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Fish and Chips; Macaroni Cheese: Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pud - they're all wonderful in their way. But sometimes you want to aim a little higher: enjoy a meal which is more unusual, or even splash out on a once-in-a-blue-moon dinner.

Two local restaurants have recently come in for national praise.

Just down the road from Richmond Information Centre you'll find Number 29 (29 Frenchgate, that is). TripAdvisor has just put this little place among its top one per cent of restaurants - worldwide!

The modest store-front promises an Ale House, a Gin and Wine Bar, and a Micro-Pub. Oh, yes - and Tapas. But these are tapas with a difference. One of the most popular is the haggis morsels served in a mustard cream sauce. (¡Dios mío! ¿Qué?) Even the Spanish visitors are delighted. Number 29 fills up fast, so it's worth booking. Drop by after midday, or call 01748 850491. There's no website or online menu, so trust TripAdvisor and the many happy eaters who keep returning to No. 29. 

In Bedale, a little further afield, you'll find Hansom Restaurant and Wine Bar. The chef–owner, the impossibly young-looking Ruth Hansom (main picture), has just been recognised as National Chef of the Year by the Craft Guild of Chefs. Previous winners have included Gordon Ramsay. Amazingly, this is the first time in 50 years the prize has gone to a woman. But Ruth is no stranger to awards, having previously been voted Young National Chef of the Year. 

But what of the food? It's all about tasting menus - nine courses in the evening, five at lunch - and it majors on fresh, local ingredients and astounding taste combinations. You may want to save up, you may want to add an extra notch to your belt, and you may need a designated driver, but eating at Hansom will definitely be a memorable experience. Visit hansomrestaurant.co.uk.