Bell Inn Hotel

One glance at this stone-built 17th-century coaching inn will tell you that it is an historic sort of place. Local lore has it that Dick Turpin dropped by regularly for a flagon of ale in his spare moments between holdups on the Great North Road, and the renowned local cheese has been on the menu since the 18th century. The owners have added rooms around the old courtyard and renovated the building with a good feeling for preserving its timeless character, and when hunger strikes, an appealing repertoire of French-inflected modern crowd-pleasing dishes is served in either the original bar, the more contemporary bistro, or the beamed first-floor Galleried Restaurant. In the kitchen there's a strong allegiance to local produce, starting, perhaps, with pigeon breast, pickled plums and Waldorf salad, and followed by seared calves' liver and pancetta with stilton potato dumplings, spring greens and red onion jus. End with rhubarb parfait and rice pudding, or for a savoury finish, what else could replace a platter of Stilton cheeses?>