The Heathcock

From the same stable as the renowned Hare & Hounds pub in the Vale of Glamorgan comes a Cardiff neighbourhood stalwart, The Heathcock, re-imagined as a destination dining place, with a couple of lovely guest rooms upstairs. The bar is still a terrific local hangout – just a couple of miles from the city centre, near the river in Llandaff – but an increasing number of visitors are making their way here to sample some of the best in contemporary regional Welsh cooking. You can expect things such as slow-roast Vale of Glamorgan lamb, seasonal game dishes, shellfish from the coast, local farm cheeses or Welsh-landed fish, while the kitchen team makes its own sourdough bread, butter, pasta and the like.

It's not at all pretentious, with plenty of tables inside and out for drinkers just to turn up. Dog-walkers and parties are more than welcome, and the menu at lunchtime especially lends itself to sharing a selection of reasonably priced dishes. It's definitely not sandwiches and crisps – think mussels in cider, minced venison on toast or rabbit pasta. The watchwords throughout are relaxed and informal, but if you want fancy, you can have it – a Thursday to Saturday champagne and oyster bar puts fizz, charcuterie and cheese into the mix, and if you want to dress up at any time, well no one's stopping you.

Make a real night of it by staying in one of two charming en-suite guest rooms upstairs. They've gone for cool country vibes, so there's a mix of old and new, from the original fireplaces and paneled headboards to big, standalone baths, rain-showers and Nespresso machines. The beds in both are super-king size, while the larger of the two rooms has beautiful views out over the hills to Castle Coch. Breakfast, of course, is a high point, with more terrific Welsh produce on the plate, setting you right up for a day's sightseeing or simply mooching around the capital.