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The Beefeater Grill range of restaurants, owned by the well established firm of Whitbread has transformed over time into what is now predominantly a cooking platform for chargrill. The restaurants are warm, modern and stylish, with low lighting and contemporary artwork. A comfortable, cosy, mainly booth layout offers guests their own space with no feeling of being hurried at any point. Staff are friendly and helpful if need be - what a difference that can make to a good evening out.

Be it the wide open spaces of Argentina, the intimate setting of a French restaurant, or a busy grill in London's West End, there's no denying the popularity of chargrill. As the production of quality beef, chicken, fish and lamb has grown, prices have come down by comparison, and the simple and traditional art of minimally cooking dishes by chargrill, sealing in the flavours and tastes by intense heat has caught the public imagination.

All the steaks at Beefeater Grill are matured for a minimum of 28 days before being seasoned. Whether it be juicy rib eye, the classic sirloin, that emblem of the Sunday lunch, a tender fillet, or a delicious 7oz rump, all grilled to your own specification, you're never far away from perfection. Even beefburgers have shaken off their dubious image and the highly popular Beefeater burgers are made from 100% beef.

The popular sirloin with giant prawns offers a treat to those for whom an alliance between sea and pasture is a natural attraction, whilst a 16oz steak platter links rump, fillet, sirloin and rib eye into one mouth-watering dish served with chips, battered onion rings, grilled tomato, a flat mushroom and peppercorn and brandy sauce.

Many of us love rib meat, and the rack of ribs at a Beefeater Grill has a meaty rack smoky flavour; maple ribs of pork with a choice of three sauces, mojito, smoked caramel and apple glaze, or Bourbon and black BBQ. And if all else fails and you are totally baffled by the wealth of choices, ask to have a word with the Steakmaster who will help find what is right for you, together with the best cooking method. These guys leave nothing to chance.

On a menu that is a delight to read, let alone choose a meal from, expect to find smaller dishes such as traditional prawn cocktail, whitebait, chicken liver pâté and baked Camembert, or juicy lamb koftas served with yoghurt and mint dip. There's something about a good steak meal that always leaves a gap for a little temptation to sweeten up the scene and from amongst twelve options look for Belgian chocolate cheesecake, treacle sponge pudding or a caramel apple crumble pie.

Throughout the day a wide range of more general dishes are yours for the ordering, sandwiches, jackets, classic favourites like fish and chips, pasta, salads, and sharing dishes of nachos, potato shells and a Beefeater Grill combo. Next door to many of the restaurants are Premier Inns, so staying the night whatever the circumstances need not be a problem.

And what about wine? Endorsed by Matthew Jukes, wine writer in the Daily Mail and bon viveur in his own right, a wine list that marches with the menu completes an impressive and compelling invitation to enjoy whatever takes your fancy at the nearest Beefeater Grill.

Click on their Website for menu updates and special offers.

A local institution since the 1860s, The Inn at Maybury's claim to fame is being featured in H.G. Wells' novel The War of the Worlds. While retaining its charming period exterior, complete with gabled roof, the interiors have been beautifully refurbished in a contemporary style encouraging guests to relax and unwind at leisure while they choose from a range of delicious modern British and Mediterranean dishes. Located in Woking, on the outskirts of Greater London, The Inn has excellent transport links and is easily accessible by rail, road and public transport.

An uncompromising quality of service makes all the difference at The Inn, the emphasis here is on giving guests a premium dining experience, so expect a warm welcome which extends to friendly attentive service. By no means a run of the mill 'gastropub', the experience is equally rewarding whether you've popped in for a quick lunch time snack or a full 3-course meal with the family, there is something for everybody at this excellent Surrey country pub. With plenty of outside seating for al fresco dining in warmer weather and a roaring log fire during the winter, the Inn at Maybury's inviting ambience is an immediate mood lifter.

