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Located in the bustling market town of Witney, renowned for beer, bread and blankets, The Blue Boar lives up to the town's reputation and is a sought-after venue for some hearty Mediterranean food and local real ales. You could also unwind at the bar or the cafe overlooking the courtyard, and Blue Boar's cosy bedrooms are well-equipped with modern amenities and the famous blankets! The restaurant's interior is done up in warm colours with an open plan kitchen that allows diners to watch the chefs in action.

Kick start the day with a champagne or traditional breakfast alongside a steaming hot cup of cappuccino or hot chocolate. The main menu offers sharer plates such as antipasto misto, Greek mezze, bruschette platter and fish platter, and an exciting range of starters, light dishes, ciabatta sandwiches and pasta. Succulent 21-day aged beef steaks feature on the Josper grill menu alongside slow cooked shoulder of lamb, duck breast and pork rib-eye. Desserts include a warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream, and lemon crème brûlée with lavender shortbread.

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

Forbury's Restaurant is situated in the central square of a modern development opposite Forbury Garden in the centre of Reading; it has achieved many positive reviews since it opened along with a recommendation from Michelin since 2006, two AA Rosettes and inclusion in Harden's Recommended. The restaurant has been created by Xavier Le-Bellego whose name has become associated with fine food and dining.

Xavier has worked with the internationally famous Raymond Blanc, John Burton Race and Albert Roux before managing The Red House near Newbury where he received the coveted 'Gastro Pub of the Year' title for two consecutive years.

Forbury's offers unfussy renditions of modern French and British cuisines and some of the dishes that emerge from the kitchen could be foie gras with truffles, sauce gribiche and quenelle de brochet. Xavier passionately believes that 'good fresh food does not have to be expensive' and this is reflected in the menu admirably.

The modern and stylish restaurant is fully air conditioned and in addition to the main dining area, there is a private dining room, which can seat up to sixteen, a bar area, and a seating area on the terrace outside where diners on fine days can enjoy the pleasant outlook over Forbury Garden. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner each day from Monday to Saturday and for special functions and celebrations on Sunday.

The highly regarded à la carte menu offers starters such as pan-fried Cornish hand dived scallops, pea purée, pea shoots and black pudding; tian of Cornish crab and avocado, confit tomato and red pepper dressing, or gruyère gougère, fricassée of wild mushrooms and poached duck egg. Main courses could include Ashampstead pig's head cooked three ways; squid ink fafarelle with squid, clams, prawns and rosemary cream, or grilled 7oz Gatcombe Farm angus rib-eye steak, also available in 9oz.

Don't miss the enticing range of desserts that include passion fruit soufflé; Amedei dark chocolate fondant, roasted banana and dark chocolate ice cream, or a Braeburn apple tarte tatin for two to share.

The market menu is good value for money and is available for lunch and dinner. Some of the options there are salmon gravadlax and horseradish cream, followed by roasted loin of English pork with roast potatoes, finishing with treacle tart with hot sauce anglaise; there is a choice of four dishes in each course.

Whether it is good food or wine, the French are not too far from it and Forburys's wine list which features around 240 wines from across the world was mentioned in the AA Notable Wine List for 2008. Some of these wines are available by the glass and are a fantastic accompaniment to the meal or just on their own too.

During the evening they are able to offer secure underground parking, however, this must be booked in advance when you book your table. For more information on everything from private dining, the wine list and latest menus, do have a look at their comprehensive Website.

There are places where even the mention of their name induces a sigh of contentment as the eyes mist over with the recollections, and so it is with Gravetye; after all the name itself is evocative, like a favoured place from a Dornford Yates novel.

There is still no reason to change one word of those sentiments. To go to Gravetye is to make a journey as far back as 1598 when Richard Infield built the house for his wife, Katherine, so little has changed. Between 1884-1935 William Robinson, one of the great pioneering gardeners of all time created the English garden that still exists, surrounded by its 1000-acre ring of magnificent trees.

An imposing array of comments in the independent guides points the way to a hotel that delivers nothing but the best, with the Good Food Guide 2009, Good Hotel Guide, 2010, AA Guide 2010 and the Zagat Restaurant Hotel Survey 2010 all in very complimentary mood. It has also been listed in the Michelin Guide.

