Mercato @ Daylesford

Mercato has long eschewed restaurant fashions in favour of old-school fine dining. Behind a double-fronted 1860s cottage facade is a world of honey floorboards, well-spaced, linen-clad tables, upholstered chairs and polished, waistcoated staff. Happily, the rather rarefied air is leavened by the buzz of locals and visitors having fun, and food that's refined but unfussy and showcases top-notch local produce. Expect dishes like a delicate carpaccio of Romsey emu with shaved pecorino and thyme flowers; a tasting plate featuring Holy Goat cheese, pungent Skipton smoked eel mousse, hunky lamb terrine and good house-made focaccia; and peppery baharat-spiced chicken cleverly tamed with yoghurt dressing and flanked by cubes of saffron potato. Some dishes, such as a heavy roll of pork encrusted with a kaiserfleisch farce, feel less inspired, but desserts finish things sweetly. You might plump for a trio of flavour-packed house-made sorbets, or a lush creme brulee infused with tonka beans.