The eye for quality extends to the menu which uses market fresh seasonal ingredients and offers customers plenty of variety. You could begin with a sticky sharing platter of pork ribs and watermelon, classic Mediterranean chicken and chorizo spiedini, or delicious lamb koftas and flatbreads. Alternatively opt for individual starters of button mushroom bourguignon with stirata Romana rustic bread or homemade pork rilette with pear, balsamic and date chutney and toast.

The à la carte offers a range of pizzas, pastas and salads which extend well beyond the usual margherita or lasagna. So, take your pick from a stone-baked piccante pizza topped with pepperoni, chorizo, tomato and jalapenos, mouthwatering macaroni with smoked haddock, spinach and Applewood Cheddar or salad of chicken with avocado, melon, pomegranate, feta, chilli, cilantro and lime aioli.

If succulent grilled fare is what you would like for your main course, then The Inn makes every effort to please with a selection which includes spit roast sweet cure gammon with Brussels sprout and parmesan gratin; fillet steak garni with hand-cut jenga chips and rib eye steak with horseradish and parsley butter and frites.

To give your weekend that special touch, The Inn lays out a splendid Sunday spread which includes enduring favourites such as roast rib of beef with Yorkshire pudding; garlic and rosemary studded leg of English lamb and English loin of pork with crackling. Come in, read the papers with a pint of your favourite beer at hand, or give yourself the perfect pick-up with a bloody Mary while you unwind in the company of family and friends.

To finish, consider tempting dessert of banoffee pie; warm brownie with vanilla ice cream and dark chocolate sauce; apple and blackcurrant crumble with vanilla custard or limoncello posset with langues de chat biscuits. Alternatively, you could choose the cheese plate with delicious Colliers Cheddar, camembert and gorgonzola.

Connoisseurs of fine wine will delight in the numerous wine tastings at The Inn. Sparkling Thursdays promise premium fizz at generous prices while the Rothschild Supper Club offers two courses and a bottle of premium Rothschild champagne for two people for just £40.

You might also want to consider visiting nearby sister pubs The Inn On The Lake or The Seahorse.

More information can be found on their Website.

The village common at Nomansland goes back over a hundred years and is notorious for sports such as cock fighting, cricket and horseracing. Awash with legends of the masked highwaywoman who haunted this location and dubbed the 'wicked lady', her real identity as Lady Ferrers of Markvate, became known only after her death. Today, the Ferrers Lane area and the surrounding commons are home to an attractive pub, named after her, offering tasty food and drinks complemented by warm hospitality. The real log fires, the comfortable furniture and the spacious dining area buzz with activity as diners enjoy carefully prepared dishes made from the freshest ingredients available locally.

Contemporary pubs such as these usually share a number of characteristics. An important feature is space, preferably a restaurant where you are comfortable, not over-awed, and not sharing elbow space with the next table, however sociable they may be. Good, too, to have a garden, optional al fresco eating out space, and by no means least a roomy and well stocked bar where you can actually get served without undue delay. After all, drinking should be taken seriously.

If a pub offers all of these, and is in a good location, there is little reason in today's economic climate why it should not flourish. But of course there are other factors, not least of which is the food and drink. The term 'gastropub' covers a multitude of blessings, and it is possible to see influences of brasserie, bistro, restaurant and even café at work within the great gastro umbrella. So expect to find no one single cuisine, but a blend designed to provide something for everybody, no matter what their treat may be.

To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, antipasti of Italian meats, dolcelatte, marinated vegetables and warm stone-baked flatbreads, or Mediterranean mezze of hummus, roasted vegetables, fregola, tzatziki, feta, spinach and ricotta pâté with flatbreads. Amongst the appetisers look for freshly made soup; lamb koftas with mint yoghurt, kohlrabi, cumin and carrot salad, or gambas with rocket, garlic aioli and rustic bread. Look, too, for scallops in the specials section.

The salads offer chargrilled chicken, courgette, fennel, apple, asparagus, hazelnut and balsamic dressing, and for the seafood fiends some prawn and avocado, pecans, mango, bacon with orange and pomegranate vinaigrette never fail to please. These days no self-respecting gastropub can afford to be without its pizza range; expect to find a classic margherita of pomodoro, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and basil, the rustica with roasted Mediterranean vegetables, goats' cheese and cherry tomatoes, or the piccante with pepperoni, chorizo, tomato and jalapeños.

