Four festive UK city getaways for shopping, eating and exploring
Discover four of our favourite festive UK cities where you can gift shop, chill and eat magical food (plus the cool neighbourhoods you should be exploring)
Looking for a quick festive getaway which combines unique shopping with delicious food? Discover the most festive city getaways across the UK, then check out our guide to the UK's best boutique hotels for food lovers and farm stays for food lovers. Or find your new favourite neighbourhood in our top foodie neighbourhoods in 11 UK cities. Bath Milsom Street and around, Bath A Unesco World Heritage site, Bath is a festive stunner. Behind its Georgian facades, moreover, you will find incredible shopping that should cover all gift buying needs. Names like Kiehl’s, Russell & Bromley, Aesop and Lakeland cluster in and around Milsom Street, alongside notable Bath indies, such as shoemaker Chanii B or Gabucci Menswear. Foodie stops include cheesemonger Paxton & Whitfield, chocolatier Neuhaus, Green Street butcher and, for wine and spirits, Amathus. In the new Shires Yard (previously Milsom Place), you will find Coret coffee, classes at The Cookery Studio and an outpost of Bristol chef Josh Eggleton’s muchpraised, veg-led restaurant, Root. Elsewhere in Bath, other tasty options include: Corkage Handsome bottle shop, bar and dining room offering up to 60 wines by the glass to accompany seasonal sharing plates of, say, beef shin croquettes with capers and mustard, or salt-baked celeriac, burnt apple, black winter truffle, vanilla, pecorino and mint. corkagebath.com Magari Impressive fresh pasta kitchen in Shires Yard. High-quality Italian and British ingredients (Amalfi lemons, Mutti tomatoes, Cacklebean eggs, Sussex Charmer cheese) underpin competitively priced dishes of sausage ragu, pesto, carbonara and such. magaripasta.co.uk Chez Dominique A short walk from Milsom Street. Modern French and European cooking that delivers in mains of, for example, roast cod, butter beans, chorizo and tapenade, or onglet, wild garlic butter and pommes frites. chezdominique.co.uk Beckford Canteen Modern British restaurant which, since 2022, has taken Bath by storm in well executed dishes such as onion squash soup with hazelnut and sage; venison, celeriac and blackberries; and plaice in café de Paris butter. beckfordcanteen.com Norwich and Oxford Norwich Lanes, Norwich Remote enough to feel like a genuine getaway, Norwich is a city of fantastic food, fab indie shopping and endless historic layers. It also looks – check the Insta-perfect cobbled Elm Hill – particularly picturesque in winter. These features come together in Norwich Lanes, a colourful, walkable neighbourhood of streets and alleys, many home to Georgian and medieval buildings, that sits between the River Wensum and the Guildhall. Stylishly festooned at Christmas, Jarrolds independent department store is legendary. Start your gift shopping there before delving into the Lanes’ hundreds of boutiques, from sustainable slow-fashion store Atwin, Elm homewares or Lisa Angel jewellery, to Bowhill & Elliott, makers of luxurious house slippers since 1874. The Lanes are also abundant with good food and drink. Refuel at bakery Bread Source, brunch spot JC Pinto or burger joint Bun X. Later, after pre-dinner cocktails at The Drawing Rooms, pick from: Benedicts A much-loved modern British restaurant in which chef-patron Richard Bainbridge makes memorable use of regional produce in, as Christmas nears, dishes such as a spicy game pâté en croûte or a festive version of his GBM-winning Nanny Bush’s trifle. restaurantbenedicts.com Yard Fresh pastas, fastidious sauces and on-point cocktails are the draw at this buzzy walk-in only spot. Try the pappardelle with 12-hour beef shin ragu or the sausage and fennel rigatoni. yardnorwich.com L’hexagone Modern French bistro cooking from chef Thomas Aubrit. Expect dishes such as soupe à l’oignon, boeuf bourguignon and a stand-out crème brûlée. hexagonebistrofrancais.com Brix and Bones This attractive live-fire restaurant is a hit for next-level steaks (aging sides of beef are displayed in several gorgeous fridges) and chef George Wood’s modish dishes of, say, sesame pork toast with black bean emulsion or aged mutton, fermented celeriac and nasturtium. brixandbones.com East Oxford A historic gem of dreaming spires and ancient streets, Oxford is an evocative festive destination. Nearby attractions, including Blenheim Palace with its Great Court skating rink and seasonal light trail, seal this wonderland deal. But beyond this cute backdrop a different Oxford is doing its thing. East of the city centre, around Cowley Road, hip young Oxford is at play: browsing vinyl at record shop Truck, catching movies at the indie Ultimate Picture Palace and shopping at boutiques such as Scandi lifestyle store Löfgrens, and vintage clothing hub The Retro Room. Pick up foodie treats at Hamblin Bread, coffee roaster Missing Bean, health food store Wild Honey and, every Saturday, East Oxford Farmers’ and Community Market. Later, get a taste of the local scene at The Chester Arms (home of a legendary steak platter) or at these varied picks: Arbequina With its long zinc bar and lively vibe, Arbequina riffs winningly on Spanish tapas culture in plates of, for example, onion tortilla, aubergine, whipped feta, molasses and pomegranate, and ibérico de bellota pork tenderloin with mojo verde. Exciting news alert! Arbequina co-owner Rufus previously ran the acclaimed Oli’s Thai with his wife, chef Ladd Thurston, which they recently relaunched on boho Magdalen Road. Go, go, go. arbequina.co.uk Taste Tibet Spruce, stripped-back neighbourhood hang where Yeshi Jampa’s Tibetan dishes (beef momos, various curries, flatbreads, sides such as fermented mooli) have an enthusiastic following. tastetibet.com The Magdalen Arms For 16 years this gastropub has won hearts with its homemade focaccia, fresh pastas, classic cheese soufflé and feasting sharing dishes such as a seven-hour cooked lamb shoulder with dauphinoise and pickled cabbage. magdalenarms.co.uk Bigfoot With a neat line in DJs, margaritas and tacos, Bigfoot’s short menu includes taco toppings like miso oyster mushrooms, jalapeño crema and spring onion, or braised pork, pickled red onion and pineapple. bigfootoxford.com Edinburgh Edinburgh Southside, Marchmont and Newington 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. Also, these four zingers: Argile Ten-seat chef ’s counter, where engaging chef Jack Montgomery and team imaginatively deploy superb Scottish ingredients. Stand-out dishes include a slow-cooked egg (63C for 63 minutes) presented in a 96-hour cooked pressed onion broth, garnished with salted trout roe, togarashi and ibérico fat. argilerestaurant.co.uk Pomelo Chef-owner Jun Au’s modern Asian venue 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. pomelocafe.co.uk Nàdair Modish Marchmont restaurant where chefs Sarah Baldry and Alan Keery treat foraged and seasonal Scottish produce with distinctive Scandi-adjacent élan: including the likes of beautifully plated cured trout with spruce, smoked crème fraîche, pickled apple and sorrel. restaurantnadair.com Condita From individual hand-drawn menus to specialist ingredients cultivated on its owners’ Borders allotment, intimate candlelit Condita is a special experience. Chef Tyler King’s tasting menu takes the Scottish larder on a global tour in detailed dishes awarded a Michelin star in February. condita.co.uk
Try elephant’s foot buns, feather-light puri, cocktails made from just-picked nuts, bottles of local beer, Scandi-meets-Japanese cuisine, and handmade donuts in the Steel City
Looking for Sheffield restaurants? Check out our ideas for eating and drinking in the Steel City, from West Bar to Endcliffe Park and beyond… For more exciting restaurants and weekend ideas for food lovers, check out our best UK city breaks and the UK's best artisan bakeries. Now discover the best restaurants in Nottingham, best restaurants in Newcastle, best restaurants in Belfast and best restaurants in Leeds. Best places to eat and drink in Sheffield Orange Bird Modish Hillsborough restaurant, much-liked for its friendly vibe and the creative vim of chef Matt Duggan-Jones. Sharing dishes draw on Matt’s South African heritage and cleverly utilise global flavours in creations such as his caramelised aubergine with masala butter, cherry molasses, curry leaves and coconut labneh, or a braai-barbecued pork rib chop, seasoned with an hibiscus-tweaked braai spice mixture and served with plum, green tomato and black cardamom jam. theorangebird.co.uk Bench Owners, chef Tom Aronica and drinks expert Jack Wakelin, are a dynamic duo. Their Nether Edge HQ, Bench, is the kind of cool and casual neighbourhood restaurant where on-point cocktails and interesting natural wines are served with unusually good, creative small plates. Think ember-roasted beetroot, blood orange and chimichurri, or cured trout, salted kohlrabi, roe and grapefruit. benchsheffield.co.uk Pearl at Park Hill Located amid the famous brutalist 1960s estate that rises behind Sheffield station, Pearl is the Bench team’s new wave ‘local’ for this recently regenerated neighbourhood. Primarily a bar (good beer, cocktails, natty wine and large sun terrace, too), Pearl’s plates menu is a colourful carte of, for example, spanakopita, merguez-stuffed onions or grilled artichokes with saffron aïoli. Neighbouring sister venue, Bench La Cave, is a daytime bakery, led by Dan Ward, and, at night, a wine bar serving Parisian-style grazing plates. pearlatparkhill.co.uk Napoli Centro This cute, compact 16-seater pays homage to Naples in myriad colourful artefacts (from football scarves to vintage drinks ads) and memorable Neapolitan-style pizzas. Delicious to the last bite of their billowing cornicione rims, Napoli Centro’s 48-hour proved bases are topped with vibrant combinations such as fior di latte, capers, olive and anchovies or fennel sausage, friarelli, chilli flakes and smoked provola cheese. napolicentro.co.uk Depot Bakery A neighbour of Peddler Market (where you will find Depot on coffee-and-cake duty), this industrial unit bakery-café is much loved for its sourdoughs and sweet bakes: from cinnamon brioche knots to an epic salted caramel brownie. Its diverting brunch dishes include, for example, brioche french toast with bacon, maple syrup and fried eggs, or eggs florentine. Depot has a second café venue in Hillsborough Park. thedepotbakery.co.uk Peddler Market The once industrial area of Kelham Island and Neepsend is, these days, equally busy with bars, food venues, apartments and office space. Peddler Market is a monthly indoor-outdoor warehouse street food party with DJs, live music, artist-maker stalls and discerning booze options. In December, Peddler will host its 100th Sheffield event. peddler.market Ashoka Established in 1967, this distinctive Indian restaurant is, today, a spry, modern space. One that serves an innovative puri dish, seasoned with Sheffield’s beloved condiment, Henderson’s Relish, but which keeps it traditional where it matters. For example, using a charcoal-fired tandoor to cook its grilled meats. Expect dhals of soul-stirring depth and mains, from Persian-style lentils to a ‘railway’ curry of lamb and potatoes, which make deft, layered use of whole and freshly ground spices. ashoka1967.com Leah’s Yard Grade II-listed Leah’s Yard is now an attractive hub of modern independent endeavour, with food and drink a feature at Barks Wine Shop; beer shop slash micropub Hop Hideout and deli-café Mesters Market – showcase of local produce, Mesters Market includes the Marco @ Milano counter, where chef Marco Giove serves Italian sandwiches, pastas, risottos and more. Bean-to-bar chocolate maker, Bullion (which runs tours at its Kelham Island production facility) also has its Chocolate Bar café here. leahsyard.com Cambridge Street Collective After impressing at Neepsend’s Cutlery Works, food hall creator, Blend, last year launched this three-storey, 1,200-seat, city centre extravaganza. 20 kitchens offer a smorgasbord of food options, from Ethiopia and Eritrean dishes (House of Habesha) to Greek pitta wraps (Gyros Express). Further entertainment runs from DJs and an augmented reality darts zone, to kids’ crafting sessions and cooking classes at the Blend Culinary Foundation. cambridgestreetcollective.com Elm By day this handsome space (raw plaster walls, stylish 20th-century furniture) serves great coffee, elevated grilled cheese sandwiches and tinned fish with sourdough toast and citrus-herb butters. At night (Wed-Sat), talented chef, Nathan Wall, offers a four- or seven-course menu of fascinating dishes. These have ranged from kombu-cured trout with roasted sesame, citrus ponzu, broccoli purée and radish, to a cheese scone with Sheffield honey and Baron Bigod cheese. elmsheffield.co.uk Foodie experiences JÖRO Luke French is that rare chef who, in tasting menu dishes of scallop with kampot pepper, aged beef fat, spruce and finger lime, or trout with kinome leaf and a sea buckthorn and yuzu kosho beurre blanc, can elicit excited double takes at his innovative deployment of flavours. Previously in the city centre, Jöro now has a semi-rural home at Oughtibridge Mill. This new site includes guest apartments, a bar (serving snacks) and an outdoor BBQ kitchen. jororestaurant.co.uk Sheffield Beer Week Sheffield is one of Britain’s great beer cities, home to many charismatic pubs (three personal faves being Shakespeare’s, Rutland Arms and The Fat Cat) and acclaimed breweries ranging from evergreen cask beer ace Abbeydale to Saint Mars of the Desert, adventurers at beer’s creative outer reaches. Annually, in March, this abundance of great ale is celebrated in a week of tours, talks, tastings and food events. sheffieldbeerweek.co.uk Public A former public toilet by the town hall, this small, subterranean space is now one of Britain’s best cocktail bars. Laid-back and coolly retromodern in its design, Public offers a very Sheffield take on cocktail culture. No bling, no gimmicks, no VIPs. Crisply executed drinks wow on quality and creative brainwaves such as drawing mango notes from raw butternut squash infusions, or adding savoury depth by washing bourbon with prosciutto fat. publicpublic.co.uk Foodie neighbourhood Sharrow Vale On and around Sharrow Vale Road, this inner suburb offers a concentrated cluster of indie shopping, green space (Endcliffe Park) and great food, from hip bakery, café and grocer Tonco, to legendary chip shop Two Steps, which dates to the 19th century. Foodies can fill their totes at Porter Brook Deli, discerning wine, spirit and beer store Starmore Boss, or coffee roaster and speciality tea retailer Pollards, on Ecclesall Road. Look out for Sharrow Vale Market too. Refuel as you go with a flat white (Corner Store or Porter Coffee), exceptional doughnuts at bakery-café Eve Kitchen, a glass of wine at The Harritt or pints in the charming The Beer House or fellow micropub, Loxley Brewery’s No 3 Sharrow. At fishmonger JH Mann you can buy fresh fish and eat lunch (Tue-Sat, 11am-3pm). Choose your seafood and have it cooked and served with sides of, for example, salt cod mash, lobster sauce, dhal or seasonal vegetables. Looking for brunch? Local fave, Made by Jonty, has you covered. Later, head to Porter Pizza (for stellar Neapolitan-style pizza) or Six and a Half, a hot 2025 opening where live-fire cooking creates dishes such as harissa venison with mint yogurt and crispy spiced onions. More UK restaurant guides Best restaurants in Deal Best restaurants in Birmingham Best restaurants in St Albans Best restaurants in Bristol Best restaurants in Edinburgh Best restaurants in York Best restaurants in Whitstable Best restaurants in Oxford Best restaurants in Cambridge Best restaurants in Margate Best restaurants in Manchester Best restaurants in Glasgow Best restaurants in the Lake District Best restaurants in Brighton
A famously picturesque corner of Britain, popular with walkers and cyclists, the Dales also prides itself on its food – see the sights and tuck in
Looking for restaurants in the Yorkshire Dales? Check out the best places to eat in this picturesque corner of England, including cafés, bars and restaurants. Here's our local food and drink guide to the Yorkshire Dales… For more exciting restaurants and weekend ideas for food lovers, check out our best UK city breaks, Yorkshire foodie guide and the best restaurants in York. For more city guides, try our best restaurants in Birmingham, best restaurants in Glasgow, and the best restaurants in Manchester. Foodie experiences in the Yorkshire Dales The Black Bull, Sedbergh At the Dales’ western edge (next stop, the Lake District) this stylish inn excels with its chic rooms and chef Nina Matsunaga’s distinctive cooking. The Bull does the rural inn bit impressively (great roasts, Monday’s pie night) but Nina also cleverly channels global influences in dishes such as cured mackerel, ajo blanco, orange and daikon or Herdwick lamb with liver sauce and tomato salsa. For more tasty Sedbergh action, swing by The Meat Hook butcher, micropub The Thirsty Rambler and The Dalesman inn. theblackbullsedbergh.co.uk Black Swan Hotel, Ravenstonedale A destination since Victorian times, this attractive Westmorlandvillage inn has in recent years emerged as an award-winning stand-out. In summer, diners spread out into the courtyard and a riverside beer garden. Nifty pub classics (fish pie, double cheeseburger with gouda and bacon jam) are served alongside cheffier dishes such as scallops with preserved lemon and pancetta or a popular cheese soufflé made with goat’s cheese from local farm Piper Hole. blackswanhotel.com The Sun Inn, Kirkby Lonsdale The geography of the Yorkshire Dales National Park is such that several market towns – Kirkby Lonsdale a particularly charming example – fall just outside its official border but attract many Dales visitors. Spruce pub with rooms, The Sun Inn, is a good Kirkby base. Its dishes run from lunch salads and sandwiches to sophisticated mains such as braised beef with creamed potato, celeriac and pancetta sauce. Also in town check out excellent butcher Dales, the Kirkby Lonsdale Brewery tap The Royal Barn, and The Milking Parlour, home of cow to cone gelato-style ice creams made on the nearby dairy farm. sun-inn.info The Sandpiper Inn, Leyburn Jonathan Harrison, a 90s Roux Scholarship winner, is part of that generation of pioneering modern British chefs whose dedication to skilful scratch cooking revolutionised UK food. That approach has for more than 25 years made this gorgeous inn an essential for dishes as diverse as crab tagliatelle or crispy duck leg, mango salad, sauté potatoes and Asian dressing. Breads and ice creams are, of course, made in-house. thesandpiperinn.com Two Dales Bakery, Reeth Two Dales is a real bread advocate creating A1 sourdoughs, buttermilk-enriched sandwich loaves, patisserie and lush bakes. In the modish café you can brunch and lunch on french toast, serious sausage rolls, homemade soups and jazzy egg dishes, with smoked salmon or halloumi and pesto. Thursday’s takeaway pizzas are a hit with locals and holidaymakers. twodalesbakery.co.uk The Blue Lion, East Witton A handsome rural retreat that impresses, whether eating Isle of Mull cheddar rarebit at lunch in the bar (flagged floors, beams, local ales) or lingering over three courses in the restaurant. The menu is a classy crowd-pleaser in dishes such as homemade tagliatelle carbonara with guanciale (from ace charcuterie maker Cobbled Lane) or glazed pork belly with boudin noir, apple, charred Hispi and pickled mustard seeds. thebluelion.co.uk Hansom, Bedale Restaurant geeks have long tagged Ruth Hansom as one to watch and at her intimate restaurant, launched last year, this talented chef is cooking up something special in plates of, say, cured sea trout, kohlrabi, cucumber and smoked hollandaise or a Wensleydale cheese bread ’n’ butter pudding that is pressed, sliced and pan-fried in butter. Hansom’s centrepiece seven-course tasting menu changes constantly in reaction to peak seasonal, regional produce. hansomrestaurant.co.uk Grassington House, Grassington This restaurant with rooms is a go-to for numerous reasons: from afternoon tea to a summer G&T on its terrace, on pretty Grassington’s cobbled village square. In the kitchen chef-owner John Rudden, an experienced hand, ensures quality. The high-flying restaurant menu ranges from, for example, king scallop with chicken and wild mushroom tortellini, celeriac, chicken jus and seaweed velouté, to beef mignon with rag pudding, carrot purée, cabbage faggot an dred wine jus. grassingtonhouse.co.uk Rind, Austwick A satellite of London’s Cheese Bar, Rind shares a site with The Courtyard Dairy, where it creates beautiful wood-fired pizzas using British and Irish cheeses. The margherita is dressed with Old Winchester and UK mozzarella, while an eggs florentine inspired pizza has a sheep’s curd base and uses County Tipperary’s Cáis Na Tíre cheese. A funky canteen-style space with amazing views of the verdant Dales. thecheesebar.com The Angel at Hetton, near Skipton A legendary restaurant with rooms, this 15th century inn has experienced a chic, modern makeover under chef Michael Wignall, both in its interior styling and food. Michelin-starred tasting menus make intelligent, original use of the finest ingredients. Dishes might include the likes of marinated Isle of Mull scallop, blood orange, English wasabi and fennel or cod, kombu, cuttlefish and smoked pike roe. angelhetton.co.uk Foodie experiences Black Sheep Brewery, Masham On Nidderdale’s northern edge, Black Sheep’s visitor centre is a boon for beer fans. Drop in to sample classic Black Sheep cask ales at source or for greater insight into the brewery’s 30-plus years of history and the details of the brewing process itself – from the base mashing of malted barley upwards – take the brewery tour, available Thursday to Sunday. blacksheepbrewery.com Elsworth at the Mill, Skipton Husband and wife team Rebecca and chef Bruce Elsworth have worked in top-end Dales restaurants for years. Now, in an attractive event space at Skipton’s High Corn Mill, they run a busy programme of cooking demo with lunch sessions, personalised cooking classes and supper clubs, ranging from explorations of regional Italian cooking to collabs with artisan producers that celebrate the area’s vibrant food ecology. elsworthatthemill.co.uk Wensleydale Creamery, Hawes Originating in a 12th century Cistercian monastery, crumbly Wensleydale cheese endures as the Dales’ most famous food export. Visitors to the creamery can, as part of the ticketed ‘cheese experience’, watch a cheese-making demo and enjoy a guided tasting, as well as delving into that history. The chance to get a photo with Wensleydale fans Wallace & Gromit (here, life-size recreations woven in wool) is a fun bonus. wensleydale.co.uk Foodie town spotlight Settle This historic market town and the villages of surrounding Ribblesdale and Malhamdale are cultivating quite the food scene. In Settle, foodies are buzzing about the hip, crisply executed small plates at chef Iain Graham’s The Nettle restaurant. Elsewhere, refresh at High Street Coffee, micropub Millers @ Bar 13 or the Talbot Arms freehouse. For food shopping visit butcher and expert pie maker, Drake & Macefield, homewares store (and cute café) Car and Kitchen, Tuesday’s town market and Settle Artisan Market (second Sunday, monthly). Heading into the surrounding countryside, Lay of the Land is a small garden centre whose café, led by chef Jimmie Lay, is much-loved by discerning locals. As is Town End Farm Shop, a crucial outlet for regional artisan foods, including owner Chris Wildman’s charcuterie. Just a few miles from Settle, Austwick is home to the well-regarded hotel restaurant The Traddock and nationally significant food hub The Courtyard Dairy. The dairy retails up to 50 carefully matured cheeses from small farmhouse producers, houses a cheese museum and hosts events and cheese-making courses. It also shares its Crows Nest Barn location with pizzeria Rind, natural wine shop Buon Vino and artisan bakery Ambry. More UK restaurant guides Best restaurants in York Best restaurants in the Lake District Best restaurants in Manchester Best restaurants in Liverpool Best restaurants in Deal Best restaurants in Birmingham Best restaurants in St Albans Best restaurants in Bristol Best restaurants in Edinburgh Best restaurants in Whitstable Best restaurants in Oxford Best restaurants in Cambridge Best restaurants in Margate
Famous for football, music and nightlife, this lively city increasingly draws a crowd for food, too, from hip snacking to modern fine dining
Looking for Liverpool restaurants? Check out the best places to eat in Liverpool, including cafés, bars and restaurants. Here's our local food and drink guide to Liverpool… For more city guides, check out the best restaurants in Birmingham, best restaurants in Glasgow, best restaurants in York and the best restaurants in Manchester. Discover more best restaurants in Cardiff. Best places to eat and drink in Liverpool Manifest – for casual fine dining in industrial settings Historically the Baltic Triangle served Liverpool docks. Now its industrial units are a nightlife hub of brew taps, street food and crazy golf. Quietly tucked away on Watkinson Street, Manifest is an intimate bolthole where chef Paul Durand creatively explores fine seasonal produce and his skills in sourdough, fermentation and charcuterie. Expect interesting wines and dishes akin to char siu celeriac, burnt apple and hazelnut, or cod loin, carrot, sea buckthorn and smoked mussel sauce. manifestrestaurant.com Belzan – for small plates in a bistro-chic dining room Heading out of central Liverpool, Smithdown Road is home to Caribbean café, Raggas, Italians Fritto and Little Furnace, and hip, easy-going Belzan, a small plates restaurant with a big rep. Think chicken mustard croquettes with wild garlic mayo; soused mackerel, blood orange, Guindilla and olives; or smoked pork chop with kohlrabi remoulade. All served in a simple, bistro-chic dining room with cool cocktails and good wine. belzan.co.uk Little Furnace – for wood-fired Neapolitan pizza At its cosy Smithdown Road HQ and Baltic Market, Little Furnace slings exemplary wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas. Patiently proven dough is blast-cooked to create pliable, elastic bases, gorgeously swollen at their cornicione rim. Well-judged toppings range from such timeless classics as fennel sausage and friarielli to goat’s cheese and balsamic onion chutney. littlefurnace.co.uk Wreck – for high-spec, all-day dining for all ages Chef Gary Usher’s Elite Bistros restaurants are friendly, high-quality, all-purpose affairs. The cooking is rigorous. Menus cater for all ages. Modern food trends are skilfully woven in. That MO has made Wreck popular from breakfast onwards. Dishes range from revamped classics (for example, confit duck leg with smoked bacon butter bean cassoulet, salsa verde and duck fat crumb) to contemporary plates such as miso-glazed belly bacon with sesame cream and black radish salad. wreck-bistro.co.uk Lunya – for a taste of Spain This large, modern deli-restaurant has paid loving homage to Spain – and Catalan food, in particular – for 15 years. Feast on grilled sobrasada with whipped goat’s cheese and wild honey, gambas pil pil or pre-order sharing roasts such as the Segovian suckling pig. After eating, stock up on produce from Asturian ciders to the Navarran sheep’s cheese, roncal. There is a sister venue, Lunyalita, at the Albert Dock. lunya.co.uk Madre – for modern takes on Mexican cuisine This colourful Albert Dock restaurant is much loved for its next-level tacos (do not miss the birria with slow-cooked beef shin) and its crisp, modern takes on Mexican cuisine, in dishes such as watermelon salad with chilli, mint, feta and a strawberry vinaigrette, or wood-fired pistachio-crust lamb breast with avo salsa. On sunny days the fun extends out onto a large terrace. Also, this summer, look out for the opening of a Liverpool Salon, Madre’s pool hall meets tacos spin-off. thisismadre.co.uk Vetch – for modern British dishes with Nordic and East Asian influences Opened in spring 2024, Vetch is an ambitious addition to Liverpool. Expect polished service in a relaxed dining room, where 2021 Great British Menu winner Dan McGeorge creates modern British dishes with clear Nordic and East Asian influences. His cooking is elevated work, full of exciting flavours. Brief menu descriptions (duck, beetroot, damson, say) barely hint at the layered complexity on the plate. Barbecued monkfish, for example, comes with leeks used in four different ways, a hot dashi and XO broth, and pearls of ponzu dressing. Carefully chosen wines and bespoke cocktails seal this refined deal. vetchrestaurant.com Nord – for a menu celebrating Northern heritage A stylishly retro-futurist space (think sixties sci-fi chic) where exec chef Daniel Heffy’s team is cooking to great acclaim. Star dishes, such as beef tartare, tallow emulsion, macadamia and pickled cucumber, or seasonal entries such as a spring dish of butter-poached hake with sorrel cream, Jersey Royals, smoked eel and peas, are intelligently designed and deliver memorable flavours. Daniel also leads the kitchen at The Hightown Inn, a pub and dining room in Hightown, a coastal village between Liverpool and Southport. nordrestaurant.co.uk Buyers Club – for fresh pasta, pizza and spritz cocktails Easily missed (look for the archway entrance off Hardman Street), Buyers Club courtyard garden is a sweet summer location for spritz cocktails and pizza. Its reliably brilliant fresh pasta dishes are reason to visit all year round. Try orecchiette with ’nduja and fennel sausage, mascarpone and sage pangrattato or the pappardelle with 14-hour braised beef shin ragu. buyers-club.co.uk Duke Street Market – for an industrial-chic food hall An attractive space with a convivial buzz, Duke Street feels right even before you take a bite – and even better after you do. Kitchens include steak specialist Bone and Block, whose menu runs to 1kg ex-dairy Galician sharing steaks; Big Lola’s for tacos or burritos; and Barbina, which serves fresh pasta dishes of, for example, rigatoni with ox cheek ragu or lobster and crab ravioli. dukestreetmarket.com Bar Glue – for cocktails in an award winning bar From brewery tap Black Lodge to the Liverpool Gin Distillery bar and its Gin Lab, this city offers numerous diversions for curious drinkers. If cocktails are your thing, make a beeline for the multi award winning bijou Bar Glue. Takeover nights with globally renowned bars, such as Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy, indicate the ambition at play here. The Glue vibe is relaxed but in its fastidious sourcing of rare bottles, homemaking of ingredients and creative serves, it is working tirelessly to deliver distinctive drinks. barglue.com Baltic Market – for a tasty array of street food A Liverpool scene linchpin, this warehouse chow down is home – in the likes of Listo Burrito, the Middle Eastern inspired Hafla Hafla, or wood-fired pizzeria Little Furnace – to a tasty array of kitchens. Proper plates, cutlery and glassware is a grown-up, eco-friendly touch and, with its steak frites and beer-battered fish and chips, chef Livia Alarcon’s La Bistroteca is broadening Baltic Market’s range beyond the street food classics. balticmarket.co.uk Delifonseca – for retail food hall treasures This large, modern Brunswick Dock retail food hall and restaurant is a treasure trove. At the butchery counter you will find acclaimed Wirral butcher, Edge & Son, a specialist in locally sourced, rare and native breed meats, while Delifonseca’s shelves are stacked with gourmet treats from Liverpool (Black Lodge beers; Plattsville Bakehouse breads; handmade Toxteth Chocolate), Britain and around the world. delifonseca.co.uk Neighbourhood spotlight Bold Street and Ropewalks When locals talk of Bold Street they mean not just that main drag but also the grid of streets (aka Ropewalks) it sandwiches with Duke Street. In the past decade, that compact area has proven a fertile ground for bars, restaurants and nightlife. Where once Matta’s International Foods or treasured veggie-vegan veteran, The Egg Cafe, were foodie outliers, second gen pioneers such as boho café-bar Leaf, ace Levantine restaurant Maray, and Bold Street Coffee (do not miss its toasted brioche brekkie sandwiches) put Bold Street on the map and helped attract many flavour-forward indies to the area, from Liverpool and beyond. Today, those originals share Bold Street with, for example, Middle Eastern and North African spot Bakchich, coffee/wine bar Ropes & Twines and hot imports from across the north, including Fat Hippo burgers, Leeds-based Gujarati snack geniuses Bundobust and doughnut kiosk Gooey. The story is the same on the surrounding streets where local faves such as Hibiki Sushi & Ramen, cocktail bar Berry and Rye or Duke Street Market operate alongside growing northern brands such as Neapolitan-style pizza crew Rudy’s. Given its ultra- central location it is but a short hop from Bold Street to everything else, too. You could, for example, walk to specialist beer bar Dead Crafty, or Hope Street pub and dining room, The Dog & Collar, in 10 minutes. From Bold Street, Liverpool, if not the world, is your oyster. More UK restaurant guides Best restaurants in Deal Best restaurants in Birmingham Best restaurants in St Albans Best restaurants in Bristol Best restaurants in Edinburgh Best restaurants in York Best restaurants in Whitstable Best restaurants in Oxford Best restaurants in Cambridge Best restaurants in Margate Best restaurants in Manchester Best restaurants in Glasgow Best restaurants in the Lake District Best restaurants in Brighton
Manchester’s food scene is buzzing, with fine dining to street food, hidden cocktail bars to craft beer joints. See our pick of the best places to eat and drink
