Northcote Manor
It's an abused and overused term, but Nigel Haworth's food is the very definition of modern British cooking. His Michelin-starred kitchen relies, daily, on a trusted network of local suppliers and, as a chef Haworth is fascinated by both the history of Lancashire food and its future potential. Northcote Manor's signature hot pot – real five-star comfort food is cooked in a dish based on a 19th-century design, but comes with Asian influenced red cabbage. Apple soufflé and Lancashire cheese ice cream, meanwhile brilliantly reinvents the old fruit and cheese combo. While the cooking is, pretty much, flawless, on a recent visit, the kitchen had run out of two dishes at Sunday lunch, and an overcharge had to be graciously rectified. Otherwise, a real treat.
Tony Naylor
Northcote Road (Tel: 01254 240555)
Price per head £35