Discover our favourite restaurants in Canary Wharf, from a top-quality French brasserie to Eastern Mediterranean all-day dining and more
Looking for Canary Wharf restaurants? These are the spots worth knowing, from irresistible Taiwanese dumpling at Din Tai Fung to modern Anglo-Indian delights at Kricket. For more restaurant guides, check out our picks of the best restaurants in Soho, best restaurants near Oxford Street and best restaurants in Covent Garden. Best places to eat and drink in Canary Wharf Nora, West Lane Opened by brothers Ozgur and Sidar Akyuz, Nora is bringing Turkish dining to Canary Wharf. Drawing inspiration from the streets and kitchens of Istanbul, the restaurant serves up a menu of small and large plates all designed for sharing in a communal dining experience. If you’re new to Turkish cuisine and looking for a leisurely start to your weekend, I’d highly recommend booking a spot for the weekend Serpme feasting breakfast, served between 11am-3pm. Inspired by Turkish serpme kahvalti, a traditional breakfast spread, the set menu is a showcase of the region’s cultural diversity with a breadth of dishes to try. Our favourites included aubergine and pepper kizartma, fried cauliflower, hummus with pulled lamb, and the tahini with pekmez which I couldn’t get enough of dipped with the warm breads. For an extra £10 each you can add on a choice of two skewers – coffee rub chicken shish, beef fillet lokum shish, adana (lamb), bream fillet and prawns. To finish, kunefe is served to share – a traditional dessert made with kadayif layered with cheese and soaked in a sugar-based syrup. Don’t worry if you have leftovers, the team will happily box this up for you to finish later. The breakfast is also served with unlimited Turkish tea. The cocktail menu offers Turkish twists on some classics, like a black tea martini and a baklava old fashioned. nora.london CRATE Brewery, Wood Wharf Known for its experimental and expansive array of craft beers, as well as thin and crispy stone-baked pizzas, Crate is bringing its signature cool to Canary Wharf with its second site opening. Think industrial chic created with upcycled materials and handcrafted furniture situated by the water’s edge with laid-back vibes. Crate is perfect for anyone who wants the traditional pizza and beer experience but elevated: eclectic pizzas with a global influence ranging from Middle Eastern lamb to Malaysian chicken laksa. My personal recommendation? The sweet potato, stilton and walnut pizza – tangy, sweet, with a little bit of crunch, a perfect hearty, comfort food go-to. Furthermore, sustainability is always at the forefront with all dough bases being mixed using Wildfarmed renegerative flour. However, Crate’s crowning glory has to be its extensive range of craft beers, perfect for both aficionados and laymen alike. Once again, sustainability is key, the brewery’s own core range is brewed in partnership with Purity Brewing on a farm with one of the world’s most sustainable brewing kits. Punters can also expect new world Hazy Pales, a rotating line of guest beers, a range of limited-edition seasonal sours (triple fruited mango sour was a firm favourite for me), as well as its new gin, lemon and koji, and vodka, raspberry and yuzu soda cocktails. cratebrewery.com Mallow, Park Drive From the same team behind Mildreds, Mallow Canary Wharf offers a fully plant-based menu. Seasonal and sustainable ingredients are the threads that brings the menu together, which draws from a diversity of influences across the globe. Think earthy mushroom ravioli topped with fried basil, a coconutty Kashmiri gobi and fluffy basmati rice or fattoush salad packed with juicy tomatoes paired with a creamy garlic labneh. To finish, indulgent desserts include passion fruit tart topped with the bitter crunch of sesame tuile. The extensive drinks menu includes cocktails made with Mallow’s own gin, such as the dry apricot negroni, as well as beers made in collaboration with UnBarred Brewery and Harbour Brewing Co. You won’t miss the booze with a non-alcoholic and utterly delightful lychee jasmine martini. mallowlondon.com Note that Mallow is currently operating as a takeover by Mildreds on the Wharf, including a bold pre-theatre menu for those visiting the Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre. Roe, Park Drive From the team behind Fallow comes another restaurant with sustainability at the core. Set on the Canary Wharf waterfront in the beating heart of the financial world, Roe is buzzing despite its large size spread over multiple levels. Start proceedings with the mushroom parfait – a mixture of smoked shiitake and oyster mushrooms on lightly griddled toast. It’s well balanced with a creamy nuttiness and delicate sweetness. If you choose to continue with the fungi theme, the deep-fried hen of the woods burger in a Roe-branded brioche bun is a crowd-pleasing option, while juicy skewers include spiced lamb shoulder with a smoked onion yogurt and honey to enjoy with pillowy flatbreads. Desserts are hard to resist for those with a sweet tooth. The zero-waste caramelised banana parfait uses the entirety of the fruit, while lemon meringue pie is transformed into a creamy soft serve with crunchy pieces of Wildfarmed shortbread. Pair your dessert with a glass from Renegade Urban Winery or pick from the extensive wine list which includes English sparkling wine. Cocktails are classic, creative and refreshing. roerestaurant.co.uk Din Tai Fung, Crossrail Place Taiwanese dumpling phenomenon Din Tai Fung has more than 170 restaurants in 14 different countries. Its fourth UK location has set up shop in Canary Wharf’s Crossrail Place – making it the perfect place for hungry commuters. The 112-seater restaurant is attentively staffed, with servers briskly delivering bamboo baskets of handmade steamed dumplings to tables. Din Tai Fung’s calling card is xiao long bao, steamed soup dumplings where a delicate dough encases a meaty filling and a pocketful of hot, savoury broth. We ordered the classic made with minced pork – satisfyingly slurpy – alongside succulent, bouncy prawn and pork shao mai. The surprise hit of our visit, however, were the delicately made prawn and pork wontons bathed in a poky chilli sauce. dintaifung-uk.com Brother Marcus, Reuters Plaza In the heart of Canary Wharf, Brother Marcus has unveiled its biggest opening yet – a vibrant all-day restaurant with a sun-soaked south-facing terrace seating up to 80. Exclusive to this location is the souvla and skewers menu, where dishes are flame-grilled over an open fire. Highlights include Greek smoked feta sausage with Louvi beans, grated plum tomatoes and herb salad, or lamb saddle souvla served with skordalia, spinach, ouzo and anchovy jus. Brunch is a must, with classics like eggs benedict alongside bolder plates such as kefir-fried chicken with crispy potato rösti and perfectly poached eggs. For a sweet-savoury hit the halloumi with watermelon and mint is a refreshing side worth ordering. Pair it all with the brunch cocktails deal – two for £20 – and sip on a balanced honey and grapefruit bellini while soaking up the Docklands buzz. brothermarcus.co.uk Kricket, Frobisher Passage The hot seats at Kricket are along the vivid red counter which stretches the length of the modern Anglo-Indian restaurant group newbie. Bhel puri, that colourful Mumbai street food, is sweet, tart and crunchy; Keralan fried chicken with pickled mooli is a Kricket classic; pickled cucumber is a good foil to a glossy poussin ghee roast; and grilled squash with paneer and puffed rice is served in a rich sauce to be scooped up with chilli cheese naan. Aromatic cocktails include no-booze versions like Kashmiri Adrift, a refreshing blend of lime and agave spiked with chilli salt and served over ice, while adjacent late-night Soma bar serves the harder stuff. kricket.co.uk Marceline, Water Street London’s love affair with France continues with chef Rob Aikens’ brasserie at the increasingly foodie destination of Wood Wharf. From breakfast to dinner, expect well-executed classics like warm cheese soufflé, French onion soup; rotisserie chicken with a rich, glossy jus and the standout, sweet-meets-savoury dish, sugar-pit bacon chop with charcuterie sauce. All desserts are Instagram-worthy, from a shiny crème caramel to cookie crust and banana profiteroles. Cocktails feature a classic French martini no 5 to a punchy absinthe sour. marceline.london Hawksmoor, Wood Wharf Hawksmoor Wood Wharf combines its signature British steakhouse flair with a unique waterside location. Situated on a floating pavilion, this restaurant offers stunning views of the City alongside its renowned menu of perfectly cooked steaks, fresh seafood, and hearty sides. The outdoor terrace is ideal for sipping on classic cocktails while enjoying the serene waterfront atmosphere. Hawksmoor’s dedication to quality and sustainability ensures a memorable dining experience. thehawksmoor.com/locations/wood-wharf/ Thecha, Lansbury Heritage Hotel Tucked inside Poplar’s Lansbury Heritage Hotel, Thecha delivers a knockout tour of Maharashtra with some of the boldest Indian flavours in the capital. The soft pink-grey interior whispers boutique hotel brunch but what lands on the table is straight from the streets of Mumbai. Thecha takes its name from a green chilli chutney – here paired with blisteringly grilled paneer. Sabudana vada (crisp sago and peanut fritters) and kothimbir vadi (crisp coriander and gram fritters) set the tone: regional snacks with punch. Chilli-laden Chicken 65 – so called because of the year it was created – is a must. Try it in the biryani for a complete meal, while the dabi dal fry (slow-cooked creamy lentils) soothes with buttery warmth. From the mains, Kolhapuri mutton rasa (tender chunks in curry broth) and prawn gassi (coastal coconut prawn curry) are full-throttle flavour bombs. But the star? The butter chicken chops. Cooked in the tandoor and drenched in velvety makhani sauce, it’s worth a visit for this alone. To drink, choose cooling solkadhi, made with kokum and coconut milk – refreshing with a hint of saltiness. Make sure you have room for mango shrikhand, a creamy sweet yogurt dessert that’s a perfect balance to the heat of this dining experience. instagram.com/its_thecha Check out more London restaurant guides here: Best restaurants in Chelsea Best restaurants in Marylebone Best restaurants in Kings Cross 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 London Bridge Best restaurants in Hackney Best restaurants in Paddington
Where to visit in February - from a UK staycation to blowout trip
From cosy UK staycations to adventures in New Orleans, these are the trips to take in February
Want some ideas on where to go on holiday in February? We’ve curated our pick of destinations for a food lover’s break this winter, with something for everyone. From UK staycations to European city breaks and long-haul adventures, there's plenty to discover this month. For more travel inspiration, check out our picks of the best winter sun destinations or the best ski destinations in Europe. The UK region at it's best: The Cotswolds Whether it's a romantic getaway for Valentine's Day, a walking weekend exploring the rolling countryside, or just long lunches by pub fires with some great food and drink, the honey-hued villages of the Cotswolds offer it all in February. Take The Rectory Hotel, for example, an 18th century former rectory in the heart of picturesque Crudwell. Homemade cordial welcomes rosy-cheeked walkers into the drawing room, where you can warm up by the log fire and sink into pretty peacock feather-hued cushions. The restaurant’s comfort food includes fish pie, alongside pretty salads using fresh produce grown in the allotments behind The Potting Shed pub over the road, which is worth a visit in itself. Check out our picks of the best restaurants in the Cotswolds for more. Half an hour away, in the quiet village of Southrop, Thyme is exactly what you want from a rural escape. A 150-acre estate, it is home to a cookery school, pub, holiday cottages, boutique hotel, cocktail bar and restaurant, so you don't even need to leave the site. See more of the best hotels in the Cotswolds to start planning yuor staycation. The UK bolthole: Middleton Lodge, North Yorkshire Escape to Yorkshire for a wintry spa break. Middleton Lodge is a Georgian estate tucked away in 200 acres of peaceful countryside that has become a must-visit destination for serious food lovers and wellness seekers. First, head to the estate's Forest Spa for a soothing, sensory escape that will melt away any winter blues. Guest numbers are cleverly limited so it can feel like you have it almost to yourself. There’s an outdoor hot tub, thermal cabins and a steam room. Cute treatment huts offer a range of nature-inspired treatments, from Voya seaweed wraps to the signature In Bloom massage, blending deep relaxation techniques with aromatic oils to reflect the estate’s gardens. The jewel in the estate's crown is the Michelin-starred Forge restaurant. The hyper-seasonal tasting menus highlight foraged ingredients and estate-grown produce, with inventive flavour combinations. A standout cheese course of Cashel Blue with pickled walnut, medlar and birch syrup precedes intricate desserts like forced rhubarb tart with custard and toasted milk. Rooms are spread across the estate – from the charming Tack Room with wood-burning stove, huge freestanding bath and beamed ceilings, to contemporary suites with outdoor copper tubs and views of wildflower meadows. Rooms from £235 per night, check availability at middletonlodge.co.uk or mrandmrssmith.com The seasonal city break: Valletta, Malta Malta's capital city Valletta is one of our favourite destinations that still somehow feels like a hidden gem. Heading a little further south for your city break this month means that Valletta is warmer than many European destinations, plus February is also carnival time in Malta. The five-day festival is a riot of music, dance and colourful floats across the island, with the biggest parade taking place in Valletta. Away from carnival, absorb the rich history of this ancient walled city, stroll through the clean tiled streets to see the unique colourful architecture and make sure you take a boat trip across the harbour to see all sides of the city. For a memorable meal, you're spoilt for Michelin-starred choice: the two-starred Ion Harbour from Simon Rogan offers dramatic city views from it's rooftop terrace, whilst one-starred Noni is the located at the other extreme, set in underground stone vaults over 400 years old. See our guide to the best restaurants in Valletta for more must-visit hotspots. The cultural moment: Mardi Gras in New Orleans New Orleans’ Mardi Gras carnival falls on 17 February this year, so visit the city to soak up the atmospheric anticipation in the air. While you’re there, tuck into Louisiana specialities at traditional haunts such as The Parkway Tavern for shrimp po’ boys, Willie Mae’s crispy fried chicken and Café du Monde’s sugar-coated beignets. For a break from the action, explore the grandeur of the quieter Garden District before a jazz and bloody mary-fuelled brunch of shrimp and grits, waffles or gumbo of the day at Atchafalaya. Just outside the French Quarter, the backyard party held each night at Bacchanal makes for one of the city’s great romantic spots. Enjoy wines from small producers and bowls of ceviche while listening to jazz under the night sky. Stay at Catahoula Hotel and catch carnival sounds from the street below at the rooftop pisco sour bar. The oldest official carnival celebration in the USA is in Alabama, where you can tuck into the likes of boiled peanuts, ribs, oysters and more while soaking up the Mardi Gras vibes and world-renowned southern hospitality. The culinary destination to explore: Julian Alps Discover hearty mountain comfort food in this unique region of the Alps. It is a melting pot of cuisines: Slovenian traditions are intertwined with produce from neighbouring countries, such as Italy or Austria, making it an exciting region to eat your way through. The historical Austro-Hungarian influence also left it's mark on local Slovenian cuisine so you'll find Hungarian goulash with polenta, fluffy shredded kaiserschmarrn and potato dumplings, or knödel, filled with apricot or plum. For an elevated take on mountain cuisine, head to Majer'ca, a restaurant with rooms that's all about the views. Choose a three-, four- or five-course menu with the likes of pressed potatoes topped with herb-flecked cottage cheese followed by Bohinj trout, black olives and lemon, and seasonal rice pudding made with cream from local cows. Another popular winter destination is Lacni Kekec, nestled at the foot of Kranjska Gora ski lift (Slovenia’s first). This sprawling restaurant of alpine huts and terraces has an extensive menu of hearty dishes, such as cottage cheese štruklji, or grilled čevapčiči sausages stuffed into flatbread pockets with melting kajmak cheese, best paired with roasted peppers and homemade ajvar. Comforting desserts include homemade strudel, walnut štruklji and pancakes with jam. Image credit: Claudio Parada Nunez The blowout trip: Québec, Canada If you're happy to stick with the cold weather, February could be the time to tick Canada off your bucket list. In winter, Québec City is blanketed in snow. Its historic streets glow with twinkling lights, skaters glide across outdoor ice rinks and cozy cafés invite visitors to warm up with hot chocolate. In February, the famous Québec Winter Carnival fills the city with ice sculptures, toboggan rides and parades. From February to early April Quebec also celebrates what they call ‘sugaring off’, which marks the end of winter and the arrival of spring, as the maple sap starts to rise in the trees and sugar shacks can start to tap and boil the sap to make the famous syrup. Locals and visitors drive out of the cities to the sugar shacks to welcome spring. Activities include horse-drawn sled drives through the maple groves, rolling maple taffy on the snow, hearty breakfasts slathered in maple syrup and typical French Canadian folk music and song. It’s a right of passage for many Quebec families that becomes an annual tradition. Head to La Sucrerie de la Montagne to experience a sugar shack for yourself. The boutique retreat: Marrakech, Morrocco If a trip to the iconic city of Marrakech has been on your wishlist for a while, February is the time to tick it off. The temperature still reaches into the early twenties, meaning plenty of sunshine and enjoyable warmth as you explore everything the city has to offer. Base yourself at IZZA. This boutique hotel is hidden in the heart of Marrakech’s bustling medina. The network of riads has been transformed into an oasis of calm, with a rooftop restaurant Noujoum that is becoming a destination in it's own right. You’re steps away from entering the hustle and bustle of the famous souk. Spend a morning getting happily lost in the winding streets of stalls selling everything from pottery and textiles to spices and tea. Head back to the hotel for a treatment at the mini spa, an afternoon relaxing by the lap pool or drinks at the bar made using homemade infused spirits and syrups. Double from £190, check rates and availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com The alternative choice: Austria for Valentine's Day Paris might be the obvious choice for Valentine's Day, but there are plenty of other romantic destinations to choose from that make an equally special getaway for two. Try heading to Austria instead for a romantic weekend in the mountains surrounded by ski and snow. An hour south of Salzburg, Grossarl is ideally placed for an easy break. Stop off at Muhlwinkelhutte in Dorfgastein for käsekrainer (grilled sausage stuffed with cheese), or Gehwolfalm for tiroler gröstl (potato, onion, bacon, sausage and fried egg). Sauerkraut is optional, but why wouldn’t you? After a day on the slopes, book a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride under the stars to the Aschaustüberl restaurant in Hüttschlag. Warm up with mulled wine round an open fire, then order the bauernbratl, traditional local dumplings, and kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancake) with apple purée. Check out our picks of the best ski destinations in Europe for more snowy travel inspiration. Stay at the Grossarler Hof for a comfortable base with striking views. Luxurious facilities include a steaming outdoor whirlpool and Finnish-style spa, plus an Alpine breakfast that is worth getting out of bed for. Doubles from £505, check availability at booking.com The scenic pick: Hokkaido, Japan The Sapporo Yuki Matsuri or snow festival is one of the best reasons to visit Hokkaido in Japan in winter. This year it falls from February 4-11. People flock in their tens of thousands from all over the world to see huge ice and snow sculptures which fill the squares of Odori Park in the centre of the city. Hokkaido is not only a magical winter wonderland during the festival, but also an excellent place to explore local delicacies. As the region is home to Japan’s indigenous Ainu people, head to Umizora No Haru, a unique izakaya in Sapporo that brings the flavours of authentic Ainu cuisine to life. Enjoy a carefully curated menu inspired by traditional Ainu ingredients and cooking methods, featuring dishes such as ohaw (a hearty venison or fish soup), citatap (hand-chopped raw fish) and grilled venison. The interior decor of the intimate restaurant also reflects Ainu culture, including a private dining room designed to resemble a traditional Ainu chise, or house, for an immersive dining experience. The off-season gem: Málaga Málaga might seem like a summer destination with it's beaches and sunny coastline, but visit in winter to soak up the sights without the crowds. The city still offers plenty to do in off-season: walk along the pier Muelle Uno, cycle to the coast or enjoy the views from Gibralfaro Castle and Malaga’s many restaurants and bars. Wander around Atarazanas Market for seafood and impressive fresh produce. If the weather isn't playing ball, the city has plenty of museums to explore (spend an afternoon at the famous Museo Picasso) or relax at Hamman al Andalus, an impressive Moroccan-style hammam with baths and treatments. Milli Taylor shared her picks of the best restaurants in Málaga with us. Start your day with churros at Churrería de Malagueña, sample local wine at Antigua Casa de Guardia (the oldest wine bar in the city, open since 1840) and watch the jamón being cut at Mesón Mariano. The slow travel adventure: Rovos Rail, South Africa February is the time to fly south to find some sunshine. Head to South Africa and step on board Rovos Rail for an incredibly memorable luxury train adventure. There are several journeys to choose between, ranging from a two-night safari to a 15-day east to west crossing. A four-day journey from Pretoria to Victoria Falls passes through Hwange National Park for a game drive for wildlife spotting, onto Warmbaths (Bela-Bela), known for its hot springs, before ending at one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The open-air balcony of the observation car is perfect for taking in the African vista along the way. The vintage carriages have been restored to revive the old glamour and rekindle the romance of rail travel, with polished mahogany walls, deep green diamond patterned carpeting and even Victorian-era clawfoot bathtubs on board for lucky passengers in the Royal Suites. Mealtimes are another highlight of the experience. Expect local fresh ingredients and traditional South African dishes such as bobotie, springbok loin and kudu carpaccio all paired with a range of South African wines. Formal wear is expected for dinner, which allows you to feel fully immersed in the allure of rail travel from a different era. The train departs from Capital Park at Rovos Rail Station. See journeys at rovos.com. More travel inspiration 10 unique walking holidays for foodies 8 of the most breathtaking train journeys across the world Swap popular tourist spots for these lesser known destinations 25 small towns across the UK that every foodie should visit UK boutique hotels for food lovers
Discover the most romantic holiday destinations for your next loved-up getaway, from the UK and Europe to further afield
Treat your favourite foodie to a romantic holiday this Valentine's Day (or any day, for that matter!), whether it's a getaway to a village in the UK, a romantic weekend break in Italy, or even a tropical getaway to the Caribbean. Here are our favourite romantic holiday destinations for foodies... Or, if you're looking to celebrate with a romantic meal, check out the UK's most romantic restaurants and the most romantic restaurants in London. Or, if you fancy more romantic getaway inspiration, discover the most romantic UK hotels. Best romantic holiday destinations Paris – for classic romance It's a cliché for a reason. Paris, the 'City of Love', is a romantic destination you have to tick off your bucket list to visit with your partner. From picnics under the Eiffel Tower to golden-hour walks down the river Seine and lazy afternoons in wine bars on the streets of picturesque neighbourhoods, it has everything you need for a romantic getaway. Weekenders often stick to the single-figure arrondissements, but if you’re willing to head slightly further out you’ll find a dynamic foodie hotspot around Charonne Metro in the historically working class 11th arrondissement. Bertrand Grébaut’s rustic, unpretentious fine dining restaurant Septime is the area’s big hitter (book three weeks in advance, or try for a lunchtime table) but if you don’t manage to get a reservation, try Grébaut’s nearby walk-in-only spot, Clamato for sublime seafood. Where to stay: in the heart of the bustling Le Marais district, Le Grand Mazarin achieves an impressive feat of being full of eclectic colours and patterns, yet still remaining a chic and calm oasis. The hotel has 61 rooms and suites, an indoor pool, restaurant, bar, courtyard dining and gym. Bedrooms are decorated with carefully sourced vintage objects, custom rugs and Murano light fittings. Rooms are bold and colourful yet always elegant. Think raspberry pink walls, tapestry canopies over beds and yellow tiles in the bathrooms. Extra touches such as Diptyque toiletries in the waterfall showers and curtains that close from a touch of a button by your bed add a luxurious feel. Hotel bar and restaurant Boubalé (meaning ‘little darling’ in Yiddish) combines Eastern European and Mediterranean flavours. Share a giant chicken schnitzel and incredibly rich spinach risotto, then finish with the signature ‘benimousse’ – a large scoop of rich chocolate mousse topped with a generous drizzle of olive oil and scattering of sea salt. Make sure to look at the colourful ceiling above you: it may look wooden, but every detail and flower was hand-painted. See our full guide to the best hotels in Paris for more extra special places to stay. Doubles from £515, check availability at booking.com Valletta, Malta – for five-star glamour Malta's capital city Valletta is one of our new favourite destinations, and still somehow feels like a hidden gem. It's an underrated destination for a romantic city break, with plenty to discover. Absorb the rich history of this ancient walled city, stroll through the clean tiled streets to see the unique, colourful architecture and make sure you take a boat trip across the harbour to see all sides of the city. For a memorable meal, you're spoilt for Michelin-starred choice: the two-starred Ion Harbour from Simon Rogan offers dramatic city views from its rooftop terrace, while one-starred Noni is located at the other extreme, set in underground stone vaults over 400 years old. See our guide to the best restaurants in Valletta for more hotspots. Where to stay: For five-star luxury, stay at Iniala Harbour House. Situated on the harbour front with incredible views over the water, it has a range of luxurious rooms and decadent suites to choose from. Rooms and suites vary by design, from bold splashes of colour and eclectic artwork to moody wooden panelling and custom tapestries. The best rooms come complete with private plunge pools and Maltese balconies to sit out on and watch the boats go by. Breakfast is served on the rooftop terrace (also home to the Ion Harbour restaurant) to soak up the views. Doubles from £463 per night, check availability at booking.com, mrandmrssmith.com or expedia.co.uk Ortigia, Sicily – for remote romance Ortigia is a tiny island off the coast of Sicily, connected to the city of Syracuse by two bridges. It is perfect for history fans, with winding medieval streets and impressive architectural sights including the Fountain of Arethusa and Temple of Apollo. Lively squares are the perfect setting for aperitivo hour, filled with lively restaurants and bars to relax in after all that sightseeing. Where to stay: Palazzo Artemide is perfectly placed to explore Ortigia’s sights. Rooms, neutrally decorated, come with thoughtful touches like welcome sweets, candied orange peel and Marzola mandarin liqueur. Some feature Juliet balconies with views over the Via Roma’s bustling shops and bars. Breakfast can be taken on the terrace and is buffet-style, featuring Sicilian cheese like tangy pecorino dotted with peppercorns, salami, spinach-filled pastries and sweet treats including cornetto cioccolato and crema-filled cannoli, apricot crostata bread and ciambella. Doubles from £137, check availability at booking.com Sifnos, Greece – for island elegance Santorini and Mykonos are well known as romantic Greek destinations, but the secret being out means you can expect big crowds and plenty of tourists. For a more secluded alternative, try Sifnos. Known as the Cycladic island of gastronomy, Sifnos is the birthplace of renowned 20th century Greek chef Nikos Tselementes, whose cookery book is still the home-cooking bible for Greeks. In recent years, Sifnos has begun to draw an elegant crowd with its contemporary restaurants, notably Cantina, which perches above the water in the shadow of Kastro, the ancient capital of the island, and its new sister restaurant Pelicanos, a reimagined waterside taverna in Faros. Check out our Greek island getaways guide for more lesser-known travel ideas, or explore inland with our expert picks of 5 lesser-known destinations on the Greek mainland. Where to stay: The place to stay is Versina Astra, a sexy boutique hotel just above the idyllic swimming spot of Poulati. The suites are set on a striking cliff edge, each with memorable views over the Aegean Sea. The saltwater infinity pool, also with uninterrupted sea views, is hard to beat. Doubles at Verina Astra from £349 per night, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com Bali – for an eco-chic escape For a tropical romantic break, head to Bali. Soak up the warmth by relaxing on the beaches, go for a swim in the Indian Ocean and immerse yourself in Indonesian culture exploring the bustling cities. You'll be reminiscing together about the unbeatable sunsets long after you go home. Base yourself in Seminyak – a blend of luxury that still feels laid-back, with buzzy beach clubs, wide beaches and endless beachside cafés to while away the days at. Where to stay: Stay at Potato Head, an eco-chic retreat on Seminyak’s beachfront. Book the Oceanfront Studio to wake up to daylight pouring in and stunning sea views. To enjoy golden hour as the sun sets, a wood-panelled bath takes centre stage, which can be drawn with floating petals, and fresh dragon fruit and watermelon platters on the side. The room is complete with a custom-made maxi-bar, stocked with the likes of spiced rum and pink guava kombucha. There are multiple dining options on-site: Kaum serves authentic Indonesian dishes, or find fresh seafood cooked on open fire at Ijen, and contemporary plant-based versions of classics such as báhn mì or crispy oyster mushroom katsu at Tanaman. Doubles from £157, check rates and availability at booking.com Dolomites, Italy – for mountain luxury Whether you want to ski, hike or enjoy the panoramic mountain views (especially at sunrise and sunset) from the sanctuary of restaurants and spas, the romance of the Dolomites is hard to ignore. Mountain activities include skiing, naturally, as well as forest bathing and foraging for a wellness weekend – or you can focus on the après-ski. Where to stay: At 1,800m above sea level, surrounded by panoramic views of the Dolomites, Forestis offers a unique stay. Split between the original 1912 larchwood building and three modern towers, everything is designed to bring the landscape in – from floor-to-ceiling windows in suites to booths arranged in an amphitheatre-like structure in the main restaurant, ensuring everyone has prime views. Wellbeing is at the hotel’s heart – there’s Plose spring water sweetened with pine syrup on arrival, plus the spa’s successive indoor-outdoor mineral pools and saunas, daily rituals and a wyda (a local Celtic version of yoga) studio. An evening at new restaurant concept Yera is an experience like no other. Follow a torch through the forest into an earthy mountain cave, hand in phones at the door and let Roland and his team guide you through an immersive spectacle of fire, ferments and ancient Celtic traditions. A nightcap at the bar might be a fresh fig old fashioned, an apricot-enriched Plosestar martini, or a negroni infused with Plose cranberries. Check rates and availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com Durgerdam, Netherlands – for a rural waterside escape A 15-minute drive or boat ride from Amsterdam city centre, Durgerdam is a collection of colourful clapboard houses strung along a dike in the rural wildlife-rich wetlands. It's a romantic destination in its own right as well as an ideal base for winding down after a day hopping round the city's best restaurants. Spend the day cycling through the wildlife-rich wetlands, stopping at farm shops to buy your own cheese and strawberries for picnics. The cycle paths string together hamlets home to old schoolhouses transformed into waterside cafés and wine bars. Where to stay: De Durgerdam is a 17th-century inn that has been meticulously restored into a stylish restaurant with rooms. Perch on a parasol-shaded bench out front for coffee and madeleines, while folk cycle past on a country escape, before sauntering down the jetty to swim off the pontoon. The destination restaurant, De Mark, is a collaboration between some of Amsterdam’s most applauded chefs. Dine waterside among the reeds or head inside for cosy, candlelit dinners with nods to the sea at every turn. After your meal, retire to the reading room, a terracotta cocoon complete with antique honesty bar, alluring window seat and wood stove to keep things cosy in the colder months. The 14 rooms are sumptuously decorated in warm, earthy tones with velvet throws, frilly wall lamps and armchairs. Doubles from £312, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com Cappadocia, Turkey – for otherworldly views If you've seen the pictures of hot air balloons at sunrise in Turkey, tick the experience off yourself for a romantic adventure. While it may be the mesmerising, otherworldly landscapes of Cappadocia that lure tourists from across the world, its food scene continues to garner international recognition. The Michelin Guide recognised restaurants in the region (including both Nahita and Seki) for the first time in 2026. For an authentic taste of the region, Green Garden offers Anatolian cookery classes hosted by husband-and-wife duo Güler and Sedat in their house-cum-restaurant with kitchen garden and clay tandoor. Where to stay: Argos is a luxury cave hotel in the hilltop village of Uçhisar, with extraordinary views over the dramatic volcanic moonscapes and ‘fairy chimney’ landforms of Cappadocia. Most of the hotel’s 71 rooms are architectural hybrids, making use of caves hewn into the rocky hillside and finishing them in a contemporary style. Suites may take the form of single-storey warrens, with stone sitting areas concealing grotto bedrooms; others are duplex, with rooftop balconies spilling out onto the hillside. The most romantic options have their own jacuzzi, or even a swimming pool. Argos’s cave spa offers one-of-a-kind subterranean escapism, and dining privately in the hotel’s ancient converted monastery, though an indulgent add-on to your stay, is a one-of-a-kind gastronomic experience. Hotel restaurant Nahita is the first farm-to-table restaurant in the region, where all ingredients are sourced within a strict 60km radius. The menu focuses on traditional local cuisine: think succulent lamb cooked in a tandoor for twelve hours, aubergine “testi” (dough-sealed clay cooking pots) kebabs, and pillowy, smoke-scented breads. Check rates and availability at booking.com or argosincappadocia.com Giglio, Italy – for rugged romance Giglio, the second-largest island in the Tuscan archipelago, is lush with clifftop vineyards, fig trees and pines. It's a hidden gem away from crowds, where you can explore rugged trails by day and dine in restaurants in medieval castles in the evenings. With 21km of coastline, there are plenty of unspoilt beaches and coves to discover, whether from land or by boat. The island is most easily reached by ferry from Porto Santo Stefano in Tuscany, with the journey taking around an hour. Where to stay: The serene and stylish seaside retreat La Guardia is perched atop a granite cave along from the pastel-hued harbour. Brushed concrete and original stone columns are softened with driftwood decorations and wispy wicker lanterns that flutter in the Mediterranean breeze. Chic neutral tones continue through to the rooms, all kitted out with luxury Sicilian Ortigia toiletries, and many boasting balconies and sea views. Book the junior suite to embrace the elements with a bathroom built into the granite and a beachside terrace for watching the waves lap against the rocks. Mediterranean flavours and island cuisine are served in the on-site restaurant. Sip on a Venetian Select spritz at aperitivo hour before a candlelit dinner of Sicilian anchovies, palamita fish with marinated courgettes, and tagliolini with lemon butter and bottarga. The 70-strong wine list showcases rare bottles from Italy’s islands – Giglio, Ischia, Salina and beyond. Breakfast includes the likes of prosciutto, omelettes with Tuscan cheese, homemade fig bread and freshly squeezed juices. There are sunset yoga sessions on the terrace, healing zen shiatsu and Ayurvedic treatments, and e-bikes to explore the island’s rugged trails, cliff-face vineyards and restaurants in medieval castles. Doubles from £241, check availability at mrandmrssmith.com or booking.com Grossarl, Austria – for cosy winter feels Looking for a romantic holiday in winter? If ski and snow are more your vibe than sun and sand, head to Austria. An hour south of Salzburg, Grossarl is ideally placed for a romantic weekend in the mountains. Stop off at Muhlwinkelhutte in Dorfgastein for käsekrainer (grilled sausage stuffed with cheese), or Gehwolfalm for tiroler gröstl (potato, onion, bacon, sausage and fried egg). Sauerkraut is optional, but why wouldn’t you? After a day on the slopes, book a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride under the stars to the Aschaustüberl restaurant in Hüttschlag. Warm up with mulled wine round an open fire, then order the bauernbratl, traditional local dumplings, and kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancake) with apple purée. Check out our picks of the best ski destinations in Europe for more snowy travel inspiration. Where to stay: Stay at the Grossarler Hof for a comfortable base with striking views. Luxurious facilities include a steaming outdoor whirlpool and Finnish-style spa, but the hotel retains the charm of a family-run chalet. The breakfast table is piled high with alpine cheeses and traditional jams, and dinner options include paprika-rich meat stews topped with fried eggs and sharp pickles, and comforting buttered späetzle (soft egg noodles) countered with bottomless glasses of floral grüner veltliner. Doubles from £505, check availability at booking.com Provence – for chocolate box romance Head to Provence to explore pretty villages, ancient vineyards and historical cities. Hilltop village Crillon Le Brave is a vision of Provençal style; a clutch of honey-hued, pastel-shuttered houses surrounded by slopes carpeted with olive groves and vineyards. From here, you can hike up Mount Ventoux, head to a wine-tasting at Cheateau Pesquie (and enjoy a picnic in the pretty garden) or visit the idyllic village of L'Isle Sur-La-Sorgue on market day for antiques, bountiful fresh produce and lavender souvenirs to take home. See our best French food trips for more France travel ideas. Where to stay: The top of the village is now the effortlessly elegant five-star Hotel Crillon Le Brave. The highlight has to be the 180-degree views of unspoilt rolling countryside, vineyards, olive groves and Mount Ventoux. Made of nine houses linked together by the village streets, the hotel's 34 rooms are stylishly decorated in soothing neutral tones, with Diptyque products in every bathroom. After a day of exploring, return to the hotel for dinner on the terrace at La Table du Ventoux. Admire the panoramic views while dining on seasonal French cuisine – expect local asparagus in spring and strawberries in summer. Spend your time playing boules in the terraced garden, relaxing by the pool or having a massage in the tiny spa