Looking for Manchester restaurants? We've found the best places to eat and drink in Manchester, from the trendy Northern Quarter to neighbouring Salford. For more exciting restaurants and weekend ideas for food lovers, check out our best UK city breaks and UK's best artisan bakeries. For more foodie guides, discover the best restaurants in Birmingham, best restaurants in Liverpool, best restaurants in Glasgow and the places to eat in the Lake District. Best places to eat and drink in Manchester Skof – for Michelin-starred dining Located within a handsome phalanx of Victorian-era buildings, Tom Barnes’ debut restaurant is a suitably class act. A former exec chef at Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume, Tom deftly deploys exceptional produce (some from Rogan’s Cartmel Valley farm) across tasting menu dishes of, say, Orkney scallop, barbecued kohlrabi, apple and watercress, or miso custard, mushrooms, truffle and dashi. This is precise, flavour-forward food served with a rare polished ease in a warm, comfortable dining room. Skof was awarded a Michelin star in February 2025. skofmanchester.co.uk Winsome – for prime seasonal British produce After winning acclaim at Manchester’s The Edinburgh Castle gastropub, chef Shaun Moffat has moved across town to create Winsome, a restaurant and adjoining bar at Whitworth Locke, a hip aparthotel on the edge of the city’s Gay Village. “Thoughtful British cooking” is the tagline, with Shaun using prime seasonal produce, from Yorkshire rhubarb to Brixham crab, in multi-size sharing dishes of, for example, confit mussels and trotter on toast, pork chop with a sorrel, mustard and trout roe sauce, or whole brill with parsley liquor. These are served with European wines and, from the Winsome bar, well-executed classic and original cocktails. winsomemcr.co.uk Idle Hands – for brunch Serene, canteen-feel hang-out, serving excellent coffee and well-executed brunches including Turkish eggs with garlic yogurt, chilli butter and za’atar focaccia, and garlic and thyme mushrooms on sourdough in a fennel cream. Idle Hands’ sweet pies (think pecan, chocolate cream, banana and cherry) are much-loved, too. idlehandscoffee.com Stow – for open fire cooking When Stow opened in late 2024 its mission statement was “great ingredients cooked over open fire with very little faff”, which landed with an appealing directness. In the open kitchen at this 30-cover restaurant and bar, chef and co-owner Jamie Pickles leads the team in creating seasonal, smoke-kissed sharing plates using a custom-built grill by Somerset’s Fire Made, a pizza oven and barbecue. Dishes range from red peppers with sherry vinegar or overnight roasted beetroots, ricotta and smoked honey, to brined chicken with tarragon jus or monkfish tail in a trout roe beurre blanc. These are accompanied by French wines, neat cocktails and a discerning, modern beer list. stowmcr.co.uk Kala – for a family-friendly feast Chef Gary Usher’s northern restaurant group, Elite Bistros, creates highly persuasive, multi-gen spaces. Places cool enough for your hipster cousin and classic enough for granddad that deliver for diners of all ages (kids’ menus available). On-point dishes range from baharat-spiced butternut squash with hazelnut ‘cream’ and dill pickled cucumbers, to braised featherblade, truffled parmesan chips and red wine sauce. A good Sunday lunch option, too. kalabistro.co.uk Exhibition – for three independent kitchens in one restaurant This striking open-plan venue is unusual and unusually good. It houses both a large bar (good cocktails, DJs, 1am finish at weekends) and a restaurant where you can order from three kitchens, simultaneously. These are Baratxuri, a seriously good homage to the Basque Country, Scandi-influenced Osma, and Jaan, specialist in topped, Persian-style flatbreads. Whether having lunch with family, or cocktails with your crew, Exhibition works from all angles. Note: Jaan is a spin-off from Another Hand, a cool, creative restaurant hidden up on Deansgate Mews, and a must-visit in itself. exhibitionmcr.co.uk Slap & Pickle@Society – for food-hall favourites From the Arndale Market – home of the legendary, Mexican-owned Pancho’s Burritos – to Mackie Mayor, grand offspring of Altrincham Market, Manchester has a varied food hall scene. At Society, we can’t get enough of Slap & Pickle’s next-level smash burgers; also, Yoki’s Korean fried chicken or mandu dumplings, and Chaat Cart’s Indian dishes. The bar features a vast range of beers from excellent West Yorkshire brewery, Vocation. societymanchester.com Madre – for Mexican In its Sunday markets, pop-up events and venues such as NY-style pizza bar, Nell’s, and bakery-café, Pollen, the Kampus residential development is something of a foodie hub. Stylish, clubbable Mexican restaurant Madre is a key draw. Do not miss its slow-cooked beef birria tacos; wood-fired, pistachio-crusted lamb; and epic crispy potatoes with garlic cream. Madre exec chef Sam Grainger also runs the eclectic Medlock Canteen, across town at Deansgate Square. thisismadre.co.uk Higher Ground – for local produce and natural wines A restaurant, yes. But also in its sourcing and ethos, a model for hospitality’s sustainable future (think seasonal, heritage UK ingredients; whole animal butchery; minimal-waste cooking; natural wines). Often using produce from allied market garden, Cinderwood, chef Joseph Otway creates dishes both arresting and irresistibly comforting: an Isle of Mull cheddar tart; marinated celeriac, whipped goat’s curd and salted gooseberry; roast pork with a mushroom grain porridge. For a more casual taste of this aesthetic, Higher Ground has a wine bar, Flawd, at New Islington Marina. highergroundmcr.co.uk Go Falafel – for lunch on-the-go This corner of town (Gujarati snacks at Bundobust, the veggie-slash-vegan options at Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurant, Asmara Bella) is home to some of Manchester’s tastiest meat-free food. If you’re dashing around, Go Falafel is an essential stop. Packed with vibrant pickles and salad items, lush hummus, tahini and perfectly crisp, light falafel, its takeaway wraps are brilliant. gofalafel.co.uk Erst – for a natural wine bar and sharing plates The Ancoats side of Manchester city centre is alive with good food, from cutting-edge Michelin-starred Mana to Detroit-style pizza destination, Ramona. Natural wine bar and restaurant Erst, a chic, minimalist space with a convivial buzz, is a neighbourhood favourite of national renown. Chef Patrick Withington handles vivid flavours with great confidence across sharing plates of, for example, grilled scallops in roe and charcuterie sauce; short rib ragu with cavatelli pasta; or bream tartare, blood orange and radish. erst-mcr.co.uk Lupo – for everything Italian Tucked away on a Prestwich trading estate, about three miles from central Manchester, Nico Pasquali’s Lupo, a combined restaurant, take-out counter and bakery, is a cult favourite worth hunting out. Seated in a cosy, colourfully decorated nook of this warehouse space, you can relax over quality pasta dishes, pizzas and family recipes such as a starter of agrodolce fried peppers. lupocaffe.co.uk Nell's – for New York-inspired pizza A homage to New York pizza, Nell’s was created by Jonny and Charlotte Heyes, owners of the legendary bar Common in Manchester’s hip Northern Quarter. The foundation for Nell’s pizza – served in slices and whole 14-inch or 22-inch pies – is a 36-hour fermented dough made with Shipton Mill organic flour. Examples of its creative toppings include the Corn Supremacy (miso corn, Lancashire cheese and crispy onions with garlic and jalapeño creams) and the Funghi Jambon’s combination of roast ham, mushrooms, vodka sauce, mozzarella and oregano. Nell’s has four locations to choose from. nellspizza.co.uk Grub & Fairfield Social Club – for foodie events Hidden up Red Bank, on the edge of the city centre, Grub is best known for hosting spring-summer street food parties in its hip, upcycled beer garden. But this multiuse venue (cinema, comedy, disco bingo!) also hosts food events, from kids’ pizza making to immersive screenings of food-themed films such as Ratatouille. Nearby sister venue, Fairfield Social Club, will, this year, host cider and Italian food festivals, a regular Turkish brunch and food quiz, Mouthful, where contestants face on-stage taste challenges. grubmcr.com Companio Bakery – for baked goods and classes In addition to its original Ancoats outlet, Companio now has an attractive bakery-café in the Northern Quarter, where – as well as retailing A1 breads, pastries, savouries and coffee – co-founders Baneta Yelda and Neil Large are hosting collab events, supper clubs and baking classes. Tutorials in sourdough breads, brioche dough or cinnamon rolls will be seasoned with, for example, events where Iraqi-born Baneta explores Middle Eastern cooking. companiobakery.co.uk Climat – for wines and views of Manchester's skyline Manchester’s Climat, the second venue from Chester’s Covino team, is a wine-led rooftop restaurant, where the 300-bottle list ranges from classic grand crus (in Burgundy, a climat is a unique, prized vineyard plot), to hip orange, pét-nat or small-producer wines from less-celebrated areas. Executive chef Luke Richardson’s love of the new wave of informal, internationalist Parisian bistros informs Climat’s menu, created with head chef Simon Ulph. Signature vol-au-vents sit alongside sharing plates of, for example, sardines, salsa verde, lemon and pine nuts; tandoori quail, chilli carrot salad and lime pickle; or duck with clementine and radicchio. restaurantclimat.co.uk Rudy’s – for pizza Rudy’s is an unanimous favourite among Manchester’s foodies that has now spread across the UK. It’s a go-to place for pizza and cocktails with your pals. Pizza dough is made on site twice a day and cooked for no longer than a minute to produce a springy base. Choose from toppings including classic margherita with buffalo mozzarella, spicy nduja sausage with tomato and fior di latte, or white pizza with smoked mozzarella, Tuscan sausage and wild broccoli. The aperitivo list uses some of our favourite Italian brands to create great twists on classic cocktails – gin fizz is spiked with Cynar (a bittersweet artichoke leaf liqueur) and Disaronno is mixed with limoncello, lemon juice and fresh basil for a refreshing amaretto sour. Otherwise, go for a creamy Dolci Colline prosecco, a bright and citrusy Sicilian white or forest-fruity Puglian red. rudyspizza.co.uk 10 Tib Lane – for date night Its scale and location (two compact floors on a back street), décor (candles, wood, distressed walls) and feel (calm, welcoming) make 10 Tib Lane a date night doozy. Start with cocktails, such as the whisky and soda made using a house yogurt-washed Chivas Regal. Revived, head upstairs for on-point sharing plates of smoked trout mousse, roe and brioche toast; sea bream with champagne sauce; or sea salt caramel tart. 10tiblane.com Pollen Bakery – for 28 hour fermented sourdough With its rich, caramelised crust, Pollen’s 28-hour sourdough was a game changer when it hit Manchester in 2016. Pollen’s Kampus and Ancoats Marina bakery-cafés, both stylishly functional spaces, maintain similar standards in their stellar brunch dishes (think eggs benedict with smoked ham hock, brown butter hollandaise and crispy kale) and pastries ranging from cinnamon morning buns, made using laminated croissant dough, to seasonal specials such as light joconde sponge cakes, topped with pistachio and Yorkshire rhubarb. pollenbakery.com New Century – a slick and stylish food hall Built in the 1960s within a then-futuristic office complex for the Co-operative Group, the New Century conference centre and dance hall was a key fixture in Manchester’s cultural life, hosting the likes of The Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix. This now Grade II-listed building was reborn as a gig venue and ground-floor food hall. Its kitchens mean you can choose from pizza, 'Parmageddon', Japanese fusion and more. newcenturymcr.com Another Hand – for casual dining and natural wines In their slick Deansgate Mews hideaway, chefs Max Yorke and Julian Pizer marry the ancient (foraging and fermenting books share shelf-space with natural wines), and the modern – rare species of mushrooms cultivated indoors in Altrincham, for example – to produce visually dashing, highly creative plates. Think charred Hispi, pickled clams and burnt butter, or a trout tartare in a stunning smoked turnip and burnt apple dashi. anotherhandmcr.com The Feel Good Club – for relaxed & friendly brunches Kiera and Aime, the wives behind Feel Good Club, are on a mission to make spaces where people feel comfortable, safe and good about themselves. Their flagship coffee house in Manchester opened mid-pandemic from a simple aim to make one person each day feel less alone or give them a reason to smile. It also has a full bar and brunch menu with our favourite, classic crumpets on offer. Each Friday, they book out the long communal tables for freelancers and solo-workers. Look up their weekly events, you might catch anything from Plant Club, Karaoke, Juno’s Pup Club or even Miss Chief Cabaret. feelgoodclub.co Ginger’s Comfort Emporium at Afflecks – for small batch ice cream surrounded by curiosities Google Afflecks and you’ll find it described as an ‘emporium of eclecticism, a totem of indie culture in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.’ Iconic for its family of 60+ independent traders that make up the indoor market, it’s a seamless side-step into Ginger’s Comfort Emporium. Tucked in a bright corner of the first floor, it’s home to deliciously innovative real dairy, vegan ice cream and sorbet flavours you likely won’t have tried anywhere before. Chef and former food stylist Claire Kelsey has several British Street Food Awards and a recipe book, MELT under their belt, thanks to an idea she had in 2010 to refurbish an old ice cream van. Original ice cream flavours, including marmalade on toast and olive oil & sea salt, remain on the menu today. Toasted ice cream sandwiches, shakes and changing specials are also up for grabs. The mint stracciatella, flavoured with fresh mint leaves, was a perfectly sweet refresher. gingerscomfortemporium.com Mackie Mayor – for global food against a historical backdrop This 1852 Grade II listed market building is the only one remaining fully intact in the city’s historic Smithfield Market and is now home to 10 independent bars and kitchens. Its high window-lined ceiling means the space is always flooded with natural light and even when it’s busy, doesn’t feel overcrowded. It’s a great brunch spot for sharing a tray of Pico’s breakfast nachos layered with salsa roja or verde, queso fresco and topped with a runny fried egg. You don’t need to book, plus it’s dog friendly. instagram.com/mackiemayor Freight Island – for social street food, live music and rollerskating Just five minutes from Manchester’s Piccadilly station is one of the city’s latest examples of urban regeneration: a food hall in the footprint of what was formerly a freight depot, now a vibrant centre for eating and socialising. The space is packed with multi-level terraces, long benches and tables for trying diverse eats from the variety of street food joints, but there are quiet spots dotted around if you’re after a more relaxed date-night. Venture past the live music stage and you’ll find o Mayfield Park, the new green space, which opened in September 2022 as Manchester’s first new city park in 100 years. It’s 6.5 acres big, perfect for mooching around to walk off your food. escapetofreightisland.com Siop Shop – for alternative artisan doughnuts Coffee and doughnuts are the specialties here, but whatever you’re imagining, it’s better. Siop is the Welsh word for shop and this is just one of many personal, creative touches that owners, Iwan Roberts and Lucy Jackson of Blawd Bakery have curated to create a relaxed and welcoming pit stop on Tib Street. The doughnut menu changes regularly. During the Manchester Coffee Festival in November, we tried the brand’s limited edition coffee bean, ‘48hr cold proofed carbonic macerated thermal shock brioche with coffee creme diplomat injection’ doughnut. For firework night, they developed an apple compote-filled number with a toffee glaze on a lollipop stick. This is fun, delicious food. siopshop.co The Midland Hotel – for regal afternoon tea Its elegant tea room is a modern addition but the Grade II Midland has been acing the scone game since 1903. Said scones arrive with clotted cream and award-winning jams from Cheshire’s Mrs Darlington’s, amid a regal parade of sandwiches and enticing work from pastry chef, Austin Appleton. Think Valrhona dark chocolate mousse with salted caramel or raspberry opera cake with lemon grass panna cotta. The Midland’s loose leaf teas include three unique blends created with supplier Quinteassential. themidlandhotel.co.uk Wash House speakeasy – for satisfyingly secret cocktails Before Covid descended, the password to this speakeasy on Shudehill Street was reportedly, ‘I’d like to put a wash on.’ Now you book in advance, but the concept remains the same. Laundrette on the outside, cocktail bar within, the Wash House is inconspicuous to those not in the know and for those who do, an adventurous cocktail menu awaits combining a liquid alchemy full of surprises. washhousemcr.com Bundobust – for Indian street food and craft beers Bundobust is many things (craft beer haunt, Indian street food hangout, veggie restaurant) but it sells itself as a ‘beer and Indian joint’. The basement bar is filled with casual, communal tables that encourage interaction with fellow punters, and has a relaxed order-at-the-bar system that keeps the crowd mingling. The food menu is all about vegetarian Indian street food. We suggest opting for one of the combos that arrive on wooden trays – a modern twist on the thali. Plant-based are filled with paneer and mushroom tikka skewers marinated in yogurt curd, crisp onion, broccoli and kale bhajis spiced with fennel, and tarka lentil dhal to mop up with deep fried bhatura flatbread. Our highlight was the bundo chat – layers of crisp samosa, sweet-and-sour tamarind and frilly little crunchy bits on top. Beers include collaborations with Leeds brewery Northern Monk and several Manchester breweries (see some of the best in the Beermoth section below). There’s simple house chai for a booze-free option, though you can add a dash of bourbon or cognac if you’re after more of a kick. bundobust.com Federal – for leisurely brunch This popular antipodean cafe drags loyal Northern Quarter locals out of bed at the weekend for its epic brunches. Emily’s homemade banana bread is treacly and dark, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg with a fragrant vanilla mascarpone. If you’re really hungry, the hefty French toast is very popular, laden with homemade summer berry compote, almonds, whipped vanilla mascarpone and salted caramel; while corn fritters with a choice of toppings make a worthy savoury choice. Federal’s owners are committed to excellent sourcing, with sourdough bread brought in from Lovingly Artisan in the Lake District, and coffee carted up from London’s Ozone Coffee Roasters (try a signature espresso martini made with vanilla infused vodka and Ozone espresso). It’s a lovely spot to spend a few hours – above wooden floorboards mustard banquettes hug two sides of the almost triangular corner room, and lush green plants spill out of tiny hanging pots. federalcafe.co.uk El Gato Negro – for stylish small plates This upmarket tapas restaurant opened in 2016 and quickly gained a reputation as Manchester’s go-to spot for a splash-out dinner, and now has a branch in Liverpool too. Set over three storeys of a converted townhouse, there are plenty of choices when it comes to seating – a ground floor bar framed with shiny black tiles and seats that spill out onto the pavement, and red leather stools overlooking the open kitchen on the first floor, allowing punters to inhale aromas from the Josper grill. Then there’s el Gato Negro’s trump card, a swish rooftop dining area, complete with sliding roof, where you can enjoy a glass of fresh and fruity Albariño wine from Galicia. The restaurant’s small plates menu sees chefs adding modern twists to traditional tapas dishes. Though we thought some additions weren’t needed (Galician octopus, for example, was so soft and beautifully finished on the Josper grill that it didn’t need the punchy pickled shallots), other dishes really shone – long, slim heritage carrots were drenched in walnut pesto, miso and aubergine purée, while croquettas entailed an extra cheesy béchamel encased in crisp breadcrumbs. elgatonegrotapas.com Bunsik – for Korean street food A viral sensation in London, Bunsik’s Korean-style corn dogs have now landed in Piccadilly Gardens. These crispy, deep-fried skewers of battered, crumbed chicken sausage (with the option of added mozzarella and diced fries) share a menu with Korean street food faves, including ddukbokki – tubular rice cakes in a spicy sauce – and fried chicken. bunsik.co.uk Beermoth – for craft beers by the bottle This small shop on buzzy Tib Street is jam-packed with bottles, cans and kegs of beers from Manchester, as well as from the UK and across the globe. Brews from the inner city include neon-packaged Runaway Brewery (smoked porter, summer saison, American brown ale), Track Brewing Co. (visit its weekly brew tap events under the arches of Picadilly), and Cloudwater (which has gained a global reputation over the past few of years). The friendly staff sure know their porters from their DIPAs, so make sure you pick their brains. We came across a fab new favourite from Northern Ireland after describing our preferences. beermoth.co.uk Adam Reid at The French – for fine dining Hidden behind a curtain in a corner of the grand lobby of the Midland Hotel, there’s more than a feel of Alice in Wonderland as you are transported through mirrored doors into the dining room of The French. Soft grey and sage green tones give everything a muted luxurious feel and there are two huge cylindrical chandeliers which throw light back and forth via the mirrored panelling around the room. Chef Adam Reid’s cooking is inventive and playful but executed with real precision and flair. When we visited, a nibble of the creamiest smoked cod roe with puffy squid ink wafers kicked the six-course tasting menu off in style. Crispy pig’s trotter to start, proper came as fall-apart meat slowly braised in a rich deep umami soy base then breadcrumbed and deep fried into a crisp nugget, with pickled onion purée. Courses to follow include corned beef and potato hash, brill with silky artichoke and basil purée and suckling pig belly served with fermented cabbage and punchy cherry sauce. Reid won the Great British menu in 2016 with his Empire apple dessert – a blown sugar apple filled with a meadowsweet custard mousse – and our incredibly pretty pud is a take on that, this time a shiny orange clementine sugar shell filled with airy white chocolate mousse. It’s a little piece of cooking wizardry which perfectly reflects the rest of the menu at this magical place. themidlandhotel.co.uk/thefrench TAST – for Catalonian cuisine Executive chef Paco Pérez, who holds five Michelin stars across seven restaurants around the world, is behind the Catalonian menu at Tast. ‘Tastets’ are similar in size to tapas, and beg to be matched with the all-Spanish wine list, Catalan gins and out-there cocktails (try vodka with apple, black garlic and basil oil). Order a couple of tastets each, then move on to shared rice platters, or the likes of Iberian pork presa and bone-in sirloin steak cooked in a charcoal oven. The décor is slick but understated, with plenty of natural light. tastcatala.com 20 Stories – for modern British with a view All-day restaurant, bar and grill, 20 Stories sits on the 19th floor of the No1 Spinningfields building in central Manchester. The modern British menu in the main restaurant showcases local produce, with the majority sourced within a 50-mile radius of the city. Herdwick lamb sits on potato gnocchi and chanterelle mushrooms, poached John Dory is served with a smart langoustine velouté and white asparagus, and butter-poached salsify is topped with burnt leeks and parsnip purée. There’s also a more casual brasserie focussing on the grill, serving the likes of Yorkshire beef steaks, grilled heritage beetroot salad, and bone marrow burgers topped with beef cheek, mushroom and an onion ring. With 360-degree views, the swish space also brings the outside in with glamorous interiors inspired by nature (plenty of wood, hanging plants, stone features). The bar and outdoor terrace is dedicated to cocktails, including the signature 20 Stories cocktail made with Tanqueray gin, vermouth, honey and herb cordial, and grapes shaken with fresh lemon. 20stories.co.uk Salut – for wine by the glass “Salut aims to be the place where you want to break bread and drink wine with your pals,” says Sara Saunby, co-founder of Salut Wines, which she opened with husband Jon in 2014. With the help of an Italian Enomatic wine preservation and serving system, Salut offers around 60 wines by the glass as well as a large range of craft beers and spirits. salut.co.uk Porta – for inventive tapas Founded by brothers Ben and Joe Wright, there are now four Porta wine and tapas bars spread across the north-west. The Iberian-influenced tapas – staples of jamón, croquetas and patatas bravas but also slow-roasted ox cheek, pickled walnuts and purple sprouting broccoli with romesco sauce – is complemented by a carefully curated selection of Spanish wines, cava, beer, sherries and vermouth. portatapas.co.uk A weekend break in Manchester Mooch around Manchester’s Northern Quarter and adjoining trendy Ancoats neighbourhood for the weekend. Start at antipodean-style Federal, and brunch on French toast laden with summer berry compote or corn fritters piled high with toppings. Work your way through the Northern Quarter’s network of shops, cafés and bars – Beermoth is jam-packed with local brews. Amble over to Ancoats’s New Islington Arena to scandi-cool Pollen Bakery to enjoy canalside Manchester tart cruffins and cuddles with Maru the chow chow. For dinner, Rudy’s is the local go-to for Neapolitan pizza and refreshing aperitivo with pals. The next day, head over to The Feel Good Club for crumpets with thick lashings of butter and jam, or Mackie Mayor for a less traditional nacho brunch beneath the high glass ceilings of the former Smithfield market, built in 1852. For something sweet, pass Siop Shop to grab an artisan doughnut before venturing down to Mayfield Park, circling back to visit Escape to Freight Island’s self-contained deck courtyard lit by strings of festoon lights for wiling away long afternoons with Pomona Island craft brews and plates from its restaurants within. For a whistle-stop tour of Manchester’s cultural and foodie history on foot and more meals than you can fit in, try a bespoke Scranchester Food Tour. Where to stay in Manchester Converted textile warehouse Native Manchester is part of the Grade II listed Ducie Street complex of serviced apartments under five minutes walk from Piccadilly station. Each apartment comes kitted out with a well-equipped kitchen, living room and super comfy bedrooms, plus the lobby doubles up as a restaurant, bar and all-day deli. There are also classes available at BLOCK gym in the basement. Studio doubles from £125 per night, check availability at booking.com Words by Alex Crossley, Tony Naylor and Mark Taylor More UK restaurant guides Best restaurants in Deal Best restaurants in Birmingham Best restaurants in Broadstairs Best restaurants in St Albans Best restaurants in Bristol Best restaurants in Edinburgh Best restaurants in York Best restaurants in Whitstable Best restaurants in Oxford Best restaurants in Cambridge Best restaurants in Margate Best restaurants in the Lake District
Whether it's using cardboard plates, cooking the right fish, or only using ugly veg, we've rounded up some pioneering UK restaurants that are making big steps towards working sustainably and ethically
Looking for the best sustainable restaurants? Want to find the best restaurants using local ingredients? Read on for the best sustainable places to eat across the UK, then check out our guide to the UK's best farm-to-fork restaurants and best gastro pubs with rooms. If you're planning a summer holiday, check out our top UK summer travel ideas. Sustainable restaurants to try in London Silo, Hackney Wick For St John-trained Douglas McMaster, his zero-waste epiphany came when he worked in an Australian restaurant that threw away too much. “I just knew something was wrong,” says the chef, who has reduced his own waste by simply not having bins in his kitchens. Douglas and his team use every part of the vegetables and animals, with pickling and fermenting techniques employed to make everything last longer. Whether it’s using eco-friendly clingfilm or using vegetable skins, Douglas goes the extra mile. “I’m doing everything I can to provide an alternative,” he says. silolondon.com Roe, Canary Wharf 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 The Holland, Holland Park Having conquered the pop-up world with Oxalis, chef Max de Nahlik has now turned his attention to this refurbished pub near Holland Park. Sustainability is at the core of The Holland’s ethos and underlines every facet of this homely establishment, from décor using upcycled materials to the sourcing of ingredients. With a seasonal, British-ingredient-led menu, a carefully curated European wine list and a changing list of cask ales, The Holland aims to be both a friendly local and a culinary destination in its own right. Expect snacks and starters such as hot wings and pastrami-cured salmon, and mains such as roast wild duck with bramble sauce. thehollandkensington.co.uk The Pig's Head, Clapham The Pig’s Head in Clapham Old Town is the second coming of the much-loved The Pig and Butcher in Islington. Like its predecessor, it’s dishing up meat sourced directly from some of the best farms in the UK, which is all butchered on site. Sustainability is the key driver of this 40-cover gastropub, from its décor of secondhand furniture to using 100% sustainable electricity and cleaning with fully biodegradable chemicals. Even the daily changing seasonal menu is reflective of the pub’s ethos, from classics including scotch eggs and playful dishes such as the crispy pig’s head, all the way through to mains that showcase the talent of the kitchen. But vegetarians need not fret – it’s not all meat here. There are some truly divine vegetarian and vegan dishes available, which staff are more than happy to talk you through while you enjoy a glass of wine or two from the double-sided wine list (one side of which is exclusively dedicated to British wines). thepigshead.com Fallow, St James's Fallow by ex Dinner by Heston chefs Jack Croft and Will Murray is a new London institution. There's a buzz from friends and colleagues catching up on tables beneath suspended planters of dried flowers, and chefs slicing, sizzling and charring ingredients in the large open kitchen. Beetroot lends the jasmine winter highball its vibrant pink hue in the colder months, while frozen margaritas make the perfect summer pairing to the iconic kombu-seasoned corn ribs. A rich, smooth swirl of mushroom parfait is topped with shiitake and grey oyster mushrooms, grown on-site above the kitchen, frills of fried cabbage and pieces of smoked venison and beef sit atop wood-fired flatbreads, and layers of potatoes are pressed together to create crispy stacks of boulangère potatoes. Ingredients otherwise destined for waste are elevated into exquisite dishes such as the large cod's head soaked in pools of sriracha butter, served with spoons to seek out meaty pieces. This ethos continues through to desserts, which are worth squeezing in, with coffee-waste ice cream balancing a rich Pump Street chocolate ganache and surplus whey transformed into the silkiest caramelised tart. fallowrestaurant.com Apricity, Mayfair Unlike so many box-ready restaurants, chef-owner Chantelle Nicholson wants Apricity to be “not just sustainable but restorative, a closed-loop of use and re-use”. It’s an aim that requires effort – foraging nettles and hazelnuts in urban London, designing zero-waste cocktails, using up-cycled and repurposed furniture – and imaginative flexibility. Day to day, chef Eve Seemann will execute dishes such as Cornish mackerel and Shetland mussels with sambal butter and pickled pear, or crispy sprouts with spent-beer vinegar and rosemary. Meanwhile, Chantelle, who first made her name at Tredwells, will manage green energy issues, waste-minimal menu planning or gluts of hyper-seasonal produce from suppliers. Many of these hand-picked small producers practise “regenerative farming”, a buzz-term for traditional techniques that nurture diverse, natural landscapes and improve soil health. “It gives more than it takes,” says Chantelle, who wants Apricity to be similarly nourishing. apricityrestaurant.com Kima, Marylebone It’s all about the small details at this minimalist dining room in Marylebone; wave-inspired crockery is handmade in a studio in Corfu and the restaurant’s name, which means “wave” in Greek, is elegantly displayed on one wall. Whole fish glisten on ice at the front, while a selection of cuts for the gill-to-fin menu age in glass-fronted fridges. An example of this zero-waste dining style is sea bream crudo lifted by thyme and lemon zest followed by the ‘shank’ of the same fish served with bacon-studded cabbage fricassee. An elegant take on a Greek salad accompanies, with aged feta crowning a bowl of chopped tomatoes and cucumber, doused in Greek olive oil poured from a carafe to meld with the juices, in which diners are encouraged to dip homemade sourdough. The “wave” theme extends to dessert, where caramelised seaweed plays a glorious role in a crisp millefeuille-tiramisu hybrid layered with coffee cream and caramelised nuts. Cocktails are infused with Greek ingredients – mastic Votanikon gin adds herbaceous notes to a basil cocktail, while clarified feta is used to create a unique twist on a sour. The selection of Greek wines includes a minerally white from Santorini, thoughtfully recommended by one of the very helpful, friendly Greek servers. kimarestaurant.com Pizza Pilgrims, Selfridges, London With its mural of the Bay of Naples created from 2,000 used bottles and seats upholstered in Piñatex (a materal made from pineapple leaves), the Selfridges branch of Pizza Pilgrims is “a sustainability laboratory,” says co-founder Thom Elliot. And it’s one whose testing of different green initiatives will determine how this 18-site pizza brand develops in the future. With the exception of its beloved Italian tomatoes (“Sadly, we haven’t discovered a new British strain”), the new site will, for the first time, use mainly British ingredients: Wildfarmed’s “incredible” regenerative wheat flour, mozzarella and hydroponic-grown basil from London and Cobble Lane Cured charcuterie. UK sourcing comes at a higher cost and, consequently, the pizzas at Selfridges are more expensive than at other Pizza Pilgrims sites. For example, it’s £1.45 more for a margherita. But will diners accept that eco surcharge? “There are big questions about what customers want,” says Thom, “but my strong feeling is our consumers want it to be right.” Pizza from £9.95; pizzapilgrims.co.uk Best sustainable restaurants in the UK The Loch & the Tyne, Windsor Chef Adam Handling has pioneered sustainability in top-end British restaurants, most visibly at London flagship The Frog. But handsome pub-restaurant The Loch executes his ethos on a new scale. That waste-minimal approach, says group GM George Hersey, is both principled (“We’re environmentally conscious; we love nature”) and practical: “We want to save money. Why bin stuff we could do something with?” Set in orchards and its own vegetable gardens, The Loch has much in its favour. Not least chefs and co-owners, Stephen Kerr and Jonny McNeil, long-standing Handling lieutenants well versed in the “zero-waste croquette” (made using fish trim from the pub’s fish and chips), turning cabbage leaves into kimchi to serve with local venison or, recently, trying to eradicate cling film from the kitchen. “Every week, The Loch becomes more sustainable,” says George, but without losing its pub essence. For instance, its burger, served with Ogleshield cheese and garlic-thyme chips, is made from ex-dairy cows. “We want a burger,” explains George, “but we’re trying to use the most sustainable beef.” Mains from £18; lochandtyne.com Maray, Liverpool Maray’s three restaurants – purveyors of stellar Levantine small plates – are now carbon negative. But its work with Carbon Neutral Britain – calculating Maray’s annual 50 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and paying £400 yearly to offset that through reforestation – is, says co-founder James Bates, “the bare minimum”. For this Sustainable Restaurant Association member, the real work will entail radically reducing those emissions at source by, for example, curtailing water or green electric usage. “Paying to be carbon negative helps me sleep; it’s a personal values thing,” says James, but if restaurants “just offset, there’ll be a backlash”. Working towards net-zero emissions will be long and complicated (“Staff commute is a big element of our footprint”) but diners sat enjoying Maray’s falafel, fattoush or kofta with saffron tzatziki should – unless they spot the absence of unsustainable seafood on the menu remain blissfully unaware of that battle, and James loves that. Restaurants, he says, can offer amazing food, wine and experiences while working sustainably “without it making a jot of difference to the customer”. Plates from £5-12; maray.co.uk Nell’s, Manchester From renewable electricity to banning clingfilm, this pizza joint was designed (less meat, UK ingredients) to be a greener slice of tomorrow. It’s also a Living Wage Foundation employer. Pizza from £8; nellspizza.co.uk The Black Swan at Oldstead and Roots, York Tommy Banks jokes that his committed approach to sustainability simply stems from being a “tight Yorkshireman” and any frugality comes from growing up in a farming family. But his methods go well beyond saving money at his Michelin-starred and internationally acclaimed restaurant-with-rooms The Black Swan at Oldstead and York small-plates restaurant, Roots. The majority of produce used in both kitchens is as local as the Black Swan’s garden and family farm itself, the rest is from small local suppliers – often the fruit and veg no-one else wants, such as 80kg of unripe strawberries. But it’s the way the produce is utilised that makes Tommy a true sustainability star – from using one Hispi cabbage to feed 16 people (the outside leaves are used as wraps at the Black Swan, while the hearts are roasted at Roots), to the waste whey, from homemade cheese using raw milk, which is used four times, across two savoury dishes, in ice cream, and caramelised and grated on top of carrots. He’s also mindful of his carbon footprint, using induction hobs rather than gas and, because they’re not on mains electricity at The Black Swan, the waste heat from a diesel generator is used to heat up water tanks to heat water for the restaurant’s bedrooms, as well as the polytunnel where the seedlings grow. blackswanoldstead.co.uk, rootsyork.com Haar, St Andrews Dean Banks comes from Arbroath, on Scotland’s north-east coast, and the restaurant’s name Haar (a Scottish mist that rolls in off the sea) is a nod to the seaside location. The à la carte menu focuses on sharing dishes, small and large, while a six-course tasting menu steals some of its stars. Dishes mix up local, seasonal ingredients (Dean is keen to keep Scottish seafood in Scotland and champions local producers) with Asian culinary influences gleaned from his travels (think Fife rare-breed pork belly with kimchi puree or vividly spiced octopus on a tangy bed of citrus barley, with a burnt tomato puree and coriander oil). It’s also worth hitting the Haar Bar for one of the signature cocktails (which change nightly, like menu specials). If they’re on try a Mary Queen of Scots (Uwa Reposado, Darnley’s Gin, clove and cinnamon syrup, mint and lime). haarrestaurant.com Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham Sat made headlines in 2015 when he reduced his staff’s working hours to four days-a-week, while continuing to pay them the same salary. In recent years, Sat has overseen several other innovations at his Michelin-starred restaurants that are, similarly, virtuous circles: moves which have made his restaurant leaner, greener and tastier. The restaurant switched to LED lights, energy-efficient induction hobs and invested in a composting system, Closed Loop Organics, which processes the vast majority of Sat’s food waste. The composter both radically reduced the restaurant’s landfill disposal costs (“Bin liners full of wet vegetable waste are about 90% water. You’re paying to bin water!”), and produces a nutrient-rich compost which is used to grow everything from nasturtiums to tomatoes in the restaurant’s two recycled Victorian glasshouses and along a rainwater-fed living wall in the car-park. “We do a kohlrabi tagliatelli cooked in a butter, nutmeg and parmesan rind stock, and then, at the table, we make a pesto from the beautiful greenhouse cresses. You can’t get fresher. We’re showing that in an urban environment, under pylons and a flyover, you can grow delicious stuff.” restaurantsatbains.com Gamba, Glasgow This elegant basement fish restaurant is both a Glasgow institution and a sustainability pioneer. Inspired by the Slow Food movement and the crisis around dwindling fish stocks, chef-owner Derek Marshall took a stand in 2010: “Gamba’s got a reputation for being expensive and using the best cuts of fish but, ultimately, it wasn’t always sustainable. We had to change our ways.” Derek stopped using any endangered species and started using cheaper fish that are in plentiful supply. This switch to using Sri Lankan yellow-tail tuna for Gamba’s sashimi, or sustainably-farmed sea bass has not necessarily been easy. “I’m not saying I’m 100% sustainable, I don’t think any fish restaurant could be,” says Derek, “but hopefully we’re 99%.” How switched-on diners are to these issues is moot. Rather than focussing exclusively on perceived luxury ingredients, such as langoustines or (highly endangered) skate, the public has embraced workaday fish such as hake, mackerel and bream but, says Derek. gamba.co.uk The Gallivant, Camber, East Sussex The Gallivant’s owner, Harry Cragoe, doesn’t come from a hospitality background. Refreshingly, therefore, he has no preconceived ideas about how things should be done. For instance, where other owners might freak at the cost or logistics of it, The Gallivant sources 95% of its fresh ingredients from within 10 miles of this beachside restaurant-with-rooms. Likewise, in tribute to the flourishing UK wine industry, Harry delisted champagne and now serves 30 British sparkling wines. “I’m totally in favour of reinvesting the money we receive from guests in the local community and, guess what? Our guests really like it,” says Harry. thegallivant.co.uk Battlesteads, Northumberland “We weren’t necessarily tree-huggers when we came here,” concedes Battlesteads’ owner, Richard Slade, “but we quickly realised that if we wanted to create something unique, we had to work with nature and the environment.” For over 15 years, the Slades (Richard and Dee) have done precisely that. They have created a beautiful inn by embracing the benefits of going green. In everything from cultivating the gardens to attract new bird life; forging links with local suppliers; or installing a carbon-neutral heating system. This engagement with Northumberland goes beyond infrastructure, too. Battlesteads provides meals for the village school and hosts an annual charitable beer festival. battlesteads.com Café ODE, Devon The public is beginning to value green dining, but, says Café ODE owner, Tim Bouget, plates remain a sticking point. ODE serves up to 400 meals-a-day in compostable cardboard trays and: “It really annoys some of the older generation.” Those numbers suggest that Tim is winning the argument, and his cafe above Ness Cove in Shaldon (“They call it a quaint drinking village with a fishing problem.”), is certainly built to last. Every detail of this stable block conversion – sedum roof sewn with wild flowers; solar thermal heating; lambs’ wool wall insulation – was chosen for its green credentials. “It’s the right thing to do and good business sense,” says Tim, who also runs Shaldon’s ODE Dining restaurant. “Why would we buy tables from a factory when we can get them made here and support local suppliers?” odetruefood.com Words by Tony Naylor, Mark Taylor, Lucy Gillmore, Ellie Edwards and Laura Rowe Photographs by Tim Green, John Arandhara-Blackwell, Thomas Bowles, Jake Eastham 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
Best restaurants in Edinburgh 2025: where to eat and drink
Discover our favourite places to eat and drink in and around Edinburgh, from smart, seasonal restaurants to pop-up gin bars and experimental supper clubs.