Pastas include linguini with tiger prawns, crab, chorizo, chilli, tomato and white wine; strozzapreti of tomato, goats' cheese, spinach, pine nuts and raisins, or tagliatelle with slow cooked Bolognaise and parmesan. For the big event there is always roast rump of lamb with sauce soubise, asparagus, pancetta, button onions and baby potatoes. The battered haddock with frites, tartare sauce and minted mushy peas is popular, a sign of the times and improving taste in eating, as is the blackened cod fillet with egg noodles, pak choi, mango and chilli salsa. For hearty eaters there are there are rib eye and fillet steaks or spit chicken with lemon, garlic, thyme and frites.

A wide range of supporting dishes includes carrot, cumin, orange and chilli salad, and cabbage, leeks and peas. For desserts choose between Eton mess or apple, blackcurrant crumble and vanilla custard. A worthy selection of cheeses in guaranteed to set the buffs alight.

Wicked Lady stocks a wide range of beers, both well loved draught ales and continental lagers bottled from further afield which includes Cabernet Shiraz Merlot from South Africa. The wine list covers plenty of territory from traditional clarets to Pinot Grigio, and champagne by the glass or bottle is always available. Service is cheerful, brisk and totally in keeping with the friendly nature of a good English gastropub.

More information, including full menus, is available on their Website. Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

Looking out to sea with a timber deck set with white parasols and steel pillars, Fire & Stone Portsmouth offers guests the feeling of being on a cruise liner, perfect for dining al fresco. Situated on Gunwharf Quays, close to the Vue Cinema, the restaurant is perfect for a meal before or after a movie.
 
Fire and Stone's stone-baked pizzas are made from fresh ingredients and cooked in a wood-fired oven. Inspired by flavours of the world, the pizzas are grouped into classic, Africa, Asia, Americas, Australasia and Europe. A party menu, kids menu and special offers are also available.

The range of delicious starters includes grilled bruschetta with Parma ham, melted brie, caramelized onion jam and pesto; crisp fried calamari served with tartare sauce and a charcuterie board with Parma ham, Napoli salami, garlic and fennel salami, smoked ham, houmous, taramasalata, Kalamata olives, cornichons and grilled pitta bread.

Fire & Stone's classic pizza range includes the Florence with mozzarella, tomato sauce, spicy pepperoni, Italian garlic and fennel salami, sun blushed tomatoes and marinated black olives and Athena with roasted red pepper sauce, mozzarella, tomatoes, spinach, barrel-aged Greek feta cheese and pine nuts, all drizzled with pesto sauce. For something more exotic try a Marrakech with mint yoghurt sauce, mozzarella, cumin spiced ground lamb, olives, red onions, topped with mint and cucumber yoghurt, raisins and chilli oil.
 
Going further east, there's the Peking pizza with Chinese hoi sin sauce, shredded aromatic duck, mozzarella and spring onions topped with cucumber ribbons or the Bombay with roast tandoori marinated chicken, spiced tandoori yoghurt base, broccoli, sliced red onion, mozzarella topped with spiced mango chutney, cucumber and mint yoghurt.

For New World flavours try an Acapulco with mozzarella, tomato sauce, slow cooked ground chilli beef, jalapenos, sliced red onions, topped with sour cream and guacamole or, from the Australasia section you could opt for the Byron Bay topped with basil pesto, mozzarella, field mushrooms, cumin roasted sweet potato, cherry tomatoes, green olives, topped with crushed macadamia nuts.

The salads section offers a refreshing choice of chicken Caesar salad with roast chicken breast, cos lettuce, parmesan, rustic croutons and classic Caesar salad dressing; Israeli cous cous salad with mixed peppers, roasted aubergine, whole roast chicken breast, coriander, tzatziki and spicy harissa and spinach, bacon, avocado and artichoke salad tossed with creamy grain mustard vinaigrette.

