Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's (London; tel. 020/7499-0099): Gourmet -- and famous Broadway musical producer -- Andrew Lloyd Webber has proclaimed this hot chef the finest in London. Maybe that's going a bit far, but Ramsay is dazzling tout London with his pots and pans. Everything he does bears an innovative twist, and though he has learned from the past, he's hardly anchored there. Ramsay's restaurant is London's hot new dining destination. Try anything, but make sure you sample his "cappuccino" of white beans with grated truffles. You'll want to adopt him and take him home.

Le Gavroche (London; tel. 020/7408-0881): Long known for its top-rate French cuisine, this stellar restaurant has risen to the top again following a bit of a slump in the 1990s. Go here for that grand meal and skip the trip to Paris (we don't really mean that). The menu options are a delight, with such tantalizing dishes as a cassoulet of snails with herb-seasoned frogs' legs. Naturally, the wine cellar is among London's finest.

The Square (London; tel. 020/7495-7100): One of the great London restaurants to have emerged in the 21st century, this gourmet citadel is the domain of master chef Philip Howard, whose continental cuisine has dazzled the food critics of London. Howard is justifiably praised for his "magic" in the kitchen and for his use of "stunningly fresh" ingredients, which he deftly concocts into his masterpieces.

Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons (Great Milton, southeast of Oxford, Oxfordshire; tel. 01844/278881, or 800/845-4274 in the U.S.): The country-house hotel and restaurant of self-taught chef Raymond Blanc have brought him a TV series, as well as cookbooks and a school of cuisine. Although still showing intensely French loyalties, a new lightness, inspired mainly by Japan and the Mediterranean, is more and more evident in the celebrated chef's creations. More meatless dishes appear on the seasonal menu, although the classics remain: sweetbread-stuffed pigs' trotters, kidneys, and foie gras, even veal tongue.

Harvey's Restaurant (Bristol, Somerset; tel. 01179/275034): Chef Daniel Galmiche, who first became known while cooking in Scotland, is a formidable talent. His cuisine is French, yet like many young chefs today, he experiments with ingredients and flavors from other culinary traditions, most notably the Far East and the Mediterranean. The unusual dining room is installed in wine cellars that date from 1796, and the service is amiably informal.

The Carved Angel (Dartmouth, Devon; tel. 01803/832465): The elegant and airy Devon quayside setting is ideal for the inspired cuisine of Joyce Molyneux, doyenne of British chefs. Her imaginative and inventive technique is based on strong British tradition, but increasingly, flavors and aromas of Provence, Italy, and even Asia are appearing on the menus. It's a mandatory stop for foodies.

Le Champignon Sauvage (Cheltenham, the Cotswolds; tel. 01242/573449): David Everitt-Matthias has awakened the sleepy taste buds of Cheltenham. Thoroughly imbued in the French classics, he also adds more modern and lighter touches to his table d'hôte menus, the finest at this old spa. Some dishes reach into the old English repertoire, including stuffed leg of wild rabbit served with black pudding and turnip sauerkraut. His desserts are acclaimed as the most luscious in England.

The Moody Goose (Bath, Somerset; tel. 01225/466688): The spa city of Bath offers some of the finest dining in the West Country, and in Bath itself this English restaurant is the market leader. A most refined cuisine is served here in an elegant Georgian setting. The kitchen is known for its passion for fresh ingredients, and everything is cooked to order and to perfection.

Le Talbooth (Dedham, Essex; tel. 01206/323150): In Constable country, this restaurant dispenses its wares in a half-timbered Tudor building on the banks of the River Stour. In fair weather, you can dine alfresco under canvas parasols. The English/French a la carte menu changes six times a year, and special dishes change daily, reflecting the best produce available at the market.

Miller Howe Hotel (Windermere, in the Lake District; tel. 01539/442536): At John Tovey's Edwardian country house above Lake Windermere, the chef is renowned for his English cuisine. What makes his cooking unusual are the unexpected combinations: mashed rutabagas with cider, glazed carrots flavored with Pernod, and most definitely, the cardamom ice cream.