Looking for the best Edinburgh restaurants? We've found the best places to eat in the Scottish capital. From the top restaurants in Edinburgh to places for brunch, cafés and bars, we have all of the local favourites here... Need somewhere to stay on your trip? Check out our guide to the best Scottish hotels. For more exciting restaurants and weekend ideas for food lovers, check out our best UK city breaks and also discover our guides to the best restaurants in Dundee, best restaurants in Glasgow, best restaurants in Perthshire and best restaurants in Belfast. Best restaurants and bars in Edinburgh The Little Chartroom – for modern Scottish Chef Roberta Hall-McCarron’s Chartroom embodies Edinburgh’s new wave. Once best known for relatively traditional high-end dining, the city is now abuzz with chefs making clever, creative use of Scottish produce in hip, convivial restaurants. Chartroom dishes of mackerel, kohlrabi broth, hazelnut, apple and lovage; or cod, BBQ maitake mushroom, pea, lettuce, shrimp and nori butter, reflect that thirst for new ideas. Sister wine bar and restaurant, Eleanore, is well liked and, this summer, the Chartroom will open neighbouring café and bar, Ardfern. thelittlechartroom.com Noto – for East Asian inspired sharing plates Actually, make that hot seats, plural. For chef Stuart Ralston’s team has, at big-ticket restaurants, Aizle, and fish-focussed Lyla, been pivotal in pushing Edinburgh forward. Italian Tipo and the New York inspired Noto are the cool, casual cousins in this growing family. At each the cooking sparkles with sharpness and finesse. Noto’s eclectic sharing plates, in which East Asian flavours shine, might run from Arbroath smokie croquettes with katsuobushi to a beef tartare black garlic potato rösti. Its warm crab butter with sourdough is a contemporary classic. notoedinburgh.co.uk Heron – for Michelin-starred cooking This corner restaurant in Leith is very much a contemporary fine dining experience. Its modish styling and warm vibe create a relaxed setting for chef Sam Yorke’s technically deft one Michelin star cooking. Enigmatic menu descriptions, such as monkfish with “Squash ǀ Mussel ǀ Chipotle ǀ Juniper”, barely hint at the creativity, therein. For example, that monkfish tail is first marinated in homemade shio-koji and, amid its many thoughtful elements, is served in a mussel sauce finished with chipotle and juniper butter, also used to baste the fish as it cooks. Staff happily talk curious foodies through this culinary magic. heron.scot Mirin – for a spot loved by locals Formerly Gulp Ramen (and yes, its broth game remains strong), this compact, colourful Leith Walk venue now serves, as well as its much-loved noodles, sandos and dumplings, smartly executed, Asian-influenced small plates. Think barbecued veal sweetbreads with fermented passion fruit and togarashi, or Shetland scallop, black pudding, gochujang butter and Bei Bei pumpkin. mirin.uk Kitchen Table – for brunch Twelve Triangles bakery is renowned for its sourdoughs, croissants and specialities such as its house kimchi and cheddar swirls. Extending that talent into brunch dishes was a natural evolution. Located amid a small hub of indie food action on Easter Road, the menu at TT’s Kitchen Table ranges from ’nduja, taleggio and honey toasties or a green lentil dhal, to fried cardamom and panela cake with bramble compote, toasted buckwheat and yogurt. twelvetriangles.co.uk <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/2/2024/06/KITCHEN-TABLE-BY-TWELVE-TRIANGLESKIMCHI-FRIED-SPRING-GREENS-WITH-HASH-BROWNS-AND-FRIED-EGGcredit-MURRAY-ORR-copy-7f57b1b.jpg" width="5880" height="3920" alt="KITCHEN TABLE BY TWELVE TRIANGLES_KIMCHI FRIED SPRING GREENS WITH HASH BROWNS AND FRIED EGG_credit_ MURRAY ORR copy" title="KITCHEN TABLE BY TWELVE TRIANGLES_KIMCHI FRIED SPRING GREENS WITH HASH BROWNS AND FRIED EGG_credit_ MURRAY ORR copy" /> Spry Wines – for a wine bar and small plates Behind its Georgian façade, Spry is every inch the modern wine bar: a serene, minimalist space specialising in natural wines, whose short produce-led menu delivers deliciousness in dishes of Tamworth pork, chicken mousse and cauliflower; or nettle ravioli, hazelnut and wasabina leaf. Local foodies also treasure Spry’s basement coffee shop, café and bakery, Ante. sprywines.co.uk Café St Honore – for a date night bistro Located down a cobbled New Town lane, this cute bistro rocks a timeless 1920s Paris look. Broadly French in inspiration, its daily menu features some British and European dishes, too. Think game terrine with celeriac remoulade and cornichons to start, then tomato and pea risotto with Corra Linn cheese. A sustainability pioneer, chef director Neil Forbes is passionate about preserving artisan kitchen skills (in butchery, for example) and uses predominantly Scottish and often organic ingredients. Café St Honore also retails ‘at home’ dishes at Edinburgh Farmers’ Market on fortnightly Saturdays. cafesthonore.com Timberyard – for cutting-edge Michelin-starred dining Opened in 2012, the Radford family’s funky warehouse bar-restaurant was a game changer. In its stripped-back aesthetic and foraged ingredients, low-intervention wines and homemade soft drinks, it was an early example of that post-Noma shift away from bells and whistles luxury, to an emphasis on seasonality, simplicity and artisan skills. Timberyard retains that cutting edge and, last year, the kitchen’s inspired use of the Scottish larder (lobster gougère and fermented tomato; aged guinea fowl and bolted greens with smoked yogurt and wild garlic) was rewarded with a Michelin star. Late in 2023, Timberyard opened sister restaurant and bar, Montrose. timberyard.co Harajuku Kitchen – for traditional Japanese recipes with Scottish produce Born into a family of restaurateurs from Fukuoka, chef-owner Kaori Simpson was naturally drawn to hospitality. At Harajuku, this Slow Food supporter applies family and traditional Japanese recipes to Scottish produce, to create winning plates of prawn gyoza, karaage fried chicken, donburi bowls (including the rafute, with slow-cooked Okinawa-style pork belly), stir-fried udon noodles and sushi. Harajuku has a second outlet at food hall, Edinburgh Street Food. harajukukitchen.co.uk The Free Company, Balerno – for farm-to table dining This regenerative farm outside Edinburgh supplies vegetables and rare-breed meats to many of the city’s best chefs. In its handsome restaurant, a former cowshed, chef Craig Turner deploys this stellar produce in an ultra-seasonal six-course menu, unusually priced on a ‘pay what you think it’s worth’ basis (guide £60-70pp including reservation fee). A spring dish of smoked beef fat jerusalem artichokes with sunflower seed emulsion, kohlrabi sauerkraut and skirlie (fried oatmeal) gives you a flavour of Craig’s work. Look out for periodic farm tour and lunch packages, too. the-free-company.com Tipo – for Italian sharing plates In Edinburgh’s Aizle and Noto, chef Stuart Ralston and front-of-house ace Jade Johnston have created some of the city’s most exciting modern restaurants – contemporary spaces with pin-sharp cooking. A soothing mixture of natural materials and neutral tones, Tipo (named after the 00 pasta flour) is their Italian excursion, in sharing plates of ricotta gnudi in shellfish bisque or pappardelle with Scottish crab, chilli and parsley. Exceptional ingredients are paired with simplicity, restraint and, at times, ingenious creativity. Tipo’s savoury zeppole (mini doughnuts) is, explains chef de partie Aaron Mosedale, “a version you can’t really find anywhere else, tossed in paprika and dusted in pecorino”. tipoedinburgh.co.uk Cardinal – for a tasting menu showcasing Scottish produce Chef Tomás Gormley has accumulated experience at some of the Scottish capital’s finest restaurants (Michelin-starred Heron and Skua) to launch his first solo venture. The 13-course tasting menu showcases Scottish produce, focusing on fermentation (think ibérico pork cheek with fermented girolles and hen-of- the-woods) and cooking on the wood-fired BBQ (such as smoked Belhaven lobster with pink fir potatoes and chives). cardinal.scot The Palmerston – for nose-to-tail dishes The Palmerston inhabits a former bank in Edinburgh’s West End, a history that is reflected in the room’s grand dimensions, although dark green painted walls, warm wooden floors and tables and paintings by local artists give the space a more casual neighbourhood bistro vibe. Owners James Snowdon and Lloyd Morse keep things ticking from 9am with a morning menu of fresh pastries and coffee but come lunch and dinnertime it moves into more serious cooking territory. The concise menu changes daily depending on what’s available from local suppliers and cooking is confident and hearty with a focus on nose-to-tail eating. A generous slab of Mangalitsa and rabbit terrine is dense, peppery, porky and mildly gamey served with cornichons and warm grilled sourdough. Courgette salad comes with a piquant lemony, herby dressing and little bursts of crunch and creaminess from toasted walnuts and goat’s curd. Fish cooking is on point – a perfectly pan-fried chunk of monkfish is served on a bed of pretty rainbow chard and charlotte potatoes, then topped with a salty, umami black olive dressing. We manage to fit in a slice of Victoria plum and hazelnut tart at the insistence of our server and it’s a delight – crisp pastry, dense warm frangipane and sweet plums – a memorable end to a faultless meal. thepalmerstonedinburgh.co.uk Ardfern – for Scottish brunch staples and more elaborate plates Husband and wife team Roberta Hall-McCarron and Shaun McCarron (The Little Chartroom and Eleanore) are opening a third restaurant in Leith with a relaxed coastal feel. The all-day service will start with Scottish brunch staples (think homemade haggis with tattie scones), then move into casual plates such as braised beef shin. Come evening, elaborate dishes include shrimp and langoustine potato rosti paired with a match from the 100-strong wine list. Opening spring/summer 2024. @ardfern_edinburgh Dulse – for Scottish seafood Chef Dean Banks puts the spotlight on Scottish seafood at his first-floor neighbourhood restaurant in Edinburgh’s West End. International twists liven up the fish that’s straight off the boats, including lobster crumpet with yuzu brown butter, seared hake with kimchi hollandaise and baked North Sea cod in Goan curry. The wine and cocktail bar downstairs is great for a pre-dinner aperitif, such as the signature pepper dulse and Lunun Gin martini. dulse.co.uk Hawksmoor – for a Sunday roast Bottomless jugs of thick, varnish-like bone marrow gravy, huge fluffy yorkies and a molassey sticky toffee pudding served with clotted cream – that’s what Sunday roast dreams are made of, and probably why this Scottish outpost serves up to 180 of them every week. Founders Will Beckett and Huw Gott say Sunday roasts are really about two things: memories and produce. “We have so many memories of meals with people we love dating right back to our childhood, and Sunday roasts were always a special occasion at our homes. A really great roast needs really great produce and Scotland is probably the best place in the world for that. One of our happiest times was travelling around the country meeting passionate farmers and eating amazingly well – the Hawksmoor Edinburgh Sunday roast is the result!” thehawksmoor.com Twelve Triangles – for pastry perfection This benchmark bakery, which has seven Edinburgh outlets, including its Kitchen Table café, is all about artisan craft. Both in its baking and the way – in homemade pickles, ricotta, cultured butters, ice creams or house condiments – it builds superior flavour into every element of its work. Baking-wise, check TT’s miche-style rye starter sourdough, its twice-baked pain au chocolat (topped with a brown sugar, ground hazelnut and toasted sourdough breadcrumb frangipane) or its croissant dough kimchi swirls. “There’s something about the funky, sour spiciness of kimchi mixed with a strong cheddar that’s truly delicious,” enthuses co-founder Emily Cuddeford. twelvetriangles.co.uk Colonnades, Signet Library – for afternoon tea The ornate creations served within the Colonnades are as dazzling as the interiors of this stunning Georgian library. Bespoke silver tea stands arrive laden with modish savouries, such as a beetroot and goat’s cheese choux or roasted courgette pesto focaccia. Scones follow, but also an array of jewel-like sweet items as varied as spiced apple frangipane tarts and blackberry and matcha bubble tea. thesignetlibrary.co.uk Considerit – for vegan desserts Plant-based, vegan, dairy free: Considerit ticks all the boxes. Grab an iced cinnamon bun or gorgeously gooey Oreo or Biscoff doughnut plus an oat milk latte or vegan ice cream milkshake at this low-key bakery and cafe (all chipboard benches and student vibe) on Edinburgh's Southside. Before you leave, stock up on their hand-crafted chocolate bars (popcorn, chai spice and smoked sea salt flavours). consideritchocolate.com Lannan Bakery – for elevated pastries Stockbridge is a rising foodie hot spot, particularly around Hamilton Place (Smith & Gertrude wine bar, restaurant Eòrna, etc). Darcie Maher’s handsome takeaway bakery, Lannan, is also big news. Expect to queue on Saturdays for its revered viennoiserie or cardamom buns. Lannan’s crème brûlée danish, an upmarket croissant pastry custard tart, is a must-eat if available. “The custard has to be just set, glossy, super-wobbly, and the sugar on top torched a deep, amber caramel,” says Darcie. Lannan’s savoury items are gorgeous, too. Merguez, braised fennel and Monte Enebro cheese sausage rolls arrive in an ornate croissant pastry lattice. Instagram @lannanbakery Kyloe – for the best Scottish steak There are other things on the menu (including spankingly fresh local seafood like scallops with café de paris butter) but steak is the star of the show at Kyloe, sourced solely from great Scottish suppliers including the award-winning Hardiesmill. The grass-fed, dry aged, pedigree Aberdeen Angus steaks are a revelation, expertly cooked and served simply with a choice of classic sauces and sides including bone marrow gravy, beef shin mac n cheese and crunchy dripping chips. kyloerestaurant.com Aizle – for a surprising tasting menu Aizle is set in the beautiful Garden Room at the Klimpton Hotel. The multi course tasting menu changes constantly depending on what is available and there is a real focus on low waste/sustainability with everything from the addictive black treacle soda bread and koji butter to the aged kombucha in the cocktails made in house. Don’t expect to read a menu online, you’ll only know what you are having when you sit down at the table but do expect delicate, refined dishes such as Cured trout, fermented daikon and tomato water dashi and Oyster and shitake mushrooms with parmesan cream and king oyster mushroom jelly. aizle.co.uk Fhior – for innovative seasonal cuisine Scott Smith wowed Edinburgh diners with his first restaurant, Norn, in Leith. Having bagged Edinburgh Restaurant of the Year, the announcement of its sudden closure sent shockwaves across the city. Fans didn’t have to wait long to taste his cooking again, however; his follow-up project, Fhior (Gaelic for true), opened on Broughton Street in summer 2018. In a string of small Scandi-chic rooms, the restaurant serves four- and seven-course tasting menus with a playful element that lets seasonal ingredients sing. Eye-poppingly creative dishes live up to the hype: ‘baby gem lettuce, hogget, pea, goats' curd', for instance, entails warm braised lettuce, tender, torn lamb, sweet peas and puree offset by a tart, tangy goat's curd. fhior.com White Horse Oyster and Seafood Bar – for a classic seafood feast You can't beat 'a buck a shuck', and Oyster Happy Hour runs from 4-6pm Monday to Thursday at the White Horse Oyster and Seafood Bar at the bottom of the Royal Mile. This sleek seafood restaurant, in what was once an 18th-century inn, has a bespoke green marble bar, custom-designed oyster tank, leather banquettes and exposed stonework, and dishes up a smorgasbord of seafood. The smattering of exquisite small plates designed for sharing includes tender octopus with pine nut, mint and basil, moreish monkfish satay, chargrilled mackerel with pickled beetroot and horseradish and crab and crayfish toast with chilli, orange and avocado, as well as traditional seafood platters. whitehorseoysterbar.co.uk Toast – for Edinburgh's first wine café Leith's vibrant waterfront has long been a foodie hub with its jostling of Michelin-starred restaurants and quirky gastropubs. Toast, a cool jazz-filled wine café in an old art gallery on The Shore is a buzzing place for brunch. Think exposed brickwork, a mix of high tables and turquoise velvet banquettes and tables spilling out onto the pavement. Tuck into a creamy bowl of porridge with roasted pistachios, coconut and honey, Mexican inspired huevos rancheros, chilli and lime-infused smashed avocado with sun-blushed tomatoes on sourdough toast or shakshuka, that rich tomato, roast pepper, chilli, onion and aubergine stew baked with two eggs. The wine list is the other draw, of course. Wines by the glass are changed weekly to keep the locals on their toes and around a third of the 100 or so wines on the list are organic, natural or biodynamic. toastleith.co.uk More places to eat and drink in Edinburgh Port of Leith Distillery – for whisky with a view Edinburgh isn’t short of spots for whisky drinking but the views from the Port of Leith Distillery’s bar are hard to beat. Perched on top of an innovative nine-storey structure (the UK’s first-ever vertical distillery), enjoy arresting views of the Firth of Forth and the city while delving into an extensive collection of new-wave whiskies. The bar’s focus is young spirits and it’s amassed a 200-plus selection of spirits all under 10 years old. Not sure where to start? Try one of the whisky flights – Barrel Roll showcases unusual cask expressions. leithdistillery.com The Bearded Baker – for bagels, doughnuts and coffee Rowan Taylor is the Bearded Baker – or bagel man. At this cute little joint in Canonmills you can choose from a range of combinations running from your classic smoked salmon, cream cheese, pickled cucumber and dill to the P.B.B – smooth peanut butter and sliced banana with an optional drizzle of honey. He also makes a mean doughnut, plump and doughy, caked in sugar and oozing fillings from white chocolate and pecan to lemon meringue. thebeardedbaker.co.uk East Coast Cured – for Scottish charcuterie Wander down to Leith to check out Scottish charcuterie producer East Coast Cured. This family business creates a range of cured meats in the store's basement; think earthy venison, pork and sloe gin salami, rare-breed smoked chorizo, Saddleback pork saucisson sec and pungent porcini and truffle salami. eastcoastcured.com Smith and Gertrude – for cheese and wine Whether you want to sink a pint or nurse a peaty dram Edinburgh has more than its share of hipster hangouts, sleek whisky bars, old-world pubs and late night drinking dens. Smith and Gertrude, in perkily pretty Stockbridge with its delis, patisseries, cheesemongers, butchers and bakeries, is a new departure, however, a retro-chic wine bar that’s all reclaimed wood flooring, vintage radiators and a simple concept: wine, cheese, company. The carefully curated wine list features natural, organic and biodynamic bottles, as well as orange wines. It serves daily changing wines by the glass, weekly wine flights and regular tastings. And then there's the cheese – from Ubriaco, an Italian cow's cheese served with aged Balsamic to an Irish Killeen with quince – along with charcuterie platters. smithandgertrude.com Summerhall Distillery – for whisky tastings From public tastings at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society to Saturday tours at craft beer aces, Pilot, Edinburgh is a dream destination for inquisitive drinkers. Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2024, Summerhall Distillery, home of Pickering’s Gin, hosts various tastings and tours led by a dedicated visitor team. Gin lovers can explore the drink’s history, the botanical flavouring process, opt for a hidden, 1920s-style speakeasy experience or learn to make cocktails that pair with Scottish cheeses. summerhalldistillery.com Æmilia – for picking up fresh pasta Clued-up foodies adore this Portobello fresh pasta shop where you can pick up, say, tagliatelle or lemon and ricotta cappellacci to eat at home, accompanied by sauces such as an eight-hour braised beef ragu or chicken broth for tortellini. Æmilia also serves a daily take-out sandwich, such as porchetta on its house focaccia, luxuriously lubricated with a parmesan and pork drippings béchamel sauce. On Sundays, check its chicken and roasted garlic aïoli sandwich. aemilia.online Edinburgh Fermentarium – for kombucha Swing by the Saturday morning farmers market, below the castle, to give your gut a boost. At Edinburgh Fermentarium's stall you can sample tubs of sauerkraut (meadowsweet is mix of lemongrass, lime leaf, carrot, onion, chilli peppers, ginger and salt), kimchi and sauerkraut water or buy a scoby to make your own kombucha. edinburghfermentarium.co.uk Lady Libertine – for cocktails In the dimly lit basement of the Edinburgh Grand, bearded bartenders rustle up mean martinis and bespoke cocktails at hipster hangout Lady Libertine. The ground floor bar has a unique vibe (think fin de siècle European train station) and an extensive sherry menu. Sip a La Gitana manzanilla or glass of Fernando de Castilla Antique Palo Cortado and step back in time. ladylibertine.co.uk The American Bar, Gleneagles – for 1920s prohibition glamour A 45-minute drive from Edinburgh is the five-star, 100-year-old hotel Gleneagles. Tucked away within the hotel is The American Bar. It has a 1920s and 30s opulent interior with stylish touches such as Scottish heather-dyed cashmere wall panels. The bar’s latest cocktail menu, The Book of Berries, is inspired by pocket Observer Books and focusses on the botanical berry. Wanting to create deep bonds within the setting, the bar has creatively used ingredients from the hotel itself. Drinks such as the Cucumber – cucumber ends from the hotel kitchen used to create a cucumber wine which, combined with gin and a jasmine liqueur, results in a bright, refreshing and slightly savoury cocktail. Other intriguing serves include the Bell Pepper made with the cores of red pepper, a mai tai style drink using an orgeat derived from avocado pits, and the Blueberry cocktail created with surplus blueberry muffins baked at the hotel. The signature serve is the martini – using one of three gins created in partnership with South Loch Distillery in Edinburgh. gleneagles.com Lowdown – for cosy chats over coffee and cake Lowdown Coffee is a cool café in the bright basement of a grand Georgian terrace on George Street. Owner Paul Anderson sources his beans from Swedish coffee roaster Koppi, founded by champion baristas Anne Lunell and Charles Nystrand – who also occasionally hold workshops and tastings at Lowdown. The inspiration for the clean, minimalist design was Japanese not Scandinavian, however. Anderson studied furniture designer and his father was an architect and the space feels more like a friend's flat than a café with its kitchen counter-layout. The whole place is designed to encourage social interaction – yes cosy chats over coffee and cake. lowdown.coffee Cairngorm Coffee – for approachable coffee culture The capital is sprinkled, cappuccino chocolate shaker-style, with independent coffee shops and micro-roasteries and Cairngorm Coffee is one of the best. Owner Robi Lambie veered down different design routes for his two branches, setting them apart from the mainstream chains.The Frederick Street basement café with its rustic, rough-hewn wood groove is mountain hut chic. You could hole up here nursing a latte for days amongst the coffee bean sacks. Melville Place, however, is a sleeker, more contemporary option. Think high tables (a bar of wood sandwiched between copper) along with copper angled iPad holder tables and state-of-the-art equipment: the first Sanremo Opera espresso machine in Scotland. And the coffee? Roasted in the Cairngorms, of course. cairngormcoffee.com Twelve Triangles – for slow fermented sourdough and pastries From dough to doughnuts: Twelve Triangles' story began back in 2015 with a spot of experimentation - slow ferment, cold-prove doughs. Now, this tiny bakery just of Leith Walk sells a range of breads – including a dark and devilish charcoal loaf, gourmet doughnuts and pastries. It’s also since expanded to a second branch in Portobello and the Twelve Triangles Kitchen Table, a café, gathering place and the venue for regular fermentation workshops.twelvetriangles.co.uk Foraging with Wedgwood – for a foraging walk and feast Growing up in rural Lancashire, Paul Wedgwood fell in love with the flavour of nettles and has been foraging ever since. For over a decade the chef has led small groups on two-hour foraging walks around an East Lothian loop that takes in farmed, woodland and coastal habitats. It is smoothly planned – guests are given pre-picked and cleaned snack bags of foraged ingredients to eat as they explore. Later they head back to Paul’s Edinburgh restaurant for a tasting menu created using foraged produce. Dates February-August or by request. wedgwoodtherestaurant.co.uk More UK travel guides Best restaurants in Deal Best restaurants in Birmingham Best restaurants in Broadstairs Best restaurants in St Albans Best restaurants in Margate Best restaurants in Bristol Best restaurants in York Best restaurants in Whitstable Best restaurants in Oxford Best restaurants in Cambridge
Whether you want a quick lunch, afternoon treat or blow-out meal, Glasgow's food scene has loads of top restaurants to choose from. Here is our pick of the best places to eat and drink in this vibrant Scottish city
Looking for restaurants in Glasgow? Want to know the best places to eat in Glasgow? We have found the top local neighbourhood restaurants, cafés and bars in the city for a foodie weekend in the Scottish city... Discover more Scotland food guides with our best restaurants in Perthshire, best restaurants in Edinburgh, best restaurants in Dundee and best restaurants in Belfast. Best places to eat and drink in Glasgow Cail Bruich – for Michelin-starred dining Michelin-starred Cail Bruich, led by executive chef and Great British Menu judge, Lorna McNee, serves tasting menu dishes both dazzlingly beautiful and bounteous in flavour. For example, brown crab, Granny Smith apple and Thai green curry or Scrabster turbot sauced with a version of cullen skink. Cail Bruich is part of restaurant group Cultar, which also runs acclaimed restaurant Brett (must-try: mushroom XO linguini), and pub-restaurant The Clarence. cailbruich.co.uk Gamba – for stylish seafood Head to chef Derek Marshall’s stylish restaurant (est. 1998), for well-executed classics such as its fish soup with prawn dumplings, lemon sole meunière with baby crayfish and capers or Scottish lobster thermidor and chips. Gamba is still evolving, too. Newer stand-out dishes include its king scallops and monkfish, steamed with spring onion, ginger, fish sauce, lemon and tamari. gamba.co.uk Sugo Pasta – for handmade pasta An attractive space within the famous Lighthouse building (one of legendary Glaswegian architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s creations), big, buzzy Sugo creates regionally specific dishes using its own handmade, fresh pastas. Think: Ligurian-style tagliolini, pesto, green beans and potato or pappardelle with a Tuscan-inspired beef ragu. Sister brand, Paesano, serves terrific wood-fired pizzas. sugopasta.co.uk Margo – for modern sharing plates In Ox and Finch and South East Asian-inspired, Ka Pao, Scoop restaurants has created several game-changing Glasgow venues. Margo is its latest hit. Rigorous kitchen skills (in baking, butchery and pasta making), underpin on-point sharing plates such as scallops, sobrasada and haricot beans, bavette with chimichurri or whole lemon soul in a vadouvan mussel butter sauce. Margo sits above Scoop’s subterranean Sebb’s, a vinyl DJ and cocktail bar, where the food menu focusses on live-fire cooking. margo.restaurant Gloriosa – for vibrant Mediterranean With its bright interior, large windows and open kitchen, chef Rosie Healey’s Gloriosa has a warm, sunny energy and a Mediterranean-inspired menu of seasonal sharing dishes. Start with Gloriosa’s acclaimed focaccia and olive oil, then dip into its daily pastas (say, rigatoni with artichoke ragu, mint and pecorino), before exploring dishes as diverse as chickpeas and green peppers in a chilli and coriander seed sauce, or roast chicken with potatoes, aïoli and green salad. gloriosaglasgow.com Unalome – for contemporary fine dining Chef Graeme Cheevers’ first-floor, one-Michelin-star Finnieston dining room is a polished experience in every detail: décor, service, flavour-packed food. Scottish ingredients are transformed with deft classical skill and considerable modish flair, in dishes of, for example, langoustine tartare with dashi custard, tomato, smoked eel and crispy langoustine or lightly cured and poached turbot (its skirt stuffed with turbot mousse and barbecued), served with potato scone, sea beet, vin jaune-cooked morels and a seaweed butter sauce. Unalome recently opened a sister restaurant, Loma, at Cameron House on Loch Lomond. unalomebygc.com GaGa – for cocktails and Malay small plates Found just beyond the West End in Partick, this bar and kitchen is a hot tip for good vibes, great cocktails and resonant, zingy Malay-inspired flavours. Co-founder, chef Julie Lin (whose debut cookbook, Sama Sama, has just landed), and head chef Dawid Wieczorek deliver in dishes of, say, nasi goreng with fried egg and greens; tea-brined fried chicken with homemade Sichuan hot sauce; or sea bream with chilli coconut butter, capers and roe. gagaglasgow.com Fallachan Kitchen – for intimate tasting menus Intimate railway arch dining room where – working in an open-kitchen and serving 12 diners seated at a communal table – chef Craig Grozier takes fine Scottish produce to interesting modern places across his tasting menus. Recent dishes have included, for example, John Dory with day-boat squid, salted rhubarb, alexanders and squid-and-pork sausage or Shetland mussels with celeriac, peat-smoked yogurt, cobnuts and pepper dulse seaweed. Artisan skills are key in, say, Fallachan’s charcuterie or its distinctive sourdough made with whisky malt. fallachankitchen.co.uk Sebb’s – for cocktails and fire cooking Cocktails, fire cooking and spinning vinyl make for a major night out, underneath Margo restaurant on Miller Street. Chef Danny Carruthers’ menu features grilled snacks and sharing plates with in-your-face flavours like Carlingford oysters with spiced lamb fat; pakora with Lord of the Hundreds cheese and piccalilli; dips of hot hummus with white onion, parsley and grilled banana chilli. Feasting-style plates like grilled aubergine and cauliflower come with salad, pickles, hot sauce and tahini. Spritzes, sours, shots and slushies bring the fun, while low-intervention European wines on draught show Sebb’s has a more serious side. A viewing window into the mixology room and open kitchen centred around the charcoal grill let you get close to the action. sebbs.com <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/2/2024/08/SebbsDCs-Texan-hotlink-yellow-barbeque-sauce-and-bread-and-butter-pickles-Credit-Connor-Stewart--61a7dd6.jpg" width="2828" height="2001" alt="Sebb's_DC's Texan hotlink, yellow barbeque sauce and bread and butter pickles_ Credit_ Connor Stewart" title="Sebb's_DC's Texan hotlink, yellow barbeque sauce and bread and butter pickles_ Credit_ Connor Stewart" /> Elements – for Scottish fine dining Scottish ingredients, some foraged from Loch Lomond, feature in chef Gary Townsend’s Glasgow venture, along with more global influences. Its dark wood and navy décor creates a warm vibe, a welcoming backdrop to dishes like North Sea cod loin poached in butter and served with cockles, cod dumpling buttermilk and miso; Scottish lamb saddle featuring shoulder, sweetbread, BBQ Gem lettuce, smoked aubergine and chimichurri; and Amalfi lemon and yuzu with Perthshire strawberries, preserved elderflower and basil. elementsgla.com The Gannet – for good value fine dining This brilliantly named restaurant is also on The Finnieston Strip. Great staff, well-prepared and prettily presented seasonal Scottish ingredients (beef, sea trout, mutton…) put it a cut above many others. This is a place for a smart meal out in an unpretentious setting: think pared-down wooden-floor, wooden-chairs and brick walls. The attention and care given to the veggie menu, in particular, is impressive. Vegetarians get their own six-course taster menu (think smoked, pickled and salted heritage carrot with horseradish creme fraîche, and cultivated and wild herbs). For carnivores, a carefully sourced selection of Scottish fish and meat is on the cards. The owners set off on an exploratory tour of the Hebrides, to source produce, before the restaurant opened in 2013 and a wild Scottish edge still pervades the food. It’s also good value. thegannetgla.com Partick Duck Club – for casual comfort food Partick Duck Club offers plates of casual food made with love and skill. Ping pong ball-sized crab doughnuts are a light choux mix of white crabmeat and squishy dough, fried to just-golden. A roast duck and pistachio terrine is a meaty, homely starter of what tastes like confit duck served with toasted brioche and a lovely summer pea salad. Mains include fried chicken with perfect homemade sriracha on a signature bun from local Freedom Bakery, which offers a comforting sweet, salty bite. The shredded sesame duck version with honey, soy and ginger, and crunchy slaw, is PDC’s big hit. A sublime summer pud sings with a pairing of white choc shavings, just-right rhubarb – still in shape but totally tender - honeycomb and a magical sprinkling of home-dried berry powder. It’s casual, and open all day. On Friday lunch, other diners share an end-of-the-week bottle with nibbles, and the cocktail menu entices… someone else is having only soup. If you lived near enough, you’d be in for lunch every other day, and always for a hangover brunch of shakshuka baked eggs, or just a proper Scots roll-and-sausage on Sundays. It’s chilled, friendly, and appealing, like the owners Greig Hutcheson and Ross McDonald (formerly of Delizique). partickduckclub.co.uk Porter & Rye – for steak There are a lot of great places to eat steak and drink cocktails in Glasgow these days, so why choose Porter & Rye in Finnieston? Well, the steaks are excellent, including less obvious cuts like bavette and onglet. The beef is sourced from one local farm: Gaindykehead of Airdrie, with breeds including Belted Galloway, Aberdeen Angus, Charolais and Limousin. It’s also given a final dry-age treatment in-house at Porter & Rye. Other fresh produce is delivered daily by Glasgow company Seasonal Produce or foraged locally by the chefs. They’re always striving to do better since they opened in 2014, and now cure their own meats and sausages. In addition to the careful sourcing, the place has a great atmosphere and the cocktails are well made (try a Forager’s Martini or a Hendricks Orbium Gimlet Gin with lime, cucumber and ginger). There’s a lovely selection of starters, too, like Drumbeg beetroot risotto with goat’s cheese mousse, or pheasant rillette with charred pear relish. porterandrye.com Paesano – for pizza There's stiff competition for who makes the best pizzas in Glasgow but Paesano is definitely up there among the contenders. Its pizza bases are made using a yeast and sourdough hybrid proofed for over 48 hours before being cooked at 500C in artisan-built, wood-fired ovens shipped over from Naples; the result is a moist, light, soft crust. There are just eight toppings to choose from. Our pick is the Tuscan fennel sausage with tomato sugo, mozzarella and extra virgin olive oil. paesanopizza.co.uk Ox and Finch – for varied small plates Another small-plate restaurant in Finnieston that’s more popular than ever, Ox and Finch is casual with timber and tiles décor, large windows, and a mix-and-match menu that’s cooked and prepared with care and imagination. Local venison carpaccio is perfectly seared to bring out its juniper and pepper crust and served with a delightfully creamy Scottish crowdie with hazelnuts, while confit duck leg comes with an original flavour pairing of yellow curry, Thai basil and crispy rice. Gin and beetroot-cured sea trout is soft and delicate, seasoned with sesame and the gentle burn of wasabi nuts. There are plenty of vegan choices, including orzo with courgette, pea, lemon and mint, and bulgur wheat with chermoula, apricots, almonds and harissa olives. Book ahead; this place gets busy. oxandfinch.com Crabshakk – for seafood There’s not much left to say about this Glasgow institution (also on that Argyll St strip), buzzing since 2009. If you love fish and shellfish, go. With Scotland’s shores offering some of the best seafood in the world, this is where to enjoy it. They say, ‘We continue to offer the best fish and shellfish available in Scotland, every day.’ And that’s about it. A straightforward core menu of the best just-caught seafood includes everything you’d expect: scallops, mussels, langoustine, deep-fried whitebait, salt and pepper squid, shellfish chowder, Crabshakk bisque, lobster and crab, of course. There is a single steak dish for the awkward person in your party who doesn’t like fish, plus one veggie dish. Accompaniments are really just garlic or lemon mayo, chips, green salad, or bread and butter, as they should be. There’s also a daily changing specials menu. crabshakk.com Tantrum Doughnuts – for doughnuts The brainchild of Iain Baillie (a former pastry chef at The Fat Duck) and his wife, Annika, Tantrum opened the doors to its permanent site in December 2015 and is a short walk from Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Fried in rapeseed oil in small batches, the doughnuts are always super-fresh and either filled or topped with homemade custards, fondants and jams; choose from flavours like pistachio custard, chocolate and hazelnut, vanilla crème brûlée or classic raspberry. Grab one to take-away, or settle in with a milkshake or coffee. tantrumdoughnuts.com Cottonrake – for artisan bakes Head to Cottonrake coffee bar and bakery on Great Western Road for freshly-baked cakes, muffins and pastries made daily on-site, or something more substantial like a smoked salmon and celeriac remoulade brioche bun, Stornaway black pudding and pork shoulder sausage roll, or cauliflower and comté quiche. One of the first of a new wave of artisan bakeries to set up shop in a city not afraid to indulge its sweet tooth, this is one of the most inventive. Grab some coffee while you’re there, sourced from Dear Green Coffee, a speciality roaster based in the city dedicated to getting their hands on the very best beans they can (be warned, its Goosedubbs blend is addictively smooth). cottonrake.com Eusebi Deli – for dinner and a deli What started as an Italian grocer shop in Glasgow’s East End back in 1975 has grown and expanded with a restaurant/deli in the city’s West End showcasing regional, seasonal dishes, such as burrata, pea gazpacho and vignarola salad. Click here to try Eusebi Deli's salad recipe at home Eusebi goes to great lengths to source its ingredients – tomatoes and herbs from Calabria, flour from Rome, cured meats from Umbria. The pasta is made from scratch daily in the restaurant’s ‘pasta laboratory’ using different flours, including chickpea, chestnut and grano arso (burnt grain). “We wanted to take the customer out of their comfort zone,” says Giovanna Eusebi. “Italy is more than carbonara and spag bol. Our food is inspired by our Italian grandparents who farmed from land to table. Our concept was to slow things down and return to our heritage. Food made in factories and sold under the guise of ‘artisan’ just won’t wash anymore. People don’t want watered-down versions of authentic, they want the real deal.” eusebideli.com Mono – for a vegan bar Award-winning Glasgow café/bar and music venue Mono celebrated its 15th birthday at the end of 2017, and the team was humbled by the attention the anniversary attracted, according to general manager Ian Crawford, who’s also head honcho of the El Rancho record label. With a menu including tofu ‘fish’ and chips, jerk-spiced jackfruit burritos and vegan mac ’n’ cheese, all food at Mono is free from animal produce, right down to the raw chocolate and avocado cheesecake. “From day one, our ethos was, and still is, to promote an alternative choice to a meat and dairy diet without shouting about it or being exclusive,” says Ian. monocafebar.com More places to eat and drink in Glasgow Foodie classes & events From pasta making-and-lunch-sessions at celebrated Italian restaurant-with-rooms, Celentano’s, to brewery tours at Drygate Brewery or WEST’s handsome Glasgow Green HQ and beer hall, Glasgow offers multiple diversions. Slow Food Glasgow organises various events from speciality coffee classes to food heritage tours. Plant-based Soul Food Kitchen, meanwhile, hosts a busy workshop programme covering everything from food photography to fermenting. Look out for visits from Edinburgh’s Koji Kitchen. Lupe Pintos – for hot sauce fanatics For almost 25 years, this West End deli has been a colourful treasure trove of hot sauces (it sells more than 100), Mexican foods and items from the wider Americas. Whether hunting for a prized mezcal or buying ingredients for birria tacos, browsing in Lupe is always an education as you explore its dried chillies, Mexican-style queso fresco, made by Yorkshire Dama Cheese or fresh tortillas, delivered each Wednesday. Fans travel to stock up on cult products, such as La Carmina from Asturias, a cooking chorizo Lupe Pintos has stocked for decades. lupepintos.com The Clydeside Distillery – for whisky lovers In its heyday, Glasgow’s Queen’s Dock was a key export point for Scottish whisky. In 2017 that association was renewed as a single malt distillery opened on these former docklands. Visitors can learn about that history and whisky production in tours that centre, variously, around chocolate and whisky tastings, creating your own whisky or expert insight from distillery manager, Alistair McDonald. Clydeside’s modern, multi-storey glass still house offers awesome views across the River Clyde. theclydeside.com Explore the West End You could argue long, hard and appetisingly about the relative merits of various Glasgow food hot spots, such as the Southside Strathbungo cluster around Big Counter (see above): Errol’s Hot Pizza, Made From Grapes, cocktail bar Lunar and gelateria La Gelatessa. Or the concentration of restaurants, including Ox & Finch, Porter & Rye, Crabbshack, Unalome and The Gannet, that have turned the Finnieston stretch around Argyle Street into a go-to hub. But the West End, a leafy, bohemian, student-y enclave, loosely sandwiched between Kelvingrove Park and Byres Road, remains a must, particularly for first-time visitors. From chilled riverside beers at Inn Deep to rolling street-food party, Dockyard Social, good burgers (Bread Meats Bread) or wood-fired pizza (Paesano), to the one-Michelin-starred Cail Bruich, all food life is here. Moreover, in the West End, such attractions are contained in an easily navigable pocket. You can go foodie shopping at cheesemonger I.J. Mellis, Lupe Pintos deli, the Grunting Growler beer shop and bar or Valhalla’s Goat for various “liquid treasures”; drink ace coffee (roasteries Black Pine or Papercup); visit great bakery-cafes (Cottonrake, SugarFall Patisserie, Tantrum Doughnuts); or local classics such as deli and restaurant, Eusebi, all within an area that is walkable, welcoming and as architecturally attractive as it is delicious. Words by Sophie Pither, Sarah Kingsbury, Mark Taylor, Tony Naylor and Ellie Edwards Trains from London Euston to Glasgow Central from £60 return with virgintrains.co.uk. For more information see peoplemakeglasgow.com More UK restaurant guides Best restaurants in Deal Best restaurants in Birmingham Best restaurants in St Albans Best restaurants in Bristol Best restaurants in Edinburgh Best restaurants in York Best restaurants in Whitstable Best restaurants in Oxford Best restaurants in Cambridge Best restaurants in Margate Best restaurants in Manchester Best restaurants in the Lake District
Check out the best restaurants in Cardiff to plan a foodie weekend away, from special occasion tasting menus to vineyard day trips and much more
Looking for Cardiff restaurants? From tasting menus showcasing local Welsh ingredients to pizza worth a detour, roving supper clubs and much-loved Indian or Thai hotspots, these are our expert picks of the best restaurants in Cardiff. For more city food guides, discover the best restaurants in Bristol, best restaurants in Bath and best restaurants in Liverpool. For more Welsh restaurant recommendations, check out our guide to the best restaurants in Pembrokeshire. Best places to eat and drink in Cardiff Gorse Opened in spring 2024, Tom Waters’ restaurant quickly established itself as a serious player. A chef with a sparkling CV (The Fat Duck, The Square), Tom has returned to South Wales to create tasting menus which – in dishes of Pembrokeshire seaweed broth; bara brith, Perl Wen cheese and Welsh truffle; or steamed cod with a mussel, lovage oil and spruce vinegar emulsion – make impressive use of the Welsh larder. Smooth, warm service seals the appeal of intimate Gorse. gorserestaurant.co.uk Asador 44 One of the pioneers of auténtico Spanish food in the UK, 44 Group opened its first Cardiff venue, Bar 44, opposite the Principality Stadium, a decade ago. Its Iberian aesthetics dovetail with vaulted brick ceilings to create a delicious tapas spot. Nearby, Asador 44 delves into Spanish live-fire cooking traditions in dishes of charcoal grilled hake with jamón, beans and herbs or sharing steaks of older Spanish ex-dairy cattle beef – much prized in the Basque Country. grupo44.co.uk Dusty's Up in suburban north Cardiff, scene legend Dusty’s is using its wood-fired oven to not just ace pork and fennel or ’nduja pizzas but to roast, smoke and then fry its Kindle potatoes, served with garlic, BBQ or spicy mayo dips. Worth a detour. dustyspizza.co.uk Heaneys Stylish Pontcanna address – which includes the wine bar, Uisce – where chef Tommy Heaney serves well-executed food in several modes, from Sunday lunch to cutting-edge tasting menus. Seasonally driven (and using herbs, edible flowers and vegetables from its on-site garden), Heaneys’ tasting menu dishes might range from beef fat cooked scallop, ginger dashi, brown butter and truffle, to barbecued Welsh lamb with goat’s curd and asparagus. heaneyscardiff.co.uk Purple Poppadom Kerala-born chef Anand George is a Cardiff legend. For almost two decades his food has wowed fans with its deft, confident spicing and vivid flavours. Head to the modish Purple Poppadom for strong takes on the classics (rogan josh, Alleppey prawn curry) or, perhaps, Anand’s signature sea bass served on curry leaf mash in a mango, ginger and coconut sauce. purplepoppadom.com Brother Thai Andrew Chongsathien’s buzzy Brother Thai is much-loved for its Thai fried chicken, crispy mushroom laab and, in particular, its Thai-style rotis, served with various toppings. Try the sticky beef version, in which the beef is wok-fried with a secret combo of zippy sauces. Plenty of meat free dishes, too. brotherthai.co.uk Lahmacun Seasonal supper club where married couple, chef Lucas and Sophie Wootten, combine their connections to the Middle East and Lucas’s restaurant experience (Café Murano, Quality Chophouse) to create modern dishes inspired by that region. Smoke-kissed, live-fire slow roasting of, say, baby aubergines, merguez-stuffed Welsh lamb or Pembrokeshire oysters with zhoug, is prominent. Lahmacun also serves its eponymous topped flatbreads and baking at Cardiff Farmers’ Markets. Other roving pop-ups to look out for include Keralan Karavan, Hench Burger and steak specialist, Fire & Flank. The latter can be found at street food hubs, Tiger Yard and, until March 2025, Sticky Fingers. @lahmacuncardiff Matsudai Ramen Early in 2018, self-taught chef James Chant, then working in the music industry, set off on a journey into the complexities of ramen that would see him emerge as an acclaimed custodian of the dish. His Matsudai restaurant is manna for devotees seeking deeply flavoured, soul-stirring bowls of tonkotsu pork or shoyu (meaning soy sauce flavoured) chicken and seafood broth. matsudai.co.uk Ember at No 5 This Pontcanna collab by chefs Tommy Heaney (see Heaneys) and Dave Killick, previously head chef at acclaimed dining pub, The Heathcock, has Cardiff foodies abuzz. Purposeful simplicity is Ember’s vibe, in the interior’s stylish, neutral tones, its focus on artisan skills (homemade breads, charcuterie, pastas) and across a menu which, broadly, applies an Italian sensibility to British produce in dishes of lemon sole, fennel and sobrasada or Penclawdd cockle linguine, anchovy and chilli. embercardiff.co.uk Cardiff Market There are food businesses within Cardiff’s historic indoor market (E Ashton fishmonger, butcher JT Morgan) that have been trading since the 19th century. Equally, this Grade II listed building platforms exciting new talent, its precincts punctuated by street food kitchens including The Bearded Taco, The Real Ting, Pierogi, Bao Selecta and Tukka Tuk, an Indian street food project by Anand George of Purple Poppadom. @cardiffmarket1891 Foodie experiences in Cardiff Cardiff Farmers’ Markets Across three weekly markets around Cardiff – plus a term-time monthly at Cardiff Met’s Llandaff Campus – over 100 growers, farmers and artisans retail via CFM. Some familiar Cardiff names (Pettigrew Bakeries, British cheese shop Ty Caws) are interspersed with visiting producers of, for example, organic vegetables or rare-breed meats. There is plenty to eat as you browse, from Greek baking at Sofia’s Pastries to Mami Maggie’s West African dishes. riversidemarket.org.uk Vale Food Trail, Vale of Glamorgan Between May 26-June 4, the third annual Vale Food Trail will explore farming and sustainability in events with food producers in the Vale of Glamorgan, a rural and coastal area south-west of Cardiff. But you can get a taste of the Vale at other times, too. For example, Slade Farm offers various bookable tours and experience days, while Lucy George’s Peterston Tea, an estate growing and making fine teas, runs bush-to-cup farm tours and tasting events in spring and summer. Lucy also runs workshops where tea lovers learn how to pick, process and make teas. valefoodtrail.com Glyndwr Vineyard, Llanblethian, Cowbridge For four decades, Glyndwr has been in the vanguard of Welsh wine’s remarkable growth. From March to December, visitors can explore how the Norris family tends its low-intervention vineyard and makes wine (and ciders from its neighbouring orchards) during two-hour tours which take in several glasses of Glyndwr wines and a two-course meal. glyndwrvineyard.co.uk Foodie neighbourhoods in Cardiff Pontanna and Canton A short hop from Cardiff Central Station, handsome inner suburb, Pontcanna, is a distinctive enclave of Victorian villas and splendid parklands which, with neighbouring Canton, is home to an easily navigable cluster of indie boutiques, cultural hubs (most notably, Chapter Arts Centre) and on-point food venues. In Gorse, Heaneys and Thomas, some of Cardiff’s best restaurants share adjacent Pontcanna streets. But options go deeper than fine dining. The excellent bakery-cafés, Ground and Scandi-owned Brød, for example, offer casual victuals in various forms. Café and bar, Milkwood, serves “the best brunch in Cardiff,” enthuses chef Leyli Homayoonfar, owner of the South Walian Mexican street food brand, Bab Haus. Over at Kings Road Yard, you will find the Pipes brewery, The Wardrobe Coffee Shop, Tom’s wood-fired pizza and, among other events, a weekly Saturday produce market. Continue shopping at the discerning Al Ponte Deli or The Bottle Shop, before combining the retail therapy with drinks at Canton’s Corp Market (check wine shop Vin Van Cymru and Khione Sicilian deli) or Crafty Devil Brewing’s Cellar tap bar and shop. Hungry again? Head to Ffwrnes’s NY slice inspired spin-off, West Pizza. More UK travel guides Best restaurants in Deal Best restaurants in Birmingham Best restaurants in Broadstairs Best restaurants in St Albans Best restaurants in Bristol Best restaurants in Edinburgh Best restaurants in York Best restaurants in Whitstable Best restaurants in Oxford Best restaurants in Cambridge
Best restaurants in Northumberland: where to eat, drink and stay
Discover the best restaurants in Northumberland, from Michelin-starred dining to cosy pubs and unmissable ice cream
England’s northernmost county is a culinary treasure trove, from Michelin-starred restaurants to remote and cosy inns. Discover our picks of the best places to eat in Northumberland, plus fun foodie activities in the region and the ultimate foodie town to explore. For more like this, check out our guides to the best restaurants in the Cotswolds, best restaurants in Newcastle, best restaurants in Perthshire or the best UK pubs with rooms. Best restaurants in Northumberland Hjem, Wall Dream destination One Michelin star restaurant with rooms where Swedish chef Alex Nietosvuori and Northumberland-born Ally Thompson skilfully blend Scandinavian and Northumbrian influences in design, food and even Hjem’s name. Pronounced ‘yem’, this Scandi word for home is also used colloquially in the north-east. High-end local produce underpins a tasting menu in which resonant flavours are handled with precision and flair, in dishes such as BBQ North Sea squid, rostï, parsley gremolata and razor clam sauce, or waffles with brown butter ice cream, coffee caramel and a hazelnut milk and crumb. restauranthjem.co.uk The Rat Inn, Anick Epic country pub This 18th-century drover’s inn ticks all the boxes. In winter, hunker down by open fires amid exposed stone, oak beams and antique curiosities. In summer, drink in the Tyne Valley views from its gardens. Throughout, chalkboard menus display seasonal, local produce (and harvests from the inn’s kitchen garden) in winning dishes such as breaded lamb, Gem lettuce and sriracha mayo, or pork loin, cider apple sauce and honey mustard glazed Hispi. Cracking roasts, too. theratinn.com The Old Boat House, Amble Seafood catch This attractive harbour restaurant makes deft use of the ocean’s bounty, including Lindisfarne oysters and lobsters, langoustines and haddock landed in Amble itself. Dishes range from fish and chips, and hot dressed North Shields crab, served under a parmesan crust with garlic butter and focaccia, to a blow-out sharing seafood platter. Nearby sister venue, Fish Shack, was constructed using sections of Sea Quest, an old boat once used as a training vessel in Amble. boathousefoodgroup.co.uk Audela, Berwick-upon-Tweed Fab fine dining A smart, comfortable restaurant offering consistently accomplished cooking, Audela has many fans among locals and visitors alike. Its menus mix crisp, modish plates of, for example, Borders’ venison, pearl barley, beetroot and pickled walnut, or North Sea halibut, nori, Delica pumpkin and citrus beurre blanc, with irresistible classics such as Audela’s twice-baked cheese and leek soufflé. audela.co.uk Lord Crewe Arms, Blanchland Rural retreat Originally a guest house for a 12th-century abbey, this handsome pub, restaurant and hotel oozes historic character. It sits within amazing walking country. So much so that guests can pick up maps and Lord Crewe fudge before heading out to Pow Hill Country Park or Kielder Forest. Ravenous ramblers will find chef Paul Johnson’s venison cottage pie or roast lamb, jerusalem artichoke, Roscoff onion and chimichurri just the ticket on their return. lordcrewearmsblanchland.co.uk The Feathers Inn, Hedley on the Hill Chef favourite Quiz chefs or local foodies about the Northumbria scene and this gorgeous pub will soon come up. A cosy redoubt of log burners, warm welcomes and on-point cooking, its gutsier dishes (black pudding with poached egg and devilled gravy; beef slow-cooked in ale with shallots, carrots and creamy mash) are precisely what is needed over winter. But it shines in summer, too, when a pizza kitchen also opens to serve those enjoying the rays in its cute outdoor areas. thefeathers.net Morwick Dairy, Acklington Unmissable ice cream From Doddington Dairy’s retro Milk Bar at Wooler or Amble parlour, Spurreli, to Pilgrim’s Gelato and its vegan oat milk ‘geloato’, you’re never far from interesting ice cream in Northumberland. At Morwick Dairy’s farm shop you can choose from 20 of its award-winning gelato flavours, including Italian black cherry, fior di latte and its take on Scottish dessert cranachan: a raspberry rippled, whisky based scoop made with local distillery Ad Gefrin’s Tácnbora whisky, finished with honey toasted oats. morwickdairy.co.uk Pine, East Wallhouses Hot seat Stylish barn conversion restaurant where chefs Cal Byerley and Ian Waller design Michelin-starred tasting menus from ultra-local ingredients, with a firm focus on sustainability. Whole-animal butchery, foraging, preserving and Pine’s kitchen garden are key to its dishes of cured beef and nasturtium, or mallard, blueberry and woodruff. Pine’s garden is nourished with compost created from waste coffee grounds and such, and pollinated by Pine’s own bee colony. restaurantpine.co.uk The Ship Inn, Low Newton-by-the-Sea Much loved coastal inn From film to folk nights, this beach-side village pub is a hive of activity, and includes its own on-site microbrewery. The lunch menu features acclaimed Jarvis Pickle pies and sandwiches on the northeast’s beloved stottie cake, a type of large, round bread loaf. By night, plates range from hand-picked local crab, herb salad and sourdough, to lamb koftas with couscous, ezme salad, sumac onions, feta and flatbreads. shipinnnewton.co.uk The Kirkstyle Inn, Slaggyford Rising star Given a spruce makeover in 2023, this pub with rooms on the CumbriaNorthumberland border is gaining a stellar reputation for chef Connor Wilson’s ambitious cooking. Moorland game and seasonal produce from surrounding farms is central to that work. Dishes might range from North Sea halibut, mussel, leek and kohlrabi to partridge with parsnip, trompette and pear. theksi.co.uk Foodie activities to do in Northumberland Cheviot Brewery Tap, Slainsfield Located in Till Valley’s Ford and Etal Estates, in the shadow of the Cheviot Hills, this brewery, bar and glamping site sits in a peach of a location. Brewery tours are available for those who want to dig into how beers, such as citrussy session ale, Sea Stack, are made. From spring onwards, a wood-fired pizza kitchen and fire pits (with s’mores for the kids) are another attraction. As are the resident alpacas, Malt, Porter and Hops. cheviotbrewery.co.uk Northumberland Cheese Company, Blagdon Whether bagging traditionally smoked Craster kippers at L Robson & Sons, tasting Lindisfarne mead or observing Northumberland Seafood Centre’s lobster hatchery, this region has many fascinating foodie diversions. Those keen to know more about the cheesemaking process can book tours at Northumberland Cheese Company to explore its brine baths and maturing rooms, and taste award-winning cheeses such as the smoked goats’ cheese, Chesterwood. Includes afternoon tea in the Cheese Loft Café. northumberlandcheese.co.uk Turnbull’s Food Hall, Alnwick The Turnbull family has had a butchery in Alnwick since 1880 but, in 2019, radically expanded its work with this large food hall at Willowburn Retail Park. A butcher’s counter and busy bakery (it produces thousands of handmade pies each week) are complemented by Northumbrian products, from cheeses to gins. Look out for fascinating collabs, including the Turnbull’s smoked bacon old fashioned, created with Amble cocktail maker, Hummingbird Drinks. turnbullsfood.co.uk Foodie town in Northumberland Hexham and surrounding area Pretty, historic Hexham is both a jumping off point to reach many of Northumberland’s best restaurants (and attractions like Northumberland National Park and Hadrian’s Wall) and a hub of good flavours in itself. Shop at artisan bakery The Grateful Bread, Robson & Sons butcher (established 1894), The Natural Grocer Market & Social and, on the second and fourth Saturday of each month, Hexham Farmers’ Market, which draws in makers of anything from kimchi to honey. Just a few miles down the road, the handsome village of Corbridge is also home to the highly rated Corbridge Larder (a deli including 100-plus cheeses, downstairs, with The Heron Café up top), Grant’s Bakery, chocolate truffle makers Coffuffle, and Corbridge Cookshop, a treasure trove for kitchen kit. In season, you can take the kids fruit picking at nearby Brocksbushes, too – which is also home to a swish new farm shop. Back in Hexham and looking for dinner? Bouchon Bistrot has you covered for all the French classics; and there are good things happening on the Josper grill and across contemporary dishes of tuna ceviche or mint and nettle risotto at The Beaumont Hotel restaurant. For something more casual, check out Fire & Dough’s wood-fired pizza truck in Hexham Abbey car park on Saturday nights. More UK travel guides Best restaurants in Glasgow Best restaurants in Deal Best restaurants in Birmingham Best restaurants in Broadstairs Best restaurants in St Albans Best restaurants in Bristol Best restaurants in Edinburgh Best restaurants in York Best restaurants in Whitstable Best restaurants in Oxford Best restaurants in Cambridge Best restaurants in Margate
Best restaurants in York 2025: where to eat and drink
Check out our top spots to eat and drink in York. Wander down the city’s higgledy-piggledy back streets to find inventive tasting menus, delis and cafes
Looking for the best restaurants in York? 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, from Micklegate to The Shambles and beyond... For more exciting restaurants and weekend ideas for food lovers, check out our best UK city breaks, Yorkshire foodie guide and discover the UK's best artisan bakeries. For more city guides, try our best restaurants in Liverpool, best restaurants in Leeds and best restaurants in Newcastle. Jump to: Best restaurants in York Foodie neighbourhood in York Foodie experiences in York More of the best restaurants, cafés and food shops in York olive's 10 best places to eat and drink in York For a banging brunch: Partisan Impressive all-dayer: York Minster Refectory The hot seat: Skosh Rising bakery: Cosgriff & Sons For a wine bar with excellent food: 22 Yards For a cut-above casual: Los Moros For proper pizza: Cresci Big night blow-out: Roots A local legend: Coconut Lagoon Street food stars: Spark: York Best restaurants in York Partisan Simultaneously an impressive bakery – its gorgeous cake counter visible from the street – and, behind that, a vintagestyled café and art gallery serving memorable plates of, for example, shakshuka, eggs benedict and seasonal french toast variations. In particular, don’t miss the scrambled Persian spiced eggs with spinach, caramelised onions and Medjool dates. Last year, a sister restaurant, Brancusi, was opened nearby. Unlike daytime-only Partisan, Brancusi also serves an evening menu of modish small plates. partisanuk.com York Minster Refectory Renowned Yorkshire chef Andrew Pern runs two attractive York venues: The Star Inn the City on the River Ouse, and the Refectory, located in a former school by York Minster. Whether drinking in the view from the terrace, grabbing a takeaway sandwich or lingering over elevated plates in the restaurant, it is a class act. Befitting Andrew’s fine-dining heritage, broadly Anglo-French dishes (say, a torched mackerel niçoise, or housecured pork belly bacon with celeriac fondant, confit egg yolk and smoked apple) are full of clever details. yorkminsterrefectory.co.uk Skosh Good fun in a way few ambitious restaurants are. The buzzy vibe is warmly informal and chef Neil Bentinck’s globetrotting small plates are clever, creative crowd-pleasers. In its classic hen’s egg cheddar mousse (flavoured with, for example, mushroom and PX sherry syrup), fried chicken with gochujang or tandoori octopus with lime pickle, Skosh – extended in 2024 to include a new bar area – is a restaurant that will both thrill foodies and win over those who don’t ordinarily do fancy food. skoshyork.co.uk Cosgriff & Sons York has many exciting bakeries – see Little Arras, Flori, the new Heppni Bakeri, etc. Chef-turned-baker Paul Cosgriff is in that movement’s vanguard. Visit 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. Creative fillings such as aubergine schnitzel, baba ganoush, mint ricotta and pomegranate, excel. @cs_sourdough 22 Yards This relaxing space smoothly blurs the lines between wine shop, bar and restaurant. Wine lovers will geek-out over the list (more than 70 wines by the glass) and purr over chef Grant Todd’s well-executed dishes of beef tartare, mackerel crudo or sole in a lemon caper butter. Alternatively, graze on charcuterie, cheese and local Haxby Bakehouse sourdough. 22yardswine.com Los Moros Chef Tarik Abdeladim’s Los Moros made its name on Shambles Market, where it still has a stall, before opening this Grape Lane restaurant. Artisan skills are central to its modern North African menu, with everything from chermoula to merguez sausages (served with mint cucumber cacik and urfa oil), made to Tarik’s specifications. Large plates range from chicken tagine with saffron potatoes to grilled octopus with a hazelnut take on the sweet-spicy roasted red pepper dip, muhammara. losmorosyork.co.uk Cresci A slice of wood-fired magic on Piccadilly, Cresci is one of the few UK pizzerias certified by Naples’ Association Verace Pizza Napoletana. Slow-fermented, lightly digestible and beautifully swollen at their cornicione rims, Cresci’s pizzas are dressed in intelligent combinations from, for example, buffalo mozzarella and San Marzano tomatoes, to fennel sausage, friarielli greens and lightly smoked provola and pecorino. crescipizzeria.com Roots Chef Tommy Banks’ restaurants, The Black Swan, The Abbey Inn and Roots, share a core DNA and heritage ingredients grown and creatively preserved at the Banks family farm at Oldstead. But each venue is distinctive. 