The Bathwick Boatman

The Bathwick Boatman is built above Bath's historic boating station on the River Avon, on Forester Road about ten minutes' walk from the city centre - a converted rowing clubhouse rather than a purpose-built restaurant, with a wooden boathouse structure and a balcony terrace that puts most tables within sight of the water. Owners Ben and Rosy have run it since 2007, long enough that the place has become a fixture on this stretch of the river rather than a newer addition to Bath's dining scene.

In the kitchen, chefs Robert and Mike build the menu around West Country produce specifically: fish from the south coast, meat from Terry & Son, a long-standing butcher in Bath, and vegetables from local growers rather than a national supplier. The setting does a lot of the work - it's one of the more distinctive dining rooms in Bath simply by virtue of being a boathouse rather than a converted shop - but the sourcing behind the food holds up on its own. It works equally well for a summer lunch on the terrace or a quieter dinner as the light goes down over the water.