守卫者酒店

It may be found in quite a remote area near the Irish border, but MacNean House is a destination in its own right. Run by celebrity chef Neven Maguire, it houses a cookery school, bedrooms and this perennially busy restaurant. There’s a plushness to the dining room and a degree of formality in the service that make it a popular choice for celebrating a special occasion, while the generous tasting menu offers attractive, detailed cooking. The finest Irish ingredients are used and there’s no shortage of flavour across the dishes.

This traditional family-run pub sits close to the river and is filled with pottery, bygone artefacts, fishing tackle and, of course, plenty of locals. Service is chatty, there’s a lovely deli, and they even have a lager brewed specifically for them. Flavoursome cooking uses local produce, with the fish dishes being a sure-fire hit, and all of the bread is home baked. The upstairs restaurant opens later in the week.