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. Tasting menu dishes such as crab toast with a crab and caviar custard, seasoned with pickled parsley, or roasted scallops glazed with spruce honey in a fermented celeriac juice and brown butter sauce, are delivered by accomplished, friendly staff who create a convivial atmosphere. rootsyork.com Coconut Lagoon For a decade-plus this South Indian restaurant near York’s hospital has wowed regulars with its sensitively spiced work. There is a remarkable vitality and depth of flavour in its menu of dosas, dhals, fish curries and Keralan specialities, such as beef dry fry or roast coconut lamb curry, varutharacha. coconutlagoon.co.uk Spark: York This colourful shipping container venue is a crucial launch pad for local talent. For example, the York restaurants Tasca Frango and Fish & Forest (and F&F’s new wine bar, Notes) have roots here. From Clucking Oinks chicken burgers to RAD’s pizza and The Outpost, a bar collab with Knaresborough’s Turning Point Brew Co, there is always something tasty happening at Spark. sparkyork.org Foodie neighbourhood in York Many visitors to York never stray beyond its ancient city walls. That is a mistake – turn right past Clifford’s Tower, for example, and you will soon find yourself on Bishopthorpe Road (Bishy Road, to locals). This cute enclave of small indie businesses and pavement cafés is abundant with good food at next-level bakery Flori, brunch-lunch faves Robinsons Café and Pig & Pastry, Trinacria’s gelateria, coffee and cake stop Stanley & Ramona, or the Good Food Shop deli, whose lush salads and sandwiches are useful if picnicking in nearby Rowntree Park. Later, check out bar, Angel on the Green, home to RAD’s pizza and hip supper clubs; chill in charming wine shop slash bar, 2 Many Wines; or visit legendary fine dining restaurant, Melton’s, now in its fourth decade and enjoying a second creative life under head chef, Calvin Miller. The traditional Bishy strip is growing, too. Last summer, Dark Horse, already purveyors of excellent coffee and grilled cheese sandwiches at Shambles Market, opened a café a short walk beyond the Bishy’s Scarcroft Road junction. Want to get a true taste of York? Bishy Road is the place to start. Food experiences near York Mýse, Hovingham Josh and Victoria Overington, chef and FOH wine ace respectively, made their names at York’s Le Cochon Aveugle. They now ply their delicious trade at Mýse, their one-Michelin star restaurant with rooms in nearby Hovingham. This is an artisan operation, with Josh’s team curing and fermenting in-house, and using high-grade British produce to put a contemporary spin on often forgotten, historic foods. Think broad bean porridge, confit ceps, fresh cheese and whey, or flambéed medlar cake with malted ice cream. Josh and head chef, Jamie Keeble, also run cookery courses, covering topics from fish butchery to foraging. restaurantmyse.co.uk Brew York tour York is a great beer city. It has a huge variety of vintage pubs and newwave bars (eg The Blue Bell, House of Trembling Madness, Rook & Gaskill) and, in Brew York, a dynamic modern brewery. Its indoor-outdoor, multi-roomed brew-tap is a must, to sample its beer and food from East Asian kitchen, Yuzu. Keen to explore the brewing process in detail? Guided tours are available Friday to Saturday, which explain beer from the malt and mash to the finished IPA. brewyork.co.uk Malton Increasingly on the map for its energetic, artisan-maker food scene, this Yorkshire market town boasts myriad retail attractions. Start with its monthly food market, then explore the stars of Talbot Yard, such as patissier Florian Poirot and his renowned macarons, the Rare Bird distillery, bar and gin school, and Roost coffee. Excellent brewery, Brass Castle, has a Malton taproom, York’s Bluebird Bakery a local outpost, and indie wine shop, Derventio, offers plenty of grape-based diversion. Elsewhere, Malton has various traditional fishmongers, butchers and delicatessens. visitmalton.com More of the best restaurants, cafés and food shops in York Fish & Forest, Grape Lane It’s incredibly exciting when you find a restaurant that makes you feel so at ease you forget you’re not sat round your dining table at home. The serving staff are so knowledgeable and friendly that you feel totally comfortable letting them help you choose from the menu and, as the dishes come out, their recommendations are proven correct every time. This is, presumably, made easy because each dish is made with care, skill and excellent produce. Fish & Forest specialise in seasonal and sustainable fish, game and forest foods. With sustainability at the heart of the restaurant and a menu that’s written out by hand on a chalk board every day to give the chefs the flexibility and freedom to change daily to suit the seasons, you can rest assured that you’ll have a wonderful meal with the health of the planet considered at every turn. The coley was cooked to perfection and served on top of a stunning miso broth flavoured with the freshest of spring veg. Finishing dinner with a pavlova topped with Yorkshire’s famous rhubarb, Chantilly and a ginger crumb makes for a very happy ending. fishandforestrestaurant.com Cafe No.8 Bistro, Gillygate This tiny bistro on Gillygate is the kind of place only the locals know about. Take a table in its hidden garden to enjoy the likes of slow-cooked lamb, home oak-smoked salmon fillet or fresh fig and blue cheese salad in the shadow of York Minster. cafeno8.co.uk Mannion & Co, Blake Street A European-style café and deli, Mannion’s specialises in platters from the deli counter. Yorkshire produce is paired with expertly sourced charcuterie, cheeses, olives and artichokes from France and Italy. The café’s suntrap courtyard is a tiny oasis where you can enjoy a pork pie, homemade piccalilli and salad grazing platter. Or take away your sarnie of choice made with bread baked fresh on site every morning. Super-light scones piled with jams and clotted cream, patisseries and home baked brownies make perfect pairings for Jeeves & Jericho loose leaf teas and wood-roast artisan coffee from Ue Coffee Roasters. mannionandco.co.uk Pairings, Castlegate Visit for a build-your-own wine adventure, alongside good-quality cheeses, meats and deli platters. Choose various wine flights exploring all points from rosés to orange wines. Share a bottle or dip into a large number of wines by the glass or carafe. Several of Pairings’ rarer, pricier wines are served in cost-effective 3 x 50ml flights. pairings.co.uk Betty's Betty’s is far from a secret; the queue of tourists peering into the room of scones, tea and fat rascals is a giveaway. Stick a pinkie out with a bone china cup of Betty’s delicately floral Assam and Darjeeling blend and take your pick from the immaculately presented cake trolley (the chocolate swiss roll is, unfathomably, rich and light all at the same time). Coffee and cake at Betty’s is always a treat but the Lady Betty afternoon tea is even more so. Miniature savouries include Yorkshire pork and Bramley apple pies, smoked salmon and dill roulade, and succulent roast Yorkshire ham and tomato pâté sandwiches. A traditional silver cake stand bursts with aromatic Yorkshire lavender scones, sweet 'n' sticky toffee-apple macarons and a light choux pastry with whipped coffee cream. bettys.co.uk Love Cheese, Gillygate Locals Harry and Phoebe Baines have sourced cheeses from near and far to create an award-winning counter. The selection covers continental as well as British cheeses but this is your chance to taste some of the county’s best, and most unusual, varieties (try the Ribblesdale smoked goat’s cheese, Botton Creamery cheddars or intense Yorkshire blue). There’s also a small café on site. Sit on a picnic bench on the terrace at the back of the shop and sip a Huddersfield-roasted Dark Wood coffee while you wait for a toastie. As you might expect, toasties here are a step above the norm (though try our toastie recipes for serious comfort). We liked ours made with Haxby Baker granary and filled with mature cheddar and spiced tomato or manchego with chorizo and chilli chutney. lovecheese.co.uk For more information visit visityork.org/adventure and be sure to get hold of a York Pass for free entry to attractions in and around York, with discounts at cafes and restaurants. More UK travel guides Best restaurants in Deal Best restaurants in Birmingham Best restaurants in Broadstairs Best restaurants in St Albans Best restaurants in Margate Best restaurants in Bristol Best restaurants in Edinburgh Best restaurants in Whitstable Best restaurants in Oxford Best restaurants in Cambridge Best restaurants in Glasgow
From cosy inns to deluxe gastro stays, we share the most desirable UK restaurants with rooms to book
Read on to find out the best restaurants with rooms, then check out the best new UK restaurants, best new London restaurants, best female-owned restaurants in the U.K. and best UK boutique hotels for food lovers. For a rejuvenating overnight stay, discover the best UK spa hotels for food lovers. If you're looking for something extra special, try the best chef's table experiences in the UK. There is no more delicious end to a meal than simply walking upstairs to bed – no taxis, trains or a long drive home required. If you want to fall asleep cocooned in luxury before waking up to a stellar breakfast the next morning, read on to discover our round-up some of the UK’s most desirable restaurants with rooms. Book in, tuck in and chill out. Best UK restaurants with rooms Jöro, Oughtiridge Mill, Sheffield Sheffield icon Jöro has a new home in a converted mill on the edge of the Peak District, pairing a Japanese-influenced tasting menu with airy loft-style rooms above. The accommodation is minimalist and fresh, with pine furniture, monstera plants and bright wall prints by artists including David Shrigley. Self-catering facilities (including a full kitchen set-up) make it a handy base for walkers, and breakfast waiting in the fridge is far from ordinary – jamón bellota, home-cured Loch Duart salmon, Winslade cheese and Kyoto miso and lime muffins. Downstairs, chef Alex Bruno’s menu is stripped back to single words – “pineapple”, “chalk stream trout”, “barra scallop” – but behind each lies a complex, layered dish. Highlights include hamachi in a delicate tomato and garlic broth, and a sensational milk bread. Sake-based cocktails lead the drinks list, including a fluorescent Midori number that tastes joyously like a lime ice pop. Servers are methodical and calm with bags of knowledge, keeping the lively atmosphere free of any fuss. Studio rooms from £100 B&B. jororestaurant.co.uk Mýse, Hovingham, North Yorkshire Pronounced ‘meeze’ and named after the Anglo-Saxon word for ‘eating at the table’, this Michelin-starred, rural gem is a harmonious blend of heritage and modern. Chef Josh Overington claims to make “elevated granny food” which, frankly, does a disservice to his intelligent, technique-heavy approach. The tasting menu is served dinner party style in a bright, minimalist dining room with botanical finishes. There are 16 covers and dishes are brought to tables in unison by the calm, methodical kitchen team. There’s an emphasis on pickles, preserves and ferments, as well as traditional methods and a razor-sharp focus on provenance. There are memorable, talking-point dishes at every turn, including scallop in sea urchin butter and colostrum curd tart. This is cerebral, exacting, original cooking, demonstrating such ingenuity as jerusalem artichoke ice cream with crispy skins and birch syrup tapped from local trees – presented in a birchwood bowl hand-carved by the chef. The attention to detail is mirrored in the wine pairings, curated by sommelier Victoria Overington in collaboration with Noble Rot. One of the pairings is a cider pressed nearby into only 48 bottles. The team are warm, knowledgeable and personable, without being overly formal. After enjoying 15 remarkable dishes, guests can drift a short distance to rooms above the restaurant, or through the village to the newly refurbished Mýse cottage. The accommodation is airy but cosy and full of natural materials – sensitively modernised old Yorkshire. The breakfast is a masterstroke. It’s presented elegantly on the table in delicate elements – pâté and potted fish, home-cured charcuterie, barley porridge and a Burford Brown boiled to serve. There’s a touch of magic about Mýse and, true to Josh’s mission, this is food you won’t find anywhere else. restaurantmyse.co.uk Nest Farmhouse, Norfolk Set on a working farm, this restaurant with rooms is neatly separated from the action so there’s no risk of muddy footprints in its artfully simple dining room. Not that it’s uptight – expect big, rustic dishes on its seasonal menu: bone marrow on focaccia; osso buco with turnip mash, salsa verde and horseradish; crisp garlic potatoes; and doughnuts with pumpkin caramel and nutmeg custard. Local suppliers, including Brancaster Seafood Co and biodynamic veg grown at West Lexham are proudly namechecked, as are wines from nearby vineyard Cobble Hill and stout from Woodforde’s Brewery, a key ingredient in its deliciously dark soda bread. Sink into a squishy fireside sofa for a post-dinner negroni before retiring to one of its five bedrooms. Interiors are a sleek but comfortable mix of Scandi simplicity with trad British: vintage plates, wooden floors and neutral walls punctuated with vintage prints and modern art. nestfarmhouse.co.uk The Cornish Arms, St Merryn, Cornwall Rick Stein’s polished rural gastropub has everything you need: St Austell Brewery ales (try the Proper Job), roaring fires, wood-fired pizza in the garden in summer and cracking Sunday roasts year round. After enjoying pub classics such as sausage and mash, or ham, egg and chips, guests can toddle off to the pub’s wooden shepherd’s huts (ensuite with kitchenettes) to luxuriate in underfloor heating and Porthdune skincare products. rickstein.com The Angel at Hetton Amidst the rugged landscape of the Dales, The Angel is a polished gem of Yorkshire hospitality and remarkable food. The bar and restaurant weave through a series of beautifully-finished and intimate spaces on the ground floor of the Main house. Upstairs, rooms enjoy the same impeccable finish and views over Rylstone Fell. Faultless service and impeccably finished interiors set the stage for a meal to remember, with seasonal ingredients being served with all the flair you’d expect from a Michelin starred venue. Highlights when we visited in early summer included Hokkaido milk bread with butter, lardo and taramasalata, lobster with kombu and smoked pike roe, and a sublime savoury course of Tête de Moine with sablé, nectarine and sabayon. A one-night stay at The Angel at Hetton costs from £520 for two sharing, including an eight-course tasting menu in the Michelin starred restaurant. Holm, South Petherton, Somerset With its raw plaster walls, Scandi design and plates of torched mackerel, turnip and buttermilk, or baked celeriac, truffle and hazelnut, Holm brings big city cool to rural Somerset. Just as the kitchen relies on A1 West Country produce (Alford Farm pork, Exmoor venison), its seven handsome bedrooms have been dressed with furniture, bespoke oak headboards and art from local artist-makers and vintage specialists. holmsomerset.co.uk La Fosse, Cranborne, Dorset Work up an appetite walking in the New Forest or Jurassic Coast before retiring to this intimate restaurant with rooms. Chef Mark Hartstone’s cooking deploys prime local produce (including his own allotment harvests) in beautiful plates of, say, hake, lobster and shellfish broth, samphire and champ, or duck, caramelised salsify, artichoke, cherry gravy and greens. La Fosse’s bedrooms, named after Dorset cheeses, smoothly blend modern design with the building’s period charm. la-fosse.com The Crown @ Wild Thyme & Honey, near Cirencester, Gloucestershire This Cotswolds pub with rooms is a special find. Sat by a gurgling brook in tiny, idyllic Ampney Crucis, its 24 bedrooms – think natural materials, muted palettes, handsome fabrics – offer serious contemporary chic. The Crown pub, is a cosy nook you’ll happily sink into after a country walk. The kitchen gives classics such as the prawn cocktail or cheddar soufflé a 21st-century makeover, and there are mains to warm the soul, such as braised venison cottage pie or pork belly with potato terrine, smoked pumpkin purée, black pudding crumb and madeira chicken jus. crownampneybrook.co.uk Smoke, Hampton Manor, Warwickshire As well as its 15 gorgeous manor house bedrooms (one of three places to stay on site), this 45-acre estate includes a walled kitchen garden, around which you’ll find an artisan bakery, Michelin-starred Grace & Savour and chef Stuart Deeley’s hip, laid-back Smoke. Dishes of Megrim sole with brown shrimps and seaweed butter sauce, or a sharing Hereford côte de boeuf with béarnaise sauce, demonstrate the kitchen’s live-fire cooking skills. hamptonmanor.com The Corner House, Canterbury, Kent Smart, crisp and comfortable, chef Matt Sworder’s Corner House is easy to love. Fine regional produce is skilfully deployed across a broadly modern British menu of dishes like venison and mushroom suet pudding with mash, kale and red wine jus, or sharing lamb shoulder, dauphinoise potatoes and seasonal vegetables. Five characterful, individually designed bedrooms seal the deal. The romantic attic room includes a freestanding bath, too. cornerhouserestaurants.co.uk The White Horse, Graffham, West Sussex Nestled in the South Downs National Park, the Horse has six smart, comfortable bedrooms in its grounds. Leading the kitchen is chef Grant Jones, who honed his skills at Le Gavroche. Excellent Sussex produce underpins daily changing menus, which might include dishes such as roasted guinea fowl, sprout tops, potatoes and wild mushrooms, or lamb rack with braised hunter's pie and squash purée. whitehorsegraffham.com The Buxton, London Part of the sustainably focussed Culpeper Family Hospitality Group, this Brick Lane pub includes 15 funky, modish rooms, decorated with east London art and fabrics by local weavers. Guests can enjoy the rooftop kitchen garden and, in the pub, on-point sharing plates of cheese croquettes with black garlic or duck breast and chanterelles. thebuxton.co.uk The Cartford Inn, Little Eccleston, Lancashire This buzzy, fashionably styled pub by the River Wyre has two upscale log cabins and 12 incredible bedrooms available for overnighters, plus its own deli and homewares store. Chef Chris Bury’s menus include occasional French flourishes, but generally tack between accomplished pub tuck (say, braised oxtail and beef suet pudding) and on-trend dishes such as beef short rib, artichoke purée and beer-braised Roscoff onion. thecartfordinn.co.uk The Dipping Lugger, Ullapool, Wester Ross Three luxurious bedrooms (with freestanding baths, striking Morris & Co wallpapers), command views across Loch Broom. In the 18-cover restaurant, chef David Smith creates ambitious tasting menus from Scotland’s abundant larder. Dishes might include beef fillet, beetroot and horseradish, or gin-cured halibut with caviar, baby cauliflower and fennel crackerbread. thedippinglugger.co.uk The Boot, Barnsley, Gloucestershire Operated by the hospitality wing of a furniture and interior design business, The Boot, which has six bedrooms, is a natty space full of interesting art and antiques. Chef John Jewell uses high-quality regional produce, including vegetables from neighbouring Barnsley House, to create elevated pub classics and dishes such as his Montgomery cheddar soufflé or Bathurst Estate venison, potato gratin, red cabbage and mushroom sauce. Suitably, given the Boot’s 17th-century origins, beer is served in bespoke pewter tankards. thebootbarnsley.co.uk Meadowsweet, Holt, Norfolk This Grade II listed Georgian property is a tastefully contemporary space, with three swish bedrooms sitting above its Michelin-starred restaurant. Like those rooms, chef Greg Anderson’s dishes of wild turbot and vin jaune or truffle-stuffed guinea fowl, are all elegantly modern. meadowsweetholt.com Jöro, Sheffield Close to Krynkl – the shipping container development where Jöro serves its creative dishes of scallop, grilled cucumber, mint and tiger’s milk, or halibut, sauce vin jaune, walnuts and mussels escabeche – the restaurant also operates House of Jöro, a boutique four-bedroom property. Guests can stay B&B, fold in a meal at Jöro or, for the ultimate in private dining, take over the whole house and enjoy an eight-course tasting menu cooked by chef-director Luke French. Note: in spring, Jöro will move to Oughtibridge Mill on Sheffield’s outskirts, opening seven bedrooms on-site. House of Jöro will continue to accommodate guests, with sister brand, Konjö, moving into Krynkl. jororestaurant.co.uk Discover more of the best restaurants in Sheffield. Arms Cottage @ The Bridge Arms, Bridge, Kent Chefs Dan and Natasha Smith run two Michelin-starred pubs, the Fordwich Arms and the charcoal-grilling-focussed Bridge. Neighbouring the Bridge, they also have a 15th-century cottage available for stays. Relax there before enjoying immaculate grilled scallops with smoked butter sauce, a sharing Hereford beef rib or whole Dover sole. bridgearms.co.uk The Suffolk, Aldeburgh, Suffolk Be it colour palettes and decorative touches inspired by the Suffolk countryside or a guest pantry where you can pour yourself a complimentary cocktail, every detail of this six-bedroom property has been carefully considered. Enjoy the rooftop sea-view terrace, then head down to Sur-Mer restaurant, where chef Tom Payne makes impressive use of Suffolk produce, such as Gressingham duck or Dingley Dell pork. From Butley Creek oysters to lemon sole in Pernod garlic butter, seafood is prominent. the-suffolk.co.uk More hotel guides Best country house hotels 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
Some dining experiences are truly unforgettable, and what better way to treat yourself and loved ones than a meal at one of the UK’s finest restaurants?
Whether you’re looking to book a table for a special occasion or want to plan ahead for something to look forward to later in the year, the following restaurants offer the last word in food thrills and luxury. These are meals you’ll remember for years. For more inspiration, check out London's latest restaurant openings, new UK restaurants and the best restaurants with rooms in the UK. Discover the best of the UK's farm-to-fork restaurants. UMU, Mayfair Opening in 2004 and thriving 20 years later is testament to UMU’s unique offering – inspired by Kyoto cuisine, using British ingredients such as fish sourced from Cornwall and Welsh lamb. Behind a discreet doorway in Mayfair’s Bruton Place, the dark wood-panelled room is lit to emphasise the sushi masters at work at the counter, carving, chopping and grating fresh wasabi. There is more theatre on the plate with premium ingredients like high-grade wagyu served à la minute, which arrives smoking at the table; the salty-sweet and glistening eel kabayaki, and a cute dessert: Charamisu Mayfair garden Japanese seasonal tiramisu, with a mini watering can to sprinkle over sake. Select a wine or sake pairing for the full experience. umurestaurant.com Restaurant Pine, Northumberland Housed in a handsome barn by Hadrian’s Wall in an area where chef-owner Cal Byerley’s family has farmed for generations, Pine is firmly rooted in rural Northumberland. Foraged and local ingredients complement those grown in Pine’s no-dig, organically managed kitchen garden and orchard, feeding into exceptional dishes of garum-cured beef or plaice, smoked scallop roe, horseradish and magnolia. Cal creates Pine’s tasting menu with fellow head chef Ian Waller, while their respective partners, Siân Buchan and sommelier Vanessa Stoltz, handle front of house. “We’ve all got different skills and it just gels,” says Cal of this collaboration. Sustainability is key and is visible in Pine’s preservation of abundant ingredients and whole-animal butchery. “Trim is used for charcuterie, animal bones to make stocks,” says Cal. “Someone’s taken time to produce the ingredient, why waste any?” restaurantpine.co.uk Hide and Fox, Kent Chef Allister Barsby (Gidleigh Park) and wine expert Alice Bussi (Bath Priory) held top jobs at incredible restaurants before moving to coastal Saltwood to create this one-Michelin-starred restaurant. Allister loves autumn and winter, as he works his way through mallard, partridge, pheasant and venison: “Game, root vegetables and autumn fruits go together in almost any combination imaginable. I pair venison with pear poached in mulled wine spices, and this year I’ll add sweet parsnip and the herby, almost medicinal aroma of pine.” A seasonal dessert of black figs will feature, too, in a set custard with fig compote and fig leaf-infused ice cream. hideandfox.co.uk The Lanesborough Grill, London Previously at The Bingham and The Goring, chef Shay Cooper knows how to blend the modish and traditional to breathe new life into London’s grandest dining rooms. Last spring, he landed at The Lanesborough where (of course!) dover sole is a mainstay, and key dishes, such as the beef wellington, are plated tableside from guéridon trolleys. But Shay’s buttermilk-fried quail, ricotta gnocchi or brioche pudding with burnt orange purée and milk ice cream very much look beyond Hyde Park to wider London restaurant trends. From the Grill’s domed glass ceiling and contemporary art collection, to its use of fine seasonal ingredients, Shay wants the experience to deliver a “sense of high glamour”. oetkercollection.com Moor Hall, Lancashire The key draw of this two-Michelin-starred destination remains Mark Birchall’s astonishing food. With its stylish use of natural materials, the modish dining room visually represents Mark’s aesthetic: seasonally driven, high-quality and technically accomplished. Over winter, he plans to pair turbot with a curried organic squash purée, sea vegetables and, as the sauce, his take on a Catalan suquet fish stew. Sika deer will appear, too, possibly with beetroot and elderberry. “I love the deep flavour,” says Mark, “and the little bit of intramuscular fat you get running through the meat.” moorhall.com Meadowsweet, Norfolk Rebecca Williams and Greg Anderson’s small, Grade II-listed restaurant with rooms in Holt has been a big addition to North Norfolk’s vibrant food scene, gaining a Michelin star in its first year. Greg applies the sharp, classical technique he honed as head chef at Morston Hall to contemporary, produce-driven dishes. He is a chef happily at the mercy of the seasons: “In winter, there’ll be roe deer served with ceps, celeriac and a black truffle sauce, maybe a steamed roe deer ragout bun on the side. My good friend Henry will fish for lobster, crabs and sea bass until mother nature tells him to stop. I love making lobster ravioli, and deep-fried Brancaster oysters with jalapeño and citrus are never far from the menu. Every new season is exciting.” meadowsweetholt.com Outlaw's New Road, Cornwall In September, Nathan Outlaw’s Port Isaac flagship reset as a single-sitting tasting menu experience for up to 30 people. “This will allow us to include a wider range of luxurious ingredients and more time to embrace a variety of techniques,” says Nathan. “I’m eager to present dishes we can confidently say contain the best seafood you’ll ever try.” The dining room has been spruced up with new furnishings and warm, wintry décor. Dishes include plancha-cooked gurnard with a sauce made daily from tiny Porthilly crabs (“no batch is the same”), and lemon sole in an oyster and cucumber sauce. “This dish epitomises our cooking,” says Nathan. It requires immaculate raw product and expert timing to ensure “it hits the table in peak condition. We apply the scrutiny required to do this fish and the fishermen who caught it justice”. outlaws.co.uk Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal, London While some Michelin-starred restaurants go all out to create a relaxed vibe (see Humo, below) Alex Dilling, as befitting its home in the five-star Hotel Café Royal, is unashamedly formal, both on the plate and in its level of service. Tasting menus only, crisply starched tablecloths, cream leather booths, its wall of wine glasses punctuated by Michelin guides acting as a clear reminder of its two-star status. Many dishes look like tiny works of art. In recognition of returning guests who have followed the chef’s career from leading restaurants in New York and London, Alex has created a menu of his defining dishes, including clam chowder, a nod to growing up in San Francisco – with Dorset clams and caviar in a light clam velouté, and hunter’s chicken – Les Landes chicken in albufera sauce. Across the five- to eight-course menus offered, lighter dishes including red mullet (or mackerel when in season) with burrata and peas; and brown crab with shiso and smoked cream topped with aged Kaluga caviar. Start with a martini made with the chef’s own 5 Puffins gin. alexdilling.com Humo Sit at the counter – effectively the pass – for prime interaction with Colombian chef Miller Prada, whose cooking combines his South American roots with the skills and passion he gained for Japanese techniques and ingredients working with mentor Endo Kazutoshi. Fire cooking and dry ageing of fish and meat are at the heart of the restaurant. The laid-back team will introduce you to new discoveries which might include eight-day-aged yellowtail with citrus sauce and the more surprising addition of a Castillo coffee sauce from Miller’s family farm; subtle smoky flavours in everything from the refreshing house salad of smoked Cornish Agria potatoes, wild rocket, Tokyo turnips, miso to Orkney scallop in 20-year-old oaked rum and 31-day-aged Cornish lamb in beetroot sauce. Thrillingly unique. humolondon.com Dream drop-ins & casual classics Good food and wine needn’t always be a big commitment – here are five hangouts you can rely on for a last-minute lift The Jane Eyre, Manchester A self-styled “neighbourhood bar” serving serious small plates. Don’t miss the (substantial) pork chop with spiced apple and truffled mash. thejaneeyre.co.uk Smith & Gertrude, Edinburgh An expertly assembled choice of cheeses, charcuterie and exciting wines. Awesome grilled cheese sandwiches, too. smithandgertrude.com Eat Your Greens, Leeds Natural wine, seasonal cocktails and clever plates of corn ribs or salt-baked beetroot pastrami, dill aïoli and ginger-apple sauerkraut. eatyourgreensleeds.co.uk Noble Rot, London Head to the bar at the Lamb’s Conduit Street venue for comté beignets, Colchester oysters, morteau sausage with lentils and great wines. noblerot.co.uk Long Friday, Newcastle A Jesmond area joint known for interesting wines, great cocktails and plates of sweet ’n’ sour chicken hearts or beetroot-cured trout with citrus kosho. longfriday.co.uk
Lake District best restaurants: where to eat and drink
Restaurants expert Tony Naylor picks the best restaurants in the Lake District, plus a must-visit town and foodie activities in the area
It always had cute villages and stunning views from atop its fabulous fells but now the Lake District has a food scene to match. Cumbria has never tasted better, as a new generation of chefs, farmers, brewers and bakers redraw its gastro map. These are 10 of the best restaurants in the Lake District to try, from Michelin-starred hotspots to the best pizza in the region. Read on, clear a weekend and tuck in! For our favourite places to stay whilst you're exploring, check out our round-up of the best hotels in the Lake District – choose from cosy pubs, stylish bed and breakfasts, luxury spas or boutique hotels. For more like this, read our best spa hotels for food lovers, best Cotswolds hotels and the best restaurants in the Cotswolds. Also see our city guides to the best restaurants in Bath, best restaurants in Sheffield and best restaurants in York. Next discover the best walks in the UK and the best restaurants in the Cotswolds. 10 best restaurants in the Lake District L’Enclume, Cartmel – for legendary fine dining It is difficult to overstate the influence of chef Simon Rogan’s three Michelin star HQ. Since 2002, this former smithy (an elegant modern space, the service warm and well drilled) has redefined the creative possibilities of seasonal British food in revelatory plates of, for example, Duroc pork and smoked eel fritters with fermented corn and lovage; lamb sweetbreads and ramson honey; or classics such as the caramelised birch sap pudding with Corra Linn cheese and stout vinegar. Book well in advance or try L’Enclume’s Cumbrian satellites, Rogan & Co or Henrock. lenclume.co.uk The Punch Bowl Inn, Crosthwaite – for elevated classics Great staff, roaring fires and well-executed classics (ham hock terrine; scallops in a garlic gruyère sauce; lamb with dauphinoise, kale and root veg) make this polished inn easy to love. The twice-baked lancashire cheese soufflé is unmissable. Walk it off in the beautiful, surrounding Lyth Valley. the-punchbowl.co.uk Homeground, Windermere – for brunch Leave the quaint tearooms to the tourists and make a beeline for this modish spot, with its next-level brunch dishes and deft use of locally roasted Carvetii and Red Bank coffees. Smoked cheddar and parmesan cornbread with soured cream, poached egg, glazed chorizo, charred corn, lovage salad and fermented garlic honey; or avo toast with savoury granola and preserved lemon dressing give you a taste of what to expect. Walk-ins only. homegroundcafe.co.uk Lake Road Kitchen, Ambleside – for trying rare ingredients One of Britain’s most singular dining experiences. Chef, grower and forager, James Cross, in his use of exceptional, rare ingredients and arresting techniques (he even dry-ages his butter), creates thrillingly different dishes of, say, tiger prawn, citrus miso and cured trout roe; fried chicken, smoked peppers and lime; or a custard of nine-year-old parmesan, tomato relish and aged balsamic. Opened in 2014, LRK’s 10th anniversary year saw it awarded its first Michelin star. lakeroadkitchen.co.uk Old Stamp House, Ambleside – for a contemporary tasting menu Local lad Ryan Blackburn’s cosy, Michelin starred nook offers visitors comprehensive insight into Cumbria’s food heritage. His contemporary tasting menu explores the region from its forests (venison loin and caul fat wrapped shoulder, with artichoke, glazed morels and Madeira sauce) to its historic spice ports (caramelised rum gelato, pineapple, sticky toffee and chantilly cream). Ryan’s Herdwick hogget consommé, used in various ways across his menus, pays glorious tribute to the iconic Cumbrian sheep. This summer, look out for a new small plates wine bar above the Stamp House. oldstamphouse.com Heft, Newton-in-Cartmel – for a gourmet pub A smart rural inn, Heft’s bar is very much a pub, complete with pies, sausage rolls, top Cumbrian beers and weekly specials, such as curry nights or pizzas from street food outfit, Yonder. In the Michelin-starred restaurant, chef Kevin Tickle’s tasting menu works imaginative wonders in dishes of mutton ham, egg yolk and sea truffle crumpet; or a mussel kebab glazed in XO and mead, with chip shop curry sauce. Sunday lunch runs to sharing beef ribs or whole roast monkfish, with glamorous extras such as Tunworth cheese and truffle mash or ramson béarnaise. hefthighnewton.co.uk Great North Pie Co, Ambleside – for pie and mash Historically, the Lake District lacked high-quality, affordable, casual dining options. That is changing with Great North’s hip, compact Ambleside diner a case in point. In its 14-hour braised beef and ale or Dewlay Lancashire cheese and caramelised white onion fillings, the Cheshire-based pastry aces create some of Britain’s best pies. It’s £13.75 for pie, superlative mash and gravy – perfect after a day exploring the fells. greatnorthpie.co Forest Side, Grasmere – for a Michelin-starred oasis Step inside this imposing Victorian villa, now a Michelin-starred restaurant-with-rooms, and the stress of real life melts away. Affable, obliging staff guide you to a light, airy dining room where, often using produce from Forest Side’s one-acre walled garden, chef Paul Leonard and team make flavours sing in their intelligent, assured dishes. Think scallops, morels and cured Middle White pork; or cod in local Solway brown shrimp sauce. You’ll leave revitalised. theforestside.com The Cottage in the Wood, Braithwaite – for Michelin-starred local produce This one Michelin star restaurant-with-rooms in Whinlatter Forest has long been a magical bolthole. Now, talented chef and FOH duo, Jack and Beth Bond, are stewarding its next phase. Cumbrian suppliers (Growing Well, Cartmel Valley Game, Winter Tarn Dairy) underpin Jack’s elevated creations of, say, gin-cured trout, horseradish and beetroot; or jerusalem artichoke agnolotti with pickled walnuts. Excellent low-intervention wine list, too. thecottageinthewood.co.uk Base, Bowness-on-Windermere – for sourdough pizza A Lakes outpost of the British pizza revolution, where 48-hour fermented sourdough bases are wood-fired to pillowing, blistered perfection. Toppings include soft, spicy Calabrian ‘nduja sausage and pepperoni; or fennel salami, rocket and parmesan. Keen to look beyond the Italian classics? Try the Moroccan-spiced Lakeland lamb with chillies, red onion and barrel-aged feta. basepizzaplace.co.uk Foodie town in the Lake District Kendal But for its eponymous mint cake, Kendal is not known for its food. It is overlooked entirely by many visitors who, alighting at Oxenholme station or racing past from the M6, head straight for the Lakes’ better-known hot spots. This is a mistake. The food and drink scene in this handsome market town is on a flavour-packed roll at casual dining spots such as Comida, Marra 46, Pappy’s Texas BBQ, Baba Ganoush and exciting small plates restaurant, Ramble, run by wine-maker, Northern Wine. It is home to two mega breweries, Lakes Brew Co, which hosts street food traders at its monthly brew-tap, and Fell (check its bar and new arts venue, Glisky). Kendal also boasts award-winning butcher, Roast Mutton, a carefully curated, twice-monthly farmers’ and artisan-makers’ market (second/last Fridays), and, just outside town, one of Britain’s best bakeries, Lovingly Artisan – a neighbour to, among other food businesses, Plumgarths farm shop. Is Kendal Cumbria’s tastiest town? Quite possibly. Foodie activities in the Lake District Grasmere: walks and forks Whether exploring the woodlands at Allan Bank house (once Wordsworth’s home), tackling Helm Crag or the three-mile circular route from the village via Alcock Tarn, Grasmere offers a multitude of walking routes and places to refuel after. The eclectic The Jumble Room restaurant is a much-loved classic, The Yan a contemporary bistro and Mathilde’s Café at the Heaton Cooper Studio galleries, an unexpected Scandi find. Visitors can book talks on Cumbrian food history at Sarah Nelson’s The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop, while Tweedies and The Good Sport, the latter the tap bar for Grasmere Brewery and distillery, offer the latest in craft beer and gin. Low Sizergh Barn, Sizergh Family fun for all ages. Adults will love the extensive farm shop that, among myriad Cumbrian delicacies, sells fruit, veg and raw milk from the surrounding working farm. Younger children will enjoy the ice cream and free farm trail with its woodlands, streams, willow tunnel and hidden faerie doors. Families can also watch Low Sizergh’s cows being milked in its parlour (3.30-5pm, daily). lowsizerghbarn.co.uk Our Farm, Cartmel Valley The incredible produce grown at Our Farm is crucial to Simon Rogan’s restaurants and, this summer (select Mondays/Tuesdays) visitors can take a tour with farm manager, John Rowland, and chef, Liam Fitzpatrick. Snacks using prize farm ingredients are served along the route, before guests sit down to a lunch feast of open-fire dishes (flatbreads with herb butter; braised, coal-roasted lamb shoulder; chilli oil and garlic-dressed kale) cooked by Liam’s team. Back in Cartmel, visit foodie Unsworth’s Yard and the Village Shop deli, birthplace of Cartmel’s legendary sticky toffee pudding. simonrogan.co.uk More UK restaurant guides Best restaurants in Deal Best restaurants in Birmingham Best restaurants in Broadstairs Best restaurants in St Albans Best restaurants in Bristol Best restaurants in Edinburgh Best restaurants in York Best restaurants in Whitstable Best restaurants in Oxford Best restaurants in Cambridge Best restaurants in Margate Best restaurants in Manchester
