Town Hall Hotel

With its austere Victorian exterior and dark-wood bistro interior, there's nothing flashy about the Town Hall Hotel. But that just allows the food to do the talking. Veteran chef Harry Lilai brings an infectious enthusiasm to his cooking: good, unpretentious mostly Italian dishes prepared with care. A menu of small, medium and large plates allows for easy, casual eating. 'Small' could be egg-dipped prawns wrapped in zucchini and prosciutto, while 'medium' might offer comforting soft polenta with chunks of baccala in a creamy sauce, or fried quail with the sweet and spicy combination of red grapes and chorizo. True to its pub heritage, there's a range of steaks, including grass-fed Angus sirloin with all the trimmings, and carafes of decent wines. Keep an eye on the mirror for seasonal specials such as silky ravioli with pine mushroom, toasted pinenuts and currants in brown butter. Classic desserts such as self-saucing chocolate pudding and tiramisu are superior examples of the species.