The Black Rat

The Black Rat may sound like a pub, and indeed look like one from the outside, but once inside it is clear that the place is very much a contemporary dining affair these days. Just a short stroll from the cathedral and city centre, it is a welcoming, easygoing operation where 18th-century beams, exposed brickwork, and real fires crackling in inglenook fireplaces blend with rug-strewn wooden floors and chunky bleached wood tables in a pleasantly informal setting. Menus change monthly to work with the seasons, while blackboard specials take advantage of whatever's good from local producers on the day. The kitchen works in a modern British vein, kicking off perhaps with sweetbreads and crisp belly of lamb with rye bread and a salad of radish, lamb's lettuce and dandelion, while hints of Mediterranean warmth turn up in mains such as seared John Dory teamed with scallop pie, cime di rapa, and shellfish and salt lemon oil. Cherry blossom jelly, coconut sorbet and fizzy grapes might provide an entertaining finish.