olive celebrates our favourite food halls, street food events and produce markets from around the UK
Read our guide to the best casual dining spots in the UK, then discover the UK's best artisan bakeries and the UK's best outdoor restaurants and terraces. Now find out the best food and drink festivals to visit. Increasingly, when we eat out, we want three things: variety, informality and freedom. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the irresistible rise of food halls, street food events and produce markets that share a freewheeling, eat-eclectic dynamic – offering multiple kitchens, affordable dishes and fun with friends. Modern Britain wants to eat how and when it pleases: global menus, endless choice, indoors, outdoors, no set format. To celebrate this great liberation, olive has selected some of the country’s hottest multi-kitchen spots, from artisan markets to street food parties. Moveable feast Off the Beaten Truck, Cambridgeshire Food trucks have had a stop-start history in Britain but OTBT weaves them into daily life. It feeds hungry office workers in Cambridge by hosting top-rank traders at its foodPark sites. In the evenings, it also runs suburban events, such as its weekly Saffron Walden flagship (up to six kitchens in summer). This sees the likes of wood-fired Pizza Mondo or buttermilk fried chicken outfit Buffalo Joe’s, serving at the community-owned Railway Arms pub, and on Saffron Walden common. foodparkcam.com, offthebeatentruck.co.uk. Top atmos, fab food Duke Street Market, Liverpool A handsome space imbued with an engaging warmth, Duke Street feels as good as Bone and Block’s steak sandwiches or Big Lola’s beef brisket tacos taste. Mezzanine restaurant Barnacle now serves its pin-sharp dishes throughout – these might range from rarebit with stout syrup and ox cheek to a miso mushroom bao with a spiced peanut onion crumb. dukestreetmarket.com Contemporary classic Altrincham Market, Altrincham The 2014 reinvention of this historic market – now, an indoor food hall of six kitchens, attached to a modernised covered market – has become a nationally acclaimed model of food-led urban regeneration. Both in itself and in how it encouraged fantastic restaurants to open around it (Porta, Blanchflower, Rigatoni’s, etc), Altrincham Market has turned this Greater Manchester town into a newly vibrant destination. At the market, Honest Crust’s wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas and Great Northern Pie Co are longstanding olive faves. Wash their work down with immaculate Blackjack Brewery beers (tip: Irk Street Pale) and diverting wines from Reserve. Sister food halls operate in Manchester (Mackie Mayor) and Macclesfield (Picturedrome). @altymarket The pioneer Borough Market, London Since 1998, Borough has been the benchmark British farmers’ market. True, like any world-class food hub, it can get a little busy with tourists and day-trippers. But Borough’s combination of exceptional produce (Brindisa, Ginger Pig meats, Neal’s Yard for cheese), great eat-now food (Gujarati Rasoi’s veggie snacks, Tacos Padre, Kappacasein’s raclette) and a location that contains some of the capital’s hottest restaurants (Rambutan, Camille, Elliot’s) remains both unique and essential. If visiting at the weekend, Bermondsey’s Maltby Street Market (one mile away) offers a similar array of stellar food, on a smaller scale. boroughmarket.org.uk Feast London Broadway Market, London This historic Hackney general market comes alive every weekend. Street food and specialist food retail (Nyborg’s bakery, Atelier smoked salmon, Spanish produce specialist Santos & Santos, for example) is a huge part of its appeal. Hot food runs the gamut from The Frenchie’s confit duck burgers to cult sensation Emerald Eats, which sells Irish-style crispy chicken fillet rolls and that Dublin favourite, the so-called spice bag, a combo dish of chicken strips, chips, peppers and onions seasoned with five-spice, served with curry sauce. The market is further surrounded by excellent restaurants, from noodle stop Koya Ko to Argentinian grill Buen Ayre. broadwaymarket.co.uk Pop-up party Peddler Market, various, northern England Peddler is best known as a monthly Friday-Saturday market, down in Sheffield’s hip Kelham Island. It’s an indoor-outdoor warehouse party of music, craft stalls, fine drinks and vibrant street food. In recent years, it has expanded to run similar events in Leeds, Wakefield and Chesterfield. peddler.market Seafront star Shelter Hall, Brighton This attractive multi-storey food hall is built into Brighton promenade, its terraces opening out onto the beach. Its seven kitchens include Rudi’s Burgers and Australian-Greek BBQ vibes at The 3 Little Pigs Souvlaki. Think fresh handmade pittas of barbecued chicken thigh, harissa coleslaw, roast peppers and spicy, spreadable feta. shelterhall.co.uk Foodie heaven The Goods Shed, Canterbury This gorgeous market by Canterbury West station is shopping gold for Kentish meats, fish landed in Broadstairs, British cheeses, local bread, beer and much more. It is also a lovely place to eat. The Gill’s and Wild Goose kitchens both offer counter dining, their chefs creating with the seasonal produce sold around them. In summer, the Shed’s main open-plan restaurant spills out into an adjoining garden. Chef Jackson Berg’s dishes might include confit lamb breast with salsa verde or ChalkStream trout, mussels and herb butter sauce. thegoodsshed.co.uk Scrummy Brum Hockley Social Club, Birmingham Sunday markets, DJs, record fairs, comedy and cultural events in its Artum space – there is a lot going on at HSC. But at its core this venue, created by Digbeth Dining Club in a former print factory, revolves around its four street food kitchens. These include 2021 MasterChef: The Professionals winner Dan Lee’s Dai Pai Dong, and its dishes of barbecued Szechuan lamb flatbreads or soy-steamed chicken, jasmine rice and lap cheong (cured, dried sausage). Over in Longbridge, sister venue Herbert’s Yard is a further platform for local food stars, such as West Midlands Jerk Centre or Greidy’s Wings & Strips. hockleysocialclub.com Artisan hub Market Hall @ Bowhouse, St Monans, Fife Bowhouse is a community of food businesses, with several open to the public daily, including bakery-café, Baern, Futtle Brewery’s taproom and the Bowhouse butchery, which sells organic meats from the surrounding Balcaskie Estate. But on the second weekend every month, the Market Hall welcomes more than 30 Scottish artisan food producers, who sell their wares amid cooking demos, music and street food. bowhousefife.com Fantastic food hall Seven Dials Market, London KERB has long been in the vanguard of UK street food, curating traders at multiple London outdoor locations. Often through its inKERBator programme (111 graduates and counting), it nurtures gifted cooks as they create energetic, independent businesses. Since 2019, KERB’s portfolio has included this smartly designed Covent Garden food hall, home to a 20-trader constellation of London street food stars. Recent additions include Lucky’s Hot Chicken, Colombian taco spot Los Gordos and burger aces Mother Flipper. Fun fact: Seven Dials served 1.8 million dishes last year. sevendialsmarket.com Making waves Harbourside Street Food Market, Bristol Every weekend, this event sees 12 of Bristol’s finest traders convene at the city’s waterfront. Complete with a 100-seat quayside beer deck, the setting could not be more summer ready. Connoisseurs of the local scene will recognise many regular attendees, such as Wood Chop Pizza, Boigers, Alp Mac, much-loved for its lavishly topped mac ’n’ cheese dishes, and Dawson’s Bakery, purveyors of skirt steak pasties and cracking custard tarts. Organiser, Buoy, also has kitchens here at lunch on Wednesday and Thursday. buoyevents.co.uk In-the-know go Grub, Manchester Hidden on the edge of the city centre, Grub is not a venue you will stumble across. But seek it out. You will find some of the North’s best street food vendors dishing up in its backyard beer garden as well as, from this summer, NY-style hotdogs from Oscar’s Dogs and tacos from Pez, plus concepts developed by Grub’s in-house team of talented chefs. grubmcr.com Now chow Newport Market, Newport A Grade II listed Victorian gem, Newport’s covered market was given a makeover in 2022. Its food court is home to, among others, wood-fired pizza from Bristol’s Flour & Ash, patty perfectionists Burger Boyz, and Bab Haus Mex, whose ex-dairy beef birria tacos are legendary in South Wales. Bab Haus is also at Barry’s Goodsheds and Caerphilly’s new container-style market, Ffos. newport-market.co.uk Delicious destination Bonnie & Wild, Edinburgh Located within the swish St James Quarter shopping centre, this 400-seat food hall offers a feast of fun across eight kitchens, a deli and more (don’t miss Joelato’s gelato). Highlights include Creel Caught’s celebration of Scottish seafood (think Goan fish curry, tacos, steamed Shetland mussels) and El Perro Negro’s award-winning burgers. A rolling programme of events ranges from a monthly cèilidh dance to Scottish whisky tastings. bonnieandwildmarket.com Peachy produce The Food Barn, Flushing near Falmouth Created during the pandemic, the Food Barn market is a weekly Saturday showcase for more than 20 artisan producers and growers, including market garden Soul Farm, and Cornish shellfish company Sailors Creek. Shoppers can also breakfast or lunch on Pavilion Bakery’s croissants, Bien Manger’s croque monsieur or JB Gone Cooking’s brioche breakfast buns. In summer, a series of Wednesday evening events see throngs of people enjoying live music, food from up to 12 kitchens and awesome views across the estuary to Falmouth. foodbarn-tregew.co.uk Creative hothouse Spark, York Want to taste what York’s next generation of chefs are cooking up? Head to Spark. Bubbling with talent, this shipping container hub is home to some of York’s hottest street food, such as RAD pizza, and is where ambitious chefs frequently debut concepts before moving on to launch their own venues (Izakaya, Fish & Forest, Tasca Frango). For more York street food, check out Shambles Market Food Court. sparkyork.org Culinary kicks Baltic Market, Liverpool Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle is a lively warren of good places to eat, drink and party, not least the precincts of the former Cains Brewery. Baltic Market is at the heart of the action. Its eight traders include Little Furnace and its reliably brilliant wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas, and Hafla Hafla’s terrific kebabs. But reasons to linger go beyond food. From comedy events or live Eurovision screenings to a week-long Oktoberfest shindig, Baltic Market is a full night out. balticmarket.co.uk Forkfuls of fun Cutlery Works, Sheffield Crowned best food hall in 2022 and 2023 at the British Street Food Awards, Cutlery Works is a tasty proposition – from creative bao and Korean fried chicken at Konjö, a spin-off from acclaimed restaurant Jöro, to the desserts and ice cream at chocolatier Bullion. The Cutlery Works team also operates Kargo MKT at Salford’s Media City and Liverpool’s Global Provisions Outlet. cutleryworks.co.uk East Mids eats Bustler, Derby and Nottingham On the last weekend of each month, Derby’s Chocolate Factory, an events space with a huge beer garden, sizzles with hot street food. Amid the entertainment (from retro arcade games to silent discos), six traders feed the throng, including regional heroes such as Broke ’n’ Bone BBQ and Kebab Cartel. You can also find the Bustler crew in Nottingham, amid the cool boutiques of Sneinton Market Avenues (a cute grid of 1930s buildings previously used by wholesalers). Each week, three new food trucks pull up outside Bustler’s bar-canteen. bustlermarket.co.uk 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
Join us in some of Britain’s most memorable private dining rooms, including London restaurant options
Check out the best private dining rooms in London and elsewhere in the UK, then check out the best new London restaurants and best new UK restaurants. If you want to pull out all the stops, find out the UK's best showstopping restaurants to impress. For a rejuvenating overnight stay, discover the best UK spa hotels for food lovers. For a more casual affair, find out our favourite informal dining spots. Be it a big birthday, an anniversary or simply a special treat for you and your best people, there are times when you need a restaurant to deliver not just amazing food but a real moment. A memory you will treasure forever. At such times the private dining room comes into its own. Designed to offer intimacy and bespoke experiences, PDRs (to use the industry lingo), allow you to revel in a comfortable, dinner party atmosphere while being pampered by some of the best staff in the game. Does that sound good? Of course it does. Inspiration follows in this selection from among the UK’s peachiest PDRs. Private dining rooms in London Jeru, Mayfair Mayfair hotspot for pan-Mediterranean dishes such as charcoal-roasted aubergine with spiced lentil ragu and pine nuts or sea bass, roe, cucumber salsa and lemon tahini. Dining privately, these can be enjoyed in the incredible garden – a bucolic indoor space where you can eat under a gorgeously lit canopy of greenery – or the glitzy Sapphire Room. From £99pp; jeru.co.uk Kerridge’s Bar & Grill, Corinthia This beautiful room at Tom Kerridge’s Corinthia hotel restaurant includes a kitchen range where his chefs cook dishes for up to 16 guests, sharing stories and techniques as they work. Guests select a set menu from options that, for mains, might include beef wellington, clotted cream mash, red wine sauce and garlic roasted Hispi. Alternatively, the GBM menu (£350pp with wine pairings) features head chef Nick Beardshaw’s competition dishes, including his winning Orkney scallop, Thai green velouté, salty fingers (like samphire but plumper), cucumber and Exmoor caviar. From £150pp; kerridgesbarandgrill.co.uk Enoteca Turi, Sloane Square Home to a legendary Italian wine collection, part of which is displayed in its 28-seat wine cellar and PDR. Staff expertly guide guests through the list, including 20 wines by the glass. Dishes on the PDR menus (three/four courses) might include Sicilian red Mazara prawn carpaccio, burrata and purple basil, or braised venison with canederli dumpling and red cabbage. From £75pp; enotecaturi.com Hide, Mayfair From Ollie Dabbous’ theatrical nest egg, a delicious combo of egg, mushroom and smoked butter served in an eggshell nestling in hay, to the remarkable staircase that curves between floors at this Michelin starred restaurant, exceptional design is evident in every detail. Want to feel like an A-lister? Park in the underground car park and take the private lift to the light-filled Hide & Seek (up to 24 people). Want greater intimacy? Book one of the chic basement vault rooms for two to eight people. Lunch/dinner from £90pp; hide.co.uk Bao Noodle Shop, Shoreditch The Shoreditch noodle shop includes a basement PDR (six to 14 people) with its own service call button and 62” TV screen for your favourite films. Larger parties could take the whole floor, including the adjacent bar and karaoke room. Dishes on the group menu include the star dish of Taiwanese-style noodles in a 12-hour broth, with beef short-rib and cheek, greens and spiced beef butter. £35pp; baolondon.com The Pie Room @ Holborn Dining Room, Holborn By day this is where Nokx Majozi’s team creates peerless pies, pâté en croûtes and pithiviers for the Holborn Dining Room. By night eight-to-10 people can eat in the Pie Room, from a menu that includes pie options such as curried mutton with mango salsa and curry sauce, or beef cheek and celeriac suet pudding with bone marrow gravy. £95pp; holborndiningroom.com The Viñoly Room @ Fenchurch, Sky Garden Atop architect Rafael Viñoly’s famous Walkie-Talkie skyscraper you will find Sky Garden, a remarkable green space offering panoramic city views. At rooftop restaurant, Fenchurch, Anguilla-born chef Kerth Gumbs fuses his fine dining expertise with Caribbean influences in dishes such as pan-seared sea bass with salt cod, avocado, tomato, Gungo peas and wasabi tobiko (fish roe) or, on the tasting menu, his signature johnny cake (fried bread) with picked crab, scotch bonnet mayo and roe. Sixteen people can savour Kerth’s food and the view in the Viñoly Room. From £90pp; skygarden.london Ikoyi, 180 Strand In its interior décor, as in its blend of West African seasonings, Euro techniques and British produce (think turbot, crab bisque, egusi miso), Ikoyi is a dining experience of rare quality. Designed by Copenhagen’s Studio David Thulstrup, the dining room, all sleek curves and warm copper and oak tones, includes a six-person private table in a beautifully lit recess. From £180pp; ikoyilondon.com Curious Kudu, Peckham At night, this Peckham art gallery transforms into a boho PDR for its acclaimed neighbour, Kudu restaurant. Expect a menu of South African-influenced sharing dishes such as magwenya-style black pudding donuts or braai-grilled lamb with pink peppercorn rosemary jus. £82pp; kuducollective.com Bar Rioja, King's Cross Showcasing the wines of Rioja, this King’s X bar is available for private hire (28 people) and you can fold in tastings with owner-enthusiast, Richard Bigg. Dishes run from the classic Basque pintxo, gilda (a skewer of anchovy, pickled pepper and green olive) to slow-braised, roasted Segovian suckling pig with celeriac purée and amontillado sherry jus. Prices vary; barrioja.co.uk Private dining rooms in the UK Hawksmoor, Liverpool Serving epic steaks in stunning buildings is Hawksmoor’s MO. Its Grade II listed Liverpool site is no exception. The New Yorker is an attractive PDR where 18 people can eat from a set lunch menu or feasting-style across shared skillets of British grass-fed beef. From £40pp; thehawksmoor.com The Chef’s Library @ The Coal Shed, Brighton Avid cooks will geek out over the cookbooks and antique kitchen equipment displayed in the 14-cover Chef’s Library. Sharing menus highlight the Shed’s charcoal-roasting skills across, for example, short-rib doughnuts, great steaks and dishes such as monkfish, mussels, vadouvan-spiced onions, yogurt and spinach. Prices to be confirmed; coalshed-restaurant.co.uk Kinneuchar Inn, Kilconquhar, Fife This gorgeous rural inn has a burgeoning rep thanks to chef James Ferguson’s deft use of East Neuk’s abundant larder. The pub’s PDR, which seats 10 to 24 at a long elm table, has its own bar, conservatory and courtyard. Mains might include ox cheek red wine pie, swede mash and buttered greens or turbot with brown shrimp caper butter, fennel and Pink Fir potatoes. £50pp; kinneucharinn.com The Bull, Charlbury This Cotswolds pub is run by locals Phil Winser and James Gummer, the duo behind The Pelican in London. Its semi-private room can accommodate groups of 8-12 guests to enjoy the chef's seasonal, open-fire cooking based on produce from its own farm. For a more intimate setting, the secret garden room provides an elegant backdrop for gatherings of up to 25 guests. thebullcharlbury.com Limoncello, Cambridge Established in 1997, this legendary Mill Road deli-restaurant now includes a cute, covered garden space that can be booked for seated meals for up to 30 people (hire from £500). Guests can pre-order from across Limoncello’s à la carte of Italian dishes, such as porcini mushroom risotto or pesto-dressed spinach and ricotta ravioli. Mains from £11.95; limoncello.co.uk Fhior, Edinburgh In a break from its normal menus, new Saturday night session, Mixtapes, will see chef Scott Smith serving a mix of classics, new creations and potential one-offs (using rare and/or micro-seasonal ingredients) in Fhior’s revamped 10-person PDR. Dishes so far include a cacio e pepe-influenced confit squid and salsify, and scallop with kohlrabi, roe toasts and pickled pine butter sauce. Mixtapes around £160pp including drinks; fhior.com
Olive salutes our very finest bread, cake, pastry and cookie creators from around the UK, including the hero bakes from each one to make a beeline for
Discover our guide to the UK's best artisan bakeries, then discover the UK's best chef's table restaurants, the UK’s best showstopping restaurants to impress and then the UK's best outdoor restaurants and terraces. Find out our favourite informal dining spots. Arguably, the best investment you can make in eating well is buying good bread. A super sourdough loaf can provide you with a week’s worth of pleasure, often for less than the price of a pint, it is a rare affordable luxury. We pay tribute to the artisan bakeries that, in their devotion to craft skills, patient proving, ancient grains and modern flavours, make that deliciousness possible. Not just in bread but viennoiserie, cakes and savoury bakes – from buttery croissants or kouign-amann to cinnamon knots and next level sausage rolls. Olive has selected a variety of spots – a baker’s dozen, in fact – where incredible quality is baked in. Farro, Bristol Bradley Tapp is so committed to exceptional bread that he stone-grinds half of Farro’s flour on site using an imported granite mill. The grains used include the ancient wheats emmer, spelt and einkorn – collectively known as farro. Grinding and sifting UK whole grains in this way, Bradley is able to retain varying proportions of the flavour-packed wheatgerm and bran in his flours, and use them at their freshest. “Much like coffee, as soon as grain is milled it starts to lose flavour compounds,” he explains. Farro’s pastries are thoughtful and creative, not least Bradley’s West Country take on Brittany’s kouign-amann: “In essence, a salty, sweet, caramelised croissant, filled with Bramley apple butter. It’s got serious tarte tatin energy.” Limited seating, mainly takeaway. Instagram @farrobakery Hero bakes: emmer sourdough; einkorn loaf; pastéis de nata; West Country queen; chocolate babka. Twelve Triangles, Edinburgh This benchmark bakery, which has seven Edinburgh outlets, including its Kitchen Table café, is all about artisan craft. Both in its baking and the way – in homemade pickles, ricotta, cultured butters, ice creams or house condiments – it builds superior flavour into every element of its work. Baking-wise, check TT’s miche-style rye starter sourdough, its twice-baked pain au chocolat (topped with a brown sugar, ground hazelnut and toasted sourdough breadcrumb frangipane) or its croissant dough kimchi swirls. “There’s something about the funky, sour spiciness of kimchi mixed with a strong cheddar that’s truly delicious,” enthuses co-founder Emily Cuddeford. twelvetriangles.co.uk Hero bakes: miche sourdough; mixed-seed house loaf; sourdough hot cross buns; kimchi swirls; twice-baked pain au chocolat. The Connaught Patisserie by Nicolas Rouzaud, London French pastry chef Nicolas Rouzaud’s patisserie is a chic cocoon of blush pink, crystal and marble in the heart of Mayfair. Level up on your morning pain au chocolat with Camille Kenny-Ryder’s inventive trio au chocolat, a stunning striped pastry encasing three batons of dark, white and gianduja milk Swiss chocolate. Dip a warm lime madeleine into a coffee for elevenses or pair perfectly formed patisserie with a glass of Billecart-Salmon champagne come afternoon – we love the pistachio-studded éclair, bright apricot cheesecake and crisp, frilly hazelnut paris-brest. the-connaught.co.uk Hero bakes: trio au chocolat, hazelnut paris-brest, lime madeleines Arôme, London At two central London bakery-cafés, co-founded with Singaporean restaurateur Ellen Chew, French pastry ace Alix André delivers classic croissants and pain au chocolats, while also exploring how that repertoire might evolve using East Asian flavours. His miso bacon ‘escargot’ (so-called for its coiled, snail-shell shape) neatly deploys sweet and savoury flavours. “Spring onions and a citrus syrup glaze add a touch of acid to cut through the fat,” explains Alix. Arôme’s popular honey butter toast (a thick slice of fluffy Japanese shokupan bread in a crunchy honey crust) was inspired by Alix’s experiences in Japan: “I was taken by the craftsmanship I experienced there, the dedication to perfecting even the simplest steps.” aromebakery.co.uk Hero bakes: shokupan honey butter toast; croissant 1930; egg custard tart; miso bacon ‘escargot’. Lovingly Artisan, Kendal and Altrincham At its outlets in Kendal and Altrincham, Lovingly Artisan spreads the mantra for slow fermentation, lactic sourdough starters and organic British flours. Beneath chewable, rustic crusts, baker Aidan Monks’ breads are springy, glossy loaves with incredible depth of flavour. The five-grain rye is an olive fave, while a malted barley sourdough (made with brewer’s malt) is a “distinctive, bold” creation “loved by grown-ups”, says co-owner Catherine Connor. Bread is the star attraction but Lovingly’s scones (made with kefir, cranberries and einkorn), Northern Bliss cheese biscuits and brioche saffron buns also excel. Takeaway only. lovinglyartisan.com Hero bakes: five-grain rye; chocolate malt and Mediterranean orange sourdough; einkorn scones; cinnamon twists; saffron buns. Nova Bakehouse, Leeds Down on Leeds Dock by the River Aire, Sarah Lemanski and Hannah Mather’s bakery draws a crowd for everything from its sourdough loaves to Saturday’s pizza slice options, such as fennel salami with fermented hot honey. There is a bench on which you can perch, nibble and watch the open-plan bakery at work. Alternatively, potter with your cinnamon-dusted madeleines, knock-out salted caramel brownie or, that Nova classic, the morning cake. Nova’s take on a light, US-style soured cream coffee cake, the morning cake features a tonka bean infused layer of cocoa powder and an almond crumble top, memorably stencil dusted with icing sugar sunrays. novabakehouse.com Hero bakes: country sourdough; toasted sesame and honey sourdough; cheese rye scone; morning cake; cornetto alla crèma (caramel custard croissant). Cosgriff & Sons, York Talented, innovative baker Paul Cosgriff’s fans include such local luminaries as chef Tommy Banks. As well as breads, pastries and doughnuts (including a breakfast doughnut filled with a cereal-infused custard), Cosgriff & Sons serves superb sandwiches of, say, ox cheek, cheddar and celeriac remoulade on a light, resilient hybrid sourdough focaccia. Don’t fancy a sandwich? Then try the sweet and savoury interplay of the coffee bacon scroll, in which laminated dough is spread with a smoked bacon, black coffee and mustard seed jam, and a coffee butter cream, then rolled and baked. Mostly takeaway, very limited seating. Instagram @cs_sourdough Hero bakes: house sourdough; sourdough fruit loaf; Guinness-fermented oat loaf; raspberry rice pudding danish; coffee and bacon scroll. Lannan Bakery, Edinburgh Stockbridge is a rising foodie hot spot, particularly around Hamilton Place (Smith & Gertrude wine bar, restaurant Eòrna, etc). Darcie Maher’s handsome takeaway bakery, Lannan, is also big news. Expect to queue on Saturdays for its revered viennoiserie or cardamom buns. Lannan’s crème brûlée danish, an upmarket croissant pastry custard tart, is a must-eat if available. “The custard has to be just set, glossy, super-wobbly, and the sugar on top torched a deep, amber caramel,” says Darcie. Lannan’s savoury items are gorgeous, too. Merguez, braised fennel and Monte Enebro cheese sausage rolls arrive in an ornate croissant pastry lattice. Instagram @lannanbakery Hero bakes: croissants; cardamom buns; crème brûlée danish; coffee and caramelised white chocolate pain suisse; Kissabel apple pies. Oast, Margate Be it stone-ground heritage wheat flours from Kent’s Nonington Farms or skills honed at Scotland’s Twelve Triangles, baker Will Moss and co-founder Charlotte Keeys have drawn on the best from near and far to create their hit bakery-café. Sourdough breads are forefront but Will’s baguettes, made using a starter and fresh yeast, are prized among Margate’s French community. “Sourdough provides flavour, fresh yeast a light soft crumb,” says Will. There is a distinct Swedish influence in Oast’s knotted buns and sandwiches. The buns are often flavoured with buttery cinnamon or cardamom, then glazed with syrup and pearl sugar. But flavours can broaden to include, for example, chocolate, orange and cardamom, or seasonal fruits and custard. oastmargate.co.uk Hero bakes: baguettes; croissants; cardamom buns; seeded sourdough tin loaf; stem ginger cake. The Wild Loaf, Liverpool From its fruit loaf (as lauded on the BBC’s The Hairy Bikers Go West) to its epic grilled cheese sandwich, there are many good things emerging from Jessica Doyle and Emily Sandeman’s bakery-café. Its sourdoughs of spelt and rye utilise various sustainable UK-grown grains, with many flours sourced from Yorkshire Organic Millers. Elsewhere, the duo executes traditional (rich, spiced ginger or carrot cakes) and modern bakes with confidence. Their take on bostock dispenses with the brioche in favour of thick slices from a croissant loaf (created from croissant offcuts) topped with homemade jam, frangipane and nuts, then oven baked. Instagram @the_wild_loaf Hero bakes: organic sourdough; seasonal fruit loaf; cinnamon buns; carrot cake; apple and panela sugar cake. Landrace, Bath This hip Walcot Street bakery, deli and café 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. Typically, flours made from British grains are lower in protein than those used in French patisserie. Rather than making croissants and the like, Landrace created a fluffy, Scandi-inspired dough as the backbone of its sweet buns – which, of course, include a take on the cinnamon bun. Elsewhere on its counters you might find anything from semlor or Seville orange cream buns to top-rank sausage rolls and a swish custard tart made with Westcombe Dairy buttermilk. Café open mornings only. landrace.co.uk Hero bakes: country loaf; cinnamon buns; eccles cakes; custard tart; Pump Street chocolate cookies. Fortitude Bakehouse, London Time is a key ingredient at Dee Rettali’s fascinating mews bakery off Russell Square. Doughs and cake batters are designed to ferment in stages, between making, rolling and baking, to enhance their complexity. “We make a fermented brownie using a liquid starter and cultured butter which sits for four days before baking,” explains Dee. From Guinness cakes to lunch sandwiches of zaalouk, aged feta, preserved lemon and parsley, flavour inspiration is drawn from Dee’s Irish background and her love of Morocco. A viral hit, Fortitude’s beignet might feature a rhubarb cream filling and crumble topping: “The dough is a fermented, fried brioche, not typical doughnut dough.” fortitudebakehouse.com Hero bakes: natural yogurt soda bread; beignet; double-fermented cinnamon or chocolate buns; various loaf cakes. Depot Bakery, Sheffield Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Depot has been pivotal in raising the Steel City’s baking game. Based in post-industrial Kelham Island, now an up-and-coming food and creative hub, Depot’s bakery and canteen serves banging brunches (for example, french toast, eggs florentine, salt beef and swiss bagels) alongside A1 breads and pastries. Depot’s classic sourdough recipe is unchanged in a decade – why mess with perfection? Elsewhere, its range takes in everything from focaccias to frangipane-filled almond croissants and its much-loved honeycomb-dipped vegan chocolate cake. Depot has a second Hillsborough Park café. thedepotbakery.co.uk Hero bakes: sourdough; New York deli rye sourdough; croissant; cinnamon brioche knot; chocolate honeycomb cake. Pollen Bakery, Manchester With its rich, caramelised crust, Pollen’s 28-hour sourdough was a game changer when it hit Manchester in 2016. Pollen’s Kampus and Ancoats Marina bakery-cafés, both stylishly functional spaces, maintain similar standards in their stellar brunch dishes (think eggs benedict with smoked ham hock, brown butter hollandaise and crispy kale) and pastries ranging from cinnamon morning buns, made using laminated croissant dough, to seasonal specials such as light joconde sponge cakes, topped with pistachio and Yorkshire rhubarb. pollenbakery.com Hero bakes: 28-hour sourdough; French rye sourdough; Basque cheesecake; cinnamon morning buns; weekend cruffins.
