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The Dundas Arms in Kintbury is very fortunate to have such a magnificent location on the banks of the River Kennet and The Kennet and Avon canal. The natural beauty of the area is inspiring and this friendly establishment has been looking after the needs, offering both food and drink, for famished and parched folk since the end of the 18th century. In the past three decades it has belonged to just one family and owner David Dalzell-Piper has worked and cooked at The Dundas Arms throughout that time.

As it happens to be at the crossroads of Southern England, it is only a short distance by road or rail from many national and local places of interest and entertainment. Oxford of the famed dreaming spires, Winchester, Salisbury and its Cathedral, and Stonehenge are only around 25 miles away and the village is halfway between London and Bath, with its Roman Baths and The Royal Crescent.

If you are so inclined, you could attend the races in the famous Newbury racecourse and spend the day in an exciting way. More sedate pursuits might include a visit to the close by Highclere Castle, home to the Earls of Carnarvon, where tours include the Egyptian centre with numerous artefacts from the tomb of Tutankhamen.

The restaurant is quiet and peaceful, an oasis of sorts, but more like a French Auberge, and has delightful views over the canal, a perfect setting in which to enjoy the local produce, imaginatively cooked. The bar is livelier and offers updated modern food; there is also an extensive wine list from which to choose to complement your meal.
 
The bar menu is chalked up on a blackboard and changes from day to day; it could feature crispy duck salad, steak and kidney pie with vegetables, or avocado and hot roast salmon salad.
 
Starters from the à la carte in the restaurant could typically include grilled goat's cheese on Italian bread on sweet tomato purée; potted brown shrimps with toast, or avocado and hot roast salmon salad while there's a delightful choice for vegetarians with the spinach and red pepper lasagne with salad.

Moving on to the main courses, dishes such as the roast breast of English duck with cider, apple sauce and vegetables stand out, while the grilled rib eye steak with mushrooms and chips could be considered a firm favourite. There's also battered cod fillet with chips and mushy peas; fried calves' liver with bacon, mash and onion gravy or steak and kidney pie with vegetables for those looking to tantalise their taste buds with an interesting confluence of textures and tastes.

The Dundas Arms has five bedrooms on the ground floor of the old stable block and all are comfortably furnished with telephones and en-suite bathrooms. Patio doors in each of the rooms open on to a terrace that offers marvellous views of the River Kennet and the trees beyond. More information is available on their Website.

Strada describes itself as 'a group of stylish, contemporary Italian restaurants, serving good quality, simple and freshly prepared dishes'. The statement sums up what this group of around seventy restaurants offers to people looking for good Italian food. The first outlet opened in Battersea in 1999 and their clientele has been increasing steadily ever since.

Though Strada has grown into a fair sized group, each outlet retains the feel of being a local neighbourhood Italian restaurant. The menu includes pastas, risottos, salads, and fish dishes, but they are best known for their quality pizzas.

They present authentic Italian dishes in contemporary surroundings and aim to use only the freshest and finest ingredients, such as Luganica sausages, Parma ham and buffalo mozzarella, imported from Italy to provide exactly the kind of rustic, traditional dishes one would expect to find travelling around its regions.

A meal could kick off with zuppa vongole e fregola, a traditional clam soup with Sardinian fregola pasta grains, wine, chilli and parsley, served with bread, or the delicious sautéed king prawns with garlic, white wine, chilli, and lemon butter served with your choice of bread.

Move on to their creamy risotto verdure, freshly grilled asparagus, broad beans, peas, spring onions, zucchini, green beans, white wine and mint, finished with baby spinach leaves. Or you could opt for the healthier, tagliolini nero granchio, black cuttlefish ink pasta with crab, courgette, red and yellow peppers, spring onion, and a hint of chilli and parsley. A real treat for the taste buds comes in the form of the bistecca manzo, a 10oz rosemary-marinated char-grilled, rib-eye steak with fries and fresh rocket.

A range of pizzas, all spun by hand, is an integral feature of each restaurant. They include the rossa, with spicy southern Italian salami, roasted red peppers, chilli, caramelised onion, garlic, fresh oregano, tomato and mozzarella. Nor are vegetarians are overlooked, and can be found tucking into dishes such as fiorentina, made of spinach cooked with garlic, nutmeg and black pepper with mozzarella, parmesan, tomato and an egg.

For those wanting to satisfy their sweet tooth, there is torroncino affogato, an iced nougat semi freddo with a shot of espresso to pour over, or a classic Italian tiramisu and, as you might expect coffee to round off the meal.

A wine list consisting of purely regional Italian wines, beers and liqueurs, all carefully chosen to complement the menu comes as no surprise and in addition, every table receives a complimentary bottle of purified water.

For further details including their latest news, menus and deals, and to find a Strada nearest to you, their Website certainly warrants a visit.

Prezzo has been delighting diners for over eight years, and this Italian restaurant chain has since been able to expand throughout large parts of England and Scotland with some 141 outlets.

