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The Tudor Rose located in Coulsdon, near Croydon, is the sort of place that gives gastropubs a good name. With its welcoming and well presented exterior as an immediate invitation, inside it is a delight of carefully chosen colours that stroke the psyche of its customers and create the relaxation and pleasure that go with good taste and hands on management.

Plenty of wood and leather creates warmth and luxury, and nothing is neglected, be it tasteful menu holders or well balanced lighting. This is a gastropub that is created for the convenience and enjoyment of its guests as a primary objective.

With a menu that is predominantly modern British, a Mediterranean influence can also be detected , and all dishes are seasonally motivated. Choices are impressive and a large range carries the conviction that is not always a part of extensive menus.

The Tuidor Rose is all about sociability and sharing plates are an indispensable aid in boosting this amiable quality; look for the antipasti of stuffed peppers, salamis, rocket, green chillies and warm warm flatbread as you consider the menu, sip a cocktail and generally unwind.

Warm Mediterranean trends exert their presence with asparagus, Serrano ham and crispy poached egg, and Goan chicken and bacon skewers with onion and coconut salad is superb. A stilton and spiced pear tart with rocket, red wine and hazelnut vinaigrette, or duck rillette with rhubarb and ginger chutney and wholemeal toast are early indications of skills at work in the kitchen.

Fancy a stonebaked pizza? No problem, choose from six options that includes smoked salmon, or a gamberetti full of the flavour of the sea. Nor are salads forgotten, there are choices and seared beef with beetroot, orange, fresh horseradish and watercress with shaved parmesan can be taken either as a starter or main course, as can many other pre-dishes.

Let's assume you bypass the linguini, one of four selections from the pasta list, before moving on to a truly generous array of main dishes where lamb rack with chorizo, peas, bacon, spinach and minted potatoes competes with roasted salmon with cauliflower and coriander fritter and pineapple salsa, beer battered haddock and River Exe mussels and clams marinière amongst others. An impressive harvest of side dishes make the most of field and garden.

A galaxy of puddings goes for the jugular with sticky toffee pudding, a spiced apple caramel crumble, or a plum and frangipane tart with lemon mascarpone; farmhouse cheeses abound and there's a Warre?s Optima 10 years old tawny port to go with it, if the spirit moves that way.

The Great British Roast makes an impressive appearance on Sundays, accompanied by log fires in season, Sunday newspapers, Bloody Marys and leather sofas. Just bliss. However the weekend starts early at The George - Thursday to be precise, when all day they offer crisp, fresh Prosecco and house champagne at unbelievably bargain prices. Not for nothing is it referred to as Sparkling Thursday.

On weekdays a great value prix fixe menu is available lunch and early evening until 7pm, Monday to Friday, with a choice of two or three courses.

The wine list has been selected to inspire and excites even the most experienced topers. Try the Chassagne Montrachet, Premier Cru Burgundy or a rather striking Bodegas VQ Merlot Rose, from Spain.

Should you not be convinced by now that we are impressed with The Tudor Rose, check on their Website for further information - but there's nothing like firsthand experience. Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

Set in the idyllic village of Coulsdon, on the outskirts of London, The Ramblers Rest is a delightful country pub offering a modern British menu with Mediterranean influences. Just south of Croydon and Sutton, and easily accessible from the A23, the Ramblers Rest is a striking Tudor building, with a pretty garden, in a superb location close to Chipstead Rail Station.

Beautifully refurbished, the pub neatly balances contemporary chic with traditional, rustic décor and pulls it off by combining a wood beamed ceiling, exposed brick walls and a stone floor with plush leather sofas, banquettes and colourful silk cushions that invite guests to relax and unwind.

The á la carte menu offers sharing plates of antipasti - dolcelatte, Italian meats, marinated vegetables and warm stone-baked flatbreads or individual starters of smoked salmon with citrus ponzo dressing and fennel and herb salad; crispy fried pumpkin ravioli with parmesan and tomato salsa or winter bruschetta with asparagus, gorgonzola, prosciutto, balsamic onions and stirata Romana bread.

