Part of the same group as the acclaimed The Woodspeen in Berkshire, this Michelin-listed restaurant in the village of Milborne Port just outside Sherborne does not disappoint.

Housed in a former Victorian schoolhouse, the interiors are totally unexpected – and stunning. Contemporary design enhances the original beauty of the building, with soaring ceilings, medieval-looking chandeliers, polished concrete floors and striking artworks. No wonder they’ve scooped up a couple of architectural awards, and Condé Nast Traveller declared it ‘one of the most beautiful restaurants in England’.

You must have a drink in the mezzanine bar, with its velvet and leather bar stools, club chairs and marble-topped bar. Try a G&T with their own 12 O’Clock Gin, made with secret foraged ingredients and orange leaves from the conservatory at Ven House (a Georgian mansion, and the owner’s home, nearby).

Head chef Luke Sutton (the Michelin-starred L’Ortolan in Reading, The Woodspeen) serves up a modern British/European menu that is super seasonal, local, inventive and instantly Instagrammable.

Service, under general manager Massimiliano Mannella (Gordon Ramsey’s London House), is unobtrusive, not obsequious.

It feels special here but relaxed – and the food is wonderful.