Pig & Truffle

Just 10 minutes down the road from Stansted Airport, this cosy and contemporary Essex restaurant with rooms is not only a destination place to eat, it has three very comfortable, colourful and contemporary guest rooms upstairs, making it a perfect stopover if you have an early flight or fancy a foodie getaway. Each named after a rare breed pig, the rooms are individually furnished in a modern style, with bright fabrics, king- or super-king size beds and bathrooms provided with nice toiletries, robes, underfloor heating and powerful rainfall showers. There's free WiFi throughout and the rooms have Smart TVs, tea- and coffee-making facilities, (including a Nespresso machine), and a mini fridge with still and sparkling water and fresh milk.

Under the guidance of the current chef-patron Paul Croasdale, Pig & Truffle (formerly called The Flitch of Bacon) has a reputation for high-end yet affordable food, served Wednesday to Sunday, including a daily set lunch menu and a fabulous Sunday roast, which is quite rightly very popular. Dishes are beautifully prepared and presented, with an emphasis on British ingredients, whether it's foraged blueberries, Cornish truffles, Cumbrian duck, or local fish and seafood.