The Watch House, St Mawes, Cornwall

I recently discovered St Mawes on a holiday to the Roseland Peninsula of Cornwall and quite simply fell in love. This small town, stacked neatly around a perfectly beautiful harbour at the mouth of the River Fal is also the delightful home of The Watch House.

Perched on the edge of the harbour, as its name would suggest, this relaxed eatery runs over two floors of an imposing whitewashed old building. On the ground floor is a booth-flanked dining area that, when full, has quite a buzz about it. It's dog friendly downstairs too so, if you have a pooch in tow, it's worth remembering. Upstairs is a slightly more formal, but similarly buzzing restaurant.

The menu, as you'd expect, is centered around the fantastic seafood on offer from nature's larder just across the road. And, as they also run a takeaway chippy, you get proper chip shop chips with everything. Result!

On our visit, we opted for a tasty sourdough baguette to start – tempted by the generous serving of local salted butter from Rodda's Dairy that came with it (the same guys who make the infamous clotted cream). So naughty.

We then moved on to the Roasted Shellfish and Moules Frites; the first served with garlic, parsley, chilli and lemon, the latter in a classic marinières sauce. Nom, nom, nom, is quite simply all I have to say about both dishes. The scallops, tiger prawns, mussels, crab claws were roasted to perfection and packed a tasty chilli kick and the creamy mussels and (chunky chip shop) chips – soaked in vinegar of course – were supremely satisfying.  Both perfect with a glass of chilled picpoul de pinet. All in all, a fantastic stop for lunch or dinner.

Price point: cheap as chips – still OK – getting pricier – pricey – super fancy, but worth it!
http://www.watchhousestmawes.co.uk/— @TheWatchHouse on Facebook – @The_Watch_House on Twitter. 

The Singing Kettle, Alfriston, East Sussex

After a long walk, there's nothing better than an afternoon tea, and what better spot for nibbling on a cake stand of delights than on the edge of the village square in Alfriston at The Singing Kettle.

You can watch the world, and his dog/s, wander by as you settle yourself on one of the little tables lined up outside this tiny tea room. In fact, it's only when you sit down that you realise what a busy village Alfriston really is. What with a steady stream of tourists, walkers, pony clubs and a healthy pool of locals going about their daily business, it really is quite a charming spot for some people watching. And don't be alarmed by the occasional close encounter with someone trying to read the village bus timetable – it's behind your head when you sit at one of the tables.

Anyway, I ramble on. To the afternoon tea… and what a treat. Tasty, flavour-packed sandwiches made from proper fresh bread, moist Victoria Sponge, sticky chocolate brownie, delicate almond and berry cake and the lightest scones I've ever had the pleasure of, with a sensible portion of clotted cream and homemade jam. De-li-cious, and well worth a visit. The coffee was excellent too.

Price point: cheap as chips – still OK – getting pricier – pricey – super fancy, but worth it!
http://www.thesingingkettleteahouse.co.uk/— The Singing Kettle Tea Room (on Facebook). 

The White Horse, Mares Hill, Pulborough, West Sussex

On the main road into the village of Pulborough, The White Horse sits nestled into the hillside where, apparently, it has been welcoming thirsty visitors since the 15th century. My partner and I first discovered it on the way back from a long yomp around the National Trust's stunning Petworth estate, just a quick drive along the A283. The house and grounds are beautiful, and well worth a visit, but that's another post… back to The White Horse! Despite it's age, there's not a cobweb or rickety bar stool in sight. In fact, I'd guess that it's been fairly recently refurbished, and with love. It still has beautiful wooden floors and beams and plenty of cosy corners to warm your toes in winter or if the sun is shining, the terraced garden is idyllic; a real sun trap flanked by well tended flower beds. Dogs are welcome too, both in the garden and inside the pub, and rest assured they'll get plenty of cuddles and a bowl of water to boot!

Now that you're settled in, I'll tell you about the food. My favourite (I've ordered it each time we've been back) is the liver paté, served with tasty chutney and loads of toasted bread. It really is worth driving out for – they make it with Jack Daniels for goodness sake!

In all honesty though, you can't go wrong with the burger. I have to say, it's possibly one of the tastiest I've ever encountered. Handmade with lashings of premium quality ground beef the patty itself is enormous, which is just, well, great! It's also seasoned to perfection and served on a healthy spoonful of sweet and tangy homemade tomato chutney and crisp, fresh salad leaves. The fact that it's served in a traditional, toasted, sesame bun also just makes me happy (#nobriochebun). I've included a gratuitous close up so that you can imagine wrapping your lips around this meaty marvel. Enjoy!

Price point: cheap as chips – still OK – getting pricier – pricey – super fancy, but worth it!
http://www.white-horse-pullborough.co.uk/— @whitehorsepulborough (on Facebook).