Their 17 bedrooms, all named after tree species to be found on the estate, are spacious and comfortable, providing guests with a relaxing, homely atmosphere, designed to suit all requirements, some with excellent views over the surrounding countryside. All rooms have en suite facilities. The hotel is well-equipped to handle business travellers with wireless internet facilities available throughout.

A compelling centrepiece of Gravetye is the oak-panelled dining room in which a seasonal à la carte menu of distinction is served from the kitchens of Chef Rupert Gleadow and his brigade. Described as "modern British", Rupert's dishes give more than a hint to his international experience and Scottish birth and he is fortunate to be able to call upon Gravetye's one acre walled kitchen garden, from which around 95% of all fruit and vegetables used in the kitchen come.

No dress code as such prevails, but there is a tendency, perhaps engendered by the history and style of this beautiful room which gives a sense of occasion, for men to resort to jacket and tie in the evenings. Foie gras parfait with roasted hazelnuts, pickled girolles and salted grapes gives an example of Rupert's talent in the culinary world, though the sweet and poached organic salmon with textures of garden beetroot and coriander yoghurt dressing can be equally commanding.

Fillet of wild sea bass with seared baby squid, squid ink ravioli and piquillo pepper salsa, and roasted breast of Gressingham duck is escorted by confit leg bon bons, curly kale, golden beetroot and lapsang souchong sauce. To round off this spring feast few things could be better than a fig custard tart with cinnamon marshmallow and flapjack ice cream.

An all day menu on Sundays, available from 10am to 10pm enables more casual eating, on the garden or in the other less formal rooms. Bearing a rather brasserie appeal it is designed to cater for those unencumbered by schedules who can wander in at any time during the day and have a thoroughly good meal of however many courses they choose.

Smoked chicken breast, pak choi and cashew salad with sweet chilli and ginger dressing sets the pace, and king prawns, seasonal fish and tomato offers a light snack. In a different league is the line caught fillet of wild sea bass with seared baby squid, poached fillet of South Coast brill, or poached and seared fillet of Hereford beef, followed by possibly the meringue of English raspberries with praline and milk chocolate mousse.

Afternoon tea at Gravetye is one of those happy experiences that one might reflect upon when languishing in some less than attractive part of a foreign land. Taken at the traditional leisurely pace guests will find a choice of tea, fruit and plain scones, a selection of traditional sandwiches, and Gravetye preserves lemon and thyme posset, and lemon crunchies, white chocolate and praline biscuits. For a consideration a glass of Tattinger champagne can be added.

There can be few things more quintessentially English than sitting in the shade of Gravetye's magnificent trees enjoying the view and this wonderful culinary idiosyncrasy called afternoon tea, for which we have to thank the 7th Duchess of Bedford whose hectic life style led to a 'sinking feeling' around 4pm that was best assuaged by some modest sustenance.

Like everything else at Gravetye, the wine list of some 500 bins displays the same care and attention. The qualified Sommelier will be pleased to offer advice if needed, and guests will find a range of wines that caters for all tastes and pockets.

There can be few better places in which to tie the knot, whether they be civil weddings, or partnerships, than Gravetye. Its ample acres, air of continuity and calm offer what so many seek for their special day. Arrange a meeting with Amy Gleadow, the general manager, to see what they can do for you.

Gravetye's attractive Website will keep you up to date, particularly with the seasonal menu changes.

Casa Nova is every inch an Italian restaurant, serving a good blend of modern and traditional dishes. Casa Nova is positioned in the middle of a quaint parade of shops in the heart of Virginia Water; less than a mile from the beautiful Virginia Water Lake and the famous Wentworth Golf Club, with ample parking immediately in front of the restaurant.

Inside, the restaurant is modern and surprisingly spacious. The décor is warm and inviting - just like the welcome you will receive from José and his staff. Over recent years, Casa Nova has established a reputation for the best quality food, cooked to order and served piping hot to the table.

The a la carte menu is extensive and is supplemented by daily specials. Monday to Friday and on Sundays, Jose and his team offer a good value set menu for lunch. On Sundays expect to find a selection of starters that could include the soup of the day, mushrooms sautéed in olive oil and chilli, served on a bed of spinach, pasta tubes with onions, cherry tomatoes and broccoli, or Parma ham and melon.