set in atmospheric ancient vaulted stables. Should you be able to tear yourself away from the hotel, borrow e-bikes to explore through fields and tiny villages. Doubles from £408, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com Istria, Croatia – for prime produce Visit Istria, a peninsula in Croatia, to be transported to a sunny isle full of great food. It is a melting pot of cuisines, from world-renowned truffles and olive oil to impressive seafood platters and ancient mountain specialities. The unique positioning of the peninsula spanning Croatia, Italy and Slovenia, as well as its varied history, means there are different influences visible in the buildings, dishes and cultures. Seafood is special here. Charming coastal towns including Rovinj, Pula and Poreč are full of restaurants serving fish platters, while the turquoise waters of Lim Bay are abundant with flat, sweet oysters. High, sun-soaked slopes and proximity to the sea means there's great wine too: visit Tomaz Winery where you can taste Istrian wines with breathtaking views of hilltop town, Motovun. Where to stay: Tucked away in northern Istria’s foliage-rich hills is San Canzian, a medieval hamlet turned intimate boutique hotel. The 28 rooms are decorated in soft, muted tones pepped up with 15th-century vintage furniture and vibrant beeswax canvases. Elegant on-site restaurant Luciano is strategically placed so guests can enjoy an aperitif from the 600-strong wine cellar as the sky turns pink over the olive trees, Adriatic Sea and Dolomites in the distance. Executive chef Pavo Klaric works homegrown and local ingredients into contemporary spins on traditional Istrian dishes – polenta-crusted cod on pine nut cream, rabbit slow cooked in red wine, and agnolotti pasta filled with young Istrian curd. After a breakfast of cured ham, crumbly cheese and fruits plucked from the abundant estate, take laps of the pool or pad down to the serene spa complete with Finnish sauna and candlelit hot tub. Doubles from £303, check availability at booking.com, expedia.co.uk or mrandmrssmith.com Mauritius – for tropical idylls Whether it's for a honeymoon, special occasion or just the ultimate long-haul romantic getaway, sunny Mauritius remains a timeless romantic holiday destination. The tropical idyll is picture-perfect, its beaches washed by warm turquoise waters and cradled by coral reefs. The mountainous interior is swathed in luxuriant rainforest threaded with hiking trails that weave past thundering waterfalls. If you can tear yourself away from the beaches, you can go on a street-food tour in the capital, Port Louis, or visit the large outdoor market in Flacq, piled high with tropical produce. Where to stay: Salt is something different from clichéd images of Mauritius: a forward-thinking hotel brand that aims to provide authentic experiences for “culturally curious” travellers. The idea is to introduce guests not just to places but to people. The design of the 59-room hotel, courtesy of French interiors guru Camille Walala, reflects the island’s vivid colours. Among its library of 300 carefully curated books, three-quarters are Mauritian. Food is at the resort’s heart (the philosophy explained by catchphrases such as “Farming it, not flying it”) and everything from supper with a Mauritian family to fishing trips with a local fisherman are on the menu. With an eye on environmental impact, there are no minibars in the rooms and no single-use plastics. Each guest is given an aluminium bottle to refill at the water stations and to take home. Doubles from £136 per night, check availability at booking.com, mrandmrssmith.com or tui.co.uk Grenada – for a Caribbean escape Looking for a foodie Caribbean holiday for two? Try Grenada. Grenada is famous for its homegrown spices, so much so that it is known as the Spice Isle. Nutmeg and mace are the two biggest that they produce, but also expect to find cinnamon, bay leaf and turmeric. Like other Caribbean islands, Grenada is a big producer of rum, so rum cocktails and punches are a must, as is trying the locally produced cocoa and chocolate. Restaurant views don’t get much better than Aquarium's. This open restaurant blurs indoor and outdoor dining and looks directly out to the beautiful Caribbean Sea on Magazine Beach. Enjoy some of the best locally sourced seafood – like curried conch and lobster thermidor – that Grenada has to offer, all while taking in the exquisite coastline and sea breeze. Where to stay: True Blue Bay Resort is a vibrant waterfront resort on the south coast of Grenada. This family-owned climate-smart resort has an onsite restaurant, yoga studio and spa, as well as offering water sports and diving experiences. All rooms feature colourful Caribbean-inspired decor and sustainable furnishings. The Cocoa Pod and Waterfront suites provide beautiful views of the bay and tropical gardens, with balconies perfect for enjoying a morning coffee on. When booking you also have the option to go all-inclusive for complete piece of mind. Rates start from £108 per person per night, check availability at booking.com or truebluebay.com. Bruton, Somerset – for a cosy rural getaway For a romantic holiday destination closer to home, book a weekend away to the pretty foodie town of Bruton in Somerset. Over the last few years, the village has had an influx of top restaurants and creatives, making it a special place to visit with plenty to attract foodies. At the Chapel, a Grade II listed restaurant-gallery-hotel hybrid, takes pride of place in the centre of Bruton high street, serving a Mediterranean menu that heroes West Country produce and a wine store filled with organic, biodynamic vintages. Durslade Farm Shop showcases artisan makers and growers of Somerset in the chic Hauser & Wirth Gallery. The Newt country estate hosts seasonal gastronomic events such as foraging masterclasses and artisan cider tasting in its orchard. Where to stay: Merlin Labron-Johnson’s elegant farm-to-table restaurant Osip offers chic rooms just outside Bruton for a decadent bucolic getaway. Pad round the back through the wildflower meadow and duck beneath exposed beams into the reception room where a stone fire is lit in winter. Upstairs are four cosy rooms, the two mezzanine options complete with bathtub, but all equally charming. A selection of treats awaits in each – homemade canelés, Osip cider and loose-leaf teas to sip in Wiltshire-thrown porcelain mugs for a quiet romantic moment. Tables in the elegant dining room are positioned around the open kitchen, from which a succession of intricate dishes showcasing Somerset produce are presented. The cheese course – a square of cider brandy-soaked malt loaf topped with Bath soft cheese – is next-level. Superb hospitality continues through to breakfast, with toasted honey granola, jams and compotes, and squidgy little pear and cinnamon buns. There’s also a central table groaning with wild hay smoked trout, Wiltshire ham and cider mustard, treacly bread, Westcombe cheese and fresh fruit grown on the farm, plus coffees made to order. Check rates and availability at osiprestaurant.com Asturias – for a mountain escape Discover a new region of Spain with a visit to Asturias, set between the sea and the mountains. Local dishes involve produce that’s inspired by the landscape, from seafood to wild poultry, local wine and cheese. Make sure you try fabada – a stew made from white beans, chorizo, blood sausage and pork belly. The markets in Asturias even sell vacuum packs of ingredients to take home to cook. The variety of fish and seafood found in the waters of northern Spain is immense, meaning there's plenty to try on restaurant menus: lobster, crayfish, crabs, octopus, squid, hake, sardines and more. For drinking, more than 80% of Spain’s cider is produced in Asturias and the dramatic way of serving makes it a memorable experience: the practice is called escanciar, and involves pouring cider from the bottle to the glass from a height. Where to stay: There’s a 'slow hotel' philosophy at El Gran Sueño, a boutique rural retreat in the mountains. It uses renewable energy and serves only homemade, organic food, with at least one dinner a week meat-free. Tuck into freshly baked bread with grated tomato and local artisan cheeses for breakfast, with a glass of freshly squeezed Valencia orange juice or pressed Asturian cider-apple juice, before heading out to explore the surrounding mountains and woodlands. Having worked up an appetite, return to base for a hearty, home-cooked three-course dinner. Doubles from £124, check availability at booking.com or elgransueno.es Bohuslän coast, Sweden – for off-grid romance Why not try a Scandi escape for two? West Sweden's Bohuslän coast, an hour's drive from the city of Gothenburg, is a series of islands and peninsulas (Orust, Skaftö, Tjörn) jutting into the North Sea. Drive through forests and pass by quintessential coastal villages strung between rugged rocks, stopping off for Swedish fika in forest huts, local craft beers on sun-soaked wooden jetties and quiveringly fresh fish inside painted clapboard cafés. See our Swedish itineraries guide for more Swedish road trip inspiration. Where to stay: Ladfabriken B&B, a quirky former fish crate factory, sits on the very Western peninsula of Orust. Owners Johan and Marcel serve family-style dinners such as cod fillets in buttery leek sauce and 'east meets west' coconut and lemongrass fish soup using catch of the day from the neighbouring Skagerrak Sea via Larsson’s fish shop in nearby Mollösund. Breakfast is a similarly homely affair, seeing the table laden with Priest cheese, Swedish emmental, Leksand crackers and an array of homemade preserves – rosehip marmalade, cowberry, lingonberry and more. Local strawberries get plenty of light throughout the long summer days, so they’re extra sweet, and served with fresh mint. During the day, take a kayak out on the crystal-clear water, go wild swimming in the archipelago, kick back with a book on a deckchair in the rocky garden, or clamber over rocks following blue dots to the picture-postcard Swedish hamlet of Edultshall. Here, among red and white clapboard houses, families gather around barbecues on little jetties outside their boathouses. Check rates and availability at ladfabriken.eu The Eastern Algarve, Portugal – for coastal calm The Algarve coast might make you think of golf or family holidays, but it shouldn't be ignored as a romantic holiday option, especially for food lovers. Fringed by limestone coastline and sandy coves, the region is bursting with exceptional produce. Seafood is a highlight, but black pork, sheep’s cheese, olives, oregano, tomatoes and oranges are also cultivated locally, and are easily found at local farmers’ markets, beach shacks and restaurants. Homemade piri piri chicken or shrimp, an Algarve speciality, is everywhere. Visit Olhão's vibrant fish market, hop on a ferry to the sandy beaches of Armona Island and cycle along the Fuseta eco trail in the wetlands, home to oyster farms, eclectic birds and two families of flamingos. See our best Portuguese food trips to discover more of Portugal. Where to stay: In the heart of a residential hamlet on the border of the Algarve’s Ria Formosa lagoon, Carlos Fernandes has lovingly converted his grandparents’ house into a striking boutique hotel, Casa Modesta. Many original features remain – Santa Catarina flooring, curved brick ceilings and stone fireplaces – interspersed with tasteful Algarvian knick-knacks for pops of colour. An honesty bar is stocked with Algarvian wines and Portuguese spirits. Continental breakfast is served home-style, laid on lace tablecloths in the kitchen. Make your selection from the likes of carrot and saffron bundt cake, fruits hand-plucked from the property, and Portuguese cold cuts; order your preference of eggs and take to the poolside terrace to enjoy beneath the dappled shade of the trees. Doubles from €220 per night, check availability at booking.com or welcomebeyond.com Essaouira, Morocco – for a Mediterranean oasis Head off for a romantic Moroccan adventure in Essaouira, set on the west coast. Meander through narrow streets, past hole-in-the-wall boutiques and carts flogging fresh bread, and barter for souvenirs in the souks before ducking in to one of Essaouira’s restaurants for tagines and hearty salads. Head along the beach to Ocean Vagabond, a cool daytime hangout where you can sip on a freshly squeezed orange juice or a zingy cocktail and watch colourful kites dart through the skies while camels soak up the sun on the dunes. Discover more of Morocco with our guide to the best Morocco food trips. Where to stay: Set in the hills above the city, Jardin des Douars is an oasis of palms, plants and monkey puzzle trees. The French-owned hotel is a calm retreat of 25 rooms, spaced out between a main ksar building and various terracotta villas in Jardin des Douars’ tropical garden. Make sure you do a safari of the restaurant spaces during your stay, as each provides a unique experience. Book a couple of plush armchairs in La Table des Douars’ intimate little room, off the main courtyard, for a romantic candlelit dinner reflected in the 30-or-so gilt-framed mirrors down one wall. For a more relaxed affair, sprawl out in the sunken, cushioned area of the hotel’s main restaurant Le Ksar, a palatial room decked out in burnt orange and red hues, boasting spectacular views of the gardens and the argan tree-filled valley below. Doubles from £152, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com More travel guides Best unique UK holiday cottages Best glamping for foodies Best Irish holidays Best French food trips Best Portuguese food trips Best European vineyards to visit and stay Best foodie city breaks by train Best Spanish hotels Best Italian hotels Best UK summer travel ideas
17 of the UK's most luxurious hotels to book for a special occasion
Settle in for a stylish escape where next-level UK hospitality awaits – from a chic Georgian estate to a lavish manor house and an elegant restaurant with rooms
Planning a UK getaway for a special occasion? We've chosen some of our favourite hotels across England, Scotland and Wales where you can have a luxury stay for a truly memorable experience. From Michelin-starred tasting menus to serene spas and striking pools, these are some of the UK's best luxury hotels. For more luxury hotel inspiration, check out our packs of the best hotel baths worth travelling for in the UK or the best UK spa hotels. Middleton Lodge, North Yorkshire Doubles from £229, check availability at mrandmrssmith.com Book a stay at Middleton Lodge for Michelin-starred tasting menus and spa experiences on a Georgian estate, tucked away in 200 acres of peaceful countryside. The collection of honey-hued farmhouse buildings and stables have been lovingly restored and rooms are spread across the estate – from the charming Tack Room with wood-burning stove, huge free-standing bath and beamed ceilings, to contemporary suites with outdoor copper tubs and views of wildflower meadows. Interiors mix natural textures with understated luxury: Burlington showers, stone walls, linen drapes, oak floors and velvet armchairs. The jewel in the crown of the estate is Forge, a restaurant that earned its first Michelin star in 2025, thanks to head chef Jake Jones’s nature-led, hyper-seasonal tasting menus. Dishes highlight foraged ingredients and estate-grown produce, with inventive flavour combinations – think dry-aged Nidderdale hogget and north coast cod with preserved lemon and English sparkling wine. A standout cheese course of Cashel Blue with pickled walnut, medlar and birch syrup precedes intricate desserts like forced rhubarb tart with custard and toasted milk. Drinks are equally thoughtful, with pairings ranging from a lemon thyme saison by Salt Brewery to a bright ortega from Kent. Coach House offers a more relaxed approach for breakfast, all-day dining and cocktails. Forest Spa, next to Forge, has its own light and nourishing spa menu, ideal for pre- or post-treatment grazing. Guest numbers are cleverly limited so it can feel like you have it almost to yourself as you claim your chic green and white striped towel-draped lounger around the stunning 15-metre outdoor pool with views over the countryside. There’s an outdoor hot tub, thermal cabins and a steam room. Cute treatment huts named for herbs growing nearby offer a range of nature-inspired treatments such as massages and Voya seaweed wraps – the signature In Bloom massage is a favourite, blending deep relaxation techniques with aromatic oils to reflect the estate’s gardens through the seasons. Doubles from £229, check availability at mrandmrssmith.com Hampton Manor, Warwickshire Doubles from £179, check availability at mrandmrssmith.com Enjoy peaceful five-star luxury in the restored 19th-century Hampton Manor, just 15 minutes from Birmingham International. Family-run with serious artistic flair, the estate mixes historic charm with contemporary, quirky design. Think William Morris prints, heritage hues and a gentle soundtrack of birdsong and rustling leaves. Staff strike the perfect balance between warm and hands-off, so it feels like an elegant house party you somehow swung an invite to. Each of the 15 rooms is unique – the Courtyard Suite has a rolltop bath and private garden, while Henrietta Maria boasts a turreted bathroom. In all you can expect fresh coffee to grind, home-baked chocolate cookies, bluetooth speakers to plug in your playlist and 100 Acres botanical toiletries. The estate’s two restaurants are set within the expansive grounds. The 15-course tasting menu at David Taylor’s Michelin-starred Grace & Savour champions sustainable, seasonal ingredients, many plucked from the walled kitchen garden in which are nestled a handful of rooms. Kynd is more laid back and offers a handful of tables in an adjoining glasshouse. Opt for the à la carte or five-course set menu, with standouts like seared scallops, côte de boeuf and a crisp, multi-layered potato fondant. Cooked to order in the manor’s original kitchen, breakfast heroes a menu of local produce. Think free-range eggs (cooked in every way you could dream up), handmade granola, sourdough with whipped butter, warm cinnamon buns fresh from the bakery and seasonal jam straight from the garden. Don’t miss the daily complimentary natural wine tasting. You can also spruce up your skills in the rota of workshops including fermentation lessons, in which you’re expertly guided throughout the gardens before concocting your own cordials and sauerkrauts. Doubles from £179, check availability at mrandmrssmith.com Osip, Somerset Check rates and availability at osiprestaurant.com Merlin Labron-Johnson’s elegant farm-to-table restaurant offers chic rooms for a decadent bucolic getaway. Housed in a whitewashed coaching inn, Osip is perched roadside in rural Somerset. Pad round the back through the wildflower meadow and duck beneath exposed beams into the reception room where a stone fire is lit in winter to snuggle beside on squishy sofas. The open kitchen takes centre stage, offering views of the garden and countryside beyond, with diners positioned to face the action (plus two chef’s table spots right at the prep station). The tasting menu is a succession of Somerset produce, most grown on Osip’s farm up the lane. Dishes are complex and intricate – for instance grilled peking duck, candied cherries and grilled beetroot with duck meat sausage and liver sauce alongside beetroot mole-filled tacos topped with duck heart shavings for extra umami. The cheese course is next-level – a square of cider brandy-soaked malt loaf topped with Bath soft cheese. To finish, burnt honey tartlets with crème fraîche ice cream, soft meringue pollen and mead. The four rooms, hidden up a winding staircase, offer elegant luxuries while connecting guests to nature – super king-size beds with striking wood headboards and walk-in stone showers with Maison Osip toiletries. A selection of treats awaits in each – homemade canelés, Osip cider, Somerset apple juice and loose-leaf teas to sip in Wiltshire-thrown porcelain mugs. Brue has a mezzanine set-up, with standalone bath and spacious seating area downstairs plus ensuite bathroom and bedroom carved into the eaves up top, while Avon switches it round with the bathtub up on the mezzanine. Pitt and Somer are smaller yet equally charming. Superb hospitality continues through to breakfast, with an individually laid out array of toasted honey granola, jams and compotes, and squidgy little pear and cinnamon buns. There’s also a central table groaning with wild hay smoked trout, Wiltshire ham and cider mustard, treacly bread, Westcombe cheese and fresh fruit grown on the farm, plus coffees made to order. Check rates and availability at osiprestaurant.com The Beaumont, London Doubles from £648, check availability at thebeaumont.com or booking.com Old school opulence and faultless hospitality are the name of the game at The Beaumont. The polished walnut panelling, shiny marble floors and gilded edges set the scene as you walk into the Art Deco-style lobby. Suites are just as plush, with luxurious touches and 5-star attention to detail: Beaumont-stamped chocolate, sweets and snack jars all waited in our room, while sustainable toiletries were by heritage London perfumer D.R Harris. Rooms and suites are stylish, ultra-comfy and peaceful, cocooned from the busy Central London streets below. There’s even a room designed by artist Antony Gormley. The hotel’s Colony Grill is an elevated take on an NYC steakhouse, serving classics done with serious panache. Everything on the menu is that little bit extra: the tame-sounding shrimp cocktail arrives as grand whole prawns fanning from a stemmed bowl; the steak is salt-aged in-house and served with whipped bearnaise; you can build-your-own sundae using a fun tick sheet (we added a chestnut and rosemary ice cream to ours). Breakfast is served in The Colony Grill and is just as chic as dinner. We ate smoked salmon, scrambled egg and brioche with house-pressed pomegranate juice, but the made-to-order menu is huge and includes signature hashes, cold breakfasts, pancakes, French toast and eggs served every which way you can imagine. The Viennoiserie table included almond croissants, cinnamon rolls and pain au chocolat, all made in the Beaumont bakery. Service is impeccable. The peaceful basement spa at the Beaumont has a really fun USP – its range of hammam treatments. We experienced the Signature Hammam which involved an invigorating exfoliation using black olive savon noir scrub and an enriching rose & geranium clay. You can follow up with a massage treatment, or enjoy the facilities which include two steam rooms and one of London’s only cold water plunge pools. Doubles from £648, check availability at thebeaumont.com or booking.com The Royal Crescent Hotel, Bath Rooms from £300 per night, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com Few visitors to Bath see beyond the façade of the magnificent Royal Crescent, the city’s most impressive landmark. Fewer guess that No 16 extends into beautiful hotel gardens with lavender path, a haven for birds and butterflies where afternoon tea, cocktails and light lunches are taken. Chef Martin Blake balances simplicity with on-trend touches. Montagu’s Mews’ evening tasting menu starts with tiny canapés of Bath Blue cheese and avocado mousse with cucumber and borage. Then shokupan, a soft Japanese-style milk bread with Somerset’s Ivy Farm butter and smoked roe studded with salmon ikura. Hollandaise for beef tartare is spiked with Bath Ale and IP8 (beer) vinegar. A forced rhubarb dessert is softened with olive oil and vanilla. The comprehensive wine list includes confident choices such as a barrel-aged assyrtiko. The hotel’s five-star spa includes a heated pool with sauna and steam, tranquil treatment rooms and a small garden where you can relax after a swim, still in your robe if you like. Rooms are built for comfort and luxury, some with terraces and views on to the gardens or over the sweeping lawns of the Crescent. Fireplaces in bedrooms may be filled with decorative pinecones, modern art sits alongside vintage portraits and busts, and everywhere the outside is brought in with plants and floral displays. Rooms from £300 per night, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com Coworth Park, Berkshire Rooms start at £605 for bed and breakfast, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com Contemporary meets classic in a charming mash-up of design that references the rural location. A four poster is fashioned to look like a tree, halls feature dressers filled with plant pots, and huge floral displays and indoor plants abound. Showers are powerful, and some suites feature free-standing copper baths. Fun horsey references – including two dramatic portraits that dominate the bar – are a firm nod to the hotel’s equestrian links. The renowned Guards Polo Club is here (guests can book lessons in advance) and horse riding is offered. Rooms are in the Stables or Mansion House, so there’s a real sense of being in the Berkshire countryside, even while less than an hour from London. Explore the grounds, where there are hidden lily ponds, fountains and sculptures, as well as champagne pods in the warmer months. Woven by Adam Smith is all that’s good about modern, high-end British cooking – fiercely seasonal, celebrating homegrown ingredients, imaginative combinations, clever plating and a passionate, young team from Britain and beyond. Chefs, including Adam, are highly visible, prepping canapés in the restaurant’s anteroom – which doubles as cellar – and explaining each course at the table. Isle of Wight tomatoes, Devon eel and Cornish turbot speak to Adam’s careful sourcing, while A5 wagyu, oscietra, lobster and truffle add a luxurious touch. There’s also a strong focus on English wine. Rooms start at £605 for bed and breakfast, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com Gleneagles, Perthshire Doubles from £495 per night, check availability at booking.com or gleneagles.com No longer aimed so squarely at the huntin’, fishin’, golfin’ brigade, 5-star Gleneagles still offers a luxury experience but also fun for the whole family. De-tartaned bedrooms are softer and prettier (not least the Royal Lochnagar suite, pictured). Two Michelin stars and Andrew Fairlie aside, the resort’s restaurants and bars are much improved – with menus that cater to the brunch and burger crowd as well as finer diners. With 850 acres to explore – and a vast programme of supervised activities – Gleneagles has always been popular with families. There is Little Glen, a supervised play space for kids up to nine, and The Den, whose video games, air hockey and cinema room should keep older children and teens happy. Doubles from £495 per night, check availability at booking.com or gleneagles.com The Pig at Bridge Place, Kent Just three miles from Canterbury sits this carefully converted Jacobean mansion. Style-wise, it ticks every Pig box: a focus on the kitchen garden, a relaxed restaurant and homely but luxurious bedrooms. The Grade II-listed building at the hotel’s heart, once bright pink in places (it was a popular nightclub in its heyday, hosting the likes of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd), was expertly restored during a £5.5million makeover. An imposing elm staircase takes centre-stage, while cosy snugs are great places to sit and ponder, with huge open fireplaces, gnarled wooden panelling and Persian rugs. The bar, refreshingly bedecked with female portraits, is all mahogany and maroon and, as with all Pig bars, is generously stocked with multi-coloured cocktail glasses that shimmer on window shelves. Some bedrooms benefit from original doors, four poster beds and freestanding baths, though all have mini bars stuffed with Kentish treats (grab a bag of crisps, made with Canterbury’s very own Ashmore farmhouse cheese). You can also stay in a hop pickers’ hut – a romantic log cabin for two, set on stilts in the water meadows near the kitchen garden – or a family-friendly two-bedroom lodge, complete with kitchen. Pigs don’t stand on ceremony – there are no white tablecloths or leather-bound menus here. Instead, expect cheery waiting staff and a dining room that wouldn’t look out of place at a posh garden centre. The restaurant’s biggest commitment is to locality: what can’t be grown in the kitchen garden, which you can see from your table, is mainly sourced from within a 25-mile radius, including Kentish Pip apples and wild meat from Mallards Farm. Breakfast is a feast: try dairy-free banana bread, stewed home-grown rhubarb, and nut-free muesli with coconut yogurt. Or, indulge in The Full Pig-Out, made special by the addition of zero-mile mushrooms and poached eggs from the hotel’s hens (they keep quails, too). Doubles from £210. Check availability at mrandmrssmith.com or thepighotel.com Shangri La at the Shard, London Doubles from £553, check availability at booking.com Shangri-La At The Shard is a central London hotel with 202 bedrooms, striking views and an infinity sky pool. The hotel includes a restaurant, afternoon tea lounge and two bars. On level 35, TING serves a modern British menu with Asian influences, making the most of produce from neighbouring Borough Market. The five-course tasting menu offers the likes of duck liver ballotine with forced rhubarb and green tea, and Eton mess with cardamom. Climb 12 levels higher for GONG bar (the highest hotel bar in Europe) and its quirky cocktails. The cognac and sherry-based Over the Rainbow comes in a decorative hot air balloon, while the Scan Me whisky sour is delivered in a sleek black glass. Every bedroom and suite comes with floor-to-ceiling windows that frame London’s skyline; the iconic City View room, for example, looks out over Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. A pillow menu is available, along with binoculars (to get a closer look at the landmarks), feather duvets, L'Occitane bath products and a Chinese tea set. The suites offer a separate living and working space, with views spanning across Surrey and Sussex, and the Shangri-La suite is the grandest of them all – dressing room, kitchenette, cocktail-making services, an iPad and local area guide included. At breakfast, choose between an English, Middle Eastern or Asian breakfast, the latter of which comes with congee, dim sum and wok fried noodles. Or try something from the wellness menu: bircher muesli and green smoothies packed with kiwi, spinach, ginger, mint and apple juice. Doubles from £553, check availability at booking.com Cliveden House, Berkshire Rooms from £445 per night including spa access. Check availability at clivedenhouse.co.uk or booking.com Sink into grandeur at this mansion retreat where a clocktower distracts from the time with its gilding. Inside, mahogany panelling is studded with oil paintings of former residents, including Frederick, Prince of Wales (mid-1700s) and socialite Nancy Astor (circa 1908) gazing demurely over a bared shoulder by the yawning fireplace. Cliveden also hosted the Profumo scandal, recapped by our concierge as we pass the outdoor pool where, in 1961, Christine Keeler frolicked with the Secretary of State. We’re shown to the Prince of Wales suite, boasting three fireplaces and sweeping views of formal gardens and the Thames cleaving through forested hills. It comes with access to the Butler’s Pantry for complimentary drinks and snacks. Cocktails in the library nod to the past. The Profumo is richly fruity (lychee and strawberry liqueurs topped with champagne) but we opted for the Prince of Wales, a toned down version with maraschino and bitters. Dinner echoes Cliveden’s initial use as a hunting lodge, with a silky venison tartare among the raw starters, then a surprisingly dainty slow-cooked guinea fowl. Desserts are generally rich with cream, but the lime macaron with lemon sorbet delivers a clean finish. Cooked breakfast is served in the same formal dining room but do venture next door where the continental is beautifully presented in baroque surroundings. The ‘Profumo pool’ and hot tubs are cloistered by the old stables, which now house the indoor facilities (pool, jacuzzi, sauna and steam room) in neoclassical style, complete with wafting voile curtains. Massage treatments are administered with lotions specially formulated for Cliveden by Oskia – the Nancy, floral with berries and wild mint, or the spicier Anna Maria with black rose, named after the mistress to the second Duke of Buckingham. Opt for a facial and you’ll be treated to a comforting candle-wax massage between rounds with the Theragun, delivering gentle vibrations and a brightening wash of LED light. Rooms from £445 per night including spa access. Check availability at clivedenhouse.co.uk or booking.com The Scarlet, Cornwall Doubles from £275, check availability at scarlethotel.co.uk Looking for romantic hotels in Cornwall? The only routine at The Scarlet, a hotel perching on the edge of Mawgan Porth, is the regularity of the tide: the cool waters pulling back to reveal soft golden sand and thousands of lead-coloured mussels that cling to the rocks as stubbornly as guests lie on the loungers a few metres above. Rooms, which are spread over five levels, come with their own outdoor space and open-plan bathrooms to ensure the connection with the view is never broken. The goosebump-inducing outdoor pool is naturally filtered with reeds, while the indoor pool is heated by solar panels. Dinner is served in a dramatically quirky three-AA-rosette dining room that makes most sense when the curtains are pulled back to reveal the views. One day you might have Cornish hake with lobster ravioli, cured ham, lobster bisque and cucumber, the next a twice-baked Cornish Crackler cheese soufflé with candied walnut and Devon Cox’s apple salad. Like the hotel as a whole, it’s well considered but far from formal. Doubles from £275, check availability at scarlethotel.co.uk Heckfield Place, Hampshire Doubles from £650, check availability at mrandmrssmith.com The lines between inside and out are beautifully blurred at this Hampshire estate, where guests can bask in the natural surroundings and enjoy food from the hotel’s biodynamic, organic farm and orchards. Saddleback pigs and chickens lead a happy life here, and a micro-dairy provides the house with milk, cream, yogurt and butter from Guernsey cows. Two restaurants serve what’s good to eat right now from what’s grown on the estate and Fern Varrow, a biodynamic farm. At Marle you’ll find simple, seasonal dishes such as lamb shoulder with anchovy, and stuffed farm courgettes. During summer, meals are served on the Italian terrace overlooking the gardens and woodlands, with fire pits and sheepskins to keep you cosy on chillier nights. Imaginative breakfasts include bircher muesli and roasted rhubarb, bubble and squeak with fried eggs, and buckwheat crêpes with honey butter. Hearth, open for dinner and lunch on Saturday, focusses on fire cooking with lobster, sirloin or grilled farm veg. In line with Heckfield’s biodynamic ethos, cocktails in the Moon Bar are influenced by the lunar phases and made with unique tinctures and bitters. Try turmeric jingle (chamomile gin, millet, lemon and cardoon liquor, turmeric bitters) or cherry moon (sour cherry spirit, lapsang souchong bitters, egg, lemon and lime). Rooms are both luxurious and plastic-free, with headboards made by local craftspeople. Interiors focus on muted shades and natural materials such as rush matting, while dried flowers and plants bring the outdoors in. Doubles from £650, check availability at mrandmrssmith.com Askham Hall, Cumbria Check rates and availability at askhamhall.co.uk The Lowther name is everywhere in this part of Cumbria – pubs, a ruined castle, even a village bears the name. Capitalising on its organic estate, the Lowther family turned to hotels with the opening of Askham Hall, home to Michelin-starred Allium restaurant and 18 rooms. All of the spacious bedrooms have their own character. The Admiral’s Room (located in the 13th-century Pele tower, the oldest part of Askham Hall) benefits from a central four poster bed and River Lowther views. The Train Room (where the family used to keep their model railway set) has a duplex-style layout, with two extra beds upstairs for children. The Old Dressing Room combines original features, such as mullion windows, with modern luxuries, including an open-plan drench shower. In the Allium restaurant, head chef Richard Swale works in an environment most chefs dream of. His sunny, conservatory-style restaurant opens out onto acres of its own kitchen gardens and farmland. “Pick, cook and serve vegetables within the hour,” explains Richard, “and their freshness is amazing.” The kitchen is often busy pickling damsons or preserving edible flowers, either to deal with gluts or to extend the shelf life of ingredients. Meat used to be the centrepiece of Richard’s dishes, but now he gives equal prominence to creatively treated vegetables. You can choose either a la carte or a tasting menu; the latter may include native lobster with smoked bone marrow, home-reared goose with sour cherry sauce and chocolate tart with milk sorbet and candied walnuts. Check rates and availability at askhamhall.co.uk Lucknam Park, Wiltshire Rooms from £472 per night, including spa access and breakfast. Check availability at lucknampark.co.uk, booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com This five-star Palladian mansion blends old-school opulence with high-tech wellness, secluded within its own 500-acre estate. A short drive from Bath, Lucknam offers a country retreat as well as a trip back in time, restoring many of its 18th-century features to impeccable condition. Roam around the hotel and you’ll be transported to its aristocratic past, with high-ceilinged rooms furnished with chandeliers and antique furniture. Each of the 42 individually styled rooms evoke Georgian grandeur, with 13 suites offering views stretching out over the manicured lawns. There are also seven chic country cottages within the estate. We stayed in Juliet, a plush suite with first-class attention to detail: fresh fruit, juicy dates, shortbread and champagne all awaited in the lounge, with a Nespresso pod coffee machine, dinky milk bottles and a fridge stocked with soft drinks at our disposal. In the bedroom, a luxurious four-poster bed promised the most luxurious sleep. The bathroom was finished in smooth marble, with underfloor heating and Lucknam branded fig & vanilla toiletries. Head to the most majestic of all the rooms, The Drawing Room, for preprandial cocktails showcasing the premium whiskies lining the bar cart. Make a beeline for the Cotswold Old Fashioned, combining Cotswold Single Malt, vanilla bitters, orange bitters and maple syrup. Lucknam has two restaurant options – Michelin-starred Restaurant Hywel Jones and The Walled Garden Restaurant. The latter is a stylish all-day brasserie flanked by floor-to-ceiling windows to invite the outdoors in. Menu highlights include lemon sole with seafood linguine, chicken schnitzel with green beans and caper and lemon butter, and strawberry and pistachio knickerbocker glory. Breakfast is also served here, showcasing West Country produce including sausages from Huntsham Farm, bread from Hall Quality Bakers and strawberries from Cheddar Valley. Lucknam’s award-winning spa within the walled gardens brings guests back into the 21st century, with a contemporary complex drenched in light from the towering window walls. Available to use for all guests, the spa includes eight state-of-the-art treatment rooms and four thermal cabins, as well as a programme of wellness classes, including pilates and yoga. You can also book a high-luxury treatment (try the 111SKIN Celestial Black Diamond, a non-surgical lift facial involving 10 steps to lift, contour and boost the skin). Rooms from £472 per night, including spa access and breakfast. Check availability at lucknampark.co.uk, booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com Pan Pacific, London Doubles from £395 including spa access, check availability at panpacificlondon.com or booking.com Pan Pacific might be moments away from the bustling streets of Brick Lane and Spitalfields Market, but inside it’s an oasis of calm. The hotel’s ethos is to bring a slice of the Singapore experience to London, and you’ll find that influence in everything from the Kopi Tiam afternoon tea to the vibrant hotel bar Ginger Lily, where the attentive staff will mix you up a signature Singaporean classic or a contemporary creation, depending on your own unique tastes. Breakfast is served in Straits Kitchen and you'll find an opulent buffet with a choice of Asian and English classics, from freshly made omelette to beautifully fragrant Won Ton noodle soups. All rooms feature king size beds, expansive marble bathrooms and luxury bathroom products, but the views across the city are what make this hotel standout, you can admire the glittering lights and striking contrast of old and new architecture from the comfort of your very own bed, it might be hard to leave. A night at Pan Pacific includes full use of the wellbeing floor. Start your morning with a luxurious swim in the balmy and impressively large infinity pool, floor to ceiling windows offer you far-reaching views over Bishopsgate Plaza as you practice your front crawl. There are plenty of sun loungers to recline on in the light-flooded relaxation area and a mindfulness studio where you’ll find yoga classes, meditation, pilates and gong therapy. The bougie experience continues in the changing rooms with Diptyque products and a smart sauna and steam room for the ultimate heat experience. There are a range of treatments on offer from a rhythmical bamboo massage to a lymphatic drainage massage. Doubles from £395 including spa access, check availability at panpacificlondon.com or booking.com Seaham Hall, County Durham Check rates and availability at seaham-hall.co.uk A short amble away from the rugged Durham Heritage Coast lies Seaham Hall Hotel, a beautiful hotel and spa just outside the village of Seaham, around 30 minutes’ drive east of Durham. The imposing Georgian country house is home to 21 huge suites as well as a luxurious Asian-themed spa. We stayed in an executive suite, which ticked all the five-star hotel boxes: a huge king-size bed with a ‘pillow menu’, a beautiful white-tiled bathroom with walk in shower, freestanding bath and fancy Elemis toiletries, and the fluffiest robes and slippers. In the separate lounge area, squishy sofas, a Nespresso machine, a fridge with free soft drinks and huge windows out onto the garden meant we had everything we needed for a good few hours’ lounging. For dinner we visited Byron’s Restaurant. This is Seaham Hall’s fine dining offering and the vibe is one of opulent indulgence (Lord Byron has history here – he married the daughter of a past owner). A pewter-topped oak bar sweeps along one side of the grand high-ceilinged room. Prized tables are the velvet-lined curved booths in the corners of the room and the rest is made up of intimate small tables. Afternoon tea is also a highlight at the hotel. Served in the lounge at the back of the hotel, overlooking immaculately tended gardens, it’s not to be missed. After a brisk walk along the coast (a path at the back of the hotel leads you directly down to the sea) we attempted to burn off some more calories before dinner with a trip to the Serenity Spa. Even if you are not booked in for a treatment the spa facilities are great. As well as a huge pool surrounded by loungers there is a separate hydrotherapy pool, plunge pools, salt sauna, Indian steam room, jacuzzi and outdoor hot tub. Check rates and availability at seaham-hall.co.uk Palé Hall, Snowdonia Rooms start from £279, check availability on booking.com Situated on the cusp of Snowdonia, Palé Hall occupies a breathtaking position overlooking the tranquil Dee Valley. Nestled within a 50-acre estate, this AA Five Red Star, Relais and Chateaux destination is ideal for a peaceful retreat. Sustainability is key to Palé Hall’s ethos. Impressively, the whole building is carbon-neutral, powered by an onsite hydro-electric plant. This principle also extends to the fine dining restaurant – the first in Wales to receive a Michelin Green Star. Every effort is made to champion local, seasonal produce on the tasting menus designed by head chef, Gareth Stevenson. Expect dishes such as roasted squab pigeon and miso-glazed langoustine, plus inventive sweets like a ‘Moscow mule’ vodka lime jelly topped with ginger beer espuma. A more informal bistro also offers casual dining options. The grand Victorian country house is immaculately furnished with period features, yet maintains a warm and welcoming atmosphere. All eighteen bedrooms are themed after Welsh counties and range from smaller Classic rooms to Turret and Superior suites. The exquisitely decorated interiors effortlessly blend antiques with modern elements such as ‘hidden’ television screens within mirrors. You can even stay in rooms formerly occupied by Queen Victoria and Winston Churchill! Additionally, there are four modern garden suites which are ideal for families. Any stay here is only enhanced by the team of attentive staff, who make every effort to ensure a memorable guest experience. Rooms start from £279, check availability on booking.com More hotel guides Best country house hotels in the UK Best health and wellness retreats Best hotels in London Best UK boutique hotels Best hotels in the Cotswolds Best Cornwall hotels Best hotels in the Lake District Best London hotel bars to visit Best romantic hotels in the UK European hidden gems: hotels off the beaten track Best Paris hotels Best Spanish hotels Best Italian hotels Best restaurants with rooms in the UK Best Amsterdam hotels Best Scottish hotels
