Ludlow, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

“The food can be exceptional”, while “service is spot-on without being overbearing and condescending” in chef Wayne Smith’s oak-panelled dining room – a lingering taste of Ludlow’s former heyday as a gastronomic destination. The cuisine may not quite match the heights of Claude Bosi’s late, lamented Hibiscus, which used to occupy the same premises – but “it is certainly value for money”.

Maybe avoid the culinary fireworks for which this foodie town is known, and head to this gorgeously situated café, with a “really nice outdoor space” near the River Teme and beneath the walls of Ludlow Castle. Run by local food heroes, the Crouch brothers (who also operate in Shrewsbury) it provides tea, coffee, cakes, breakfast, lunch and dinner on Friday night.

A “delicious spot in the Herefordshire undergrowth” that’s “well worth a detour” – Peta Darnley “has created something really special with innovative, seasonal, regional fare” served in a converted barn on her family’s Netherwood Estate – earning a “very rare Michelin Green star for sustainability” – while head chef Chris Simpson (ex-Nathan Outlaw and Gidleigh Park) “conjures delicate flavours from local ingredients, many grown in their own kitchen garden, that build in intensity throughout the meal”.

“Consistently good unpretentious food” has long been the hallmark of this country inn on an old drivers’ route. Steve & Nicola Reynolds retired last year after more than two decades and it’s now “settling down under the new ownership” of London-born hospitality veteran Muralidhar Shanmugam, known as ‘Shan’ – and “the food is still first class”. Top Menu Tip – “unbeatable bread and butter pudding”.