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With all the charm and attractiveness that comes with so many riverside pubs, this particular version has an added extra, called The Regatta. It seems that only if you display plenty of foresight, your chances of getting a worthwhile view - unless of course you are competing in which case you have a different set of problems - is to book very well in advance.

On days when it's storm force Force 9 blowing down the river, the place still has plenty to offer. A quick dash from the car to the door will admit you to a very different world, one of log fires and cocooned warmth. Talking of which, fire also features in the open kitchens and stone fired ovens, now very much a talking point.

To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, box baked Camembert with red onion jam and rustic bread and Greek mezze of taramasalata with red pepper hummus, tzatziki, feta and flatbreads.

Amongst the starters, there is freshly made soup, smoked mackerel pâté, seared pigeon breast, or a red onion tart. The salads - sorry, that should read 'leaves' - offer Persian chicken kebabs, fattoush salad, yoghurt and mint dressing, and for the seafood fiends some smoked trout, prawn, pancetta, horseradish dressing, watercress, spinach and baby potatoes.

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, another with pepperoni, chorizo, tomato and jalapeños. Pastas include rigatoni, pork, veal and oregano meatballs with arrabiata sauce, and smoked haddock risotto.

The grills for hearty eaters are worth trying and choices include pork chops and salmon among others. These are all served with frites, garlic butter, brandy peppercorn sauce, béarnaise, burnt tomato and onion salsa or mango and chilli. For the big event there is always a fish of the day on request.

For the big event, there is always a fish of the day on request. The spit chicken with roast garlic, lemon, thyme, aioli and frites is worth trying too. The classic burger, which has risen from the confines of fast food chains, carves a niche for itself on the menu and comes with onion, gherkin, mustard mayo, cheese and bacon. For hearty eaters there is a five spice duck confit, or lamb rack with a spiced dukkah crust.

A wide range of supporting dishes includes Belgian frites and mayo, and cabbage, leeks and peas. Desserts are some of the best you'll encounter with apple and frangipane gallette and Cognac ice cream, and there is also a selection of local cheeses to set the buffs alight.

A well travelled wine list does the business well with a list that, whilst fairly modest covers most eventualities at prices that don't break the bank, and are described under such cost headings as 'vibrant and soft or luxurious and rich' - just like people.

For up to date information click on their well set out Website  - and don't forget to book for the Regatta. 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.

In Henley-on-Thames, du Vin has taken on the façade of the former Brakspears Brewery, a handsome brick-built structure in the best style of such buildings, strategically placed in the heart of the historic town centre, yet only 50 yards from the riverside moorings. Within and around a unique luxury boutique hotel has been constructed. For instance the former fermentation room and old malt house have jointly provided the location for one of the three private dining rooms.

Forty three exquisite bedrooms and magnificent suites have been created in the old buildings encircling the old brewery yard, and this also houses the hallmark du Vin bistro.

Head Chef, Neil Falzon presides over the kitchen of this 2AA Rosette bistro servicing a menu of 'simple classics' supplemented by his own selections, depending overall on a European cuisine with a contemporary edge. Starters of soused herrings with beetroot carpaccio and celeriac rémoulade, poached duck egg with chorizo, tomato and chick peas, or Uist Lodge smoked salmon with Spanish caper berries set a firm tone before choosing from either the simple classic or main courses, or both.

The Hotel du Vin fish pie says all that is good about this wonderful dish, good for lunch or dinner, capable of many different forms. Moving to the main courses, from a choice of seven, in season the roast Yorkshire grouse, with fondant potato, crisp ham and orange jus, or a smoked haddock brandade with poached hen's egg and hollandaise is recommended.

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 three sommeliers, headed here by Stephane Sanchez, 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.

Housed in a historic 17th century coach house, Zizzi Henley delivers contemporary Italian dining and offers a haven of calm in the heart of this renowned rowing town. The restaurant is bright and spacious with three dining areas and there is ample outside seating for relaxed al fresco dining in the summer months.

