
This is Shakespeare country, full of tourist attractions from the splendid Warwick Castle to the ruins of Kenilworth, the culture of Stratford upon Avon to the gentrified countryside which is peppered with interesting restaurants.
Look out for the Royal Show, staged at Stoneleigh, it is the most prestigious agricultural event of the year. The brave can sample the spa water at the new Museum in Royal Leamington Spa... or opt for a glass of wine in one of the county's fine restaurants.
The White HorseThe team behind the stylish Metro Bar & Grill venues in Birmingham and Solihull have now turned their attention to pubs, and have given this Warwickshire watering hole a contemporary wash-and-brush up.
Kenilworth Road, Balsall Common, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
Nailcote Hall, The Oak RoomA sumptuous mix of classic and modern, Nailcote Hall is a fine half-timbered mansion dating back to 1640. It stands in 15 acres of grounds close to the motorway network and has been cleverly re-designed with subterranean extensions (20 feet below ground) including a conference centre and Rick's Café Bar - a relentlessly pulsating hangout for live sounds, Mediterranean food and cocktails.
Nailcote Lane, Berkswell, Warwickshire - Cuisine: European
Mercure Brandon Hall Hotel & SpaOriginally built as the shooting lodge for Brandon Manor, this grandiose country mansion is set in 17 acres of grounds within easy striking distance of Coventry.
Main Street, Brandon, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Modern European
The CrabmillA real gem to look at, the Crabmill can trace its roots back more than three centuries, and it still bears the marks of history with its tiny leaded windows, weathered half-timbered exterior, crooked beams and flagstone floors.
Preston Bagot, Claverdon, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Eclectic
The Red Lion at ClaverdonFollowing in the footsteps of its sister pub (the Cross at Kenilworth), the Red Lion has been given a thorough design makeover, with stripped wood floors, modern furnishings, artwork and a sense of space; there's also a big landscaped garden with a heated deck area for al fresco meals.
Station Road, Claverdon, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
Fox & Hounds InnThe Fox & Hounds has been trading since 1540, and it looks the part. Old beams entwined with hops, shiny ancient flagstones and a mighty hearth all help to create an unashamedly bucolic atmosphere in the bar.
, Great Wolford, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
The Falcon InnConveniently situated a few miles from Warwick and the M40 on the old Birmingham Road, this revitalised inn now offers upbeat food and drinks plus boutique-style accommodation in surroundings that have been given a sympathetic facelift.
Birmingham Road, Hatton, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
Petit GourmandAndreas Antona (of Simpsons fame) recently sold his original Kenilworth premises (formerly known as Simply Simpsons). New owners have changed the name to Petit Gourmand and have given the interior a facelift: it is now a sophisticated blend of bold, rich fabrics, soft lights, intimate banquettes and booth seating - with the bonus of a separate dining room for private bashes.
101-103 Warwick Road, Kenilworth, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Anglo French
RafflesBilled as 'Britain's first colonial Malaysian restaurant', Raffles is part of the Georgetown group (which has branches in London, Leeds, Nottingham and Stratford upon Avon).
57 Warwick Road, Kenilworth, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Malaysian
Restaurant BosquetSet in an unobtrusive terraced house on the main Warwick Road, Restaurant Bosquet continues draw an enthusiastic crowd with its special brand of hospitality.
97a Warwick Road, Kenilworth, Warwickshire - Cuisine: French
The Coconut LagoonLaid-back and congenial, The Coconut Lagoon is an innovative restaurant in the sleepy Warwickshire town of Kenilworth. Whilst most Indian restaurants in the UK offer menus derived from North Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine, the Coconut Lagoon is unique in specialising in dishes from Southern India - a rare treat for curry connoisseurs which earned the restaurant a short listing for Best International Restaurant in the Coventry and Warwickshire Food and Drinks Award in 2009The menu offers the chance to sample genuine provincial cooking from Southern India, with aromatic specialities from the regions of Goa, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
149 Warwick Road, Kenilworth, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Indian
The Cross At KenilworthWithin easy walking distance of Abbey Fields and Kenilworth Castle, this substantial brick pub is reaping the benefits of a thorough contemporary makeover – to good effect.
