10 best London restaurants for Christmas get-togethers
Discover the best London spots for festive gatherings, from Turkish to Thai cuisine
Planning a big Christmas get together? These are some of London's best restaurants for groups, and it's not all classic Christmas dinner – gather a group and head for a Thai, Spanish, Filipino or Turkish feast... For more London restaurant inspiration, check out the 15 best Michelin star restaurants in London or the best pubs in London with great food. 1. Ambassadors Clubhouse Punjabi Luxurious Punjabi cuisine is the heart of the offering at Ambassadors Clubhouse, the latest venture from the team behind Michelin-starred Gymkhana. Taking inspiration from the party mansions and palaces of northern India, its feast menus are ideal for get togethers, set in a sultry, darkly opulent setting. Menu highlights for meat-eaters include its famous BBQ butter chicken chops, achari duck chaat with masala mathai and decadent tawa masala crab cheela. For vegetarians there’s a smoky dunghar paneer tikka with kaju masala and creamy malai morel mattar. Finish with the indulgent gur malai toast with saunfiyan apples and burnt ghee ice cream. The attentive staff are on hand to guide you through every dish with expert precision, and there’s an after-hours party bar called Ambassy downstairs too. ambassadorsclubhouse.com 2. Leydi Turkish This modern Turkish restaurant from chef Selin Kiazim – formerly of Oklava – has quickly built a reputation as one of the best restaurants in the city. Its feast menus are a journey into the soul of contemporary Turkish cooking, kicking off with a meze of Turkish breads (tirnak pide and lavash), cacik minted yogurt, smoked aubergine pounded with garlic and sundried red pepper salca muhumara. The mangal grill is central to the Leydi menu, used for its flavour-packed shish köfte, chicken shish and karides tiger prawns with pul biber. Other menu highlights include freshly baked lahmacun and an islak burger – a spiced beef köfte bun drenched in garlic tomato sauce. For dessert there are delights like Turkish ice cream with pick and mix toppings, pistachio katmer and künefe. Expect free-flowing raki, wines from Turkey, Lebanon and Greece, and exquisite cocktails with a touch of smoky spice. leydilondon.com 3. Farang Thai This award-winning modern Thai restaurant in Highbury from chef Sebby Holmes serves up a fantastic six-course feasting menu that’s perfect for a festive gathering. You can opt for dishes like as salted turmeric flossed tiger prawns, peanuts, coconut and sour apple miang bites; ‘gai prik’ beer-battered free-range chicken in a sweet and salty fish sauce glaze with lemon zest, fresh herbs, crispy garlic and chilli; and whole marinated plaice served with three-flavoured sauce, lemongrass, samphire, ginger, roasted rice powder and fresh lime. Finish with homemade pineapple sorbet or coconut panna cotta with palm sugar. A wine pairing and vegetarian sharing menu are also available. faranglondon.co.uk 4. Belly Bistro Filipino fusion This new opening from Omar Shah (of Ramo Ramen and Mamasons fame) fuses French bistro classics with soulful Filipino twists, served alongside a carefully curated wine list. Set in a cosy, sun-drenched location in Kentish Town, the wood fire focused menu is designed for sharing feasts. Start with smoked aubergine and heirloom tomatoes with bagong and lime, and the delicious crispy king prawns with patis fish sauce and calamansi hot honey. The wagyu picanha with bistek sauce and braised shallots is the star of the menu, and there’s an equally exciting woodland mushroom ‘arroz caldo’ with adobo vinegar for vegetarians. Pandan jasmine rice and beef fat fries for the table are a must, but save room for the ube tiramisu with Maker’s Mark bourbon, tres leches and blueberry compote. There’s also an excellent coconut espresso martini. bellylondon.com 5. Kinkally Georgian This contemporary Georgian-inspired restaurant in the heart of Fitzrovia from chef David Chelidze is a minimalist, understatedly cool setting for a festive feast, featuring some of the most innovative cooking in London right now. The menu of smaller and larger plates alongside khinkali dumplings (from which the restaurant’s name comes) is designed for sharing, and inspired by Georgia’s ancient food culture. Kick off with a selection of smaller plates, like the golden beetroot pkhali, kumquat and barbary bun, or the baked aubergine with spiced satsebeli and vanilla matsoni. From the larger plates, the chkmeruli guinea fowl with lemongrass is a must-try – a twist on a traditional Georgian dish that’s rich in garlic and cream. The artfully crafted, stripy khinkali dumplings are also a must, with fillings including wagyu, peppercorn plum sauce and Svanetian salt, or cauliflower kveri, hazelnut and bell pepper sauce. There’s also a chic cocktail bar downstairs called Bar Kinky, which serves exquisite cocktails infused with herbs, spices and unique global spirits. kinkally.co.uk 6. Lolo Spanish The latest venture by renowned Spanish chef José Pizarro opened its doors on Bermondsey Street earlier this year, capturing the warmth, joy and togetherness that José feels when preparing his favourite dishes at home. The festive set menu includes the best of what it has to offer, starting with pan con tomate verde with extra-virgin olive oil and manchego, and classic devilled eggs with Cantabrian salt-cured anchovy. The seafood course features tuna crudo with pink peppercorns and coriander, and cuttlefish with black squid ink sauce, followed by the mains, which include stuffed lamb saddle with jus, spinach and preserved peach. It’s finished with a delicious olive oil and almond cake with peaches and yogurt. It’s a beautiful, light, chicly designed space, with a vibrant atmosphere and entire menu of different gin and tonics to choose from. josepizarro.com 7. Jikoni Global fusion Chef and food writer Ravinder Bhogal’s culturecrossing creativity at Jikoni is consistently some of the most thrilling food you can eat in London. Its feasting party menus take inspiration from South Asia and the Far East, Middle East, East Africa and the UK, cooked into dishes like prawn toast scotch egg with banana ketchup, crispy kale chaat with date and tamarind chutney, and pressed shoulder of Cornish lamb with ras el hanout, burnt aubergines and pistachios. The crispy aubergine with Sichaun caramel is a true highlight, as is the wow-worthy pandan pavlova with strawberry sorbet and yuzu curd. A beautifully welcoming spot for a fantastic feast. jikonilondon.com 8. Noreen Middle Eastern This new Middle Eastern restaurant offers a fresh approach to ingredient-led cooking in the heart of Marylebone, drawing inspiration from across the Arabian Peninsula. It’s a beautiful, buzzy space with evocative fabric banquettes and ornate crockery befitting of its Levantine menu, which is designed for sharing. Start with flavour-packed dips such as badenjan aubergine purée with miso-roasted aubergine and walnuts, or whipped feta with chilli, chives and spiced crisps with homemade flatbreads. Bigger sharing dishes include lamb flatbread with slow-cooked lamb shoulder and authentic mahyawa anchovy sauce, sea bass with citrus tahini and samphire, and king prawns in olive oil and roasted garlic with baharat samak. The cocktail menu was created in collaboration with Mr Lyan and features ingredients like black lime, tahini and hibiscus. Try the Arabian coffee and salep martini with vodka, date molasses, salep and spice, or the light, zesty black lime and mango sharbat with white rum, black lime, mango cordial and Campari. noreen-london.com 9. Hotori Japanese Nestled on an unassuming street close to Chancery Lane is Hotori, a new Japanese yakitori restaurant that celebrates beak-to-tail eating, with exquisite precision and delicious attention to detail in a bright, contemporary space. Its uses Fosse Meadows chickens – which are totally free-range and grown naturally in small flocks to at least 81 days – and aim to celebrate every part of the bird. The Hotori set menu is perfect for a festive feast and features six cuts: teba (wing with kombu sea salt), negima (thigh with spring onion and yuzu salt), soriresu (chicken oyster with sansho pepper), bonjiri (parson’s nose with kombu sea salt and truffle dust), obi (inner thigh, tare and truffle salt) and tsukune (chicken meatball with tare-cured egg yolk). For yakitori aficionados there’s also a 17-course, complete beak-to-tail menu, which uses the entire chicken. It also offers excellent tempura, sushi rolls and small plates, like yellowtail carpaccio with yuzu and truffle sauce. The wine list focuses on small-scale, biodynamic producers and there’s an excellent sake menu for pairing. hotori.co.uk 10. Tatar Bunar Ukrainian Shoreditch’s new Ukrainian restaurant from chef Alex Cooper has quickly become known for serving big, hearty portions in a beautifully rustic setting – it has a long shared table in the middle, making it an atmospheric spot for a gathering with friends. Kick off with onion village bread with lardo and pickled tomatoes before diving into the middle plates, which include minced lamb chebureki, potato latkes with wild mushrooms and cabbage varenyky. There’s also ceremonial tatur borscht, which is designed for sharing, followed by dishes from the grill, like Bessarabia wagyu, lamb chops with yogurt and tomato or chicken with spring onions. Inventive cocktails include a martini with elderberry capers. And save room for the crème brûlée varenyky. Follow on Instagram @tatarbunar.london. Check out more London restaurant guides Best restaurants in Marylebone Best restaurants in Mayfair Best restaurants in Fitzrovia Best restaurants near Oxford Street Best restaurants in Brixton Best restaurants in Notting Hill Best restaurants in Battersea Best restaurants in Shoreditch Best restaurants in Camden Best restaurants in Covent Garden Best restaurants in Soho Best restaurants in Kings Cross Best restaurants in Hackney Best restaurants in Paddington
Whipped feta with apricots, olives and oranges
This savoury dip is great to kick off a party – loaded with festive dried fruits and nuts. The pomegranate drizzle adds an extra puckering twist
Try whipped feta with apricots, olives and oranges, then discover BBQ kofte with whipped feta and tahini slaw, whipped feta mousse with melba toast, or whipped feta and beetroot on toast with poached eggs and dukkah. Whipped feta with apricots, olives and oranges recipe
Sweet potato and cranberry fritters with nuoc cham
These Vietnamese-inspired sweet potato fritters have a festive twist with dried cranberries. The tangy-sweet-salty dipping sauce is a great one to have to hand for the festive season
Try our sweet potato and cranberry fritters with nuoc cham, then check out our classic pea fritters, courgette fritters and chickpea fritters. Plus, discover more ways with sweet potato. Sweet potato and cranberry fritters with nuoc cham recipe
This party sausage roll makes for an impressive addition to a festive starter grazing table. The tamarind glaze gives a tropical tanginess and the pistachios add nutty crunch
Try our giant sausage roll, then discover our easy sausage rolls, vegan sausage rolls and lamb sausage rolls. Giant sausage roll recipe
This Indian twist on tacos has a garam masala spiced lamb patty, tangy tamarind sauce and crunchy chaat toppings
Try our keema chaat smash tacos, then discover our pork tacos, birria tacos, tacos al pastor, steak tacos and more taco recipes. Serve them alongside our homemade tomato salsa, guacamole and classic nachos as part of a Mexican-style spread. Smash burgers, smashed potatoes, smashed courgettes. Smashed food is one of the most inescapable – and playfully delicious – trends of the moment. Smash tacos are its tastiest manifestation and one that can be taken in countless culture-crossing directions. The method is simple: first you take either a fresh corn or wheat tortilla, then you smash a flavour-loaded mince patty onto its surface – this can be beef, pork, lamb or even prawn. This is cooked directly on a hot griddle or skillet until crispy and charred on both sides. Then you load it up with your choice of lettuce, pickles and sauces, grasp with both hands, curl upwards to hold everything in and devour from one side to the other. You can keep things traditionally Mexican with chipotle-spiced beef, jalapeños and tomato salsa, or go in a Turkish direction with lahmacun-inspired cumin-spiced lamb topped with hot pepper paste and yogurt, or try Korean flavours with gochujang-spiced pork, pickled daikon radishes and spring onions. Keema chaat smash tacos recipe
'I'm a Londoner, here are my favourite autumn comfort foods and where to try them'
From deep-filled pies and apple crumble, to warming curries and slow-cooked tacos, this is where to find some of the best comfort foods in London