From the buzz of capital city Lisbon to the beachy wilderness of Comporta, these are the best places to visit in Portugal for foodies
Looking for food trips to take in Portugal? Check out our guide to the best places across the country to eat and drink, from the must-visit cities of Porto and Lisbon to eating on the beach in Comporta, vineyard stays for wine fans and discovering local pastries in the countryside. For more travel inspiration, check out our best French food trips, best Spanish food trips or best Morocco food trips. Not sure where to go? Browse our guide to the best European city breaks or our picks of the best European vineyards to visit. 8 best Portuguese food trips Lisbon For a budget-friendly city break Portugal's buzzing capital has undergone something of a culinary revolution. Time Out Market is a well-known stop on any Lisbon food journey for a reason, with 30 of the city’s best chefs selling small, reasonably priced plates alongside local wines and fresh lemonade, from a gathering of stalls. Another popular spot is Ramiro, serving great-value seafood in a rustic setting with a buzzy atmosphere. For modern spins on Portuguese cuisine, try Mini Bar for contemporary tapas and cocktails or Prado for updated versions of classic Portuguese dishes. For shopping, head out of the centre of the city to LX Factory, where Lisbon’s young creatives have set up shop in dozens of old fabric factories, with a flea market taking place every Sunday. Check out our full guide to the best places to eat in Lisbon for more ideas. Where to stay: North of Lisbon’s botanical gardens, in a 20th-century townhouse in the Praça das Amoreiras area, you'll find Casa Amora. Each bedroom in this charming B&B is inspired by a different Portuguese figure, from poets to Fado singers, actresses and painters. Soak up the charm of dazzling ceramic tiles, private balconies, embellished ceilings and wrought-iron bath tubs. Casa Amora’s cook, Nita, has been there since day one and her homemade breakfasts in the colourful courtyard – featuring pastéis de nata, almond cake and homemade jams to spread onto warm croissants, along with local charcuterie, fresh orange juice and coffee – are legendary. Doubles from £155, check availability at booking.com or expedia.co.uk Porto For eating like a local Located in the north of the country, Portugal's elegant second city should be next on your list if you've already ticked off Lisbon. Get stuck into the local tipple with a tasting flight of port at Taylor's Port House, worth the climb up the hill and over the famous Luís I bridge. For more traditional delicacies, Manteigaria is still the must-visit bakery for warm pastel de nata and you'll be queuing alongside locals at A Casa Guedes for loaded pork sandwiches. If you're self-catering or just like to explore a good food market, the 19th-century Mercado do Bolhão dazzles with fruit and veg, cured hams, regional cheeses and freshly caught fish. Check out our full guide to Porto for more inspiration and top restaurant picks. Where to stay: Rosa Et Al Townhouse is a six-room boutique hotel complete with a dinky walled garden to eat breakfast in the sunshine. Rooms feature original wooden floorboards, cornicing and sash windows that lead to balconies, and are made even more beautiful with claw-footed baths, contemporary furniture and local art. The reception desk even doubles up as a trendy food shop. Doubles from £111, check availability at booking.com. Cascais For a seaside break Just 30 minutes outside Lisbon sits Cascais, a port town with a sparkling beach that attracts day-trippers and weekenders from the city. Start your day at old-school Sacolinha, a bakery on Cascais' main palm-tree-lined street, for breakfast custard tarts and mini cheesecakes to take to the beach. If you're visiting on a Wednesday or Saturday, take time to explore the traditional market in the morning before it slows after lunch. It's only right to have seafood while you're on the coast – our pick is Marisco na Praça. The bustling fish market sits on the other side of a glass wall partition – head to the counter and choose your catch, then watch as chefs prepare simple dishes from it. For vegetarians, Galeria House of Wonders serves some of the best veggie food in town, including homemade tortilla wraps and cumin-spiked shakshuka. Head up to the vibrant rooftop for the best seats. Pick up an afternoon ice cream from family-run Santini (which also has shops in Lisbon and Porto). For sundowners with ocean views, head to Bago a Vin, with its terrace and panoramic views. See our full guide to Cascais for more ideas. Alentejo For exploring Portugal's rural heartland Field-to-fork and vine-to-glass are ways of life in Portugal’s fertile heartland. Fuel a tour of the region’s hilltop villages and rolling country estates with local delicacies and hearty traditional dishes. Wander the streets of the whitewashed village Monsaraz and stop off at Sabores de Monsaraz for lunch. Pork is king here: you eat every part, cooked just about every way – especially if the meat in question (as in this case) is porco preto, from black pigs fed on the acorns of the oaks that cloak the plains below the village. Next, wine buffs should head south through wildly beautiful landscapes studded with cork oaks and rosette-like rock roses to visit small family-run wine estate Quetzal, owned by the Dutch de Bruins family. Here, a state-of-the-art winery combines viticulture with food and modern art; works from the de Bruins’ collection are exhibited below the estate’s restaurant. Visit the medieval walled city of Evora for traditional pastries at Pastelaria Conventual Pão de Rala, petiscos (Portugal's equivalent of tapas) at Botequim da Mouraria's tiny counter, and the renowned partridge stew at Fialho. Where to stay: the São Lourenço do Barrocal estate has been owned by the same family for 200 years. Its farming traditions live on but are now combined with five-star hospitality; cowsheds and old farmworkers’ quarters have been turned into simple but stylish hotel accommodation with brick floors and locally woven fabrics. Don't be fooled by the simple decor – there's also a glamorous 20-metre pool, spa and impressive hotel bar and restaurant. Doubles from £491, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com Comporta For beach chic For a weekend of local wines, fresh seafood and earthy rice dishes head an hour south of Lisbon to the wild sand-fringed coastline, pine forests and stylish beach retreats of Comporta. The area has long been protected by its status as a nature reserve (at its northern end is the Sado estuary, home to bottlenose dolphins, flamingos and storks). Add into the mix a handful of hippie-chic shops and galleries, local vineyards, upmarket horse riding and kayaking operators, a smattering of rustic rice and seafood restaurants – plus a couple of more elegant options for craft cocktails and finer Portuguese dining – and you have a recipe for the perfect summer weekend away. Comporta itself is a small, pretty village lined with cobbled streets, blue-and-white-painted rice barns, shuttered low-rise buildings and sweet-scented Indian neem trees. Restaurante São João is a popular spot serving traditional dishes including select-at-the-table starter trays, brimming pots of seafood rice and chocolate mousse for dessert, while Cavalarica is a beautifully elegant restaurant and cocktail joint set in an old stables right in the centre of town. Join the locals at Cegonha, a simple roadside restaurant specialising in grilled meat and fish cooked over coals, served in huge portions. Rumour has it that local chefs eat at Dona Bia, which serves traditional regional fare including porco Alentejana (a classic dish of pork and clams). Where to stay: the 17-acre estate of Sublime Comporta, its rooms, suites and cabana villas peppered among umbrella pines, cork trees, frangipane flowers and olives, is a blueprint for low-impact hotel design – stylish and subtle rather than dominating the surrounding landscape. Inside all is minimal and white, with the odd pop of polished concrete or warm wood. Though not directly on the beach (the closest is a five-minute drive away), the vibe is that of a grown-up, romantic beach retreat. There’s also a dedicated spa, using organic Amala products for its range of soothing treatments, and a yoga pavilion. Doubles from £561, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com L’and Vineyards For wine buffs This elegant 26-suite spa hotel combines contemporary design and gourmet cooking, set among vineyards in Portugal’s Alentejo region, an hour’s drive from Lisbon. A meal in the futuristic, pendant-hung restaurant, whose glass walls frame the vineyards, is the big draw. Chef José Tapadejo was born nearby in Castelo de Vide and trained in Portugal, but he’s also worked in Scandinavia, so his dishes are creative interpretations of regional classics, often using fermented and foraged ingredients – local black pork, scarlet prawns and pike-perch, on a cushion of Alentejo’s must-eat migas. Being surrounded by six hectares of organic vineyards, you’ll want to taste L’and’s own wines, made from a blend of native grapes, such as Touriga Nacional, and international varieties such as Alicante Bouschet and Syrah. Pick of the bunch is L’and’s full-bodied Reserva Red 2016. On site you can do tastings, and vineyard and winery tours, and the hotel can arrange visits to neighbouring vineyards too. Doubles from £197, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com The Algarve For gourmet coastline Fringed by limestone coastline and sandy coves, Portugal’s Algarve region is a stunning foodie destination. Seafood is a highlight, but black pork, sheep’s cheese, olives, oregano, tomatoes and oranges are also cultivated locally – and are easily found at local farmers’ markets, beach shacks and restaurants. Homemade piri piri chicken or shrimp, an Algarve speciality, is everywhere, and in the mountains beyond the coast, you’ll find aromatic pork stews, slow-cooked wild boar and honey cake. On the coast, try cataplanas and copper pots brimming with fresh seafood and rice. Visit Olhão's vibrant fish market, hop on a ferry to the sandy beaches of Armona Island and cycle along the Fuseta eco trail in the wetlands, home to oyster farms, eclectic birds and two families of flamingos. Where to stay: In the heart of a residential hamlet on the border of the Algarve’s Ria Formosa lagoon, Carlos Fernandes has lovingly converted his grandparents’ house into a striking boutique hotel. Many original features remain – Santa Catarina flooring, curved brick ceilings and stone fireplaces – interspersed with tasteful Algarvian knick-knacks for pops of colour. An honesty bar is stocked with Algarvian wines and Portuguese spirits. Continental breakfast is served home-style, laid on lace tablecloths in the kitchen. Make your selection from the likes of carrot and saffron bundt cake, fruits hand-plucked from the property, and Portuguese cold cuts – order your preference of eggs and take to the poolside terrace to enjoy beneath the dappled shade of the trees. Doubles from €220 per night, check availability at booking.com or welcomebeyond.com Tavira For historical charm The cobbled streets of Tavira are filled with historical charm – explore plenty of churches in the old town and Tavira Castle (a partially ruined medieval fortress), then follow the river down to the coastline for unspoiled wide sandy beaches and nearby islands to explore, accessible by ferry. The coastal location on the eastern Algarve means there is seafood aplenty here, with octopus and cataplana stew being must try dishes. Where to stay: Just a 10-minute drive from Tavira, Conversas de Alpendre is a family-run boutique hotel that offers the best of both coast and countryside. More homestay than hotel, the small farmhouse is simply adorned with tiles, fabrics and artefacts from the eastern Algarve, set within sprawling grounds of orchards, orange groves and a sleek saltwater pool. The hotel has traditional rooms and suites along with a stunning treehouse that sits more than six metres high atop a carob tree. It boasts two private terraces with sweeping views of the ocean on one side and the countryside on the other. The food here leans into its Portuguese roots with hints of neighbouring Spanish influences, and is based on local seasonal ingredients. Complimentary homemade cake is available daily. Come evening, a set surprise menu is an option – a different three-course meal each night, featuring dishes like slow-cooked beef brisket, fresh fish and traditional desserts like arroz doce, a Portuguese rice pudding. Breakfast runs at a gentle pace and is served until late in the day, with fresh bread, regional cheeses, homemade jams and local fruit on offer. Check rates and availability at booking.com, mrandmrssmith.com or en.conversasdealpendre.com More travel guides Best French food trips Best Spanish food trips Best European vineyards to visit and stay Best foodie city breaks by train Best Spanish hotels Best Italian hotels Best country house hotels in the UK Best Scottish hotels
Best Irish holidays to visit in 2026 – Dublin, Cork, Galway and more
From restaurant-hopping city breaks to discovering artisan producers in the countryside and seafood-fuelled road trips, here's our pick of holidays in Ireland
Looking for Irish holiday ideas? Ireland is all about charm, great local produce and unique rural experiences, making it the perfect break for a food lover. Discover Dublin and Belfast’s delightful bistros and lively pubs, Galway’s artsy coastal vibes and seafood spots, bustling seaside towns or the green pastures inland, home to cider orchards, friendly farmers and even buffalo herds. These are our top picks of the best Irish holidays, with restaurants and bars to visit in each destination, including some Irish hotels to use as your base. For more hotel inspiration, check out the best UK boutique hotels, UK gastro pubs with rooms, best restaurants with rooms and and UK spa hotels for food lovers. Also see our city guides for the best restaurants in Belfast and best restaurants in Dublin. Best Irish holidays for food lovers Cork – for riverside luxury Cork is one of Ireland’s foodie hotspots. Get lost in the famous English Market, a covered warren of brilliant Irish food and drink producers. Café Paradiso has been open since 1993 serving refined but adventurous vegetarian food on a six-course testing menu. For drinks, head to Cask for expertly crafted cocktails or Arthur Mayne's for interesting wine and craft beer lists in quirky surroundings. Further out in the County Cork countryside, Toon's Bridge Dairy is a remarkable cheese producer making mozzarella, burrata, scamorza and more – you can find the produce at the English Market as well as its own pizzeria from April onwards. Where to stay in Cork: A luxury riverside hotel, River Lee Hotel is a warm and friendly space, flooded with light from windows that frame the entire building. The river-facing rooms are particularly pretty with views extending up past the Victorian buildings opposite to the rolling hills beyond. Bathrooms are fitted with baths and walk-in showers, and the large comfy beds have cosy duck down duvets. The Grill Room restaurant serves a classic hearty menu with Irish fish and meat taking centre stage, while the smart bar serves well-crafted cocktails. Breakfast is a lavish spread, with a huge buffet selection (including homemade soda bread and banana bread) and luxurious hot breakfast menu to choose from. Doubles from £205 per night, check availability at doylecollection.com, booking.com or expedia.co.uk. Derry – for a growing food scene This Northern Irish city is a haven for foodies, with a burgeoning food scene and new openings every week. Seafood shines here: the fishing port of Greencastle, just 20 miles outside of Derry, means the city is supplied with super fresh langoustines, scallops and oysters. There's a lot of love for traditional Irish food so visitors should try boxty (Irish potato pancakes), local cheeses and award-winning Northern Irish pork. Drinks lovers have plenty to discover in Derry too. Irish whiskey is famous worldwide, but Derry has producers making other top-quality spirits as well: from Wild Atlantic Distillery which makes a great award-winning gin and some really high-end beautiful whiskeys, to Niche Drinks making St Brendan’s, which you won’t find outside Ireland but is a cream liqueur made in Derry. You're equally spoilt for choice with breweries: Walled City Brewery (who make an oyster stout made from leftover oyster shells), Northbound Brewery and Rough Brothers are just a few to visit. Dublin – for whiskey lovers You won't be short of things to do on a city break in Dublin, the capital of the Republic of Ireland. The compact city centre, divided in two by the River Liffey, is easily walkable when exploring, with the broader city made up of villages. A visit to the Jameson Distillery is a must for whiskey lovers, while beer fans should visit the Rascals Brewing taproom, which also serves great pizza. Bread-making is a treasured art form in Ireland and Dublin’s organic bakery, Bread 41, has caught the attention of bakers across the world due to its excellent sourdough, with grains milled in-house and unique sourdough loaves spruced up with local cheeses, new-season Carola potatoes and garlic. If you're visiting for a long weekend, Bastible serves Sunday roasts (as well as fabulous midweek tasting menus) in an innovative way with tasting dishes to share. Check out our full guide to the best restaurants in Dublin. Where to stay in Dublin: Stay in the heart of the action at The Dylan Hotel, just 750m from the live music, bars and restaurants of Grafton Street. Dublin's only five-star boutique hotel, it has contemporary décor throughout and a luxurious modern feel. Enjoy a full Irish breakfast in The Eddison, the hotel restaurant, and sip cocktails in the Ruby Room bar. Doubles from £183 per night, check availability at dylan.ie, mrandmrssmith.com or booking.com. Galway – for a bohemian feel Discover bohemian Galway City on Ireland’s wild west coast, as well as the wider Galway county beyond. For a Michelin-starred experience, Aniar (Gaelic for ‘from the west’) is named because its dishes are inspired solely by County Galway’s fields and its rugged Atlantic coast; imported lemons and black pepper are out, vinegars and seaweed-based ‘spices’ crafted in house are in. To extend flavours and seasons, chefs draw on age-old traditions of salting, fermenting and pickling. For location, Ard Bia at Nimmos, near the city’s historic Spanish Arch and rainbow-hued Long Walk, wins out – visit for brunch or dinner. On Saturdays, foodie folk flock to Galway’s quaint street market for The Bean Tree’s madras curries, Greenfeast’s Irish vegetable-packed Vietnamese bánh mì, and BoyChik’s freshly made donuts. Where to stay in Galway: Base your trip at The Stop in the creative West End neighbourhood of Galway City, five minutes walk from the centre of the city and half a mile from the coast, giving you the best of both worlds. Rooms have bright minimalist design (with family rooms available) and the buffet breakfast focussed on local produce and home baking is a highlight. Doubles from £148 per night, check availability at thestopgalway.com or booking.com. Belfast – for a classic city break Tick the capital city of Northern Ireland off your wishlist with a visit to Belfast. Start by browsing St George’s Market, an indoor treasure trove of arts and crafts, as well as produce stalls selling everything from specialist Irish cheeses to freshly landed oysters and rare-breed meat and game. There’s also a huge variety of food stalls for lunch – try the Cuban Sandwich Factory’s Pollo Barbacoa, a hot grilled sandwich stuffed with marinated chicken, salsa, cheese and chilli sauce. On weekends there’s live music in the communal table area to listen to as you eat. Neighbourhood favourite Il Pirata serves rustic Italian food, or for a meal at the other end of the spectrum, book dinner at Michelin-starred Ox for a meal with a river view. Learn some Irish cookery skills of your own with a class at the Belfast Cookery School. Where to stay in Belfast: Expect panoramic views and Northern Ireland’s highest rooftop bar when staying at The Grand Central, a large, luxury hotel in the heart of Belfast’s Linen Quarter. Despite the grandeur and scale of 300 rooms, there is still plenty of cosy Irish charm. Rooms are spacious, calm and luxuriously furnished with king-size King Koil Cloud beds, smart white linen and thick, noise-cancelling carpets. The bathrooms are particularly swish with double sinks, freestanding baths, walk-in rainfall showers and toiletries by ESPA. The 23rd floor rooftop Observatory Bar is a must-visit to take in the views, before or after dinner – it's a trendy spot for Belfasters and has cocktails named after local landmarks. Doubles from £155 per night, check availability at grandcentralhotelbelfast.com, booking.com or expedia.co.uk. County Waterford – for foodie festival Spend a foodie weekend in County Waterford. If visiting in September, the streets come alive with stalls for Waterford’s harvest festival: restaurants put on produce-led supper clubs, and tents host demos from foodies. Stop off at Seagull Bakery in nearby Tramore for a taste of Sarah Richard’s sweet treats – sticky vanilla buns, spiced apple danishes and cinnamon swirls with glossy caramel coating. Work off the pastries on one of The Sea Gardener’s guided coastal walks, foraging for seaweed and learning how to cook with it on beaches. Where to stay in County Waterford: Tannery Townhouse in Dungarvan is a boutique hotel, cookery school and restaurant. Sleep in one of the 14 simple, elegant bedrooms and wake up for full Irish breakfasts in the morning. Spend a day in the cookery school during your stay, and have dinner just round the corner and enjoy the changing seasonal menu. Doubles from £154, check availability at tannery.ie or booking.com. Portrush – for a seaside break One of Northern Ireland's most popular resorts, the seaside town of Portrush (pictured above) has three sandy beaches to explore and a pretty pier. It sits on the Causeway Coastal Route so is a great place to stop off, with plenty of foodie spots making it worth the visit. Stroll down the pier and pick up a coffee at Babushka (don't miss its sweet treats to snack on, too). Local produce is showcased at Ocho Tapas, in nearby Coleraine, with an Iberian-inspired menu using Irish produce. Seafood is a highlight, from mussels to hot-smoked trout, but there are plenty of interesting vegetarian dishes, too. Spend the evening in The Harbour Bar, a historic pub where you can enjoy classic Guinness, a selection of Irish gins and live music performances. Where to stay in Portush: Blackrock House is a smart townhouse converted into a luxurious B&B. Be greeted by welcome drinks and whiskey cake, or take in the views from the balcony overlooking West Bay with a tipple from the whiskey honesty bar. There are four rooms with king-size beds, compact en suites and plenty of extra touches to make the rooms memorable – think homemade fudge, hot water bottles and binoculars for taking in the views. Enjoy a traditional fry-up breakfast in the front room, or alternatively take a loaded breakfast bap (filled with poached eggs, bacon and caramelised onion relish) down to the beach. Doubles from £160 per night, check availability at blackrockbandbportrush.com. Dingle – for local specialities Explore the colourful shops, zigagging streets and bustling harbour of Dingle and its sparkling bay. The food scene is so strong there is an annual Dingle Food Festival every October, but you'll be spoilt for choice all year round. On sunny days, pick up local speciality seaweed-speckled cheese from The Little Cheese Shop for a picnic and enjoy homemade Dingle sea salt ice cream from Murphy's. On blustery days, stay cosy with a bowl of creamy chowder from Out of the Blue. Drinks enthusiasts will enjoy the craft beers and live music at O’Sullivan’s Courthouse Pub, or visit Dingle Distillery for a tour and chance to try the locally produced gin. Where to stay in Dingle: Stay at family-run B&B Castlewood House, just a five-minute walk from the centre of town with rooms overlooking the sparkling bay. Breakfast is a highlight: alongside a buffet including homemade compôtes and bread and butter pudding, owners Brian and Helen cook traditional Irish dishes such as kippers with scrambled eggs or decadent whiskey-laced porridge. Make sure you leave room during your stay for afternoon tea served in the front room. Doubles from £130 per night, check availability at castlewooddingle.com. More travel inspiration... 12 small towns across the UK every foodie should visit The UK's best pubs with rooms UK boutique hotels for food lovers 10 exciting UK city breaks for food lovers Best restaurants with rooms UK spa hotels for food lovers Best romantic UK hotels Best seaside staycations Best country hotels
Looking for places to visit in Spain? Check out our top Spanish food trips, from pintxos in San Sebastian to al fresco paella in Barcelona
Looking for places to visit in Spain? Check out our top Spanish food trips and discover where to eat and drink across the country, from natural wines in Barcelona to ibérico ham and hand-cut chips in Tarifa, and juicy skewered prawns in San Sebastian. For more travel inspiration, check out our best Portuguese food trips, best French food trips or best Morocco food trips. Learn about Spanish coffee culture with our expert barista Celeste Wong's guide, including traditional rituals, how to order it and the perfect recipe for at-home brewing. Best Spanish food trips San Sebastián For pintxos and Michelin stars A picturesque port and resort on the Bay of Biscay, San Sebastián has notched up 16 Michelin stars. There are seven three-star restaurants across Spain and three of them are here: Akelarre, Martin Berasategui and Arzak, the bastion of chef Juan Mari Arzak. It has the second highest number of Michelin stars per square metre after Kyoto in Japan, and more than Paris. It's not all fine dining though. Pintxos is a signature of San Sebastián, born because “it’s not our custom to entertain at home. We meet friends for a drink and snack before dinner”. It’s one of the reasons that, originally, there were no sweet pintxos – these were pre-dinner snacks, not the main meal. There are over 100 pintxos spots to choose from in San Sebastian, mainly in the Old Town, and so a tailored tour is a good way to narrow it down. A locals top tip: ignore the piles of pretty pintxos on each bar’s counter and order dishes chalked on the blackboard. These are cooked fresh to order and each bar has its own specialities. At Goiz Argi that means the brocheta de gamba, a juicy prawn served on a skewer soaked in a sweet and sour garlic, pepper and onion marinade. The mari juli baguette, with salty slivers of smoked salmon, sardine and oily green pepper is equally moreish, with a glass of txakoli, the local sparkling white wine. Find out where else to eat and drink in San Sebastian. Where to stay: The glamorous belle époque Hotel Maria Cristina is a fitting base for the gourmet capital of Spain. The hotel, which nudges up to the Parte Vieja and overlooks the River Urumea, was exquisitely revamped in 2012, the year that marked its centenary. Its food credentials include its own concierge-designed DIY pintxos trail, a gourmet shop where you can stock up on gastronomic souvenirs from local wines to smoked olive oil and Basque cookbooks, while in the basement there’s the sleek, state-of-the-art cookery school. Doubles from £472, check availability at booking.com, expedia.co.uk or marriott.com. Málaga For churros and seafood Málaga offers a little bit of everything for hungry visitors: a charming old town, long coastal promenade for afternoon strolls and streets buzzing with tapas bars. Start your mornings with churros. Go to La Malagueña for the richest chocolate and churros with a satisfyingly chewy texture. Atarazanas Market is a great way to discover local produce, with stalls offering the freshest seafood – gambas rojas and razor clams are a must-try. Perch at the bar to absorb the hustle and bustle. Another bar to visit is Antigua Casa de Guardia, the oldest wine bar in the city, having opened in 1840. It's packed all summer long. Stand at the bar tasting sweet Màlaga wines from the barrel for just a couple of euros. For more seafood, grilled sardines on the beach are a Málaga staple. "It’s a tradition that goes back more than a century, originally created by fishermen cooking their catch on the shore," insider Milli Taylor says. "Today you’ll find the little boats-turned-firepits lined up along the coastline. You can smell them before you see them – olive wood smoke, charred skin and sea salt." Milli shared all her picks of where to eat and drink in the city: check out her full guide to the best restaurants in Málaga for all her recommendations. Menorca For an island getaway Ibiza, Mallorca and Formentera might usually draw the kaftan-wearing scenesters, but word is quietly spreading that there is more to be discovered on Menorca than clean turquoise waters, pale gold beaches, secluded white-washed farmhouses and lush greenery (the island is a designated Unesco Biosphere Reserve). Unlike its neighbouring party isles, this small Balearic island has managed to stay relatively unspoiled – in everything from the landscape to the food and culture. As on mainland Spain, tapas is big here (try some at the Mercat des Peix – fish market – in Mahon), but thanks to numerous occupations by the Moors, Brits, Catalans and French, the local cuisine is a melting pot. The most famous dish is caldereta, a Menorcan lobster stew that’s cooked and served in an earthenware pot; the local shellfish, in season from April to August, are sweeter than their Atlantic cousins. Sobrassada (a soft paprika sausage, similar to chorizo) is another must-try. And don’t miss the chance to go gin tasting at the last remaining distillery on the island, Xoriguer. Its Gin Xoriguer is a liquid legacy of the British presence here and is served, locally, with lemonade in a pomada. Where to stay: Go luxe and book into Hotel Torralbenc. Set in 70 hectares of vine-draped countryside in the south west of the island, it recently introduced wine tasting experiences at its winery, on foot or by bike. Doubles start from £549, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com. Barcelona For the famous food market One of the best Spanish cities for food, Barcelona offers a vibrant restaurant scene and chance to dive into Catalan cuisine. Start your day at Granja M Viader: locals line up at long-standing breakfast spot before the shutters rise. Go for a thick, velvety hot chocolate with churros, or one of its famous ‘bikinis’ – a cheese-and-ham-filled toasted sandwich. After the Sagrada Família, the Boqueria food market is the most popular destination in town. Get there before 11am to beat the crowds, browse the stalls and rub shoulders with local chefs over a plate of eggs and a glass of cava at El Quim de la Boqueria. Continue the food shopping at Casa Gispert and pick up marcona almonds, dried figs, saffron and smoky pimentón to take home. To get stuck into tapas, head to El Xampanyet – particularly popular among locals, who come to drink the bar’s own-brand cava before a night on the town. Tapas are simple but on-point – order as the locals do with ‘pimientos con carne’ to receive a plate of blistered padrón peppers and soft, pink pluma ibérico pork. At night, convivial Can Cisa Bar Brutal is the place to work your way through local natural wines paired with more superlative tapas, or slip into tiny Bar Zim for wines by the glass with farmhouse cheeses and organic charcuterie (Carrer de la Dagueria, 20). Read our full guide to Barcelona. Where to stay: Check into hip Casa Bonay, a renovated mansion where traditional hydraulic floor tiles are mixed with Gaudí’s iconic paving stones, adding a hint of edginess to its ground floor lounges, coffee bars and restaurant. Stylish, pared-back bedrooms redefine luxury with hand-woven blankets from Teixidors, maxi-bars stocked with premium gin, vodka and single malt, and room service in the shape of a tiffin tin to be eaten in bed. There's plenty to attract foodies: house restaurant Bodega Bonay serving Mediterranean sharing plates, the hotel bar Libertine for grown up cocktails and the tropical-themed Chiringuito on the buzzy roof terrace for tapas as you watch the sunset. Doubles from £197, check rates and availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com. Tarifa For unspoilt coastline Perched on Spain’s southernmost tip, windswept Tarifa attracts a youthful kite- and windsurfing crowd. Head to Los Lances beach to kick back on the dunes with a goblet of Gin Mare and tonic at Arte Vida. Tarifa’s old town comes alive at night, when visitors descend on the cobbled streets to eat secreto ibérico and hand-cut chips at La Vaca Loca (Calle Cervantes 6) and falafel from tiny vegetarian joint Chilimosa. Start the following day with a fruit salad, crêpe or smoothie in Café Azul’s courtyard, then lounge outside hip Café 10 with a café con leche. Where to stay: Check into hip Hotel Misiana in the centre of the old town. Winning points for location, there are sea views to be had and all the local highlights are a quick walk away. The 15 light and airy rooms are simply decorated and there's a continental breakfast in the morning and hotel-restaurant tapas bar for the evenings. Check rates and availability at expedia.co.uk. Ibiza For a gourmet side to the party isle The famed White Isle may be most known for it's beach clubs, international DJs and nightclubs, but there is a quieter side to discover too. On Playa D’es Torrent, enjoy old world elegance at Es Torrent as you dine with your feet in the sand, under gnarled ocean pines, overlooking a beautiful bay on the west coast of the island. Call ahead to order fresh-from-the-boat fish. Start with the grilled clams and finish with the indulgent pineapple crema catalana. On Playa Es Cavallet, El Chiringuito delivers beachside glamour at its best: great people watching plus fabulous food. The spaghetti frutti di mare for two makes an extravagant but delicious lunch. Start with the artichoke and gambas salad. For watching the famous Ibiza sunset, head to La Torre for fabulous views over the water. Sip cocktails then order its signature steak with chimichurri and wrinkled potatoes. Where to stay: Luxury meets nature at Atzaró Agroturismo, a hotel with exquisite indoor-outdoor design, a spa set within orange groves and a hard-working farm. White-washed buildings, manicured gardens and glistening swimming pools surrounded by huge, pristine day beds all create a gorgeous first impression. Discrete, secret VIP deluxe suites are where celebrities can holiday with complete privacy. So far, so luxe. But a stroll through the orange groves to the hotel’s vast vegetable plot reveals how sustainable and farm-to-fork this family-owned estate is. Solar panels and an on-site well supply power and water to the gardens, pools, spa and rooms. Herbs and botanicals are used in rejuvenating spa treatments. Figs, tomatoes, cucumbers and pomegranates are picked that day, and served just minutes and metres aways in the hotel’s sunny, vine-covered veranda. The garden also supplies its nearby, laid-back sister restaurant, Aubergine by Atzaró, where clever combinations like roasted aubergine carpaccio, cherry tomatoes, feta, dates, pistachio and rocket pesto create texture and zing. At Atzaró beach club, tuna ceviche with mango, chilli, coriander and tiger’s milk is light and flavour-packed. Design at Atzaró Agroturismo references Ibiza’s natural beauty with a profusion of plants, natural wicker and wood, bright whites, with splashes of colour provided through bougainvillea or swimming pool azure. Doubles from €245, check availability at booking.com. Madrid For a capital city break Find salt cod croquetas, elaborate squid sarnies, Iberian eggy bread and orange cappuccinos (plus cured ham and sherry, of course) in Spain’s lively capital. Not sure where to begin? In the heart of one of the capital’s most vibrant neighbourhoods, Mercado de San Ildefonso is a custom-designed street food space is spread over three floors. Set on the site of a 19th century food market, there’s a fuss-free, industrial feel to proceedings and a sociable vibe that comes from having plenty of places to perch while you eat, plus the addition of several bars serving interesting Spanish wines by the glass. To try local specialities, visit Casa Labra (going strong since 1860). It's packed with locals who throng the restaurant's elegantly austere, high-ceilinged interior for the house speciality – salt cod. Served by efficient, white-jacketed staff, it’s best eaten deep-fried or cooked in plump, creamy croquetas, paired with a little glass of vermouth. Those with a sweet tooth should drop into La Casa de las Torrijas. Colourful tiling, plates of huevos rotos (‘broken eggs’) with crispy potatoes and slivers of jamón, and chilled cañas of local beer are all on offer. But the clue to the chief attraction lies in the name. Torrijas is an Iberian take on French