If you want to get right to the heart of Hartlepool's restaurants renaissance, the Marina is definitely the place to be. Once one of England's biggest shipbuilding centres, the Marina is now at the centre of a local masterplan to bring tourists to the city, and plenty of high-class eateries have signed up to the vision. New restaurants are opening all the time, andt you can already pick between Southeast Asian options like Thai Village, and numerous Indian spots. With clubs and bars aplenty, you can even combine great food with an evening's entertainment, making the Marina the ideal destination for group fun and celebrations.

Focusing on the food, Hartlepool's British restaurants are a revelation. At innovative spots like the Conservatory, you can see how the city is developing and emerging from the past, with gourmet dining leading the way. You can feast on seasonal, locally-sourced root vegetables and succulent pork belly, slather home-made liver pate on fresh artisanal bread, and finish up with favourites like Eton Mess or cherry pie. There's no better way to find out why British food is becoming so highly rated these days, than heading to Hartlepool's city centre restaurants.