Check out olive’s pick of Britain’s best chef’s table and counter-dining experiences, from a farmhouse in Isle of Skye to a remarkable transformation of a Haggerston railway arch
Discover the UK's finest offering of chef’s table experiences, then check out the best new London restaurants, new UK restaurants and the best dining experiences in London. After, see our round-up of the best private dining rooms in the UK. Or see the best restaurants with rooms for a luxurious overnight stay. Now discover the best female-owned restaurants in the U.K. For a more casual affair, find out our favourite informal dining spots and then find out the best restaurants in the Lake District. We love to watch chefs work, hear the stories behind their dishes or have them talk us through techniques. We hunger for a taste of what elevates their restaurant food. Just what is their secret? There is no better place to glean such insider knowledge than at a chef’s table. The concept comes in various formats: large tables that pitch you into the theatre of a working kitchen; intimate sessions that operate almost as cookery lessons; counter dining where you can marvel up close at exquisite plating and finishing; or chefs serving you their signature dishes as they reveal the creative inspiration behind them. Entertaining, enlightening and delicious, here are 10 chef’s table experiences that take you behind the scenes on some of Britain’s hottest food. Chef's table experiences in London Evelyn’s Table, London This 12-seat chef’s counter beneath Soho’s The Blue Posts pub found fame under chef, Luke Selby. With Luke now exec chef at Le Manoir, it’s time for another emerging talent to take the reins. James Goodyear (ex-Hide, Mugaritz, Oslo’s Maaemo) certainly has the CV and exciting ideas for Evelyn’s next phase. Ease into your evening in the first-floor wine bar, The Mulwray, before the culinary theatre begins. Directly before you at the marble kitchen pass, five chefs execute James’ vision – think ultra-seasonal UK produce, classical French foundations, Scandi and Japanese influences across a five-course menu of, for example, glazed quail, pine nut, satay and morels; or West Country lamb, toasted yeast and wild garlic. theblueposts.co.uk KOL, Marylebone Founded on a unique premise (can you cook authentic Mexican food using primarily British ingredients?), chef Santiago Lastra’s KOL is one those bucket list restaurants all food geeks want to eat at. Its 20-seat chef’s table – housed in a basement space and dressed like a traditional Oaxacan home complete with its own kitchen – is a memorable way to experience dishes such as langoustine taco with smoked chilli and sea buckthorn, or its adobo-cooked beef short rib and grilled halibut, served with tortillas and various accompaniments. kolrestaurant.com Ekstedt at The Yard, Embankment Swedish chef Niklas Ekstedt and his team are known for cooking over open flames, giving dishes a delicious smokiness and creating both warmth and theatre. The new chef’s table at the restaurant's London branch, led by Theres Andersson, gives diners front-row seats to the action. Join chefs in the kitchen to watch wild duck being smoked over juniper leaves, while oysters are plunged into the flames using an ancient flambadou contraption. To the left, a birchwood fire oven is where scallops are charcoaled, langoustine is baked then served in southern Swedish sparkling wine sauce with English truffle, and cep soufflés slowly rise to create a light-as-air dessert. The chef’s table experience is paired with volcanic wines that rotate based on the seasons, but includes special, ungrafted vine grapes ranging from dry, mineral-forward rieslings to assyrtiko using 80-year-old vines from Santorini, and elegant Oregon pinot noir. ekstedtattheyard.com Chef’s Table @ The Sea, the Sea, Hackney A remarkable transformation of a Haggerston railway arch, this 14-seat counter dining space has a futuristic glamour entirely in keeping with Portuguese exec chef Leo Carreira’s cooking. As well as running restaurants, The Sea, the Sea is a wholesale retailer of predominantly South West seafood to hospitality businesses. Leo and his team utilise this stellar produce to create cutting edge dishes. For example, dry-aged trout with banana miso or razor clams and caramelised yogurt. At the kitchen counter, chefs work omakase-style, and Leo shares his skills in regular masterclasses. theseathesea.net Abajo, Mayfair Colombian chef Miller Prada cooks over fire in his Japanese-Colombian fine dining restaurant, Humo. Downstairs at intimate chef’s table experience, Abajo, there’s space for ten diners, who chefs and sommeliers take on an evocative journey through the regions, communities and culinary tapestry of Colombia. The menu is split into five chapters, each spotlighting a hero ingredient. Corn, for example, is baked into a biscuit topped with grilled corn, its silk dried and fried to garnish trout mousse-stuffed morels and the husk fermented to make miso. Elsewhere, Mediterranean blue fin tuna tops a traditional plantain and coconut tamale, pressed East Sussex quail is charred in shallot ashes and Kagoshima beef brisket is slow-cooked in sugarcane honey reduction. To finish, Merinda tomato is presented in a fresh and delicate dessert medley of gels, ice cream, coal-torched meringue and choux buns. A delicate Japanese rice vodka cocktail kicks things off while wine pairings span south America, Spain, Italy and beyond. A velvet pouch of Colombian coffee beans to take away with the menu is a touching souvenir of a special evening. abajolondon.com Behind, London Miraculously, in early 2021, chef Andy Beynon’s 18-seat kitchen counter venue was awarded a Michelin star, despite lockdowns having restricted this new opening to just 20 operational days. Andy, who previously worked with Jason Atherton and Claude Bosi, has the pedigree to ensure his fish-focussed tasting menu excels. Guests eat at a striking, U-shaped counter, with a team of chefs cooking nearby, who then serve and talk guests through each surprise dish – no menu is provided upfront. These visually ravishing creations might range from trout, Tokyo turnips and a smoked kipper sauce (a kipper buerre blanc with trout roe, apple and chives), to cod with chicken jus, and a roast celeriac, smoked almond, preserved lemon and tarragon salsa. The evening doesn’t end with the bill, either. Each diner takes home a Behind bun, a croissant-brioche hybrid, coated in caramel and granola, for breakfast the next day. behindrestaurant.co.uk Chef’s Studio Experience @ The Tent (at the End of the Universe), Marylebone Chef John Javier’s Bedouin-styled Tent restaurant at 17 Little Portland Street is a super-cool cocoon of Middle Eastern-inspired sharing plates, purring DJ sets and live music, where guests dine under a remarkable, theatrical canopy of intergalactic starlight. Down below in the Studio (which, at weekends, operates as a basement nightclub), up to 12 diners can feast on an eight-course, family-style menu of modern Chinese and East Asian dishes, inspired by John’s time in Hong Kong and helming Sydney’s hip Master restaurant. The kitchen is not on display here, but instead – in a private dining/chef’s table hybrid – John serves guests and talks them through his dishes such as pork and prawn siu mai dumplings; lobster noodles with superior sauce; or wagyu beef short rib, malt pickled onion and shio kombu. little-portland.com Chef’s Counter @ The Grill by Tom Booton, Dorchester Hotel, Mayfair When, last year, Tom Booton’s name was appended to the Dorchester Grill, it heralded a new era for this grand hotel. Its smart dining room still dazzles – service is well drilled, but its fresh, informal vibe and sharing plates menu embody a shift to modernity. Dishes run from ’nduja scotch eggs to the showpiece “all the chicken” which includes a stuffed crown, glazed wings and chicken pies for two. Four diners can eat at the chef’s counter, where you can watch snacks such as cod doughnuts being finished as chefs barbecue lamb belly skewers. dorchestercollection.com Aulis, Soho Operating at a near-perfect intersection of impeccable produce, seasonality, tradition and modernism, Simon Rogan’s restaurants – most notably, his three Michelin star flagship, L’Enclume – serve some of Britain’s most progressive food. At this stylish Soho bolthole, 12 diners are given real insight into how, from Rogan’s Cumbrian farm to the deft work of his chefs (led at Aulis by Charlie Tayler), the group creates dishes such as Newlyn crab on roast chicken skin with oxalis and horseradish vinegar, or pork and eel doughnut, cured pork fat and caviar. Diners sit around a beautiful curving counter, talking to the chefs as they work, plate and enthuse. aulis.co.uk Chef's tables across the UK The Kitchen Table @ The Three Chimneys, Isle of Skye Occupying an historic crofter’s farmhouse by Loch Dunvegan, the idyllic Chimneys has, for decades, made delicious use of regional ingredients such as Skye’s red deer or Sconser king scallops. A table for eight is tucked into chef Scott Davies’s busy kitchen, where the chefs talk to diners as they cook and step out from their sections to deliver modish plates of grilled potato bread with brown crab XO, crab claw, pear and lemon; or steamed, lightly pickled mussels, kohlrabi, lapsang souchong dashi and dill. If staying overnight in The House Over-By, look out for 2024 dates for Scott’s three-hour, three-course cookery classes, which go deep on game and seafood. threechimneys.co.uk Chef’s Table @ Tallow, Tunbridge Wells, Kent About as close to the cooking action as the chef’s table gets. On Tallow’s second floor, chef-owner Rob Taylor cooks for eight guests seated at a bespoke kitchen workspace. A staff member pours wines as Rob creates a seven-course menu, chats, fields questions, shares his techniques and his passion for incredible ingredients. These are skilfully used in dishes of, say, red mullet, fennel and bouillabaisse, or treacle-cured ribeye, bone marrow hash brown, roasted carrot and peppercorn sauce. tallowrestaurant.co.uk Chef’s Table @ Cail Bruich, Glasgow Chef Lorna McNee’s one-Michelin-star flagship includes a uniquely intimate two-seat chef’s table. This chic nook at one end of the kitchen pass, set around a bespoke triangular oak table, commands clear sightlines into the kitchen’s creation of tasting menu dishes such as crab, mussel, apple and caviar, or monkfish with langoustine XO, lime and ginger. A key feature of the chef’s table menu is a dish that revolves around an ingredient chosen by the champagne house, Krug. Recently, lemons inspired a barbecued Skye langoustine with smoked lemon beurre blanc, served with a glass of the latest of Krug’s grande cuvée champagnes. cailbruich.co.uk Paradise Food, near Harrogate For more than two decades, chefs Frances Atkins, Roger Olive and front-of-house manager John Tullett, held a Michelin star at the Yorke Arms. Today, this talented trio run Paradise, a handsome café-restaurant at Daleside Nurseries. Up to six diners can sit at a polished granite kitchen counter (popular with celebrating groups but also solo diners who want a little company), and watch Frances and Roger do their thing. Think rigorous technique, daily changing, seasonal menus and a desire to let the true flavours of prime regional and home-grown produce shine, in dishes of, for example, slow-cooked hare, rosemary gnocchi, smoked tongue, roots and greens, or rare breed pork belly with black pudding, mustard pommes purée and apple. paradisewithfrj.co.uk Wood, Manchester The open kitchen is the natural focal point at chef Simon Wood’s warmly buzzy city centre restaurant. Positioned front and centre before the pass, the chef’s table provides the best seats in the house. Watching any pro kitchen at work is compelling and, better still, this one feeds you a succession of on-point plates as you watch. Expect well executed modern dishes full of clever flavour combinations, such as deep-fried pommes Anna with aïoli; Wood’s coal-roasted celeriac shawarma with koji caramel; or sticky glazed lamb’s sweetbreads with corn, crispy chicken and thyme. woodrestaurantgroup.com Eòrna, Edinburgh Take a seat at this swish Stockbridge venue (a kitchen counter set-up, serving 12 guests) and, for around four hours, you’re in the hands of chef Brian Grigor and engaging wine enthusiast Glen Montgomery, two men dedicated to making sure you have a gastronomic blast. As Brian serves his seasonal, six-course menu and explains its evolution, Glen weaves around him pouring the good stuff – around 60 per cent of diners take the wine flight. Dishes might include smoked salmon tranche, cured locally to Brian’s recipe, served with lemon and beetroot purées, fresh apple, radish and smoked caviar, or partridge pithivier with parsnip purée and a duck black pepper jus. eornarestaurant.com Chef’s Table @ Salt, Stratford-upon-Avon A special space above Paul Foster’s Michelin star restaurant, its chef’s table is an entirely self-contained experience, with its own bathroom, and diners able to choose their own music. Chefs cook at hobs in and around the chef’s table, and the regularly changing dishes (stuffed saddle of lamb, labneh and green olive sauce; agnolotti pasta made from scratch), differ from Salt’s standard menu. Bookable for four to 10 people, the room is also used for guest chef events, cooking classes and Sunday lunch events, where Paul cooks your roast dinner while spinning his favourite albums. salt-restaurant.co.uk Mr Smith’s @ Freemasons at Wiswell, near Clitheroe By night, the prep area at chef Steven Smith’s glossy gastropub is transformed to create a chef’s table for 12 and a four-stool kitchen bench. Both offer rare embedded access to a top-flight working kitchen. There are several menu options but most diners opt for the five-course tasting menu. In dishes of tandoori roast scallop with Thai mussel curry, baked sweet potato purée and apple, or beef fillet with sticky cheek, pickled tongue, gherkin ketchup, beef fat chips and Mr Smith’s sauce (a special gravy full of Steven’s “favourite beefy bits”), that tasting menu fully fleshes out the Freemasons MO. That is, modern British, pub-adjacent dishes elevated by an elegant fine dining finesse. freemasonsatwiswell.com Photographs by Rebecca Dickson, Charlie McKay
The UK’s best showstopping restaurants to impress
Looking to wow your date? Showing off to an out-of-towner or hosting a business lunch? Take a look at these UK restaurants designed to impress
Discover the UK's most entertaining restaurants below, then check out London's best new restaurants, the UK's best new restaurants, the best female-owned restaurants in the U.K. and the best chef's table experiences in the UK. We also have our guide to the UK's best private dining rooms, the best UK restaurants for a party and the best restaurants with rooms in the UK. For a more casual affair, find out our favourite informal dining spots. Looking for a romantic getaway? Discover the most romantic UK hotels. For a rejuvenating overnight stay, discover the best UK spa hotels for food lovers. Looking for entertainment, fantasy or glamour? Here are olive’s pick of venues delivering dazzling food with a dash of drama, from flamboyant interiors, to DJs and live music, cute tableside theatre or watching closely as chefs work their magic. Have a ball. Theatrical restaurants in London Macellaio, Soho Next door to the West End’s Sondheim Theatre is drama of a different kind. At the heart of Macellaio – the Italian steakhouse group’s flagship restaurant – stands a magnificent cast iron grill, beneath a huge marble extractor hood, where the master of the grill dramatically flames and sears hunks of prime Fassona beef. As you’d expect, there are familiar cuts, but come here for Italian specialities: huge fiorentinas (T-bone) and marbled costatas (bone-in ribeye), cooked and rested to medium-rare perfection, a crusted exterior that reveals ruby red flesh. The venue mainly attracts pre- and post-theatregoers, so bag a table while the shows are on and take time to explore the menu: plates of thinly sliced cold beef, starters that include lardo on toast and octopus bruschetta, and mains that – grills aside – celebrate Ligurian focaccia and burgers. If you have room, try the tiramisu – the restaurant is so proud of it that it holds monthly masterclasses in how to make the classic Italian dessert. Tiramisu translates as 'cheer me up' in Italian – in Macellaio, it feels apt. macellaiorc.com/soho The Game Bird, The Stafford Overseen by Lisa Goodwin-Allen, executive chef at Lancashire’s Michelin-starred Northcote, The Game Bird delivers upscale, modern British dining within luxe hotel The Stafford. Dishes might include duck pie or crispy cod with warm tartare sauce. Bespoke trolleys are used to serve smoked fish to guests, carve Sunday’s grass-fed British beef tableside, or to showcase the afternoon tea cake selection (£70pp). Mains from £25; thestaffordlondon.com The Northall, Corinthia With its soaring columns and enormous windows, the Corinthia hotel’s Northall is an eyeful, even before staff start making a caesar salad tableside or flambéing crêpes suzette. Executive chef André Garrett also runs The Garden, a heated alfresco spot that, in winter, includes cosy fireplaces, cashmere blankets and rum hot chocolates. For the raclette with potatoes and pickled veg, melted cheese is served from a clever heater tableside. Mains from £18; corinthia.com Maison François, St. James's This stylish update of the classic French brasserie is renowned for eye-catching dishes (oeuf en gelée, fruits de mer) and its beautiful dessert and beef tartare trolleys. The latter carries stellar components (flavour-packed Lowline beef, Maison’s own spice mixture) that are then tailored to diners’ palates as they choose whether to add, for example, capers, Tabasco or anchovy breadcrumbs. You can also take your tartare on bone marrow toast. Mains from £22; maisonfrancois.london The Colony Grill Room, Mayfair With its vintage styling, large booths and striking murals, the Colony pays homage to classic New York grill restaurants. Dishes finished tableside are a big part of chef Ben Boeynaems’ menu, including dover sole meunière with miso butter, theatrically deboned before guests. The sharing wood-grilled tomahawk steak (bone-in ribeye) is a similarly dramatic presentation, carved as it’s served at the table. Deft knife skills maximise the cut’s juiciness. Mains from £20; colonygrillroom.com Bambi, Netil House Drama comes in many forms, not least a well-crafted DJ set. As well as whip-smart sharing plates from chef Henry Freestone (think cauliflower cheese arancini, marinated courgettes and whipped feta, roast chicken with focaccia and green sauce), this music-led bar and restaurant comes complete with a lush vintage sound system. On Friday and Saturday nights, guest DJs curated by scene legend Charlie Dark take diners on a deep-dive into their treasured collections. Plates around £8-26; bambi-bar.com Harrod’s Dining Hall, Knightsbridge This astonishing Grade II-listed space relaunched in October 2023, unveiling a raft of newsworthy openings, most notably Sushi by Masa from Masayoshi Takayama, whose flagship New York restaurant holds three Michelin stars. The open-plan kitchens, including Tom Kerridge’s Fish & Chips, surround a small central stage where musicians play pop, jazz, soul and R&B nightly. harrods.com Brooklands, Belgravia Rooftop views are just one of the eye-catching features at this Peninsula Hotel newbie. Inspired by Brooklands racetrack and its aviation links, the interior has many talking points. There is a vintage car and Concorde nose cone in the Brooklands’ lobby, while, in the restaurant, the ceiling incorporates a huge aluminium scale model of Concorde. Like Concorde, the food is an Anglo-French collaboration in ingredients, talent and technique. Chef-director Claude Bosi’s team is serving dishes including Exmoor caviar, Roscoff onion and duck jelly or Racan guinea fowl, sea beet and Scottish razor clams. From £115pp; peninsula.com TOKii, Marble Arch From its shabu-shabu hotpot, in which diners gently cook ingredients, to the yellowtail fish carpaccio, this modish Japanese restaurant at the Prince Akatoki hotel serves many beautiful, engaging dishes. For up-close insight into its chefs’ work, take a seat for the omakase menu (£100pp), an 11-course exploration of exquisite ingredients led by sushi chef Kazuyo Okuda. Sharing plates around £8-29; tokii.co.uk Jacuzzi, Kensington Big Mamma’s restaurants are large, lavish spaces. Kensington’s 170-seat, three-storey Jacuzzi offers arresting features galore: indoor trees, trailing foliage, Roman statues, chandeliers, marble floors and Murano glass. Feast on sharing spaghetti alla chitarra with truffle sauce, parmesan foam and fresh black truffle, prepared tableside and served in a 4kg pecorino wheel. Several desserts, such as tiramisu, are generously dished up at table. Mains from £15.50; bigmammagroup.com <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/2/2023/12/JacuzziResturantInteriosNachoRiveraPhotographerLondon-115-509a76e.jpg" width="4104" height="2736" alt="Jacuzzi restaurant in Kensington Street, featuring indoor trees, trailing foliage, Roman statues, chandeliers, marble floors and Murano glass." title="Jacuzzi restaurant in Kensington Street, London. Big Mamma © Nacho Rivera" /> The Silver Birch Chiswick High Street is home to this destination restaurant where a pared-back aesthetic – wooden floors, exposed brick, floor-to-ceiling windows – allows the focus to be firmly on the food. That chef Nathan Cornwell’s CV features top-drawer restaurants in Britain and beyond is evident in his tasting menus ­– starters include luxe ingredients like Scottish langoustine, crispy carrot and rabbit terrine; Devon smoked eel and pickled leek with oscietra; while mains feature carefully sourced options such as day-boat turbot and Greyface Dartmoor hogget. Warm doughnuts, GoldRush apple and Tahitian vanilla is a dessert highlight. Charming front of house staff multitask as experienced cocktail makers. silverbirchchiswick.co.uk Frog by Adam Handling There’s a lot to take in even before the meal begins at Frog by Adam Handling. Design features include a fun frieze of Piccadilly Circus, juxtaposed with more classic décor, white leather table tops and a dramatic marble open kitchen. Fireworks continue in a tasting menu that spans the British Isles, from chef-owner Adam Handling’s native Scottish waters to the Cornish coast. After generous snacks and bread with Adam’s famous chicken butter, come well-balanced dishes such scallops with smoked chilli; cod, beans, quail or wagyu with morel and truffle; through to cherry bakewell or caramel and salted milk. Some ingredients are foraged by the team and nothing is wasted – all by-products are used up in clever ways in both cocktails in the basement bar in snacks such as crab biscuits made using the soft bones of lobster legs. frogbyadamhandling.com Theatrical restaurants in the UK Leno @ DIECAST, Manchester From frozen daiquiri tanks at the bar, to caravans in the beer garden, this vast indoor-outdoor space is unique. Adding to the spectacle, as the DJ cranks up the BPMs, the platforms and runways snaking around this former foundry come alive with dancers and performers (Thursday-Saturday nights). Food-wise, the main focus is on Leno’s NeoPan pizzas, a steel-pan-baked take on classic Neapolitan pizza. Expect a side order of seasonal vibes: night markets, sausages and steins, a bandstand and mulled wine. Mains from £9; diecastmcr.com Thor’s, York A pop-up Christmas party pitching its tipis at the Principal Hotel and in Museum Gardens. Expect DJs, live music, boozy hot chocolates and roaring fires, with food from Ciao (museum only) and East Asian-inspired faves Yuzu. Yuzu’s Principal menu includes snowboard feasts (with bao, gyoza, karaage chicken, etc; £25pp), and a sharing soy honey glazed camembert with gochujang. Principal site, meals around £10; thorstipi.com Kargo MKT at Central Bay, Salford This waterfront food hall features around 20 traders, showcasing northern (street) food talent such as Brazilian chef Caroline Martins (aka Rio-Mex), Vietnamese stars VNam or Ethiopian and Eritrean kitchen House of Habesha. Its weekend DJs, live music, monthly themed shows and events, from craft workshops, to kids’ discos, offer a feast of entertainment. kargomkt.com The Wilderness, Birmingham With its rock soundtrack, running from Slayer to The Stooges, and the black interior making a theatrically dark canvas for the food to come, chef Alex Claridge’s restaurant is a singular creation. Wilderness has its playful details (Bukowski quotes on walls, bespoke crockery art) but Alex’s food is increasingly stark in its design. He wants dishes of beetroot ice cream, ajo blanco, green chilli and smoked oil, or grilled wagyu with Kampot pepper and vinegar dust in a beefy soy broth, to wow with their pure intensity of flavour, rather than colourful, camera-ready aesthetics. From £95pp; wearethewilderness.co.uk Pizza Pilgrims, Leeds & Nottingham Putting the pizzazz into pizza, PP’s brand-new Leeds branch features the Frozen Flamingo, a vivid pink pedalo where (after god-tier Neapolitan-style pizza) you can order soft-serve sundaes made with Northern Bloc ice cream. Later, climb aboard and peddle to power the attached opera gramophone. Down in Nottingham, you can enjoy the ‘disco toilet’ – push-button lights, music, glitterball action – and Dramattic, a private dining space complete with fancy dress outfits, big-screen video games and karaoke. Pizza from £9.95; pizzapilgrims.co.uk Pêtchi, St Helier, Jersey Grab a kitchen counter seat to watch the wood-fired grills at this Basque-influenced newcomer lick whole turbots, ducks and XL chops into shape. The team will happily chat through the processes behind Pêtchi’s photogenic dishes, from its lobster rice (where a grilled crustacean is attractively reassembled atop the grains) to its half lemon dessert, filled with Amalfi lemon posset and sorrel granita. Smaller plates, £7-14, larger from £26; petchi.je
Whether you’ve got a birthday coming up or just love eating out with a big gang of pals, here are the UK’s very best foodie party venues
Looking for restaurants for large groups? Read on for the best party restaurants in the UK to celebrate a special occasion, then check out the our round-up of the UK’s best gastro pubs with rooms as well as the best restaurants with rooms in the UK. For a rejuvenating overnight stay, discover the best UK spa hotels for food lovers. For more restaurant recommendations, check out new UK restaurants. For a more intimate restaurant experience, try our best private dining rooms in the UK and if you want to pull out all the stops, find out the UK's best showstopping restaurants to impress and the best chef's table experiences in the UK. Now find out the best female-owned restaurants in the U.K and for a more casual affair, discover our favourite informal dining spots. Best restaurants for a party in London… Tendril, Oxford Circus Subtitled “a (mostly) vegan kitchen and bar”, chef Rishim Sachdeva’s cooking, which explores the creative possibilities of plant-based dining, has proved super-popular with vegans and omnivores alike, which makes for an always lively vibe, whether you’re sitting at the central bar watching each dish being plated or in the atmospheric dining room on either side. Book the six-course set festive dinner: after welcome margaritas in Tendril’s semi-private rear dining room, the menu plays out in sharing dishes of preserved fennel and aïoli or crispy potatoes and remoulade, then solo courses of smoked potato pie or burnt leeks and chive emulsion. Max group, 30 (52 full-hire), dinner menu £67pp. tendrilkitchen.co.uk Cây Tre, Hoxton This year, Hieu Trung Bui’s pioneering Hoxton Vietnamese restaurant celebrates its 20th anniversary. Its festive sharing menu (also at Cây Tre Soho) includes dishes such as salt beef papaya salad, caul-fat wrapped roast ribeye, crispy sea bass in tamarind and braised duck leg with Indochina dragonplum sauce. £45pp; £20pp wine flight available. caytrerestaurant.co.uk The Laundry, Brixton A beautiful building with several dining spaces, this Brixton restaurant is a flexible feast. Groups of up to 12 can eat from an all-day festive menu in the main dining room or on a heated terrace promising “hygge vibes” (mains from £19). Alternatively, like the larger parties in its private rooms, smaller groups can pre-book a set festive menu of sharing starters and individual mains, including cod Provençal or confit duck, parsnip purée, beetroot relish and orange salad. Festive menu, £35. thelaundrybrixton.com Paesan, Crouch End In Italy, food is all about family – about the whole clan, from eight to 80, sitting down and sharing a spread together. It might be in London’s Crouch End, but Paesan has managed to stay true to that ethos. You can mix and match its antipasti, small plates, fresh pasta and meats and fresh fish from the monthly specials to create a multifarious feast to share with the family. The menu is traditional Italian as you would find in the countryside and streets of Italy, from Trentino in the north to Sicily in the south. Dine in the bright first floor dining area or out on the eye-catching heated terrace. Small plates from £7.50, larger plates from £16. paesanlondon.com The Thomas Cubitt, Belgravia A warren of handsome rooms that can accommodate eight to 80, this Georgian pub (one of Cubitt House’s eight upmarket London boozers) is a civilised redoubt of good wine, food and festive feels. Group chef-director, Ben Tish, runs a quality ship. Feasting menus include, for example, sharing platters of duck liver parfait, mulled pear and spiced milk buns; Norfolk Bronze turkey with trimmings including Middle White pork pigs-in-blankets; and organic salmon with fennel, braised cannellini and roasted chilli dressing. Feasting menus, groups eight+, from £68pp. cubitthouse.co.uk Arcade Battersea, Battersea Power Station New 500-capacity food hall at Battersea Power Station, featuring 13 cuisines. There is something for everyone in, for example, Tipan Tapan (Nepali street foods from ex-Fat Duck chef, Arjun Gurung); Sonora Taqueria’s Mexa; or Cantonese Siu Siu and its char siu iberico pork sandwich. Digital ordering to table allows you to easily mix dishes from across the kitchens. Groups of 12+ are advised to reserve and sharing menus, from £25pp, are offered for groups of 20+. Mains from around £10. arcadefoodhall.com Pastaio, Soho As Christmas approaches, chef Stevie Parle’s fresh pasta joint gets festive. Boozy slushies are given yule twists (quince, prosecco and brandy; mulled wine), while its group menu for parties of eight to 14 – alongside starter and mains options such as aubergine caponata or sausage ragu with Sardinian-style malloreddus pasta – includes quiet, ingenious nods to the season, such as a sprout, chestnut and pancetta gnocchi. Group menu, £30pp. pastaio.co.uk Circolo Popolare and Gloria, Fitzrovia and Shoreditch Part of the Big Mamma group of Italian trattorias, Circolo Popolare and Gloria are perfect for tribes who love their wine, a boisterous atmosphere and OTT food. Circolo Popolare’s largest table seats a dozen diners, while Gloria has the semi-private, candlelit Wine Room (which seats up to 20), stacked high with bottles of Italian wines, including classic vintage barolos from private collections, and The Basement, a hidden dining room with access to the open kitchen. Gloria is deliciously kitsch, with a mirrored ceiling and luxurious Missoni carpet, there are semi-private booths or the whole space can be taken over by 70 diners. Order the likes of pizza with truffle, speck, fior di latte mozzarella and mushrooms, bulbous burratas and 5.9-inch-high lemon meringue pies. bigmammagroup.com Blacklock, Soho The best restaurants cocoon you from the world. Hidden behind smart blinds in a historic warehouse, beneath the train tracks of Canary Wharf’s North Dock, Blacklock’s fifth London site is just such an escape. The VFM steak brand’s “all in” menu, which centres on sharing platters of its “skinny chops” – grass-fed British beef, pork and lamb chops, served on charcoal-grilled flatbreads – is great for groups up to 16. Interesting Harbour Brew Co beer and tap wine list. All in menu, £25pp. theblacklock.com Casa do Frango, London Bridge and Shoreditch Both of these Portuguese chicken joints have buzzy bars to start your evening in, where cocktails have pleasing Portuguese twists – such as a dash of tawny port in a punchy old fashioned, or tropical Licor Beirão to lace the caipirinha-like Caipirão. In the restaurants, long wooden tables provide great hosts for parties, and there's a sharing vibe. Try a selection of petiscos (small plates) served in terracotta dishes – shell-on prawns slathered in a garlicky white wine piri piri sauce and deep-fried salgadinhos (empanadas stuffed with caramelised onion, kale and mushrooms). The main event is succulent chicken with crispy, sticky piri-piri skin and extra-hot piri-piri sauce on the side. Accompany with refreshing chopped salads of tomatoes, cucumber, onions and green peppers or African rice studded with tiny peas, plantain pieces and chorizo, with crisp chicken skin on top to add crunch. Leave room for a delicate, cinnamon-laced custard tart, fresh and warm from the oven. casadofrango.co.uk Decimo, King's Cross Come to the 10th floor of the Standard for Peter Sanchez-Iglesias’s hit Spanish-Mexican food (think chistorra sausage black bean tacos or Cornish lamb mole). Stay on Saturdays until 2am to explore the mezcal cocktail list as DJs spin into the night. decimo.london Quaglino’s, Mayfair The roaring 20s may be long gone, but in this corner of Mayfair, Quaglino’s offers a contemporary take on Gatsby-style, late-night glamour. With its mezzanine bar and sweeping staircases, this is a huge art deco showstopper with a stage hung with red velvet drapes, where musicians and DJs play every night. At weekends, tables are cleared to create a dance floor and regular acts such as the all-female High On Heels and MKM Collective keep the party going until 3am. quaglinos-restaurant.co.uk Best restaurants for a party across the UK… Church Street Tavern, Colchester Owner Piers Baker (Sun Inn, White Hart) creates smooth, convivial Essex venues that serve reassuringly good food. This smart bar-restaurant’s Christmas menu (for groups six+), gives the classics a modish spin, in dishes such as beef sirloin and braised shin with onion and blue cheese yorkies, parsnips and duck fat roasties, or preserved lemon fishcake, saffron yogurt and dukkah. Christmas menu, £35/£42. churchstreettavern.co.uk Yuzu @ Brew York, York Brew York’s vast brewery tap is a veritable beer-vana. Resident kitchen Yuzu is a further draw with its on-point rice bowls and Korean fried chicken. Groups of 10+ can book ahead and go à la carte or opt for a festive sharing menu (£15pp, optional £5 beer flight) featuring pigs-in-blanket bao, turkey and stuffing gyoza and a mince pie bao-nut – yes, a bao-doughnut fusion! Mains from £9.50. yuzustreetfood.com The White Horse, Churton, Cheshire Gary Usher’s debut pub is a polished, clubbable space, equally suitable for a gathering of old friends, a huddle of young couples or a multi-gen family meet-up. Chef Josh Robbins’ set menu (groups of eight+) marries creative meat-free mains, such as roast cauliflower with sumac butter bean mash and a green chilli and salted lemon dressing, with sharply executed classics like chicken liver pâté, crème brûlée and pork and