As summer turns to autumn, the season of comfort food arrives. Trends expert Gurdeep Loyal shares his favourite comfort foods to enjoy in autumn, plus where to try them in London and our best recipes to make at home. For more like this, check out our best comfort food recipes with over 60 recipes. 1. Deep filled savoury pies Cutting into a buttery crusted, deep-filled savoury pie is one of the most wonderful autumnal sights to behold. Equally comforting is a deep-filled fish pie topped with piped mash potato, or even a pie with a flaky puff-pastry top. What matters is that the filling is richly flavoured, with a thick, warming gravy. Quo Vadis in Soho from Jeremy Lee is famous for it’s daily-changing majestic suet-crusted pies – with fillings like Swaledale mutton, celeriac and turnip, guinea fowl and porcini, or ham hock, chicken and leek. At The Hero Pub in Warrick Avenue, their classic duck, and cheese and onion pies are topped with piped Duchess potatoes, perfectly burnished before they’re served. And at Blacklock, the steak and stout pie is made using the trimmings from their morning butchery, fuelled by a hearty stout. Make it at home: make a golden braised beef and mushroom pie, lamb shank shepherd's pie topped with fluffy mash or a deep filled vegan butternut squash pie. 2. Roti and curry There’s something deeply comforting about abandoning cutlery and eating with your hands – especially when it’s to scoop up a fragrant curry with torn pieces of roti. At Roti King in Euston, their iconically flaky roti canai are hand rolled and stretched to order, served with your choice of beef rendang, chicken kari or dhal. In Elephant and Castle, head to Guyanese restaurant Kaieteur Kitchen where chef Faye Gomes’ rotis are served with slow-cooked oxtail pepperpot, okra and curry chicken. And at The Tamil Prince in Islington, try their famous flaky-buttery rotis with paneer butter masala, Chettinad lamb curry or Thanjuvar chicken curry. Make it at home: we've got plenty of curry recipes to choose from, from a beef rendang to a healthy spinach and chickpea curry. Learn to make homemade roti canai to scoop up your sauces. 3. Soup dumplings Autumnal comforts are all about foods with a mix of textures that sooth, surprise and delight in equal measure. Crispy sheng jian bao soup dumplings deliver this sensory contrast in every way: pan-fried until golden-brown and crispy on the bottom, with an unctuous meaty-soft filling, and hot soup oozing from their insides to slurp out with every bite. Dumpling Shack in Spitalfields have almost cult status for their pan-fried pork soup dumplings, made fresh every day and served with their house chilli oil. For a more traditional steamed take on Shanghai soup dumplings, head to Dim Sum Duck in Kings Cross where their dumplings are famously large, with delicate translucent skins and a deeply flavoured soup broth. Make it at home: set aside a rainy autumn weekend to make Chinese pan-fried soup dumpling bao, complete with homemade dough and chilli oil. 4. Crumble and custard Warm seasonal harvest fruits, baked with a crumble-oaty-sugary crust, and served with piping hot custard is the personification of autumnal comfort in pudding form. At Humble Crumble in Borough Market their nostalgic crumble cups are made using sustainable ingredients, like Wildfarmed flour, the highest quality Madagascan vanilla and Northiam Dairy cream. Seasonal flavours include classic apple, rhubarb and a decadent “crumbrûlée” – a crumble topped with custard and blowtorched sugar. For an alternative take on crumble with a similar sensorial effect, try the hot chocolate mousse at Marjorie’s wine bar in Soho – a warm custardy chocolate pudding, topped with crunchy hazelnuts, cacao nibs and olive oil. Make it at home: an old school apple crumble, juicy pear crumble or spiced easy plum crumble – the options are endless. Serve your crumble of choice with a big jug of homemade custard. 5. Slow cooked birria tacos There’s something deeply comforting about a slow cooked birria meat taco, dipped into a Mexican broth of its own juices. At Taca Tacos in Peckham, their signature beef birria is cooked for 6 hours in a braise of Mexican beer, rich spices and chillies, served with crispy quesatacos, soft shell tacos and broth. Coba Mexicana on Brick Lane serve their birria tacos with Oaxaca-style cheese melted onto the taco shell, slow cooked braised beef, hot sauce and pots of rich birria consommé. And at Birria Taco near Kensal Rise, birria are filled with marinated tender beef, slow cooked in Mexican salsa, herbs and spices. The beef is pulled off the bone and filled into crispy corn tacos and melted cheese over a griddle, topped with sweet white onions and coriander, served with a consommé broth. Make it at home: making our birria tacos recipe is worth the effort to be rewarded with super tender beef, crispy tacos and melting cheese. 6. Gözleme (Turkish stuffed flatbreads) Freshly griddled Turkish flatbreads, filled with piping hot spinach, feta and potatoes are one of the most comforting things your can devour at lunch time at this time of year – and they’re perfect to take along with you for a brisk autumnal walk in a park. Istanbul Gozleme – which pops up around the city in places like Wanstead and Hammersmith – serve up deliciously charred, deeply filled versions, with garlicky yogurt and chilli sauce for dipping. At Pitted Olive in Bloomsbury, their gözleme are hand rolled in the window with fillings like lamb and onion, and spinach-feta. And at Hala restaurant in Harringey, filo gözleme are freshly made with minced meat, potatoes or even cheddar. Make it at home: award-winning food writer Özlem Warren shared her gözleme recipe filled with potato and spinach. 7. Udon noodle soup What could be more autumnal than a steaming pot of umami-rich broth, with thick chewy wheat noodles, and additions like smoky bacon, jammy eggs and seaweed? Udon noodle soup is supremely comforting by its very definition. At Koya Ko in Broadway Market, their classic ginger miso soup is served with udon noodles, juicy pork and comes with seasonal greens. Okan in Brixton Village serve up their noodle soups curry-udon style with ginger pork and beef. And at Misato in Soho, their thick Japanese udon come with options of curry pork katsu, Kitsune soup with fried bean curd, or tori udon with Japanese fried chicken. Make it at home: this healthy miso chicken soup has a fragrant broth for the udon noodles – top with an egg if you like. 8. Biryani A celebratory slow cooked biryani – rich in spices, slow cooked onions, and aromatics – is one of the most comforting autumnal dishes there is, especially if the rice is cooked under a ‘dum’ dough lid which traps in the flavours like a vacuum. Asma Khan serves up the most famous biryanis in central London at Darjeeling Express in Kingly Court at her Biryani Supperclub Events. Her lamb dum biryani is a family recipe where layers of meat, potatoes and rice are infused with saffron and spices, slow-cooked in a sealed pot and then served with Hyderabadi chilli-onion gravy and beetroot raita. At contemporary coastal Indian restaurant Trishna, their luxurious wild mushroom biryani consists of kaima rice, sliced truffle and pink peppercorn raita. And at Ambassadors Clubhouse just off Regent Street, their regal Punjabi Masledar lamb biryani is served with a boondi palak raita. Make it at home: try our lamb biryani recipe for a great dinner party centrepiece, or go veggie with a paneer dum biryani. 9. Raclette Hot melted cheese and potatoes are two things that scream autumn – especially when done in an Alpine French way. Kappacasein in Borough Market’s raclette is legendary throughout the city, with their London-made raclette cheese – warmed then scraped over new potatoes, baby gherkins and pickled onions. At La Fromagerie in Bloomsbury their melted raclette comtoise is served over Charlotte potatoes, with shallots, mustard and caper relish. And Josette in Farringdon is famous for its signature all-you-can-eat raclette experience, where table-top melted morbier and raclette cheese is served with potatoes, charcuterie, and cornichons. Make it at home: this is the ultimate indulgent autumn recipe: frying pan potato bread topped with raclette and a tangy pickle dressing. 10. Dosas, sambhar & chutney Dipping a crispy edged dosa, into warming gingery sambhar and a tangy chutney is an autumnal delight that hits every tastebud. These South Indian pancakes are made a little bit like crepes, either from rice, chickpeas or sometimes ancient grains. Ravi Shankar Bhelpoori House in Euston is a long-standing institution, whose famous crispy dosas are filled with masala potato or spinach and paneer, served with a coconut chutney. At Jikoni in Marylebone from Ravinder Bhogal, her buckwheat dosa is served with pumpkin thoran and coconut-garlic chutney. And at Dosa World just off Brick Lane, their dosas come with fillings of masala chicken, lamb, paneer or prawn. 11. Sausages and mash Creamy mashed potatoes and sausages are a marriage made in autumnal comfort heaven, especially when topped with a lusciously thick gravy. At Mother Mash in Carnaby Street, you can choose your own pie and mash journey – with a choice of classic, cheesy, sweet potato or horseradish mash, and cumberland, London smoky or vegan Lincolnshire sausages – teamed with onion, farmer's or classic gravy. The Woolpack in Bermondsey Street – famous for its cosy vibe – serves up pork & apple sausages with creamy mash, caramelised onion jam and Young’s ale gravy. And at German Gymnasium in Kings Cross their German Käsekrainer consists of smoked & grilled cheese pork wurst, sauerkraut, soft herbed mash potato and crispy onions on top. Make it at home: make our sausages and mash with cheat's onion gravy for an easy midweek meal ready in under 30 minutes. 12. Rice pudding The creamy sweetness of rice pudding – evocative of school dinners and vintage culinary times past – has had something of a gastronomic glow-up in recent years. It’s the perfect autumnal hug in every one of its guises, be that classic-traditional or out-there gourmet. At Gina restaurant in Chingford – from husband-and-wife team Ravneet Gill and Mattie Taiano – one of the highlights on their pudding menu is a creamy rice pudding served up with cherries and pistachios. At Mexican restaurant Fonda by Santiago Lastra, rice pudding is infused with cinnamon and served with cherries and mezcal custard on top. Jackon Boxer has an exquisite Riz au lait with English plums and macadamia at Dove in Notting Hill. Also check out Quince Bakery in Islington, where pastry chef extraordinaire Anna Higham has also become famous for her comforting rice pudding tart – baked in a pastry case with seasonal fruit compote – that’s equally delicious hot or cold. Make it at home: master a classic rice pudding or be inspired by global flavours with our halva-topped rice pudding or Spanish rice pudding with a crunchy sugar topping. Be inspired... 41 autumn desserts 21 autumn cake ideas Best ways to celebrate autumn Best comfort food recipes
Gochujang prawn toast rice paper pancakes
Turn paper-thin Vietnamese rice paper sheets into a crispy pancake, complete with spicy sesame prawn filling
Try gochujang prawn toast rice paper pancakes, then try our bánh xèo tôm Vietnamese pancakes, bun cha with sizzling meatballs and Vietnamese chicken curry (cà ri gà bí). Rice paper sheets are paper-thin transparent wraps traditionally made from rice, tapioca and water. What’s unique about them is that they can be both supple and chewy, or shatteringly crispy, depending on how you use them. For Thuy Diem Pham (@chef_thuy_pham), chef and author of The Little Viet Kitchen and Vietnamese Made Easy, they are a staple of her cooking. “As a Vietnamese, rice paper isn’t just something I use often, it’s something I adore,” she tells me. “It’s incredibly versatile: a light, stretchy sheet that transforms into goi cuon (summer rolls), bánh cuon (steamed rice rolls), cha giò (fried spring rolls), dumplings or even crispy Vietnamese pizza on the BBQ!” When using it for rolls, Thuy has an expert trick: “Don’t use warm water to wet the paper, as it softens too fast and you lose control. Use cold water instead. The key is to understand rice paper so you can control it, know when it’s soft, when it’s still firm and when it’s perfectly elastic. When it’s hydrated just right, it’s much stronger than you’d expect. When rolling, keep it snug and airtight, and push out the air so the fillings don’t slide out mid-bite.” You could also turn this recipe into crispy rolls if you like by blooming the rice paper in water, rolling up the prawn filling into mini cigars, then deep-frying. Gochujang prawn toast rice paper pancakes recipe
The iconic sandwich of Philadelphia has had a revival. Make your own with ribeye steak, pickled chilli peppers, two types of cheese and more
Try our Philly cheesesteak, then check out our brisket sandwiches with beer onions and blue cheese, classic bulgogi and steak bulgogi bowl. Philadelphia is experiencing something of a culinary renaissance, with some of the best chefs in the US now based there, along with a large African American and south-east Asian diaspora leaving their own delicious marks on the city’s culinary scene. With this, the iconic sandwich of Philadelphia, the Philly cheesesteak, has had a revival. There are a handful of Philly cheesesteak institutions that are worth a visit: Pat’s and Geno’s being the most popular with tourists, Jim’s on South Street and Uncle Gus’ Steaks in Reading Terminal Market being popular with locals, and the viral Angelo’s Pizzeria serving up some of the best cheesesteaks around because of how it seasons its meat. The main decisions to make with ordering one is ‘wit or witout’, which refers to onions. Then, there are cheese options to choose from: provolone, American jack, cheddar and bright orange Cheez Whiz being the most popular. Then, there are toppings and condiments to pick: green peppers, ‘long hot’ chilli peppers, ketchup, relish, mustard and Lucifer’s hot pepper powder being some of the top picks. This recipe amalgamates them all! Philly cheesesteak recipe
Gurdeep Loyal's best new cookbook recommendations, 2025
Trends expert Gurdeep Loyal's best new cookbook recommendations for food and drink inspiration from across the globe