The pizza selection goes beyond the usual suspects with innovative topping selections such as the gamberetti which combines tiger prawn and char grilled courgette with chilli, tomato and gremolata, or and calzone with pork cacciatore. Tempting pasta dishes include chorizo and crab linguine, smoked haddock macaroni, and slow roasted pork lasagna. Likewise, salad of crispy duck with mooli, carrots, hoisin and plum sauce or chicken with avocado, melon, pomegranate, feta, cilantro and lime aioli pleasantly surprises with its singular mix of ingredients.

The attention to detail is also applied to longstanding pub favourites in the form of black and blue burger with dolcelatte, mushrooms and frites; braised short rib of beef with Lea and Perrins glaze, bubble and squeak and crispy fried onions; and rib eye steak with horseradish, parsley butter and frites. Steak and Wine Supper Wednesdays take it to another level with superb steaks and a bottle of red wine at half the price, while for those seafood fans there can be nothing better than Fish Fridays with a range of fresh specials and white wine at a very tempting 50% discount.

For a quick lunch or early dinner, a prix fixe menu offers one and two courses. For that special occasion with family and friend, The Rambler's Rest offers facilities for group dining with a menu tailor made for the event.

Dessert of apple and blackcurrant crumble with vanilla custard, sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream, a choux bun with fresh cream, espresso and chocolate sauce or white chocolate crème brûlée brings the satisfying meal to an end.

The wine list includes a variety of Mediterranean whites and reds with examples from Spain, Italy and France as well as singular varieties from the rest of the world. There's an excellent choice of cask ales that can include Sharps Doombar, Fullers London Pride and St Austell Tribute as well as chilled lagers, bottled beers and an unexpectedly comprehensive cocktail list to dispel any lingering, out-dated notions that country pubs are peopled by hicks in the sticks.

Liked it at The Rambler's Rest? Try one of its sister pubs close by including The Arkle Manor in Betchworth, The Derby Arms in Epsom and The White Hart in Brasted.

More information can be found on their Website.

Using only the freshest ingredients, the restaurant serves a variety of seasonal dishes such as cassoulet duck and pork; Dorset crab mayonnaise with avocado and avruga caviar; and hare ravioli with celeriac purée, grelotte onions and Chanterney carrots, which can be enjoyed by a couple or the whole family in a warm and intimate setting.

The desserts offer a choice of plum clafoutis, with crème fraîche and Kerala vanilla crème brûlée, which is definitely worth giving a try.Sampling from an extensive drinks list of vintage champagnes and a good selection of white, red and rosé wines by the bottle, caraffe or glass, makes for a delightful ending to the entire dining experience.

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

At the Fish and Grill in Croydon, it's indeed all about the freshest fish and juiciest grilled meats. Malcolm John, of the acclaimed French restaurants Le Vacherin and Le Cassoulet, serves up more heart warming fare with this stylish British brasserie. The smart contemporary decor with its clever lighting, modern art prints and wooden tables enhances the dining experience, making this the perfect venue for a business lunch or dinner date. Located on South End, the Fish and Grill is just a 9-minute walk from South Croydon Rail Station.

The restaurant sources fresh fish and shellfish from the south coast and Cornwall on a daily basis, while rare breed meats and free range poultry are sourced from the best producers. A meal could begin with starters of South coast mussels and Suffolk bacon cooked with Dorset cider, potted smoked Cornish mackerel, and seared diver-caught scallops with green beans and hazelnut butter. There are also choices of Colchester or Carlingford rock oysters and a luxurious seafood platter.
    
For the main course, try the à la carte's Cornish line caught sea bass, cooked and served whole on the bone with tartar sauce, delicious whole grilled crab with garlic, chilli and ginger butter or classic beer battered haddock with pea purée. The Fish and Grill's grilled selection includes succulent choices of Aberdeen Angus T bone steak, Chateaubriand for two served with roasted bone marrow and chips and house burger with hand diced Angus beef, blue cheese or cheddar and bacon or jerk seasoning. If you wish, they can be paired with a side dish of sprouting broccoli with almonds and thyme, buttered sea vegetables, creamed spinach or minted Jersey royals.
  