The roast of the day would certainly include roast beef, with options of baked salmon with cucumber and white wine, chicken, mushrooms and red wine sauce, escalopes of veal with cream and mushrooms, and marinated vegetables served on toasted ciabatta bread. Follow with dolci del giorno, the puddings of the day, and your Sunday should be fulfilled.

On other days an a la carte menu operates in the evenings, with starters of the day's fresh soup, grilled sardines with the smell of the sea still about them, avocado with fresh sea prawns, deep fried squid served with tartare sauce, or a Caesar salad with crispy bacon, to name but a few of the choices.

Main courses of grilled salmon steak on a bed of spinach with tomatoes and balsamic vinegar dressing lead off the fish courses, followed by grilled Dover sole served with rocket Italians, of course, love their veal and Casa Nova does justice to that inclination, with escalopes of veal with King prawns in a tomato, garlic, parsley and white wine sauce, or another version topped with Parma ham and mushrooms in a white wine and sage sauce.

Chicken is another staple part of the Italian cuisine and petto di pollo, breast of chicken with wood mushrooms in cream and brandy sauce, is popular. Scampi thermidor, a welcome dish in any cuisine, is served here with mustard, cream, brandy and rice.

Which takes us to other vital meat courses so beloved of Italians, with fillet steak in a brandy cream and peppercorn sauce, or roast rack of lamb with a red wine and rosemary sauce.

Sometimes there seem to be few differences between national cuisines and the grilled calf's liver with crispy bacon and bubble and squeak reminds us of this. For a real treat consider the half duckling in an orange sauce and Grand Marnier.

As with all Italian cooking, a lot of the fun comes with the service, the banter and quite often the flattery for the ladies in the party. Maybe Casa Nova is not called what it is for nothing, but satisfied customers suggest that this is the place to be for a fun Italian evening.

Occupying an elegant building on the Market Square, in the heart of this historic market town, Zizzi Bishops Stortford delivers delicious Italian food in a pleasant and comfortable modern ambience. With plenty of space for al fresco dining outside, the restaurant is just a stone's throw from the Jackson Square Shopping Centre, while the Rhodes Arts Complex is within a 4-minute drive.
 
The bustling open kitchen at Zizzi turns out freshly prepared, tasty fare. The extensive à la carte offers distinct sections of antipasti, salads, pizza and calzone, pasta, risottos and mains of 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.

The Spring Tavern, on London Road in the leafy Surrey town of Ewell, offers a superb modern British menu in stylish surroundings. A premium dining space where the discerning customer can indulge the palate as well as the senses, the Spring Tavern also boasts an eclectic drinks list with a variety of cask ales, premium draught and bottled beers and a superb wine list.

Fine dining is all about the experience as well as the food and The Spring Tavern makes a statement with its simple elegant design, warm welcome and excellent service. The talented kitchen team has put together a seasonally changing menu which uses the freshest seasonal ingredients to offer guests a wide range of dishes including delicious British classics and flavourful Mediterranean favourites.

Lunch or dinner here can begin with sharing plates of dolcelatte, Italian meats, marinated vegetables and warm stone-baked flatbreads or with starters of Moroccan lamb koftas with fattoush salad and tzatziki. You could follow with such dishes as a calzone of pork cacciatore, tomato frito, garlic and crème fraiche, a rustica pizza topped with roasted Mediterranean vegetables, goat's cheese, cherry tomatoes and rocket, a smoked haddock macaroni with spinach and Applewood Cheddar or a delicious grilled goat's cheese crostini with roast sweet potatoes and borlotti beans and blush tomato dressing.

What really sets the Spring Tavern apart from the increasingly generic and omnipresent gastropub crowd is the care and attention they take with their non a la carte offerings. Fish comes into its own on Friday nights when the chef puts out delicious fish and shellfish specials including scallops done the way you like them, battered haddock with frites, tartare sauce and minted mushy peas and sea bass fillets with sweet potato and spinach curry and tzatziki.
 
