Eton, International Restaurant Guide

The “lovely location overlooking the Thames” – a spectacular Grade I listed country house dating from 1666, now owned by the National Trust and operated as a Relais & Châteaux hotel – is enough in itself to make any meal a “wonderful experience” here; especially if accompanied by “an interesting walk around the parkland” where historical figures from Queen Victoria to Christine Keeler came for R&R. The dining room occupies a prime site within the property with stunning views, where you can enjoy cuisine that’s “good but not inspirational” considering the “eye-watering” prices.

2022 Review: This ultra-stylish boutique hotel reopened in late 2016 after a multi-million-pound, two-year renovation. Its “lovely food choices” run the whole gamut from Japanese dishes through to sourdough pizzas, and a large garden contributes to what's “an ideal spot on the way to Henley”.

“Great views of the river” near Teddington Lock undoubtedly elevate a visit to this “welcoming” brasserie and jazz bar; the food also seems to be on an even keel of late, with reports of “well-cooked and enjoyable” dishes (including a “fantastic afternoon tea”) that can seem “surprisingly good given the slightly rickety/plasticky interior”. Best in summer, when you can make the most of the riverside terrace.

“Cracking Sunday lunches with football-sized Yorkshires” are the culinary highlight of this “pretty village inn” in a glorious spot just by the Thames (which gets a mention in Jerome K Jerome’s classic ‘Three Men in a Boat’). It’s a notably “stylish” and “buzzy venue” with a “lovely outdoor area” but has never been a particularly foodie destination. Local heart-throb George Clooney was rumoured to want to buy the pub when he moved into the area with his wife Amal – he told Graham Norton “it’s fantastic and we drink all kinds of pints and things”.

“A favourite local, always to be relied on” – this cosy, all-day fixture in Strand on the Green, from Lorraine Angliss, is still popular after 24 years. A branch in Barnes hit the buffers a while ago, but three other sister venues are still thriving – Little Bird in Battersea and Rock & Rose in Richmond and most recently Chiswick High Road.

This attractive eighteenth-century inn is a short stroll from Sheen Gate and a good option following a walk in Richmond Park (especially in summer on the terrace). On the downside, “the cooking can be a bit hit and miss” – it’s “under new management” since Fuller’s fell out with the previous landlord a couple of years back, “so perhaps hasn’t found its stride yet”.