White Star Tavern, Dining and Rooms

Not far from the quay and the ferry terminals, the Tavern celebrates Southampton's rich maritime heritage with rooms themed in the style of the great ocean-liners of yesteryear. Angled mirrors and clever lighting add the requisite note of 21st-century chic, and all-day menus of seasonally informed dishes make the most of quality local ingredients. Start with a fillet of red mullet, served on shaved fennel with Seville orange hollandaise, and follow it with a carefully crafted main course such as haunch of venison with celeriac and vanilla purée, red cabbage and prunes, sauced with sloe gin jus. Daily specials are written up on boards, and the grand finale may be chocolate fondant served with sea-salted caramel and an ice cream made from Wiltshire's Rosary goats' cheese.