A set menu delivers value for money with dishes such as leek and potato soup with smoked salmon, broad bean, borloti and feta salad, char grilled squid with bok choy, chilli and garlic and grilled old spot pork chop with glazed apples and BBQ sauce. While vegetarians are also catered for with dishes of asparagus with soft boiled duck egg and hollandaise or beignet of courgette flower stuffed with mozzarella, tomato and basil and served with green salad. 

For Sunday brunch the Fish and Grill offers starters of tomato and mozzarella salad, scrambled egg with smoked salmon and moules marinières followed by mains of grilled kipper with poached egg, grilled pork chop with apple and marjoram or steak burger with fried egg and chips, not to mention the roast of the day.

The breakfast menu's wholesome choices are perfect for kick starting the day and options include a full English breakfast with tea or filter coffee, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon or crayfish, Aberdeen Angus steak sandwich or even pancakes with strawberries and maple syrup.

Tempting desserts bring the meal to a pleasant end at the Fish and Grill and include cherry Bakewell tart with yoghurt ice cream, English strawberry Pavlova, Knickerbocker glory and chocolate macaroons.

The wine list is an eclectic selection, featuring expertly chosen reds and whites from across the world. A range of draught and bottled beers, spirits, soft drinks and aperitifs also quench the thirst.

More information can be found on their Website.

Bella Italia is a restaurant that pulsates with Italian style and fashion, where the day starts with breakfast, not least the Inglese, the familiar bacon, sausage, mushroom, tomato and fried or scrambled eggs and sauté potatoes with ciabatta toast so beloved of hearty eaters seeking a good start to the day, particularly when they don't have to prepare it. A vegetarian option is available, along with the bambini of sausages, tomato and scrambled egg, or a strapazzata, scrambled eggs on ciabatta toast. Natural yoghurt with granola cereal or apple and blueberry compote offers a more gentle awakening and croissant or pastries are welcome at almost any time.

It is always worth remembering that eating Italian is a great opportunity to work away through something rather more liberating than the conventional 3 course English meal. Little and often seems to be the motto but move on to the antipasti and it's immediately obvious this is no easy task, confronted with well over a dozen dishes, not one of which you really have the heart to turn down. The selezione classica assembles a few of the favourite starters; bruschetta and formaggio fritto with funghi arrosto, calamari and king prawn skewers.

A speck e rucola pizza, added to a traditional margherita brings together two traditions with northern Italian mountain smoked ham providing the second, but it is within the pasta and risotto dishes that you can adapt almost any main ingredient, as well enjoy some of Italy's most traditional treats. Who can deny a well formed spaghetti Bolognese or penne Marco Polo? And not for nothing is a nicely prepared spaghetti carbonara the preferred dish of many.

From a selection of five choices amongst the secondi many will head unerringly for controfiletto ai ferri, a 7oz sirloin steak char-grilled to preference and served with garlic butter, garlic mushrooms, fries and rocket, or the fritto misto, tempura battered prawns, golden cod pieces and calamari with fries and a side salad.

Could anything be more appropriate than The Godfather, for 1 or 2 naturally, with nutty chocolate fudge brownies, vanilla and toffee ice cream with chocolate crunch, chocolate sauce, fresh cream and wafer curls, and rest assured the coffee will do justice to the meal.

With a wine list that makes few concessions to other countries - and why should it - good Italian food can receive an equally national baptism by wine. For further enlightenment, news about Bella Members, their on-line shop and special deals for children a click on their lively Website will reveal all.

Housed in a converted fire station, Zizzi Croydon brings in a little slice of Italy to this cosmopolitan part of South Croydon. The restaurant boasts a sleek, modern interior and a buzzing al fresco dining area provide a vibrant setting for an enjoyable Italian meal during the summer.