Whether you're looking for food and drink inspiration, wanting to add to your kitchen library or searching for the perfect gift for the foodie who has everything, cookbooks are the answer. Our trends expert Gurdeep Loyal brings you his favourite new books that'll have you cooking up a storm. Discover new and emerging voices from across the globe, whose books allow them to share their stories and recipes. From Ukraine and Nigeria to Armenia, cook your way across the world with Gurdeep's favourite new cookbooks of 2025. Looking for other inspiration for the latest trends? Check out Gurdeep Loyal's guide the best homeware brands. Gurdeep Loyal's favourite new cookbooks 2025 at a glance Fusão by Ixta Belfrage, £21.35 Sama Sama by Julie Lin, £21.35 Chop Chop: Cooking the Food of Nigeria by Ozoz Sokoh, £24.93 Green Mountains by Caroline Eden, £20.69 Bayrūt: Recipes from the Heart of a Lebanese City Kitchen by Hisham Assaad, £20.15 Bread & War by Felicity Spector, £15 The Snack Hacker by George Egg, £15.89 Boustany by Sami Tamimi, £23.83 Long Day? Cook This. by Justin Tsang, £20.25 Sunny Days, Taco Nights by Enrique Olvera, £22.99 Roti by Anuradha Ravindranath, £16.99 Kapusta – Vegetable-Forward Recipes from Eastern Europe by Alissa Timoshkina, £20.97 Danube: Recipes and Stories from Eastern Europe by Irina Georgescu, £20.93 Best new cookbooks to buy 2025 Fusão by Ixta Belfrage Available from Amazon (£21.35), Waterstones (£23.99), Bookshop.org (£26.60) The second solo cookbook from best-selling author and chef Ixta Belfrage is playfully subtitled “Untraditional recipes inspired by Brazil” and is a vibrant celebration of culture, identity and flavour. She grew up absorbing food traditions from Italy, Mexico and Brazil, which is embodied in this colourful new book, the title of which translates to ‘fusion’ in Portuguese. Inside, Ixta brings her signature creativity and flair to the food of her mother’s homeland. It’s divided into sections for flavour bombs, meat, seafood, vegetables and sweets, with every recipe offering up a fresh take on traditional Brazilian dishes. Culture-straddling dishes include stir-fried papaya with crispy basil, moqueca fish burgers, grilled fish with mango curry butter, and lamb with pineapple pimenta and toasted cassava. Available from: Amazon (£21.35) Waterstones (£23.99) Bookshop.org (£26.60) Sama Sama by Julie Lin Available from Amazon (£21.35), Waterstones (£24.99) Julie Lin grew up learning how to toss pasta with chopsticks, listen to the sizzle of her cooking sensorially and create a banquet out of leftovers – lessons integral to embracing both her Malaysian and Scottish heritages. This is a joyful celebration of this journey and all parts of her identity, with 90 delicious recipes and heartwarming stories of food and self-discovery. Her ‘agak-agak’ style is about cooking with soul and creating accessible dishes with explosive flavours, like curry leaf chicken legs, chilli crisp puttanesca and sticky tamarind prawns. Available from: Amazon (£21.35) Waterstones (£24.99) Chop Chop: Cooking the Food of Nigeria by Ozoz Sokoh Available from Amazon (£24.93), WH Smith (£27.60), Waterstones (£30) Ozoz Sokoh is a Nigerian food writer and educator who began documenting her food journey on her blog Kitchen Butterfly. Her research explores the roots of West African and Nigerian cuisine, and the impact of these cuisines on global culture. Chop Chop is an introduction to Nigerian home cooking, with 100 delicious recipes. In Nigeria, the word 'chop' is all about food and feasting, and 'chop chop' a nickname given to someone who loves to eat. The book explores the rich food culture of the six regions of Nigeria, giving you historical and cultural context of dishes along the way, with recipes like Nigerian-style jollof, seafood okro soup and chin chin fried dough bits. Available from: Amazon (£24.93) WH Smith (£27.60) Waterstones (£30) Green Mountains by Caroline Eden Available from Amazon (£20.69), WH Smith (£25.76), Waterstones (£28) Travel and food writer Caroline Eden’s book is an enlightening on-foot exploration of Armenia and Georgia. There are recipes woven throughout, bringing to life the encounters she has along her journey and weaving together the unique geographies and culinary cultures of the two countries. She tells tales of testing hikes and the relationships she forms with her hosts, punctuated by the food she eats along the way: citrus fruits, unique teas, apricots, mountain greens and ‘magical’ cheeses. The evocative recipes include lamb with plums, green beans and cinnamon, omelette with dates and tarragon panna cotta. Available from: Amazon (£20.69) WH Smith (£25.76) Waterstones (£28) Bayrūt: Recipes from the Heart of a Lebanese City Kitchen by Hisham Assaad Available from Amazon (£20.15), Waterstones (£27) Hisham Assaad, chef and author of the blog cookin5m2.com, explores how the amalgamation of rich culinary cultures in the city of Beirut has shaped its unique cuisine. Dishes include comforting mains like köfte, potato and tomato casserole or chicken, sumac and caramelised onion rolls, sides like butter beans with lemony garlic, and sweets like walnut baklava. The stunning location photography takes you right to the heart of the alleyways, centuries-old buildings and the homes of people that have remained resilient and fruitful throughout the city’s tumultuous history. Available from: Amazon (£20.15) Waterstones (£27) Bread & War by Felicity Spector Available from Amazon (£15), Waterstones (£20) A senior producer for Channel 4 News, Felicity Spector has been a television journalist for 34 years, covering the fall of the communist bloc and the end of the old Soviet Union. Bread & War is a compelling account of feeding, eating and resistance in wartime Ukraine. Bread, bakeries and bakers have become a central part of Ukraine’s war effort, a means of survival and powerful symbol of national resilience. The book tells the extraordinary stories of military kitchens that cook for soldiers and volunteers, and chefs that pivoted from fine dining to turning out loaves of bread for families in need. There are also a handful of recipes that bring you closer to the people, like syrniki curd cheese pancakes, a poppy seed cake with plums from Katrya in Lviv, and energy bars inspired by Dou Bakery in Odesa. Available from: Amazon (£15) Waterstones (£20) The Snack Hacker by George Egg Available from Hive (£15.89), Amazon (£15.89), Waterstones (£22) This is a collection of over 90 inventive, playful, rule-breaking recipes for everyone that is sure to thrill your tastebuds. There are clever hacks for fast food favourites and recipes using surprising combinations, unexpected ingredients and unconventional methods. George is just as happy to reach for ingredients like Babybel, crabsticks and salad cream as he is for gourmet ingredients like date syrup, tahini and seaweed. There’s a deep-fried Pot Noodle recipe, Twiglet brownies, peshwari toasties and even beer-battered Celebrations. This is an inviting and spirited celebration of food that revels in the joy of playing in your kitchen. Available from: Hive (£15.89) Amazon (£15.89) Waterstones (£22) Boustany by Sami Tamimi Available from Amazon (£23.83), Waterstones (£25.99), Bookshop (£28.50) A homage to Palestinian food and culture, Boustany is the first solo cookbook from Ottolenghi co-founder Sami Tamimi. The word translates from Arabic to ‘my garden’. Growing up in Palestine, Sami’s family’s garden was a vibrant, verdant space filled with vegetables, herbs, grains and pulses, cleverly transformed into plentiful, flavourful dishes. The recipes and stories in this book reflect these roots, the way he grew up eating and the dishes he returns to again and again. There are over 100 colourful vegetarian recipes for breakfasts, sharing plates, big celebrations, simple breads, moreish sweet treats and easy dinners. Every recipe is filled with emotion and memories, like the maftoul with tomato, okra and yogurt, quick makdous (pickled aubergines), courgette and leek ijeh, and garlic-infused broccoli and labneh dip. Available from: Amazon (£23.83) Waterstones (£25.99) Bookshop (£28.50) Long Day? Cook This. by Justin Tsang Available from Amazon (£20.25), WHSmith (£23.92), Waterstones (£26) Born in north London to immigrant parents from Hong Kong, Justin’s family opened a Chinese buffet in 1993, where Justin spent his evenings after school. The sights, noises, smells and delicious ingredients are where Justin’s passion for food began. Experimenting with traditional recipes, Justin took inspiration from his heritage and influences from growing up in 90s London. He began sharing his passion online and quickly went viral with videos showing his trademark style of walking through the door and cooking up something quick and delicious. This is a book of home-cooked Asian food with fun twists, including recipes like fish finger sando with lime, wasabi and chive mayo; chicken thigh and honey gochujang instant noodles; and chilli and sesame dumpling salad. Available from: Amazon (£20.25) WHSmith (£23.92) Waterstones (£26) Sunny Days, Taco Nights by Enrique Olvera Available from Amazon (£22.99), WH Smith (£27.99), Waterstones (£29.95) From much-loved Mexican chef Enrique Olvera comes a definitive guide to everyday tacos for home cooks everywhere. The 100 vibrant recipes include classic tacos like barbacoa or pork with orange and sinaloa fish, plus original creations like brussels sprout, wagyu-yuzu kosho and rabbit tacos alongside delicious salsas like Yucatecan habanero sauce, red morita salsa and green Serrano salsa. The colourful photography is playful, with every taco-filled page bursting with unexpected ideas and new flavour combinations that will thrill your tastebuds in the most delicious ways. Available from: Amazon (£22.99) WH Smith (£27.99) Waterstones (£29.95) Roti by Anuradha Ravindranath Available from Waterstones (£16.99) This charmingly captivating cookbook celebrates South Asia’s most iconic flatbread, the roti, in all its multiple guises. Blending the Delhi-based author’s personal stories, step-by-step DIY guides and easy tips, there are more than 90 unique recipes to discover that transform the humble roti into a flavour-packed meal, including matar bhari roti with zingy peas, pudina mint naan, bakarkhani flaky mugal sweetbreads, and sheermal flatbreads brushed with saffron milk. There’s also expert advice on the ultimate pickles and accompaniments, roti-making tools and guides to making your own ghee, yogurt and paneer. Available from: Waterstones (£16.99) Kapusta – Vegetable-Forward Recipes from Eastern Europe by Alissa Timoshkina Available from Amazon (£20.97), WHSmith (£25.76), Waterstones (£28) This stunningly original cookbook is a celebration of vegetable-based cooking across Eastern Europe – dishes filled with vibrant culinary traditions and history. It honours five humble vegetables – cabbages, beetroots, potatoes, carrots and mushrooms – and places flavour at its heart. Unique dishes include cabbage strudel, potato babka, pierogi, tzimmes carrot cake, and Bulgarian mushroom and walnut pâté. Filled with beautiful illustrations and photography, it’s a feast for all the senses. Available from: Amazon (£20.97) WHSmith (£25.76) Waterstones (£28) Danube: Recipes and Stories from Eastern Europe by Irina Georgescu Available from Amazon (£20.93), Waterstones (£28) This stunningly photographed, poetic cookbook celebrates the simple and vibrant everyday cooking of Romania, Serbia and Bulgaria, a “diverse cuisine, whose main ingredient is generosity”. The 80 inviting recipes include potato stew with cheese filo crust, quince and rice with rosemary, and semolina milk soufflé. Available from: Amazon (£20.93) Waterstones (£28) Related content Best coffee table books Kitchen style inspiration: kitschy style Kitchen style inspiration: dopamine décor Kitchen style inspiration: coastal grandmother
The viral 'potato chip tortilla' marries thick-cut crinkle crisps with Chinese chilli crisp to make something simple but delicious
Try Gurdeep's double crisp frittata, then discover courgette frittata, broccoli and taleggio frittata, mini picnic frittatas or broccoli and roasted red pepper frittata. The potato chip tortilla – made famous thanks to Ferran Adrià – has become something of a viral hit on Instagram and TikTok. It’s simple to make: eggs are whisked, combined with potato crisps, Spanish ham, pimentos and thyme, then slowly cooked on a hob until just set. It’s led to countless remixes, including Italian-inspired frittatas, cooked first on the stove, then finished in the oven or grill. Frittatas are the signature dish of Bristol-based Elly Curshen (also known on Instagram as @ellypear), renowned for her inventive no-waste recipes: “I started making frittatas at The Pear Café because I wanted an alternative to sandwiches that people could take away easily,” she tells me. “The frittata was the perfect answer and became not only my signature dish but my favourite final resting place for leftovers.” Elly always starts with the same base of cooked new potatoes fried in butter or oil, eggs and cheese, such as a good cheddar. “After that, you’re only limited by your imagination,” she continues. “One combo that works really well is a curried cauliflower frittata – made using both the florets and leaves of the cauliflower, along with fresh coriander, curry powder, mustard seeds and nigella seeds. Serve with mango chutney.” My frittata here takes inspiration from both Ferran and Elly, with the culinary delights of thick-cut crinkle crisps and Chinese chilli crisp combined into something simple but delicious. Double crisp frittata recipe
Gurdeep Loyal's favourite homeware brands and products to discover
Each month, our trends expert Gurdeep Loyal brings you the best stylish homeware brands and releases to discover, from serveware and tableware to linens, glassware and more
