Uppingham, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

“A lovely old pub in the bar and more ancient parts (the newer additions are slightly less appealing – tip: avoid the dining room and stay in the original section if you can!)” – this characterful inn with its great Rutland Water setting put in a “less checkered” performance this year. That said, standards can still be “more ordinary than in the past – pleasant enough” and “readers are advised to be cautious in their expectations!”. “Beautiful walks for after a meal though!”

“There’s a great atmosphere in this country town restaurant, run by husband and wife team Neil & Louise Hitchen” – “Neil turns out superb dishes from the barn-conversion kitchen while Louise is in charge of front of house. Many of the ingredients are sourced locally in Rutland and the well-briefed team can answer any questions instantly”. Set in a “venerable old building in the heart of lovely Oakham”, with “mismatched furniture and crockery adding to the charm”, it’s “a mainstay of the town” and about “as good as a proper neighbourhood restaurant can get”. “Better still, a huge effort has been made to construct dishes which achieve this whilst being affordable, so a dinner for two with some very good, interesting, wines is still possible for south of £100. No small achievement these days” – and it means “you leave smiling and probably happier than when you arrived. Even nearby Hambleton Hall (where the Hitchens met working in the 90s) can’t better that!” Top Menu Tip – “scotch eggs are a speciality and well worth trying”.

This “beautiful old country pub” – thatched and beamed, with a “lovely cosy atmosphere, open fire and low lighting” – serves “top-quality food” from chef Emilie Bull, backed up with an “impressive wine list” overseen by proprietor Tim Hubbard, here for 22 years with his wife Kate. “Kate and Tim know what they’re doing and they do it very well indeed” – “they’re always so friendly and happy to see you again”.

This “fascinating old pub in a quiet village in rural Leicestershire” is now in its fifth year under “top-notch chef Dom Clarke (ex-Moor Hall) doing his own thing in a small kitchen, which produces unusual combinations of high-quality ingredients, mostly locally grown and supplied”. The “menu is very limited” (3 starters and 3 mains), but that’s “easy to overlook when the dishes are expertly constructed and presented, and rarely disappoint”. “Add to this friendly service and a great atmosphere”.

This “classy neighbourhood pub/restaurant” is a “perennial favourite for quality food, welcome, service and all-round atmosphere – long may it flourish”, chorus the many admirers of chef Carol & husband Scott Craddock’s Grade II-listed stone pub, where “you dine on the freshest of fish and seafood, their own herbs, wild garlic and good-quality locally raised meat”. Top Tip – “full marks for the home-baked breads and fancy butters (wild or black garlic are favourites)”.

This “great local restaurant” from Chris & Abby Ascough has built a solid reputation over 19 years for its “beautifully cooked and presented food” at “exceptionally good value” – including a £20 set lunch and a six-course tasting menu for £48 per person with matching wines for £20 per person.

Stephen and Tracy Fitzpatrick, who also run The Joiners Arms at Bruntingthorpe, are the winning duo behind this sixteenth-century village inn with four rooms, three miles south of Market Harborough; the wide-ranging menu tips its hat to fish ‘n’ chips on Friday, and takes in thrice-weekly ‘Auberge Suppers’, and there are “lovely gardens to go with the excellent food”. Tip Tip – it’s “worth staying for the superb veggie breakfast”.

Celebrating its 10th year, this “very lively option with good cooking on Oundle Wharf” is “now a stalwart of the local dining scene”, with an “interesting menu that showcases local produce” – and “the beers are not too bad either, being brewed next door” at the Nene Valley brewery.