toast, and this restaurant’s version – thick slices of bread soaked in milk, egg and sugar (and sometimes sweet wine), then deep-fried until deliciously wobbly, with a creamy centre – is irresistible. Where to stay: Usefully positioned opposite Puerta de Atocha railway station, Only YOU Hotel Atocha impresses with its buzzy industrial-chic lobby (complete with barber, patisserie and restaurant) and complimentary glass of fizz on arrival. Spacious rooms have a sleek mid-century feel, and the hotel’s rooftop Sép7ima bar (with panoramic views of the city) puts on a lavish buffet every morning that includes pastries and churros, charcuterie and cheeses, fresh juice, fruit and cooked breakfasts. Doubles from £122, check availability at booking.com. Seville For the home of tapas The spiritual home of flamenco, Seville is also the birthplace of tapas. One of the best ways to experience Seville’s fabulous gourmet scene is to engage in your own little ‘tapeo’ – a relaxed wander around some of its many bars. You can also ask for a media ración or ración, which are larger than a tapa. For authentic tapas with charm that is hard to beat, Casa Morales was founded in 1850 and now in its fourth generation. Enjoy some salt cod with salmorejo, tortilla de patatas or lomo en manteca, with vermouth, sherry or house wine alongside them. Walk to the Metropol Parasol – nicknamed 'the mushrooms', it dominates the Plaza de la Encarnación with its futuristic-looking wooden structure. Underground is a museum displaying some of the city’s Roman walls and artefacts while above it is one of Seville’s best daily food markets. Make sure you visit the stalls selling jamón de ibérico bellota; it can be vacuum packed to take home (from €60-120 per kg). On the upper levels there is a 30-metre high walkway with panoramic views which you can access through the Antiquarium below. Don't leave Seville without trying some sherry: it's Andalucía’s most iconic wine, yet is often misunderstood. Versatile and fascinating, there’s a sherry – or sherry cocktail – for everyone. Let José and his expert team at the Premier Sherry & Cocktail Bar help you discover yours. Where to stay: Doubles at the Corner House, in the buzzy Alameda de Hércules (one of Seville’s most iconic squares), are very affordable. There's also an in-house restaurant/bar, El Disparate, serving a selection of traditional and innovative dishes; if you're lucky grab one of the tables on its spacious terrace, overlooking the square. Doubles from £86, check availability at thecornerhousesevilla.com, booking.com or expedia.co.uk. Cadiz For historical delicacies The historical port city of Cádiz in Andalucia has bargain tapas bars, vibrant food markets and unique local delicacies to discover. Head to the Mercado Central, housed inside a former convent and watch as the theatre of the working day unfolds: swordfish are butchered, chocos (cuttlefish) cleaned of their black ink. If you're self-catering, stock up on vacuum-packed mojama (smoked tuna), ham, chicharrones and fritos, before hitting the stalls selling sherries, plates of local cheese, glasses of albariño at €2.50 and fat churros hot from the fryer. Stick with the locals at tapas bar Taberna Casa Manteca: try chicharrones de Cádiz, a speciality of the region, thin layers of soft, fatty pork dressed withe lemon and salt. Round the corner is Virgen de la Palma, a pedestrianised cobbled street in the heart of this slightly shabby former fishermen’s quarter. It’s lined with tapas bars and restaurants, but during daytime hours it becomes a magnet for weatherbeaten men selling oysters (six for €5) and prawns from carts on corners. For some more luxurious splendour, head to the rococo Cafe Royalty, a restored grand salon, and eat refined courses of Andalucian cooking, including a punchy gazpacho garnished with prawn, alongside a glass of albariño. It opened in 1912, and intellectuals, artists and politicians came here to chew the fat before it closed at the dawn of the civil war. Where to stay: Situated right on the coast, the Parador Hotel Atlántico affords astonishing views out across the ocean at almost every turn. It's central location makes it easy to walk anywhere, discovering new parts of the city down pretty cobbled streets. The stunning hotel pool equally makes the most of those sea views, plus you're just five minutes from the beach. Doubles from £211, check availability at booking.com or britishairways.com. Palma For local fusion cuisine Visit the capital city of Mallorca to get an insight into this unique island. Spend time browsing the city’s main market, Mercat de l’Olivar – check out the cheesemonger S’Aglà for the best Mallorcan and Menorcan cheeses. Elsewhere in the city a handful of gastronomic markets have also sprung up, including Mercado de San Juan and Mercat 1930, in an art deco building overlooking the marina, where you can also join cookery workshops. The international tourism that has generated a renewed appreciation for these types of markets has also fuelled a local spike in Mediterranean fusion cuisine. This is especially evident at Fera, where Austrian chef Simon Petutschnig combines Asian and Mediterranean influences in dishes as eye-catching as the space’s contemporary art. He dubs it borderless Mediterranean cuisine, and it’s anything but hearty, rustic mountain fare. This is the face of modern Mallorca. Where to stay: check into Boutique Hotel Sant Jaume in the heart of the historic old town. On hot days during a summer visit, the indoor pool, flower-covered roof terrace and outdoor plunge pool will have maximum appeal. Doubles from £451, check availability at booking.com, thomascook.com or expedia.co.uk. Bilbao For art and architecture Futuristic architecture, renowned art galleries, elegant cobbled streets and a thriving food scene make this Basque city a great Spanish weekend destination. Join locals at the bar for pintxos and txakoli wine, browse for seafood and croquetas at one of Europe’s largest food markets, and eat Basque-style French toast. A museum restaurant might not be your first stop in a new city, but the Bistró Guggenheim isn’t your typical gallery café. A favourite with locals and visitors alike, it focuses on Basque cuisine with a modern edge. Contemporary art decorates the walls and you can eat while enjoying soothing river views. Follow up with a coffee stop at elegant Café Iruña, or swing by Basquery – a brewery and bakery serving fresh crusty breads and flaky pastries. For traditional deli produce, head to Casa Rufo, a cute restaurant squeezed into a 1950s Italian deli. In the shop at the front they sell everything from cheeses and tinned seafood to bottles of wine; in the back, you can dine on regional delicacies such as anchovies from Cantabria, grilled asparagus from Navarra and peppers from Guernica. More shopping can be had at La Ribera market, which dates back to the 14th century and is one of the largest undercover markets in Europe, home to more than 100,000 square metres of food stalls. See our full foodie guide to the best restaurants in Bilbao. Where to stay: Iturrienea Ostatua is a simple yet charming bed and breakfast located right in the centre of the Old Town, housed in a property built in 1906 for a countess. Originally designed to look like a typical Basque country house, inside the largely modern décor is modest (simple white bedlinen, colourful quilted headboards, practical en-suite shower rooms) but homely. The nine bedrooms nod to the building’s history, with stone floors and wooden-beamed ceilings, and some have small private balconies. Breakfast is served in a country-style kitchen and stretches to local cheeses, charcuterie, sticky pastries and toast. Doubles from £85, check availability at booking.com. Trujillo For the finest Iberico ham The medieval town of Trujillo's kitchens have long been rich thanks to ibérico ham, smoky pimentón de la Vera and creamy sheep's milk cheeses. Just a few Spanish regions boast the holm oak trees (encinas) and open pastures necessary for the feeding and rearing of pure acorn-fed ibérico pata negra ham, including Trujillo. Everywhere, from restaurants to tiny cafés, offer plates of the stuff, freshly carved to order. All the steep, narrow roads in the town seem to lead to Plaza Mayor, the main square, with its ravishing conquistadors’ mansions. Restaurants are happily rustic, dependent on a wood grill and fryer for many of their treats. Just off the main square, is Corral del Rey where you can have jamón and also try ibérico pork secreto (the shoulder cut that, with its liberal marbling of fat, has sometimes been called pork wagyu) thickly dusted with another of Extremadura’s hero products – sweet, smoky pimentón de la Vera, and grilled over encino, the very wood that fed it – a wonderfully symmetrical cooking method. Sit on teh main square and people watch at Cerveceria for beers and the locals’ favourite dish, migas – paprika-laced breadcrumbs fried in pork fat, studded with chorizo and topped with a frilly fried egg. The Alpujarras For a rural escape The rugged foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, south-east of Granada, the Alpujarras exert a semi-legendary pull on many Andalucians, and indeed many other Spanish people. It’s a romantic, whimsical place, known to be remote, rural and – that most Spanish of things – quixotic. The region is blessed with extremely fertile soils that yield all kinds of ingredients, from almonds to grapes via figs, oranges and, of course, olives. The Moors, whose rule over the Alpujarras lasted for 800 years, introduced almonds, cumin, pomegranates and aubergines to the region, all of which thrived thanks to the many long days of sunshine. The ports, an hour or so away, are part of a thriving fishing industry, and the forests run thick with game and wild herbs – all high-quality raw ingredients that local kitchens make the most of. A largely unsung hybrid of North African and Spanish influences, la cocina Alpujarreña is as rudimentary as it is delicious. It is not fancy, it is seasonal and robust. What distinguishes it most of all is its relatively straightforward preparation – traditionally much of it would have been done outside in the fields, using portable ingredients and improvised fire-pits (when prepared inside, people used elementary hearths in the corner of a kitchen). Today, this approach hasn’t much changed. In Berber-like villages, small but resilient communities tend almond and olive terraces, and cultivate immaculate and ancient vegetable patches, while tiny local bars and restaurants serve recipes that have been handed down through generations of farmers. More travel guides Best European mountain escapes Best unique UK holiday cottages Best glamping for foodies Best Irish holidays Best Morocco food trips Best French food trips Best Portuguese food trips Best European vineyards to visit and stay Best foodie city breaks by train Best Spanish hotels Best Italian hotels Best UK summer travel ideas
From Michelin-starred Greek dining to viral pasta spots, fresh seafood and fiery Sri Lankan cuisine - these are the best restaurants in Borough Market
Are you looking for the best restaurants in Borough Market? This area of London is filled with some of London's best places to eat and drink. As well as the popular stalls of the market itself, Borough Market is surrounded by top restaurants. Whether you go for Michelin-starred Greek plates at Oma, grab a bun from Bao or join the pasta queue at Padella, you're spoilt for choice for a great meal. Read on for our tried-and-tested reviews for the best restaurants in Borough Market. For more London Bridge recommendations see our full guide to the best restaurants in London Bridge. For restaurant inspiration across the capital, check out our guides to the best restaurants in Soho, best restaurants in Covent Garden or Mayfair. Best places to eat and drink in Borough Market Plaza Khao Gaeng – for southern Thai cooking Set under the railway arches that flank Borough Market, this fun spot brings the energy of a raan khao gaeng – the informal canteens that pop up on street corners and markets across Thailand. The high-ceilinged room is breezy and buzzy with a quirky, eclectic style: stainless steel tables, zingy pops of colour, retro Thai movie posters and restaurant signs all add to the atmosphere. A Paricha margarita eased us into the heat zone – mango infused tequila and kumquat liquor with a kick of fresh Thai chilli served alongside an appetiser plate of miang pla: betel leaves to be wrapped around spicy sausage, dried fish and crunchy galangal floss to make a herbal, tangy mouthful. The yam strawberry salad was a refreshing sweet/salty surprise – strawberries in a punchy dressing, topped with a sprinkling of the tiniest translucent fish and coconut. From the curries, the gaeng massaman neua was deeply comforting – big chunks of beef, slow cooked in a rich spiced coconut sauce with hunks of potato to soak up all of that fragrant curry. Gung pad prik gaeng sator (tiger prawns stir-fried in red curry paste) brought some of that notorious heat but balanced it well with coconut cream. We kept the heat at bay with a icy glass of Singha beer, served in a chunky frozen glass tankard. Or if you’re in a crowd there’s the option to order a three-litre beer tower with your own tap – a fun playful touch for a very fun spot. plazakhaogaeng.com Oma – for Michelin-starred Greek small plates Restaurateur David Carter — who already claims an impressive portfolio that includes acclaimed restaurants Smokestak and Manteca — has furthered his London restaurant empire and opened the doors to Oma and its more casual sibling Agora. The restaurant, split across two floors (Oma upstairs and Agora downstairs), draws inspiration from the lively street markets and restaurants of Athens and the wider Mediterranean, with décor and food and drink offerings that evoke its relaxed yet refined energy. In 2025, Oma won it's first Michelin-star. We sent our pro reviewer KS Tong to check it out, here are his thoughts: "Oma's menu begins with a sneaky hero in the form of the wood-fired laffa flatbreads and açma verde (akin to a wild garlic-twisted bagel). These are made on-site in the basement bakery using wild-farmed British grains to go with a selection of house spreads, such as a salt cod XO labneh that was pure heaven. I could’ve easily just stopped here, via a few samples from the 23-page-strong wine list featuring 450-plus predominantly Greek producers, and left content. But to miss the crudo menu would be criminal (the name Oma is derived from the Greek word for ‘raw’ after all) – and yellowfin tuna with zesty clementine ponzu and crispy garlic certainly delivered. Small plates of skewers of dry-aged Cornish lamb chop (from renowned high-quality, high-welfare supplier The Cornwall Project), and lobster bisque börek and spanakopita gratin were a sensory slam dunk, each purposefully executed and thoughtfully curated. The real centrepieces however are the bigger clay pots, and the oxtail giouvetsi served with bone marrow and beef fat pangrattato was a worthy dish – rich, heavy and a striking contrast to the rest of the menu, which is a great deal fresher and lighter. It’s the perfect plate to set you up for dessert, where the sticky date pudding is not to be missed and pairs pleasingly with an Oma negroni." oma.london Applebee's, Borough Market – for seafood Applebee’s, a family-run Borough Market institution for 25 years, has recently relaunched with a new design and menu showcasing seasonal, sustainable British seafood. In summer, bag a table in the outside area at the front for watching the bustle of the market go by, while, inside, the open kitchen and bar all down one side of the winding room add to the buzzy atmosphere. Take a look at the fridge holding that day’s catch and watch chefs cooking over the tall barbecue grills. Kick off with cocktails – a delicate rhubarb sour had an almost creamy texture. The drinks list includes a good range of wines by the glass, including interesting English bottles. If you can resist the opening snacks (crab croquettes, oysters, taramasalata), head straight to starters. Scallops are served in the shells with three different butters to tour through – lemony garlic, spicy sobrassada and salmon roe. A wedge of brown crab rarebit is cheesy and filling, topped with samphire and shrimp. The mains showcase classic fish cookery paired with a range of culinary influences – grilled monkfish tail with chorizo jam, hake with beurre blanc, whole stuffed sea bream with spiced potatoes and curry sauce. A skillet of fish pie is soft and comforting. While Applebee’s may be predominantly all about the fish, make sure you save room for dessert – the sticky toffee pavlova with warm toffee sauce served tableside is not to be missed. applebeesfish.com Rambutan – for Sri Lankan cuisine Flames leap from clay pots, woks clatter over white-hot embers and the deeply satisfying aroma of coals and spice perfumes the air. This is mesmerising theatre from a counter seat at Rambutan where you watch the brigade of chefs turn out dishes that balance heat, sweetness and sharp aromatics with clockwork precision. Set over two floors, the buzzing restaurant on Stoney Street is the creation of Cynthia Shanmugalingam, a British-born daughter of Sri Lankan immigrants from Jaffna who left before the civil war. Her menu is simply structured but the dishes are surprising and thrilling. Start with citrus wedges sprinkled with a lip-tingling, salty-sour punch of achuru, before moving on to gundu dosas, fluffy crisp balls for soaking up fresh, bright coriander sambol. Hotel Nippon beef and bone marrow rolls, crunchy with panko breadcrumbs encasing unctuous meat are essential. The charcoal grill delivers smoky sensations (go for leeks and mango chutney) but the curries and clay stove dishes steal the show – saffron chicken pongal rice, like a smoky chicken risotto; not-for-the-faint-hearted red pineapple and mustard seed curry; and unmissable lamb kottu roti with spring greens and wild garlic. Butter rotis, delicate and flaky, puff before your eyes, ready to mop up every morsel of intensely flavoured sauce. Cool your tongue with tart, creamy blood orange curd ice cream. There’s a lot to love, so box up the rest and come back for more. rambutanlondon.com Brindisa – for tapas Brindisa sits in a prime corner spot with a wraparound terrace and open windows that are perfect for grabbing a sunny post-work drink or weekend bite after exploring the market. Channel a classic taste of Spain with a glass (or jug) of sangria or seasonal spritz. The Green Garden Cooler with Seedlip, elderflower cordial and apple and cardamom syrup is an excellent alcohol-free option. Traditional tapas favourites are all found here: crisp jamón croquettes are the perfect sangria partner, while chorizo on toast has a crisp char and tangy chimichurri dressing. Seasonal and house specials join the menu, too. The monte enebro – creamy fried goat’s cheese with orange blossom honey – will be a welcome addition to your table. Patatas bravas are crispy but the aïoli is surprisingly light on garlic. Chargrilled vegetables come served whole with a refreshing green gazpacho. Skip the large plates but save room for creamy burnt cheesecake. If you don't have time for a whole meal, head to the Brindisa market stall to pick up a chorizo roll stuffed with plenty of crispy chorizo, piquillo peppers and rocket. brindisatapas.com Agora – for a taste of a Greek taverna Agora means 'market' in Greek, which reflects the buzzy, casual style of David Carter's ground-floor restaurant below his Michelin-starred Oma. Punters can soak up the buzz of Borough Market at window perches or sit inside the modern space that provides a layer of Greek taverna warmth thanks to the handmade rotisserie’s open flames. Make a beeline for the frozen margarita or paloma pepped up with lemongrass syrup while perusing the Mediterranean food menu. Flame-grilled bread, slicked with garlic butter, is perfect dipping material for fermented chilli erzu-topped tahini and silky hummus laden with hot crisp shards. The spanakopita with a flatbread twist is a must-order, it's graviera cheese combined with buttery, dill-flecked spinach and finished with paprika crisps and grated parmesan. Sardines are served simply with za'atar and a squeeze of lemon, while mushrooms skewers are given an umami makeover with spring onion, soy and mirin. Turkish chilli and crispy capers brings texture to braised fava beans and a crunchy cucumber and radish salad is livened with sumac and lemon vinaigrette. Rotisserie highlights include chicharron-style pork belly served with vibrant green herb, cornichon and pickled chilli sauce. There's only one dessert – a tiramisu that holds its own served with a plum and mezcal margarita. agora.london Bao – for bao buns There's almost always a line outside take-away kiosk Bao in Borough Market – and for good reason! The entire takeaway menu is astonishingly tasty, and a bargain price at that. The Fried Chicken Bao with golden kimchi and hot sauce – served in a playful sesame ‘burger bao’ – is a delightful combination of tender, crunchy, tangy, pillowy, and spicy tastes. Or order the ‘Fried Horlick Ice-Cream’ for a deliciously nostalgic treat. You can also click and collect if you want to beat the queues. baolondon.com Elliot’s – for a gourmet wine bar Elliot’s has focussed on working with small-scale producers for both its drinks and produce since opening in 2011, and much of it is sourced from the market itself. The bar incorporated an all-natural or low-intervention wine list early on and has worked with Master of Wine Isabelle Legeron on its wine list. All the producers share the same mindful approach to wine-making as chef-owner Brett Redman does to cooking simple dishes including cauliflower caponata and flaked almonds, or grilled sweet and sour squash with chicory and Tunworth cheese. Elliot’s also makes its own seasonal infused spirits and soft drinks. elliots.london/borough-market Porteña Empanadas – for hot empanadas There’s something eternally appealing about this Borough Market institution's hot empanada counter (traditional Argentinian pasties), partly thanks to the way the word ‘Porteña’ is stamped into the crimped crust of the freshly baked pastry. Try the ‘Chorizo Empanada’, which is their most delicious – with a heavenly slick of spicy porky oil that drips onto your hands. Their ‘provolone and onion’ is also very good - almost jammy sweet and extremely cheesy. Order extra chimichurri sauce to smother on top for an extra flavour kick. portena.co.uk Tacos Padre – for Mexican street food Irish-Spanish chef Nick Fitzgerald worked at Pujol in Mexico City before setting up a stall in the hustle of Borough Market to serve tacos, from beef short-rib suadero with aged beef fat to morita salsa, chicken asado and cauliflower al pastor with guajillo adobo. You can also find an increasingly famous salsa macha every day until 6pm. tacospadre.com Padella – for pasta Padella’s short menu features handmade, fresh pasta dishes that have become cult classics across London. With a laidback atmosphere and reasonable prices, Padella is the perfect place to escape the tourists at Borough Market (although word has got out about the excellent pasta here, so expect to queue). Showcasing classic Italian techniques, the simple menu is built around slow-cooked sauces and ragus from the owners’ travels around Italy. Traditional pici cacio e pepe, a simple, yet brilliantly executed dish of parmesan, lemon and black pepper is an example of how confident the team are in their products. Padella’s signature dish though, is pappardelle with eight-hour Dexter shin beef ragu, and it’s easy to see why. The succulent flavour of the slow cooked, fall-apart beef combined with the fresh tomatoes and just the right amount of garlic makes the sauce the real hero here. With traditional Italian flavours at the heart of the menu, from Dexter beef carpaccio to bruschetta with baked borlotti beans, there’s plenty to please. Finish off with an espresso, the only coffee Padella serve, or add a shot of grappa or sambuca for a caffe corretto, in true Italian style. padella.co/ Check out more London restaurant guides here: 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
If you want to discover somewhere new at the weekend, we've picked our 15 best day trips from London, all journeying by train and packed with foodie hotspots
No car? No problem. Whether a quick 20-minute hop from London or an extra special trip, a new foodie destination awaits. Eat fish and chips by the seaside in Margate or Brighton, stroll through an English vineyard or explore the famous university towns of Oxford and Cambridge. We've picked the best restaurants, cafés and bars at each day trip destination to keep you fuelled all day long. Read on to discover our best day trips from London by train. For more like this, check out our guide to the best small towns in the UK or the best spa hotels in the UK for a relaxing weekend away. Jump to: Day trips under 1 hour from London Day trips under 2 hours from London 16 best day trips from London by train for foodies Under 1 hour from London St Albans How to get there from London: take a train from St Pancras or Blackfriars, direct trains from 18 minutes, single tickets from £12.20 at Trainline So close to London that it's popular with commuters, St Albans is the easiest day trip from London, with direct trains from St Pancras getting you there in under 20 minutes. That leaves plenty of time to explore this city packed with history, taking in the famous cathedral, Roman wall remains and a walk around the lake in 100-acre Verulamium Park. Pick up huge takeaway banh mi and noodle salads from Taste of Vietnam for a picnic in the park. If it's not picnic weather, head to Lussmans – a sustainable neighbourhood restaurant you'll wish was in your town. The bright, modern space is a reflection of what to expect from the menu – clean, colourful plates of food, smartly presented without pretension. Sweet tooths are spoilt for choice in St Albans. The Waffle House is a 10-minute walk from the city centre in a quaint 16th-century windmill – the prettiest spot to choose a loaded waffle, from savoury options topped with BBQ pork to sweet waffles loaded with everything from chocolate mousse to banana, flapjack and caramel sauce. Darlish, home of Persian ice cream, and the famous The Pudding Stop bakery will complete your sugar high – grab some doughnuts for the journey home. See our full foodie guide to St Albans for more. Reigate How to get there from London: take a train from Victoria or Blackfriars, quick trains from 46 minutes, single tickets from £13.80 at Trainline Reigate has had an influx of foodie establishments in recent years, making it well worth an easy visit for a food-filled day trip. Stop first at Chalk Hills Bakery which makes artisan breads that use traditional long-fermenting methods, each kneaded by hand, including sourdough with potato, rosemary and nigella seeds. For lunch, try Lebnani from chef Jad Youssef. 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. For something quick, 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. Cambridge How to get there from London: take a train from Kings Cross or Liverpool Street, direct trains from 48 minutes, single tickets from £8 at Trainline Head to this famous university town for punting down the river, exploring the many different colleges and climbing the Great St Mary's church tower for views over the city. Detour to Stem & Glory for excellent small sharing vegan plates, while meat-lovers should head to Steak & Honour for must-try burgers. The best gelato in Cambridge can be found at Jack's Gelato – the seasonal, regularly changing menu could include gooseberry sorbet, hazelnut cookie dough or Manuka honey and white miso. Order a scoop and sit on the wall outside King's College for some people-watching. Fitzbillies is a Cambridge institution: stop for afternoon tea or make sure to pick up an eclair for the train home. If you're sticking around for dinner, book a table at Michelin-starred Midsummer House for fine dining or enjoy British classics at slightly more casual Parker's Tavern, a brasserie serving hearty dishes such as fishcakes, truffled eggs on toast and roast suckling pig. Get more recommendations at our full Cambridge foodie guide. Denbies Vineyard How to get there from London: take a train from Victoria Waterloo to Dorking, quick trains from 50 minutes, single tickets from £11 at Trainline Just a 20 minute walk from Dorking Station, a visit to Denbies Vineyard is the ideal day trip for wine lovers. Established in 1986, Denbies offers indoor and outdoor winery tours. The former explores the working winery along with a cellar tasting, while the latter takes you on a 50-minute toy train tour of the vineyard (book the sparkling wine tour to enjoy a glass of bubbly on the train), showing off panoramic views of the North Downs. There are several dining options at the vineyard once you have finished exploring. The smart Gallery restaurant looks over the 265-acre vineyard. Order Sussex confit pork belly with savoy cabbage, pan-fried halibut with roasted romanesco, or, on a Sunday, the Surrey Farm roast beef with rosemary-roasted potatoes. The Conservatory restaurant serves classic afternoon teas, or grab quick refreshments al fresco at The Hatch on The Lawn. See our full guide to the best UK vineyards to visit for more like this. Oxford How to get there from London: take a train from Liverpool Street or Paddington, quick trains from 52 minutes, single tickets from £5.40 at Trainline Another famous university town to tick off your day trip list. Start your day with a coffee at Society Café, a vibrant space that acts as a hub for local creatives. Peruse an open counter laden with squidgy almond croissants, slabs of gooey peanut butter brownies and slices of cinnamon and walnut loaf while you decide on your coffee. All are labelled with tasting notes and made with Origin beans – which you can buy in bags to take away. For food-fuelled exploring, wander down the aisles at Oxford Covered Market, where you can stock up on seasonal produce before heading to Teardrop, a tiny micropub (part of West Oxfordshire Church Hanbrewery) serving cask ales to drink in, as well as local draught and bottled beers to takeaway. Be sure to check out Objects of Use while you’re on Market Street, a treasure trove for cooks, too. For a sit-down meal, cosy Pompette serves French classics with European influences, Spiced Roots is your go-to for Caribbean flair and pretty Cherwell Boathouse is the spot for lunch with a view. If you're visiting at the weekend, The Harcourt Arms does a splendid Sunday lunch. Folkestone How to get there from London: take a train from St Pancras, from 55 minutes, single tickets from £13.10 at Trainline The coastal town of Folkestone in Kent offers a unique blend of creativity, seaside charm, and hidden foodie hotspots which are lesser known than some of its trendy seaside neighbours such as Margate and Rye. The Folkestone Harbour Arm is home to an outdoor array of shipping containers which have been converted into independent food businesses, offering everything from fresh oysters and champagne to global street food, all set against the backdrop of stunning sea views. Highlights include poffertjes (mini Dutch pancakes), and inventive cocktails. If you're going for a day trip with the family, head to Rocksalt for a great family meal, where local produce takes centre stage in dishes like Romney Marsh lamb and Folkestone-caught mackerel. Explore Folkestone's Creative Quarter which brims with live music, tapas, cafés and Kentish beers and wine. In the evening, discover strong and perfectly-formed cocktails at The Potting Shed which will transfer you back-in-time to the vibrant 1920s. Brighton How to get there from London: take a train from Victoria, London Bridge, Clapham Junction or Blackfriars, from 58 minutes, single tickets from £7 at Trainline One of the most popular day trips from London, the trains down to Brighton are guaranteed to be busy should there be a last-minute sunny bank holiday. The foodie scene in this buzzy south coast city is booming, with a diverse range of local independent restaurants making the most of seasonal Sussex produce. Start your day with brunch at Lost in the Lanes (dishes include an indulgent croque monsieur, smoky spiced beans or green eggs with a coriander and jalapeño salsa) – a great base to get lost exploring the independent shops of the Lanes. To fuel your afternoon, pick up a coffee from Loam or pause for a beer on the terrace at Unbarred. At lunch, soak up sea views and choose from an array of stands at the Shelter Hall food hall on Brighton promenade before a stroll along the beach. If you're visiting on a Sunday, join locals for a southern American spin on a British roast at Alberta's. The heated roof terrace at The Flint House is a perfect date night spot for dinner before you head home, or try Med-inspired small plates at Burnt Orange, one of the hottest seats in town. Check out our full guide to the best restaurants in Brighton for lots more recommendations, including where to stay if you decide to make a weekend of it. Under 2 hours Bath How to get there from London: take a train from Paddington, from 1 hour 15 minutes, single tickets from £25 at Trainline From matcha granola to agnolotti with smoked Winchester cheese and craft cocktails, there's a bumper crop of independent places to eat, drink, shop and sleep across this Somerset city (see all our Bath foodie recommendations here). Once you've swum in the rooftop pool at Bath Spa and strolled the length of the famous royal crescent, it's time to tuck in. Go to The Scallop Shell for upmarket fish and chips in an unpretentious setting or be transported to Spain with impeccable tapas at Pintxo. For a memorable meal, book a table at Elder to enjoy wild game and sophisticated Sunday roasts. Dark wood floors, framed hunting paintings and terracotta-coloured leather banquettes add a lavish cosiness to this converted Georgian terrace. For foodie souvenirs to take home, stop at Berdoulat. Over 50 spices from the jar, shelves of small-batch wines and a bakery concession can all be found at this impeccably restored grade II listed food emporium. Order a loose-leaf tea and fresh madeleine from Frome’s Rye Bakery concession and head up to the gallery where cookbooks sit alongside candles and aprons for sale. If you've still got space, hip Landrace Bakery is on a mission to promote high-quality grains grown in the UK and, specifically, the South West, which it stone-grinds locally to produce flours for its cakes and sourdough breads. Save your cinnamon bun for train snacking on the way home. Whitstable How to get there from London: take a train from St Pancras or Victoria, quick trains from 1 hour 18 minutes, single tickets from £11.80 at Trainline The seaside town of Whitstable has plenty to offer foodies, from Michelin-starred gastropubs to long-standing oyster bars and kitsch ice cream parlours. Each July it even hosts a whole festival dedicated to local Whitstable oysters. You've got to have oysters whilst visiting – candy floss pink-fronted Wheelers has been dishing up oysters in its parlour-sized dining room since 1856. Kids will enjoy the classic fish and chips from V.C. Jones. If it's a special occasion, book Michelin-starred gastropub The Sportsman in Seasalter for lunch. Take a taxi out to it for lunch then enjoy a leisurely walk back along the coast to walk off any excess. Bookings need to be made quite far in advance, but it's worth it. Broadstairs How to get there from London: take a train from St Pancras, quick trains from 1 hour 23 minutes, single tickets from £13.20 at Trainline If you've already visited Margate and Whitstable, Broadstairs is an underrated seaside day trip with plenty to offer foodies. Before heading to the beach or harbour, don't miss the Samworth & Mee bistro for comfort food, fresh seafood and excellent breakfasts (the French toast with berries and maple syrup is particularly good). If the crab sandwich with chips is on the menu, order it. As with most places in the area, fish and seafood is provided by local fisherman Jason Llewellyn and his shop, Fruits de Mer along The Broadway (the high street). Stop off here on the way home if you want to take a slice of the seaside home with you. On sunny days, Morelli's is a must-visit for ice cream lovers along the north Kent coast. This branch has been here since 1932 and sells gelato in myriad flavours, from vanilla to pistachio to nocciola. It's not all British seaside classics. Making serious culinary waves is tiny, spartan Stark. As the name suggests, you don’t come here for plush surroundings but for “good food, laid bare” – serving a frequently changing, seasonal, six-course tasting menu. For something more relaxed, Osteria Pizzeria Posillipo has been providing locals with real-deal Italian food (think rustic vibes and charming Italian service) for over 20 years. The decked terrace draws in a lingering summer crowd who are happy to sip wine while grazing on antipasti and watching seagulls on the beach, a stone’s throw away. Moreton-in-Marsh How to get there from London: take a direct train from Paddington, taking 1 hour 25 minutes, single tickets from £14 at Trainline The Cotswolds may feel like an area you can only explore by car, but trains from Paddington to the pretty village of Moreton-in-Marsh (set in the Evenlode Valley, within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) mean it's easy to get a feel of the region as a foodie day trip. The main street is lined with handsome stone buildings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, many of them shops, tea rooms, pubs and places to eat. The main public building is the Redesdale Hall which holds antiques and craft fairs, and there’s a weekly Tuesday street market. When it comes to eating out, Henne is highly regarded by the locals with its inventive and sustainably driven menu using hyper-local produce. If it’s artisan bread and patisserie you’re after, Otis & Belle bakery is exceptional and The Cotswold Cheese Company sells countless local cheeses. Deal How to get there from London: take a train from St Pancras, quick trains from 1 hour 27 minutes, single tickets from £15.10 at Trainline Deal, a once-notorious smugglers’ haven, charms with its Georgian conservation area, shingle beach and thriving food scene. Local gems include award-winning butcher The Black Pig, fourth-generation fishmonger Jenkins and Sons (for seafood and street food) and Middle Street Fish for the best fish and chips (check opening hours, bring cash). Saturday’s Market proffers splendid bakes, with Swedish Buns from Bygga Bo and artisan cakes from Eat and Mess, while historic pubs have become culinary hotspots: The Rose serves Nuno Mendes’ seasonal menus and craft cocktails, The Port Arms serves up Soul Chef’s Caribbean street food, and The Deal Hoy tempts with slow-fermented pizza and negronis. Holy Dough also turns out standout takeaway pies. For provisions, The Merchant of Relish stocks spray-free Kentish produce and more, while Arno & Co offers fancy olives and a fridge of fabulous homemade dishes. Pop Up Café is a go-to for vegetarian brunch, viennoiserie and excellent coffee, while Hut 55 keeps beachgoers happy with flat whites, prawn sandwiches and homemade bakes. 15 minutes from Deal is magnificent Updown Farmhouse: a 17th-century red-brick restaurant with rooms, set in seven stunning acres with a tree-cocooned heated pool. Run by Ruth Leigh and chef husband Oli Brown, it offers gorgeously designed accommodation and, in the vine-draped restaurant, hyper-seasonal menus showcasing Kentish produce drawing on French and Italian techniques. Most recently, the duo have launched 'Bar Vita' on site, a glossy, marble and laquered wood-clad drinking spot inspired by Rome's most glamorous bars, serving up perfectly mixed cocktails and delicious bar snacks. updownfarmhouse.com Margate How to get there from London: take a train from St Pancras or Victoria, quick trains from 1 hour 29 minutes, single tickets from £12 at Trainline This cool coastal town is bursting with foodie hotspots. When you arrive off the train, walk to Forts Cafe, a popular place always bustling with local creatives catching up over some of the best brunch dishes in town. The focaccia sandwiches are legendary on the Margate food scene. For seafood, head to Angela's. Plump Whitstable rock oysters, mussels with cider and garlic, whole roasted plaice and thornback ray with brown butter are just some of the reasons why Angela’s is still in rude health after more than half a century. Ask locals where you can get the best fish and chips in Margate, and they’ll point you in the direction of Peter’s Fish Factory, overlooking the seafront. There will be queues, but the salty, crisp and golden chips, waft of malt vinegar and perfectly cooked cod is more than worth the wait. Follow up with a visit to Oast, a bakery with must-try buns. See our full guide to Margate for lots more recommendations including the best wine bar and Italian picks. Bristol How to get there from London: take a train from Paddington, quick trains from 1 hour 30 minutes, single tickets from £15.40 at Trainline A slightly longer day trip but still doable, a quirky and undeniably Bristolian beat pulses through this city’s food and drink scene that makes it very much worth the journey. Hart's Bakery is conveniently set under the arches at Bristol Temple Meads railway station and the queues snaking out the door tell you all you need to know. Swing by for epic sausage rolls and Saturday bread to rejuvenate you post-train. Take your pick of European classics for lunch: a signature carbonara at Italian Cotto, special Spanish small plates at Paco Tapas or hearty, regional French dishes at littlefrench. For a meal in a memorable location, head to Bristol Lido. Do a few lengths in the restored Victorian pool to sharpen your appetite then enjoy a two-course poolside lunch at the restaurant. Round off the day with a cocktail at Hyde & Co, Bristol’s prohibition-style bar. We recommend a 'Stroll in the Grounds'; Somerset cider brandy shaken with sloe gin and lavender sherbet, topped with Camel Valley fizz. Tisbury How to get there from London: take a train from Waterloo, from 1 hour 46 minutes, single tickets from £13 at Trainline For a true escape to the countryside, visit Tisbury – more village than town, yet still packing a punch with great restaurants – in Wiltshire’s pretty Nadder Valley. On arrival in the morning Genius Coffea, on the High Street, is the first port of call. For sustenance to go with it, continue on to Tisbury Deli where the shelves prop up goodies from croissants to pork pies. Pick up a bottle to go with your supplies from The Beckford Bottle Shop, where you can try-before-you-buy and get expert advice from staff. Pubs in the area are plentiful but few focus on food; the exception is The Beckford Arms where you’ll need to book to get ahead of the locals who come for a Beckford Bloody Mary and stay on for Sunday lunch. It's a destination restaurant worth the journey. Pythouse Kitchen Garden should be on everyone’s radar too; not only for the first-rate restaurant but because the company’s glamping village, tucked away in the orchard, is the perfect place to stay if you're looking to extend your day trip into a weekend away. York How to get there from London: take a train from King's Cross, from 1 hour 53 minutes, single tickets from £19.60 at Trainline This medieval town has always offered plenty to history buffs and café-goers, but a quiet foodie revolution, too, has recently been taking place. Wander down one of York's higgledy-piggledy backstreets and you'll find a new crop of young chefs putting the city's food in the spotlight. Get an early train and head to Partisan for brunch when you arrive. It's simultaneously an impressive bakery – its gorgeous cake counter visible from the street – and, behind that, a vintage styled café and art gallery serving memorable plates of, for example, shakshuka, eggs benedict and seasonal french toast variations. York has many exciting bakeries to keep you fuelled all day – see Little Arras, Flori, the new Heppni Bakeri. Visit Cosgriff & Sons for stellar breads, innovative pastries filled with seasonal jams, custards and crumbles, and a short, daily menu of sandwiches served on a hybrid sourdough focaccia. Visit Cresci for pizza, Spark for street food or Skosh for inventive small plates. For a special occasion, at Michelin-starred Roots, Banks and head chef Will Lockwood blend influences (hyper-seasonal Scandi, modern British, high-end fine dining) in deliciously original ways. More travel guides Best country house hotels in the UK Best health and wellness retreats Best hotels in London Best UK boutique hotels Best hotels in the Cotswolds Best Cornwall hotels Best hotels in the Lake District Best London hotel bars to visit Best romantic hotels in the UK European hidden gems: hotels off the beaten track Best Paris hotels Best Spanish hotels Best Italian hotels Best restaurants with rooms in the UK Best Amsterdam hotels
