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Built for Augustus Hayter 1623 this rather extraordinary house has changed so little over the centuries, the biggest being when it went through its "Swiss period" in the mid 19th century. Properly called Teffont Evias, it is a real piece of old England.

This characteristic finds its way into the restaurant, where Head Chef Nick Wentworth calls upon local ingredients whenever possible to service a menu that reflects strongly the surrounding countryside, season upon season, with frequent excursions into their own garden.

Starters could include Cornish scallop risotto with deep fried basil; fillet of brill, onion tart tatin with wild mushrooms, or cannon of lamb with goat's cheese tortellini. Follow with fillet of wild sea bass, saffron broth and pancetta beignet; fillet of Scottish beef, foie gras, rosti. confit Savoy cabbage and truffle jus, or fillet of cod, truffle mash, roasted cèpes and Merlot syrup.

A passion fruit curd soufflé with passion fruit consommé or a vanilla crème brûlée, Agen prunes with Armagnac are two of the most popular desserts and make a pleasant end to a meal that is well paced and served with grace.

The supporting cast in the form of the wine list, table setting and décor is exactly as you would expect of such a beautiful time-warp house. Described by Egon Ronay as "a little gem", this bastion of old England is a place to treasure. If you share it make sure it with people who can be relied upon to appreciate as much as you do. Howard's House deserves only the best.

Haunch of Venison is probably the oldest hostelry in Salisbury; customers can dine in the historic downstairs bar or in the restaurant upstairs. The enormous oak beams predate the building by several hundred years and are thought to have come from early sailing vessels.

St George penned the following words in his diary, 'visited Salisbury - had legendary fight with nasty dragon - won of course - nipped into Haunch of Venison for a quick pint and something to eat at the restaurant 'one' - all in a great day out'.

The One Restaurant serves fresh and tasty English food at reasonable prices even today and the bar is known for its whiskies, brandies and cask conditioned ales.

The menu features modern and old favourites such as venison toad in the hole, smoked haddock chowder, and bubble and squeak. Expect to find local game and fresh fish starring on the specials board. Steaks such as the 12oz t-bone, and the pork shank served with new potatoes, apple sauce and calvados jus ensure the hungriest appetites depart delighted.

Café Rouge has over one hundred branches throughout Britain all offering a wide range of dishes drawn from the French cuisine. Slightly less than half their branches are in or close to London. Almost inevitably the décor and design of each restaurant differs from the others, but there is a general curtsy towards La France.

Many restaurants do an excellent breakfast, or shall we say petit dejeuner, at which such delights as scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on toasted brioche, croque Madame, croissants and pain au chocolate make welcome appearances, and to their credit the English traditional gets top billing.

An array of hors d'oeuvres takes in classic French onion and beef soup with a melted gruyere crouton, classic snails in melted garlic butter, and pan-fried crab cakes with a chilli, lemon and coriander jam. Salads, pasta and quiches feature largely, as do baguettes and croques. Quick dishes, ideal for lunch, include smoked Toulouse sausages with sautéed with new potatoes, caramelised onions and balsamic vinegar on a salad of mixed leaves.

Moving on to more serious stuff we find steaks, an 8oz bavette and thin cut rib eye, with a choice of sauces that include the signature sauce de Café Rouge, prepared specially from over twenty secret ingredients. No French menu would be complete without the demi poulet, or a steak frites before moving on to the crème brûlée, or the tart tatin. Almost invariably the coffee tastes like coffee should, something that sadly can all too often still not be said of our English restaurants, who depend too much upon technology and too little on the acquisition of a certain flair for this important conclusion to a meal.

By now we all know that the French, despite their distinctive habits when it comes to matters of satisfying the inner man, maintain a miraculous longevity of life. This is generally attributed to a number of causes, of which a measured consumption of decent wine is foremost. Café Rouge, you may be pleased to hear, encourages this with a well-chosen selection of French wines. Their prix fixe lunch and meals for children, both at a very reasonable figure, also offer excellent value.

Situated in the heart of Salisbury city centre, Greengages Cafe is a charming little 3 storey cafe restaurant offers a perfect venue for relaxing with great food and a chilled drink. The cafe covers all the 3 floors of a beautiful listed building, the ground floor is home to the popular carvery whilst the second and third floor provide seating in a quaint English tearoom style. They also have a delightful summer courtyard, a natural suntrap.

Oak smoked Scottish salmon, brown bread, lemon and horseradish cream, moules mariniere, and homemade soup of the day with crusty bread are some excellent options to start off your meal. For mains consider, parmesan gnocchi, roasted tomato and basil sauce and crispy leeks, or whole baked sole with fresh garden salad, new potatoes, parsley and lemon butter. Prune and Armagnac crème brûlée with shortbread, or coffee and doughnuts can provide an ideal finish to your delightful meal.