They also offer a whopping 50% discount on a bottle of red wine with every 21-day aged steak as part of the Steak and Wine Supper every Wednesday. On Sundays customers can treat themselves to a sumptuous spread with classics such as roast rib of beef with pan jus and Yorkshire pudding, garlic and rosemary studded leg of English lamb with apricot stuffing and English loin of pork with crackling, caramelised apple sauce and sage stuffing.
 
For diners looking for a quick lunch try the two-course prix fixe menu which is also available early in the evening. The bar menu also offers small plates of chicken and chorizo spiedini with chilli jam, homemade lamb koftas with Moroccan spice and tzatziki or fennel crusted calamari with sweet chilli sauce.
 
Tempting puddings of warm brownie with vanilla ice cream and dark chocolate sauce, apple and blackcurrant crumble with vanilla custard and orange and almond cake with marmalade and orange blossom mascarpone bring the meal to a pleasant end. 

A fine selection of whites and reds complements the food perfectly. Enjoy a pre-dinner drink; Frisky Bison with Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka and Appletiser or French Martini with Grey Goose vodka and Chambord. For afters, there's a chocolate martini with Baileys, vodka and chocolate liqueur.

More information can be found on their Website.

Borde Hill Gardens are one of the great tourist attractions of Sussex, and, apart from being a wonderful dendrological experience, they also play host to Jeremy's Restaurant, benefiting from the classy modern European food that Jeremy's offers, while the restaurant gains with a dramatic setting. Described on their website as, 'its light and airy interior and expanse of outside terracing overlooking the Victorian walled garden, is a rare find' there are few who would disagree.

Jeremy and Vera Ashpool have gathered many thousands of loyal and appreciative customers over the years. The opening of Jeremy's at Borde Hill is an exciting step in their restaurant's evolution, which has led from a tiny bistro many years ago to today's national recognition and awards. Much of the success in the kitchen comes from the choice of produce and materials and the regular use of French and Spanish techniques keeps boredom at bay.

The food has a lot to recommend it, both in terms of range and quality, and typical starters could consist of cured mackerel with apple, smoked trout and horseradish salad; risotto of local game and mushrooms; tea smoked duck breast, plum relish and micro salad, and blue cheese mousse with walnut salad and garden grape dressing.

Their local signature dishes include roast loin of suet pudding of Balcombe venison with pomme Anna, hispy cabbage and red wine jus, and pan-fried rump of South Down lamb served alongside mini shepherd's pie, runner beans and rosemary jus.

Mains might well consist of roast South Coast sea bass, oyster beignet, homemade linguine, buttered spinach and a vanilla clam sauce; roast breast of ballotine of guinea fowl, organic kale, fondant potato and roasted plum sauce, or spiced roast pumpkin, split peas and sweet chilli dressing.

Outstanding amongst the array of puddings are blackcurrant and almond tart with blackcurrant and crème de cassis sorbet, and sticky toffee pudding with hot toffee sauce. House wines start from £16 for the white or red, and there is a good choice beyond in addition to a specially chosen selection each month to complement the seasonal dishes on the carte.

For more information, why not visit their Website for events and menus or even find details on planning your wedding at Jeremy's, a speciality of theirs.

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.

The subject of a complete refurbishment in 2006 designed to create a buzzy contemporary atmosphere, The Poacher lays good claim to being a home to honestly good food and drink, in the safe hands of host Mark Hider. It's a great place for business lunches or a family gathering with a super little private room that can be booked in advance.

Under Head Chef Andy Maclean, cuisine is taking on a new look but remains essentially British, although his Scottish roots haven't completely deserted him. All dishes are prepared from the best fresh ingredients from local suppliers, and cooked to order. So flexible is the system that they give a qualified undertaking to 'see what they can do' if somebody comes along with a request for an item not on the menu.

From a choice of about twelve starters expect to find haggis fritters with a spicy tomato sauce or creamed leek and stilton filo pastry tart. Increasingly popular amongst the diet conscious is the starter of marinated olives, rustic breads, with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Rustic pork and rasin terrine comes with toasted brioche, and fresh soup of the day with freshly baked bread can often make a comfort starter of satisfying proportions.

Wild boar is back on the menus and confit of leg comes with a chocolate jus and crispy potato pancakes, a filling dish indeed, and pan-fried liver is served with smoked back bacon, mash and a mustard sauce.