From picture postcard festive markets to soaking up the sun, these are our picks for the best winter city breaks, for Christmas and beyond
Planning a winter getaway? We've chosen the best winter city breaks to visit this year – from Christmas markets in Berlin and Bordeaux, Scandi-cool in Helsinki and Copenhagen or the chance of some winter sunshine in Jerez or Milan. Plus UK options from Bath to Edinburgh. They're the perfect city breaks to get in the festive spirit, pick up some extra special presents to bring home and make plenty of new food discoveries. We've shared what to do, where to eat and where to stay for the ultimate winter city break. Still need winter holiday inspiration? See our guide to the best ski destinations or the best winter sun destinations for something a little warmer. For more like this, check out our guides to the best UK city breaks and our favourite European hidden gem hotels. Best winter city breaks Lisbon, Portugal Sweet aromas of roast chestnuts fill the air in the Portuguese capital from 11 November (St Martin’s Day). Grab a paper cone and wander the steep, cobbled streets, joining locals in corner kiosks as they shot cherry liqueur (ginja). Warming snacks include O Trevo’s suckling pig rolls and The Bifanas of Afonso’s paprika-laced pork bifana. Get cosy in a taverna for hearty stews and rice dishes or make a reservation for contemporary plates and wine flights at popular Prado. The technicolour designs of Conserveira de Lisboa’s tinned fish make pretty stocking fillers to take home for loved ones, as do pastéis de nata scented lip balms and hand creams from Lisbon beauty brand Benamôr. For more unique gift ideas and festivities, Rossio Square comes to life in December with wooden huts in its Christmas market, as does the old Campo Pequeno bull ring, that hosts exclusively Portuguese artisans between 30 November-4 December. Where to stay: In the ancient Alfama district in cobbled Campo das Cebolas, AlmaLusa Alfama boasts views of the Tagus River. The 25-room boutique hotel breathes life into a mustard yellow 12th-century building, offering friendly service, elegant design and a commitment to Portuguese products (think handwoven blankets, artisan ceramics and Benamôr toiletries). Ground floor Mediterranean-style café bar Delfina is a popular spot for breakfasts of mini custard tarts, local cheese and charcuterie, as well as port-laced cocktails and elevated Portuguese tapas dishes later in the day. Doubles from £198, check availability at booking.com, expedia.co.uk or almalusahotels.com/alfama Milan, Italy Festivities kick off officially in the northern Italian design capital on 7 December with the feast of Sant’Ambrogio. Time your visit over this weekend to join the Italian national holiday, Ponte, when the Christmas markets scattered around the city add extra vibrancy. Twinkling lights and festive window displays make shopping on Via Monte Napoleone particularly magical. Grab an espresso at Marchesi 1824 then build your own Italian gourmet hamper to send home at Pasticceria Cova Montenapoleone 1817 – think panettone, biscotti and pralines. Drink to the season at iconic Camparino in Galleria for a negroni in the shadows of the impressive duomo. The canal district makes pleasant mooching ground before lunch at neighbourhood favourite Trattoria Madonnina – must-order classics include veal Milanese and saffron-laced risotto. Where to stay: The four-bedroom LaFavia guesthouse, an urban hideaway tucked inside a refurbished 19th-century building, takes its inspiration from owners Fabio and Marco’s travels: no two rooms are the same. Start the day with breakfast in the rooftop garden or on a pretty tray delivered to your room – eggs cooked to order, pastries, cakes, bread, homemade jams, fruit and juice squeezed from oranges grown in the owners’ citrus grove. Check rates and availability at lafaviamilano.com Jerez, Spain It’s a wonder that the home of sherry isn’t already a go-to destination at this time of year, considering its sweet, nutty wines are synonymous with Christmas. The city comes alive during the festive season, with flamenco-filled street parties called zambombas. These begin at the start of December until Christmas Eve and are best experienced at Ruta de los Tabancos, where tapas and sherry flow freely, including amontillado served straight from the barrel. Make sure to try the next-level Cádiz-style chicharrón, slow-roasted pork belly seasoned with paprika and lemon juice, served on traditional papel de estraza (brown paper). Peruse Jerez's Mercado Central that bursts with festive treats, including pestiños (honey pastries) and brandy de Jerez, that are perfect for Christmas gifting. Visit Bodegas González Byass – home of the legendary Tío Pepe – where the cooling temperatures bring a more intimate experience for tasting fino, amontillado and palo cortado in the soleras. Head to one of Jerez’s smallest but most revered sherry bodegas, Bodegas Tradición, where you can taste old and rare sherries (including a 1975 oloroso añada) surrounded by masterpieces of Spanish art and ceramics painted by an eight-year-old Picasso. Where to stay: Astuto Boutique is hidden down a cobblestoned side street, where its pool and gardens offer a laid-back haven from the city, with it being fenced by a 12th-century Islamic wall. Its bright, pared-back rooms are intimate yet cosy. But the real gem is hidden on the rooftop, where you can enjoy 360-degree views of the entire old town with live music on the weekends. Doubles from £71, check rates and availability at booking.com, expedia.co.uk or astutoboutique.com Edinburgh, Scotland Britain’s most Christmassy city? It is hard to look past Edinburgh which, around its central Princes Street Gardens, offers shopping galore and diversions, from ice skating to a Hogmanay torchlight procession as part of the city’s winter festival. After that excitement, chill in Edinburgh’s foodie neighbourhoods, such as Stockbridge, Leith or the simmering Southside, around Marchmont and Newington. Bordering the green Meadows and Holyrood Park (home of Arthur’s Seat) and close to the Hermitage of Braid and Blackford Hill nature reserve, the Southside boasts restorative walking country on its doorstep and cultural hotspots – notably, Summerhall Arts and music and comedy venue The Queen’s Hall. Ace places to eat include casual faves such as bakery-café Kate’s, Mara’s Picklery, contemporary sandwich shop Alby’s, and NY-inspired slice joint Sear’s Pizza. Chef-owner Jun Au’s modern Asian venue Pomelo is loved for its cosy warmth, hand-ripped noodles and the vibrant creativity of its sharing dishes. Think roast cauliflower, Cantonese curry and spelt risotto, or scallop carpaccio, gordal olives and chilli crisp. For special occasions, intimate candlelit Condita is a special experience. From the individual hand-drawn menus to specialist ingredients cultivated on its owners’ Borders allotment, Chef Tyler King’s tasting menu takes the Scottish larder on a global tour in detailed dishes awarded a Michelin star in February. Where to stay: Edinburgh's first member of the Design Hotels group is a slick and slender 98-room pad in the city centre that’s topped with a panoramic champagne lounge and terrace. Top and tail your weekend here, with breakfast from the gourmet pantry or the chef’s counter, then return for a glass of fizz and Queenie scallops as the sun sets over Edinburgh’s dramatic skyline. Doubles from £108 per night, check availability at booking.com, mrandmrssmith.com, expedia.co.uk or marketstreethotel.co.uk Berlin, Germany Its boulevards are dotted with designer shops, and when the iconic Kurfürstendamm is dressed to the hilt in Christmas lights, Berlin’s City West district is as glitzy as shopping destinations get. At the fabulous KaDeWe department store the decorations are so bling that they alone would make the visit worthwhile. You’ll also find hip boutiques and design shops in City West, many of them in Bikini Berlin, a concept mall with pop-ups, cafés, bars and food stalls – and Vitra & Artek plying modernist kitchen accessories. Then there’s Käthe Wohlfahrt, Berlin’s largest dedicated Christmas store. Head to the area around Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church for roasted almonds, hot chocolate and mulled wine as you browse the City West Christmas Market, or pop to Markthalle Neun for your pick of food stalls. Where to stay: The Waldorf Astoria Berlin, towers over the city. Enjoy views that reach from the Brandenburg Gate to what was once East Berlin and its iconic TV Tower. Rooms and suites are decorated in peacefully subtle hues, some with balconies. The hotel’s main restaurant, Les Solistes (there are also four other restaurants and bars), is under the direction of Pierre Gagnaire and combines traditional French cooking techniques with local ingredients. Head chef Roel Lintermans' menus include hare served three ways – roast saddle, civet à la royale (stew) and pie with plum paste. Don’t miss the grand dessert, a selection of Gagnaire’s five favourite puds, from coconut milk dotted with tapioca pearls to passion fruit fudge. And, if you’re there over New Year, head upstairs to the hotel’s 15th-floor Library Lounge for views of Berlin’s fireworks. Doubles from £262, check rates and availability at hilton.com or booking.com Read our guide to the best restaurants in Berlin. Bordeaux, France This city’s robust signature dishes, rib-sticking entrecôte cooked in red wine, butter, shallots, herbs and bone marrow sauce, confit duck and lamprey, come into their own in winter, and it’s an excellent place to shop for foodie stocking fillers. Each year, Bordeaux’s Allées de Tourny is transformed into a Christmas market with wooden huts and stalls selling local gifts, many of them food-related. Stock up on canelés from Baillardran, and don’t miss Maison Darricau for handmade chocolates peppered with honey and spices. For dinner, find rustic regional cooking (roast rib of black pig, beautifully pink lamb) and a great local wine list at La Tupina. Where to stay: Twenty minutes’ drive from Bordeaux, Les Sources de Caudalie is the epitome of French country chic. There’s a stone manor house at its heart, a small lake, and a hard-working kitchen garden, plus a hamlet-like extension of suites. Great food and wine are the focus at this gastronomic getaway, but even the finest dining (the hotel’s main restaurant, La Grand’Vigne, holds two Michelin stars) is done without fuss. The newer, cabin-like suites (designed to reflect the oyster fishermen’s huts of Cap Ferret, in the nearby Arcachon Basin), with their whitewashed timber walls, retro-influenced furniture and spa-like bathrooms, are the ones to splash out on; in the evenings you’ll be serenaded by frogs as you return to your room along flower- and water-lined pathways. In the mornings, step onto your private terrace and watch carthorses ploughing the vines just outside. Doubles from £272, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com Bath, England Shop the Christmas market (27 November – 14 December) with more than 170 independent, sustainable retailers offering everything from baked goods to drinks and more. Don't miss the ice skating at Bath on Ice. If you're in Bath for the weekend, start the day at small but thoughtfully formed Landrace Bakery and choose from the counter heaving with fresh-from-the-oven Eccles cakes and cinnamon buns. Stroll up through the stunning Circus crescent to Berdoulat, an impeccably restored grade-II listed food emporium complete with over 50 spices from the jar, shelves of small-batch wines and a concession from Frome’s Rye Bakery. Amble back down into town, via the sweeping grandeur of the Royal Crescent, to browse the market stalls. For lunch, unpretentious The Scallop Shell offers hake in crisp batter with proper ‘chippie’ chips. Around the corner is contemporary tea house Comins Tea, a serene spot to while away an hour or so making your way through its single estate teas. For dinner, try OAK’s exceptional meat-free feast in a little alcove with views of an unseen angle of Bath Abbey. Where to stay: Hotel Indigo is a honey-hued Georgian terrace, a stone’s throw from the markets and city festivities. Unwind after a day out with barrel-aged negronis in The Elder’s cosy rooms, decked with plush red leather stools and panelled walls painted a deep-sea green. Doubles from £107, check rates and availability at booking.com, expedia.co.uk or bath.hotelindigo.com Helsinki, Finland Head to Finland's seaside capital for a winter getaway filled with rye bread, cured fish and street food. At Christmas, the Helsinki Christmas market has more than 100 stalls and a daily visit from Santa Claus. Start your day with voisilmäpulla, a Finnish twist on a cinnamon bun, baked with a knob of butter in the middle with cardamom sugar that melts in the oven. Café Success dates back to 1957 and is the perfect spot to enjoy a comforting bowl of lohikeitto, a creamy salmon soup topped with mountains of fresh dill. Alternatively, go for breakfast and knock back a Finnish coffee and a korvapuusti cinnamon roll. Where to stay: Located majestically amid the design district, the elegant Hotel Lilla Roberts embraces a cosy feel. A wooden fireplace crackles beside a wall of birch logs, and leather chairs are perfectly placed to watch hip passers-by. Bedrooms come with cosy fur blankets, plush rugs on parquet flooring and velvet armchairs in deep plums, mustard yellows and teals. Funky touches such as elephant lamps, zebra print throws and monochrome vases tie in with the glamorous feel, and bathrooms are stocked with Neal’s Yard toiletries. The hotel bar, Bar Lilla E, is a destination in itself for those in the know on Helsinki’s hip cocktail route. The dramatically spot-lit wooden bar (it just happens to sit next to a crackling fire) makes a stylish backdrop to a menu of Nordic-inspired cocktails. Doubles from £145, check rates and availability at booking.com or lillaroberts.com Winchester, England Known for its historic college and cathedral, Winchester and its surrounding villages are becoming something of a culinary hotbed. The cathedral grounds are transformed over the Christmas season, with the Christmas market running from 21 November to 22 December. For hotspots beyond the market, 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. Where to stay: Just a short walk from the house Jane Austen once lived in is The Wykeham Arms, an apparent favourite of Colin Firth and Robert Plant. It’s an 18th century coaching inn with beautiful curved, Georgian bow doors, a cosy but bright bar that’s managed to escape modernisation (we loved the tankards hanging from the ceiling) and a separate dining room decorated with wonky framed photos, Persian rugs, gnarled oak chairs and more tankards. It’s easy to imagine Austen in here, scribbling away by one of the original fireplaces. There are rooms upstairs (including superior doubles with four-poster beds) and it’s a popular place for dinner – book in advance for prettily presented plates of ambitious seasonal food, including tempura oysters with wasabi ice cream; Hampshire ribeye steak; and chicken and pig’s trotter pie with mash and liquor. Doubles from £152, check rates and availability at booking.com or wykehamarmswinchester.co.uk Marrakech, Morocco Souks made for eclectic Christmas gift-buying and usual daytime temperatures of 16-20C make Marrakech an ideal winter getaway. There are plenty of intriguing food stalls to be found among Marrakech’s crowded streets and, after sunset in the main square, Jemaa el-Fna, where pop-up restaurants serve Marrakechi delicacies (sheep’s eyes, anyone?). Fight for a spot on a surrounding roof terrace and watch the stalls set up while you sip a mint tea. At Le Tobsil restaurant in the medina, guests sit on two levels around a courtyard, taking in live gnawa music (blues/Arabic fusion). Book and come hungry for the set menu of aperitifs, endless meze dishes, pastilla, tagine, couscous, fruit, mint tea or coffee, and pastries to finish. In the city’s bakeries, look out for the local special-occasion cake, m’hancha, a coiled ‘snake pastry’ made with almond paste, orange flower water and cinnamon. Take home saffron and spices from the souks, eating street-sellers’ roasted nuts as you go. For something more refined, head to Le Jardin, a courtyard restaurant filled with verdant plants and wildlife – you’ll often find tortoises slowly meandering between tables. Sweet, flakey pigeon pastilla, Moroccan cous cous and whole grilled sardines are must-try dishes. Be sure to book in advance as these tables are highly covetable. Where to stay: Riad Farnatchi is a luxurious, all-suites hotel – and a welcome oasis from the commotion of Marrakech. Five houses were remodelled (and joined together) to create Riad Farnatchi’s ten luxurious suites. All are gathered around two central courtyards, one of which is home to a small swimming pool, one abundant with orange trees, and each with plenty of private nooks to relax in with a mint tea. The 10 suites vary in size but each one blends Moroccan and European styles, with neutral white and stone-coloured walls and eye-catching black and white tiling. Book suite 10 and you’ll also have a walk-in shower, a marble-topped bath and your own roof terrace. There is no minibar, nor tea and coffee-making facilities, but obliging staff are on call to deliver whatever you fancy, often accompanied by traditional sweets or biscuits. Breakfast can be taken anywhere throughout the hotel and includes a menu of eggs alongside fresh fruit and traditional homemade breads. The hotel restaurant Le Trou au Mur offers international dishes alongside refined versions of dishes that would be found in traditional Moroccan homes. Many restaurants in Marrakech are understandably dry, but Le Trou Au Mur is not one of them. Morocco also has a burgeoning wine scene – something the team there has embraced. The menu offers a range of local wines by the glass or bottle, with staff on hand to talk you through the selection. Suites from £298 per night, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com Boston, America Boston delivers a mix of history, culture and charm with a buzzing modern food scene, and is magical in December. Boston is known for oyster bars and one of the oldest and most famous is Union Oyster House. Grab a cosy booth or get right in on the action at the raw bar where expert shuckers will prepare half a dozen to order and pour you pints brewed for the restaurant. Head to Quincy Market Food Colonnade, the largest covered food hall in New England, with 32 stalls selling everything from clam chowder and lobster rolls to pizza, Philly cheesesteaks and enchiladas. Work it off ice-skating on nearby Boston Common under the lights of the famous giant Boston Christmas tree. Where to stay: The boutique XV Beacon hotel is located in a beautiful Beaux Arts building in the redbrick neighbourhood of Beacon Hill. Inside, there’s a serene, old-school glamour with polished wood and tiled floors in the lobby area, and 63 bedrooms luxuriously fitted with cosy, open-flame gas fires, four-poster beds, cashmere throws and crisp Frette linen. Hotel restaurant Mooo is popular with locals as well as guests. It’s all about the steaks (hence the name) with 13 cuts and sizes expertly grilled and served with roast garlic and bone marrow butter, and sides such as whipped potatoes, truffled parmesan fries and Maine lobster mac ‘n’ cheese. Check rates and availability at mrandmrssmith.com or xvbeacon.com Vienna, Austria Head to Vienna for sachertorte, schnitzel and strudel galore. In winter, the palaces throughout the city look extra beautiful lit up on dark evenings with twinkling fairy lights. Christmas markets are found across the city, in the grounds of every palace and square. Spend a long weekend visiting them all, keeping warm with mulled wine and hot, crispy potato pancakes. Another must-try traditional treat perfect for winter indulging is kaiserschmarrn: a thick, shredded pancake with almonds and raisins, flambéed with Austrian rum and served with homemade apple or plum compote. Traditionally made and served in a large pan, it’s the perfect dessert to share in a group, whether in a chalet or fine restaurant. Where to stay: Enter the plush Grand Ferdinand Hotel via its statement lobby (go easy past the life-size horse statue) and check into one of its moodily minimal bedrooms. Then, follow your stomach and either swing up to the Limone restaurant, with its panoramic views over the city, or swerve into the hotel’s dedicated schnitzel joint, Meissl & Schadn. The top-floor Limone sits beside a large terrace and lap pool but we recommend heading up at breakfast and loading your plate with Austrian sausages, pickled fish and typical bakes and eating them from the comfort of a floral-patterned armchair looking out across gilded rooftops, intricate domes and palaces. Doubles from, check rates and availability at booking.com, mrandmrssmith.com or grandferdinand.com Copenhagen, Denmark Experience cosy hygge vibes alongside Copenhagen cool in the Danish capital. Wrap up warm for walks through the colourful Nyhavn district and head to the famous Tivoli Gardens after dark for fairy-lit fairground rides. The Broens ice rink in the heart of the city is surrounded by street food stalls for warming up after a spin. Elsewhere, Meyers Bageri is a must visit for snegls – a take on a cinnamon bun, which is more buttery and topped with thick chocolate. For a weekday brunch, head to the aptly named Granola for a breakfast plate of golden pancakes, muesli, chopped fruit, yogurt, almond cake and whipped chocolate spread. And don’t leave before paying a visit to Lidkoeb – a stylish yet cosy cocktail bar with its own whisky den. Where to stay: For a primer on mid-century Danish design that’s almost as good as a trip to Copenhagen’s Design Museum, book a room at stylish Hotel Alexandra. The hotel owner has curated pieces built in Denmark in the 1950s and ‘60s, so the bedrooms’ wooden floorboards and large windows form the perfect backdrop to a collection of rattan headboards, graphic turquoise armchairs and wooden writing desks. The stylish lobby area doubles up as an all-day hangout, with an honesty bar, complimentary wine hour and a record player ready to play the hotel’s selection of vinyl. In the morning, head down to connected bistro Godtfolk and create your own breakfast wheels from the continental buffet laid out in the conservatory – dill gravadlax, Danish sausages, holey cheeses and slices of seeded, malty rye. Doubles from £108, check rates and availability at booking.com or hotelalexandra.dk Check out our guide to affordable restaurants in Copenhagen here. More travel guides Best ski destinations Best European city breaks Best Morocco food trips Best French food trips Best Spanish food trips Best Portuguese food trips Best European vineyards to visit and stay Best foodie city breaks by train Best Spanish hotels Best Italian hotels Best country house hotels in the UK Best Scottish hotels
Best festive afternoon teas in London 2025
Looking for a festive treat? We’ve found the best spots to take friends and family over the Christmas season, from traditional afternoon tea at The Ritz to afternoon tea with a view from The Shard
Treat loved ones and dine in style over the Christmas season with one of these festive afternoon teas for a Christmas treat. Classic afternoon tea menus of sandwiches, scones and perfect patisserie get a festive makeover at this time of year, from turkey sandwiches and cranberry jam to go with scones, to carefully crafted yule logs, Christmas trees made of cake, savoury mince pies and many more magical discoveries. You're sure to leave full and with a wonderful new Christmas tradition to return to year after year. If you're not after a Christmas theme, check out the best afternoon teas in London and the best across the UK, too. Best festive afternoon teas in London 2025 Hyatt Regency London - The Churchill, Marylebone Known for its travel-themed Flavours of the World afternoon teas, this Christmas, Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill has fittingly chosen Lapland as its destination inspiration for guests. However rather than just a few festively named desserts, the hotel fully embraces a sense of delightful theatricality, transporting guests on board a ‘Montagu Kitchen Airlines’ flight to Lapland. Upon arriving our hostess immediately donned a pillbox air stewardess hat, stamped our boarding pass ‘in-flight menus’ and escorted us to our seats ready for take-off. Our napkins were tied with a chic leather luggage tag, two of our three courses were gorgeously presented in multiple compartments of a suitcase, and champagne was offered upon lift off. Our in-flight menu boasted an array of spiced treats, including a tangy sweet water shrimp tartelette and, my personal favourite, a rich but light brioche roll topped with forest mushroom duxelles and Witheridge cheese. Following this there was the classic, traditional plain and raisin scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam – it was however given an exotic twist by featuring a zesty passion fruit jam, all suitably located in the side compartments of our luggage. Lastly, the main part of our suitcase opened to reveal a vibrant display of sweet, delicate pastries – all appropriately Christmas themed, from a Santa Belly made of an almond financier, gooseberry compote and vanilla crémeux, to Scandinavian favourite, kaffe rulltårta, everything was beautifully light and rich in flavour. Price: Festive afternoon tea from £59pp Address: 30 Portman Square, London W1H 7BH Book festive afternoon tea at Hyatt Regency London - The Churchill here. Corinthia London, Whitehall Corinthia London will be serving its festive afternoon tea in The Crystal Moon Lounge with a selection of festive treats from 14 November-4 January 2026. Relax in the stylish lobby under the glistening chandelier and listen to grand piano playing in the background while you feast on elevated turkey or honey roasted ham sandwiches, followed by scones with both strawberry and blackcurrant jams. Finish with the patisserie, including a black forest bûche de Noël, gingerbread and mandarin cake and pear and Tahitian vanilla choux, to name just a few of the many treats on this classically luxurious menu. Price: Festive afternoon tea from £95pp Mon-Thurs, £105 Fri-Sun, caviar afternoon tea from £150pp. Address: Whitehall Place, Westminster, London SW1A 2BD Book festive afternoon tea at Corinthia London here. The Ritz, Piccadilly The Ritz will be serving its traditional afternoon tea with a fun festive twist from 15 November-3 January 2026, with five sittings per day. Take in the luxurious surroundings while you feast on six different sandwiches (think classic cheddar and chutney, ham and mustard mayonnaise, traditional smoked salmon sandwiches and more), Christmas-inspired British pastries; and choose from over 20 different teas including a bespoke Ritz Christmas spiced tea. Price: £120pp; £79 per child (up to 15 years old), except for Christmas Day which is priced at £135 per adult and £90 per child Address: 150 Piccadilly, London W1J 9BR Book the Ritz Christmas afternoon tea here. Festive afternoon tea by Lily Vanilli, Four Seasons Tower Bridge For a modern take on a a festive afternoon tea, head to Lily Vanilli at the Four Seasons Hotel London Tower Bridge. The Christmas treat is served in the grand setting of the Rotunda Bar, complete with towering Christmas tree at the centre. There's no finger sandwiches here. Instead, the tea kicks off with a range of unique savouries including parmesan gougères, confit potatoes topped with smoked salmon and roe, and gildas with fiery pickled chilli. Even mince pies get a savoury twist, with buttery pastry holding a hearty cheese, cabbage and potato filling. Classic scones are served with clotted cream and blackberry compote. Make sure you save room for the sweet course, which includes mini lemon meringue tarts, and sticky toffee madeleines served with a generous cup of toffee sauce. The highlight is a grand mini chocolate salted caramel cake served on it's very own cake stand, adorned with gold baubles and decorated in Lily Vanilli’s signature style with rich, buttery icing. If you can’t slice into it there and then, the team will box it up for you to take home and savour later. Price: £65 per person Address: Four Seasons Hotel London Tower Bridge, 10 Trinity Square, London, EC3N 4AJ Book the Four Seasons Tower Bridge tea here. oblix at The Shard Nothing starts off a festive afternoon tea like walking through a corridor lined floor to ceiling with sparkling fairy lights. Oblix, on the 32nd floor of The Shard, more than delivers that Christmas feeling. If you can tear your eyes away from panoramic views of London including Tower Bridge, the City and the Walkie Talkie building, then the Oblix tea has been given a Christmas makeover until the 4th January. Start with a plate of sandwiches including coronation chicken, egg mayo with generous amounts of truffle and classic smoked salmon. Cranberry scones are served with raspberry and orange preserve and clotted cream, whilst patisserie includes a Christmas tree carrot cake, festive chocolate bauble and snowflake mont blanc. Price: from £69pp Address: oblix East, Level 32, The Shard, 31 St. Thomas Street, London SE1 9RY Book the oblix festive afternoon tea here. The Savoy, The Strand The festive afternoon tea at The Savoy is available now. You can expect classic sandwiches with a Christmas twist, such as oak-smoked cheddar with plum and ginger chutney, coronation turkey on cranberry bread, and a savoury parsnip and carrot cake. Traditional freshly baked plain and raisin scones come with strawberry jam, lemon curd and clotted cream to accompany festive spiced teas. To finish, enjoy a cluster of seasonal cakes and pastries such as the chocolate and orange log, fruit cake bauble and pistachio and redcurrant tree. Price: Afternoon tea starts at £95pp and £115 with a glass of Nyetimber. Address: Strand, London WC2R 0EZ Book The Savoy afternoon tea here. TĪNG Shangri-La, The Shard TĪNG at the Shangri-La is serving a 'Season of Wonders' afternoon tea until 6 January 2026. The first thing you'll notice are the striking views of London from the heights of The Shard. The stunning scenery makes this trip worth it alone. Then choose from the extensive list of signature teas or add a festive cocktail, mocktail or glass of champagne. The finger sandwiches include coronation chicken, roast beef and truffle egg mayo, while extra savouries include a smoked duck bun with blackberry vinaigrette. Warm scones are served with clotted cream and cranberry jam for full on festivities. Finish with pastries including a 'Festive bauble-choux' and 'Charmed snowy tree'. A vegetarian tea is also available. Price: £89pp, £99 with a glass of champagne. Address: 31 St Thomas Street, London SE1 9QU Book the TĪNG festive afternoon tea here. Fortnum & Mason, The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, Piccadilly Fortnum & Mason serves its seasonal afternoon tea in The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon. For the Christmas tea, you can expect classic sandwiches with a festive twist such as Christmas spiced ham, alongside familiar cucumber or egg mayo. Still-warm scones are served with Somerset clotted cream, strawberry and champagne preserve and orange curd, while cakes and patisserie highlights include a mince tart, mandarin mousse and sticky figgy loaf. Price: £84pp for traditional or vegetarian afternoon tea with a pot of Fortnum’s Tea Address: 181 Piccadilly, St James's, London W1A 1ER. Book the Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea here. The Carlton Tower Jumeirah, Knightsbridge This festive afternoon tea served at The Carlton Tower Jumeirah until 11 January 2026 is inspired by Cadogan Gardens. It's perfect for a spot of indulgence after a shopping trip. Cosy up in their dedicated tearoom, complete with a warming fire and pastry counter. Start with a selection of sandwiches and savouries including a truffle beignet, lobster tartelette and Norfolk turkey sandwich. Expect the unexpected with the 'Scones Experience', with four different flavours of scones to enjoy. After a quince lollipop palate cleanser, the pastries to finish include a pear tart, chocolate pecan tree and apple bread pudding. The tea is accompanied by a selection of JING teas, chosen for flavour and wellness benefits. £1 from every tea is donated to The Felix Project. Price: from £85pp Address: The Carlton Tower Jumeirah, 1 Cadogan Pl, London SW1X 9PY Book festive afternoon tea at The Carlton tower here. Related reviews and recipes Best afternoon teas in London Best afternoon teas in the UK Best afternoon tea recipes
Best Christmas foodie hampers to buy 2025
Whether you want to stock your cupboards with treats or need a gift for the foodie in your life, these are the most indulgent hampers to buy
Looking for the best Christmas hamper to treat a lucky loved one? Whether you're looking for the ultimate cheese box, a wicker basket full of sweet and savoury treats, we've gathered the best Christmas foodie hampers to buy this year, whether as a treat for yourself or friends and family. Looking for more gifting inspiration? If you've got someone specific to buy for try our specially tailored gift guides for beer enthusiasts, coffee lovers and gin fans. If you fancy making your own gifts this year, we've gathered our best edible gift recipes for delicious homemade presents. Read on for our picks of the best gourmet food hampers for Christmas. Best Christmas foodie hampers to buy at a glance Best unique produce hamper: The Flavours of Oldstead Hamper, £190 Best luxury Christmas hamper: Daylesford Organic 12 Days of Christmas Hamper, £130 Best luxury artisan hamper: The Osip Christmas hamper, £165 Best Spanish hamper: Brindisa Indulgence Hamper, £165 Best Christmas breakfast hamper: Ginger Pig Butcher’s Champagne Breakfast Box, £78 Best afternoon tea hamper: British Hamper Company afternoon tea gift basket, £63.97 Best hamper for cider lovers: DukesHill Whisky Cask Cider Savoury Hamper, £85 Best Cornish hamper: The Fruit Scone Cream Tea Hamper, £23.95 Best hamper for keen gardeners: Petersham Nurseries Gardening Hamper, £95 Best for Chinese cooking: Poon’s Heritage Hamper, £70 Best Christmas cheese hamper: Paxton & Whitfield 12 Days of Christmas Cheese Hamper, £85 Best Christmas foodie hampers to buy 2025 The Flavours of Oldstead Food Hamper Available from Made in Oldstead (£190) Best unique produce hamper A unique hamper with handmade products featuring seasonal ingredients grown and foraged by Tommy Banks and his team in North Yorkshire, this will keep someone going with delicious treats throughout the festive season. As well as a tomato leaf and lemon verbena candle, there are a selection of seasonal British cheeses like Young Buck, jars of spruce tip honey and red onion chutney, salami, Yorkshire lomo and classics such as beerglazed ham and chicken liver parfait, as well as a homemade beef shin ragu. Available from: Made in Oldstead (£190) Daylesford Organic 12 Days of Christmas Hamper Available from Daylesford Organic (£130) Best luxury Christmas hamper A selection of 12 festive treats to enjoy in the run-up to the big day including sweet and savoury snacks, a log fire candle, Christmas cocktail and the bestselling rosé frizzante sparkling wine. Available from: Daylesford Organic (£130) The Osip Christmas Hamper Available from Maison Osip (£165) Best luxury artisan hamper This hamper delivers a taste of gourmet luxury. A celebration of local producers and artisans from Maison Osip, it is a carefully curated selection of festive treats. The centrepiece is a hefty Christmas pudding, arriving in a ceramic bowl to reuse year after year. There's a wedge of Westcombe cheddar for festive cheeseboards, a bottle of English sparkling wine and a bottled fig leaf negroni – a chic twist on the classic cocktail. Coffee, chocolate from Pump Street Bakery and a tote bag round out the wicker hamper. It's expensive, but each item has been carefully chosen for quality. Available from: Maison Osip (£165) Brindisa Indulgence Hamper Available from Brindisa (£165) Best Spanish hamper Jam-packed with a wealth of luxury Spanish food gifts, from La Solana truffled cheese to Amatller white chocolate coated marcona almonds. The contents would all make brilliant snacks for a gourmet Christmas drinks party. Available from: Brindisa (£165) Ginger Pig Butcher’s Champagne Breakfast Box Available from The Ginger Pig (£78) Best Christmas breakfast hamper Create a festive breakfast of champions with thick-cut streaky and back bacon, sausages and black pudding, homemade rhubarb and blood orange jams, and tomato sauce, all served with a chilled glass of champagne. Available from: The Ginger Pig (£78) British Hamper Company afternoon tea basket Available from British Hamper Company (£63.97) Best afternoon tea hamper This smart hamper from British Hamper Company, delivered in a wicker basket and with every item in signature navy and red packaging, would make a great classic gift for someone with a sweet tooth. There's tins of earl grey and English breakfast tea, a dark and rich fruit cake loaded with nuts and cherries, a jar of strawberry jam and two boxes of biscuits – buttery shortbread or, our favourite, crunchy stem ginger cookies, that are perfect with a cup of tea. It is traditional classics done well for a simple sharing hamper. A personalised gift message can be added to the delivery. Available from: British Hamper Company (£63.97) DukesHill Whisky Cask Cider Savoury Hamper Available from DukesHill (£85) Best hamper for cider lovers Cider fans will love this sumptuous hamper. Inside, discover three bottles of Dukeshill’s rich and warming cider aged in whisky, accompanied by Isle of Mull cheddar and a lavish selection of sliced charcuterie including pastrami, bresaola, lomo and porchetta, plus accompaniments like fig chutney and multi-seed crackers. Available from: DukesHill (£85) The Fruit Scone Cream Tea Hamper Available from Not on the High Street (£23.95) Best Cornish hamper For a taste of the Cornish countryside, this hamper contains everything you need for the perfect Cornish afternoon tea (that's jam then cream). As well as freshly baked scones for four you'll find Rodda's clotted cream, strawberry jam, Cornish tea and two flavours of biscuit. Available from: Not on the High Street (£23.95) Petersham Nurseries Gardening Hamper Available from Petersham Nurseries (£95) Best hamper for keen gardeners A great gift for budding kitchen gardeners that includes a hand trowel and fork, herb and heirloom veg seed collections, and a smart pair of Niwaki gloves. Available from: Petersham Nurseries (£95) Poon’s Heritage Hamper Available from Poon's Pantry (£70) Best for Chinese cooking A striking red box with signature Poon’s artwork, this brings together Bill Poon’s wind-dried meats made from a traditional family recipe with daughter Amy Poon’s signature chilli oil and WO sauce. Available from: Poon's Pantry (£70) Paxton & Whitfield 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' Hamper Available from Paxton & Whitfield (£85) Best Christmas cheese hamper Because Christmas isn't complete without a good selection of cheese. This hamper is a true celebration of artisan cheese and luxurious accompaniments. It includes rich Cropwell Bishop stilton, creamy Aldwych and bakeable Celtic Soft, plus sea salt fudge, Taylors LBV port, spicy chutneys and crispbreads. Available from: Paxton & Whitfield (£85) Related reviews Best baking gifts Best cheese gifts Best vegan hampers and gifts Best advent calendars Best coffee advent calendars Best alcohol advent calendars Best Italian cookbooks Best gifts for cheese lovers Best gifts for foodies Best tea advent calendars Best matcha tea powders
