St Michael's Manor

Not far from the city centre and the cathedral, the Manor is a 16th-century building, unspoiled enough to have provided period detailing in many a television drama. Much of its five sumptuous acres of grounds, including a lake, are on view in the grand dining room, where discreet pictures and handsome table settings set the dignified tone. With a fixed-price menu that is rewritten weekly and a bimonthly-changing carte, there's always plenty to ponder, and the cooking style is rooted in what might be called modern classicism. You might start with a chunk of sea bass, alongside confit fennel and a salad of blood orange and grapefruit, before moving on to a classic tournedos Rossini with port-enriched onion marmalade, or salmon in a lobster sauce with crayfish and sweetcorn risotto and braised chicory. Everything is attractively presented, with optional side dishes to accompany, and the concluding stage is marked by the popular likes of summer pudding and clotted cream.