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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.

This is one of those places where relaxing atmosphere and good food blend to create a comfort zone that draws you back within its doors, time and again. Red Peppers, with outlets in Birmingham, Esher and Teddington, has unpretentious décor and friendly staff, and has become a lunch time favourite for many. In summer, you can sit outside and enjoy your meal on the terrace overlooking the canal.

The menu has a few international undertones with Thai and Mexican influences creeping in and starters such as small rack of baby back ribs or smoked mackerel pâté. But it is the pizzas there which hold the most appeal, with a range of at least eleven to choose from carrying toppings that include chicken fajita, goat's cheese and eggs Florentine. Desserts include sinful delights such as tiramisu and chocolate parfait while the Italian wines on their list are totally on the same wavelength.

George is a very grown-up sort of place, with a distinct feeling that it sorts the men from the boys, the sort of place you would not wish to mess with. Those familiar with Esher High Street will heave a sigh of relief to know that George is well insulated from it, and once inside there is a 40 foot bar at which a seriously adult range of drinks are there to iron away the more grisly aspects of a thoroughly lousy day.

Having prepared the ground, so to speak, it's time to find your way into the restaurant, well able to comfortably set some 70 covers, with formal service, to savour equally formal food such as tourchon of Suffolk ham, tomato tartare, petite salad, with sweet sherry dressing, wild mushroom ravioli, or pan fried monkfish intriguingly partnered with braised oxtail.

Desserts are no less challenging with white liquorice ice cream, caramelised florelle pear and vanilla chocolate for example. A cleverly compiled wine list certainly lends lustre to a place which is undoubtedly doing the social life of Esher a considerable favour.

The Albert Arms on High Street brings a most convivial atmosphere to the locals in Esher with its classical décor and the inevitable nod to contemporary entertainment choices with the huge plasma screen for sports lovers. The mahogany bar, oak panelling and flooring lend the necessary warmth and the restaurant exudes its own brand of welcome, with its beautiful leather benches and chairs.

Typical British cuisine is interspersed with Italian elements to set it apart admirably and starters could be chicken liver pate with toast or Parma ham and melon. Fish lovers will no doubt be thrilled with choices such as grilled Dover sole or butterfly king prawns in garlic butter and wine while their steaks, fillets and chops are perfect for those who favour grills. A popular dessert could well be the spiced lemon tart and the extensive wine list is steadily supported by old favourites and newcomers from across the world.

Sometimes a good restaurant will transcend your expectations and rise to provide an experience that is hard to forget. At The Good Earth restaurant, patrons and guests have actually come to expect this, and over the years they have established themselves as one of the best Chinese restaurants in London. Excellent service, top quality food and a pleasing, relaxing ambience have made it the perfect choice for romantic evenings, business dinners or a casual meeting with friends.

Amongst the starters, there are honey glazed spare ribs; shredded smoked chicken or soft shell crab, lightly battered with peppercorns and spiced salt. For the main course, you could choose the crispy fragrant duck served with pancakes, spring onions and cucumber or grilled monkfish with lemongrass, fish jus, coriander and crispy shallots. Singapore rice noodles with chicken and shrimps or fried rice with chopped asparagus are well received, while vegetarians have an exciting range of dishes made of tofu and soya bean.

Côte is a chain of medium priced brasserie style restaurants that mirrors the trend in Paris, with a drift away from sophisticated food to less complicated cooking. So it should come as no surprise that they won the 2009 Good Food Guide's award for 'Best Value Restaurant in the UK'.

Inside there is none of the usual rather dated trappings, which have been replaced by a more chic, clean-cut approach to both décor and furnishings. Olives, bread and pissaladière set the tone for what is to come, with starters of rillettes or a warm Roquefort salad to name but two from a good range. Then choose between light mains such as wild mushroom cassoulet or tuna niçoise, or a meat and fish menu that includes duck confit and roast sea bass fillets with Savoy cabbage and peas in a white wine and cream sauce.

Desserts are a little more traditional, witness a convincing coupe noire or classic crème brûlée. Côte provides a genuine Gallic eating renaissance in elegant surroundings where you can dine with other people who are clearly enjoying the whole experience.

Carluccio's was started by Antonio and Priscilla Carluccio as a small café and shop stocking Italian food and ingredients in 1991, and grew into a restaurant serving authentic cuisine at sensible prices in 1999. Antonio is an expert on food and has been a wine merchant, restaurant manager and owner, cookery expert on television and author of twelve cookery books. It is therefore not surprising, that today Carluccio's has over fourty-nine outlets across the UK.

Antonio believes Italian cookery involves minimum fuss and maximum flavour. This is exactly what his restaurants try to do by using fresh produce, and working largely with families who make things the traditional way - with care. Their passion also translates into special events like hands-on cookery classes and recipe sharing, Antonio and his team regularly organise for interested guests. They also offer takeaways and a catering service.

The breakfast menu offers croissants and breads served with butter and preserves or honey and free range eggs, either scrambled or fried and served with pancetta or ciabatta. They also have long cured Parma ham and healthier options like muesli and fruits. These are best had with coffee, tea or freshly squeezed juice. Carluccio's offers an impressive list of white, red, rosé and sparkling wines which complement your meal.

The restaurants offer a range of soup and salads which give your meal a nutritious start before moving on to the mains. If you like pasta, enjoy the small filled parcels served in a ham and cream sauce, or sample the Neapolitana spaghetti with whole fresh clams, garlic, herbs and chilli. The branzino con salsa e patate, fillet of pan fried sea bass served with tomato salsa and sautéed potatoes and Somerset rib-eye steak with rosemary potatoes, called bistecca di bue con patate, are good options too. If you are looking for something lighter, you could opt for the numerous sides called contorni and panini.

In the Tuscany region of Italy, meals end simply with almond biscuits dipped in a sweet local wine, Vin Santo and eaten. You can enjoy that experience at Carluccio's, or settle for a more conventional dolci of tiramisu, warm chocolate and kahlua pudding, your choice of Italian cheeses or gelatos in different flavours.