The Old Rectory

With its position by the River Yare and views over the Thorpe Marshes nature reserve, it's easy not to notice that the centre of Norwich is only two miles away. The Old Rectory is a handsome three-storey property with an adjoining Victorian coach house, offering a smart restaurant, an outdoor swimming pool and pretty gardens amongst its many assets. The dining room has great views over the garden, and with its panelled walls painted in neutral tones, fresh flowers and linen-clothed tables, it remains a cheerful spot day and night. The daily-changing menu is sensibly concise - three choices per course - keeps things local where possible, and deals in gently modern ideas. You might start, perhaps, with local wild wood pigeon (marinated and roasted) in a salad with radicchio, roasted pecans, blood orange segments and gherkins. Seafood might be represented by fillet of black bream on lightly curried sweet potatoes, chick peas and parsnips, coriander spring onion salad and chilli tomato jam. To finish, you can't go far wrong with white chocolate tart with raspberry coulis.