Are you looking for a stylish addition to your kitchen? Our trends expert Gurdeep Loyal brings you his favourite new homeware brands, launches and special releases that you'll be swooning over. Discover new small brands, colourful tableware, timeless glassware and irresistible serveware that will make your dinner parties shine. If your kitchen is your haven, these picks will be the perfect finishing touches. Look out for new additions to the list every month. For more home inspiration, check out our picks of the best autumn home decor ideas and best kitchen wall art for foodies. For more autumnal inspiration, see our best autumn travel breaks for food lovers and our guide to how to make the most of autumn ingredients. Best new homeware brands and products to discover Iittala Teema tableware Available from Nordic Nest (from £13.10) Buttercup yellow is the ‘it’ kitchen accessory colour of the moment and Scandinavian brand Iittala’s Teema crockery collection is the perfect shade of egg yolk to play with the trend at home. Originally created by Finnish designer Kaj Franck in 1952, the range’s minimalist shapes are both timelessly elegant and hard-wearing, made from durable ceramic that can be used every day. The range includes cups, platters, plates and bowls in bold primary shapes, and it’s also available in other retro colours like lilac, rose pink and sage green. Fable glassware Available from Fable, Selfridges Zero-waste company Fable is known for its minimalist, durable, lead-free crystal glassware. Its collection blends modern design with functionality, with beautiful stemware wine glasses, Japanese tall and short glasses, elegant coupes and glass carafes. Designed for everyday use, they’re sturdy and lightweight enough to use casually but can also add a touch a sophistication to more formal occasions. It makes ceramic coffee mugs and espresso cups as well, hand finished in Portugal in delicate pastel shades. Fellow Stagg Pour-Over Set XF Available from Fenwick (£50), Healf (£80), Origin Coffee (£99.95) A slick essential for any coffee connoisseur, this nifty device is designed to ensure you can consistently make the perfect pour-over coffee every time. It has a built-in ratio aid, vacuum insulated body and steep slope to prevent spillage. What’s more, the holes inside are uniquely placed in a specific pattern that ensures balanced extraction and stops the coffee from clogging. Laetitia Rouget Available from Selfridges, Flannels French ceramicist and textile designer Laetitia Rouget has become known for her vibrant fruit bowls, fun candle holders and whimsical sweets jars. Her comic aesthetic was honed at Central Saint Martins in London, where she trained. Her playful illustrated motifs often include amusing animals, fruits, abstract foliage and even naked bodies. Her humorous earthenware snake mugs, complete with squiggly handles, are handmade in Portugal, and sure to bring a laugh to any summer breakfast table. Niche by Nisha Available from niche by Nisha This sleek new kitchen essential is a seven-in-one tool that can peel, eyelet, scrape, crinkle, grate, julienne and slice. It has a comfort grip and compact design that can fit easily into any kitchen drawer, as well as being dishwasher-safe and durable. Designed by chef Nisha Parmar, it’s an all-in-one multi-functional tool that can help elevate your cooking game at home Netherton Foundry Available from Netherton Foundry, The Newt in Somerset, Borough Kitchen, Sous Chef Family-owned Netherton Foundry makes spun iron and copper cookware in south Shropshire, with a commitment to reducing its impact on the planet by crafting beautiful pans that will last. A favourite with food writers and chefs, the pans are lighter in weight than cast iron but retain heat just as well. Block Design Available from Block Design, Luna & Curious Block Design is a London based studio specialising in bold and beautiful tableware. Its bubble glasses are sure to add a vibrant pop of colour to any festive tablescape – in contrasting colours like blue and red, amber and cobalt, or pink and green – with floating bubbles perfectly placed for your thumb. They also make bowls for cocktail snacks, and even two-tone glass spoons for coffee scooping or cocktail stirring. Nata Concept Store Available from Selfridges, Nata The playful, food-inspired handmade candles from London-based Nata Concept Store are made using vegan ingredients – making them an eco-friendly Christmas present or stocking filler. There are iconic pasta shapes like rigatoni, tortellini and farfalle; crinkle crisp, green olive and fried egg shaped candles; and even one resembling stacked garlic cloves. Matilda Goad & Co Available from Matilda Goad & Co, Anthropologie The playful kitchen and tableware from Matilda Goad & Co takes inspiration from daily rituals, offering a contemporary twist on classic designs. The collection includes a yellow tartan plate and egg cup set, colourful scalloptrimmed napkins, ceramic toast racks, hand-blown glass straws with pops of colour and rainbowhandled cutlery sets. There are also tumblers and carafes with a candy striped twist design to brighten up the table. Akub x Nur Minawi ceramics collection Available from Akub Akub, the modern Palestinian restaurant in Notting Hill, has launched a contemporary crockery range in collaboration with third-generation Palestinian ceramicist Nur Minawi. Hand-crafted using traditional ceramic methods, the collection features nine stoneware pieces that are perfect for entertaining at home, including asymmetrical plates, ideal for canapés, and deep bowls for slow-cooked stews. KS Creative Pottery Available from KS Creative Pottery, Whistles The Sicilian-inspired tableware by potter Kate Sellers is meticulously designed, and hand-finished in her Staffordshire studio. With designs that feature pastel candy stripes and playful faces, it’s sure to add a touch of Italian sunshine and humour to any summer tablescape. Falcon Enamelware Available from Falcon, Season Cookshop, Amazon Falcon Enamelware has a timeless elegance and enduring durability thanks to its porcelain surface fused onto heavy-gauge steel. It was originally made in the Black Country near Birmingham. The heritage brand’s classic ice white, blue-rimmed designs are complemented by a host of boldly coloured kitchenware in playful shades of pillarbox red, mineral blue and spring green. Glassette Available from Glassette Glassette has launched a five-piece glassware collection that celebrates form and simplicity, from founder Laura Jackson. There’s a glass for every occasion, including The Frenchette Bistro Glass, The Coupe Glass, The Red Wine Glass, The Tall Tumbler and The Short Tumbler. Handmade from lead-free crystal, mouthblown into moulds and then hand-engraved at the base for an elegant touch. From £35 for a set of four glasses. Summerill & Bishop Available from Summerill & Bishop, Fortum & Mason Bring the essence of an aromatic herb garden to the table with a botanical tablecloth and napkins by Summerill & Bishop, on 100 per cent French linen. It’s a visual feast of chives, rosemary, thyme, parsley, cucamelon, asparagus, citrus, verbena, mint, limetree, lavender and passiflora that creates a striking backdrop to any outdoor picnic. Manzoni Pietro Available from David Mellor Manzoni Pietro is a family-run company based in Bergamo, Italy, that specialises in handmade wooden kitchen accessories and tableware. Its simply shaped fruit and salad bowls come in a range of striking colours – with a unique water-based varnish that gives a homely sheen. The range also includes a playful domed wooden bottle stopper and screw mechanised nutcracker – terrific housewarming gifts for any food lover. Available at the David Mellor store in Marylebone, London, and online. Related content Best coffee table books Kitchen style: dopamine décor Kitchen style: coastal grandmother Kitchen style: Japandi style
20 food experiences around the world that every food lover should try
From summer crayfish banquets in Malmö to Quebec's snow-taffy celebrations, check out Gurdeep Loyal's favourite foodie experiences from across the globe
Looking to add memorable foodie experiences to your bucket list? We asked food and drink trends specialist Gurdeep Loyal for 20 recommendations from around the world. For more from Gurd, check out his favourite homeware brands and products to discover, Gurdeep Loyal's culinary hotspots and Gurdeep Loyal's trend-led recipes. Gurdeep's favourite foodie experiences around the world 1. London, UK – Eat pie and mash in an iconic East End pie house Pie, mash and liquor (parsley sauce) is a culinary icon, upheld today by a handful of East End family eateries. G Kelly on Roman Road Market (in the Mile End neighbourhood) has been serving pies, mash, liquor and jellied eels since 1939. Its classic beef mince pie has a perfectly burnished pastry crust and is served with a puddle of flavourful green liquor and creamy mash. S&R Kelly & Sons in Bethnal Green is another East End institution – it’s been making traditional handmade mince meat pies since 1915. 2. Malmö, Sweden – Welcome August like a Scandi at a crayfish party August in Sweden is all about kräftskiva: outdoor parties centred around music, drinking and vats of freshly caught crayfish boiled in briny liquid (sometimes with a splash of ale), served cold with a crown of fresh dill. Malmö on the southwestern coast of Sweden is one of the best places to experience one. The Malmö Festival takes over Stortorget Square every August with long banquet tables (they stretch for more than 1km) piled high with boiled crayfish. 3. Mumbai, India – Do a sunset chaat street-snack crawl at Juhu Chowpatty Beach Juhu Chowpatty Beach in Mumbai is famous for its long sandy beach, sunset views and some of the best – and most colourful – street food stands in all of India. Visit Shree Ram Pav Bhaji for its paneer pav bhaji served with a buttery roll, masala pilou and Indo-Chinese hakka noodles. Sharma Chaat Bhandar is known for crunchy pani puri and papdi chaat, while Juhu Sealand specialises in technicolour falooda milkshakes and creamy pistachio-cashew kulfis. 4. Primorska, Slovenia – Visit a biodynamic orange winery Slovenia’s orange wines (made from white grapes where the skin and seeds are left in the macerations to impart an orange tint and tannins) are some of the best in the world. They’re known for their bold and complex flavours, with notes of floral herbs and rich honey. The north-western Primorska region, which stretches along the Adriatic Sea, is where Slovenia’s most prominent orange wineries can be found. Guerilla, a biodynamic winery in the Vipava Valley, is famous for its deep golden-coloured wines with notes of chamomile; and Movia wine estate in the village of Ceglo makes wines with intense bouquets of citrus, peaches, liquorice, vanilla and nutmeg. 5. Penang, Malaysia – Take in the nighttime delights of Kimberly Street Night Market One of the most vibrant places to eat after dark in Penang is Kimberley Street Night Market in George Town’s Chinatown. Here you can try everything from laksa and oyster omelettes to char kway teow fried noodles and sweet si koh soup. Kimberley Street Duck Kway Chap is known for its rich braised duck flat-rice noodle soup. Tina’s Kitchen is a family-run spot that sells five-spiced Chinese sausage rolls, nasi ulum salted fish rice, and purple yam with tapioca jelly. And Tua Pui Curry Mee serves thick, aromatic curry soups with chicken, squid or cuttlefish. 6. Quebec, Canada – Head to a sugar shack for maple syrup snow-taffy celebrations Maple syrup taffy celebrations mark the Canadian culinary calendar every March and April. The highlight is when freshly tapped maple syrup is boiled, drizzled over clean white snow, then wound and twisted onto popsicle sticks into a sticky, chewy taffy. The area surrounding Montreal is famous for its cabanes à sucre (sugar shacks), which are traditional Quebec establishments where the new season’s maple syrup is celebrated in all its culinary guises. Érablière du Cap has been celebrating maple syrup since 1983 and offers a unique sugar shack menu and maple snow taffy experience. The Le Relais des Pins sugar shack experience includes visits to the maple sugar refinery and sleigh rides in the snow. 7. Houston and Louisiana, USA – Put on a bib and dive into a Viet-Cajun seafood boil Vietnamese immigrants have been thriving in the USA since the 1970s, particularly in Houston and Louisiana, which has resulted in a unique Viet-Cajun fusion cuisine. The most famous dish to come from this is Viet-Cajun seafood boil (traditional Cajun boil meets Southeast Asian aromatics). Crawfish & Noodles in Houston from James Beard Award-nominated chef Trong Nguyen specialises in Viet-Cajun crayfish, flavoured with a special spice blend (featuring lemongrass, ginger, garlic and cayenne) and served with Asian honey garlic wings on the side. Big EZ in Louisiana serves its Viet-Cajun boil Saigon-style: with kumquat, lemongrass and Cajun spices. 8. San Sebastián, Spain – Hop from bar to bar for pintxos and txakoli Basque-style tapas (pintxos) are typically served on long cocktail skewers or on top of toasted bread. San Sebastián, with is long sandy beach and characterful cobbled old town, is famous for its numerous pintxos bars, where hopping from one place to another is very much the done thing. Try the ‘igueldo’ at Antonio Bar: roasted tomato, tuna belly, Basque green peppers and salted anchovy on bread. Then head to Bar Txepetxa for fried calamari, gambas, vinegared anchovies and gilda, eaten alongside the region’s famous sparkling dry white wine, txakoli. Finish at La Espiga for thinly sliced jamón, oozy Spanish tortilla and stuffed piquillo peppers. Check out our full guide to the best restaurants in San Sebastian for more inspiration. 