Steaks come in the traditional forms and weights with a choice of frites or chunky chip and sauces. Nor is fish overlooked and pan-fried sea bass fillet is served with a lime risotto and parmesan crackling. The reinstatement of the burger to its proper place amongst quality meat dishes is welcome - too long has it languished in the dark places of mediocrity. Choose it at The Poacher accompanied by cheese, bacon or poached egg.

Pudding enthusiasts will recognise one of their own at work with sticky toffee pudding, toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream, citrus tart with fresh berry coulis, and a wonderful selection of homemade ice creams. For the others it could be a chocolate fondant with coconut ice cream or prosecco jelly with summer berries and mint syrup. All their coffee is organic, Rain-forest friendly and Fair Trade.

Sundays see a slightly reduced menu which is more than made up for by the 'Poachers Roast' a plateful of 3 different roasts.

There is also a good range of sandwiches, and for those of you that want to sit outside in the sun, there is a super patio area. When all is said and done pubs are about drinking, and whatever your tipple pleasure is bound to follow, with Asahi, Becks Vier, and Sharps Doombar amongst the star-studded cast as well as the locally brewed Canterbury Jack. A well constructed wine list contains a goodly number by the large or medium glass, including champagne and prosecco.

Music lovers could enjoy live 'Roots, Blues and Jazz' in the bar on Thursday evenings from 8.30pm.

The well constructed and informative Website will fill in the detail on this lively, friendly Kentish pub with honest food and drink.

Berkhamsted is a gorgeous town and was well in need of a gorgeous pub. Alan Turtill had rescued and restored the Old Mill, keeping what remains of its original Georgian and Victorian features, but making the whole place light and airy. The unloved yard at the back has been turned into a special space - the mill race crashes over the weir into a deep pool - and the garden borders the Grand Union Canal, perfect for watching the boats slide by on lazy summer evenings. The Old Mill remains a real pub, where you're just as welcome to enjoy a decent pint of bitter at the bar as a three course meal or bar snack.

It would be possible to enlarge upon all this indefinitely, but our purpose here is to tell you about The Old Mill and how they put into practice their strongly held principles. There is something very heartening to see sad old inns, particularly those whose character has refused to bow to neglect, being restored to useful life and becoming part of life's pattern in their particular community.

Senior Sous Chef Stefan Brodin and his team have designed a menu featuring traditional pub favourites as well as something a little different. They are in the kitchen everyday preparing all the dishes fresh on the premises. On their menu, you will find the very best quality fresh ingredients - fantastic sausages; free range chicken; moules marinière and mini loaf; 28 day dry-aged Aberdeenshire 24oz cote boeuf - sourced from producers who take pride in their products and an ethical stance in their production.

The Old Mill menu always makes the most of seasonal ingredients - this ensures they avoid air-freighting and keeps us in touch with the cycle of the year - while combining the best of great British cooking and influences from around the world that are now part of our culture.

The deli board lists cheese, charcuterie, veggie, favourites, fruit and vegetables, and fish or the customer can have the option of making their own board from the five options. The deli can be enjoyed as starters, nibbles or tapas. If the conversation level is proving demanding let the restaurant do the work for you by selecting a selection from one of the five.

The Old Mill is open from 10am for breakfast. Start the day with a hearty full English or bacon or sausage sandwich and a glass of champagne with friends. The express menu also operates from noon to 6 pm, offering Mediterranean vegetable with goats' cheese tart, cherry tomato and herb salad, chips and burgers as well. Noon to 3pm, and 6.00pm to 10pm their a la carte menu is on offer with an ample selection of dishes which pulls in the locals who have quickly come to regard The Old Mill as a second home.

Afternoon tea is served everyday from 12pm - 6pm while, sandwiches with smoked salmon or Mediterranean vegetables are served with chips or soup of the day, Monday to Saturday.

A relatively short but punchy wine list mingles well with the menu, so few will quibble with this much needed addition to the local scene.

A swift click on their Website will keep you in the picture over menu changes, special offers and events. You could also consider visiting The Thatch at Thame, sister pub and only 30 mins from The Old Mill.