Surrounded by shops, bars and restaurants on the bustling South End, Zizzi is also just a short walk from the Vue Cinema and Fairfield Halls and is the perfect spot for a quick bite to eat before or after a show or movie.

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.

Bella Italia is a restaurant that pulsates with Italian style and fashion, where the day starts with breakfast, not least the Inglese, the familiar bacon, sausage, mushroom, tomato and fried or scrambled eggs and sauté potatoes with ciabatta toast so beloved of hearty eaters seeking a good start to the day, particularly when they don't have to prepare it. A vegetarian option is available, along with the bambini of sausages, tomato and scrambled egg, or a strapazzata, scrambled eggs on ciabatta toast. A cappuccino or hot chocolate offers a more gentle awakening and croissant or pastries are welcome at almost any time.

It is always worth remembering that eating Italian is a great opportunity to work away through something rather more liberating than the conventional 3 course English meal. Little and often seems to be the motto but move on to the antipasti and it's immediately obvious this is no easy task, confronted with well over a dozen dishes, not one of which you really have the heart to turn down. The selezione classica assembles a few of the favourite starters; oven baked lemon and rosemary chicken wings, spiced meatballs, calamari, mini garlic butter-filled calzoni and lightly battered courgettes served with flamed pepper and lemon herb dips.

A speck e rucola pizza, added to a traditional margherita brings together two traditions with Italian speck ham providing the second, but it is within the pasta and risotto dishes that you can adapt almost any main ingredient, as well enjoy some of Italy's most traditional treats. Who can deny a well formed spaghetti Bolognese or penne Marco Polo? And not for nothing is a nicely prepared spaghetti carbonara the preferred dish of many.

From a selection of five choices amongst the secondi many will head unerringly for controfiletto ai ferri, a 7oz sirloin steak char-grilled to preference and served with garlic butter, roast field mushrooms, fries and rocket, or the fritto misto, lightly battered prawns, cod fillet, calamari and courgette with fries and a herb lemon and caper dip.

Could anything be more appropriate than The Godfather, for 1 or 2 naturally, with nutty chocolate fudge brownies, vanilla and toffee ice cream with chocolate sauce, fresh cream and wafer curls, and rest assured the coffee will do justice to the meal.

With a wine list that makes few concessions to other countries - and why should it - good Italian food can receive an equally national baptism by wine. For further enlightenment, news about their on-line shop and special deals, a click on their lively Website will reveal all.

Should you feel an American moment coming on, get straight into the mood at a TGI Friday's. First thought of in New York in 1965, introduced to Birmingham, UK in 1986, they now, like so many other American concepts, are to be found on a global basis and have 48 outlets in the UK alone. According to Newsweek and The Saturday Evening Post, the opening of the first Friday's restaurant heralded the dawn of the singles age.

In many ways, TGIs are more representative of the American approach to eating out than some of their imitators. Their food is fresh, the portions generous and the cocktail list exhaustive. They also tend to represent the all-American classlessness that can produce a meal at any time, for any social group, for any reason, under the same roof, without a problem.

So what's on offer? The quick answer is, it depends rather on where you are, as menus do vary from one restaurant to another, but the essential message stays the same - American grub, fella! Appetizers - no starters please - could include Jack Daniel's wings, chicken wings coated in Jack Daniel's sweet 'n' smoky glaze, or spinach and artichoke hearts coated in a rich and creamy cheese sauce, served with crisp corn tortillas.

For a group assault try the Times Square big share, more of Jack Daniel's wings, cheese and bacon skins to the very brim, with crispy breaded mozzarella dippers and served with a battery of accoutrements.

The steaks are awesome, topping out with a 12oz rib eye. A range of burgers, ribs, chicken, fish, sandwiches, fajitas, salads and pasta embraces virtually every known twist in the repertoire of American cuisine. Chocolate fudge fixation perhaps sums up best, but by no means exclusively, the TGI approach to desserts.

