1. Lord Poulett Arms, Somerset
Twisting lanes lead you to a tiny village of Ham stone and thatched cottages with an elegantly restored 17th-century inn at its heart. Rug-strewn flagged floors, roaring log fires and a relaxed atmosphere are what to expect. The cooking successfully combines traditional pub dishes with more contemporary ideas. Gary Coughlan is a keen advocate of local ingredients, sourcing seasonal vegetables from a smallholding up the road and game from nearby shoots. Dorset scallops with warm bacon salad and steamed neck of Somerset lamb and kidney suet pudding confirm the strong seasonal bias of the kitchen. Lunchtime bar meals are equally imaginative. House wines from £11.
• High Street, Hinton St George, Somerset, England, TA17 8SE, +44 (0)1460 73149, lordpoulettarms.com; Price: B&B double from £88
2. Olive Branch, West Yorkshire
Set in a sheltered valley on the edge of Marsden Moor Estate to the west of Huddersfield, the Olive Branch has come along way since it served as a refreshment point for local hikers. These days it's a fully grown 'restaurant and rooms' delivering imaginative food that aims to satisfy all palates. Expect a generous mix of north country pub staples and more ambitious ideas with some clever touches. Starters might find baked Whitby crab with mustard and Reblochon cheese gratin alongside Parma ham with caramelised shallots and champagne dressing, while main courses cover everything from steak and ale pie with a suet crust to line-caught cod with curried mussels and tomato concasse. Desserts range from tarts to cheesecake. The wine list is a serious slate with a broad sweep of grape varieties and styles; house selections start at £13.95 (£3.50 a glass).
• Manchester Road, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6LU, +44 (0)1484 844487, olivebranch.uk.com; Price: Double room £70 (breakfast £12.50)
3. Vine House, Northamptonshire
Julie and Marcus Springett's restaurant-with-rooms is a very personal set up: she is ever-present out front, he takes charge of the kitchen. They have been resident at this 300-year-old stone cottage since 1991 and rarely stray from their successful formula. Ingredients reflect the seasons, and menus (the same for lunch and dinner) are kept short: there are just three choices at each stage, plus the option of a 'slate' of unpasteurised British cheeses. A starter of Cornish red mullet drizzled with basil oil could be followed by local venison with red wine sauce and triple-cooked chips or wild sea bass with warm gazpacho sauce. Desserts mix homeliness (hot apricot bread-and-butter pudding) with a touch of rustic class (organic Bramley apple mousse with cracked black pepper and Stilton biscuits). France provides the backbone for the 70-bin wine list. A quartet of house selections starts at £15.95.
• 100 High Street, Paulersbury, Northamptonshire, NN12 7NA, +44 (0)1327 811267, vinehousehotel.com; Price: B&B double from £95
4. Wesley House, Gloucestershire
The rickety-looking old building with its ancient timbering and mullioned windows once accommodated John Wesley, founder of Methodism. Today, it houses a comfortably furnished restaurant with rooms, where Martin Dunn cooks a modern British menu that attracts a loyal band of regulars. Roast pigeon makes a robust starter, while mains run from gently-treated sea bream (grilled, with asparagus risotto and caper butter), to a pair of cuts of three-week-hung Scottish beef with wild mushrooms, mash and a sauce of madeira. Finish in style with coconut rice pudding cakes and mango sorbet. Wines are well-chosen, including lots of vibrant New World flavours, and open with nine house selections from £16.50 (£4.50 a glass).
• High Street, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, GL54 5LJ, +44 (0)1242 602366, wesleyhouse.co.uk; Price: B&B double from £80
5. Carlton Riverside, Wales
Not so long ago Mary-Ann and Alan Gilchrist moved from long-running Carlton House to this attractive riverside property. Their new endeavour includes a locals' bar in the cellar while upstairs a refined, slightly old-fashioned ambience prevails. Alan continues to draw praise for his 'unobtrusive service', while Mary-Ann remains on form in the kitchen. One happy diner enthuses: 'She sources the best ingredients, exercises her imagination and ingenuity, and cooks them to perfection.' If you want the full caboodle, opt for the 'menu surprise', a four-course showcase that sits alongside the regular à la carte and table d'hôte. A main course of roast partridge, for example, comes with cabbage sautéed with bacon, punchnep (a Welsh way with turnips), game chips and a port jus. Desserts include crêpes Suzette or a warm chocolate brownie with pistachio ice cream. Alan's ample supplies of wines mean you'd be wise to stay the night. Bottles from £13.75.