9. Oaxaca City, Mexico – Try freshly steamed street-side tamales Mexico’s Oaxaca City is all about tamales: steamed masa corn parcels filled with richly flavoured fillings, wrapped in banana leaves or corn husks, then freshly steamed. The rich, intensely savoury mole tamales at Mercado Sánchez Pascuas are some of the best in the city. Or head to Tamales de Tia Tila just outside of the city for black mole and salsa verde filled tamales, along with sweet tamales with cinnamon and tropical fruits. See our full guide to Oaxaca for more, including where to stay. We've also got a recipe for Mexican chicken mole rojo, to recreate at home. 10. Lagos, Nigeria – Enjoy barbecued suya skewers with yaji spice Nigeria’s famous suya skewers are strips of beef or goat, marinated in a yaji spice blend of chilli, ginger, garlic, peanuts and sometimes fermented locust beans and crushed bouillon. These are barbecued on skewers and served with more yaji spice sprinkled on top. The roads of Lagos are awash with suya carts and stalls. Glover Court Suya is one of the most loved spots, serving up beef and mixed grill skewers using its own unique spice blend. Locals favour Belton Suya Spot and Akerele Super Suya for their flavourful suya skewers. Discover more about Nigerian cuisine. 10. Nice, France – Take a fire-baked socca and pissaladière to the beach The regional cooking in Nice combines seasonal Provençal ingredients with Italian influences, as is best illustrated by socca and pissaladière. Socca (chickpea flour pancakes) are cooked in large iron pans over fire until scorched, then hand-cut into craggy pieces before being piled onto paper plates and served with sachets of salt and pepper. Pissaladière is a savoury Niçois pizza-tart with a thick layer of caramelised onions, anchovies and olives on top. Chez Rene Socca situated on a bustling corner of old town has queues for their piping hot socca and generously topped pissaladière at all hours. Chez Teresa, which also pops up in the old town market, is known for its crispy and moreish socca, perfect for taking to the beach with a cold bottle of French beer. Check out our round up of the best French food trips for more France travel inspiration. 11. Chicago, USA – Indulge in Chicago’s deep-dish and ultra-thin tavern-style pizzas Although Chicago deep-dish has attracted global fame, there are in fact two pizza styles that reign supreme in the windy city: buttery crusted cast-iron deep-dish, and ultra-thin crispy square-cut tavern style. For deep-dish, head to cult Chicago institution Piquods in Lincoln Park for ‘caramelised edge’ cheese-crusts, oozy layered inverted fillings and high-quality ingredients. For square-cut tavern style, visit Italian-owned Pat's Pizzeria, where the ‘cracker crust’ pizzas have been a hit with locals since 1950. 12. Singapore – Dive into some saucy Singaporean chilli crab Singaporean chilli crab is traditionally made with mud crabs that are cooked in an intensely flavoured sauce, rich with chilli, garlic, ginger, shallots, tomato paste and sometimes lemongrass, fermented soybean paste, sesame oil, or Shaoxing wine. Roland Restaurant is often cited as the birthplace of the dish and its recipe (invented by Madam Cher Yam Tian) has an intense chilli heat and deep flavour. The Michelin-recognised Keng Eng Kee Seafood at Alexandra Village is equally renowned for its own take on chilli crab, with a slick sweet and sour style sauce that’s thickened with egg. Try making it at home with our Singapore chilli crab recipe. 13. Tokyo, Japan – Try whisky highballs and drinking snacks in the alleyways of Golden Gai Golden Gai is a district of Kabukicho in Shinjuku where there are more than 250 tiny drinking dens across a handful of streets. Dongara-Gassyan specialises in Osaka-style fried meat and vegetable skewers, and Japanese karage-fried chicken with a tare glaze. Albatros bar with its kitsch chandeliers and chintzy interiors is famous for cocktails infused with ingredients such as spicy pepper and prickly pear. And Totobar is known for its sake, served up with small plates of grilled fish and sashimi. 14. Brussels, Belgium – Feast on shrimp bechamel croquettes and Belgian craft beer Belgium’s famous garnaalkroketten are deep-fried bechamel croquettes filled with flavoursome grey shrimp – expect a crisp, bread coating and creamy, velvety middle. Most traditional restaurants in Brussels have them on the menu, but the best place to try them is at Noordzee Mer Du Nord situated in a picturesque square in the historic old town, overlooking the gothic Église Sainte-Catherine. They’re freshly fried to order and are served with a rich mayonnaise and thick wedges of lemon – perfect for eating on outdoor tables that dot the square, with a craft Belgian beer to hand. Mare in the hip Wolf Food Hall also serves classic shrimp and old brugge cheese croquettes with homemade tartar. 15. St John’s, Antigua – Try the national dish of pepperpot and fungee Pepperpot is a one-pot stew that’s cooked long and slow with everything from beef to salted pork, spinach, yams, scotch bonnet peppers, thyme and all-spice. It’s served with fungee – a cornmeal and okra-based bread ball. Suga Beez is a road-side eatery with a daily changing menu of local specialities that serves up some of the most flavoursome pepperpot in St John’s. And Joe Mikes restaurant, which is attached to a casino, is a buffet-canteen style eatery that serves pillowy soft and delicate fungee alongside long-cooked pepperpot in a rich, meaty broth. 16. Crete, Greece – Eat traditional antikristo at a Cretan tavern Antikristo, which means ‘over fire’, is a traditional Cretan method of roasting salted lamb or goat on large skewers for several hours over open flames, then letting the meat cook in its own juices to give it a deep, intensely smoky flavour. Taverna Arhaia Lappa is an ancient tavern in the village of Rethymno that’s famous for its antikristo lamb. In Heraklion, Petousis is known for its traditional Greek barbecued lamb, cooked with the skewers in a circular formation for up to six hours until tender and deliciously charred. 17. Hong Kong – Dine at an old-school dim sum trolley-cart institution These unique establishments that serve freshly steamed dim sum on old-school trolley carts are treasured in Hong Kong. Lin Heung Lau Tea Room is one of the oldest, known for its steamed barbecued buns and har gau, pan-fried radish cake and deep-fried sesame balls. Luk On Kui is another traditional push-cart dim sum eatery that harks back to the 1970s with its décor and old world charms. Maxims Palace is one of Hong Kong’s most adored dim sum cart institutions, complete with white table clothes, crystal chandeliers and an almost endless selection of dim sum to select from trolleys that circle through the restaurant every lunchtime. 18. Turin, Italy – Try gianduja hazelnut chocolates in all their guises Gianduja – a rich chocolate and hazelnut confection – is the culinary symbol of Turin and Piedmont in northern Italy, showcasing the regions intensely flavoured buttery hazelnuts. It’s often turned into chocolate bars, sold as a spreadable paste, or even made into gianduiotto chocolate nuggets. Guido Gobino is a 50-year-old Turin institution with a historic headquarters on Cagliari Street. Its gianduja combines 45% tonda gentile trilobata hazelnuts, Italian sugar and vanilla bean. Contemporary chocolatier Guido Castagna sells unique tear-drop shaped gianduiotto, made with chuao cocoa from Venezuela. 20. Hanoi, Vietnam – Tackle a deep-filled bánh mì at a street-side stall in the city The bustling motorbike-flooded streets of Hanoi are the best places in the country for Vietnamese bánh mì sandwiches (French-style baguettes filled with the likes of lemongrass-marinated barbecued meats, pickled carrots and radishes, whole red chillies and fresh coriander). Bánh Mì Bà Dần in Hanoi’s old quarter is known for its crispy-soft breads and generous fillings, while Banh Mi Lan Ong offers Vietnamese sausage and fried egg fillings, plus signature sauces and duck pâté. Check out our rainbow banh mí recipe to make your own at home. More global guides Puerto Rico cuisine: 10 things we love Fez cuisine: 10 things we love Puglian cuisine: 10 things we love Andalusian cuisine: 10 things we love Jamaican cuisine: 10 things we love Georgian cuisine: 10 things we love Colombian cuisine: 10 things we love The Algarve's cuisine: 10 things we love Thai cuisine: 10 things we love South Korean cuisine: 10 things we love Nashville cuisine: 10 things we love Norwegian cuisine: 10 things we love Tuscan cuisine: 10 things we love Cork cuisine: 10 things we love Northern Ireland cuisine: 10 things we love Finland cuisine: 10 things we love
Sweet honey, citrussy yuzu koshō and fiery red chilli are drizzled over freshly charred yakitori
Try yakitori with citrussy hot honey, then discover yakitori chicken skewers with miso, salmon yakitori with stir-fried brown rice or chicken thigh yakitori. I first encountered Mike’s Hot Honey in Williamsburg, New York, a decade ago, when it seemed like every food establishment in the neighbourhood had bottles of the stuff on their tables, regardless of the cuisine they were serving. Hot honey’s popularity has sky rocketed in recent years – there are now entire aisles devoted to the stuff in hipster delis around the world. Recipes extracted from Flavour Heroes by Gurdeep Loyal (£27, Quadrille). Photographs: Patricia Niven. Recipes are sent by the publisher and not retested by us. Yakitori with citrussy hot honey recipe
This take on an ice cream sundae enriches the fudge sauce with toasted sesame oil and adds essential crunch via bittersweet coffee brittle
Try Dame Blanche with sesame-toffee coffee, then discover knickerbocker glory, strawberry sundae with strawberry sauce or The National Catastrophe ice cream sundae. It was a true pleasure to discover that the relatively mundane sounding ‘vanilla and chocolate ice cream sundae’ has a fabulously extravagant title in Belgium: a dame blanche. The original all-white dessert was created by French chef Auguste Escoffier and named after an 1825 comic-fantasy opera. Pile high with whipped cream and top with a maraschino cocktail cherry if you’re feeling extra frou-frou (which I always am). Recipes extracted from Flavour Heroes by Gurdeep Loyal (£27, Quadrille). Photographs: Patricia Niven. Recipes are sent by the publisher and not retested by us. Dame Blanche with sesame-toffee coffee recipe
Peanut butter pie with a cinnamon cereal crust
This peanut butter cream pie is unashamedly gluttonous – one of the tastiest creations I’ve dreamt up
Try our peanut butter pie with a cinnamon cereal crust, then try chocolate and peanut butter sheet cake, peanut butter brownies or easy banana bread with peanut butter frosting. There’s a particularly funny line by Henry James in Washington Square. Taking a gentle swipe at his plus-sized protagonist, Catherine Sloper, James proclaims that she was “something of a glutton... [She never] stole raisins out of the pantry, but she devoted her pocket money to the purchase of cream cakes”. It’s something I fully identify with: in my teens I too spent much of my pocket money on chocolate éclairs, custard slices and cream-filled buns. As an adult, the habit has endured, although these days I’m more likely to bake an indulgent treat for myself. Recipes extracted from Flavour Heroes by Gurdeep Loyal (£27, Quadrille). Photographs: Patricia Niven. Recipes are sent by the publisher and not retested by us. Peanut butter pie with a cinnamon cereal crust recipe
Herby-harissa shawarma with shallot raita
The smoked spiciness of harissa blended with the brightness of leafy mixed herbs infuses chicken thighs with punchy yet delicate flavours
Try herby-harissa shawarma with shallot raita, then discover kebab king chicken shawarma, slow-cooked lamb shawarma or mushroom shawarma. Green harissa is very much the ‘it’ ingredient of the moment – taking the scarlet red staple our pantries have become accustomed to and enlivening it with green chillies, verdant herbs and spiky jalapeños. My shawarma recipe takes inspiration from this viridescent trend – also riffing on the classic north Indian hariyali chicken, which translates as ‘green chicken’. Dollop liberally with sharp, cooling shallot raita for the full en vogue effect. Recipes extracted from Flavour Heroes by Gurdeep Loyal (£27, Quadrille). Photographs: Patricia Niven. Recipes are sent by the publisher and not retested by us. Herby-harissa shawarma with shallot raita recipe
Halloumi, mango, courgette and tarragon pizzettes
Use mango chutney for sweet tang, melted halloumi for chewy saltiness, charred courgettes for bitter freshness and tarragon for a herbal hit of anise
Try halloumi, mango, courgette and tarragon pizzettes, then discover pear, gorgonzola and pickled walnut pizzettes, sloppy joe pizzettes or butternut and pancetta pizzettes. I love a scissor-cut Roman-style pizza slice, especially one that’s charred at the bottom, chewy in the middle and liberally topped with a plethora of things, which could be anything as long as they include fennel sausage. Bonci in Rome, MyPixxa and Malletti in London are bastions of brilliance in this genre, all of which have taught me that a tomato base really is not essential when it comes to very good pizza. This recipe is my globally remixed ode to those joints. Recipes extracted from Flavour Heroes by Gurdeep Loyal (£27, Quadrille). Photographs: Patricia Niven. Recipes are sent by the publisher and not retested by us. Halloumi, mango, courgette and tarragon pizzettes recipe
olive trends expert Gurdeep Loyal shares his top destinations for foodie travel trips, from Provençal classics in Aix-en-Provence to the thriving food community of Anglesey