If you prefer pasta there's a choice of sumptuous smoked bacon and mushroom penne with mixed field mushrooms, white wine, smoked bacon, double cream and parsley or vegetarian rigatoni alla arrabiatta with giant rigatoni tossed in a classic North African chilli, garlic and tomato sauce with added roasted red peppers.

Finish with tempting dessert of tarte au citron with crème Chantilly and raspberry coulis, banoffee pizza; a sweet pizza base with banoffee sauce, freshly sliced bananas and vanilla ice cream or a selection of Marshfield Cotswold ice cream.

The drinks menu includes a selection of wines, beers, spirits, cocktails, smoothies and shakes..

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

Starting life as the village inn, this handsome building dates back to the 17th century and still retains its original oak beams and inglenook fireplace with a bread oven, features which permeate the two dining rooms, one of which opens on to its own private enclosed sun deck with full cover marquee. There is a comfortable lounge with bar for pre or after meal drinks. There is something rather special about having the option to move outside for post prandial coffee and drinks and both dining rooms are available for exclusive private functions or conferences.

Speculation that the name Cornfields implies a rural setting would be entirely met. Located in the heart of the Bedfordshire countryside, but only a mere ten minutes from the county town of Bedford, or St Neots, with its pleasant waterside setting by the River Ouse, Cornfields is surrounded by recreational activities, with a clay target complex, golf courses, horse riding, a butterfly park and a wealth of historic sites.

Who does not love hotels that not only get everything right, but ensure that their dining room is par excellence, and so it is with Cornfields. The feeling as you enter is of embarking upon an enjoyable experience in the house of friends you really value, with the result that you already have that comfortable sensation which seems to tweak the gastric juices just a little more than usual.

A starter of stilton, walnut and bacon fritters with redcurrant and port sauce does nothing to dispel this view, and the confit of duck in a filo parcel on oriental salad with sesame oil is particularly good. Seared Scottish scallops on pea and mint puree with Parma ham provide a simple dish of integrity, and for those who have never given up on the habit there is often the most dreamy cream of mushroom soup - comfort food of a high order, and why not?

In season a roasted guinea fowl supreme on a potato rösti with wild mushroom sauce makes for an indulgent dish. Barbary duck breast with plum compote and Pinot Noir sauce creates an interesting flavour blend, and in the view of some pose a definite challenge to even the medallions of Aberdeen Angus beef, served with caramelised shallots and red wine gravy.

Desserts lend themselves to a frivolous approach, tinged with some classicism, and Cornfields rises well to the occasion with an apricot and sultana bread and butter pudding, served with apricot sauce and pouring cream, or the ever faithful crème brûlée. Their selection of cheese is not only commendable but also well presented and cared for. How refreshing to find a restaurant where the coffee is not measured out to the last grain - unlimited supplies here of an excellent Italian blend, accompanied by handmade petit fours.

The wine list displays an open-ness of mind that is commendable. Prices are sensible, with real quality wine by the bottle or glass. There is a scattering of half bottles, something we don't see enough of in these days of more controlled drinking.

Five well equipped, spacious and comfortable bedrooms are tastefully decorated, leaving nothing to chance. All rooms have king size beds, en suite baths and showers, television and radio alarm clocks, direct dial telephones, trouser press and tea and coffee making facilities. Each room is furnished in a different style and all have views out over the open countryside.

Menus vary frequently for all the right reasons, so do not hesitate to get an update by clicking on their excellent straightforward and informative Website.

Mercifully, there are still what might be termed 'real' pubs around lending their charms and restorative powers to the rural British. True it is that WiFi has arrived at The Black Horse in a quiet, hidden, Buckinghamshire conservation village but this is no hindrance to the conduct of sociability in this quaint place so incredibly near to the heart of London.