16 New Street, Kenilworth, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
Boot InnSet in 'the delightful windy roads of Warwickshire', this 'tremendously fab, posh country pub' is an appealing mix of exposed timbers, quarry-tiled floors and rustic chic, with a revamped upstairs dining room and delightful grounds running down to the towpath (it's near the junction of the Grand Union and Stratford upon Avon canals).
Old Warwick Road, Lapworth, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
Mallory Court HotelIt's not hard to understand why Mallory Court ranks high on many a list of favourite country house hotels: pedigree might almost be its middle name.
Harbury Lane, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Modern British
Eleven RestaurantA rustic, bow-windowed bistro in Leamington Old Town, Eleven brings a taste of rural France to the heartlands of Warwickshire.
11 Regent Place, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire - Cuisine: French
Emperors Chinese RestaurantHidden away in one of Leamington's back streets, this long-running neighbourhood Chinese restaurant is reckoned to be one of the most reliable in the area and is well worth seeking out.
Bath Place, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Chinese
Oscar's Bistro'A corner of France in the heart of Leamington' is how the owners describe this genuine Provençal bistro. The decor is just as it should be, and the menu is a simple reflection of all things Gallic - from the olives and saucisson that are offered as pre-prandial nibbles to the award-winning steak frites and superb cheeseboard.
39 Chandos Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire - Cuisine: French
Queans RestaurantChef/proprietor Laura Hamilton has been part of the Warwickshire restaurant scene for more than two decades, and still finds time to undertake cookery demonstrations at local food festivals as well as running the show at Queans.
15 Dormer Place, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Modern British
Restaurant 23Peter and Antje Knibb are rapidly making their mark on the Leamington restaurant scene with their smart new venture in the centre of town.
23 Dormer Place, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Modern European
Thai ElephantFor more than 20 years, this family-run Thai restaurant has been doing a great job in Royal Leamington Spa. Gracious staff in traditional costume provide serene, courteous service and the interior is a riot of fantastic decorations, luxuriant tropical plants and splendid hand-carved teak furniture.
20 Regent Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Thai
The Black Horse RestaurantA fine-looking one-time coaching inn overlooking Market Bosworth market square, the Black Horse is now run first and foremost as a neighbourhood restaurant.
17 Market Place, Market Bosworth, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Modern European
Turmeric GoldYounger sister to the highly successful Indian restaurant in Coventry's medieval quarter, the Meriden branch of Turmeric Gold occupies a Georgian building in the heart of the village, and is gaining fame as one of the most flamboyant venues in the area.
155 Main Road, Meriden, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Indian
The Stag at OffchurchThe Stag is a traditional country village pub set in a picturesque 16th century thatched building in the centre of the historic village of Offchurch, a few miles from Leamington Spa.
Welsh Road, Offchurch, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
The PeacockTucked away in a pretty Warwickshire village on the edge of the Cotswolds and conveniently close to 'Shakespeare Country', the Peacock has been given a refreshing facelift by new owners Chris and Ellen Joel.
Main Street, Oxhill, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
The George HotelHigh-flying Midlands' entrepreneur, Sue Hawkins, is the driving force behind this rejuvenated coaching inn. Formerly a run-down, town-centre boozer, the George is now a bright new boutique hotel and restaurant full of style and pizzazz.
8 High Street, Shipston on Stour, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Modern European
The Durham OxThis traditional country inn has come a long way since the nineteenth century, when it served the needs of thirsty Warwickshire locals.
Shrewley Common, Shrewley, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
Butchers ArmsIn lush countryside close to the Northamptonshire - Warwickshire border, the beautiful Butcher's Arms Restaurant started life as an alehouse around 1375; soldiers firing up for the Battle of Edgehill reputedly used it as a watering hole and – in its current incarnation – it has played host to all manner of celebrities (check out their photos on the walls).
Priors Hardwick, Southam, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Modern English
The Arden HotelThe brand new Waterside Brasserie offers guests an exceptional dining experience in relaxed and stylish surroundings. Executive chef Simon Haigh, who holds a Michelin star at sister hotel Mallory Court, has designed a mouth-watering menu of delicious modern European dishes inspired by the best local seasonal ingredients.
, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Modern European
Baraset BarnA short drive out of Stratford, past the local golf club, this stylishly converted 300-year-old barn successfully blends historic features with flashes of contemporary design.
