma screens and DVDs throughout, deep baths and power showers. High speed wireless internet access is available in all rooms.

In the classy bistro, called Banquette, a choice of nine starters could include twice baked Dorset cheddar soufflé with herb cream, linguini Pea and smoked salmon risotto, a delicious Caesar salad with Cajun chicken, deep fried whitebait with mayonnaise, or basil pesto with slow roast cherry tomato papardelle.

Head Chef, Darren Rockett follows a cuisine that changes daily and supports the hotel's philosophy of the finest and freshest local produce. Operating from an open kitchen that services the 80 seat bistro, 'simple classics' for the first two courses yield whole pan fried trout almandine, pressed ox tongue, watercress and potato soup, and grilled sardines with confit tomatoes and gremolata. The fish round here must not be missed, exhibiting freshness to the last degree.

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 experienced sommeliers 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.

 A comfortable setting invites guests to relax and unwind with a traditional British menu at The Lass O' Richmond Hill on Queen's Road. The restaurant's customised picnic hampers to enjoy in nearby Richmond Park are just perfect for that sunny day. 

The regularly changing menu uses the best fresh, seasonal British ingredients and begins with tasty starters of potted pork with apple sauce and cider jelly, Devon crab with tomato salsa and Melba toast and crispy quail with Stilton sauce. Main courses include lamb rump with potato fondant and mint cream, Gressingham duck breast with braised chicory and orange, and Young's beer battered fish and hand cut chips with minty mushy peas follow. There's also choice of fillet or rib-eye steak served with hand cut chips and a creamy peppercorn sauce as well as a barbecue menu in fine weather. After a satisfying main course, dessert of layered chocolate pie with toasted hazelnut custard or warm almond galette with vanilla ice cream is but icing on the cake.

The wine list offers a range of expertly chosen whites and rich reds as well as a selection of fine ales including Young's Bitter, Well's Waggle Dance and Sambrook's Junction.

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

In the heart of historic Stratford-upon-Avon, just a stone's throw from William Shakespeare's birthplace, the Loft House Wine Bar and Restaurant on Meer Street offers a modern British menu in a relaxed, intimate setting. The restaurant's striking decor skilfully combines classic Tudor timber framed wattle and daub with smart contemporary furnishings and is perfect for a meal after a day of sightseeing, with well-known landmarks such as the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Hall's Croft and Nash's House all within walking distance.

The à la carte is replete with freshly prepared dishes using locally sourced produce, whenever possible, including Cotswold lamb, Cotswold sausages, seasonal vegetables and delicious local cheeses. Classic pub specials also feature on the menu.

Dinner here could begin with starters of trio of king prawns cooked in olive oil and garlic and served with mixed leaves; smoked Scottish salmon with shallots, capers and tangy lemon dressing or chicken liver parfait with Melba toast and red onion marmalade. While you wait for your order to be served you could munch on appetizers of garlic bread with melted Cotswold Cheddar, rustic homemade bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar or a platter with trio of mixed olives, sundried tomatoes and feta cheese.

The main course selection offers a range of tempting choices such as pan roasted sea bass fillets draped over a tarragon Jersey Royal potato tower with a creamy spinach sorrel sauce and red pepper coulis; Cotswold grilled rack of lamb with dauphinoise potatoes, Chanternay carrots and green beans with red wine jus and roast chicken breast on a wild mushroom risotto and asparagus and leek cream sauce.

If you are dropping in for lunch, served daily from 12 to 2.30 pm, you could choose between substantial choices of bacon and cheese burger with chunky potato chips and salad; a 100 per cent beef burger with crispy bacon, BBQ sauce, sliced Portobello mushrooms and mature Cheddar, grilled chicken club sandwich, traditional beef lasagne and trio of Cotswold sausages with mash and onion gravy. On Sundays diners can enjoy a traditional roast lunch.

Vegetarians are also well-catered for and can look forward to dishes such as grilled goat's cheese on green bean and red pepper salad with a balsamic dressing, roasted butternut squash and sage risotto with pine nuts and vegetarian burger with chunky potato chips and salad.

Delectable confections of vanilla crème brûlée, chocolate tart with Chantilly cream, Eton mess and sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream bring the meal to a fitting finale. Alternatively you could opt for the individual local cheese board served with home-made chutney, biscuits, celery and grapes and a selection of Port.

The Loft House's drinks menu includes a carefully selected wine list of whites and reds from around the world for the connoisseur.

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

The Derby Arms is situated on the Epsom Downs, far away from the hustle and bustle of the busy one-way system, offering a lovely view of London and the well-known racecourse that hosts the famous Derby Race. A lot of thought and effort has gone into the complete redesign, creating an interior with log fires and steaming hot apple cider in the cold months, offset by beautifully landscaped decking for al fresco dining.
 
The pub is more like a modern interpretation of a traditional English pub. All the traditional pub classics such as spit chicken with lemon, garlic, thyme and chips, and rib eye steaks are there and a modern menu comprising of calves liver with tray baked potatoes, red onion, bacon and sage panagrattato has joined them. To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, antipasti of Italian meats with dolcelatte, stuffed peppers, marinated vegetables and warm stone-baked flatbreads or Mediterranean mezze of hummus, roasted vegetables with fregola, tzatziki, feta, spinach and ricotta pâté with warm flatbreads.

Amongst the appetisers is freshly made soup; lamb koftas, mint yoghurt, kohlrabi, cumin and carrot salad, or gambas with garlic, rocket, aioli and rustic bread. Look, too, for scallops of the day. The salads - sorry, that should read 'leaves' - offer crispy duck, mouli, carrots, hoisin, spring onions, watercress and plum sauce, and for the seafood fiends some prawn, avocado, pecans, mango, bacon, orange and pomegranate vinaigrette is received with enthusiasm.

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

The fish dishes for hearty eaters are well worth trying and choices include smoked haddock fishcakes with curry Hollandaise, mango, tomato, coriander and red onion salad, and freshly battered haddock with tartare sauce, minted mushy peas and chips. For the big event there is always a roast rump of lamb with sauce soubise, asparagus, pancetta, button onions and baby potatoes. The blackened cod fillet with egg noodles, pak choi, mango and chilli salsa is popular, a sign of the times and improving taste in eating. Pork Milanese with sage, lemon and breadcrumbs, tomato, rocket and red onion and salad baby potatoes is a popular choice too.

Their wine list of Old World classics and New World upstarts ensures there is plenty of choice for anyone. The beers are taken very seriously and so are the award winning cask ales - they have a range of continental lagers and speciality beers.

A wide range of supporting dishes includes Belgium chips and mayo. For desserts choose between an apple, blackcurrant crumble and vanilla custard and, sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream. There is also a selection of cheeses to set the buffs alight.

More information, including full menus, is available on their Website. Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.