Bricklayers Arms - Flaunden

Originally a pair of eighteenth-century brick-and-flint cottages down a country lane and later a drinker's den, the Bricklayers Arms at Flaunden is now a fully-fledged pub/restaurant that attracts crowds from far and wide. The ivy-clad exterior is a welcome sight for walkers and horse riders who regularly drop in for liquid refreshment; inside, the whole place still feels rustically pubby, with lots of exposed beams, brickwork and blazing fires.

The main selling point, however, is the classy food produced by chef Claude Paillet. He learned his craft in the heady, Michelin-starred kitchens of Restaurant Pierre Gagnaire - although he keeps his feet firmly on the ground (this is a Hertfordshire country pub, after all!). At lunchtime, he pleases the crowds with a hearty menu of pub classics - cod in beer batter, steak, kidney and Guinness pie, spit roasts and the like.

By contrast, dinner is a much more ambitious affair. Menus change each month, but you might begin with poached eggs meurette or wild mushroom feuilleté in creamy Calvados sauce, ahead of medallions of Ashridge Estate venison with gooseberry 'grand veneur' sauce or pan-fried sea bass fillet with roasted pepper, white wine and Chess Valley watercress sauce. Meals end on a high note with desserts such as lemon tart with pannacotta and raspberry ice cream. Matching the food is an award-winning 120-bin wine list with good stuff from around the globe and a slate of monthly specials at competitive prices.