Workmen building the Church of St James next door were billeted in the warren of rooms which still look much the same as they did then, except that the furnishings have moved up market with rich fabrics, antique furniture and pictures. The food is described as 'British Colonial' (BC) and a well-travelled wine list sits comfortably alongside those who prefer hand-pulled British beers. BC apparently includes honey and mustard glazed 'Stockings Farm' ham with fat chips, fried duck egg and pineapple chutney, or cider braised pork belly with shallot tatin and broad bean jus.

Whilst there are no great proclamations about seasonal food even the briefest of glimpses confirms such treats as pan-fried sea trout fillet on classic niçoise salad, or deep-fried Whiting goujons with crushed cumin and garlic peas and spiced 'Black Horse' ketchup, or a classic English lamb loin chops with marinated feta, baby gem, broad bean and pea salad. In a world where some believe it difficult to make chicken sound attractive any longer, at the Black Horse they offer corn-fed chicken schnitzel with harissa spiced aubergines, crisp sweet potato and soured cream, which seems to call the shots well enough.

Somebody who cares an awful lot about vegetables go out of their way to encourage interest in that department; try the baked goats' cheese with beetroot, oven-dried tomatoes and pistachio dressing or the wild mushroom, Barkham blue and rocket puff pastry turnover with heirloom tomato salad.

What people find so very tempting about the puddings here is the wines that go with them. A list of around 12 includes Château Laville Sauternes '05, and from Italy a Vin Santo di Capezzana Riserva '02, described as 'the wine of the saints'. But this is jumping the gun and thoughts of warm caramelised pineapple tarte tatin with cardamon ripple mascarpone, or steamed chocolate sponge with butterscotch syrup and clotted cream ice cream provide that final impetus.

A happy cheerful and experienced staff are always on hand to provide service that needs no prompting and will brighten the dullest day.

A convincing number of wines by the glass means that the art of pouring the right wine to go with your meal can be well pursued here, and advice is always on hand if required. Few bottles stray over the £20 boundary.

A visit to their Website will take care of matters such as changing menus or arrangements for special occasions.

Offering delicious Parisian-style bistro cooking with a modern twist in an informal and welcoming atmosphere, Côte Brasserie at The Riverside in the bustling Oracle Shopping Centre, is the ideal venue for a quick lunch or leisurely evening meal. Guests can enjoy simple freshly prepared French food at a reasonable price with seating available both inside and at riverside alfresco tables.
 
Open all days of the week from 8 am for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the à la carte menu offers classics such as steak frites, moules marinières, steak tartare, pan roasted duck breast and rump of lamb. Other options include starters of coarsely shredded duck and pork pâté with toasted sourdough bread, seared yellow fin tuna, king prawns in a white wine, garlic and tomato sauce with toasted garlic and parsley croutons and sliced smoked Scottish salmon with dill, shallots, baby capers and crème fraîche dressing. You could also try pissaladière, traditional warm flatbread from Nice with caramelised onions and served with anchovies, olives and parsley or Reblochon cheese and thyme.

Main course choices include a number of delicious seafood options such as fish Parmentier of cod, haddock, prawn and salmon in a creamy white wine and leek sauce, topped with mash potato and gruyère cheese, or a luxurious seafood linguine with tiger prawns, mussels, clams and squid sautéed in garlic, chilli, shallots, white wine and cherry tomatoes. Classic meat dishes include steak haché, chopped spiced rump steak, char grilled and served with frites and a cornichon and tomato relish or pan roasted duck breast with potato gratin and a griottine cherry sauce.

Lighter dishes such as tuna Niçoise and tart Provençale, a warm puff pastry with ratatouille, goat's cheese, black olives, capers and basil could be equally satisfying. The grill offers authentic poulet Breton, with corn fed chicken sourced from rural Brittany, accompanied by frites and a choice of garlic butter, Provençale or wild mushroom sauce. Steaks from Church Farm in the Peak District are 'aged on the bone' and served char grilled with frites along with a choice of Roquefort or garlic butter, peppercorn or béarnaise sauce are also popular at Côte Brasserie.

