Cinderloo
(Dawley Riots)

Where to Eat in Shropshire?

Despite being amazingly svelte (but only if I breathe in hard, and even then it only lasts a few seconds) I really do like good food...

And so, as a public service, places where you might do far worse to consider if you're feeling a bit peckish... And as my mother says: "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all". So out of respect for that advice (and possible libel action) I won't mention the places where it's likely you'll have a truly appalling meal...

When you think back, assuming you're old enough, to what passed for good food years back - perhaps an avocado stuffed with prawns, a sirloin steak and chips, and to finish, Black Forest Gateaux - then you can only think at least some things have got better!

This list is confined to Shropshire, otherwise I'd have to include places all over and, let's face it, Raymond Blanc doesn't need the publicity! The list is also alphabetical to avoid any connotations of favouritism. With one exception...

The Hundred House, Norton. The best food that I've had in Shropshire. Mind you, I haven't tried a lot of the trendy Ludlow restaurants. But I think they'd be hard-pushed to come up with anything as good as this. Expensive? Not very, considering. Only complaint: bit cramped - but if you're this good and this popular ...

OK, favouritism over...

Coalbrookdale Inn, um well, Coalbrookedale. great beer, great food and, most of all, great company. Don't let on if it's your birthday!

Horse & Jockey, Ironbridge. Winner of Steak and Kidney pudding of the Year several times over. You can tell. A friend once attempted to prise the pastry recipe from the chef. Was he telling? Was he buggery!

Jaspers, Shifnal. Great little restaurant - a favourite at work for Christmas dinners.

Jewel in the Crown, Dawley. Best Indian restaurant I've tried in Telford.

Naughty Nell's, Shifnal. A bit of an oddity, this one. All you can eat for a fixed price ... but Mongolian food. Help yourself from the raw ingredients and they're cooked in front of you on an enormous hotplate. Not a job I'd fancy - particularly in summer. Food very spicy - so what you might save on food you more than make up for on beer...

Ødfellows, Shifnal. I could spend hours just looking at the menu ... never disappoints.

Old Three Pigeons, Nesscliffe. Amazing seafood menu. Watch bits of langoustine arc gracefully across the dining room when you break them... Used to be renowned for having WWII kit parked outside.

Raphaels, Shifnal. I'm not a great fan of Italian food but people who are really rate this place. Has an amazing Lebanese red wine!

Shalimar, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury. Excellent Indian food - some of the best I've ever had. Disgustingly ugly fish in the tank; I thought tropical fish were supposed to be bright, colourful, iridescent, darting about. Not white, black or grey and sluggish...

Station Inn, Horsehay. Good pub food - bit more expensive than usual but worth it. And if you're a quantity over quality diner, there's the 'finish this!' menu which earns you a free pint. Though where you'd find room for it is anyone's guess.

Unicorn, Ludlow. Pub-grub. But: a typical menu includes Pheasant, Guinea Fowl, Wild Boar. Probably not Chili-con-Carne. Brilliant food... recommending this is very easy indeed!