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A pleasant 17th century inn with cosy views over the cricket square and duck pond. Like most pubs nowadays its preoccupation with food equals if not exceeds its original purpose of selling beer and other suitable inebriants likely to render you immune to the boredom of cricket.

The menu will tickle your tastebuds without any doubt and there is a good range of choices. The cheese selection is well chosen. For wine expect about seven or so offered at £2 a glass or £11.95 a bottle, with others at nothing in excess of £20 a bottle. Should you require further anaesthesia there is always Somerset Royal Cider Brandy and that doesn't do the trick you'll just have to watch the cricket after all.

Cygnetures, the two AA rosette restaurant looks serenely across the River Thames and the Magdalen College barge moored alongside the hotel. It is a stirring setting and from 10 till 10 you can savour tasty items from the extensive carte menu which aims to, and largely does, please all comers. Head Chef Andrew West-Letford uses seasonal ingredients to create classical dishes with a modern approach.

The Cygnet Bar and the Riverside Terrace are other delightful areas. The wine list features over 120 wines from both the Old and New Worlds.

The strategic location sets the scene for this Sardinian specialist, so it's not uncommon to see ladies unwinding over lunch after a day of retail therapy at the Broad Street shopping area, or the pre-theatre crowd descending in the evening for a quick bite before scurrying off to the Hexagon. The others could just sit back and relax in the 'ceramic floor and pink granite table' interior before tackling some Italian gastronomic delights.

Specialities like spaghetti alla bottarga, made of cured grey mullet roe, sea bass baked in a crust of salt, and the house speciality of slow roasted suckling piglet, along with Sardinian wines, offer some of the best from the island that is available. Diners who wish to have bread with their meal can order the thin and crispy pane carasatu with extra virgin olive oil and fresh rosemary.

Pepe Sale hosts regular live music evenings with the local jump, jive and swing band.

Zerodegrees has embarked on a drinking and dining concept that pioneers the emerging trend in fresh, hand crafted beers brewed by microbreweries. Diners are guaranteed a theatrical experience with the sight, sound and smell from the working brewery and a busy kitchen with its traditional stone-fired pizza oven dishing out favourites such as mango tandoori chicken and Peking duck.

The menu encompasses a selection of gourmet pizzas, delicious salads, speciality sausages, pastas and kilo pots of mussels served with a variety of sauces. International wines and freshly brewed beers seek out the tastiest and most exotic flavours from across the world, while adding their own seasonal and speciality numbers. The range extends from black lager to pale ale, with some delicious fruit beer in between.

Incorporating the mechanics of the working brewery into the building's architecture has resulted in a functional and futuristic place and the industrial feel whilst unavoidable is an added attraction.

The Castle at Hurst is a charming building which houses a traditional gastropub. Visitors would most likely wish it was their own local pub because of its cheery atmosphere, delicious food and amazing range of wines on offer. Locals of course are proud of its presence and people can always be seen enjoying a meal either in the gallery which offers views of the countryside or the panelled Oak Room, which has a lovely open fire.

Some of the tempting fare on offer could be the roast quail salad with lardons and hazelnut dressing; mushroom risotto with truffle oil; roast suckling pig with sage and onion stuffing, baked apple, roast potatoes and jus or a steak and ale pie with hand cut chips. If you're looking for a simple lunch, then the Ploughman's could be an ideal choice, with pork pate, British or French cheese with pickle, apple dressed leaves and homemade bread.

Tempting options for lunch include sandwiches served on thick white or malted brown bloomer, whereas light bites such as macaroni and cheese or handmade scotch egg are equally popular. The main menu brings you starters such as pork and apricot terrine followed by grilled lamb steak in mint and redcurrant sauce, served with rosemary roasted new potatoes. End with a plum tarte tatin and enjoy the wide range of wines, champagnes, beers and ales from their excellent bar.