Desserts of crème caramel, warm chocolate fondant, fine layered apple tart with vanilla ice cream, iced summer berries with warm white chocolate sauce and dark chocolate mousse indulge the sweet tooth. Alternatively, you could opt for Roquefort and Reblochon cheeses served with bread and grapes.

A full English breakfast as well as choice of crêpes with eggs and bacon, eggs Benedict, croque monsieur and madame or smoked salmon and scrambled eggs sets you up for the day ahead. The restaurant also offers daily and weekend specials that change to incorporate seasonal produce while two and three-course lunch and early evening set menus are available too. An excellent wine list features crisp whites such as Lagarde Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc La Place and a soft, fruity Chablis 1er Cru Montmain as well as a range of reds from a light Château La Croix De Queynac, or Côtes Du Rhone Rouge to a complex vintage Château La Tourette. It is also filled with examples of champagne, sparkling and rose wines. More information is available on their Website.

Located in a very authentic old Tudor building in the centre of town, quoted in the Charles Dickens novel, Great Expectations as the home of Uncle Pumblechuck, this charming restaurant is the direct inheritor of Elizabeth's Tea Rooms, with its pleasing red brick and half-timbered interior. Known nowadays for its enthusiastic use of local ingredients, it has become a hub for the community who appreciate the freshness and imagination of its food.

Only two minutes walk from Rochester Cathedral and Castle, Elizabeth's also provides a suitable setting for family parties and special occasions, where reliability and quality are important. An à la carte leads the way with starters of crab and smoked salmon terrine with citrus crème fraîche, and there is beef carpaccio with truffle oil and shaved parmesan. The rest of it rarely deviates from the French or modern European script, think rump of English lamb with crispy sweetbreads, sweet shallot puree and dauphinoise potatoes, and monkfish 'Kiev' with sautéed mussels and spinach with white bean puree.

Garlic mushrooms, mixed salad and spinach make attractive side orders and carry a pleasing measure of distinction. A riot of wickedness awaits those for whom desserts are a temptation that just cannot be passed by trio of local rhubarb, baked chocolate tart and vanilla crème brûlée with raspberries. A lunch menu offers incredibly good value from a choice of three starters, including home cured salmon, and three main courses where you can find pot roast breast of chicken.

Every so often a special occasion's menu is offered and you could expect ham hock terrine served, followed by roast British beef with Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes and gravy to prepare the palate for the big event. Whilst not familiar with Elizabeth's cellars you could imagine them to be some subtly dry, as only proper cellars can be, with that aroma around and a stable temperature that moves no more than within 4 degrees maximum. Certainly what comes out of it is satisfying and in some cases quite adventurous. It has certainly not been selected by anyone but a dedicated lover of the grape.

Their Website is clear and easy to use - click on it for further information, particularly about gourmet nights and other events.

The Red Lion at Stoke Green has been a public drinking house for over four hundred years and was formerly part of the estate belonging to the Howard-Vyse family of Stoke Place. For centuries, it has been integral to the culture of Stoke Green. It is one of those pubs that have surfaced on the mainstream of casual eating in the UK during the last decade and are taking an increasing share of the market.

Contemporary pubs like these usually share a number of characteristics; an important feature is space, preferably a restaurant where you are comfortable, not over-awed, and not sharing elbow space with the next table, however sociable they may be, good, too, to have a garden, an optional al fresco eating out space. And last, but by no means least, a roomy and well stocked bar where you can actually get served without undue delay, after all, drinking should be taken seriously.

If a pub offers all of these, and by implication the good management that goes with them, and is in a good location, there is little reason in today's economic climate why it should not flourish. The Red Lion at Stoke Green provides ample evidence that this is true.

To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, garlic pizzette with sun-blushed tomatoes, rocket and parmesan, a box baked Camembert with red onion jam and bread, and Greek mezze with taramasalata, red pepper hummus, tzatziki, feta and flatbreads.

Amongst the starters is freshly made soup, devilled mushrooms with chilli and mint on rustic toast, and Japanese fish cakes, pickled ginger, yuzu and spring onion dipping sauce with radish slaw. Look, too, for scallops of the day.

