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Privately owned by Laurence and Helen Beere, the celebrated Olive Tree Restaurant has gained a reputation in its own right for the finest modern British cuisine in a relaxed and friendly environment.

Menus are an eclectic combination of modern English flavours and Mediterranean influences.

Occupying a basement - in fact, three basements under neighbouring houses, whose floor levels step down, following the road's incline.

The Olive Tree has recently been fully refurbished to create a sophisticated and contemporary atmosphere whilst still retaining the warmth and friendliness of the personal and attentive service offered by the experienced restaurant team.

The restaurant was described by one critic as being "stylish, without being pretentious, and discreet lighting adds to the light and airy feeling" Mark Taylor, 15th May 2004.

Lunch time menus offer diners the choice of a set two or three course lunch from £13.50. However the restaurant is popular with local business people and shoppers for its simple a la carte menu at lunch where many of the dishes are priced as starters or main courses offering guests the choice of just one course should they be in a hurry through to a more relaxed and complete meal.

The evening menu offers a set menu at £26.50 as well as a full a la carte. The cooking of Jason Horn, Head Chef for the past four years is a creative blend of modern British cuisine with some Mediterranean influence.

Dishes include starters of slow cooked tenderloin of pork and black pudding salad as well risotto of leeks and Cornish blue cheese, whilst main courses include Roast Monkfish with buttered spinach and cep jus and seared scallops on parsnip puree with crisp speck.

Desserts are enough to tempt a saint into sinning with choices like: chocolate and banana tart, rum and raisin ice cream; lemon mousse, sable biscuits, vanilla poached raspberries; warm sticky toffee apple pudding, apple sorbet or baked rhubarb with oranges and port, ginger sabayon.

The Olive Tree wine list offers guests an extensive collection of interesting wines from some of the top suppliers in the UK. Reflecting the close working relationship with these suppliers the main list includes a special suppliers collection.

This listing changes on a monthly basis and allows them the opportunity to bring interesting and varied wines to their guests for them to try.

Voted Best Restaurant in Bath 2003 The Olive Tree is one of the West Country's great culinary experiences.

The Pump Rooms are a major attraction within the ancient city of Bath. Linked to the site chosen for the public baths by the Romans who were notoriously fussy about personal hygiene (wouldn't you be if you'd walked from Rome to Bath via the Alps?) they were established in the 18th century to enable the fashionable folk of the time to drink three glasses a day from the King's Spring.

Nowadays most people would settle for a pot of tea and the fine napery, the elegant live background music provided by the Pump Room Trio, fresh flowers and table service offered within the Pump Rooms for coffee, lunches and - best of all - afternoon tea. If the ghost of Beau Nash, Bath's Master of Ceremonies for many years at the height of the fashionable years should appear to occupy the spare seat at your table, you should feel highly honoured.

Tastefully decorated in warm tones of brown and beige, the Zucottas Mediterranean Grill at Hilton Bath City Hotel offers spectacular views of the River Avon and Pultney Bridge. The prevailing mood of calm simplicity allows the food to take centre stage and the cuisine is Mediterranean all along the way.

Consider moules mariniéres or slices of marinated beef with buffalo mozzarella and a balsamic vinegar reduction to start. A main course of pan-fried fillet of salmon served on crushed olive new potatoes with salsa verde or confit of Barbury duck leg could tempt your taste buds. It is worth leaving some space for the delicious peach pavlova with crème anglaise or profitoroles with warmed chocolate sauce.

Located in the heart of the famous Georgian town of Bath, the Hilton Bath City Hotel is within easy walking distance of most of the city's historical sights.

A lively and well-established restaurant in the centre of Bath, Demuths has gained a reputation for innovative, vegetarian and vegan food, but it is not just the food. The basement and ground floor restaurant occupying a Georgian property is bedecked with fresh flowers and modern art.

Step in for breakfast, morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea with homemade cakes or dinner. At lunchtime it could be celeriac fritters, pea feta and mint pâté and trio of local cheeses with their own chutney, pesto and salsa; for dinner try the Sri Lankan curry, lasagne stack, Middle Eastern platter or Japanese miso ramen noodles.

There is a good range of drinks including wines, beers, ciders and softies, all of which are organic. If you want to polish your culinary skills then just put on the student cap and head to their vegetarian cookery school where you could learn the Demuths style of cooking.

One of a range of tasteful conversions resulting in small intimate hotels with the Indian-themed restaurant very much the centrepiece. Not that there is anything very Indian about the food which is of a high quality and almost qualifying for the international appellation in terms of scope.

The seared mackerel escabeche with a herb salad competes with a warm cheese and onion marmalade tartlet for starters. In the realm of mains the choice remains wide and includes honey glazed belly of pork with an apple and celeriac mash or the most delicious char-grilled poussin Maryland (smoked bacon, banana and sweetcorn fritters). For pasta try the creamy shellfish reduction with linguini and pan-fried grey mullet.

Passion fruit and Pimms cheesecake does sound rather like something for 14 Feb, so in case you need a back-up go for the lemon grass crème brulee with polenta biscuits.

A sturdy wine list completes the picture with house wine at £15.