Howard's House

Situated roughly halfway between Salisbury and Shaftesbury, we like the Howard's House hotel very much, not only for its comfy rooms but also because it has a superb restaurant. Based around the ingredients of the hotel's kitchen garden and fired up by the imagination of head chef Nick Wentworth, who is dedicated to unleashing the flavour of the finest seasonal ingredients Wilshire can offer, this is English cooking at its best, with bold and imaginative takes on traditional dishes and classic ingredients – local lamb and game, fish and seafood from the South Coast and more. The midweek 3-course fixed-price lunch is a bargain, and Sunday lunch service a treat, especially if you pre-order the table of roast meats in advance – a good choice for ditherers and very hungry people alike. A la carte evening diners can expect something seasonal and delicious – think breast of local wood pigeon or oak-smoked halibut as a starter with fillet of wild turbot  or loin of Sika deer to follow – although you won't go far wrong if you just give up and go for the 'chef's daily choice' dish, which will always be fresh and locally sourced. If you happen to be staying here, thank your lucky stars you decided to; if you are not, then be assured that Howard's House is one hotel restaurant that is a destination in its own right.