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Prezzo has been delighting diners for over eight years, and this Italian restaurant chain has since been able to expand throughout large parts of England and Scotland with some 141 outlets.

Interestingly, the company seeks to restore either impressive buildings or ones of local interest. The conversion of the Newbury library and other listed buildings, such as those in Salisbury, Romsey and Mayfair, are all welcome examples of 'new use'. Their trendy and sophisticated décor usually consists of tiled or wooden floors with delicate lights and colourful paintings, along with wooden furniture and sparkling cutlery, creating a setting that is suitable for a relaxed lunch, a family meal or an evening out with friends.

The restaurants are of particular appeal to those who like genuine Italian cuisine, and they use only the best seasonal products, many of which are imported directly from Italy. The menu includes pizza, pasta, risotto, grilled meats, fresh salads and frequently changing specials.

The freshly baked breads, like the garlic bread with mozzarella cheese, are perfect for sharing and give you adequate breathing space to order starters to follow. Crab cakes served with garlic mayonnaise or grilled goat's cheese with plum tomatoes and caramelised onions on foccacia bread with a balsamic glaze set the tone for a hearty meal. Best fun is to order an antipasto platter to share made up from seven well loved Italian nibbles.

Find pastas such as the unusual penne con salmone, with oak-roasted salmon, broccoli and fresh chillies in a red pesto and cream sauce, or firm favourites like spaghetti with meatballs, spaghetti Bolognese, and fusilli al pesto, asparagus spears with field mushrooms and roasted peppers in a basil pesto sauce.

Amongst the special pastas, the pollo mariano, seasoned chicken, pepperoni sausage, roasted peppers and fusilli in tomato sauce, is interesting and different. Italian menus would be incomplete without risotto, like tiger prawns with petits pois in a creamy saffron sauce.

Classic pizzas embrace, among a wide selection, the popular napoletana, topped with yellowfin tuna, tomato, white anchovies, capers, red onion, mozzarella and marinated olives, and the much loved quattro stagioni - pepperoni sausage, prosciutto ham, artichoke, field mushrooms, capers, marinated olives, mozzarella and tomato.

Specials could include the pollo Siciliana, char-grilled chicken breast, prosciutto ham and plum tomato slices, baked with their blend of cheese, only one example from the many tempting offerings that come out from the Prezzo kitchens.

You can accompany the food with a variety of tipples, though for many, Italian food requires Italian wines to be enjoyed to the full, ranging from house wine through Morellino di Scansano and Prosecco to liqueurs and beer, and there is espresso or fresh ground coffee to wind up an enjoyable meal, in company with a glass of grappa or sambuca.

This is Italian food at its attractive best, convincing and bringing together the traditional with the modern twist or two against a background of excellent value.

Prezzo is a lively group and opportunities to improve and update are never left on the table for long. Keep up to date with a quick click on their Website.

Dating back to 1624, the Merrie Harriers is a Grade II listed building, offering a quintessentially English experience. The restaurant looks out onto a terrace with rustic tables and further seating is available in the well-kept gardens, with views out over the local countryside.

A full menu is served seven days a week, with a lighter bar menu at lunchtime, except on Sundays. Their dishes may be best described as 'new British classics'. All the food is freshly prepared on the premises by the head chef and his team. Every effort is made to source local produce, using free range and organic ingredients whenever possible. This attention to detail has not gone unnoticed, with the Merrie Harriers recently featuring in the national finals of not one, but two competitions for excellence in pub food.

A lovely old farmhouse dating back to 1652 forms the main part of this pleasant country hotel set in seventeen acres of beautiful gardens. Its proximity to Brighton, Eastbourne and Tunbridge Wells as well as the access it provides to local tourist attractions such as vineyards, castles, theme parks and golf courses make it an ideal getaway. The building retains some of the original features such as the fireplace, timber beams and even a tunnel constructed during the civil war.

The restaurant experiments with the freshest of local produce to offer guests a unique dining experience. Medallions of pork, pan-seared red snapper; breast of chicken stuffed with fresh figs, and grilled cod fillet call out from the main course list. Smoked salmon and basil roulade, duck liver port and orange parfait, and devilled kidneys provide a rousing start to the banquet. Summer berry strudel and champagne poached pear sweetly fill in the chinks to complete a hearty meal.

Inviting, warm and with an old world charm, the RelaxInnz Corn Exchange in Hailsham, is a restaurant that would make any diner linger at his meal, inspite of his rush to get someplace else. Dating back to the 17th century, the vibrant bistro with its warm wooden walls and elegantly crafted furniture has a wide choice of menus for any time of the day, be it a family breakfast, a Sunday lunch or even a romantic dinner meal for two.

The real ale bar adjoining the restaurant is cosy and intimate, offering a wide range of regional wines, ales and spirits. Ample opportunities by the glass make exciting drinking a real possibility and an interesting range of after dinner treats for those with time and company on their hands is well worth considering.

With very few restaurants managing to retain their flavour and essence, the Corn Exchange is one such that will continue to pull in the crowds for years to come.