Bites: Prime Ministerial

The Cabinet, High Street, Reed, Herts (01763 848366). Bar food daily, 12-2.15pm, 6.30-9.15pm, restaurant, Tue-Sat, dinner, Sun lunch. Unusually named, 16th-century pub that keeps regulars happy with fine local and other real ales in the public bar, and provides good bar meals for less than £10 (liver and bacon, £6.50) and three courses of zesty modern European cooking ­ good fish and Cromer crab, slow-cooked shoulder of lamb, lively salads ­ in the table-clothed restaurant for £20-£25. A local sculptor's work is dotted around the large garden, and various artists are represented indoors.

The Cabinet, High Street, Reed, Herts (01763 848366). Bar food daily, 12-2.15pm, 6.30-9.15pm, restaurant, Tue-Sat, dinner, Sun lunch. Unusually named, 16th-century pub that keeps regulars happy with fine local and other real ales in the public bar, and provides good bar meals for less than £10 (liver and bacon, £6.50) and three courses of zesty modern European cooking ­ good fish and Cromer crab, slow-cooked shoulder of lamb, lively salads ­ in the table-clothed restaurant for £20-£25. A local sculptor's work is dotted around the large garden, and various artists are represented indoors.

Melbournes, 74 Park Street, Bristol (0117 922 6996). Mon-Sat, 5-10.30pm. One of the BYOB restaurants that's made Bristol a centre for the Chardonnay-carrying diner, this also sells wines, beers and spirits. Dinner's a set price of £16.95 for two courses and £18.95 for three courses, for a selection of modern bistro and world-ranging food. There's kangaroo, chicken breast with sun-dried tomatoes, herb pancakes for veggies, and fish on the specials blackboard: cajun-spiced tuna, sea bass or salmon, perhaps.

Premier, Selfridges, Oxford Street, London W1 (020-7318 3155). Mon-Wed, 11.30am-7pm, Thur-Fri, 11.30am-8pm, Sat, 11.30am-7pm, Sun, 11.30am-6pm. Selfridges' third-floor, Conran-designed restaurant has turned back from Japanese (which ended with the Tokyo Life extravaganza in the store last month) to its old self. Come for safe European food along the lines of lobster (£15.95) or asparagus (£7.95) salads, with hot main courses of pasta, rabbit, cod, mushrooms or veal (the most expensive at £19.50). Lunch lasts until 3pm, and then it's teatime.

Salisbury Tavern, 21 Sherbrooke Road, London SW6 (020-7381 4005). Mon-Fri, 12-2.30pm, 7-10.30pm, Sat, 12-3.30pm, 7-10.30pm, Sun, 12-3.30pm, 7-10pm. Fulham pub that's gone gastro, with classically-trained chefs producing a menu at restaurant prices. Diners and drinkers are kept separate; it's all nicely skylit, bare-boarded and banquetted. Twice-baked goat's cheese with watercress salad or langoustine spring rolls to start, then sea bass, lamb chop or Thai-glazed duck breast ­ around £30-£35 a head. Beef Wellington (£36 for two) is a speciality.

Walpole Arms, Itteringham, Norfolk (01263 587258). Daily, 12-2pm, 7-9pm. In an arty part of Norfolk, this uncluttered pub that's mainly given over to dining (but pours a great pint of Adnams) also holds art exhibitions, poetry evenings and theatre productions in its large garden. A range of simple dishes served in the restaurant, bars and garden changes daily ­ a sign of freshness of ideas and produce. Tomato and basil soup, smoked salmon or stuffed vine leaves are the starters, while Cromer crab salad, pasta and steaks are the main courses from £6-£10. All desserts are £3.

Wellington Inn, 19 The Green, Lund, East Yorks (01377 217294). Bar food, Tue-Sat, 12-2pm, 6.30-8.30pm, Sun, 12-2pm, restaurant, Tue-Sat, 7-9.30pm. Very much a village pub, and with little garden to speak of, this has a reputation for good, imaginative food served without pomp. Starters are £3-£5, main courses £9-£14 in the bar (where it's restricted to a few tables in the evenings, though at lunchtime more people eat). Duck liver salad, seafood thermidor, scallop and chorizo tart, veal cutlet with garlic mash are some examples. The restaurant menu's similar and only slightly more expensive: crab salad with asparagus, quails' eggs and Bloody Mary dressing is one seasonal starter.