The festive tablescape buys we're dreaming of this Christmas
From bold table runners to chic cheeseboards, this is everything you need to decorate your Christmas table with this year
Entertaining at Christmas isn’t just about what you serve – it’s how you set the scene. The festive season is the time to lean into some fun tablescaping and make every meal feel extra special, turning even the simplest feast into a memorable occasion. From hand-glazed serving platters to quirky glassware and beautifully crafted linens, we’ve rounded up 10 standout pieces that elevate your festive table with effortless style. Plus, we've included some products you'll be able to use all year round, to get the most out of what you buy. They're too pretty to be in a cupboard for the rest of the year! Tartan stoneware platter Available from Anthropologie (£48) A statement platter is an essential for a Christmas table. We fell in love with the colourful tartan border and pink centre of this glazed stoneware dish. Whether you arrange dainty canapés on it, pile it high with roast potatoes or lay a Yule log down the middle, it is going to instantly make your food stand out. You'll be reaching for it long after the festive season is over. Available from: Anthropologie (£48) White marble cheeseboard with cutlery Available from What a Host (£76.49) It's always worth saving room for cheese at Christmas, and this chic cheeseboard set lets you serve up in style. Made from solid white marble, it will keep your cheeses cool – it would also be great for a charcuterie board, or serving up Christmas leftover cold cuts. The gold cheese knives add that extra festive touch. Available from: What a Host (£76.49) Pearl bow napkin rings Available from M&S (£15, set of 4) Combining two trending interiors themes, pearls and bows, these elegant napkin rings are an irresistible extra touch to add to your Christmas tablescape. Available from: M&S (£15, set of 4) Festive bow cake plates Available from La Redoute (£26.25, set of 4) There's nothing we'd rather serve our Christmas cake on than these festive bow plates from Eleanor Bowmer. They add a delightfully kitsch pop of colour to your celebrations with individual hand-illustrated designs on each. Plus, they're not too obviously 'Christmas', meaning you can use them for birthdays and celebrations all year round. Available from: La Redoute (£26.25, set of 4) Bold stripe table runner Available from Avery Row (£45) We've already shared our love of the cherry red trend in interiors this winter. So this vibrant red and pink table runner is right up our street, and a brilliant way to embrace the trend and make a statement on your festive table this year. It's made from 100% organic cotton, with delicate dark green bow embroidery – designed to be used year after year. Oven gloves in the same striking print are also available. Available from: Avery Row (£45) Holiday juice glass Available from Anthropologie (£14) Christmas tableware isn't just for parties or Christmas lunch. This sweet juice glass will get you in the festive spirit at breakfast every morning throughout December. We love the dainty Christmas tree design, but there are also Father Christmas and gingerbread designs available too. They'd be perfect for leaving a drink out on Christmas Eve... Available from: Anthropologie (£14) Mistletoe embroidered napkins Available from The White Company (£35, set of 4) We might not be ones to use napkins all year round, but at Christmas they just elevate the entertaining experience. These thick linen and cotton blend napkins from The White Company add a touch of luxury to your table, with a subtle embroidered mistletoe motif. Available from: The White Company (£35, set of 4) Meri Meri candy cane taper candles Available from Monsoon (£18, set of 2) Every Christmas table needs some twinkling candles to set the scene. These candy cane taper candles add a playful addition to a tablescape – there's also a sweet holly-decorated edition to choose too. Available from: Monsoon (£18, set of 2) Beaded bow coasters Available from Dunelm (£10, set of 4) A must-have for any festive drinks party. Bring the glitz and glam with these beaded coasters in a range of vibrant colours. Protecting your surfaces has never looked so fun! Available from: Dunelm (£10, set of 4) Candy cane serving bowl Available from M&S (£12) You can put this versatile serving bowl to good use over the festive season. Use it as a mixing bowl when you make Christmas cake or festive bakes, fill it with popcorn for eating in front of a Christmas movie, or pile high with roasties, salad or any of your Christmas trimmings on the dinner table. Available from: M&S (£12) More like this Cherry-coded Christmas: the red-hot trend taking over Christmas Best chocolate gifts Best coffee gifts Best baking gifts
Best alcohol Advent calendars to buy 2025
From high-end whiskies to exclusive craft beers, the countdown to Christmas has never been more fun. Here are our best alcohol Advent calendars to buy this year
The beauty of a boozy Advent calendar (aside from the obvious) is that it’s a great way to try lots of different drinks without having to commit to the expense of larger bottles. We’ve got all bases covered here – from flavoured G&Ts to spiced rum and craft beers, so get sampling! Still looking for Advent calendar inspiration? Check out our picks of the best coffee Advent calendars, best tea Advent calendars and best Advent calendars for foodies for plenty more ideas. Best alcohol Advent calendars to buy 2025 Craft Gin Advent calendar Available from Craft Gin Club (£95) Craft Gin Club's calendar features 25 different double measure servings to open all month long, including seven mystery spirits. It's impressively compact and although the cardboard design doesn't feel excessively luxe, you could definitely refill the satisfying-to-open boxes year after year. Alongside larger brands such as Salcombe, it's a great way to discover small craft distilleries from across the UK, with unique gins without novelty flavours. Available from: Craft Gin Club (£89.99) MOTH cocktail Advent calendar Available from MOTH (£79) If a well-mixed cocktail is your drink order of choice, then this is the alcohol Advent calendar for you. The design is minimalist monochrome on the outside but each door hides a colourful cocktail can. The calendar contains nine of MOTH's most popular flavours, so there's enough variety to not feel repetitive, while still getting a couple of each of your favourites. Cocktails include a negroni, margarita and paloma. Available from: MOTH (£79) Drinks by the Dram rum Advent calendar Available from Master of Malt (£124.95) An alcohol Advent calendar is a great way to explore the complexities of a single spirit – and this rum calendar from Drinks by the Dram does just that. Any rum lover will enjoy the chance to deep dive into this journey of discovery of 25 different wax-sealed rums sourced from around the world. For an even more specific experience, a spiced rum calendar is available, and also more affordable. Available from: Master of Malt (£124.95) Laithwaites Wine Advent calendar Available from Laithwaites (£99.99) We were impressed with the value for money that this calendar offers, with 23 different 187ml bottles, plus a full bottle of prosecco to open up on Christmas Eve. What’s not to love? There are three different Laithwaites wine calendars to choose between depending on your preferred wine: a mix of red and whites, all reds or all whites. We'd go for the mixture, to try a bit of everything. The extra festive design this year gets bonus points too. Available from: Laithwaites (£99.99) Drinks by the Dram Bourbon & American Whiskey Calendar Available from Master of Malt (£134.95) If you thought that American whiskey began and ended with bourbon, think again. Drinks by the Dram has brilliant Advent calendars for spirits, and this one does not disappoint. Featuring 25 wax-sealed 30ml drams, embark on a journey of discovery across the USA, covering a variety of styles and plenty of top brands and distilleries, including Bulleit, Michter’s, Maker’s Mark and FEW. Available from: Master of Malt (£134.95) Fever-Tree gin & tonic Advent calendar Available from Ocado (£70) Gin and tonic lovers, this is the calendar for you. Posh tonic water expert Fever-Tree has supplied everything you need for a G&T-fuelled December, with 12 x 50ml of craft gin and 12 cans of Fever-Tree tonic and mixers (from classic Mediterranean to festive clementine). Mix and match to create your favourite pairings. It's a balanced way to approach an alcohol Advent calendar and the quality of gins inside is high. Available from: Ocado (£70) Brewdog craft beer Advent calendar Available from Brewdog (£64.99) One of the more affordable alcohol Advent calendars, this is perfect for the beer fanatic. Inside the giant box you'll find 24 full-sized cans of beer, plus a Brewdog glass to drink from all month long. There are no repeats which means you get to try a great variety of styles, from hoppy IPAs to rich stout. Available from: Brewdog (£64.99) That Boutique-y Gin Company Advent calendar Available from Master of Malt (£59.95) If you're a gin lover in search of wacky and innovative flavours then this is the calendar for you. This collaboration between That Boutique-y Gin Company and Drinks by the Dram features 24 x 30ml wax-sealed drams of an eclectic array of gins – we're talking everything from festive gin liqueurs to cherry-flavoured spirits. Our favourite is the spit-roasted pineapple. Available from: Master of Malt (£59.95) Whitebox Cocktails classic Advent calendar Available from Selfridges (£110) Another great cocktail Advent calendar option. These single-serve, full-strength cocktails are perfect for December party season, with an impressive 10 varieties inside. There's the familiar negroni, cosmopolitan and espresso martini as well as flavours less commonly found in canned form, such as a boulevardier and dirty martini. Available from: Selfridges (£110) Drinks by the Dram Scotch whisky Advent calendar Available from Master of Malt (£134.95) This luxury alcohol Advent calendar feels special from the moment you unbox its smart navy blue box. Inside are 25 samples of whisky from all across Scotland, introducing you to the varied styles across the country, including multiple impressive 15-year-old varieties. It's an investment but there's plenty in here to keep you sipping into January. Available from: Master of Malt (£134.95) Related reviews The best coffee Advent calendars The best Advent calendars for foodies Best champagne gifts for champagne lovers Best wine gifts Best beer gifts Best gin gifts Best whisky gifts
Best foodie Advent calendars for Christmas 2025
Help build up the excitement to the big day with these indulgent foodie Advent calendars, whether you’re after a daily dram of whisky or chocolate truffle.
Looking for the best foodie Advent calendar or a new chocolate Advent calendar to enjoy this year? We've chosen our favourite calendars from those available, and there's sure to be something for everyone. In the world of chocolate calendars alone, you can take your pick from truffles, pralines, mini bars and more. Alternatively, treat yourself to a decadent whisky or hot sauce calendar might be a new favourite for those who prefer savoury over sweet. Read on to discover the best Advent calendars to buy this year. For more inspiration, see our round-ups of the best alcohol Advent calendars, the best coffee Advent calendars and best tea Advent calendars. Once your Advent calendar is sorted, check out our best gifts for coffee lovers, best beer gifts or gin gifts for gifting inspiration. Best foodie Advent calendars to buy 2025 Chococo classic Advent calendar Available from Chococo (£37.50) A classic chocolate Advent calendar gets a serious upgrade with this Chococo option – redesigned this year as a full calendar, not just a selection box. Every day includes a different handmade truffle or chocolate, all intricately designed and multi-layered. There are plenty of festive flavours and new chocolates to discover this year, including 'Purely Pistachio' and earl grey tea, alongside fruity, boozy and caramel chocolates. The sea salt caramel and marzipan are two of our favourites. A plant-based version is also available for vegans. Available from: Chococo (£37.50) Hotel Chocolat The Grand Advent calendar Available from Hotel Chocolat (£80) Go all-out with a luxury chocolate Advent calendar from Hotel Chocolat. It's a reliable luxury chocolate calendar choice every year. There's more than just a single square behind each door – in this giant calendar, you'll find a whole range of chocolate treats, from truffles and chocolate penguins to hot chocolate and even minis of the famous Hotel Chocolat Velvetised creams. Available from: Hotel Chocolat (£80) The Cartwright and Butler Advent calendar Available from Cartwright & Butler (£200) For a truly decadent Christmas, you can’t top this luxury offering from Cartwright & Butler. The mammoth calendar is filled with full-sized products, including plenty of biscuits, plus cake, marmalade, sweets, hot chocolate and much more. A Christmas hamper in calendar form – you’ll just need a good place to display it! Available from: Cartwright & Butler (£200) Grind coffee pod Advent calendar Available from Grind (£29.95) Your morning coffee just got a fun makeover for December with this stylish coffee pod Advent calendar. The fun Where's Wally-style design is filled with 16 different coffee pod flavours (more variety than last year), plus two pods to share on Christmas Day in the limited-edition Christmas blend. The pods are Nespresso-compatible and compostable. For more like this, check out our full round-up of the best coffee Advent calendars. Available from: Grind (£29.95) Chilli No.5 hot sauce Advent calendar Available from Not on the High Street (£135) Credit: Chilli No.5 Who says all Advent calendars have to be sweet? This hot sauce Advent calendar is a fun new launch this year, and a great luxury choice if you're looking for a more savoury calendar. Inside the double-door design are 24 different hot sauces in a huge variety of styles, from chimichurri and harissa to spicy ketchup and sriracha. We love the presentation, in quirky test tubes and miniature bottles that offer just enough to try each flavour without getting overwhelmed – plus, you get a full 100ml bottle on Christmas Eve. Available from: Not on the High Street (£135) Marks & Spencer 25 Days of Treats Advent calendar Available from Ocado (£12) A chocolate Advent calendar is a classic, and we like this fun upgrade on the theme from M&S, back again after being very popular last year. There is a variety of chocolate treats hidden inside, including peanut butter chunks, milk chocolate mini whips and blonde fudge bites. The calendar goes all the way up to Christmas Day, when you'll open up a full-size bag of giant milk chocolate buttons to share. Available from: Ocado (£12) Venchi chocolate Advent calendar Available from Venchi (£58), Amazon (£58) We couldn't stop playing with this Advent calendar when it arrived: the compact column design unfurls into an extremely satisfying and clever interlocking drawer design. It's definitely one you could reuse and refill another year, with no branding on the inside. The drawers are filled with a variety of Venchi's popular chocolates and pralines – there are even a couple of days where you get two to try. It's expensive, but the quality feels worth it, especially if you repurpose it later. Available from: Venchi (£58) Amazon (£58) The world whisky Advent calendar Available from Master of Malt (£134.95) Get in the festive spirit with 24 drams of whisky from around the world, each presented in a wax-sealed bottle. The selection is a great way for a whisky lover to discover a new favourite tipple from top distilleries. For more like this, check out our full round-up of the best alcohol Advent calendars to buy this year. Available from: Master of Malt (£134.95) Daylesford Organic farm shop Advent calendar Available from Daylesford Organic (£275) For the ultimate decadent Christmas, this beautiful Daylesford Organic calendar could easily replace a Christmas hamper. We were impressed by the generous size of products within, as well as the variety, from plenty of food and drink (we love the mini Christmas cake!) to embroidered napkins, a tea towel and Christmas decorations. The impressive design – illustrated by artist Hugo Guinness – could be refilled year after year. Available from: Daylesford Organic (£275) Bonne Maman Advent calendar Available from Amazon (£33.99), Ocado (£28), Selfridges (£34.99), Bonne Maman (£33) A perfect Advent calendar to brighten up your mornings. Open each door of this Bonne Maman Advent calendar to discover an adorable mini jar of jam. Going beyond the familiar flavours available in the supermarket, this is your chance to try exclusive or unique flavours, including fig with cardamom, mango and ginger or cherry with violet leaf. There's also mini chocolate spreads and caramels hidden inside. If you purchase via Bonne Maman direct, you'll also receive a jar of its hazelnut chocolate spread. Available from: Amazon (£33.99) Ocado (£28) Selfridges (£34.99) Bonne Maman (£33) Tony’s Chocolonely countdown calendar Available from Waitrose (£15), Amazon (£15), John Lewis (£15) This giant calendar contains 24 ‘Tiny Tony’s’ in ten of Tony’s classic flavours, including milk, dark and white chocolates. The inner door is printed with tiny missions, tying in with Tony’s ethical principles and commitment to eliminating slavery in chocolate production. Read these carefully, as there is one controversial day when you won't get any chocolate... Available from: Waitrose (£15) Amazon (£15) John Lewis (£15) Craft Gin Club Advent calendar Available from Craft Gin Club (£95) This is a great pick from the world of alcohol Advent calendars. From the Craft Gin Club, this compact calendar full of miniatures is a smart way to discover quality new distilleries and smaller brands from across the UK. It's low on novelty flavours, focusing on craft gins with just a few seasonal specials. Available from: Craft Gin Club (£95) Montezuma's organic milk chocolate Advent calendar Available from Abel & Cole (£15.75), Ocado (£18), Montezuma's (£18) The Montezuma’s calendar hasn’t changed design since 2024, but it's a great option if you want a good-quality, simple chocolate Advent calendar without breaking the bank. It’s a simple festive calendar, with 25 doors of plain milk chocolate – no variety, but the creamy, organic chocolate is a joy each day. Available from: Abel & Cole (£15.75) Ocado (£18) Montezuma's (£18) Fortnum & Mason feasting Advent calendar Available from Fortnum & Mason (£250) Another luxury Advent calendar choice that is perfect for traditionalists at Christmas. This gorgeous colourful Advent calendar would be a pleasure to display in December, with the inside of the double doors illustrated to look like the inside of Fortnum’s – it truly makes you feel like you're stepping into a department store each day. Each drawer showcases the best of the Fortnum & Mason food hall, and there's impressive variety across the month. You'll find sweet items with biscuits and hot chocolate, savoury items including chutney and olive oil, plus several boozy treats, including a mini bottle of champagne on Christmas Eve. Available from: Fortnum & Mason (£250) Popcorn Shed gourmet popcorn Advent calendar Available from Popcorn Shed (£25), Not on the High Street (£27.99), Amazon (£27.99) If you're looking for an alternative sweet Advent calendar, this could be a pick for you. This popcorn calendar is one of our favourite Advent calendar designs this year: it's festive, colourful and large, without being OTT. The 12 flavours inside have impressive variety, so you won't get bored – from pumpkin spice to the Great Taste Award-winning ‘Berry Licious’ and salted caramel. Available from: Popcorn Shed (£25) Not on the High Street (£27.99) Amazon (£27.99) Related reviews Best coffee advent calendars Best boozy advent calendars Best Christmas foodie baubles Best Christmas hampers to buy Best cheese gifts
From the markets and riads of Marrakech to the wild coastline at Essaouira, these are the best places to visit in Morocco for foodies
Planning a trip to Morrocco? Explore the markets of Marrakech, discover Berber traditions in the Atlas Mountains and fresh seafood on the coast at Essaouira – these are our top picks of the best Moroccan trips for foodies, with recommendations of where to eat in each spot along with the best places to stay. For more like this, check out our suggestions for the best French food trips and Portuguese food trips. Fez For medina life Fez's old medina is the heart of social life for locals, where they meet friends for tea or coffee and to buy spices, fresh fruit and veg, incense and traditional dresses for Eid. Explore the winding, shaded streets then nab an outdoor table at Café Al Oud to watch the world go by over the signature lamb tagine. Afterwards, climb the steep, narrow stone steps Abdullah Thé & Café where 81-year-old Ba Abdullah has been serving his signature mint tea since 1969. If you want a guide, join a Fez Cooking School class. Meet your chef and guide over tea at Palais Amani before venturing into the heart of the medina to shop for veg, olives and spices, snack on traditional treats and chat to local merchants. Learn how to make a three-course Moroccan meal back on the rooftop, then enjoy it in the peaceful courtyard with new friends. Come evening, relax on the higgledy-piggledy rooftop of Cafe Clock, offering mountain and medina views as well as cheese briouats, hearty rfissa and mint lemonade with the backdrop of live Arab and oud music. Where to stay: Step in from the hustle and bustle of Fez’s old medina to peaceful riad, Palais Amani, centred around a courtyard abundant with orange trees, shaded tables and chairs, and trickling fountains. Look out for Ba Mohammed perched on his cushion ready to serve traditional mint tea. The rooftop is a haven of cushioned relaxation areas set among terracotta pots of peach bougainvillea, olive trees and rose bushes. On-site restaurant Eden serves traditional Moroccan cuisine such as slow-cooked aubergine zaalouk, pastilla stuffed with cinnamon-spiced chicken and nuts, lamb tagine and vegetable couscous. Breakfast platters of colourful bowls filled with jams, olives, herbed cottage cheese and olive oil accompany silver pots of tea and a daily rotating Moroccan soup served with warm, fennel-flecked flatbreads. Stained-glass windows adorn the bedrooms along with intricate bedheads, handwoven rugs and dark wood cabinets. Hotel luxuries are all sourced in Morocco, from Sultan herbal teas to essential oil bath products. Extend the pampering experience and pad down to the hammam for a sensory experience of hot water, steam, scrubbing and massaging, leaving you feeling as clean as you will ever be. Doubles from £172, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com Marrakech For bustling markets Explore the bustling markets and food stalls of energetic Marrakech. Visit in winter for eclectic Christmas gift-buying from souks and usual daytime temperatures of 16-20C. There are plenty of intriguing food stalls to be found among Marrakech’s crowded streets and, after sunset in the main square, Jemaa el-Fna, where pop-up restaurants serve Marrakechi delicacies (sheep’s eyes, anyone?). Fight for a spot on a surrounding roof terrace and watch the stalls set up while you sip a mint tea. At Le Tobsil restaurant in the medina, guests sit on two levels around a courtyard, taking in live gnawa music (blues/Arabic fusion). Book and come hungry for the set menu of aperitifs, endless meze dishes, pastilla, tagine, couscous, fruit, mint tea or coffee, and pastries to finish. In the city’s bakeries, look out for the local special-occasion cake, m’hancha, a coiled ‘snake pastry’ made with almond paste, orange flower water and cinnamon. Take home saffron and spices from the souks, eating street-sellers’ roasted nuts as you go. For something more refined, head to Le Jardin, a courtyard restaurant filled with verdant plants and wildlife – you’ll often find tortoises slowly meandering between tables. Sweet, flakey pigeon pastilla, Moroccan cous cous and whole grilled sardines are must-try dishes. Be sure to book in advance as these tables are highly covetable. Where to stay: Riad Farnatchi is a luxurious, all-suites hotel – and a welcome oasis from the commotion of Marrakech. Five houses were remodelled (and joined together) to create Riad Farnatichi’s ten luxurious suites. All are gathered around two central courtyards, one of which is home to a small swimming pool, one abundant with orange trees, and each with plenty of private nooks to relax in with a mint tea. The 10 suites vary in size but each one blends Moroccan and European styles, with neutral white and stone-coloured walls and eye-catching black and white tiling. Book suite 10 and you’ll also have a walk-in shower, a marble-topped bath and your own roof terrace. There is no minibar, nor tea and coffee-making facilities, but obliging staff are on call to deliver whatever you fancy, often accompanied by traditional sweets or biscuits. Breakfast can be taken anywhere throughout the hotel and includes a menu of eggs alongside fresh fruit and traditional homemade breads. The hotel restaurant Le Trou au Mur offers international dishes alongside refined versions of dishes that would be found in traditional Moroccan homes. Many restaurants in Marrakech are understandably dry, but Le Trou Au Mur is not one of them. Morocco also has a burgeoning wine scene – something the team there has embraced. The menu offers a range of local wines by the glass or bottle, with staff on hand to talk you through the selection. Suites from £298 per night, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com Essaouira For a coastal break Essaouira, on Morocco’s often-blustery west coast, pulls in kite surfers from across the world, along with free-thinking expats on the trail of Jimi Hendrix and tourists looking for a bargain in the souks of the town’s bustling medina. Meander through narrow streets, past hole-in-the-wall boutiques and carts flogging fresh bread, and barter for souvenirs in the souks before ducking in to one of Essaouira’s restaurants for tagines and hearty salads. Queue up with locals to grab a pain au chocolat from Patisserie Driss, a small bakery founded in 1928, or duck through an arch to the adjoining tiled café for a nous nous (half espresso, half steamed milk) and a sticky bun. For a quick lunch, head to the port and the gargottes stalls that sell flash-fried sardine sandwiches fresh from blue wooden fishing boats. Try a Moroccan cooking class at Khadija’s Kuzina, where a husband-and-wife duo welcome you into their traditional home, to teach you how to prepare sweet fish tagine, couscous tfaya, homemade batbout and briwat, puff pastry parcels filled with spiced vegetables. The day kicks off with a visit the medina beforehand with Hussein, who’ll guide you to the bustling fish market to select fresh ingredients for your feast. Morocco may be a largely Muslim country but it has a long history of winemaking. Essaouira boasts some top-notch wines and even an award-winning vineyard to visit, Val d’Argan. Where to stay: At peaceful boutique escape Kasbah d'Eau, down the Atlantic coast, surfers, camels and donkeys share the beach. Kasbah d’Eau blends laid-back Berber hospitality with slow coastal living. Interiors fuse hand-carved woodwork and earthy tones across a traditional hammam, a beach-front infinity pool and serene shared spaces, ideal for a signature sundowner – gin, orange juice and a choice of cinnamon or mint for a distinctly Moroccan twist. There are just 17 rooms, each designed with traditional Moroccan finishes and calming, minimal décor. All feature tadelakt bathrooms and a sense of rustic luxury. For the full coastal experience, opt for a sea-facing suite for golden hour views of camels and donkeys trekking home. Mornings begin with a traditional Moroccan spread served with a view of the Atlantic. Soft batbout, flaky msemen or crumbly harcha arrive ready to be layered with jams, honey and compotes. Fresh mint tea flows freely, and eggs are cooked to order, always finished with a pinch of cumin for a spicy kick. Rooms start from £140 per night B&B, kasbahdeau.com Atlas Mountains For rural exploring Half an hour outside Marrakech, you can find yourself in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Hotels in the area offer a range of excursions, from half-day hikes to more strenuous whole-day treks with a local guide and the opportunity to visit the weekly souk at Tahnaout. Berbers from the mountains haggle over straggly sheep and goats, while tethered donkeys wait patiently. Wander through the maze of makeshift stalls, past piles of vegetables on mats on the ground, mounds of salt and sacks of spices, crates of apples from the Atlas Mountains and lentils from the Kik Plateau. Locals buy their meat from the butcher stalls, and vegetables, spices and a ladle of olive oil from a seller sitting crosslegged amid bottles of murky golden liquid, and bring the ingredients here to be cooked. Pass along the river valley to Douar Azrou, a Berber village. A jumble of stone houses, bedded into the red rocks, it was once on an important caravan trade route and is now protected by UNESCO. Where to stay: Kasbah Angour is a tranquil hilltop retreat built in Moroccan style by English expat Paul Foulsham and run by a team of local Berbers. The property is surrounded by 10 acres of meticulously manicured grounds with a backdrop of snow-covered peaks. There are just 25 rooms, stone floors scattered with brightly coloured rugs, a dreamy pool and a generous peppering of cushion-strewn sun traps and shaded seating areas. It’s a world away from the mayhem of Marrakech. Excursions into the mountains, villages and markets can all be arranged. Doubles from £187, check availability at booking.com or expedia.co.uk More travel guides Best unique UK holiday cottages Best glamping for foodies Best Irish holidays Best French food trips Best Portuguese food trips Best European vineyards to visit and stay Best foodie city breaks by train Best Spanish hotels Best Italian hotels Best UK summer travel ideas
Cherry-coded Christmas: the red-hot trend taking over this festive season
From statement platters to glassware and table linens, these are the best cherry red buys
This Christmas, it’s all about cherry-coded decor – a bold, joyful take on festive styling that’s on-trend but still timeless. Think lacquered finishes, glossy baubles, cherry-hued candles and stand-out accessories that bring instant cheer to your table and home. But this isn’t just about one-month wonder buys. Cherry is not just for Christmas! We’re championing pieces you’ll love all year round – from soft linens in muted berry tones to high-shine enamel and deep cherry-red glassware that feels festive now but effortlessly stylish come January and beyond. Whether you’re going all in or adding just a hint of red, a couple of well-chosen cherry-toned accents are all you need to give your space a seasonal lift – and set the scene for a celebration to remember. Anthropologie Benedita Bow Ceramic Stoneware Platter Available from Anthropologie (£48) Serve up centrepieces in style with this statement platter. It’s ideal for any meals you’re serving family-style – we love the pretty glazed bow detail swirling around the scalloped edge. Get ready to pile high with anything from salads to roast potatoes or a stack of brownies. Available from: Anthropologie (£48) The Conran Shop Nova Stripe Crystal Glasses Available from Selfridges (£40, set of 4) We love the bold red stripe on these crystal glasses – it’s the perfect cherry shade. At Christmas time it’s reminiscent of festive candy canes but it’s neutral enough to use all year round in a colourful kitchen. Available from: Selfridges (£40, set of 4) Cox & Cox Gingham Ruffle Square Cushion Available from Cox & Cox (£40) Make your kitchen space feel extra cosy by adding some warm linens. This red gingham cushion has a sweet ruffled edge for some festive charm – pop it on your sofa or kitchen bar stools for extra comfort. Available from: Cox & Cox (£40) Rosy Red Scalloped Lunch Plates Available from Casa by JJ (£99, set of 4) These pretty plates offer a pop of red without full-on colour blocking. We love the scalloped edge and delicate swirled trim. They'd be undeniably perfect for festive entertaining but are not specifically Christmassy in design, meaning you can happily use them all year round. A full set complete with larger plates and sweet footed egg cups is available too. Available from: Casa by JJ (£99, set of 4) ProCook Cast Iron Casserole Dish Available from ProCook (£52) Take your statement red from oven to table with this cast iron casserole dish. We love the gloss enamel finish. Built to last, you’ll be using it to serve up soups, stews, casseroles and more for years to come. It works on all hobs and comes with a 25-year guarantee. Available from: ProCook (£52) Anthropologie Foulard Stoneware Mug Available from Anthropologie (£14) We’re not usually ones for a novelty mug but there’s something charming about this one we just can’t resist. The cable knit detail and chequered scarf blowing in the wind – it’s just the thing for filling with a warm chai or hot chocolate after a cold winter’s walk. Top with plenty of whipped cream and get cosy. Available from: Anthropologie (£14) Addison Ross Salt or Pepper Mill Available from Addison Ross (£38) If you’re still grinding your salt or pepper straight out of the supermarket mill, it is time to upgrade. Addison Ross offers a wide range of colours, styles and sizes of salt or pepper mills so there’s something for everyone – this glossy red lacquered set is our pick for the festive season. Available from: Addison Ross (£38) Our Place Rosa Short Night + Day Glasses Available from Our Place (£70, set of 4) Not everything has to be bright red. Embrace different cherry shades in your kitchen with these textured soda-lime glasses for a lighter take on the bold trend. The set of four glasses are designed to cleverly stack together to save you space in your cupboards. Available from: Our Place (£70, set of 4) Dunelm Bow Napkin Rings Available from Dunelm (£3.50, set of 2) We might not be using napkin rings in everyday life but for making entertaining feel extra special, we can’t resist, especially at this price point. The sweet velvet bows will add a chic splash of colour to a simple tablescape at your next dinner party. Available from: Dunelm (£3.50, set of 2) Oliver Bonas Red Stripe Tall Fluted Vase Available from Oliver Bonas (£59.50) Display seasonal blooms in style with this statement striped fluted vase. The pinstripe glazed ceramic makes the perfect display without distracting from the flowers within. Available from: Oliver Bonas (£59.50) Le Creuset Stoneware Star Plate Available from Le Creuset (£22) Whenever we’re embracing a new colour in our kitchen, we know that Le Creuset will have something to match. This quirky star shaped plate is just the ticket for plating up Christmas nibbles, a few mince pies or pre-dinner snacks at any time of year. Available from: Le Creuset (£22) 'Bon Appetit' Napkins Available from Selfridges (£14) Adding napkins to your table is a simple way to add some festive decor to your next dinner party. These ‘Bon Appetit’ embroidered napkins are made in France from 100% linen and can be machine washed to keep them looking fresh. Available from: Selfridges (£14) Dunelm Candy Cane Table Runner Available from Dunelm (from £6) Give your meal an instant seasonal makeover by laying this colourful runner down your table. It adds a touch of kitsch in a way we love. It’s made from soft 100% cotton and is machine washable, so you don’t have to be precious about spillages. Available from: Dunelm (from £6) Oliver Bonas Large Red Velvet Bow Decoration Available from Oliver Bonas (£18.50) Bows are trending again this Christmas so it's time to get decorating and, this year, we're going super-size. This plush red velvet bow from Oliver Bonas is ideal for hanging from a mantelpiece, bookcase, as a door garland or using as a statement tree topper. Available from: Oliver Bonas (£18.50) More Christmas inspiration Best tea Advent calendars Best alcohol Advent calendars Best Advent calendars for foodies Best coffee Advent calendars
Whatever the budget, our gift guide has the perfect Christmas present for your favourite foodie