From a list of over 500 cocktails, all mixed with exuberant charm, let's take just one. You thought Long Island Iced Tea was something polite Americans sipped after some gentle sailing? Think again. Vodka, gin, rum and orange liqueur, topped up with Coke, spin and pour. The popular drink was in fact, invented by TGIF. As with all cocktails you can choose between regular or ultimate, no questions asked. Beer, wine and soft drinks cover enormous range and they also offer good coffee.

It is not important which outlet of TGIF you visit, for if you enjoy the American style of eating, just look out for red and white stripes and you are likely to be happy.

To locate a Friday's nearest to you and get the world famous Friday feeling on any day of the week click on their Website.

With quality food, friendly staff, quick service and excellent value for money, Nando's is a great place to eat. Don't expect identikit, pre-fab restaurant interiors which are usually a staple of the larger chains; each restaurant is tailored to its local surroundings and customers, offering up a unique restaurant experience to go with the equally unique taste of legendary, Portuguese, Peri-Peri chicken.

Your peri-peri chicken, when the chips are down so to speak, is a fresh A grade chicken that has never seen the inside of a freezer, but having made the supreme sacrifice is butterfly-cut, marinated for 24 hours in a secret brew called - you've guessed - peri-peri, and is then cooked to your choice over an open flame.

There are, of course, many variations on this broad theme, numerous plays on words such as Nando's experi-perience, peri-peri good reasons why you should eat at a Nando's, and all one hopes is that for their sake chicken never goes out of fashion. New Nando's are opening all the time, peri-peri quickly in fact, the spicy bastes become hotter and more daring, and the full platter offers a whole chicken, large chips or spicy rice and Nando's salad or coleslaw.

Since chickens are vegetarian it seems logical you can order veggie or bean burgers and patties, and still feel the heat from the peppers. All in all, Nando's is hotly recommended for those occasions when you have a large following of permanently hungry children, or adults even, to keep happy - the only thing taken really seriously is the quality of those peri-peri good chickens.

Nando's is a place for bright people who love to laugh and love to eat, and is guaranteed to spice up your taste buds. Their fun approach to life means that when you visit Nando's you can fully relax without the airs and graces associated with more starchy dining out.

For the location of your nearest Nando's restaurant and a host of details about menus, parties and drinks, a click on their Website will reveal a Pandora's box of information.

With quality food, friendly staff, quick service and excellent value for money, Nando's is a great place to eat. Don't expect identikit, pre-fab restaurant interiors which are usually a staple of the larger chains; each restaurant is tailored to its local surroundings and customers, offering up a unique restaurant experience to go with the equally unique taste of legendary, Portuguese, Peri-Peri chicken.

Your peri-peri chicken, when the chips are down so to speak, is a fresh A grade chicken that has never seen the inside of a freezer, but having made the supreme sacrifice is butterfly-cut, marinated for 24 hours in a secret brew called - you've guessed - peri-peri, and is then cooked to your choice over an open flame.

There are, of course, many variations on this broad theme, numerous plays on words such as Nando's experi-perience, peri-peri good reasons why you should eat at a Nando's, and all one hopes is that for their sake chicken never goes out of fashion. New Nando's are opening all the time, peri-peri quickly in fact, the spicy bastes become hotter and more daring, and the full platter offers a whole chicken, large chips or spicy rice and Nando's salad or coleslaw.

Since chickens are vegetarian it seems logical you can order veggie or bean burgers and patties, and still feel the heat from the peppers. All in all, Nando's is hotly recommended for those occasions when you have a large following of permanently hungry children, or adults even, to keep happy - the only thing taken really seriously is the quality of those peri-peri good chickens..

Nando's is a place for bright people who love to laugh and love to eat, and is guaranteed to spice up your taste buds. Their fun approach to life means that when you visit Nando's you can fully relax without the airs and graces associated with more starchy dining out.

For the location of your nearest Nando's restaurant and a host of details about menus, parties and drinks, a click on their Website will reveal a Pandora's box of information.