Read Gurd's guide to UK and European culinary hotspots, then check out his 2024 food and drink predictions, our winter sun destinations for foodies and then the UK's best artisan bakeries. Hexham, Northumberland The villages surrounding this market town are home to some of the most exciting culinary talent in the north of England right now. Hjem, from Swedish chef Alex Nietosvuori and Northumberland-born Ally Thompson, is a Michelin star destination marrying Scandinavian techniques with local produce. The exquisite tasting menu includes vegetables from Hexhamshire Organics and pork from North Acomb Farm. The Kirkstyle Inn is one of the best gastropubs in the region, showcasing seasonal tastes of the local area with dishes like game terrine, damson and hazelnut, and North Sea halibut, mussel, kohlrabi and leek. The menu at The Beaumont in Hexham includes Josper-fired Yorkshire 32-day-aged steaks and Lindisfarne oysters. And Pine, set in an old cow barn, is a fine-dining restaurant filled with foraged ingredients from the Northumberland countryside. Inventive dishes include razor clam, rhubarb and rose geranium, pork neck, salsify and beer, and tagete flower and pineapple weed. Deal, Kent The area surrounding the quaint coastal town of Deal is gathering a reputation as a destination for good food and dining, quirky independent shops and a lively weekly market. Updown – set in a restored farmhouse with woodlands and wildflower gardens – is a restaurant with rooms from couple Ruth Leigh and Oliver Brown. Their Italian-leaning menu is hyper-seasonal, using local ingredients. Dishes include raw sea bass with almonds and cherries, and grilled lamb chump with broad beans, artichokes and bagna càuda. The Blue Pelican is a Japanese izakaya-style restaurant with beautiful sea views. Inventive dishes include pork katsu with castelfranco and sesame dressing, and local squid with Tokyo turnips and pomelo. Its Cellar Bar has a menu of natural wines, Japanese whiskies and sake – with tasty small plates to nibble on as you drink. The Rose is famous for its breakfast menu which features savouries like fried eggs, burnt sage butter and toasted sourdough; and sweet plates like spiced waffles with poached pear and crème fraîche. Finally, at fishmonger Jenkins & Son, the street food bar serves up dishes like monkfish tacos, king prawn skewers and Mediterranean fish koftas. Lille, France Close to the Belgian border, Lille is but 1 hour 22 minutes on the Eurostar from London, and one of northern France’s undiscovered culinary gems. It has traditional Flemish estaminet restaurants like Estaminet La Ch’Tite Brigitte, which serves regional classics like carbonnade beef stew in beer, leek flamiche and escargot in maroilles cheese in an eclectic setting. Krevette is a stylish contemporary seafood bistrot serving the freshest local catch in dishes like breaded sardines with oyster mayonnaise and St Jacques with BBQ brown butter. Méert is a Lille institution famous for its pastel patisserie and caramel-filled waffles. Grand Scène is a colourful, neon-lit street-food market hall with 10 stands serving global specialities like tacos, bao, gyros and duck burgers. Finally, BierBuik is a trendy pink-tiled craft brew pub that also serves modern takes on Lille tavern dishes, including moules, crêpes, and some of the best frites in town. Studland, Dorset The village of Studland, on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, is gathering a reputation as a beach destination with discerning culinary clout. Shell Bay Restaurant & Bistro – on the tip of the Jurassic Coast – is a scenic sunset-watching spot that specialises in open-fire cooking. Its exciting menu champions local lobster, bass and Poole Bay oysters, with dishes including fire-roasted miso and yuzu cod and pepper soft-shell crab with smoked pineapple chilli sauce. The Pig on the Beach has a walled kitchen garden and is committed to home-grown produce with its 25-mile menu, serving veg picked that morning and transformed into dishes such as marinated beetroot with spiced hazelnut crumb and blood orange. Across the water from Studland in Poole is Thirteen from head chef Alex Naik, whose tasting menus combine locally sourced and foraged ingredients – courses might include the likes of mushroom tom kha soup with seaweed noodles, velvet shank and oysters, and thyme panna cotta with orange jelly, ginger gel and clementine powder. And Bankes Arms is a pub by the sea that’s also home to the award-winning Isle of Purbeck Brewery – serving up the likes of Studland Bay Wrecked, Solar Power, Fossil Fuel and Purbeck IPA. Alnwick, Northumberland The market town of Alnwick, famous for its historic castle, is quietly becoming something of a culinary hotspot. New fine-dining restaurant Sonnet serves up a tasting menu inspired by ingredients from small local farmers, producers of rare-breed meats and British fine food makers. Alnwick Brewery Co & Taproom has been producing traditional brown ales and IPAs since the 1860s, and is a lively hangout that regularly hosts food trucks from local establishments like Caribbean Ren’s Kitchen. The Bistro at The Cookie Jar is a relaxing restaurant serving up local produce in dishes such as tempura cod cheeks with spicy pea purée and chorizo crisps, and homemade ice creams and sorbets. And Jasper’s Bistro, in nearby Amble, is an intimate seafood restaurant with just six tables, specialising in locally landed lobster, crab and langoustines, with an excellent wine list. Check out our full guide to the best restaurants in Northumberland for more. Reigate, Surrey Reigate has had an influx of foodie establishments in recent years, making it well worth a visit. Lebnani – from chef Jad Youssef – is leading the charge. Its menu is inspired by the food of Beirut with traditional meze and charcoal grills designed for sharing, using the finest spices, herbs and grains from Lebanon, combined with local ingredients. Chalk Hills Bakery makes artisan breads that use traditional long-fermenting methods, each kneaded by hand, including sourdough with potato, rosemary and nigella seeds. The Chapel is an independent café specialising in perfectly brewed coffee, open sandwiches and sausage brioche rolls using meat from local family butcher Robert & Edwards. And New Gurkha Kitchen serves up authentic Nepalese cuisine, like Gurkha aloo (potatoes with turmeric and cumin), Kathmandu chicken and Nepalese-style chow – stir-fried noodles with spices. Lyme Regis, Dorset Affectionately known as the pearl of Dorset, thanks to its beautiful bay, the areas surrounding Lyme Regis are also rich in culinary delights. The Seaside Boarding House, overlooking Lyme Bay, champions local Dorset produce and has a guest series with a host of exciting chefs including Jeremy Lee, Rick Toogood and Abby Lee. The Parlour at Bredy Farm offers Italian small plates like Tuscan fish stew with Dorset clams and courgettes alla poverella. And Rachels in West Bay is a beach side hut with fresh local seafood platters, moules and chowder, plus it gets my vote for the best fish and chips in the area. Inverness, Scotland Inverness is the perfect base for exploring the culinary delights of the Scottish Highlands and the many whisky distilleries surrounding the areas close to Loch Ness. Torrish at Ness Walk is a fine dining restaurant with riverside views, its inventive menu champions local producers like Highland Fine Cheeses in Tain and Great Glen Charcuterie. Bad Girl Bakery is Insta-famous for its sticky toffee pudding cookies and pecan caramel sticky buns. Lively wine bar The Walrus & Corkscrew has more than 200 wines to try, served alongside sharing platters of locally sourced delicacies. And Black Isle Brewing Co serves up organic craft beers and wood-fired pizzas, topped with ingredients sourced directly from its own market garden and farm. Antwerp, Belgium The second city of Belgium, Antwerp has, in recent years, become a beacon of inventive, seasonal and hyper-local Northern European cuisine. Marché Couverts is a stylish deli and restaurant, the daily changing handwritten menu features dishes like roasted apricots with rosemary, and chicory tarte tatin with comté. Restaurant Nathan is a seafood-led fine-dining restaurant with an emphasis on seasonality with Asian flavour twists. Camion in Antwerp’s trendy green quarter is an all-day plant-based restaurant with dishes like sweet potato coconut stew, and sourdough toast caponata. And The Butcher’s Son is a loft-style restaurant within the De Koninck brewery complex that specialises in locally bred nose-to-tail eating. Kingsbridge, Devon The area surrounding Kingsbridge has become a culinary epicentre in recent years, with some of the most inventive cooking in the South West. At the heart of it is Wild Artichokes from pioneering culinary duo Jane Baxter and Samantha Miller, who serve up dishes like crab doughnuts with fennel and apple salad, and Basque cheesecake with plums. Outside Devon is a community skate park with a farm-café that specialises in world flavours with local ingredients, like its split pea pakoras with beetroot sadu. Millbrook Inn is a hidden haven whose menu serves up meat from the family farm, like smoked pork belly with Devon cider sauce. For a stellar Sunday roast, head to The Journey’s End, which features inventive small plates like burrata with chestnut honey toast. Munich, Germany While the German city of Munich is most famous for its beer-fuelled Oktoberfest, it’s also a unique culinary destination. Hip restaurant Ciao Chang merges a Japanese izakaya with Bavarian cuisine serving up dishes like beetroot carpaccio with hokkaido, cashew and matcha-yuzu vinaigrette and Bavarian straw pig spring rolls. Dr Drooly is a trendy vegan pizzeria with inventive creations like its Shroomy with oyster mushroom cream, pangrattato and miso oil, and its Hot Birdie with pickled jalapeño, vegan “chick’n” and Drooly’s secret sauce. Bar Bravo is a lively Italian-influenced café-bar that specialises in aperitivo cocktails, Italian charcuterie and fresh pasta. And Ukiyo is a contemporary Japanese restaurant with dishes like soft shell crab karaage and flambéed salmon and prawn tempura sushi rolls. Winchester, Hampshire Known for its historic college and cathedral, Winchester and its surrounding villages are becoming something of a culinary hotbed. The Yard in the Candover Valley is a stunning working farm with a café that offers gourmet brioche buns and toasties, with coffee from on-site roastery Moon Roast. Academy is a coffee ‘laboratory’ which serves up speciality coffees, showcasing independent producers from around the world. And Cabinet Rooms is a family-run wine bar that serves cheeseboards and sharing platters in the evening to accompany a discerning wine list and seasonal cocktails, like its Montreal Negroni and Mango-Chilli Margarita. Aix-en-Provence, France Aix has long attracted food writers eager to taste the region, and has recently seen a wave of new openings. Bar des Oiseaux is a stylish spot that serves traditional Marseillaise pizzas alongside regional classics like beef tartar and crème caramel, while Yves Restaurant serves Provençal classics with a focus on regional organic produce. Kava specialises in bistro-brunch dishes like roasted plum with thyme, hazelnut crumble and whipped mascarpone, alongside homemade raspberry bay leaf sodas and natural wines. For something a little more decadent, the chandelier-adorned Le Singe Vert serves truffled croque monsieur with yellow peaches and Provence melon. Rotterdam, Netherlands Rotterdam is often overlooked as a place to visit, but hosts its very own booming culinary scene to rival that of famous neighbour Amsterdam. Putaine is one of the most innovative fine dining restaurants in the city, situated at the top of Rotterdam’s famous sustainable ‘floating’ offices. It serves up delicacies including white asparagus mousse with cream of coconut and magnolia kombucha sorbet, and hamachi, pandan and angelica root. New neighbourhood restaurant Diepnoord has a focus on seasonal local dishes and natural wines. Soju Bar specialises in Korean fried chicken in flavours such as honey butter, sticky cheese and spicy-sweet with peanuts. And OX is a secret underground Chinese speakeasy restaurant that serves up cocktails inspired by the Chinese zodiac. Anglesey, Wales Situated on the north-west coast of Wales, the island of Anglesey is home to a thriving food community. Dreamboat is a street food truck situated on the beach, serving up vegan and vegetarian bowls using own-grown ingredients, along with freshly cooked sourdough pizzas like its ‘figgy-goat cheese’ and ‘wild foraged chanterelle and garlic’ varieties. Artisan sea salt maker Halen Môn on the banks of the Menai Straight offers tours of its factory with a salt tasting. Cheesemonger and café & Caws specialises in the finest farmhouses cheese from Wales and beyond, including Caws Teifi from Ceredigion, a nine-month-old gouda-style cheese. And Llofft in Felinheli serves up inventive plates such as Welsh lamb flatbread with honey whipped feta, and brioche pork sliders with coriander and star anise caramel. Isle of Skye, Scotland Skye, the largest island in the Inner Hebrides, boasts a rich natural larder of ingredients and historic traditions of preservation using local techniques. Chef Calum Montgomery champions these at Edinbane Lodge, a converted 16th-century hunting lodge whose restaurant is dedicated to the island’s crofts, seas and artisan producers. It serves up dishes including monkfish with Edinbane wild garlic and scallop roe, seaweed and chanterelle crackers. Broadford’s Deli Gasta transforms the island’s ingredients into gourmet sandwiches like 'The Monarch', made with Great Glen venison salami, plum and apple chutney and Scottish cheddar. And the menu at the secluded Stein Inn focuses on sustainable seafood from the LochBay shores, with a choice of more than 130 Scottish whiskies. Jersey, Channel Islands A short hop from the UK (or France), Jersey – famous for its prized potatoes, oysters and rich custard-yellow cream – is having a gourmet revival. New restaurant pêtchi, from island-raised chef and Great British Menu finalist Joe Baker, is leading the charge. Its menu celebrates the abundance of the island’s local seafood with dishes such as chancre crab and seaweed tarts, and a signature wood-roasted lobster rice. JEJU, housed in St Helier’s historic fish