The salads - sorry that should read 'leaves' - offer crispy duck, mouli, carrots and spring onion with plum sauce, and for the seafood fiends some pastrami cured smoked salmon, Caesar, cos, parmesan, anchovies and croutons is received with enthusiasm.

These days no self-respecting gastropub can afford to be without its pizza range; expect to find margherita, a classic medley of tomato, mozzarella, oregano and basil, Siciliana with Serrano ham, roast artichoke, olives and mozzarella or rustica with roasted Mediterranean vegetables, goats? cheese, cherry tomatoes and rocket.

Pastas include bucatini carbonara with smoked haddock, pancetta and cream, or tagliatelle bolognaise, slow cooked beef, bacon and Chianti. Scottish salmon with noodles, Asian greens, coriander, pineapple and chilli salsa is popular, a sign of the times and improving taste in eating and the spit honey gammon ham with creamed potato, parsley and truffle sauce is worth trying too. For hearty eaters there are rib-eye and fillet steaks, and lemon sole with prawn and watercress butter and baby potatoes. Other choices encompass Peroni beer battered haddock and lamb rack with spiced dukkah crust, char-grilled stuffed peppers and minted potatoes.

A wide range of supporting dishes include creamed potatoes, 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.

The Red Lion stocks a wide range of beers, both well-loved draught ales and bottled from further afield. The wine list covers plenty of territory from traditional clarets to Pinot Grigio, and champagne by the glass or bottle is always available. Service is cheerful, brisk and totally in keeping with the friendly nature of a good English gastropub.

For up to date information please refer to their Website. Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

Situated in the thriving Oxfordshire town of Banbury, Veritas Wine Bar and Bistro has brought a new concept of relaxation and pleasure to the town, with food and drink that attracts as well as satisfies in surroundings that are a tribute to good taste and style. No matter whether you are in a state of semi collapse after too much shopping, or looking for the right environment in which to entertain, this is the place for you.

A WiFi connection may strike you as a dubious blessing - once inside Veritas your aim would probably be to stay out of touch, but there are always some for whom it is indispensable.

The role of Veritas as a haven of escape is interpreted in many different ways. They are promoting a fabulous Monday to Friday Working Lunch Specials that change weekly. Wine tastings and dinners are organised regularly so there really is no excuse for not increasing your knowledge of one of life's greatest pleasures. Veritas also holds regular Sunday lunch music festivals.

The food is designed to suit the occasion, whether it be a choice from the lunch menu or the dinner á la carte, as you contemplate the day of rest, a romantic evening, or a family celebration when time matters not.

Dinner service is available from 6pm with a full à la carte menu that might offer haddock fish cakes with baby spinach, poached egg and hollandaise sauce to start, or blue cheese tartlet with red onion marmalade and poached pear.

Mains tread carefully between the traditional course content with choices such as homemade beef lasagne served with garlic bread; mussels with white wine, garlic cream sauce and hand cut chips; lamb shank with red wine sauce, roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables; roast salmon with mussel chowder and potato rosti; pigeon breast with peas in French style, wholegrain mustard sauce, or pan seared scallops with artichoke, pancetta, clam and herb dressing.

If you fancy a nibble with your glass of wine in the evening, enjoy a selection of farmhouse cheeses with chutney, honey roasted figs and oat biscuits, or a charcuterie board of cured meats, gherkins, sun-dried tomatoes and crusty bread.

Bring the meal to a telling close with homemade crème brûlée, or pear and frangipane tart. Is it any wonder that with menus like these, executed with skill and panache, Veritas has become an extremely popular place? To top it all, much of the menu changes monthly so you?ll never get bored!

But the food is only part of the pleasure, and a wine list that would melt the steeliest heart travels the world. It's a spirited gallop through some pleasantly familiar names which appear as though some of the top bottles on offer have been spared traditional mark-ups.

Veritas has an excellent Website that will keep you up to speed with their attractive programme of events and seasonal menu changes, which are de rigueur.