Looking for Christmas gifts for foodies? Our Christmas gift ideas pull together the best food gifts, from delicious food and drink finds to the ultimate gadgets and prettiest homewares. If you're looking to the festive season, we've also tested plenty of Advent calendars: check out our round-ups of the best alcohol Advent calendars, best coffee Advent calendars or best tea Advent calendars. Jump to: Best food Christmas gifts Best barware and drinks Christmas gifts Best kitchenware Christmas gifts Best homeware Christmas gifts Best Christmas gifts for foodies 2025 Best food Christmas gifts Twelve Triangles croissant biscotti Available from Twelve Triangles (£5.95) The cult no-waste Scottish bakery takes slices of its croissants, dips them in cream, sugar and salt, then slowly caramelises them in the oven – totally addictive. Fiasconaro x Dolce & Gabbana panettone Available from The Panettone Store (£57.45) This panettone from the legendary Sicilian maker comes in a beautifully designed tin that you’ll want to keep. Karasuba-Iro ramen bowl set Available from Sous Chef (£45) A pair of classic glazed ramen bowls, handcrafted in Japan’s ceramic region, Mino. The set also includes bamboo ladles and a set of recipes. Hundred House hot chocolate Available from Selfridges (£12.99), Hundred House Coffee (£10.50) A hot chocolate made with single-origin cocoa from Ecuador for a deep, rich flavour. The pretty illustrated tin makes it extra special for gifting. TWG World Voyage New Year’s tea set Available from TWG (£119) A selection of six mini tins filled with single-estate, fine harvest and exclusive tea blends from the luxury artisanal tea company. Roasting Party Blends gift box Available from Roasting Party (£25) A selection of crowd-pleasing coffees from a small-batch UK roaster, with flavour profiles ranging from fruity to chocolatey. Nobleza del Sur organic Picual extra-virgin olive oil Available from Artisan Olive Oil Company (£25.35) Awarded multiple gold medals and rated best in class, this superior Spanish organic oil has fruity, herbaceous notes and comes in a pretty presentation bottle. The Real Cure British Charcuterie Selection Box Available from Not on the High Street (£35) Flavoured-packed charcuterie from Dorset. The punchy smoked sloe and garlic venison salami is a winner. Available from: Not on the High Street (£35) Best barware and drinks Christmas gifts Zacal Manso Sahuayo Available from Zacal Mezcal (£69.50/700ml) A great, accessible choice for those who prefer a less smoky mezcal, smooth with limey citrus notes and a touch of nuttiness. Matilda Goad lacquered ice bucket Available from Matilda Goad (£320) Boost your home bar game with this stunning ice bucket – it’ll save you running to and from the freezer for more ice at parties. Spicy margarita tumblers set Available from Oliver Bonas (£24.50) The perfect present for marg devotees – just add tequila, triple sec, lime and chilli salt, of course. Still Wild negroni Available from Still Wild (£28/500ml) Fancy a Welsh negroni? Pembrokeshire micro distillery Still Wild has used its own bitter aperitif, Rhudd, plus its Coastal gin and sweet vermouth to make this gift-worthy cocktail, which has lovely perfumed notes. Sophie Lou Jacobsen borosilicate glass fritter cocktail mixer Available from Selfridges (£140) <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/2/2025/10/SELFRIDGES-SOPHIE-LOU-JACOBSEN-Colourful-base-borosilicate-glass-fritter-cocktail-mixer-20-oz-140-copy-7293c38.jpg" width="2352" height="1569" alt="SELFRIDGES SOPHIE LOU JACOBSEN Colourful-base borosilicate-glass fritter cocktail mixer 20 oz £140 copy" title="SELFRIDGES SOPHIE LOU JACOBSEN Colourful-base borosilicate-glass fritter cocktail mixer 20 oz £140 copy" /> A sleek piece of cocktail kit that’s a must-have if you’re a fan of stirred drinks like a manhattan. Ramsbury hot honey vodka Available from Ramsbury (£33/700ml) Spicy drinks are all the rage and this characterful Wiltshire vodka uses red chilli and homegrown honey for a rich silky spirit with subtle sweetness, hints of vanilla and gentle, tongue-tingling heat. Use in a vodka-based picante. Laetitia Rouget Amour glass carafe Available from Selfridges (£340) This beautiful carafe will elevate any table – use for water or try batching up cocktails to serve at parties. The Botanist Distiller’s Strength Available from The Whisky Exchange (£39.25/700ml), Master of Malt (£38.65) This Islay gin is brimming with intense aromatic citrus, juniper and spice notes. Coming in at a hefty 50% ABV, it’s got a full-bodied character that makes it perfect for spirit-forward cocktails like a martini. Electric Spirit Co Gin Available from Amazon (£38.25), Master of Malt (£33.31) This award-winning gin is a modern Scottish dry sold in an eye-catching orange frosted glass bottle, and combines classic gin botanicals with Sichuan peppercorns and fennel seeds for a herbal, fresh and zingy finish. See the best gin gifts for gin lovers for more inspiration. Goslings Spirited Seas Ocean Aged Rum Available from The Whisky Exchange (£59.50), Master of Malt (£59.50) This unique rum is aged in vintage bourbon barrels loaded onto a vessel and sent back and forth from Bermuda to the mid-Atlantic. The result is an elegant and complex rum with an oaky nose, hints of salted caramel and spice. The Lost Explorer mezcal trilogy box Available from Amazon (£95.95) Taste your way through three aged expressions of this artisan, sustainable-forward mezcal brand – soft, herbal Espadín, earthy Tobalá and bold, herbaceous and spicy Salmiana. Agave novices and experts alike can enjoy sipping through the Oaxaca region using the bespoke, zero-waste tasting cups. 8Track spiced rum Available from Amazon (£33.95) This smooth spiced rum is infused with Seville oranges, vanilla, cloves and cinnamon. Eco-conscious 8Track is also committed to supporting independent music, partnering with organisations to showcase new talent. Drinks by the Dram Japanese whisky tasting set Available from Amazon (£35.95) Way to get into the festive spirit(s)...Discover 5 unique Japanese whiskies from different producers, to discover new styles and a new favourite tipple. Dutch Barn vodka Available from Master of Malt (£28.50) Made in North Yorkshire using apples and presented in a 60% recycled glass bottle, this crisp, smooth vodka is mellow enough to drink neat. Cazcabel Coffee Liqueur with Tequila Available from Amazon (£26.01), Master of Malt (£26.01) Changing the game when it comes to premium tequila, choose between nectar-like honey or smooth, rich and expertly balanced coffee. Or have both. See more of our favourite coffee liqueurs. Best kitchenware Christmas gifts Wonderbag Available from Wonderbag (£54.99) A revolutionary non-electric heat-retention slow cooker. Once food is brought to a boil, the pan goes in the Wonderbag to continue cooking for up to eight hours with no electricity or battery needed. All sales help fund the company’s work providing community Wonderbags or as part of humanitarian aid in conflict zones. Hexclad Japanese 6-piece knife set Available from Hexclad (£459) Each blade of this knife set is forged from damascus steel offering sharpness and precision, plus they look beautiful thanks to the wave pattern on the blade and striking green handles. Teakhaus herringbone cutting board Available from Amazon (£53.10) Made from sustainable teak wood, this edge grain board features a striking herringbone pattern. Teak’s naturally high oil content and medium softness makes it a better choice for chopping boards. Le Creuset shallow casserole dish Available from Le Creuset (£319) This is a bit of kitchen kit that every cook should have. Crafted from cast iron, it’s designed to last for years. The large, flat shape means it’s great for stews, curries, casseroles and pies. It’s available in a range of colours but the rich green Thyme is our favourite and it’s perfect for Christmas. Fragrant Knives Chinese chef’s knife Available from Fragrant Knives (£88) A modernised version of a classic, this knife is designed in Hong Kong and crafted in Yangjiang using high-carbon stainless steel for sharpness and durability, and finished with a hand-carved Chinese rosewood handle and shaped to feel intuitive in the hands of any cook. Feldspar juicer Available from Selfridges (£80), Harrods (£105) With a hand-painted handle and elongated spout for easy pouring, this fine bone china juicer is perfect for making a restorative hot toddy, lemonade or a drizzle for a traybake. Available in cobalt, red, forest green or 24 carat gold. Sage Barista Touch Impress Available from Sage (£1,199.95), Amazon (£1,199) This bean-to-cup coffee machine can be enjoyed by any coffee lover no matter your skill level. Whether you’re a trained barista or beginner, the machine takes you through each step of making your drink with options to add your own flare or let it do the hard work for you. Pophams baker’s gift set Available from Pophams Home (£58) Make and store your bread in style with a walnut dough scraper made in the UK using sustainable British wood and a beeswax bread bag to keep loaves fresh, from south London’s Peckham Cloth. Niwaki Mainichi kitchen scissors Available from Niwaki (£39) Part scissors, part bottle and tin opener, and part nutcracker – we love the eye-catching bright yellow colour on these functional and stylish Japanese scissors. Sage InFizz Fusion Sparkling Drinks Maker Available from Sage (£179.95) This is an extraordinary bit of innovation. Soda makers/carbonators at home typically have only been able to add fizz to water. By making the nozzle detachable and therefore cleanable, this machine can carbonate any drink. We made up a batch of elderflower cordial with still water and then carbonated the mixture, rather than adding cordial to sparkling water, and we found the flavours to be more integrated, plus you can vary how fizzy the level of carbonation is. You can create lovely cocktails this way, mocktails, too, and even carbonate wine. This makes a terrific gift for the drinks nerd in your life. KitchenAid Artisan 4.8L tilt-head stand mixer Available from KitchenAid (£449) KitchenAid’s iconic 4.8-litre stand mixer is a timeless favourite with keen bakers. Take your pick from deep red, beetroot purple, cream and more. Read our full guide to the best stand mixers for more ideas. Best homeware Christmas gifts Addison Ross mini bobbin salt and pepper mills Available from Addison Ross (£38 each) Give a pop of colour to the dinner table with these smart bobbin grinders, with plenty of shades to choose from. The FSC-certified wood is finished with eight coats of high gloss lacquer. Poterie Barbotine marbled pitcher Available from Toast (£76) Handmade in southern France using locally sourced clay, this pitcher is inspired by classic Provençal ceramics. It makes a beautiful addition to a feasting table. Primavera Estate Ciliegia scented candle Available from Earl of East (£40) Featuring one of this years’ hottest food trends, cherry, this candle will bring a little fruity freshness into your kitchen. Bee Free triple milled plant-based soap Available from Arthouse Unlimited (£6.50) Triple milling this paraben-free soap promises a more luxurious lather with a subtle cedar, amber and vetiver scent. The box showcases artwork from adults living with complex neurodiverse and physical support needs. Henry Holland large ice bucket Available from Henry Holland (£245) Comfortably holding three bottles of wine, this ice bucket is handmade to order using earthenware clay, meaning no two pieces are the same. Personalised handwritten recipe jug, plate and mini milk jug Available from Alice Funge (£18-70) This beautiful range of wheel-thrown functional kitchenware is decorated with handwritten recipes and coloured slips that imitate the marks the ingredients make on each object. You can send your own recipes for a personal touch or opt for the maker’s grandmother’s. Le Soleil wine glasses Available from Glassette (£120) Invite a little of the Med sunshine into a loved one’s home with these glowing sun-adorned glasses made in collaboration with Spain’s Serge Castella Interiors. Related reviews Best sustainable Christmas gifts Best Christmas tree baubles for foodies Best advent calendars for foodies Best coffee advent calendars Best food hampers Best vegan gifts Best Italian cookbooks to buy Best Christmas crackers Best coffee gifts Best baking gifts
Best European mountain escapes to visit in 2025
Discover the best European mountain escapes to visit in 2025, from a relaxing treetop retreat in the Dolomites, to an ancient spa nestled in the Troodos mountains in Cyprus
Whether you're after a restorative getaway or want to go hiking surrounded by beautiful scenery, a holiday in the mountains offers the ultimate escape. Breathe in fresh mountain air, spot unique wildlife and soak up the views, surrounded by nature. From architectural hideouts in the Italian Dolomites and the forests of the Bavarian Alps, to an ecotourism getaway in Cyprus, Europe offers a wealth of luxury mountain escapes to visit – discover our picks below of the best mountain hotels that foodies will love. Looking for more travel inspiration? Read our guides to the best saunas to visit in the UK, the best Italian hotels for food lovers and 8 lesser-known Italian islands worth visiting. Best European mountain escapes 2025 Forestis, Dolomites, Italy Check rates and availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com At 1,800m above sea level, surrounded by panoramic views of the Dolomites, this unique property embraces its original intention as a climate spa for Austrian monarchy. Split between the original 1912 larchwood building and three modern towers, everything is designed to bring the landscape in – floor-to-ceiling windows allow the sun to dance around pinewood suites, bathrooms are made from Dolomites stone and two-level penthouses sit at the tip of two of the towers. Wellbeing is at the hotel’s heart – there’s Plose spring water sweetened with pine syrup on arrival, plus the spa’s successive indoor-outdoor mineral pools and saunas, daily rituals and a wyda studio (a local Celtic version of yoga). Mountain activities include ski-in, ski-out facilities as well as forest bathing and foraging. In the main restaurant, individual booths are arranged in an amphitheatre-like structure, allowing for prime views while you enjoy Roland Lamprecht’s forest cuisine. This is also where breakfast is served – a buffet featuring pretzels, chocolate caprese, ricotta cake, pistachio cream, Eisack Valley honeycomb and wild berry jams. There’s also speck, mountain cheeses, foraged fruits, a salad bar and DIY juice room with bottled mountain apple juice ready to drink. An evening at new restaurant concept Yera is an experience like no other – follow a torch through the forest into an earthy mountain cave, hand in phones at the door and let Roland and his team guide you through an immersive spectacle of fire, ferments and ancient Celtic traditions. A nightcap at the bar might be a fresh fig old fashioned, apricot-enriched Plosestar martini or negronis infused with Plose cranberries for added fruitiness. forestis.it My Arbor, South Tyrol, Italy Rooms from £206 per night based on two people sharing a Nest Suite; check availability at booking.com, mrandmrssmith.com or My Arbor Expect to be whisked high above the clouds at this architectural hideout in the Dolomites. Conveniently situated just 50 minutes from Bolzano airport, My Arbor stands proud on stilts against the snow-capped South Tyrolean mountains, making this the perfect spot to experience treetop seclusion. Guests are greeted with the signature cocktail, The Arborene, with its warming blend of sweet vermouth and homemade orange-cinnamon liqueur, best enjoyed on the sun-kissed patio. The hotel has more than 100 south-facing suites, each adorned with reclaimed wood from sunburnt larches and firs from the Eisack Valley. Features include large panoramic windows, a private terrace and a cosy nook for hunkering down with a book. With most of the produce for the restaurant sourced directly from Lake Garda and harvested by owner Markus Huber, sustainability is more than just a concept here. The tasting menu changes daily and is often centred around a theme (think ‘essence of water’ or ‘nature’s delight’). Expect bold flavours, from swordfish tagliata with saffron risotto to onsen eggs with potato truffle espuma. The breakfast buffet is an assortment of local treats, including a juice bar for turmeric and ginger shots, eggs as you like them and homemade breads such as South Tyrolean schüttelbrot – a crunchy flatbread peppered with fragrant spices. Make sure you carve out time to experience an invigorating sauna infusion where the sauna master uses balls of snow enriched with essential oils to control the heat and deepen relaxation. Schloss Elmau, Bavarian Alps, Germany Rooms from £580 per night based on two people sharing; check availability at booking.com or Schloss Elmau Set against the backdrop of the Wetterstein mountains and framed by an abundant pine forest and the icy blue Ferchenbach river, it’s hard not to lose yourself in the scenery and facilities at Schloss Elmau. While staying here, guests can enjoy access to six spas, eight restaurants, a concert hall and two hotels (The Retreat and The Hideaway). The lofty presidential suites at The Retreat are softened with plush furnishings, with an Indian elephant motif woven into the textiles, and are designed to show off panoramic mountain views – take your pick between a luxurious free-standing bath or regal chaise longue to soak up the snowscapes. Restaurant Tutto Mondo offers twists on comforting Alpine cuisine, including homemade tagliolini blanketed in Piedmont truffles. At the neighbouring pan-Asian restaurant Fidelio, expect succulent meats grilled over binchōtan charcoal and paired with foamed nori butter. For those wanting a touch more luxury, opt for the two Michelin starred Ikigai. Breakfast is equally bountiful, with a selection of smoothies and health shots, creamy bircher muesli and homemade breads – including the well-loved German pumpernickel that’s ready to be topped with honey from Schloss Elmau’s bees. Start the day with a soothing golden milk – a silky, fragrant hot drink infused with turmeric, cinnamon and maple syrup. As well as its next-level food and drink options, Schloss Elmau boasts a programme of activities for guests, including yoga, qigong, curling, concerts and cross-country skiing. Ideal for switching off and hunkering down. Nordelaia, Piedmont, Italy Rooms from £261 per night; check availability at Mr & Mrs Smith, booking.com or Nordelaia This stunning property lies in rural Piedmont, a region suspended between the mighty Alps and the coastal province of Liguria in north-west Italy. Occupying an 800- year-old converted farmhouse, the interiors of Nordelaia’s 12 rooms are both contemporary and classic. Two attic suites – all warm wood beams and pleasing oblique angles – evoke a sense of treetop seclusion, complete with freestanding baths for an extra dose of opulence. The four rooms on the first floor are themed around the striking seasonal colour palettes that surround the property: greens in the spring, yellows for summer, fiery reds in the autumn and pearly whites in winter. Two outdoor pools (one heated, one not, but both with views for miles) entice in all seasons, while a visit to the spa, with its stone floors and arches, and barrel-vaulted brick ceiling, is sure to restore a sense of internal equilibrium. Nordelaia is set within five hectares of arable land and boasts a working vineyard. Its offerings feature prominently on the wine list at the hotel’s destination restaurant, Lorto. Here, chef Charles Pearce pays homage both to the earthy, woodland character of Piedmont and the maritime bounty of neighbouring Liguria. His take on perbureira – a thick, bean-based sauce traditionally served with pasta – is instead paired with grilled prawns and a coral emulsion. There’s a potato risotto with mussels that hits all the right notes, and a tangle of barbecued oyster mushrooms served with a deeply savoury, anchovy-based ferment called garum. A bistro menu that leans towards traditional flavours with modern touches offers guests a more relaxed but no less excellent dining experience. Priesteregg, Leogang, Austria Berg chalet from £280 per person per night based on two people sharing, including breakfast and spa access; check availability at Priesteregg Surrounded by the snow-dusted Alps, this collection of 15 wooden chalets is reminiscent of a mountain village. Sitting at a height of 1,100 metres there are panoramic views with fresh Alpine air and the aroma of woodsmoke to greet you on arrival. The focus is on traditional local food using highquality ingredients – bread is freshly baked in a stone oven, bacon is smoked in a smoking chamber and the local cows provide the creamiest milk and butter. Each chalet is generously stocked with local treats and every morning guests are delivered breakfast bundles of cured meats, salmon, cheeses, fresh fruits and baked goods. In the evening you can request to dine in your chalet or bundle up and walk to Huwi’s Alm, the on-site restaurant. The signature dish is an event in itself, served on an iron hat that’s heated by small burners. Diners are given a selection of marinated organic steaks and pork loin to cook, with the brim of the hat filled with a rich beef and vegetable soup that gets more intense as the cooking continues. It’s served with crisp baked potatoes, salad and a selection of sauces. Chalets are a combination of beautiful natural materials and modern luxuries. Glass-fronted bedrooms, mountain views, freestanding outdoor baths, suspended fireplaces, private saunas and snow-clad rooftop hot tubs are just some of the unique features. Sheepskin rugs, cosy sofas and the softest bedding make it hard to leave the comfort of your chalet, despite the ski slopes across the valley being in sight of the sun decks. Wellness is taken very seriously here, too – guests can swim in the heated infinity pool next to an open fireplace, relax in Swiss pine saunas or take an invigorating guided dip in the unheated outdoor nature pool. The expansive open-air terrace has luxurious loungers, pillows and blankets to make the most of the winter sun. Casale Panayiotis, Cyprus From £286 based on a two-night stay for two adults in a comfort studio; check availability at booking.com, Hilton or Casale Panayiotis Nestled in the heart of the Troodos Mountains, the climate is noticeably cooler at Casale Panayiotis than down by the Cyprus coast. An agrotourism project saved Kalopanayiotis village from extinction nearly 13 years ago, restoring the historical buildings to their former glory in the form of 29 beautiful rooms and stone cottage suites. The award-winning spa complete with hydrotherapy pool, sauna, herbal steam room and private outdoor whirlpool harks back to the village’s ancient spa origins. Restaurants celebrate local ingredients, including seasonal fruit and veg from the on-site orchards. Byzantino Restaurant spotlights traditional Cypriot dishes, while Pantheon offers casual dining among magnificent mountain views. Grill restaurant Loutraki serves pan-seared, locally sourced trout, premium fillet steak and chicken breast ballotine. Local cultural, culinary and sporting activities are available to be booked for those seeking adventure and new experiences. 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Best chocolate gifts to buy 2025, tried and tested
Spoil your loved ones with a chocolate-filled gift, from personalised bars to indulgent letterbox brownies and the ultimate hot chocolate maker
Looking for chocolate gift ideas for your favourite chocolate lover? Treat your partner, loved one or best friend to our pick of chocolate gifts, including indulgent brownie boxes, personalised chocolate bars and great-value gifts sent straight to their door. We have plenty of gifts to deliver to treat your chocolate lover from afar, too. If you want to go the extra mile, why not try making your own treats at home? Explore our collection of chocolate recipes for inspiration, from classic bakes to creative confections. See more ideas with our best coffee gifts, baking gifts and tea gifts and housewarming gifts. Treat someone to a boozy gift with a chocolate liqueur or special themed best champagne gifts, wine gifts, beer gifts, whisky gifts and gin gifts. Best chocolate gift ideas Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser Available from Hotel Chocolat (£149.95) Whether it's a birthday, anniversary or just a special purchase, velvety smooth hot chocolate will always go down a treat. With the newly improved Velvetiser, you can make barista-grade hot chocolate with just the press of a button. Ready in just over two minutes, it comes with flavour packs ranging from vegan nutmilk to vanilla white chocolate and cafe latte. The upgrade to the new 2.0 model is the cold chocolate function, meaning you can get the most out of it all year round. It comes in three colours, so you can choose one that best suits their kitchen. Available from: Hotel Chocolat (£149.95) Audrey's assorted creams selection Available from Audrey's (£29.95) Audrey's is our new favourite chocolate discovery. Producing traditional English chocolates with timeless charm, the packaging is beautiful and makes an extremely special gift. We have a soft spot for this selection of fondant creams, including floral rose, tangy lemon, rich coffee and zingy orange. Available from: Audrey's (£29.95) The Naked Marshmallow s'mores kit Available from Not on the High Street (£28.95) Combine Belgian chocolate thins, gourmet marshmallows and handmade biscuits to make gooey s’mores with this simple kit. Included is a safe and easy-to-use marshmallow toaster and bamboo sticks for a sweet weekend activity. Available from: Not on the High Street (£28.95) Latest Deals Chococo chocolate subscription Available from Chococo (from £21) For the gift which keeps on giving, order a loved one a chocolate subscription from UK artisan chocolatier Chococo. A pre-paid gift subscription lets you choose the size of box and the time period of the subscription – either three, six or 12 months – or opt for a rolling monthly subscription, which you can cancel at any time. Chococo offers selection boxes including a mixture of fruit flavours, toasted nuts, smooth caramels, crunchy honeycomb, pralines, fresh cream ganache and truffles. Available from: Chococo (from £21) Selfridges salted caramel malt balls Available from Selfridges (£9.99) A retro classic has been given a modern update with this sleek box of salted caramel malt balls. We love the colourful packaging for gifting, and the malt balls have the familiar satisfying crunch with a hint of sweet caramel flavour. The malt balls are also available in blonde chocolate, chocolate orange and peppermint varieties. Available from: Selfridges (£9.99) L'Esterre Chocolate 'The Starter Trio' Available from L'Esterre Chocolate (£20) Discover some gourmet chocolate from artisan L'Esterre Chocolate. This trio of pouches combines three different styles of chocolate buttons: 70% dark chocolate, 85% dark chocolate and 72% sea salt and dark chocolate. Founder Bobbie Garbutt transformed her family cocoa farm in Grenada to a seed to button chocolate producer. The chocolates are rich and complex without being bitter – perfect for a grown-up snack, or use the 70% button for some decadent chocolate chip cookies... Available from: L'Esterre Chocolate (£20) Fortnum & Mason personalised sparkling tea & truffle gift box Available from Fortnum & Mason (£70) Fortnum’s luxurious pairing of Royal Blend truffles and sparkling tea will please alcohol-conscious friends and teatotallers alike, with the option to customise the bottle label for a personal touch. The truffles are malty and honey-sweet, while the non-alcoholic sparkling tea boasts light, tropical notes. Available from: Fortnum & Mason (£70) Hotel Chocolat The Nice Slice Available from Hotel Chocolat (£17.95) A slab of pure Christmas indulgence, this 'Nice Slice' from Hotel Chocolat contains a little bit of everything in one bar. There's crispy puffed rice and cornflakes, hazelnut and milk chocolate praline, caramel and adorable caramel-filled penguins on top. A luxury version of a chocolate fridge cake. Available from: Hotel Chocolat (£17.95) Tony’s Chocolonely personalised bars Available from Tony's Chocolonely (from £6) A personalised bar of Tony’s Chocolonely’s chunky, Willy Wonka-style chocolate makes the sweetest option for gifting loved ones, friends or family. Simply select their favourite flavour, from Caramel Sea Salt to Dark Milk Pretzel Toffee and more, and upload a photo or text onto a template on the Tony’s website – this is then printed and shipped to an address of your choice. Not only is Tony’s chocolate totally moreish, but every purchase also supports Tony’s mission to make all chocolate 100% exploitation-free. Available from: Tony's Chocolonely (from £6) Cakehead vegan & gluten free brownie variety box Available from Cakehead (£25.50) The aroma of freshly baked brownies wafting through your home is even better when its delivered straight to your door. Cakehead’s vegan and gluten free brownie variety box means everyone can enjoy a slice (or two), with totally moreish flavour combinations such as pecan & caramel, chocolate chunk and raspberry & coconut. Cakehead also deliver your favourite dairy treats, from double chocolate brownies to caramel shortbreads. Available from: Cakehead (£25.50) Melt chocolate bar collection Available from Melt (from £7.99) Melt’s luxury chocolate bar range is perfect for chocoholics who love exploring flavours. Build an impressive stack of gourmet chocolate and send to a loved one – take your pick from toast & marmalade, popcorn, pistachio blonde and more. Available from: Melt (from £7.99) Related reviews Best coffee gifts Best baking gifts Best tea gifts Best housewarming gifts Best wine gifts Best beer gifts Best whisky gifts Best gin gifts Best tea Advent calendars
Looking for places to visit in Greece? Check out our top Greek food trips and discover where to eat and drink across the country
Looking for places to visit in Greece? Check out our top Greek food trips and discover where to eat and drink across the country, from eating souvlaki surrounded by history in Athens to island escapes on Crete, Sifnos and Ithaca. Discover more of the Greek islands with our guide to the best Greek islands, along with plenty of Greek hotel recommendations. For more travel inspiration, check out our best Portuguese food trips, best Spanish food trips and best French food trips. If you love an island getaway, we've got the 10 best Mediterranean islands for foodies to visit. Best Greek trips Athens From bougatsa with cinnamon sugar and the locals' favourite souvlaki, to aromatic Greek wines by the glass, try all these and more in the Greek capital – there's plenty of food to discover in between cultural exploration. Souvlaki – marinated meat grilled on skewers, sometimes served in pitta bread – is the fast food of choice for most Greeks. Around since the 1950s, O Kostas is one of the best places to try it in Athens (join the queue at this hole-in-the-wall for a truly authentic gyros experience; there’s no website but you’ll find it at Pentelis 5, near Syntagma Square). Or, for an updated (albeit smaller) version, make your way to Hoocut (“butcher’s cut”), where a group of enterprising young chefs has put an artisanal spin on the dish, using carefully sourced pork, chicken, lamb and beef and serving a vegetarian version, too. Home to a famous flea market and several scenic (if tourist-heavy) ancient landmarks, the Monastiraki neighbourhood is a must-visit. Here, Café Avissinia’s artful mish-mash of blowsy wallpaper, marble-topped tables, antiques and picture-strung walls proves the perfect backdrop to its homely mix of traditional bistro-style cooking. In true Greek style, it’s a place to casually pop in to at any time of day, with a menu that covers the whole country but is marginally skewed towards Macedonian cuisine: try the stuffed sour cabbage with pork, or cheese-filled baked potatoes. Where to stay: At the centre of ERGON House’s double-height agora (gathering place) there’s a silvery, 200-year-old olive tree. It’s just one of the highlights at this hotel, restaurant and market. At breakfast you can sample traditional sweet or savoury pies called bougatsa, while the all-day dining menu includes Greek meze, pasta, fish and meat. There are also cookery classes on offer and, if hotel guests want to cook what they buy at the market – which sells everything from local fish to herbs (ERGON’s owners also run a string of delis) – there are communal kitchens available. Doubles from £204, check availability at booking.com Crete Greece’s largest island, food is the language of love for Crete. Set across mountain and sea, while drenched in year-round sun and carpeted in olive groves, it is an abundant natural larder of fish, meat, vegetables — Cretan horta (wild greens) are the best — fruit, honey and, of course, the finest extra virgin olive oil. The original Cretan capital and, today, its second largest city, Chania is charmingly low-key, the old town’s narrow streets tumbling down to a picturesque Venetian harbour. Its chequered history is still visible in its Minoan ruins, old city walls, Venetian lighthouse and Turkish quarter, but the harbour is now lined with fish restaurants and tavernas, while 16th-century Venetian townhouses converted into chic boutique hotels hide down little backstreets. The grand covered market hall, built in the shape of a cross at the beginning of the 20th century and modelled on the market in Marseilles, has butchers’ stalls in one arcade, fishmongers in another and speciality food stores stocked with salted sardines, glistening olives and golden oils, cheeses and charcuterie. It’s open throughout the week, but on Saturdays there’s also an open-air farmers’ market nearby. Where to stay: Set amid chestnut trees with the rugged mountainous beauty of the Kissamos region as a backdrop, Milia is a beautifully renovated collection of 15th-century stone buildings. All rooms have thick stone walls and their own fireplaces, making it perfect for cosy off-season stays, and the retreat is surrounded by an extensive network of hiking trails. The restaurant serves traditional Cretan “humble gastronomy”, such as wild greens soup and grilled aubergine spread, as well as roast baby goat, lamb with herbs and boureki courgette pot pie cooked in a wood stove. Every Wednesday, guests can join a four-hour traditional Cretan cooking session in the kitchen. Doubles from £75, check availability at milia.gr Sifnos Known as the Cycladic island of gastronomy, Sifnos is the birthplace of renowned 20th century Greek chef Nikos Tselementes, whose cookery book is still the home-cooking bible for Greeks. While on the island, you must taste two of its most traditional dishes: revithada, a slow-cooked chickpea soup with onion, garlic and bay leaves; and mastelo, lamb cooked slowly with dill and wine in one of the ceramic pots that Sifnos is synonymous with. In recent years, Sifnos has begun to draw an elegant crowd with its contemporary restaurants, notably Cantina, which perches above the water in the shadow of Kastro, the ancient capital of the island, and its new sister restaurant Pelicanos, a reimagined waterside taverna in Faros. Omega 3 is a trendy but unpretentious seafood bar: order sharing plates of taramasalata and various raw fish dishes and accompany your meal with a bottle of fresh, crisp white (ideally a malagousia). Where to stay on Sifnos: The place to stay is Verina Astra, a boutique hotel just above the idyllic swimming spot of Poulati, which opens a second restaurant in the port of Kamares this June. Doubles at Verina Astra from £349 per night, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com Peloponnese Discover the scenic Peloponnese peninsula, a region with strong Mediterranean flavours and rich culinary traditions. Olive fans should visit the coastal town of Kalamata to try the famous black olives in their namesake town. Further south, the rugged Mani Peninsula has more to explore, from the stone village of Areopoli filled with unpretentious tavernas, to fortified medieval town Monemvasia which clings to a rock off the coast. You can dine on seafood and local specialties inside the castle walls at Chrisovoulo. Charming Nafplio is another town worth visiting - a vibrant seafront destination full of neoclassical architecture and culinary delights. The Peloponnese makes for a great road trip – discover this and more in our 10 unmissable road trips for food lovers. Kefalonia A Greek island that feels unspoilt but is easy to get to. Pretty towns to explore and stunning beaches to relax on. Local specialities to discover in charming restaurants. Kefalonia ticks all the boxes of what we're looking for in a Greek island getaway. You can fly direct from several UK airports and you'll be transported to rolling hills, lush greenery, dramatic cliffs and sparkling blue sea. Myrtos Beach has been voted one of the best beaches in the world so is a must-visit for white sand sandwiched in between dramatic cliffs. Stop for fresh juices and sandwiches at Myrtillo at the top of the cliff before heading down. Hire a car to drive further along the stunning cliff road and spend time in the pretty villages of Fiskardo and Assos – ideal locations for a long lunch overlooking the water. Where to stay: Eliamos is an all-villa hotel that blends privacy with five-star hotel luxury. Designed to feel like a home away from home, 12 secluded villas are set on the hillside, divided by lavender-lined paths to create a village atmosphere. Expect high ceilings and open beams, generous bathrooms with olive oil toiletries to use in waterfall showers and floor-to-ceiling bi-fold doors opening onto private terraces with saltwater pools that boast uninterrupted views over the Ionian Sea. Wake up early to watch the sunrise from the breakfast terrace. The à la carte menu includes a range of egg dishes and avocado on toast variations, along with Greek specialities such as bougatsa thessalonikis (vanilla cream and cinnamon filled pastries), fresh pita and pancakes with local honey and apricot jam. The terrace is also where lunch and dinner are served: don't miss the traditional tomato fritters, a must-try that you'll want to order on repeat. When you're not relaxing by the pool, you can hire e-bikes to explore the island, have an in-room massage, take a cooking class or hit the outdoor gym. From £650, check rates and availability at eliamos.com, booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com Ithaca Visit this peaceful Ionian island to beach-hop by boat, swim in dazzling cobalt waters and graze your way through meltingly soft feta, local olives, just-caught fish and note-perfect lemon tart. There are plenty of food shops in Stavros, from a greengrocers and a fishmongers to a basic supermarket but don’t miss the shop marked 'General Store’ – the last small family-owned grocery on the island, it’s been operating since 1930 and still has beautiful old wooden cabinets towering all the way around its walls. Also in Stavros, cheerful orange-hued Cafe Margarita is the centre of local village life, in no small part thanks to owner Maria’s renowned baking skills. There are normally spinach and cheese pies on offer and, occasionally, a delicious courgette quiche but she’s also known for her rovani – local cake made with ground rice, olive oil and honey. Visit Frikes, a postcard-perfect arc of painted houses overlooking glitteringly clear water. There are plenty of cafes to choose from here but only the seriously steel-willed could miss Dodoni, the ice cream parlour. Just beware that it’s addictively good. Check out our full guide to Ithaca for more recommendations. Where to stay: stay at the Levendis Estate. Run with great care by an Aussie-Greek couple, Spero and Marilyn Raftopulos plus their (grown-up) children, Kate and Niko, this collection of four cottages plus a swimming pool is set on Spero’s family homestead, overlooking a bay in the north of the island. Cottage kitchens are pre-stocked with delicious Greek wine, olives and pistachios for that first holiday sundowner, plus supplies for breakfast. You can easily stay within the Levendis gates – happy to swim in the pool and snooze in the cottage garden (each one has cleverly been designed for ultimate privacy) – or you could amble down to one of two little coves around 10-20 minutes’ walk away, the routes thrumming with butterflies and the sound of goat bells as you make your way past olive and cypress trees. Check rates and availability at levendisestate.com. Spetses The name Spetses derives from an ancient Greek word that reflects the pine trees that blanket much of the island. But the Venetians also christened the island “Spezia” as it was on a major spice route, floating in the Saronic Gulf between mainland Greece and the Peloponnese. During the Greek war of Independence from Turkey, in 1821, the island played a pivotal role. Today, however, it’s a tranquil, Hellenic version of the Hamptons, albeit slightly more low-key, where some of Greece’s wealthiest dynasties come to play attracted by its verdant charm (its interior is laced with walking trails) and by quiet coves and beaches like Ligoneri Vrellas and Agioi Anargyroi. Food-wise, it's the classics that win out here: grilled octopus with parsley pesto and lobster spaghetti at taverna Patralis. Don't leave the island without sampling or buying a box of the orange blossom-scented, sugar-dusted chewy almond cookies called amygdalota. Where to stay: In the Old Harbour, the former port authority building has been sensitively restored to house the Orloff Resort. Doubles cost from £141, check availability at booking.com Rhodes Known for its ancient ruins, medieval old town and sun-drenched coastline, Rhodes is ideal for those seeking a historic retreat with exceptional food. Once home to the Colossus, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the island’s Ottoman, Italian and maritime influences are clear in both the architecture and fare. For seafood lovers, Limanaki Restaurant in Kolymbia is a must – simple grilled catch of the day (choose your own fresh from the counter) is drizzled with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. For something a little less traditional, beach-front Ronda in the old town offers a stellar sushi selection and cocktails perfect for golden-hour sipping. Sweet cravings are best satisfied at Gelateria Palladion in the old town – once voted Greece’s best – the Italian-influenced architecture of the town square making it the ideal place to enjoy a scoop or two. Or cool down with local frozen yogurt at one of the many cafés housed in the signature whitewashed buildings of Lindos after an ascent up its clifftop acropolis. Where to stay in Rhodes: For a modern, laid-back stay, Casa Cook Rhodes is a stylish boho-chic adults-only retreat backed by mountains. Its two restaurants serve thoughtfully prepared dishes – expect all the meze classics like creamy taramasalata, tzatziki and hummus with warm pita or grilled souvlaki and gyros, with vegetarian options throughout. Breakfasts here are a standout: local honey drizzled over thick yogurt, scrambled eggs with salmon and a daily rotating smoothie selection. Don’t miss a chilled freddo coffee before heading off to explore. Come evening, the beach bar pulses with laid-back DJ sets, the ideal backdrop to sip on sweet local Rhodian melitio wine. While you’re there, hike up to hilltop Tsambika Monastery for panoramic views of the Med and you might even spot a goat or two. Doubles from €209 per night, check availability at casacook.com, booking.com or expedia.co.uk Thessaloniki Want to explore more of the Greek mainland? Thessaloniki is Greece's second-biggest city and has plenty to offer foodies. It was the country’s first City of Gastronomy in 2021 and has a diverse cuisine influenced by its varied history from the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. Spend time in Ladadika, the historic waterfront district with pretty cobbled streets to explore, lined with colourful pastel-painted buildings and filled with tavernas, restaurants and cafes. Try local produce at the covered Modiano market and visit one of Thessaloniki's oldest bakeries, Koukos, for lunch for the famous cheese pie – a feta-filled slab of flaky filo pastry. As Thessaloniki sits on the coast, it's great for fresh fish and seafood lovers; 7 Thalasses offers simple grilled or fried fish dishes or try something unique at Mourga for the regularly changing menu based around the best fish available. Where to stay in Thessaloniki: ON Residence sits right on Thessaloniki's seafront. The elegant hotel exudes a slick, art deco vibe, retaining many original features from its 1920s-era construction from chequered black and white floor tiles to intricate ceiling mouldings. The interiors of the 60 rooms are understated but chic, with pearl grey walls and snowy white bed linen contrasting with rich, jewel-coloured velvet furniture. On-site restaurant, Olympos Naoussa, serves up a buffet-style breakfast in tastefully plush surrounds; pile your plate with anything from local cheeses to hot egg dishes and bougatsa, a traditional sweet custard pastry dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon. Doubles from £150, check availability at booking.com, mrandmrssmith.com or hilton.com Folegandros If you want to escape the crowds of well known Greek islands like Santorini or Mykonos, add Folegandros to your wishlist instead. It is one of the lesser known Cyclades islands with a population under 1,000, no airport and one road. It's the perfect destination to switch off, slow down and simply soak up the views of the Aegean Sea. The limited phone signal should help. Visit the traditional Cycladic town of Chora, take a boat trip round the island and swim at Katergo and Livadaki beaches. For dinner, head to the main square to Kritikos. Order matsata as an accompaniment to rabbit stew, tomato-stewed rooster or kontosouvli (pork roasted on a large spit) and wash it down with the house wine. The remote taverna Papalagi offers spectacular views for a memorable meal. Where to stay in Folegandros: The opening of Gundari in 2024 helped put Folegandros on the map. This five-star eco-friendly resort is the pinnacle of sustainable luxury. Its 29 suites and villas are bio-climatically designed, using solar energy to minimise energy use, kitted in natural colours and with private pools. The cliff-edge pool with swim-up cocktail bar is as dreamy as it sounds, as is the subterranean sea view spa. The resort's own organic farm provides produce and restaurants are helmed by Greece’s first Michelin-star chef, Lefteris Lazarou, serving dishes such as squid with basil pesto, seabass carpaccio and Cycladic salad with local souroto cheese. gundari.com Doubles from £394; check rates and availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com Ikaria This tiny, rugged island in the north Aegean region is renowned for longevity and a zest for life and featured as one of the Blue Zones in the Netflix series by Dan Buettner. Come to soak up the sunshine and embrace a slower pace of life. Ikaria has brilliant beaches to offer: visit Seychelles or Nas beach for super white sand and clear blue seas. The island is also home to several thermal springs that claim to reduce stress and anxiety and promote relaxation. For the more active, the island is dotted with hiking trails and 37 saves to explore. Where to stay in Ikaria: Cavos Bay Hotel & Studios has a traditional architectural style and is located on the north coast of Ikaria overlooking the stunning Armenistis Bay. Low-key and locally owned, the property oozes Greek charm and has two pools, but is also just a short stroll from a sandy beach. Doubles from £63, check availability at booking.com or expedia.co.uk More travel guides 10 unique walking holidays for foodies 8 of the most breathtaking train journeys across the world Swap popular tourist spots for these lesser known destinations Best Morocco food trips Best Spanish food trips Best Portuguese food trips Best European vineyards to visit and stay Best foodie city breaks by train Best Spanish hotels Best Italian hotels Best country house hotels in the UK Best Scottish hotels
