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The Hand and Sceptre offers a contemporary country dining experience in a relaxing and friendly environment. The pub dates back to 1728 and was named in honour of George Newhand, the original landlord. The building is wonderfully restored, incorporating the values of traditional pub hospitality with a modern design.

The ambience is simple and trendy, with seating at the bar within the restaurant or al fresco, in the shade of the huge umbrellas. The wine list has an even balance of New and Old World with a variety of styles to choose from different beers as well as over fifteen wines available by the glass.

The choices are simple with lots of tempting steaks, spit roasted meats, salads and pastas. To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, antipasti of Italian meats, dolcelatte, marinated vegetables and warm stone-baked flatbreads, or Mediterranean mezze of hummus, roasted vegetables, fregola, tzatziki, feta, spinach and ricotta pâté with flatbreads.

Amongst the appetisers there is freshly made soup; lamb koftas, mint yoghurt, kohlrabi, cumin and carrot salad, or dolcelatte and pear tart with red onion marmalade. Look, too, for scallops in the specials section.

The salads offer chargrilled chicken, courgette, fennel, apple, asparagus, hazelnut and balsamic dressing; for the seafood fiends some prawn and avocado with mango, bacon, orange and pomegranate vinaigrette appeal.

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

Pastas include linguini with tiger prawns, crab, chorizo, chilli, tomato and white wine, or tagliatelle with slow cooked Bolognaise and parmesan. For the big event there is always roast rump of lamb with sauce soubise, asparagus, pancetta, button onions and baby potatoes. Battered haddock, frites, tartare sauce and minted mushy peas is popular, a sign of the times and improving taste in eating. Salmon, crab and chorizo fishcakes, roasted sweetcorn with cherry tomato salsa is worth trying too. For hearty eaters there are rib eye and fillet steaks or blackened cod fillet with egg noodles, pak choi, mango and chilli salsa.

A wide range of supporting dishes includes carrot, cumin, orange and chilli salad, and cabbage, leeks and peas. 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. 

The subject of a complete refurbishment in 2006 designed to create a buzzy contemporary atmosphere, The Poacher lays good claim to being a home to honestly good food and drink, in the safe hands of host Mark Hider. It's a great place for business lunches or a family gathering with a super little private room that can be booked in advance.

Under Head Chef Andy Maclean, cuisine is taking on a new look but remains essentially British, although his Scottish roots haven't completely deserted him. All dishes are prepared from the best fresh ingredients from local suppliers, and cooked to order. So flexible is the system that they give a qualified undertaking to 'see what they can do' if somebody comes along with a request for an item not on the menu.

From a choice of about twelve starters expect to find haggis fritters with a spicy tomato sauce or creamed leek and stilton filo pastry tart. Increasingly popular amongst the diet conscious is the starter of marinated olives, rustic breads, with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Rustic pork and rasin terrine comes with toasted brioche, and fresh soup of the day with freshly baked bread can often make a comfort starter of satisfying proportions.

Wild boar is back on the menus and confit of leg comes with a chocolate jus and crispy potato pancakes, a filling dish indeed, and pan-fried liver is served with smoked back bacon, mash and a mustard sauce.

Steaks come in the traditional forms and weights with a choice of frites or chunky chip and sauces. Nor is fish overlooked and pan-fried sea bass fillet is served with a lime risotto and parmesan crackling. The reinstatement of the burger to its proper place amongst quality meat dishes is welcome - too long has it languished in the dark places of mediocrity. Choose it at The Poacher accompanied by cheese, bacon or poached egg.

Pudding enthusiasts will recognise one of their own at work with sticky toffee pudding, toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream, citrus tart with fresh berry coulis, and a wonderful selection of homemade ice creams. For the others it could be a chocolate fondant with coconut ice cream or prosecco jelly with summer berries and mint syrup. All their coffee is organic, Rain-forest friendly and Fair Trade.