Pimlico Lane, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
Billesley Manor Hotel, Stuart RestaurantThis beautifully preserved Elizabethan manor house will forever be linked with William Shakespeare, and it's said that the bard wrote parts of 'As You Like It' in the old library.
Billesley, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Modern British
Ettington Park Hotel, Oak RoomYou can't miss Ettington Park with its cluster of ancient turrets and towers pointing skywards. The manor - and its 40 acres of grounds - has been in the Shirley family since Domesday, and there's a twelfth-century chapel to reinforce the sense of antiquity.
Alderminster, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Modern British
Fox & Goose InnOriginally a blacksmith's forge, the Fox & Hounds Inn (off the A429 south of Stratford) now functions as a fully fledged country pub/restaurant-with-rooms.
Armscote, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
GeorgetownLike its siblings in other town and cities, the Stratford branch of Georgetown is decked out in the style of a colonial ballroom with wicker chairs, plants and music from a live pianist most evenings.
23 Sheep Street, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Malaysian
Lambs of Sheep StreetOne of Stratford's best-known restaurants occupies one of the most venerable buildings in town - an early sixteenth-century, timbered-framed gem that probably dates back to the reign of Henry VIII.
12 Sheep Street, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire - Cuisine: European
Menzies Welcombe Hotel, Trevelyan RestaurantBuilt in 1866, Menzies Welcombe Hotel with its Trevelyan Restaurant is a magnificent Jacobean-style mansion standing in 157 acres of glorious grounds and landscaped parkland on the outskirts of Stratford upon Avon.
Warwick Road, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Modern European
Sorrento RestaurantSituated just a few minutes walk from the Shakespeare Theatre, this traditional, family-run Italian is a crowd-pleaser, whether you are visiting for business or pleasure.
8 Ely Street, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Italian
The Coconut LagoonLaid-back and congenial, The Coconut Lagoon is an innovative restaurant in the centre of historic Stratford-upon-Avon. Whilst most Indian restaurants in the UK offer menus derived from North Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine, the Coconut Lagoon is unique in specialising in dishes from Southern India - a rare treat for curry connoisseurs.
21 Sheep Street, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Indian
The College ArmsA new team is now at the helm of this archetypal sixteenth-century hostelry in the charming village of Lower Quinton, just 15 minutes drive from Stratford upon Avon.
Lower Quinton, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
The Quills Restaurant, The StratfordBuilt in Victorian style on site of an old hospital, this contemporary hotel is just a walk away from Stratford's tourist attractions and the River Avon.
Arden Street, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire - Cuisine: International
Ardencote Manor Hotel, Lodge RestaurantThe Manor started life as a gentleman's residence during Victorian times, but it's now a fully blown country club hotel and spa complete with all manner of facilities including an indoor pool and golf course.
Lye Green Road, Warwick, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Anglo French
Robbie's of WarwickAttractively located in a splendid fifteenth-century, timber-framed house on one of the oldest surviving streets in Warwick, Robbie's has seen a number of changes in recent years, but is now going strong under its current owners.
74 Smith Street, Warwick, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Eclectic
Saffron GoldIgnore the rather curious setting in Warwick's shopping precinct and focus on the food in this smartly appointed Indian. Inside, there are appropriate yellow colour schemes, wicker chairs, walls hung with ethnic prints, and a sitar or two.
Unit 1, Westgate House, Warwick, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Indian
The Art KitchenA fascinating and rather exotic venue that brings a taste of Thailand to Warwick. Its owners also run an artwork company and ever-changing examples of their wares can be seen hanging in the ground-floor dining room and the private space upstairs (aptly named the Drawing Room).
7 Swan Street, Warwick, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Thai
The Lord Leycester HotelIdeally situated right in the centre of Warwick, but only a short drive from the M40, the purpose-built Lord Leycester Hotel is equally handy as a basecamp for business, sightseeing or pleasure.
Jury Street, Warwick, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Modern British
The Rose & CrownThe enterprising Peach Pubs Company chose this town centre inn as their first venture and they now have half-a-dozen revitalised pubs dotted around Central England.
30 Market Place, Warwick, Warwickshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub