
Wiltshire was once dubbed 'the kingdom of the pig', but now it's better known for its high-tech industries strung out along the M4. Much of Wiltshire is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, famed for its ancient monuments and 'white horse' carvings.
Bacon, hams and sausages are still part of the county's food heritage and restaurants make the most of them. Wild fungi and game from Savernake Forest are used to good effect, and new enterprises are producing everything from quails' eggs to soft cheese.
Helen Browning at The Royal OakPioneering organic farmer Helen Browning and her partner Tim Finney adopted the Royal Oak as their village local, and liked the pub so much they decided to buy it.
Cue’s Lane, Bishopstone, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
The Swan HotelA sixteenth-century listed landmark in the centre of historic Bradford on Avon (adjacent to the medieval bridge over the river), the Swan Hotel recently emerged from a complete, top-to-tail refurbishment, and has found a new lease of life as a high-quality hotel with all the charm of a country inn.
1 Church Street, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire - Cuisine: British
The Manor House Hotel, Bybrook RestaurantBreathtakingly situated on the southern fringes of the Cotswolds within easy reach of Bath, the Manor House comes complete with 365 acres of parkland, a 'Peter Alliss' golf course and Italian gardens sweeping down to the River Bybrook.
, Castle Combe, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Modern British
Castle InnIt's been called ' the village that time forgot'. Castle Combe still looks as if the centuries have passed it by: there are no street lights or TV aerials and every building has a 'listed' tag - no wonder film crews are always turning up.
, Castle Combe, Wiltshire - Cuisine: International
Lucknam ParkLucknam Park puts on a grand and elegant country house show, although it now also incorporates a health spa, gymnasium and top-class equestrian centre.
Colerne, Chippenham, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Modern British
Stanton Manor Hotel & Gallery RestaurantAwarded an AA Rosette for its excellent food, The Gallery Restaurant & Bar has been completely refurbished, with a new menu crafted by the resident chef.
Stanton Saint Quintin, Chippenham, Wiltshire - Cuisine: European
The Potting ShedSituated across the road and some 200 yards from its parent hotel (The Rectory), this re-born boozer aims to keep things true their roots with great beers on tap and really interesting pub food.
The Street, Crudwell, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
George and DragonFrom the outside, you might think the George and Dragon at Rowde was just another Wiltshire roadside pub, but the interior tells a different story.
Rowde, Devizes, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
The Forester InnA great deal of care and attention has been lavished on this immaculately thatched sixteenth-century inn on the Wiltshire/Dorset border.
Lower Street, Donhead St Andrew, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
Three TunsIn a delightful little village just a stroll away from the Kennet & Avon Canal, the Three Tuns, Great Bedwyn, was erected in the mid-eighteenth century from the remnants of a local bakery and the morgue next door.
1 High Street, Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
Angel InnAn elegant Gastro Pub, serving 2 AA rosette winning cuisine with fine wines and ales, The Angel appeared at number 17 in The Independent's list of 50 Best Gastro Pubs.
Angel Lane, Hindon, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Modern British
The Lamb Inn at HindonNestled in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside, the Lamb at Hindon has been an established part of the unspoilt Hindon village landscape since the 12th century.
High Street, Hindon, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Modern British
The Tollgate InnBuilt during the sixteenth century and still going strong, the Tollgate is every inch the archetypal English country hostelry, right down to its beams, stone-flagged floors and delightful cottage garden (complete with willow gazebos).
Ham Green, Holt, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
The Horse & Groom InnFronted by a tree-sheltered lawn and surrounded by its own paddock, the sixteenth-century Horse & Groom Inn is currently reaping the benefits of a serious but sympathetic refurbishment.
The Street, Malmesbury, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
Rectory HotelIn an endearingly serene Cotswold hamlet not far from Malmesbury, the Rectory Hotel is a picture of English charm surrounded by three acres of formal walled gardens complete with a sunken Victorian pool.
Crudwell, Malmesbury, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Modern British
The Old BellInns don't come much more venerable than the aptly named Old Bell: built in the twelfth century for visitors to the next-door abbeym, it now plays the part of a genteel hotel, dressed in grey Cotswold stone with stone mullioned windows and wisteria draped over the frontage.