market, specialises in fresh sushi and Korean-inspired dishes made using the daily catch (pictured below). Over on St Ouen’s Bay is SANDS, whose menu is inspired by Australasian and Californian coastal cuisine, with homemade tacos and sodas like its apricot/cardamom and lychee/vetiver. And for a nightcap, head to The Porter’s Store, a stylish speakeasy with live music and cocktail masterclasses on offer. Totnes, Devon The market town of Totnes in Devon has some of the most progressive organic restaurants in the country. The Bull Inn is driving the charge with its ecological and social impact pledges, including commitments to “field-grown, not flown”, mindful meat, seasonality and supplier-led organic food. Its inventive menu includes such dishes as roasted courgettes with whipped tahini, preserved lemon and pumpkin seed picada, and basque cheesecake with plums. Eversfield organic farm shop & café has a menu of all-day brunch classics such as toasted banana bread with seasonal compote and Turkish eggs with warm chilli butter. The Totnes Sunday food market is the biggest in Devon, offering up fine produce from local producers. For a taste of fine dining, head to Gather, which showcases ingredients sourced locally or foraged from Devon’s fields, shoreline, rivers and hedgerows. Bayonne, France The tranquil city of Bayonne embodies the gastronomic energy of the Basque region, known for its artisanal hams, and as the French capital of chocolate. The legendary Chocolat Cazenave serves up intense bubble-topped ‘sparkling’ hot chocolates in porcelain cups. Chocolaterie Xokola Etxetera specialises in chocolate spreads infused with piquant Espelette pepper, and L’Atelier du Chocolat Bayonne has its iconic Bayonne chocolate shard bouquets. Eat pintxos including jamon croquettes, truffled croque monsieur and Pyrenees milk-fed lamb kebabs at Les Basses Pyrénées bar. Then, for dinner, head to La Brasserie Basa for fish dishes with daily catch from the local village of Saint-Jean-De-Luz, and sweet creations such as buckwheat almond praline choux to finish. Östersund, Sweden Situated in the middle of Sweden, Östersund is a Unesco City of Gastronomy and boasts one of the highest numbers of small-scale food artisans and organic farmers in the country. Innovative bistro Republiken Bar & Kök serves everything from moose carpaccio to cellar-matured goat’s cheese from local farmers. Nästgårds Farm Restaurant (open in summer) and its sister BUA create menus with sustainability at their heart, with dishes such as halibut with coriander seeds, rose pepper, green tomato and fried sourdough. The menu at Hamngatan 12 fights against food waste by using surplus produce, with upcycled dishes including its potato and leek soup topped with crispy pork belly. But for something iconic to the region, Wedemarks Café is where the smörgåstårta – a savoury layered ‘sandwich cake’ of rye bread, shrimps, salmon and pickled vegetables – was invented. Aldeburgh, Suffolk Aldeburgh, a small seaside town in Suffolk, is famous for its annual music festival, and something of a hot gastronomic ticket. Nestled at its heart is The Suffolk – home to Sur Mer, a restaurant with a rooftop terrace with sea views and six individually designed rooms. Its menu includes dishes such as dressed Suffolk crab with pickled cucumber, and Pump Street dark chocolate tart. The Lighthouse, meanwhile, serves simple home-cooked fare with a neighbourhood vibe, and even has its own gin, Lighthouse 77, with botanicals including heather and liquorice. Sea Spice is a beautiful restaurant that combines local Suffolk produce with flavourful Indian cooking. The beach is lined with shacks selling boxes of prawns and smoked fish from local artisans including Butley Oysterage. And, like all great coastal towns, there’s an iconic chippy – Aldeburgh Fish & Chips makes its the traditional Suffolk way, fried in beef dripping. Whitley Bay, North Tyneside The sandy seaside town of Whitley Bay has become one of the most exciting culinary destinations in Tyne and Wear. Popular brunch destination Kith & Kin serves up inventive dishes, such as spiced clementine french toast and salt beef reuben hash, while the local family-run Pranzo Trattoria specialises in Italian tapas made with locally sourced ingredients. The Vietnamese/Southeast Asian-inspired menu at Omni includes a 12-hour beef shin and peanut curry, and crispy oyster mushroom bánh mì with pickled slaw. For drinks, independent natural wine shop Kork hosts expertly curated cheese and wine tastings with sourdough breads from Northern Rye microbakery, while Baba Yaga’s House is an artsy fairytale bar with an eclectic drinks menu that includes a range of artisanal absinthe. Guimarães, Portugal The historic town of Guimarães is known as the birthplace of Portugal, and its food scene proudly preserves the country’s culinary roots. Founded in 1953, Pastelaria Clarinha specialises in regional pastries such as the tortas de Guimarães: a flaky shell-shaped pastry filled with ground almonds and pumpkin purée. At fine dining restaurant aCozinha, chef António Loureiro’s mission is to celebrate Portuguese traditions through sustainable gastronomic innovation; while vegetarian cooperative Cor De Tangerina is founded on principals of fair trade and organic sourcing, turning local ingredients into homemade dishes including potato pavé with chanterelles, acorn and beetroot mayonnaise. A little out of town, located under the rocks of Monte da Penha, the rustic takeaway hut Adega do Ermitão offers up petiscos (traditional tapas-style snacks) such as cod fritters and toasted flatbreads with fatty bacon and sardines. Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire Known for its spirited community ethos, which has attracted writers and artists for decades, Hebden Bridge is now a hotbed for culinary creatives. At its heart is Kitchen 91, a micro-bakery and dining room in a converted weaver’s warehouse specialising in Italian cuisine with sustainability at its core. Independent cooperative Valley Organics sells ethically sourced ingredients from local producers, and Goo Cheese has a range of more than 100 British and continental cheeses with an emphasis on lesser-known cheesemakers. Stylish contemporary restaurant Coin is the best spot for dinner, serving small plates such as Crown Prince squash, rocket, Loch Arthur yogurt and smoked almonds alongside an extensive list of natural wines. For a nightcap, lively bottle shop Drink (open until 10pm) has a range of regional craft ales, fruit sours and cloudy gose beers from across the county. Trondheim, Norway With its striking location in the central Nordic fjords, Trondheim is renowned for its unique gastronomy and buzzy cycling culture, which boasts the world’s first bike lift. Michelin-starred Heidi Bjerkan is one of the city’s culinary pioneers. Her contemporary restaurant Credo transforms the very best of the region’s produce into dishes such as scallops, blackcurrant leaf oil, apricots and ginger, or brioche with fermented plum jam, sea urchin, finger lime and lardo. Meanwhile, stylish nature-focused wine bar Spontan Vinbar specialises in small plates, including monkfish with cloudberries, and local cheeses with rye bread and apple purée. But the cosiest spot in town has to be Sellanraa Bok & Bar, a café-bookshop that serves up local coffee roasts, fresh-baked cinnamon canelés and chocolate tortes with salted caramel. Asti and Alba, Piedmont, Italy Situated in a picturesque region of north-western Italy, at the foot of the Alps and less than 19 miles apart, each town boasts unique gastronomic traditions steeped in a friendly rivalry that goes back centuries. Asti, the province’s capital, is famous for red wine risotto al barbera, slow-cooked stufato meat stews and garlicky anchovy bagna càuda served with crisp raw vegetables such as fennel, radish and asparagus. Lively family restaurant Campanarò is the best place to try these traditional dishes, while buzzy Lo Stregatto serves up the best aperitivo spritz in town. Alba is best known as the home to the world’s oldest white truffle fair, held every October, and makes a great base for exploring the famous wineries of Barbaresco and Barolo. Regional dishes include ravioli al plin with sage and butter, carne cruda (similar to beef tartare), vitello tonnato and the delicacy bunèt, a chocolate hazelnut crème caramel pudding. Atmospheric La Piola specialises in these dishes with a seasonal menu, while award-winning Gusto Madre does the best pizza.
Eat your way around this diverse city by way of Cambodian noodle bars, bustling seafood counters, street-side caviar kiosks and, of course, Philly cheesesteaks and hoagie sandwiches
Philadelphia – the city of brotherly love – is a place where historic buildings like Independence Hall (where the US constitution was signed in 1787), extraordinary art galleries like the Barnes Foundation, and icons of American culture like the Liberty Bell can be found. It is also without doubt one of the most exciting food cities in America right now. Discover everything from sky-high cocktail bars and vegan fine-dining restaurants to lively oyster counters, perfect hand-crafted cannoli and one of the best sandwiches (or hoagies) you will ever eat, plus some of the most innovative contemporary Southeast-Asian, Central-American and African-American cooking in the country. Philly is a city that lives up to its cordial reputation in every way, with a welcoming – and progressive – food scene that’s surprising at every turn. From its energetic downtown Centre City area to the stylishly hip Fishtown – and from bohemian East Passyunk Avenue to the cultural melting pot that is West Philly – every neighbourhood has its own unique gastronomic energy, contrasting and complimenting the others with full volume flavour. What’s more, Philadelphia is the same distance from London as New York, is a fraction of the cost when it comes to great hotels, and is also refreshingly walkable. Just be sure to take the advice of locals: come hungry, get ready to be amazed, and be sure to wear stretchy pants! Jump to: Best restaurants in Philadelphia Best restaurants for Philly cheesesteaks in Philadelphia Best restaurant hubs and markets in Philadelphia Best bakeries in Philadelphia Best cocktail bars in Philadelphia Best restaurants in Philadelphia Suraya This bustling restaurant – right in the heart of the happening Fishtown neighbourhood – serves up classic and contemporary Levant-inspired dishes. It’s a large, welcoming space with ornate painted tiled floors and a buzzy garden terrace in the back. From the meze menu, the exceptional hummus is served with your choice of toppings like crispy za’atar cauliflower or baharat short rib. There is a host of freshly baked man’oushe Lebanese flatbreads and sandwiches with sumac spiced fries. And the ‘kawarma’ slow-roasted lamb is extraordinary – served with dill yogurt, cucumber and pomegranates. surayaphilly.com Friday Saturday Sunday This James Beard Award-winning restaurant – in beautiful Rittenhouse Square – is the creation of Philly-born African-American chef Chad Williams, with his wife Hanna Williams. It’s a stunning space with an open dark wooden bar counter, globe-like hanging lamps and monochrome harlequin diamonds on the floor. The exquisite tasting menu is filled with storytelling, in dishes like Castle Valley Mill grits with Grenada peppers and chestnuts; honeynut squash with labneh and walnut; and black teacake – an artful combination of house-made fromage blanc, preserved rose petals, Meyer lemon gelée and milk skin. fridaysaturdaysunday.com Vernick Fish Located in Philadelphia’s cosmopolitan Logan Square, this upmarket ingredient-led seafood and oyster restaurant is a well-loved city institution. Seasonality, local sourcing and sustainability are central to its ethos, with an innovative menu that’s filled with global flavours. The open room is chicly designed with an open kitchen teeming with lively activity that’s thrilling to see. Don’t miss the amberjack crudo with zingy passion fruit, crispy rice and lime; the olive oil poached halibut with maitake mushroom, Jerusalem artichoke and vermouth cream; and the classic shrimp cocktail with a kick of horseradish. Also be sure to check out the streetside caviar kiosk from Biederman’s that’s right outside. vernickfish.com Mawn This Cambodian noodle bar in the Italian Market has been the talk of Philly since it opened – serving dishes from across Southeast Asia. It’s a lively intimate space from Cambodian-American chef Phila Lorn and his wife Rachel, with exposed brick walls and a soundtrack of Cambodian rock on the speakers. Kick off with the mahope samut – seared scallops with red curry moke, vinegar peppers, lime leaves and crushed peanuts. Try the classic Mawn noodle soup, a chicken stock with poached breast and thigh, schmaltz and crispy garlic; then finish with a fragrant jasmine rice pudding. mawnphilly.com Picnic One of the most spectacular dining rooms in all of Philadelphia, Picnic – in East Kensington – is housed in a former brewery and specialises in wood-fired rotisserie, oysters and unique wines. The organic rotisserie chicken is served with a choice of flavourful sauces like anchovy salsa verde, pickled pepper aïoli and roasted garlic chicken jus. Vegetarian plates include the delicious grilled cabbage with jalapeño dressing, brown butter and gouda. And for dessert try the famous chocolate cake with whipped cream, caramel and candied pecans. picnicphilly.com Dizengoff No trip to Philadelphia is complete without sampling the food of Philly chef Mike Solomonov (@mikesolomonov) at his iconic restaurants like Zahav and Laser Wolf. Dizengoff is his more casual place in the heart of Centre City – a brightly coloured restaurant specialising in ultra-creamy loaded hummus, stuffed homemade pittas and platters. Try