Just a short walk from the River Thames, Zizzi boasts a trendy bar on the first floor and is the perfect place to enjoy a meal before or after taking in a movie at the Regal Picturehouse nearby.

The restaurant's bustling open kitchen turns out a wide range of freshly prepared, tasty fare. The extensive à la carte offers traditional antipasti, pizza, pasta and salads, as well as seasonally changing meat and fish dishes with a variety of tempting desserts to finish.

Zizzi's special antipasti platter has mixed Italian meats with buffalo milk mozzarella, marinated sun-dried tomatoes, mixed olives and red onion focaccia bread. There's also choice of arancini, crispy risotto balls stuffed with mozzarella and peas and served with a tomato chilli sauce as well as gnocchi gorgonzola, potato dumplings in a creamy gorgonzola and spinach sauce seasoned with nutmeg and black pepper, setting the tone for a hearty meal.

For a delicious pasta or risotto choose between penne vodka, king prawns, chilli, peas and Grana Padano in a creamy tomato and vodka sauce; ravioli di capra, goat's cheese and spinach ravioli served with tomato sauce and topped with pesto and pine nuts; zucca e pancetta, pumpkin, pancetta, spinach, sage and Grana Padano topped with mascarpone and rigatoni con pollo e funghi, chicken in a tomato, onion, rosemary and mushroom sauce. Gluten-free pasta is also available on request.

If you prefer a pizza, then you could try Zizzi's speciality pizza rustica, which couples extra thin and crispy bases with a range of toppings such as bufala, buffalo mozzarella with sunblush tomatoes, basil, rocket and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or mare e monti, one half topped with tiger prawn, courgette and mozzarella and the other with spicy sausage, tomato sauce and chilli, all finished off with a rocket and crème fraîche. The carne piccante calzone has marinated chicken, meatballs, Bolognese sauce, mushrooms, chillies, tomato and mozzarella while the clarissa version, has aubergine, and red pepper caponata, olives, goats' cheese, rocket, pine nuts, tomato and mozzarella. Zizzi's calzon'pizzas, half calzone and half pizza, add an interesting twist to the meal.
 
Sumptuous mains include agnello con peperonata, roasted lamb shank served with basil, roasted vegetables and a little pot of potatoes with tomato, red onion and Grana Padano; duck arrosto, slow roasted whole duck leg in a balsamic, olive and pancetta reduction served with Tuscan potatoes and green beans; and sea bass al vino, sea bass pan fried with wine, garlic and baby plum tomatoes and served with herby potatoes.

The scrumptious dessert list offers torta cioccolata with its thick hazelnut chocolate base topped with rich chocolate torte and served with vanilla mascarpone; homemade tiramisu; creamy vanilla pannacotta with fruit compote and torta Zizzi, an almond-based plum and fig tart topped with pistachios and icing sugar and served with gelato.

The wine list is dominated by a range of Italian wines from regions such as Veneto, Lazio, Sicily, Tuscany and Lombardy. Also on offer is an assortment of beers, and spirits as well as a range of soft and hot drinks.

More information can be found 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.

Café Rouge has over one hundred branches throughout Britain all offering a wide range of dishes drawn from the French cuisine. Slightly less than half their branches are in or close to London. Almost inevitably the décor and design of each restaurant differs from the others, but there is a general curtsy towards La France.

Many restaurants do an excellent breakfast, or shall we say petit dejeuner, at which such delights as scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on toasted brioche, croque Madame, croissants and pain au chocolat make welcome appearances, and to their credit the English traditional gets top billing.

An array of small dishes takes in pulled pork pâté with French bread, and spicy beef and lamb sausage with harissa mayonnaise. Salads and pasta feature largely, as do baguettes and croques. Quick dishes, ideal for lunch, include slices of saucisson and cured pork loin with French bread.

