Round our way (East of England) there's a mix of old-school restaurants that have survived through sheer quality, and newer ones that have been established to revive the fortunes of struggling pubs.

An example of the former is the wonderful Le Talbooth in Stratford St Mary, Essex, close to the Suffolk border.

Several (much more local to me) examples of the latter are the Hare and Hounds in Old Warden, a bizarre village in Bedfordshire, built in the style of a Swiss village, complete with an air museum, garden, falconry centre and agricultural college. There's also the Three Horseshoes in Madingley, towards Cambridge.