Peterborough is a treasure trove of delicious food - if you know where to look

Now, as you know by now, I like to use this column to give you tips and tricks whenever I can to help you bring great cooking to your home, as simply and cheaply as possible, and there are some fantastic independent shops and stops in and around the city. So, here are some to check out when you’re planning that next dinner party meal.

I love The Pasta Shop in Fletton. If you’re looking to cook anything Italian, this is the place to go; the meats there are superb and you can easily pick up fresh bread, pasta or panettone.

A great thing about Peterborough is how just a five minute drive from the city centre you will be presented with wide open countryside, and out here there are some great farmers selling their produce independently. Willowbrook Farm does some of the best game and beef you will find in the area; Woodlands Farm is where I get delicious sausages; Moore Farm is a great spot for lamb or jams – and you can even take the kids for a tractor ride.

Another really popular spot for families is Hill Top Farm – I love to get my berries from here, and being able to pick them yourself makes it all the more fun for kids. If you don’t have time they have fresh pallets.

Closer to home, the City Market is a brilliant spot to pick up fresh fish which are great this time of year. There is also a host of brilliant shops around the Millfield area of Lincoln Road – you will not find better tropical fruit and veg in the city.

These shops are hidden gems – particularly the local Portuguese shop which sells chouriço sausage and bacalhau (dried and salted cod). Here too you will find a Polish shop that has some of the best German cooked meat I have ever tasted.

If you’re looking for something to pair this with, why not try visiting Philip at Amps in Oundle – a great independent wine seller with really helpful service.

Lee Clarke is head chef at Prevost in Priestgate, Peterborough. www.prevostpeterborough.co.uk @foodleeclarke