Winning tip: King of the kippers, Northumberland

Great food need not be expensive. In the tiny fishing port of Craster stands L Robson & Sons smokery and restaurant. The family has been smoking fish for generations and, though the original “herring girls” have been replaced by machinery, the smoking process is unchanged. Boasting that it cures “anything that comes from the sea”, its most famous product is the kipper. Accompanied by slices of bread and butter and a mug of strong tea, this succulent golden fish makes a mouth-watering meal for a mere £8.95.
• kipper.co.uk
ShezMck63

Rhucello, not limoncello, North Yorkshire

If you want to sample a liqueur made from rhubarb, Yorkshire’s very own alternative to limoncello, or a range of award-winning, locally produced wine and food, head to Malton. With a monthly food market, a separate farmer’s market, independent shops and producers, a cookery school, and two thriving food and drink festivals a year, it is no surprise that this lovely market town is fast establishing itself as the food capital of the north.
• maltonyorkshire.co.uk
Carol Ferguson

The Oyster Shed, Isle of Skye

At the top of a winding road on the Isle of Skye, a couple of minutes from the Talisker Whisky Distillery, this little place overlooks Loch Harport and the Cuillin mountains, with plenty of seating outdoors (opened and covered) to enjoy the panoramic views. The shop sells fresh and smoked produce, including wood pigeon and mallard, but the seafood takeaway is the star: pan-fried Hebridean scallops in garlic butter for £6.50, lobster tail for £10, and – most importantly – oysters, all with chips and lemon wedge in a polystyrene box. The oysters are from the Shed’s farm in Loch Harport.
• skyeoysterman.co.uk
Maxi123

The Milk Churn, Sussex

Who would have thought that cheese on toast could simultaneously taste just how your mum made it and how a Michelin-starred chef would cook it for himself at the end of a hectic shift? On a walk through Sussex woodland, we discovered the Milk Churn in Rudgwick. Run by Bookham Harrison, maker of Sussex Charmer cheese, its star is served between doorsteps of white toast, grilled to perfection with optional sidekicks like ham or red onion (from £3). If you have room (you won’t), there’s also a gorgeous range of homemade cakes.
• milkchurn.co.uk
Claire Brennan

The Nest, Herefordshire

At Little Verzons Farm near Ledbury is the Nest, a cafe specialising in egg dishes and homemade cakes. I started my day with the Nest brunch, a lightly poached free-range egg on grilled prosciutto and rocket nest over hot, buttered toast. Delicious. There is also a shop selling handmade scotch eggs using free-range eggs and bacon. Owners Neil and Penny produce and sell over 40 different types, including veggie and gluten-free ones. My particular favourite is the Scrumpy, with loads of apple, onion and fresh sage.
• thenestledbury.co.uk
eurohike

Beyond barm cakes, Lancashire

Hike, cycle or motor the back roads of rural Lancashire and you’ll come to the remote hamlet of Newton-in-Bowland. Its pub, the Parker’s Arms, is the kind of hostelry a wayfarer yearns for: flagstone floors, blazing fire and hearty reception from AJ, a man born to be a landlord. Chef Stosie is French but the ingredients are as local and seasonal as they come – wild garlic soup, river Lune salmon and pheasant from surrounding moorland. To follow, try the Wet Nelly, a fruity local bread pudding, with a pint of Hen Harrier from Bowland Brewery. Two courses, with drink, costs about £25 a head, but every mouthful is memorable. It’s a long way from a pie and a barm cake.
• parkersarms.co.uk
manofmode

The freshest local fish, Norfolk

The White Horse at Brancaster Staithe is on the north Norfolk coast. It has a great outside seating area, looking over the sands, and it’s a perfect way to spend some time watching and enjoying the freshest local fish.
• whitehorsebrancaster.co.uk
ID470377

Pork pies and beer, the Peak District

The Travellers Rest in Apperknowle is a champion at both and has the awards from Camra to prove it. The Yorkshire Farmers pork pie with chicken and wholegrain mustard is a treat. The food is all locally sourced and cooked to perfection. People make the journey for the pork pies and local beers but, in addition, there are views all across the edge of the Peak District from this cosy watering hole. The proprietor has recently added a tapas-style menu which is so good that it may make the pork pies and beer a footnote.
• travellersrestapperknowle.co.uk
catchytitled

Brig o’Turk – 39 steps to heaven, Trossachs

This tiny, green-painted wooden building on the A821 in the glorious Trossachs region opened in 1923 as a meeting point for cyclists and found fame starring in the 1959 version of The 39 Steps. Today it deserves an Oscar for its imaginative menu. Prices start at £3.90 for delicious, gluten-free soup but push the boat out a bit and you can enjoy such gems as wood pigeon salad with crispy parsnips and puy lentils.
• brigoturk.co.uk
ID6492793

The perfect pasty, Cornwall

The best Cornish pasty is not to be found on the tourist-laden north coast but on the Rame peninsula, the “forgotten corner of Cornwall”, in the south-east of the county. Dashers, in Torpoint, makes these substantial delicacies fresh every day in three sizes to suit every appetite. Packed full of delicious local meat and veg, with crispy pastry, they are extremely moreish.
• dasherspasties.com
ID8035355