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Formerly a church, this handsome building lends itself ideally to its new role, with its original features, open beamed ceilings and flagstone floors ensuring that none of its former character is lost. Perhaps it is part of its previous incarnation but there does seem to be an air of unhurried calm about.

Outside a beautifully kept walled patio garden, all tropical plants ands whitewashed walls offers more than a whiff of Mediterranean influence, with patio heaters to help things along when required. Part of a small group of professionally run restaurants Bel and the Dragon emphasize that they are a restaurant first and foremost, cooking with care and using only the best fresh ingredients.

This is a claim which clearly connects with the aspirations of their customers, who support the restaurant with the strength of, dare we say, dragon's breath. The increasing popularity of tapas has helped spread the agreeable habit of 'nibbles' with drinks before a meal. So savour a bowl of rustic breads served with roast garlic, olive and oils as you browse the menu.

A wide choice of starters, many also available as main courses, could include roasted figs stuffed with blue cheese wrapped in parma ham on herb salad with apple balsamic, a parfait of chicken livers served with toasted brioche, spiced pear chutney and endive salad, or a puff pastry shell filled with sautéed seafood, wild mushrooms and herb vin blanc sauce.

Both starters and main courses offer a daily blackboard selection, always worth keeping a close eye upon, with special treats that a changing market has made possible. Amongst the regular mains expect to find Bel's posh roast half chicken, corn-fed, accompanied by bread sauce, sage and onion stuffing and roast jus, with chips, melt-in-the-mouth slow roasted lamb shoulder on herb mashed potato with redcurrant and mint jus, or chargrilled smoked haddock on spring onion potato cake and topped with sautéed spinach, poached egg and rarebit sauce.

For those who cannot go long without a good steak there is a choice between a chargrilled 10oz prime fillet or rib eye, with an option on either sautéed mushrooms and tomatoes or cheese glaze and peppercorn sauce.

All main courses are served with the Chef's choice of potatoes, and there are side orders of fresh market vegetables, salads and hand cut chips.

A good wine list should have about it an immediate attraction that grips your attention, and an initial glance here tells us that there is an excellent choice of house wines by the bottle or glass at prices that should bring a smile to your face. If it's celebration time there is a decent house champagne, also by the flute or bottle.

The main list contains contributions from the New World as well as more traditional sources, including a nifty and very affordable Puligny Montrachet from Domaine Jean Pascal. It is particularly good to see South African wines back in the market - some of their Pinotage makes really rewarding drinking.

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.

Cricket has been played in the town of Godalming, right from the 16th century and The Cricketers, a traditional village pub also bears a number of connections to the sport, as one of the landlords in the 18th century was part of the first English team that toured Australia. Today, it is a popular place to head out for Sunday roasts, or to simply down some of their real ales and delicious homemade food. The atmosphere inside is relaxed and casual, resembling a gentleman's club to a certain extent.

The menu features sandwiches, light bites and salads, most suitable for lunch while main meals include beer battered haddock and chips, hand carved honey roast ham, breaded scampi, homemade shepherd's pie as well as juicy steaks served with flat mushroom and grilled tomato. For dessert, there are old favourites such as spotted dick and the wine list is concise, with award winning beers as the real stars.

Pizza Express remains a hugely popular bedrock of casual eating. Its popularity is testimony to the fact that across the country, they have restaurants where you will always be guaranteed a good nosh, with children's tastes being well catered for.

Pizza Express has gone even more Roman, and following the success of that particular example of listening to their public have introduced Romana pizzas, including the scorching Etna and the hearty Siciliana.

These pizzas are now thinner, bigger and crispier, and if that sounds like a marketing line, it is. However, unlike many such lines, this one is true, and their quality is always consistent, though cleverly they have still managed to retain a homemade feel to their pizzas.

As an alternative to pizza, try their pollo pesto - cavatappi pasta with torn chicken breast, mushrooms, red onions and mozzarella in a creamy gruyere, parmesan and pesto sauce and finished with grana padano - or the niçoise salad with mixed leaves, yellowfin tuna, free range egg, green beans, potatoes and tomatoes with olives, anchovies, capers and house dressing.

Many of the big chains have come a long way, and Pizza Express is certainly amongst them. One of the first to be quoted on the Stock Exchange - in 1993 - Pizza Express is not a franchise operation and retains tight control through its own staff.

Their wine list - though short - contains some surprisingly good offerings, especially their intense Australian Chardonnay, and a big, full-bodied Merlot from Cusumano, Sicilia.

Right in the centre of the town, there's La Luna, an Italian restaurant that exceeds your expectations marvellously, if you've been equating Italian with just pizza and pasta. The monochromatic décor with white walls and tablecloths has elements of black interspersed stylishly with leather chairs and table under cloths. The service is pleasant and attentive and the general feeling you imbibe is that of a smart and contemporary place where the food happens to be excellent.

The seasonal menu has influences from Sicily, and starters could well be the roasted sardines stuffed with flavoured breadcrumbs served with tomato, olive and caper salsa, followed by a pan fried calf's liver on a bed of sautéed cavolo nero and pancetta, with parsnip puree and aged balsamic jus. The Tahitian vanilla pannacotta served with prosecco and forest fruit jelly is a delicious way to end, and the predominantly Italian wines are perfect accompaniments to the meal.