the hummus pitryot with mushrooms, amber spice and dill; the shawarma-spiced lamb with sumac and tahini; and the remarkably tasty citrus olive oil cake with sachlav whipped cream and blood orange. It's also known for cocktails enlivened with za’atar, Turkish coffee and chai. dizengoffphilly.com Vedge Often touted as one of the best vegan restaurants in America, Vedge is a plant-based modern dining restaurant from chefs Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby. The ‘medium plates’ menu changes with the seasons, following what’s best in the markets and farms they source from. The inventive smoked portobello mushroom carpaccio has a caper dressing, nigella seeds and fennel remoulade; ‘campfire carrots’ are served with BBQ black lentils, smoked carrot mustard and slaw; and salt roasted chioggia beets are contrasted with lemon tahini, cucumber zhoug and mint. This celebration of vegetables extends to the cocktail list which has creations like their Sea Legs – mezcal with sugar snap pea; and Black Lodge – a mix of reposado tequila, genepi liqueur and beet shrub. vedgerestaurant.com Best restaurants for Philly cheesesteaks in Philadelphia Pat’s King of Steaks The invention of Philly cheesesteak is most often credited to Pat Olivieri, an Italian hot-dog stand owner who in 1930 started to serve up chopped steak with grilled onions and cheese – which quickly exploded into the culinary icon it is today. Their legendary corner restaurant on East Passyunk Avenue always has a queue – so be sure to decide what you want before you get to the front! Your first decision is ‘wit or wit-out’ onions. Then you have to pick a cheese: provolone, American, cooper sharp or bright yellow cheez wiz. Then if you want any additions like mushrooms or peppers, or cheese fries if you want it even cheesier. Geno’s Steaks is their rival right across the street – which opened in 1966 – and who claim to have the ‘best’ cheesesteak in town. Take a bite of both, and decide for yourself! patskingofsteaks.com Jim’s South Street This well-loved cheese steak institution can be found on a striking corner of South Street – the eclectic alternative Philly neighbourhood close to the Delaware river. Established in 1976, its iconic art-deco façade is contrasted by the inside seating area which is a riot of colourful tiled mosaics on every surface from renowned Philadelphia-based artist Isaiah Zagar. As well as classic cheesesteaks, it also offers the option of cooked mushrooms and bell peppers. You can also sprinkle over a sachet of its ‘South Street Heat’ spice dust from Saint Lucifer – with garlic, paprika and habanero pepper. jimssouthstreet.com Angelo's Pizzeria Yes, you did read that correctly. This South Philly pizzeria – on the edges of the Italian Market – has become social media famous for serving up one of the best Philly cheesesteaks in the city. Connoisseurs point out that it’s a combination of quality rib-eye steak, a very specific seasoning, good bread and the cheese-to-steak ratio that makes it so good. Thanks to its viral fame, the queue almost always goes down the street, but you can order by phone and collect if you want to jump the line. Their eponymous pizza and loaded hoagie sandwiches are also equally delicious! angelospizzeriasouthphiladelphia.com Uncle Gus Steaks The action-packed Philly cheesesteak grills at Uncle Gus are one of the must-visit counters in Reading Terminal Market. Everything here is done classically, with very generous portions and excellent bread from Angelo's Pizzeria. Steak is ‘medium chop’ – so it still has some bite and is not too fine like at other cheesesteak establishments. You can ask for the addition of mushrooms, long hot or cherry peppers. instagram.com/unclegussteaks/ Best restaurant hubs and food markets in Philadelphia Reading Terminal Market There are more than 80 vendors at Reading Terminal Market – one of America’s largest public markets that has been housed in its current National Historic Landmark building since 1893. The choice of foods to try is almost overwhelming, so be sure to come hungry and eager to try a little something from as many as possible. Check out seafood specialities at Pearl’s Oyster Bar; iconic roast pork and broccoli rabe sandwiches at DiNics; Georgian cheeseboats at Saami Somi; and American soul food at Ma Lessie’s Chicken & Waffles. For a sweet treat, the hand-dipped chocolates at Mueller Chocolate Co are divine, the cookies at Famous 4th Street Cookie Company a Philly classic, and the exquisite dessert counters of Termini Brothers Bakery something not to miss! readingterminalmarket.org Frankford Avenue in Fishtown Fishtown is one of the hippest and most exciting food neighbourhoods in America right now – buzzing with artisanal bakeries (Fiore), trendy BBQ joints (Zig Zag BBQ), award-winning restaurants (Kalaya), champions of global street food (Amy’s Pastelillos), ethically minded grocers (Riverwards Produce), craft breweries (Philadelphia Brewing Company) and urban wineries (Mural City Cellars). The length of Frankford Avenue is its main thoroughfare – from which many side streets are their own mini pockets of culinary cool. Celebrity chef Jen Caroll (@chefjencarroll) offers up culinary food tour adventures of the area, taking you to the latest openings and giving unrivalled access to the chefs and culinary creatives that are making the area thrive. Southeast Asian Market in FDR Park One of the most brilliantly unique aspects of Philadelphia’s culinary scene is the weekly Southeast Asian Market in Franklin D. Roosevelt Park (FDR) – an outdoor festival of delicious food and drink that welcomes everyone into its vibrant, community-minded space. There are more than 70 diasporic vendors every week, the majority specialising in Cambodian, Vietnamese and Laotian cuisines with a handful of Thai and Indonesian vendors also. Try Southeast Asian specialities like Cambodian sour pork sausage from a smoking grill, crispy pork rice from Laos, made-to-order Thai papaya salads and Vietnamese BBQ skewers. There are also incredible sweets to try like bamboo cooked coconut rice, and pandan-coconut milk noodles with water chestnuts. They also have weekly guest pop-up stalls - follow their Instagram page @seamarket_fdrpark for all the details. fdrseamarket.com 9th Street Italian Market & East Passyunk Avenue Philadelphia’s Italian community has a long history – and remains one of the most thriving diasporas in the city. The Italian market on 9th Street is their culinary heartland, a buzzing parade of speciality delis (Di Bruno Bros), pasta restaurants (Ralph's), butchers (Cappucio’s Meats), and Italian bakeries (Sarcone's). The south end of the market is also home to brilliant traders from countries like Mexico and Honduras including the unmissable South Philly Barbacoa from chef Cristina Martinez. Eventually this turns into East Passyunk Avenue – with Pat’s and Geno's Steakhouses marking the intersection. East Passyunk Avenue itself is lined with trendy independent natural wine bars (Supérette), small-batch ice cream shops (Milk Jawn) and casual all-day restaurants (Barcelona). Be sure to check out the delicious Vietnamese restaurant Gabriella's right at the very end. italianmarketphilly.org Best bakeries in Philadelphia The Bakeshop on 20th This bijoux bakery – just a block away from picturesque Rittenhouse Square – serves some of the most delicious sweet treats in the city. It's especially known for glazed morning and sticky buns, freshly baked soft-chewy cookies and exceptional homemade flaky pastry pop tarts filled with flavours like tart cherry. Plus, deep-filled sandwiches, fresh baked scones and blueberry or Nutella-filled muffins. bakeshopon20th.com K’Far Cafe This bakery – whose name means 'village' in Hebrew – is another of Philly legend Mike Solomonov’s establishments. It’s a bright, buzzy space that specialises in pastries like chocolate rugelach, marzipan challah danishes and babka. The Jerusalem bagels come with inventive fillings like the ‘labneh trio’ with za’atar, sumac, and honey pistachio-flecked curds. Their coffee comes from Ox Coffee and they also have a lovely outside seating area if it’s sunny. kfarcafe.com Dream World Bakes Nestled on a quiet, unassuming corner of trendy Fishtown is Dream World Bakes from the exceptionally talented Ashley Huston. Her inventive cakes include creations like Baby Spice with cardamom cake, passionfruit curd and mango-chai mousse; Cherry Cherry with brown butter cake, black and sour cherry pie filling and dark chocolate sea salt mousse; and Strawberry-Matcha with condensed milk buttercream. Save space for her exceptional thin-crunchy chocolate-chip and walnut cookies that are shatteringly crispy on the outside and pleasingly chewy in the middle. dreamworldbakes.com Shane Confectionery Located in the heart of historic Old Philly, the enchanting Shane Confectionery is America’s oldest confectionery shop. It’s a beautiful and charming place to visit, with baby blue counters, vintage tills and an antique hot-chocolate bar in the back. Today it specialises in ethically made chocolates – with playful bars like their Harmoni-yum cherry pistachio-praline bar; house-dipped pretzels; homemade peanut butter cups and craft bon bons with flavours like yuzu cream, honey-sesame and wild rose. Don’t miss their sister ice cream and soda parlor Franklin Fountain two doors down, that’s just as historic, captivating and unique. shanecandies.com Best cocktail bars in Philadelphia Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday The cocktail list at the Lovers Bar in restaurant Friday Saturday Sunday by Chad Williams is so inventive it’s been James Beard nominated. It’s a classy, vibey space for discerning drinkers and those seeking adventurous, flavour-forward drinks. They’re famous for cocktails like the Assassin’s Handbook with cognac, Jamaican rum, Averna, mulled wine shrub and habanero; Sob Story with Torino vermouth, coconut rum and arrack; and the room temperature-served Ekling with bourbon, pear eu di vie and allspice. instagram.com/theloversbar/ a.bar This intimate, cosy cocktail bar – right on Rittenhouse Square – is the perfect place to get your evening started. They serve up an innovative drinks list and French-inspired food from their sister restaurant a.kitchen right next door. Along side creative inventions like their Train to Nowhere – a mix of Oka Kura gin, Japanese plum, miso-infused honey, Cocchi Americano and lemon cordial – they also serve up a menu of forgotten classics and old time favourites. Try the adonis – the manhattan’s older and easier-to-drink cousin; their light-floral take on an aviation; and their take on an old fashioned with absinthe and cherry bitters. abarphl.com Sky High The view from Sky High bar at the top of the Four Seasons Hotel in Logan Square is spectacular – taking in the skyline of the city with thrilling style. The space itself is a bright spacious parlour with glass windows on every side, mirrored arches, comfortable sofas and gigantic floral displays. Try delicious cocktails like their Lychee Raspberry Bellini with De Perrier crémant; the Agace Negroni with Banhez Mezcal, Mi Campo tequila and Carpano Antica; or the Cucumber Collins with Bluecoat Gin, Onó sotol, and Ancho Reyes Verde poblano liqueur. The view is completely different at every hour – being particularly special just as the sun comes down. skyhighphiladelphia.com Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co This atmospheric speakeasy – hidden behind a secret unmarked door in the lobby of The Franklin on Rittenhouse Hotel – is a great place to come for a night cap. It has a dark, sultry vibe with cosy nooks, a large open bar and vintage-feeling brown leather chairs. The cocktail list is divided into ‘light & refreshing’, ‘boozy & direct’, ‘long & carbonated’, or the most unusual but equally delicious ‘odd & fun’. Try the Self Made Monster – with Ford’s Gin, persimmon, almond, Cocchi Americano and orange bitters. thefranklinbar.com
Chkmeruli is a classic Georgian dish where the chicken is weighed down as it’s shallow-fried until golden brown, then simmered in a pungent garlic sauce
Try our Chkmeruli Georgian garlic chicken, then try lemon and garlic chicken, chicken kiev traybake, or one-pot koji roast chicken with garlic and ginger rice. Chkmeruli is a classic Georgian dish with a very specific cooking method, where the chicken is weighed down as it’s shallow-fried until golden brown, then simmered in a pungent garlic sauce. David Chelidze – executive chef at Kinkally in London – champions the dish on his exquisitely tasty menu. “Chkmeruli is one of the most beloved dishes of Georgian cuisine, found in every region,” he explains. “A classic chkmeruli includes chicken, garlic, coriander, Imeretian saffron and milk or cream. In Kutaisi the sauce is spicier and different types of poultry, such as duck or turkey, are used. In mountainous areas, wild mushrooms are added, giving the dish a unique aroma. And in cities like Tbilisi wine is often incorporated, adding a special depth to the dish.” For David the key to making a good chkmeruli is quality ingredients – choosing a fresh, whole, free-range chicken cut into even pieces for uniform cooking. He also recommends using young garlic which has a more intense flavour – crushing it with salt in a mortar to add texture. Chkmeruli is always served in the pot it’s cooked in with crusty bread, potatoes or rice for soaking up the sauce. However, at Kinkally, they do things a little differently. “In some regions of Georgia, instead of bread they serve chkmeruli with a corn porridge called gomi,” David tells me. “At the restaurant I serve it with elarji, which is another type of corn porridge that has more cheese – and to add a touch of exotic freshness I also include a bit of lemongrass.” Chkmeruli Georgian garlic chicken recipe