Sundays see a slightly reduced menu which is more than made up for by the 'Poachers Roast' a plateful of 3 different roasts.

There is also a good range of sandwiches, and for those of you that want to sit outside in the sun, there is a super patio area. When all is said and done pubs are about drinking, and whatever your tipple pleasure is bound to follow, with Asahi, Becks Vier, and Sharps Doombar amongst the star-studded cast as well as the locally brewed Canterbury Jack. A well constructed wine list contains a goodly number by the large or medium glass, including champagne and prosecco.

Music lovers could enjoy live 'Roots, Blues and Jazz' in the bar on Thursday evenings from 8.30pm.

The well constructed and informative Website will fill in the detail on this lively, friendly Kentish pub with honest food and drink.

The Beefeater Grill range of restaurants, owned by the well established firm of Whitbread has transformed over time into what is now predominantly a cooking platform for chargrill. The restaurants are warm, modern and stylish, with low lighting and contemporary artwork. A comfortable, cosy, mainly booth layout offers guests their own space with no feeling of being hurried at any point. Staff are friendly and helpful if need be - what a difference that can make to a good evening out.

Be it the wide open spaces of Argentina, the intimate setting of a French restaurant, or a busy grill in London's West End, there's no denying the popularity of chargrill. As the production of quality beef, chicken, fish and lamb has grown, prices have come down by comparison, and the simple and traditional art of minimally cooking dishes by chargrill, sealing in the flavours and tastes by intense heat has caught the public imagination.

All the steaks at Beefeater Grill are matured for a minimum of 28 days before being seasoned. Whether it be juicy rib eye, the classic sirloin, that emblem of the Sunday lunch, a tender fillet, or a delicious 7oz rump, all grilled to your own specification, you're never far away from perfection. Even beefburgers have shaken off their dubious image and the highly popular Beefeater burgers are made from 100% beef.

The popular sirloin with giant prawns offers a treat to those for whom an alliance between sea and pasture is a natural attraction, whilst a 16oz steak platter links rump, fillet, sirloin and rib eye into one mouth-watering dish served with chips, battered onion rings, grilled tomato, a flat mushroom and peppercorn and brandy sauce.

Many of us love rib meat, and the rack of ribs at a Beefeater Grill has a meaty rack smoky flavour; maple ribs of pork with a choice of three sauces, mojito, smoked caramel and apple glaze, or Bourbon and black BBQ. And if all else fails and you are totally baffled by the wealth of choices, ask to have a word with the Steakmaster who will help find what is right for you, together with the best cooking method. These guys leave nothing to chance.

On a menu that is a delight to read, let alone choose a meal from, expect to find smaller dishes such as traditional prawn cocktail, whitebait, chicken liver pâté and baked Camembert, or juicy lamb koftas served with yoghurt and mint dip. There's something about a good steak meal that always leaves a gap for a little temptation to sweeten up the scene and from amongst twelve options look for Belgian chocolate cheesecake, treacle sponge pudding or a caramel apple crumble pie.

Throughout the day a wide range of more general dishes are yours for the ordering, sandwiches, jackets, classic favourites like fish and chips, pasta, salads, and sharing dishes of nachos, potato shells and a Beefeater Grill combo. Next door to many of the restaurants are Premier Inns, so staying the night whatever the circumstances need not be a problem.

And what about wine? Endorsed by Matthew Jukes, wine writer in the Daily Mail and bon viveur in his own right, a wine list that marches with the menu completes an impressive and compelling invitation to enjoy whatever takes your fancy at the nearest Beefeater Grill.

Click on their Website for menu updates and special offers.

Brewer's Fayre restaurants offer a warm welcome to those who want a reliably tasty meal in pleasant surroundings, with plenty of choice, minimal fuss and friendly service. With a reputation going back 25 years they should have a fair chance of doing that, but don't take our word for it. Give them a try and see if you agree that this is how good quality pub food should be served.

Whether it's snacks, grills, pub classics, fish, Sunday roasts or side dishes they think their way through the options, talk to their guests, and then come up with the goods. Not everybody wants a full meal so they've considered the needs of those who want to keep the gap filled and the children contented, perhaps on a journey or a day out.

Hot filled baguettes are always popular be it sausage and red onion or a classic chicken club sandwich. Jacket potatoes are good on their own but filled with mature cheddar cheese and beans they take on a new dimension.

More paced occasions demand a wide menu, perhaps with starters of breaded butterfly prawns, chicken goujons or breaded camembert bites. Grills are there for the hungry and whole rack of meaty BBQ pork ribs served with extra sauce, chips and coleslaw can be very welcome. The days of the mixed grill are back - or did they ever go away - a 4oz rump steak, two pork sausages, and a gammon steak topped with a fried egg served with all the trimmings will remind you if they did.

Salmon and prawn fishcakes are served with buttered new potatoes, tartare sauce and a lightly dressed salad. A combination of sea and land comes with a rump steak, whole grilled chicken breast and breaded breaded butterfly prawns, served with chips and a side salad or garden peas.

The rise of eating out in pubs has brought into our daily lives a whole legion of what might be termed 'pub classics'. Many of them have their roots in what used to be called 'good home cooking' and include such dishes as sausage, egg and chips, beef and ale pie, chicken and mushroom pie and for the very daring a beef lasagne. Well, all of them and many more are on the menu at Brewer's Fayre, supplemented by such new regulars as vegetable Goan chicken curry, pork chop, chilli con carne and grilled chicken and bacon salad.

It has often been said that chicken tikka masala is now the most popular dish in Britain. Some may not really want to believe that, much as they love curry, but travel, population movement and other factors have widened our scope and they are probably pretty keen on fish and chips in Timbuktu.

What is certain is that the great British Sunday roast is exclusive to these islands, though copied maybe elsewhere or in ex-pat outposts. No surprise therefore that it's on the Brewer's Fayre menu. A trade of three roasts with an opportunity to trade up to a mega roast for a modest sum. With it come two Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, fresh seasonal vegetables and that important element - gravy.

A fine list of immensely tempting desserts may well bring the most ardent weight-watcher to their knees. A short but well thought out wine list offers all choices, except champagne, by the glass. Staying the night - check to see if there's a Premier Inn next door - chances are you'll be lucky.

A quick click on their Website is always worth while. The only thing that stays still permanently is the quality which is helped by a changing menu, and some very special offers

A small bar with a roaring fire at one end and a traditional dining room with modern touches at the other makes The Ivyhouse Dining Room and Bar in High Street the picture of cosiness and warm hospitality. A modern English menu put together with individual flair gives guests ample choices for lunch and dinner.

A seasonally changing menu offers patrons meat from Kent, fish from Ramsgate, vegetables and fruit from local growers and a selection of the county's finest cheeses. Flag off the meal with dishes such as corned beef hash and duck fat toast, potted leg of confit duck with tomato chutney and mixed seafood chowder with toasted ciabatta. Then, continue with Goan king prawn and haddock curry with sticky rice, slow braised belly of pork, mustard mash and red cabbage, garlic and lemon supreme of chicken with pepper risotto, and ribeye steak with roast field mushroom and fries. Round off with chocolate pot, raspberries and homemade shortbread or a cheese board with chutney and biscuits. The carefully compiled wine list includes a number of fine and rare wines.

Hever, in the heart of the Kentish countryside, is home to the traditional The King Henry VIII Inn. Located directly opposite Hever Castle, the pub dates back to the 15th century and has an air of authentic olde England with its attractive half-timbered exterior and cosy, panelled interiors. Guests dining here can enjoy a variety of pub classics along with a pint of their favourite ale or beer.

Hearty family favourites ranging from chicken and leek pie to sirloin steak fill the menu. Other options include hunter's chicken with chips, roast beef and a variety of burgers and pizzas as well as daily specials. During the summer diners can enjoy their meal in the pleasant beer garden complete with pond, perfect for sunny days and if you find yourself staying on well into the evening, the inn offers comfortable 'Tudor-style' accommodation. The pub's vibrant atmosphere is enhanced with live music every Saturday night.

For some time I made the mistake of thinking that no group of restaurants in the region of 200 locations could hope to maintain the quality for which I was looking.

Then one day I decided to put my prejudices to the test, walked into Oxford Ask! and discovered that I could not have been more mistaken. Their claim to serve freshly prepared quality food in stylish and comfortable surroundings with friendly and efficient service proved to be absolutely spot on.

Since then I have also discovered that a degree of consistency seems to operate throughout their restaurants, and that certainly does take some achieving, implying a degree of management that is enviable. They are perfect places for an impromptu snack, a bit of culinary grazing, or the full works, and families are catered for particularly well.

Their trendy décor usually comprises tiled floors and black furniture with well set tables that sparkle with glass, silver and spotless linen. Ten starters include crostini and bruschetta, followed by a range of salads, pasta and al forno, oven baked pasta, some with chicken.

The pizzas are stone baked in the oven, creating a crisp, authentic and delicious flavour, and they all come topped with mozzarella and tomato. Calzone introduce a touch of opulence with a folded pizza baked in the oven and topped with garlic butter and melted grana padano, whilst inside expect to find chicken or a vegetarian mix.

Amongst the specials may I warmly, in every sense, recommend the polpette al forno, a popular Milanese dish of beef meatballs sautéed in garlic with fire roasted peppers, caramelised onions, chilli and pomodoro sauce, with penne pasta, topped with cheese and oven baked.

An enticing selection of desserts list banoffee pie and tiramisu amongst them, and the coffee tastes like coffee, which may sound banal, but I guess you know what I mean.

Thanks to a well selected wine list speculative drinking can offer handsome dividends, even with prices rarely crossing the £20 barrier.

Slug and Lettuce has a chain of almost a hundred bars spread across the country sharing a common love of serving down to earth, undemanding food and drink.

The group prides itself on offering dishes prepared using quality ingredients, and you should be attended on by attentive staff in a safe, welcoming and cheerful environment. The Slugs have something for anyone - breakfast for a lively start to the day, lunch for busy people, family meals or even a relaxing glass of wine to bring a tiring day to an end - all in a variety of modern and stylish settings.

The menu features old time English favourites such as Gloucestershire Old Spot sausages in buttered mash or fish pie made with Dartmouth smokehouse haddock, in a Devon cream and leek sauce, although dishes look to Europe and further afield to Asia for inspiration. A good way to start the enjoyment is by sharing platters of Southern fried chicken breast pieces, crispy potato wedges, garlic ciabatta strips, half a rack of BBQ pork ribs, wasabi vegetables with onion rings or some Greek mezze

Hearty steak pies, Thai curry with sticky jasmine rice or butternut squash with goats' cheese lasagne are amongst the more popular main dishes. Sandwiches or wraps - warm tortilla with chicken and Parmesan or aromatic duck in plum sauce - provide for those who prefer something lighter. They also serve burgers as well as tempting salads like salmon, asparagus or tomato and mozzarella. For children they have good old British standby sausage and mash, or pepper pasta and ketchup among other choices, all of which never fail to delight, particularly as some of them seem to have come out of a certain celebrity chef's Book of Forbidden Dishes.

Desserts appear in the form of raspberry biscotti, hot chocolate pudding or a creamy strawberry cheesesake. The wine list is well compiled and substantial. There are not less than seven French, three from Italy and some from Spain, Chile, Australia as well as New Zealand. Slug and Lettuce can cater for events including birthday parties, fashion shows, hen nights, wedding parties or just an enjoyable night out with a few friends.