Interestingly, the company seeks to restore either impressive buildings or ones of local interest. The conversion of the Newbury library and other listed buildings, such as those in Salisbury, Romsey and Mayfair, are all welcome examples of 'new use'. Their trendy and sophisticated décor usually consists of tiled or wooden floors with delicate lights and colourful paintings, along with wooden furniture and sparkling cutlery, creating a setting that is suitable for a relaxed lunch, a family meal or an evening out with friends.

The restaurants are of particular appeal to those who like genuine Italian cuisine, and they use only the best seasonal products, many of which are imported directly from Italy. The menu includes pizza, pasta, risotto, grilled meats, fresh salads and frequently changing specials.

The freshly baked breads, like the garlic bread with mozzarella cheese, are perfect for sharing and give you adequate breathing space to order starters to follow. Crab cakes served with garlic mayonnaise or grilled goat's cheese with plum tomatoes and caramelised onions on foccacia bread with a balsamic glaze set the tone for a hearty meal. Best fun is to order an antipasto platter to share made up from seven well loved Italian nibbles.

Find pastas such as the unusual penne con salmone, with oak-roasted salmon, broccoli and fresh chillies in a red pesto and cream sauce, or firm favourites like spaghetti with meatballs, spaghetti Bolognese, and fusilli al pesto, asparagus spears with field mushrooms and roasted peppers in a basil pesto sauce.

Amongst the special pastas, the pollo mariano, seasoned chicken, pepperoni sausage, roasted peppers and fusilli in tomato sauce, is interesting and different. Italian menus would be incomplete without risotto, like tiger prawns with petits pois in a creamy saffron sauce.

Classic pizzas embrace, among a wide selection, the popular napoletana, topped with yellowfin tuna, tomato, white anchovies, capers, red onion, mozzarella and marinated olives, and the much loved quattro stagioni - pepperoni sausage, prosciutto ham, artichoke, field mushrooms, capers, marinated olives, mozzarella and tomato.

Specials could include the pollo Siciliana, char-grilled chicken breast, prosciutto ham and plum tomato slices, baked with their blend of cheese, only one example from the many tempting offerings that come out from the Prezzo kitchens.

You can accompany the food with a variety of tipples, though for many, Italian food requires Italian wines to be enjoyed to the full, ranging from house wine through Morellino di Scansano and Prosecco to liqueurs and beer, and there is espresso or fresh ground coffee to wind up an enjoyable meal, in company with a glass of grappa or sambuca.

This is Italian food at its attractive best, convincing and bringing together the traditional with the modern twist or two against a background of excellent value.

Prezzo is a lively group and opportunities to improve and update are never left on the table for long. Keep up to date with a quick click on their Website.

The Yew Tree is a fine 17th century building in a pleasant setting close to Highclere Castle. It is full of charm and character, ancient beams and logs smouldering in the inglenook fireplace but with a contemporary air to this cosy eating and drinking house. Several interconnecting rooms provide a choice of dining areas with linen-draped tables and whitewashed walls filled with culinary art -the perfect ambiance to enjoy the delightful food offering. Ascend the winding staircase to one of the six bedrooms blending modern features with 17th century character. The works of the cartoonists JAK and David Hughes adorn the walls.

Legendary chef and restaurateur Marco Pierre White is responsible for the menu. Starters may include calf's tongue with celeriac remoulade or Morecambe Bay potted shrimps. To follow, perennial favourites such as fish and chips and steak and ale pie are offered alongside great steaks, local game and seafood dishes. End with a sherry trifle or an Eton mess. Local beers from Butts and West Berkshire breweries are among the several on offer. The wine list is 70 or so strong with a good selection by the glass.

After an extensive refit the Carnarvon Arms is back in business in no uncertain fashion, with Rob Clayton, formerly of The Priory Hotel, Bath, at the helm in the kitchens. It is said the aim is bridge the gap between a gastropub and a restaurant. I'm not sure most of their customers will be too bothered about the distinction, as long as what arrives on the table is to their liking. Already it has been described as "sensational", a sort of marriage of the informality of a decent pub with Michelin quality food.

Around eight starters could include cream of Jerusalem artichoke soup with pancetta, a fresh Portland crab with fine past lobster sauce, or a crispy tart of creamed leeks ands Dorset Blue Vinney.

The country round the Carnarvon Arms is quite baronial so do not be surprised to find roasted hen pheasant breast with gratin potatoes, Savoy cabbage and chorizo mushroom sauce on the menu. The Scots weigh in with Loch Duart salmon, a sautéed fillet with creamed leeks and pancetta, or there is honey roasted Gressingham duck breast with fondant potato and braised red cabbage. A dish fit for a hungry man comes in the form of pork and leek sausages, mashed potatoes, broccoli and shallot sauce.

Desserts yield a medley of indulgence starting with the now traditional sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce and a vanilla bean pannacotta and berry compote. It says on the menu that smaller portions are available for children, which is very thoughtful of them, but likely to have been received with heavy silence by our four, who are fond of their tucker.

I am never quite sure whether you can tell the clientele from the average prices on the wine list, but here they have a good range, obvious care taken in selection, neatly categorised into human inclination, for instance "For Movers, Shakers and Makers: Full bodied, rich and creamy". Yes, seems about right.

