This elegant country house, with its Capability Brown grounds and airy Ilsa Crawford dining room, is a bit of a well-kept secret. Laidback and boutiquey, serving imaginative food prepared by South African-born chef Craig van der Meer, it's a smart treat destination ideal for a birthday or anniversary. Yes, there are foams and twizzly bits. But flavours, on the whole, remain earthy and moreish with the five course tasting menu (with things like scallops with spice of angels and beef three ways) being your best bet to sample the full spectrum. Stretch your legs with a walk around the lake before lunch, laze in the bar afterwards, and rest assured that it's only 30 minutes from London if you do give in to temptation and book a room for the night.

www.stokeplace.co.uk

Set in the picturesque Surrey Hills – Shere was the quaint village featured in The Holiday – the William Bray pub is run by former F1 racer Julian Bailey (also rumoured to have been The Stig) and his wife, so it's not unusual to see Jensen Button and other petrol-heads supping a pint and tucking into a burger of a weekend. Cosy and pared down, but with a few contemporary touches which suit its somewhat starry reputation, the restaurant becomes a hive of activity on Sundays when the fancier food is set aside and traditional roasts are served. There are also bar snacks like Shere Drop rarebit (made with local ale) and quail Scotch eggs, and come Christmas the Baileys have a tendency to cover the place in fake snow – kitsch but nice.

www.thewilliambray.co.uk

A little further to go than the previous two but worth every mile, this stylish newcomer to the New Forest (and little sister to the nearby and more grown-up Lime Wood hotel) modestly describes itself as 'rooms and kitchen garden restaurant' – but is in actuality like a mini Babington House. Chef James Golding is dedicated to serving seasonal food such as cavolo nero and blue cheese polenta and whole roasted Beaulieu partridge, made with locally-grown ingredients wherever possible (either from said garden or within a 25 mile radius) in the charmingly herb-stuffed conservatory-style dining room. Plus there's a great bar and terrace, plenty of cosy corners and squashy sofas to tuck yourselves into, and Bamford spa treatments available in the Potting Shed on Fridays and Saturdays. Just so you know for next time.