Best tea Advent calendars to sip all December long, tried and tested 2025
Who says an Advent calendar has to be chocolate? We've tried and tested the best tea Advent calendars for an extra special festive tea break
Who says an Advent calendar has to be chocolate? There is an Advent calendar for everything these days and, as tea lovers here at olive, the wide range of tea Advent calendars now available are some of our favourites. From fun-flavoured teabags to decadent drawers filled with high-end loose leaf tea, or calendars filled with matcha, there is a tea Advent calendar for everyone. Many have multiple teabags or servings inside each day, meaning they are perfect for sharing. The ideal way to add a little moment of calm into Christmas festivities each day. For more Advent calendar inspiration, check out our guides to the best foodie Advent calendars, best coffee Advent calendars and best alcohol Advent calendars filled with gin, whisky and more. For more tea inspiration, see our picks of the best tea gifts or the best teapots to buy. Best tea Advent calendars to buy 2025 – tried and tested Bird & Blend tea Advent calendar Available from Bird & Blend (£39.50) Bird & Blend was the first to launch a tea Advent calendar 13 years ago and has become a staple of the tea world ever since. We love the fun festive design of this teabag-filled calendar, colourful inside and out. In signature Bird & Blend style it is filled with unusual gourmet tea flavours – 24 in total, meaning no repeats throughout the month. There's also a caffeine-free version available. There are two teabags per day tucked in cubes that are fun to open (all packaging is plastic-free), which means it's great for sharing. It adds to the festive feeling with lots of Christmas flavours inside, such as mulled cider, gingerbread chai and limited-edition Irish cream, alongside quirky bestsellers. What will your favourite discovery be? Available from: Bird & Blend (£39.50) Whittard tea Advent calendar Available from Whittard (£24.95) A great classic tea calendar option. There are two teabags behind each door, so it's perfect for sharing. Flavours are fairly traditional, including Chelsea breakfast, earl grey and darjeeling, with a couple of more flavoured varieties such as a vanilla chai, English rose and festive breakfast teas – so plenty to discover all month long. The compact design is slightly flimsy but has a pretty navy festive design with gold stars. Available from: Whittard (£24.95) English Tea Shop wellness calendar Available from Selfridges (£15.99) This is a great value tea Advent calendar for a curious tea lover wanting to try something new each day. It has a sweet design, arriving tied with a festive red bow and decorated with gold teapots inside. There are 24 different wellness-inspired teas inside, so no repeats all month and lots of variety across styles of tea – from fruity red berries to punchy peppermint. The loose leaf tea bags have brewing instructions inside to get the perfect cup. Available from: Selfridges (£15.99) Bird & Blend matcha Advent calendar Available from Bird & Blend (£55) If your love of tea extends to matcha, this is the calendar for you. This fun matcha Advent calendar has a seriously impressive range of matcha flavours inside, including plenty of festive limited editions such as mince pie, yule log or eggnog matcha, as well as fruity twists including peach cobbler or strawberries and cream. There is enough in here for 48 cups of matcha so it's great for sharing and discussing your favourite flavours. It's pricey but there is £80 worth of tea inside. Available from: Bird & Blend (£55) 24 Days of Twinings calendar Available from Twinings (£25) If you're a tea brand loyalist, this Twinings calendar could be the one for you. It's a new one to us for 2025 (although it has been around for a couple of years), with a minimalist double door design. Inside are 24 different teas so no repeats all month – plus you get two teabags each day, so it's another great one for sharing. The different blends included will help you find a moment of calm each day in a busy December, with varieties such as Detox, Focus and Glow. This year Twinings have also launched a brand new smaller calendar with one teabag per day – at just £13, it makes a great gift. Available from: Twinings (£25) Pukka tea Advent calendar Available from Amazon (£11.45), Ocado (£11.45) A great value, simple tea calendar that would make a lovely gift for a tea lover. The calendar unrolls so you can hang it on the back of a kitchen door. Although this does mean that there's no secrecy about the teas to expect each day, there are 24 different flavours to try meaning there is still plenty to discover over December. The calendar is fully recyclable and the teabags are all home compostable. Available from: Amazon (£11.45) Ocado (£11.45)
Best coffee Advent calendars to buy in 2025
No matter their preference or investment in the brewing process, a coffee Advent calendar is an excellent option for caffeine lovers this December
Coffee Advent calendars are an opportunity to explore coffee beans from around the world, seasonal Christmas flavours and count down to Christmas with a cup of something you, your friend or family member loves. It's a great way to fuel you through the festive season! We tested a range of coffee Advent calendars at different price points to bring you our picks of the best coffee Advent calendars to buy in 2025. From bargain instant coffee to luxury Nespresso pod-filled options, these are great as a festive treat for yourself or gift for the coffee fanatic in your life. We'll be continually adding to this round-up as more calendars launch and we test every calendar out to bring you our verdict. You don't necessarily need a coffee machine for brewing the below, but if you're curious about what's available on the market or wanting advice on the best coffee machines for you, check out our guides to the best coffee pod machines, best espresso machines and the best bean-to-cup coffee machines. For more inspiration, discover our tried and tested picks of the best tea Advent calendars, alcohol Advent calendars and the best Advent calendars for foodies. Best coffee Advent calendars 2025 Rise Friendly Coffee Countdown Advent calendar Available from Rise (£40), Not on the High Street (£44) The Rise coffee calendar is a popular choice every year and makes a great return for 2025. It's also one of the few that hasn't gone up in price this year, which we appreciated. The simple design is bold and colourful and all plastic-free. An impressive pick for variety, this ground coffee calendar features 24 different coffees from around the world, meaning no repeats all month. There's enough coffee each day for two smaller cups and it is medium-ground so works for cafetière, Aeropress, filter and moka pot methods. There's not much information in the calendar itself: instead scan the QR code each day to learn more about that's day's cup, with beans from Ethiopia, Brazil and much more. The speciality coffee is all ethically sourced and 1 per cent of all sales go back to coffee-growing communities. Available from: Rise (£40) Not on the High Street (£44) Pact Coffee Advent calendar Available from Pact Coffee (£44.95) There are no traditional doors to open here, this is a box packed with top-quality coffee to explore all month long instead. As soon as we opened the delivery, the delicious smell of fresh coffee wafted from the box. We lifted open the lid of the smart box (in tiled red for the ground coffee edition, equally festive green for the whole bean option) to find 25 numbered sachets, each containing 18g of coffee. The ground coffee is suitable for cafetière, Aeropress, V60 and drip-brewing methods, and the whole bean option is perfect for people who want to grind it fresh every day. We were impressed by the range of coffees in here – with no repeats, you can expect seven exclusive and rare limited-editions, and 10 'micro lot' coffees grown in small volumes. If you've had the calendar in previous years like we have, then you'll be pleased to know there's 10 new coffees in here for 2025. Available from: Pact Coffee (£44.95) Grind Advent calendar Available from Grind (£29.95) We're already fans of the Grind coffee machine and have tested out its pods, so we were thrilled to see its Advent calendar return for 2025. The outside of the slim calendar is signature Grind pink, while opening it up reveals a fun 'Where's Wally'-esque design. A fun one to have on the mantelpiece all month long. Behind the doors are 25 compostable Nespresso-compatible pods across an impressive 16 different flavours, an increase on last year's 13 options. As well as Grind's core blends, expect flavoured coffees such as caramel, hazelnut, Baileys and pumpkin spice. Spoiler alert: on Christmas Day, you'll find two pods behind the door (in the appropriate Christmas blend) so you can share your morning brew. If you love Grind but don't have a pod machine, we've also spotted that this year they're doing a wholebean or ground coffee advent calendar in a fun bookcase design. Available from: Grind (£29.95) Nespresso Vertuo Advent calendar Available from Nespresso (£43) This unique Advent calendar from Nespresso has an innovative cube design, covered in a hypnotic swirling gold and pink pattern. Inside are 24 different pods that are compatible with a Nespresso Vertuo machine – proving that there is a coffee calendar for everyone. The supersize Vertuo pods inside cover a range of flavours (with no repeats) – from unusual cinnamon and candied tamarind to more classic roasts, plus a special gift at the end of the month. If you have a different machine, there is a classic Nespresso pod calendar too. Available from: Nespresso (£43) Rave Coffee Advent calendar Available from Rave (£35.95) This is a slightly different coffee Advent calendar from the rest of our picks, but it's one of our favourite calendars we've tried this year so we couldn't resist adding it in. You might not get beans or ground coffee in here, but instead behind each door is an irresistible coffee-infused chocolate. There are six different flavours to discover throughout the month – from a biscuit and coffee milk chocolate truffle, to solid blonde coffee chocolate (a highlight) and decadent coffee caramel coated in coffee dark chocolate and cocoa powder. It's pricey but great quality (with ethically sourced coffee and cocoa), and an absolute must-try for a coffee lover with a sweet tooth. It's limited-edition and made in small batches, so worth buying quickly if you fancy trying it. Available from: Rave (£35.95) L'Or Coffee Capsule Advent calendar Available from L'Or (£12.99), Amazon (£12.99) Another coffee pod calendar option with 24 different blends, including two decaffeinated pods. There are only three flavoured pods – including caramel and vanilla – with the rest of the calendar focusing on different intensity blends instead, which is ideal if you’re not a fan of novelty flavours. The design is minimalist black and dark red, but the doors being in the shape of coffee pods is a nice extra touch. At under £15, it's also great value and by far the most affordable coffee Advent calendar we've tried. Available from: L'Or (£12.99) Amazon (£12.99) Little’s 24 Days of Flavoured Coffee Advent calendar Available from Selfridge's (£40.99) This fun and colourful calendar is another option for those with a coffee pod machine. We think this suits those who don't take their coffee too seriously and like trying quirky flavours. Each day reveals a new Nespresso-compatible capsule with nine different flavours inside, from caramel or vanilla to three calendar-exclusives for the festive season, including the ever popular pumpkin spice. It's got a good mix of classic and unusual flavours to brighten up December mornings. Available from: Selfridge's (£40.99) Related reviews Celeste Wong's best decaf coffee to try Celeste Wong's best reusable and compostable espresso pods Celeste Wong's best cafetières to buy Celeste Wong's best coffee bags Best coffee pod machines Best bean-to-cup coffee machines Best espresso machines Best Nespresso machines
olive Christmas Taste Awards 2025 - the best supermarket buys you need this year
Christmas isn’t just about the cooking – it’s about enjoying yourself, too! The must-buy winners of our olive Christmas Taste Awards will make seasonal eating that little bit easier
Looking for easy Christmas party food for the festive season? From Christmas cakes and mince pies to cranberry sauce, we’ve got it covered. We've included links to buy where products are available online already, so you can get planning. olive Christmas Taste Awards 2025 Best smoked salmon Winner: Lidl Deluxe mild smoked salmon There's a lot of quirky innovation around smoked salmon at Christmas, but sometimes we like a classic option best. This is soft and creamy, and not overly chewy. Available from Lidl, launching soon Best turkey crown Joint winner: Sainsbury's Taste the Difference British free-range bronze turkey crown with pork, apricot, pear, cranberry and candied ginger stuffing This attractive turkey crown is a great centrepiece to serve – it has a glossy glaze and deep golden, crispy bacon on the top. The turkey stays juicy and we love the generous amount of fruity stuffing inside, which has good texture and a kick of sweetness to balance the smoky bacon. Available from: Sainsbury's (from £47.75) Joint winner: M&S Oakham™ Hot Maple Glazed Turkey Crown This sticky, spiced hot maple glaze adds something new to your Christmas table. It has a dark golden appearance, peppery bacon on top, good texture to the turkey and one of the best stuffings that we tried, packed with cranberries and cherries. Available from: Ocado (£50) Best gammon Winner: M&S Outdoor Bred Slow Cooked Hot Honey Gammon On The Bone This bone-in joint cooks to a deep golden brown. There's no glaze (although this means you could add your own), but the meat still cooked well, stayed juicy and shredded apart easily. It has a good, balanced flavour – smoky without being overpowering. Available from M&S, launching soon Best alternative Christmas main Winner: Booths British porchetta A good centrepiece if you're looking to serve something different this year. The crackling is nice and salty, with a good crunch. The porchetta has a neat rolled appearance, with tender meat and an aromatic herby stuffing. Available from Booths, launching soon Best vegetarian main Joint winner: M&S Collection mushroom, Barber's cheddar and leek en croute This has a pleasing golden appearance and super-crisp pastry. Inside is an indulgent filling with large chunks of mushroom, a rich, creamy sauce and good balance of textures. Available from: Ocado (£12.50) Best pigs in blankets Winner: Aldi Specially Selected the ultimate pigs in blankets These are chunky, generous pigs in blankets! The sausagemeat has good herby flavour and the bacon is smoky. Available from Aldi, launching soon Best roast potatoes Winner: Exceptional By Asda beef dripping roast potatoes with herb seasoning The herby seasoning gives these potatoes an attractive appearance and extra dimension of flavour. They could be crispier overall, but the potatoes are buttery and tender inside. Available from Asda, launching soon Desserts and sweet treats Best classic mince pie Winner: Morrisons The Best Signature Collection mince pies We love a generously filled mince pie, and these deep ones tick that box. They have a pretty star decoration on the lid, plus soft, buttery pastry and a bright, citrussy filling with plenty of fruit. Available from: Morrisons (£2) Best flavoured mince pie Winner: Morrisons The Best cherry bakewell mince pies If you want an upgrade to a classic mince pie, try these cherry bakewell-inspired pies. The pretty flaked almond frangipane topping creates a neat finish and has good almond flavour without being artificially sweet. There's still a good layer of mincemeat underneath, with added cherries. Available from: Morrisons (£3.50) Best showstopper dessert Winner: Morrisons Signature Collection Belgian chocolate and praline star This striking Christmas showstopper would wow any table. It's filled with a rich chocolate ganache, and the praline adds crunch and deep hazelnut flavour. Available from: Morrisons (£15) Best trifle Winner: Booths red berry and vanilla trifle This is an extremely deep trifle – you have to scoop through to get all the layers! The custard has an old-school nostalgic flavour and the cream is softly whipped, with classic fruit at the bottom. It's not boozy, so would be great for families. Available from Booths, launching soon Best Christmas cake Winner: M&S perfectly matured iced fruit cake A very pretty Christmas cake with a delicate floral design on the icing. Underneath, the cake is rich, with balanced spicing and lots of sultanas – although we'd love to see a cherry in there! The marzipan also has good almond flavour. Available from: Ocado (£15) Best Christmas pudding Winner: Sainsbury's Taste the Difference 18-month matured Christmas pudding This has a classic rounded appearance and glossy finish. It has a moist, slightly crumbly interior, wonderfully rich aroma and some lovely fruit and spice notes. These really follow through on the palate, with a really balanced flavour, delivering all the anticipated fruity and boozy notes. The texture is moist and a bit sticky – in a good way – with a slightly dry finish. Available from: Sainsbury's (£9) Best alternative Christmas cake Winner: Tesco chocolate and salted caramel wreath cake This nicely designed cake adds some colour to your Christmas table, and kids will love it. The chocolate cake is well baked and stays soft. Available from: Tesco (£15) Best biscuit tin Winner: Sainsbury's Taste the Difference chocolate chip shortbread present tin This sweet present tin would make a great hostess gift for a Christmas get-together. The biscuits have a good buttery finish and satisfying crunch, and are studded with creamy milk chocolate chips. Available from Sainsbury's, launching soon Best vegan mince pies Winner: Waitrose six mince pies These mince pies have a thin layer of pastry and deep golden edges – you might not even be able to tell these are vegan. The mincemeat is very juicy, with chunky sultanas. Available from: Waitrose & Partners (£2.25) Best gluten-free mince pies Winner: Waitrose freefrom mince pies Pastry can be where gluten-free alternatives falter, but the golden pastry on these mince pies has a good biscuity flavour and crumbles nicely. The filling has plump fruit and a touch of citrus to balance the sweetness. Available from: Waitrose & Partners (£3) How we chose the winners The olive team chose categories to test. The supermarkets then selected the products they wanted to nominate (we allowed them one entry per category). Every product was prepared according to pack instructions and our expert panel of judges blind-tasted them, rating each on taste, texture and appearance. We then chose our winning products in each category, plus runners-up where worthy.
Best greens powder to buy, tried and tested 2025
Have you tried a greens powder? Our experts have tried and tested some of the biggest brands, including Huel and Shreddy, to bring you our verdict
We all know we need to eat our greens and the benefits of getting our daily veg. In the busy hustle and bustle of daily life, more and more people are adding greens powders to their diet as a quick and easy way of getting some potential nutrition. Brands such as Huel, Shreddy and Free Soul are becoming familiar on social media, often making big health claims about their potential benefits, from boosting immunity and relieving bloating to improving appearance of skin, hair and nails. The greens powders we tested varied in the number of total ingredients, ranging from six to 91. We tested all the greens powders just mixed with water, but you could also add to a morning smoothie or juice. They also vary widely in price – ours cost from between £13-£97 a packet. With so many greens powders on the market – many of them fairly expensive – it can be hard to know where to begin and what is worth the investment. We put top brands of greens powders in the UK to the test, so you can make informed choices when you buy. Read on the find out the best greens powders to buy. For more like this, check out our reviews of the best matcha to buy and six healthy coffee brands to try. Jump to: Best greens powders to buy in 2025 What are greens powders? How we tested greens powders What do nutritionists really think about powdered greens? What should you mix greens powders with Best greens powders at glance Best greens powder overall: Free Soul greens (mango flavour), £29.99/150g Best greens powder for a range of flavours: Protein Works Super Greens Extreme, £15.49/250g Best greens powder for on-the-go: AG1 Food Supplement, £79/30 servings Best spiced greens powder: Bioglan Supergreens, £12/70g Best greens powder for variety of ingredients: Huel Daily Greens, £50/250g Best for widest suggested health benefits: Verve Transparent Greens V80 Powder, £75/300g Best greens powder for minimal ingredients: Rheal Superfoods Clean Greens, £25/150g Best greens powder for protein: Naturya Organic Greens Super Blend, £11.88/250g Best greens powder for probiotics: Shreddy Supergreens mango and pineapple, £34/240g Best greens powders to buy in 2025 Free Soul greens (mango) Available from Amazon (£24.21), Free Soul (£29.99/150g) Best greens powder overall Star rating: 4.5/5 Cost per serving: £1 Number of ingredients: 21 Claims: 'High in fibre to support digestion, uniquely formulated for women, 21 ingredients to support energy and immunity'. Type of sweetener: Stevia Free Soul greens comes in an original or mango flavour, and we tried the mango.The pouch has a resealable top and suggests using 1 teaspoon of powder mixed with water or added to a smoothie. The list of 21 ingredients includes greens such as spinach, kale, broccoli and spirulina, alongside ashwagandha, wheatgrass, green tea, pineapple, red beetroot, maca and fennel seeds. Stevia is used as a sweetener. When mixed with water, the powder had a pleasant mango aroma and strong tropical flavour. The thin texture was refreshing and it was an attractive deep green colour. This could be easily drunk on its own but we think it would be especially good in a tropical smoothie. You can taste a few of the individual ingredients a bit more clearly than in other green powders so you know what you're drinking, but in a good way. Available from: Amazon (£24.21) Free Soul (£29.99/150g) Protein Works Super Greens Extreme (apple and lemon) Available from Protein Works (£15.49/250g) Best greens powder for a range of flavours Star rating: 4/5 Cost per serving: 77p Number of ingredients: 41 Claims: 'High protein, nutrient dense, rich in antioxidants to boost your immunity and focus, added vitamin C to boost your immune system'. Two main benefits claims are convenience (enables you to get more greens with less cooking and less waste) and health (impacts of boosting your greens intake)'. Type of sweetener: Sucralose Protein Works Super Greens is available in a very wide range of flavours – take your pick from mandarin orange, mojito, summer berry burst, tropical and more. We tried the apple and lemon flavour in a 250g pack, although 500g and 1kg packs are available too. There is a scoop inside for easy measuring and a 'super fresh seal' on the resealable pouch. There are 41 active ingredients and it claims 20 of these are 'superfoods'. The base of 'super greens blend' includes spirulina, spinach, wheatgrass, broccoli, matcha tea, ashwagandha extract, green tea and green coffee bean extracts, yerba mate and ginseng. Then there's a 'vitamins and minerals' blend including vitamin C, vitamin B3, folic acid, vitamin E and vitamin B5. It also contains flavourings and a sweetener. The flavour we tried was very sweet, and we'd be intrigued to try more of the flavours. It was an attractive deep green colour, the best colour of ones we tried. The texture is a bit grainy and powdery, so we would suggest blending this one for the smoothest results. Available from: Protein Works (£15.49/250g) AG1 Food Supplement Available from AG1 (£79/30 servings) Best greens powder for on-the-go Star rating: 3.5/5 Cost per serving: £3.23 Number of ingredients: 75 Claims: Daily support for energy, hormone function, immune system, cognitive and nervous system function, healthy blood glucose. Type of sweetener: Stevia At £97 for a bag containing 30 servings (you can subscribe, bringing the cost slightly down to £79), AG1 is undoubtedly an investment and by far the most expensive greens powder we tried. Your first delivery comes with a free shaker. We liked that there are also individual portions of the powder available in sachets (although these are even more expensive) – handy for on-the-go, taking to work with you or on trips, or just not needing to think about daily measuring. With a hefty 75 ingredients, there's lots of different things in here, notably spirulina, apple powder, papaya, rosehip powder, acerola fruit juice powder extract, ashwagandha root extract, dandelion concentrate, alfalfa powder, green tea extract, several mushroom powders and added probiotics. Many of these ingredients we didn't spot in other greens powders we tested, so the versatility is a strong point if you're looking for a real variety of potential benefits. The powder dissolves easily in water (we used the scoop provided) with just slightly chalky results but no clumps left unmixed. The drink had a deep green colour and a fruity, almost tropical scent. It does contain stevia, which gives quite a sweet flavour, combined with some sweet fruits in the ingredients. Flavour-wise, we'd struggle to have a whole glass on it's own and would recommend mixing into smoothies. Available from: AG1 (£79/30 servings) Bioglan Supergreens Available from Amazon (£8.50/70g), Holland & Barrett (£12/70g) Best spiced greens powder Star rating: 4.5/5 Cost per serving: 90p Number of ingredients: approx 20 Claims: 'Bursting with superfoods, high in iron, vitamin B12, vitamin C, iodine'. Type of sweetener: Sugar The Bioglan Supergreens says it has 'apple-infused flavour' for 'no grassy taste', and has mulled apple seasoning in the ingredients. This includes cinnamon, cloves, apple powder and ginger, and gives the powder a very strong spiced flavour when drunk on its own. You'd have to find the right flavours to balance this in a smoothie, as it would most likely clash with some berry or tropical flavours. The texture of the powder once mixed in water was quite thin but relatively clean tasting. There are three serving suggestions on the packet, although the suggested quantity of 5-10g of powder is quite vague (although means you can experiment to find the balance you like), and there is no scoop included. We appreciated that the ingredients listed the percentage of each ingredient involved, and was overall relatively short and recognisable with approximately 20 ingredients. These included greens such as spirulina, spinach, broccoli and kale, as well as chlorella, turmeric and wheatgrass. It also contains both sugar and salt. It is a small 70g packet, which comes to 14 servings and is under £15 – so it's a good entry-level, affordable greens powder to try for beginners who aren't yet sure if they want to splash out on a more expensive powder. Available from: Amazon (£8.50/70g) Holland & Barrett (£12/70g) Huel Daily Greens Available from Huel (£50/250g) Best greens powder for most ingredients Star rating: 3.5/5 Cost per serving: £1.66 Number of ingredients: 91 Claims: Huel claims over 166 health benefits to their Daily Greens, including boosting metabolism, immunity, natural energy sources, supporting muscle growth. Type of sweetener: Stevia Huel Daily Greens had the highest number of ingredients (91) and the biggest amount of health claims (166) of all the greens powders we tested. With so much going on, we found it interesting to read on their website a breakdown of every ingredient and its claimed role and health benefits, so that we could understand more about what we were consuming and why. All the expected ingredients are in here, plus more. There's lots of fruit and veg powders: broccoli, carrot, spinach, kale, tomato, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, and cranberry, to name a few. There's a mushroom and adaptogen blend including ashwagandha root and lion's mane mushrooms. Other notable ingredients include marine algae, black garlic, green coffee bean extract, pea protein, flaxseed and oats. It has sweetener in the form of stevia. The powder comes in an easily resealable pouch with a scoop provided for measuring. There are clear instructions on how to mix, although we found it hard to mix smoothly with some lumps left when just using a spoon – we'd recommend trying a frother or blender. The colour was quite brown-toned and not the most attractive of powders we tested. The finished taste was extremely sweet with an artificial taste from sweetener. Instead of drinking on its own, this would need to be balanced in a smoothie or juice, perhaps with some more veg. Available from: Huel (£50/250g) Verve Transparent Greens V80 powder Available from Verve (£75/300g) Best for widest suggested health benefits Star rating: 3.5/5 Cost per serving: £2.50 Number of ingredients: 80 Claims: Over 200 health benefits, including enhanced immune function, improved digestion, healthier skin and increased energy levels Type of sweetener: sugar beet fructose and stevia Verve Transparent Greens V80 powder claims to have over 200 health benefits, covering a range of issues from stronger immunity and healthier skin, hair and nails, to better focus, reduced stress and better hormone balance. The powder contains 80 ingredients, including familiar green 'superfoods' (such as kale, broccoli and spinach), digestive enzymes, prebiotics, a range of added vitamins and minerals (to provide you with 100 per cent of your daily recommended amount of key vitamins) and adaptogens such as ashwagandha. It's also vegan and gluten-free, and there's impressive transparency on Verve's site about the included ingredients and their purpose in the blend. At £2.50 per serving (as a one-off purchase – subscription models and offers can make each bag cheaper), it's one of the most expensive greens powders we tried. However, you do get a free shaker and tub to store the powder with your first order. The suggested serving is one heaped 10g scoop mixed with 300ml of water, taken in the morning on an empty stomach. After mixing, it's very dark green with some orange flecks on top, and doesn't have the most enticing aroma. The initial flavour is palatable when drunk on its own. The ingredients list includes sugar beet fructose, which makes it quite sweet, but there is a metallic aftertaste that's less pleasant – this is attributed to the inclusion of stevia. If this was added to juice or a smoothie, the aftertaste may be masked. Available from: Verve (£75/300g) Rheal Superfoods Clean Greens Available from Holland & Barrett (£25/150g) Best greens powder for minimal ingredients Star rating: 4/5 Cost per serving: 83p Number of ingredients: 7 Claims: Contains vitamin C to contribute to normal function of the immune system, iron to help fight tiredness and fatigue Type of sweetener: None Rheal have taken a different approach to their greens powder. Rather than loading it with anything and everything 'green', they have focused on just seven 'superfoods'. These are baobab, barley grass, chlorella, moringa, pineapple, wheatgrass and spirulina. There is no additional sweetener. It has high protein levels and we appreciate the ingredients being familiar and easy to understand. Rheal also plant a tree with every order. Instead of a plastic resealable pouch, Rheal comes in a cardboard tube with sealed metal opening, although this can get a little messy when popping open. A suggested serving of 1 teaspoon is given, to mix just with 'a glass of water'. When mixed together, it has an attractive deep green colour but the powder separates quickly when left to sit and forms two clear layers in the glass. It smells extremely grassy and also tastes grassy and vegetal. This has more of a savoury flavour, which we appreciate after testing some greens powders that are overly artificially sweet. Available from: Holland & Barrett (£25/150g) Naturya Organic Green Superblend Available from Amazon (£11.88/250g), Holland & Barrett (£11.61/250g) Best greens powder for protein Star rating: 4/5 Cost per serving: 61p Number of ingredients: 6 Claims: High in protein to build and maintain muscle mass, high in zinc to support the immune system and 'protect the body against oxidative stress'. Type of sweetener: None Naturya is another minimalist greens powder, this time with just six ingredients: wheatgrass powder, hemp protein powder (30%), barleygrass powder (20%), pineapple powder, chlorella powder (5%) and spirulina powder (5%). It has no added sweetener. The ingredients list is refreshingly straightforward, although with 30 per cent hemp protein powder, it is more protein-heavy than other greens powders – which focus on upping your greens intake through lots of veg. At just over £15, it is one of the most affordable greens powders we tried. The pack suggests mixing with smoothies, milk or juice or even adding to baking. We stuck to mixing with water and the powder dissolved well. Available from: Amazon (£11.88/250g) Holland & Barrett (£11.61/250g) Shreddy Supergreens (mango and pineapple) Available from Shreddy (£34/240g) Best greens powder for probiotics Star rating: 4/5 Cost per serving: £1.13 Number of ingredients: 62 Claims: Claims to be 100 per cent of NRV of key vitamins and minerals and contain five million probiotic bacteria. 100 per cent of biotin, nicacin and selenium that contribute to growth and maintenance of healthy skin, hair and nails. Type of sweetener: Stevia Shreddy Supergreens has a mango and pineapple flavour. The resealable pouch comes with a scoop for measuring and suggests mixing 8g (1 scoop) with 150-250ml water, a wide range that helps you decide how intense you want the flavour to be. The claims have more of a focus on beauty benefits than some of the other greens powders we tried. The list of 62 ingredients is broken down into different blends – probiotic and prebiotic blend (including chicory root extract and psyllium husk powder), antioxidant blend (including green tea extract, apple extract, basil, oregano, carrot, elderberry, blueberry, blackcurrant), superfood blend (chlorella powder, spirulina, wheatgrass), beauty blend (biotin, selenium), and a vitamin and mineral blend. It does also contain stevia sweetener. When mixed with water, the finish is a paler green colour than others, but looks attractive. It has an inviting tropical smell but on the palate, the aftertaste tastes a bit like paint (potentially from the stevia). We wouldn't want to drink this on its own, but a smoothie might mask that aftertaste better than just mixing with water. Available from: Shreddy (£34/240g) What are greens powders? So what is a greens powder? Greens powders are dietary supplements that aim to help you increase your greens intake, often along with added superfoods, vitamins or probiotics blended in. They're based around plant extracts – often starting with blends of green veg such broccoli, spinach and kale – but can contain everything from fruit powders and mushrooms to ashwagandha, black pepper and coffee extracts. Some also contain sweeteners, such as sugar or stevia, to help make the green blends more palatable. How we tested greens powders We tested eight greens powders at the same time, so we could compare them side by side. Each greens powder was mixed with water, following the brand's suggested ratios of powder to water. They were all mixed by hand with a teaspoon. A team of our reviews and health experts tried each one. We were looking for powders that dissolved well, had a pleasant texture to drink and a good balanced flavour – not too earthy, not too vegetal and not too artificially sweet from the presence of sweeteners. We also assessed the ingredients in each powder (which varied from seven to 91), the benefits it claimed to give, and sustainability factors such as packaging and how long the powder lasted. We also considered value for money, with price per serving ranging widely across the powders. What do nutritionists really think about powdered greens? Nutritionist Kerry Torrens says: "Green powders are typically high in protective plant compounds such as polyphenols, these have a valuable antioxidant and possible anti-inflammatory effect and may help reduce the risk of chronic disease... Routinely consuming one of these products is not a substitute for a balanced, varied diet and these powders should not be used as a replacement for whole foods such as a plentiful variety of fruit and vegetables." For more information on greens powders, our friends at Good Food have a helpful guide to green supplements. What should you mix greens powder with? We tested greens powders simply mixed with water, which is quick and easy, but this is the most potent way to have them as it lets the original flavours and texture shine through with nowhere to hide. Blending the powders into smoothies and juices will help disguise the flavour and can make them more pleasant to drink, as well as potentially giving a smoother texture. We stirred the powders by hand using a teaspoon, but you could also use a shaker or milk frother for an extra-smooth result. 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