Being a major metropolitan area and major shopping area alongside a beautiful river setting, places to eat are not hard to find in Kingston.

For example, Cafes flourish in the area catering for many palates and many different types of clientele - be it weekend shopper or tourist. Coffee shops happily trade next to tea shops serving great cakes, scones and of course, a variety of the world's finest tea.

Many eateries offer everything from fresh homemade sandwiches, light meals or something more substantial in a number of unique and spectacular settings, such as the big chains in the shopping centre or the family-run restaurants by the river.

Restaurants vary in price and cater for those on a budget to those looking to impress. Fine dining is in abundance in Kingston with people coming from afar to eat in the borough. All types of food and cuisine can be found from French, Italian, Indian, Chinese and even South Korean.

Finding places for a good tipple is never a problem in Kingston either. Kingston has many pubs and restaurants, though several public houses in the centre have closed in recent years to become restaurants or bars. The more traditional pubs tend to be in the northern part of the town (Canbury) and include the Park Tavern, Wych Elm and Willoughby Arms. Further south are found the Druid's Head, the Spring Grove, and several small local pubs around Fairfield. The Druid's Head is notable as one of the first taverns to make the famous dessert syllabub in the 18th century. There are great places to drink along the river, especially in the new development of Charter Quay, where chic bars can be found alongside traditional pubs.

The best place to find out where to eat and drink is to look on the council's website and determine where to eat from there. There is a wide choice to pick from!

www.kingstononline.co.uk