• Irfon Crescent, Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys LD5 4RA, Wales, +44 (0)1591 610 248, carltonrestaurant.co.uk. Price: B&B double from £65
6. Eslington Villa, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear
Built around 1880, Eslington is a grand-looking Victorian villa secreted in two acres of leafy grounds with lovely views, a world away from the urban sprawl of Gateshead. The kitchen sets out its stall with a raft of skilfully crafted dishes, such as a starter of crab ravioli, followed by a main of spiced duck confit with oriental rice or roast monkfish with spiced mussel and vegetable broth. Proceedings come to a pleasing conclusion with apple pithiviers and cinnamon crème anglaise. Some 60 affordable wines from £12.50 (£3.35 a glass).
• 8 Station Road, Low Fell, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear NE9 6DR, +44 (0)191 4876017, eslingtonvilla.co.uk; Price: B&B double from £89.50
7. Gordon's, Dundee, Scotland
Gordon's, in the village of Inverkeilor between Arbroath and Montrose, has been around for many years with the eponymous Gordon Watson in the kitchen and wife Maria front of house. Son Garry also works in the kitchen these days. The dining room remains a cosy affair – it seats only 24 – with wooden beams and some bare stone. This is the setting for a dinner that could start with tournedos of rabbit, white bean cassoulet and truffle jus. Then comes a twice-baked soufflé of Isle of Tobermory cheddar, with the main course comprising Scotch beef fillet with a mushroom ragout, red onion confit and tonka bean parsnip. To finish, hot chocolate fondant with basil ice cream. The wine list is organised by grape variety (from £13). Fortunately, Gordon's offers three bedrooms upstairs so you can make a night of it.
• Main Street, Inverkeilor, Dundee DD11 5RN, Scotland, +44 (0)1241 830 364, gordonsrestaurant.co.uk; Price: B&B Double £90
8. Kota, Cornwall
Kota is a cheery place with a rustic interior of beamed ceilings and plain wood tables on the harbourside. It may not be particularly polished or refined, but the manner in which good raw materials are combined demonstrates real skill. Soy mirin dressing with rare sesame-crusted tuna, and wasabi tartare alongside tempura battered cod reflect Jude Kereama's Maori, Chinese and Malaysian roots. These are backed up by honest-tasting desserts such as spiced apple and ginger pudding with rhubarb ice cream. House wine is £12.50 and there's good accommodation too.
• Harbour Head, Porthleven, Cornwall TR13 9JA, +44 (0)1326) 562407, kotarestaurant.co.uk; Price: B&B double from £60
9. Lord Nelson's House Hotel, Nick's Restaurant, Rutland
The hotel address may sound grand enough, but this turns out to be an endearing place tucked into one corner of Oakham's market square. The dining room is done in warm tones, with drapes and dark wood tables. The kitchen produces a well-wrought version of modern European cooking, partnering scallops with truffled cauliflower purée as a first course. Mains include cannon of lamb with baby carrot tart, puréed carrots, tortellini of foie gras, fennel marmalade and a red wine jus. Finish with lemon tart and raspberry sorbet or sticky toffee pudding with banana and date ice cream. The short wine list opens with New World varietals at £15.95 a bottle (£4.50 a glass).
• 11 Market Place, Oakham, Rutland LE15 6DT, +44 (0)1572 723199, nicksrestaurant.co.uk/; Price: B&B double from £60
10. Arundel House, West Sussex
Standing in the shadow of Arundel's historic castle, this bow-windowed restaurant serves up a congenial atmosphere prevails in the boldly decorated dining room. Lunch is straightforward but evening menus show more than a touch of ambition. Begin with twice-baked Cornish crab and ginger soufflé with sweet red pepper coulis, before confit of Sussex pork belly with champ and braised little gems or saddle of local venison with wilted spinach and a red wine reduction flavoured with chocolate. To finish, rhubarb cheesecake with rhubarb-and-custard ice cream is another local treat. The wine list is an impressive 150-bin slate, with fine personal selections. Prices start at £18 (£4 a glass).
• 11 High Street, Arundel, West Sussex BN18 9AD, +44 (0)1903 882136, arundelhouseonline.co.uk; Price: B&B double from £80
• Elizabeth Carter is editor of the Good Food Guide, which can be ordered on 01903 828557 (£16.99, p&p free) or at which.co.uk