It is places like this that give country pubs a good name. Well run, close to a good country town yet in a rural setting it is a quality example of how things should be done and is therefore little wonder that it is a buzzy place, full of appreciative people, both customers and staff.

A woodland garden and heated decking terrace leave plenty of room to overflow on warm days and a play area for children and a newly constructed 9 hole crazy golf course keep everyone happy.

The serving of decent food is clearly a priority and starters on the a la carte menu could include home smoked duck breast salad with a tangy raspberry dressing, pan fried salmon and red pepper fishcake with lime and crab dressing, or homemade chicken liver and foie gras pate.

Main courses follow a largely traditional pattern with roast rump of lamb, poached natural smoked haddock on a bed of buttered mash topped with a poached egg, or fillet of pork oven baked in puff pastry with a fresh garden herb and mushroom pate.

Amongst the puddings expect to find dark chocolate tart with Belgian white chocolate ice cream, meringue Pavlova topped with fresh strawberries and clotted cream, or lemon curd cheesecake with fresh strawberries and cream.

For two years out of three they have won the Wadworth Wine Pub of the Year which probably leaves as irrelevant any comment on the wine list.

Located in the deep heart of the West Berkshire countryside, The Bunk Inn is a well run family country inn with rooms, full of warmth and comfort, yet it's only a few minutes away from the M4 and A34. Whilst you toy with the menus, wine lists and appetisers like butterfly prawns or vegetable spring rolls demand your attention. The well tuned starter selection could bring peppered tuna with wasabi mayonnaise and Asian slaw or smoked duck and chicory salad.

For those of a vegetarian inclination, a source of excitement awaits with the main course of wild mushroom, courgette and goats' cheese tartlet while many fish lovers may be drawn to the baked salmon fillet in a filo parcel with green beans and hollandaise sauce.

Desserts present some tempting options such as blackberry cheesecake with fruit coulis and the classic vanilla crème brûlée. The Bunk has around 10 sound wines by the glass, well supported by an interesting and thoughtful list.

The Ramada Newbury Elcot Park Hotel in Newbury offers a luxurious setting for the perfect vacation with its tastefully furnished 18th century Georgian building, 16 acres of private grounds and number of leisure options such as swimming or tennis. This former home of Shelley's family creates a wonderful world within its enclosures and is the ideal spot for a romantic wedding and an interesting venue for more mundane matters such as conferences and meetings.

The Orangery restaurant is opulent and offers some splendid views of the garden while the neutral tones of the décor is conducive for a soothing atmosphere. From the international menu, you could start with a dish of melon and black forest ham with raspberry dressing, followed by a main course of honey roasted duck breast and caramelised plum served with red cabbage. Finish the meal with a baked vanilla cheesecake with spiced cherry compote. The wine list traverses across Australia to Italy, bringing an inspiring selection of fine wines.

The Winterbourne Arms is an idyllic country pub, housed in a building that dates back over 300 years.  Although recently refurbished, it retains much of its old-world charm and features a large dining area, simple wooden furniture, warm fireplaces and a bright and airy ambience. Located just a few minutes from Chieveley Services, on Arlington Lane, the restaurant serves both traditional and modern British style food with a contemporary twist. The menu varies constantly with all the dishes being prepared in-house, using fresh produce sourced locally.

Head chef Andrew Jones serves guests an extensive menu comprising starters of duckling liver and cognac terrine served with toasted bread; deep fried butterfly prawns with a sweet chilli sauce and salad garnish; and homemade soups with bread. This is followed by mains of classic char-grilled Scottish sirloin steak with vegetables; and pan fried calves liver served with bacon and vegetables. The food can be enjoyed either in the spacious dining area or al fresco overlooking the beautiful gardens.

The menu also has many delectable desserts and an extensive list of wines and other beverages that can be enjoyed with the meal.

Happy are those who fetch up here after a pig of a day, or at any time for that matter, to have their cares blown away by the experience of eating in this civilized Georgian manor house with its rich interior and surrounding peaceful countryside.

The bold and imaginative decor of 'The Restaurant' is matched only by the exciting and innovative cuisine using ingredients from the finest local markets. Elaborate and carefully prepared dishes are the order of the day, prepared by somebody who is clearly a chef and an artist, a rare breed indeed.

The food experience at Newbury Manor is best described as very cosmopolitan, a mix of modern European with classical influences, their Chef believes that food should be a complete pleasure and the whole dining experience one to remember.

Listed highly in The Good Food Guide, with seven out of ten in 2004 Guide, 'The Restaurant' has played host to some of the country's most well respected chefs including Anton Edelman, Marco Pierre White, Brian Turner, Nico Ladenis, Nick Evans and is now considered one of the top 20 restaurants in the UK. House recommendations on the wine list range between £16.50 to £25.50 and the whole list is bulging with possibilities.

This elegant room looks out over the hotel grounds and specially commissioned paintings by the eminent artist, Paul Hodges, capture the essence of the property and add to the unique atmosphere in 'The Restaurant'; which, for the comfort of their guests is fully non-smoking. Bookings are also taken for weddings, private parties and special dining events.