Abbey Row, Malmesbury, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Modern European
Whatley ManorTwelve acres of lavender-scented gardens and woodland (tended by a team of five horticulturists) surround this sumptuously renovated Cotswold manor, which now boasts state-of-the-art spa, leisure and health facilities.
Easton Grey, Malmesbury, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Modern European
The Harrow at Little BedwynOriginally known as the Harrow Inn, this unostentatious Wiltshire hostelry has been impressively transformed by Roger and Sue Jones, who have turned it into a fully-fledged country restaurant famed for its remarkable wine cellar and top-flight, seriously accomplished Michelin starred cooking.
Little Bedwyn, Marlborough, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Modern British
The Vine TreeOriginally a watermill, The Vine Tree at Norton is now a truly inviting pub/restaurant in a tiny Wiltshire hamlet a few miles to the south of Malmesbury.
Foxley Road, Norton, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Modern British
The Wheatsheaf InnThe Wheatsheaf has been dispensing beer and hospitality for several hundred years, and you can still see fascinating echoes of its past in the bar: note the lintel over the fireplace (reputedly the remnants of an ancient coffin lid) and the carved crosses on the beams and chimney (apparently to ward off witches).
, Oaksey, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
The Silver PloughSet in the heart of the rolling Wiltshire countryside, this fine-looking, scrupulously maintained pub started life in the seventeenth century as a farmhouse and became an inn after World War II.
White Hill, Pitton, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
AnokaaAnokaa's contemporary glass frontage is just a stone's throw from the Salisbury Playhouse and City Hall, making it a prime destination for business types and theatregoers.
60 Fisherton Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Indian
Howard's HouseWelcome to everyone's idea of the perfect cosy English idyll. Built as a dower house in 1623, this rustic little gem has every chocolate-box trapping you could wish for, from a tiny stream to heavenly gardens with undulating topiary.
Teffont Evias, Salisbury, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Modern British
Hox BrasserieHox Brasserie is a modern restaurant situated in Salisbury that focuses on Southern Indian cuisine. The contemporary dining area has a minimalist décor with hardwood flooring and pale walls, with the bonus of an upstairs dining room that can cater for large private parties.
155 Fisherton Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Indian
The Barford InnSituated in a pretty village a few miles west of Salisbury, the listed Barford Inn has been providing sustenance since the sixteenth century and even used to brew its own beer for travellers and locals.
Barford St Martin, Salisbury, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Modern European
Restaurant 20We are pleased to introduce Restaurant 20 a new addition to The UK Restaurant Guide for 2012. A full review will be published shortly.
The Kings, Swindon, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Modern European
The Three CrownsThe Three Crowns first opened its doors in 1801 and later did service as a 'hotel' serving teas and light refreshments.
Brinkworth, Swindon, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
The Beckford ArmsThe Beckford Arms is a traditional country pub on the edge of the 10,000 acre parkland of the Fonthill Estate in south Wiltshire, just twenty minutes from Stonehenge and Salisbury.
Fonthill Gifford, Tisbury, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
The LinnetA serious makeover in 2002 transformed this remote country hostelry a couple of miles east of Trowbridge into a haven of smart modernity and upbeat gastro pub food.
Great Hinton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Modern British
Angel InnThe Angel Inn is a substantial, neat-looking country inn complete a big paved patio for alfresco meals. Inside, there's a serious of linked rooms on different levels, including a high-ceilinged bar and a sizeable restaurant.
Upton Scudamore, Warminster, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Modern British
Bishopstrow HouseSet in the stunning Wylye valley, the beautiful ivy-clad Bishopstrow House is a classic Georgian mansion dating back to 1815.
The Wylye Valley, Warminster, Wiltshire - Cuisine:
The Pear Tree InnBuilt in 1750 and once a cider house, this attractive old Cotswold stone inn is part rural hostelry, part breezy modern restaurant with beautiful gardens and a lovely furnished terrace for dreamy al fresco meals.
Top Lane, Whitley, Wiltshire - Cuisine: Gastro pub
The Ivy Hotel, Harveys Bar & RestaurantBuilt on the site of the old Moormead Farm, the creeper-clad Ivy Hotel feels like a 'home away from home' thanks to the personal attention and dedication of its owners.
Moormead Road, Wroughton, Wiltshire - Cuisine: International