Moving on to more serious stuff we find steaks, an 8oz bavette and thin cut rib eye, with a choice of béarnaise or peppercorn sauce. No French menu would be complete without the poulet jaune grille, pan-roasted breast of corn-fed chicken served on a warm taboulé of bulgar wheat and a medley of roasted vegetables with minted crème fraîche, or a steak frites before moving on to the crème brûlée, or the tart tatin. Almost invariably the coffee tastes like coffee should, something that sadly can all too often still not be said of our English restaurants, who depend too much upon technology and too little on the acquisition of a certain flair for this important conclusion to a meal.

By now we all know that the French, despite their distinctive habits when it comes to matters of satisfying the inner man, maintain a miraculous longevity of life. This is generally attributed to a number of causes, of which a measured consumption of decent wine is foremost. Café Rouge, you may be pleased to hear, encourages this with a well-chosen selection of French wines. Their prix fixe lunch and meals for children, both at a very reasonable figure, also offer excellent value.

Their Website will keep you updated on menu changes, news and other competitions and offers from the Café Society.

The welcoming little La Bodega is sometimes referred to as one of Henley-on-Thames' favourite tapas restaurants. Situated in Hart Street, its simple yet lovingly done up bare brick and wood interior with a variety of flora, attract customers wanting to sample tempting Spanish tapas and wine.

Choose to spend time relaxing outside or in the cosy and rustic dining area inside. The starters could include tender octopus, warm chorizo, diced lamb, spicy meatballs, fish croquettes, pan-fried scallops, marinated pork, sautéed potatoes, tuna medallions and grilled quail. And that is but a small selection of the tapas on offer.

Mains encompass pan-fried hake, grilled swordfish with white wine and butter, lamb cutlets with mint sauce, chicken breast with red peppers and chilli, and simple but wholesome mixed char-grilled vegetables. The chef's specials consist of Spanish suckling pig, rib of beef and live lobster.

Traditional Spanish cava as well as other wines, champagne and beers add further zest to the La Bodega menu.

The Bull, which changed hands and style in 2008, is housed in a former 15th century coaching inn and is more than just a place for good food and drinks; here guests can also relax in one of the inn's five well-equipped ensuite bedrooms. The Bistro holds tremendous atmosphere helped on by the wealth of old timber and a huge inglenook fireplace that does the business famously when the conditions demand.

The menu will certainly induce some pleasant thinking, offering a choice of three short menus - bistro at The Bull, fork food and set lunch. From the bistro carte keep an eye open for beef carpaccio with watercress and shallot and pan-seared sea bass and langoustine. Some really good lunchtime delights include ham hock terrine, chicken crustade and blueberry cheesecake, while enticing forkfuls of lyonnaise salad and pork and leek sausage help bring the greenery to life.

Thanks be that there are still old inns like The Bull that continue to survive in a form that the more senior members of the populace continue to enjoy with  great pleasure; a sentiment that is by no means confined to one age bracket. It is worth noting that every weekend they open the pub up specially for breakfast from 10 until 11.30 on Saturday and Sunday.

A relaxed setting along with good food and drink brings on the mellow mood at Antico Restaurant in the heart of riverside Henley-on-Thames. The menu offers a blend of modern and traditional Italian fare with a range of regional wines to savour.
 
Begin well with pasta parcels filled with porcini mushrooms and topped with pancetta in a creamy sauce or homemade pancake filled with ragout di Bolognese and baked in a cheesey sauce. Continue to do justice to the appetite with breast of chicken in a light white wine sauce with prawns, tender T-bone of veal grilled with rosemary or fresh Scottish salmon and crushed new potatoes in a creamy champagne sauce. Creamy blue cheese from Lombardy and sheep's milk cheese from Sardinia prolong the meal's pleasure. Enjoy the house red which is a light and soft wine from the north east of Italy, a classic Pinot Grigio, an elegant Gavi di Gavi or a delicate rosé wine.