apricot-stuffed turkey. Festive menu, £32/£42. thewhitehorsechurton.co.uk Madre, Manchester and Liverpool Liverpool gets the soaring seven-metre-tall Christmas tree, Manchester has the slick, nightclub-adjacent styling. Both Madres share a bustling, vivacious energy perfect for a crowd. The festive sharing menu (groups six+) showcases various starters and tacos, including the stand-out birria beef shin version, with its sensational dipping broth. Christmas taco fillings include adobo-marinated turkey and cranberry, and roast brussels sprouts, peanut miso and salsa negra. Festive menu, £35/£40. thisismadre.co.uk The Tivoli, Cambridge With its street food (Levels’ 14-inch square pizzas, Steak & Honor’s renowned burgers), covered roof terrace and indoor games – including neon-lit crazy golf course, Electric Greens – this four-floor former cinema has it all. Eat in the Assembly Hall or book group packages that add in activities. A festive feasting menu is offered (£25pp, groups 30+) for those who, understandably, can’t live without pigs-in-blankets. Mains from £9.50. thetivoli.co.uk Picture House Social, Sheffield Occupying a former 1920s ballroom, this basement bar-kitchen rolls until 3am at weekends. Book a booth (12 seated) and explore its menu of Neapolitan-style pizzas, topped with classics like ’nduja and fennel sausage, and innovative combos such as BBQ lamb, red onion, pickles and mustard mayo. Not that the thrills here are purely pizza-based. The venue also boasts a mini-cinema/karaoke space and games rooms (table tennis, table football, shuffleboard shack), various aspects of which you can book for private groups or drop into ad hoc. Pizza from £8. picture-house-social.co.uk House of Fu, Leeds With its frozen yuzu margaritas and upper-floor karaoke rooms, HoF has your party needs covered. Groups of up to 10 can eat from the East Asian-inspired main menu – think shiitake and kale gyoza, or spicy pork and chicken tantanmen ramen – with larger parties offered various set menus, from £22.50. A new Fu in Manchester has its own feasting menus (from £40), including dishes such as sea bream carpaccio and Szechuan lamb shoulder. Mains from £13. hellohouseoffu.com Exhibition, Manchester Not only does Exhibition unite three of the north’s finest talents (southern Italian pasta kitchen, Sud; Basque-inspired aces, Baratxuri; and Scandi-influenced Osma), in one venue, across one menu. But after dinner, the bar in this chic, open-plan space ramps up with DJs and ace cocktails until late at weekends. A sharing menu of dishes from the three kitchens is available for parties of eight+ (£49, vegan six-course, £40). Larger plates from around £10. exhibitionmcr.co.uk Thor’s Tipi, York This Parliament Street pop-up aims to provide a rolling party through December for bar hoppers, exhausted shoppers, friends and families. Expect DJs spinning Christmas and chart classics, plus eclectic live music on Sundays. York’s East Asian street food specialist, Yuzu, will serve karaage fried chicken (a popular festive food in Japan), katsu dishes and knock-out bao, while the bar delivers frozen slushy cocktails, such as the Frosty (salted caramel vodka, hazelnut liqueur and chocolate milk). In the Principal Hotel gardens, a second Thor’s will operate as an alpine dining hall for groups, with Yuzu serving sharing platters of gyoza, loaded duck fries and miso caramel wings on converted snowboards (£21pp). thorstipi.com Albert’s Schloss, Birmingham This Bavarian beer hall, reimagined for modern Britain, has been a runaway hit in Manchester. Now it’s bringing its unpasteurised, tank-fresh Pilsner Urquell, homemade schnapps, live music and DJs to a new 500-capacity Birmingham venue. Expect crowds to flock this festive season for plates of chicken schnitzel, wild mushroom spätzle or schweinshaxe – roast pork knuckle with red cabbage. Elsewhere, the menu includes enduring classics (think coquilles St Jacques, steaks and burgers) and a Christmas menu is available, too (£40pp). albertsschloss.co.uk Bundobust, Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool The beer-hall-style layouts of Bundobust make it perfect for larger parties, allowing everybody to sit together on the communal benches. The serving style is also ideal, with small dishes of Indian street food designed for sharing. Go for the Bundo Combo, which includes every dish on the menu – including bhel puri, bundo chaat and massala dosa – for £82.50 and feeds six to eight. Everything is vegetarian, with more than half of the menu vegan, and there are plenty of gluten-free options, too. With 16 beers on tap and an extensive range of beers in the fridge, cocktails and mocktails, there’s something for everybody. bundobust.com Bambalan, Bristol With a roof terrace overlooking the city centre, Bambalan has become a go-to venue for Bristolians looking to host a large party. There is space for up to 250 guests indoors but the capacity extends to around 400 when using the three outdoor terrace spaces, which also include a DJ booth and ping pong tables. Food-wise, expect punchy Middle Eastern-inspired flavours, including imam bayildi (charcoal-roasted aubergine with spiced tomato sauce, feta, tahini, rice pilaf and fattoush). bambalan.co.uk Honeycomb & Co, Edinburgh Since opening in May 2017, Honeycomb & Co has built a reputation as relaxed neighbourhood spot with cracking food. The restaurant is available for private hire every day from 7pm, whether it’s for cocktail parties or seated dinners. The restaurant has a flexible layout which allows larger groups of up to 42 people to be seated, or 60 standing. A typical three-course dinner menu begins with Edinburgh Gin-cured salmon, pickled cucumber, whipped horseradish and preserved lemon cream, followed by heather-honey-and-ginger-spiced slow-roasted pork belly with pickled cauliflower, pak choi, roasted squash and miso gravy. To finish, there’s fig and pear ‘mess’ – roasted figs, poached pears and honey cream with brown sugar meringue and pistachio brittle. honeycombandco.com Hare & Hounds, Aberthin, Vale of Glamorgan Run by ex-St John chef Tom Watts-Jones and his wife, Sarah, this picturesque Welsh village pub has an 18-seat private dining room and often hosts large parties and wedding receptions. Tom and his chefs can write a three-course à la carte menu in advance or tables can request sharing dishes, such as braised lamb shoulder or steak and ale pie to have along the centre of the large table. For very large parties, the team can put a marquee in the garden and serve buffets of cold meats, fish and salads, host a BBQ or a roast suckling pig. hareandhoundsaberthin.com Freemasons, Wiswell, Lancashire Award-winning Ribble Valley pub Freemasons has recently launched its “Mr Smith’s” chef’s table for private parties. With seating for six to 12 people, the space can be tailored to suit the party – whether you want to watch sport on the big screen, put on your own music playlist or just sit comfortably with some great food. You can choose from a variety of menus, such as Sunday lunch or a bespoke tasting menu with wine flight: you can even book it for a breakfast. The rest of the pub also has a number of other private dining areas. Don’t expect a compromise on the food though – with this flexibility this is one of the best gastropubs in the country, with an impressive menu with the likes of slow-cooked shoulder and kofta of Herdwick lamb with aubergine and miso purée, and rice pudding with poached English bilberries. freemasonsatwiswell.com Bar Esca, Nottingham For larger events of up to 100, Nottingham’s Bar Esca has Cellar 9, a private-hire space with its own bar. Designed around Barcelona’s backstreet bars, the atmospheric, low-lit cellar features Picasso-style graffiti on the back wall and often has live music. Food is the ultimate drinking fodder – think chorizo hot dogs, halloumi fritters, Catalan-style flatbreads, croquettes and chicken fillet skewers with a roasted sesame dip. Work your way through the bar, or stick to the seven types of made-to-order sangria. There’s also a full vegan or vegetarian party menu on offer, too. barescatapas.co.uk/baresca The Hut, Colwell Bay, Isle of Wight A beachside restaurant with stunning views across the bay and the Solent, The Hut offers private dining on the 26-cover Top Deck. Whether guests arrive by road or boat, they are protected from the elements by heaters and a retractable roof. A typical meal might include fish soup, smoked haddock fish cake with spinach and beurre blanc, or grilled chicken and fries. thehutcolwell.co.uk Crafthouse, Leeds With its stunning rooftop views across Leeds and excellent food, Crafthouse is one of the city’s undisputed hot spots and tailor-made for large parties with its open-plan restaurant, interconnected bar and terrace. It also has a 20-seat private dining room with glazed walls on two sides enabling diners to enjoy those panoramic views, and the terrace can be used for private BBQs with bespoke menus created by the chefs. Choose from the modern British menu, with the likes of braised pork cheeks with celeriac and pickled apple, and pigeon with puy lentils and bourginon sauce up for grabs in recent months. crafthouse-restaurant.com Mowgli, Birmingham The Birmingham branch of this fast-growing Indian street-food chain has a 14-seat private dining room in the middle of the restaurant. If there’s a big gang of you, ask for the sharing menu (at £19.50 a head), which provides a spread of dishes from across the menu including the signature yogurt chat bombs, fenugreek fries and Himalayan cheese toast, followed by a tiffin roulette which gives a taste of three different curries served with rice. mowglistreetfood.com Wild Artichokes, Kingsbridge, Devon A small industrial space might not scream party venue but Wild Artichokes, from chef and food writer Jane Baxter (who trained under Joyce Molyneux, has worked at River Café, and set up the Riverford Field Kitchen) and event organiser Samantha Miller, knows how to have a good time. Its unusual location offers up a unique dining experience – four big tables with benches, food to share and a view of the open-plan kitchen. The venue can seat 32 comfortably or up to 40 cosily. Jane and her team create a set sharing menu each night, with a selection of fish, veggie and meat antipasti to start, then usually one or two cuts of meat, lots of seasonal vegetable dishes and traditional puddings to share. Sam says: “This way, there’s no need to worry about sending menus around for guests to make choices – you just turn up on the night and eat.” The venue isn’t licensed for alcohol but guests can bring wine, with a corkage fee of £5 per bottle. wildartichokes.co.uk The Fox & Hounds, Hunsdon, Hertfordshire James and Bianca Rix’s village pub has a huge dining room, garden and terrace, all of which can be used for parties. The light, high-ceilinged dining room can seat up to 45 for a sit-down meal over three long tables, and the kitchen can also cater for canapé parties and buffets. The whole pub can also be hired out for larger parties such as weddings and special birthdays, catering for up to 100 guests. Head chef James works closely with customers to develop a bespoke menu according to individual preferences, occasions and the season. This might mean set menus, à la carte options and sharing dishes for tables, along with specials such as seafood platters and large joints of meat cooked in the Josper charcoal oven. foxandhounds-hunsdon.co.uk Scallop Shell, Bath This upmarket, family-friendly fish restaurant in central Bath can accommodate up to 40 people in its upstairs restaurant space and serves a special menu for large groups. Start with Elberry Bay mussels, shallots, garlic and parsley before moving on to cod loin, chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce, or English smoked salmon fishcakes. Make sure you leave room for the classic sherry trifle (or old-fashioned steamed plum pudding with brandy custard, if it’s near Christmas). thescallopshell.co.uk Heathcock. Cardiff This gastropub has converted the old skittles alley into a 30-seat private dining room available for party hire. Heathcock also offers a corporate package on weekday lunches where work groups/ meetings can have the private dining room for a half day/full day, along with a two- or three-course lunch featuring its robust, modern British pub grub – steak and ale pie for two to share, braised duck leg pappardelle, or hanger steak with pommes anna. Far more interesting than a pile of sad-looking sandwiches in the office boardroom. heathcockcardiff.com The Whippet & Pickle, Holmfirth A busy independent restaurant in the heart of West Yorkshire, The Whippet & Pickle is a popular party venue thanks to its private dining room and 20-seat cinema. Large groups with something to celebrate tend to have a restaurant meal followed by their choice of film. The restaurant even provides popcorn and lets you take your wine in. Go for Korean duck tacos with kimchi slaw and sesame mayo for starters, followed by chipotle and maple-glazed pork belly, with smoked corn and pepper salsa, and mac ’n’ cheese. thewhippetandpickle.com Harry’s, Exeter Established in 1993, Exeter veteran Harry’s has hosted many parties over the years and large groups can either host a table in the main restaurant or take over the private dining/function room. Depending on the party size, Harry’s offers an à la carte choice or a special parties and events menu that will appeal to crowds – from steaks, burgers and chillies to Devon crab linguine, and salmon and watercress fishcakes. You can even work with the team on a bespoke menu, including sharing plates and wine flights. harrysrestaurants.co.uk The Sheppey, near Glastonbury This unusually cool rural pub delivers great food (beer-battered fish and chips, and chicory and smoked Wedmore cheese tart) and cracking music events. Every Thursday and Friday in December, the early tables will be cleared to create a dance floor for DJ Lath’s Soul Shack. thesheppey.co.uk Dockyard Social, Glasgow A West End street food event where DJs and food traders – such as Neapolitan-style Pizza B Goode, Yalla (don’t miss the whole roasted cauli) and Thai kitchen Noi’s – keep things bubbling. dockyardsocial.com Oli’s Thai, Oxford Ladd Thurston’s exceptional Thai cooking means tiny Oli’s is often fully booked. But it does hold five counter seats for walk-ins. Arrive early or try sister tapas venue, Arbequina (arbequina.co.uk). olisthai.com Angela’s of Margate, Kent Due to its size (the largest table seats eight), this seafood restaurant avoids the Christmas party rush. Nods to the season (mulled white wine, for example) accompany classy plates of, say, lemon sole with green sauce. angelasofmargate.com Nook, Cardiff A cosy Canton spin-off of Dusty’s Pizza, where you can enjoy seasonal small plates (deep-fried camembert with fig mostarda and sirloin with walnut romesco) and natty wines. nookcardiff.co.uk The Dining Room, Abersoch Chef Si Toft’s 22-cover restaurant acknowledges Christmas (with seasonal cocktails and a set menu for groups) but generally sticks to what the regulars love: plates of, for instance, ox cheek, black kale, pickled carrot and mushroom ketchup. thediningroomabersoch.co.uk Erst, Manchester The odd Mariah Carey track aside, it’s business as usual in this minimalist Ancoats space. Expect stellar small plates (those fried potatoes, that yeast sauce!) and exciting natural wines. erst-mcr.co.uk The Sun Inn, Dedham, Essex Instead of turkey and other festive clichés, this 16th-century coaching inn offers larger groups sharing feasts of, for example, luxury fish pie or chateaubriand. thesuninndedham.com Röski, Liverpool Discerning office parties visit Röski but Anton Piotrowski’s restaurant retains a refined and relaxed air as he weaves technically accomplished magic with plates of quail kiev and caviar or red cabbage ‘bolognese’. roskirestaurant.com Belgrave Music Hall, Leeds As its name suggests, Belgrave is primarily a loud, lively late-night bar and gig space, but food has always been at the heart of this hip, multi-storey operation. Its monthly street-food festival has launched celebrated Yorkshire names such as Bundobust and Harrogate’s Stuzzi, and Belgrave’s main bar is the permanent home of two of Leeds’ hottest street-food slingers: Patty Smith’s burgers and Dough Boys pizza. belgravemusichall.com Ernest, Newcastle Just outside the city centre, hidden among the artists’ workshops, galleries and creative spaces that are slowly transforming industrial Ouseburn, Ernest is a friendly, boho café-bar where affordable, locally-sourced food gives way, after 9pm, to boozy nights of comedy, anarchic ‘disco ping pong’ and dance-music. Most of that noisier action is kept in a back room, leaving diners and drinkers free to kick back in the quirkily decorated café, with its mirror balls and impressive collection of Star Wars figures. While it uses vegetables from Byker Community Farm and meats from traditional Northumbrian butchers, chef Richard Phillipson’s menu is global in its outlook. weareernest.com Words by Mark Taylor and Tony Naylor Photographs by Jerome Galland, Lateef Okunnu, Joann Pai, Bacon on the Beech, Paolo Ferla
British seafood is second to none. Enjoy the best the UK has to offer this summer with our extensive guide to the best places for oysters, fish ’n’ chips and more
From trending dishes to classic fish restaurants, traditional chippies to cutting-edge kitchens, Britain is packed with places mining that briny bounty. From the city to the coast, dive in! After, check out our roundup of the UK’s best gastro pubs with rooms. For a more intimate restaurant experience, discover the best private dining rooms in the UK and if you want to pull out all the stops, find out the UK's best showstopping restaurants to impress. The UK's best seafood restaurants Seafood for sharing: Old Harry Rocks, Bournemouth The second restaurant at The Nici, Old Harry Rocks’ beachy vibes bring a relaxed, breezy atmosphere to the most glamorous hotel on Bournemouth’s West Cliff. With the eponymous rocks and the Isle of Purbeck in the distance across Poole Bay, the view from the best tables is hard to beat. Local seafood takes centre stage, with a signature platter that takes surf and turf to another level, and the decadent option of local lobster on your burger. Crowd-pleasing favourites suggest long lunches with friends; local fish served whole, delicate crab toast and moreish croquetas. Drinks cater for a party, too, with a wide selection of magnums alongside favourites like frozen margs and an impressive register of house cocktails. oldharryrocks.com Read our guide to the best restaurants in Bournemouth. Finest fruits de mer: Bentley's, London A historic retreat, all pressed linen and chilled chablis, whose royal shellfish platter is entirely sourced on British and Irish coasts. bentleys.org Peach by the beach: The Hatch, Latimer’s, near Sunderland Visit the take-out window at this fishmonger and smokery for fish pasties, chowders and lobster picnic boxes to enjoy on Whitburn Beach. latimers.com Heads up: Fallow, London, and A Wong, London Forget mere cod cheeks. The whole cod’s head is where it’s at: aromatically steamed, Hunan-style at A Wong (awong.co.uk) and dramatically slathered in sriracha butter at Fallow. fallowrestaurant.com Beyond cod and salmon: Fin Boys, Cambridge This forward-thinking fishmonger and diner pushes fin-to-skin cookery, dry chilled storage (“ice speeds up degeneration”) and underrated, sustainable fish in plates of gurnard ceviche or pollock with chicken gravy, leeks, shimeji mushrooms and tarragon. Large plates from £15; fin-boys.com Mumbai-to-Goa by sea: Pali Hill, London India’s coastal cookery resonates in ex-River Café chef Avinash Shashidhara’s dishes, such as banana leaf steamed sea bass or langoustines in wild garlic, ajwain, ginger, chilli and lemon. palihill.co.uk Oyster ahoy: The Oyster Shack, Bigbury, Devon Colourful Avon Estuary joint where Cornish rock oysters are innovatively garnished in the likes of foraged sandwort and rose vinegar. oystershack.co.uk Ultimate freshness: Live Seafood, Manchester You can get the experience of China’s seafood restaurants, where you choose dinner from tanks of live fish, in Manchester, too. “Live Seafood offers a cornucopia of fish and shellfish – intricately sliced, deep-fried sea bass or crabs in garlic and spring onion – at great value market prices,” says fan Thom Hetherington, organiser of the Northern Restaurant and Bar Show. liveseafood.co.uk Pop-up shrimp feast: Decatur, London Check Decatur’s socials for dates when you can enjoy its hot, spicy Louisiana-style shrimp boils: garlic-butter-slicked feasts of seafood, corn, potatoes and smoked andouille sausage. decaturlondon.com Much-loved Caribbean flavours: Etta's Seafood Kitchen, London Rated for Brixton chef Etta Burrell’s ackee and salt fish, seafood curry and sea bass with green banana, sweet potatoes, okra, tomato and pumpkin. ettaskitchen.com Fantastic fish & chips Crisp, lip-smacking batter, pearly fish and perfect chips are not easy to find. But we return again and again to these reliably brilliant five: Nottingham’s The Cod’s Scallops; Exeter’s Fish Shed; Whitby’s The Magpie Café; Penrith’s Angel Lane Chippie, and Colmans of South Shields. Summer's hottest table: Prawn on the Farm, Padstow Stellar seafood and Camel Estuary views will make Prawn on the Lawn’s alfresco pop-up one of summer’s hottest tables. Linger over Cornish lobster with lime and coriander butter or wild bass and sole, sold by the kilo and cooked in Chinese, Thai or Euro styles. prawnonthelawn.com Future fish: Ikoyi, London Chefs are currently all over Japanese dry-ageing techniques for fish, said to intensify flavour and create meatier, creamier textures. At West African restaurant, Ikoyi, chef Jeremy Chan has been serving five-day-aged turbot with preserved beetroot, palm wine, passion berry and ceps, alongside creative piscine plates such as octopus and malt XO with yeasted béarnaise. ikoyilondon.com The creative catch: Fish & Forest, York A creator of tuna bresaola, trout pastrami and the mackerel kiev, chef Stephen Andrews is pushing the piscine boundaries, not least in minimising waste and foregrounding sustainability. Pollock wellington, anyone? fishandforestrestaurant.com Next-level nautical adventures: Folium, Birmingham Chef Ben Tesh uses meticulously sourced fish in imaginative ways, such as beef-fat-cooked turbot with potato hollandaise and Arbroath smokie broth. His salt ’n’ vinegar cod’s skin, fried to look exactly like an oyster shell, served with oyster tartare, is a visually striking taste sensation. restaurantfolium.com Hot seafood spots at the water’s edge The Company Shed, Mersea Island, Essex Seafood hub that, September to April, sells prized Colchester native oysters. thecompanyshed.co.uk Lobster & Môr, Little Haven, Pembrokeshire Deli and craft store owned by fishermen Danny Curtis, known for takeaway pots of crab meat and lobster brioche rolls. lobsterandmor.co.uk Riley’s Fish Shack, King Edward’s Bay, Tynemouth Modish riffs on chargrilled fish, on the beach. rileysfishshack.com The Crab Shed, Steephill Cove, Isle of Wight Beach takeaway making sensational crab and mackerel pasties from seafood landed in the cove. steephillcove-isleofwight.co.uk The Sustainable Restaurant Association’s sustainable seafood checklist: Look for alternatives to the big five: cod, haddock, tuna, salmon and prawns. Try crab or mussels, swap haddock for pollock. Get the Marine Conservation Society’s Good Fish Guide app for sustainable info on your phone. Don’t be afraid to ask staff where fish is from and how it’s been caught. Avoid any fish rated red by the MCS, including European eel, described as critically endangered. Five more restaurants with a flair for fish Creel Caught, Edinburgh Chef Gary Maclean’s celebration of Scottish seafood at Bonnie & Wild food hall. Think langoustine with lemon, kombu seaweed butter and fennel salad. creelcaught.com The Sea, the Sea, Hackney, London Counter dining spin-off from the Chelsea fishmonger and seafood bar, known for day-boat South West fish, dry-ageing and general contemporary seafood wizardry. theseathesea.net Ugly Butterfly, near St Ives, Cornwall Adam Handling’s ultra-sustainable restaurant (“There is no such thing as food waste”) relocates to Carbis Bay this month. Seafood ranges from sea urchin snacks to potted Hale Estuary razor clams. uglybutterfly.co.uk The Double Red Duke, Clanfield Live-fire cooking is the USP at this Cotswolds pub. Expect spit-roasted turbot with lemon ketchup or wood-roasted scallops and garlic butter. countrycreatures.com Temaki, London Brixton handroll bar whose chef Shaulan Steenson previously worked in Tokyo sushi temples such as Hakkoku. Check its salmon-skin crisps, too. temaki.co.uk
The best UK budget vs blowout restaurants
Whether eating out casually midweek or saving for a rare, high-end meal, we’re always looking for a special dining out experience. Discover these options that always deliver
Discover the best budget and blowout restaurants in the UK, then read up on the best sustainable restaurants, best new London restaurants, best new UK restaurants and the best restaurants with rooms in the UK. If you want to pull out all the stops, find out the UK's best showstopping restaurants to impress. Seafood restaurants Budget: The Company Shed, near Colchester Although it sells both, you can still bring your own bread and wine (£6 corkage per bottle) to this legendary Mersea Island daytime spot. Platters of Gigas oysters, mussels, smoked salmon or dressed crab can be had for around £20pp. Meals from £13.50; the-company-shed.com Riley’s Fish Shack, Tynemouth There is always a queue to eat the fresh day-boat fish cooked over coals and served in dishes such as salt hake with caper and fennel salad or whole red mullet with salsa verde at this beachside fave. In the summer, tables, deck chairs and parasols extend the dining area out from the shack onto the sands. Plates from £14; rileysfishshack.com Blowout: Seabird, London Seabird’s swanky rooftop dining space is seafood-focussed, from the longest oyster list (10 varieties with fizz pairings) to the raw bar and Med-inspired plates such as Cornish cod escabeche and a fantastic house cava. The Sunday brunch menu includes king crab and caviar bikini with chives and crème fraîche, all with great views and music. Mains from £25; seabirdlondon.com Catch, Weymouth Located in the harbour’s handsome Grade II-listed former fish market, Catch is truly ingredient-led. Chef Mike Naidoo’s team writes the eight-course tasting menu around the incredible seafood bought from local day-boats by its sister business, fishmonger Weyfish. Dorset wines are available to pair with Portland crab dumpling broth, scallop ceviche or roast brill. Dinner from £65; catchattheoldfishmarket.com Italian restaurants Budget: Sarto, Leeds This is a classy, retro-modern space, serving neat snacks (wild garlic arancini) and fresh pasta dishes such as bucatini with caramelised celeriac purée, capers and thyme, or campanelle with a pork and ’nduja ragu. Pasta from £12.50; sartopasta.uk Sonny Stores, Bristol Husband-and-wife team Mary Glynn and Pegs Quinn’s casual neighbourhood restaurant serves a daily changing menu – Pegs’ River Café pedigree shows in dishes such as courgette cappellacci with pecorino sardo, and dover sole with broad beans sott’olio. Mains from £12; sonnystores.com Blowout: Luca, London This stylish modern Italian restaurant – spotlighting seasonal UK produce in its Italian cooking – has quietly honed its craft, this year garnering a Michelin star. You can eat à la carte (mains from £38). But taking the four-course chef’s choice menu on the gorgeous covered terrace – lingering over dishes such as Hebridean lamb with caponata, aubergine, Borlotti beans and goat’s curd – is a sweet summer treat. Chef’s menu £85; luca.restaurant Sparrow Italia, London This plush modern Italian incorporates Med twists into its smart menu. Set over three floors with a secluded courtyard on the first, the menu presents luxe versions of classics including A5 wagyu carpaccio with pickled mushrooms and truffle, and lobster linguine with aqua pazza. Pasta from £22; sparrowitalia.com Wine-focussed restaurants Budget: Pairings, York A build-your-own wine adventure, alongside good-quality cheeses, meats and deli platters. Opt for various wine flights exploring all points from rosés to orange wines. Share a bottle or dip into a large number of wines by the glass or carafe. Several of Pairings’ rarer, pricier wines are served in cost-effective 3 x 50ml flights. Flights from £14, platters from £15.50; pairings.co.uk Bistro Freddie, London Founder of Crispin, Dominic Hamdy’s new opening, Bistro Freddie, has a focus on small and independent producers and growers. Dishes such as fried skate wing with curry sauce and a hearty made-for-sharing rabbit, bacon and apple cider pie, £45 for two people, complement an all-French wine list curated by head of wine Alexandra Price. bistrofreddie.com Blowout: Bossa, London Chef Alberto Landgraf has brought his vision of high-end authentic Brazilian cooking from Rio to Mayfair with punchy sharing plates such as seafood moqueca. But wine is equally the star here with one of South America’s best sommeliers, Laís Aoki, ready to guide diners through the perfect pairing. Small plates from £27; bossa.co.uk Core, London Exceptional food is guaranteed at Clare Smyth’s three-Michelin-star Core. Its wine collection, overseen by master sommelier Gareth Ferreira, is similarly exciting. Guidance is offered to newer wine drinkers, while connoisseurs love exploring Core’s 600-plus wines – a list that, in February, won the top UK prize at the Star Wine List awards. From £155pp; corebyclaresmyth.com Vegan and vegetarian restaurants Budget: 123V Bakery, London A vegan pioneer at his eponymous Soho restaurant, chef Alexis Gauthier recently opened a nearby diffusion venue, housing a “fun, unbuttoned” restaurant, Studio Gauthier, and bakery-café 123V. The latter serves vibrant vegan sushi, brunch dishes and plant-based burgers. Mains from £14; 123vegan.co.uk Tendril, London Chef Rishim Sachdeva’s mostly vegan menu is a masterclass in considered, delicate veg cooking. Dishes are vegan unless otherwise specified (dairy occasionally features) and sing with incredible balance. Small plates include crispy beetroot bao and roast squash tostada, and his vegan tiramisu is a must order. Small plates from £7.50; tendrilkitchen.co.uk Blowout: Vanderlyle, Cambridge Quietly, without making a thing of it, chef Alex Rushmer is doing something deliciously revolutionary. In dishes of fried mooli, monk’s beard and seaweed sauce, or lentil ragu and maitake mushrooms with hasselback potato and bordelaise sauce, his plant-led tasting menus render meat’s absence irrelevant. Tasting menu £75pp; vanderlyle-restaurant.com Korean restaurants Budget: Bunsik, Manchester A viral sensation in London, Bunsik’s Korean-style corn dogs have now landed in Piccadilly Gardens. These crispy, deep-fried skewers of battered, crumbed chicken sausage (with the option of added mozzarella and diced fries) share a menu with Korean street food faves, including ddukbokki – tubular rice cakes in a spicy sauce – and fried chicken. From £4; bunsik.co.uk Korean dinner party, London A homage to LA’s Koreatown, this buzzy restaurant from Ana Gonçalves and Zijun Meng (the duo behind TĀTĀ Eatery and TÓU) mashes up Korean, US, Mexican and Japanese influences in a delicious fusion. Chimaek Mondays gets you Korean fried chicken and a beer for £12. From £4; koreandinnerparty.com Blowout: Sollip, London A highly personal restaurant where chef-owners, Woongchul Park and Bomee Ki, create exquisite, Michelin-starred dishes of broadly French-European origin but incorporating the Korean ingredients they grew up with. Think lamb with a haggis and doenjang sauce (fermented soybean paste) or courgette flower, dubu (tofu), sesame and pine nut. Tasting menu £135pp; sollip.co.uk Chung’dam, London Bringing traditional Korean technique into a modern setting, Chung’dam has plenty of craft, from the BBQ featuring prime cuts cooked expertly tableside (including chateaubriand filet mignon and wagyu A3-5) to the beautifully made wooden pyeonbaek steam boxes which are layered up with meat, veggies, rice and seafood. BBQ from £12.50; chungdam.co.uk Japanese restaurants Budget: Matsudai Ramen, Cardiff Hip, cheerful, industrial-edged canteen where ramen obsessive, James Chant, perfects his broths and noodles, and their interplay with toppings such as braised pork belly and soy-marinated ajitama eggs. Ramen from £12; matsudai.co.uk Sushi on Jones, London With omakase menu prices often heading into triple figures, it’s refreshing that this London outpost of a New York fave brings it in for £48 for 12 courses. It’s an intimate space with only eight seats at a counter, so you can watch as head sushi chef Mattia Aranini and his team prepare and explain each course. Tasting menu £48; sushionjones.com Blowout: Koyn, London A contemporary, high-end take on the traditional Japanese izakaya in a two-storey space. The calm upstairs room sees sushi masters man the counter making classics such as sliced yellowtail with truffle soy, and the lower ground has the added theatre of the robata grill and inventive plates including hojicha-smoked lamb cutlets with kuromame miso. Mains from £24.50; koynrestaurants.com Taku, London The capital is currently enthralled by the intimacy and theatre of omakase dining; where, in sleekly designed counter-dining cocoons, highly skilled chefs prepare seasonal tasting menus for attentive diners. Chef Takuya Watanabe bagged a Michelin star within four months of opening this Mayfair 16-seater. Using mainly British produce, he is creating some of the city’s most elegant, flavourful hot seafood dishes and sushi. Tasting menu from £160pp; takumayfair.com West African restaurants Budget: Chuku’s, London Buzzy Tottenham fave, whose sharing plates of, say, quinoa jollof, salted caramel and kuli-kuli spiced wings, or suya-seasoned meatballs put a tasty, modish twist on traditional Nigerian cooking. Its brunch menu, £35 for three dishes and three cocktails, is very good value. Plates from £5; chukuslondon.co.uk Chishuru, London After a summer of pop-up action at the Globe Tavern in Borough Market with a bargain £30 set lunch menu, Adjoké ‘Joké’ Bakare moves her permanent new site in late summer 2023 – keep your eyes peeled for the announcement at chishuru.com Blowout: Akoko, London Executive chef Ayo Adeyemi’s tasting menu is rooted in tradition but sharply executed with great imaginative flair. Dishes may include tatale (Ghanaian plantain pancakes) with cashew cream and caviar, or moi-moi (a steamed pudding of puréed black-eyed beans with onions, peppers and stock) served with the Afro-Brazilian seafood and coconut milk sauce, vatapá. Tasting menu £120; akoko.co.uk Ikoyi, london Jeremy Chan and Iré Hassan-Odukale’s second iteration of their highly acclaimed West African fine-dining restaurant at 180 The Strand. The spice-focussed menu has evolved to new heights and cooking techniques courtesy of a much bigger space, while keeping the theme more than ever on micro-seasonal British ingredients. Tasting menu £300; ikoyilondon.com Modern British restaurants Budget: Harvest, London Chef Jesse Dunford Wood (Parlour, Six Portland Road) puts a fun, populist spin on seasonal British food. His latest venue, Harvest, offers a good-value lunch (three courses, £20) with mains including mackerel, fried potatoes, sorrel and apple ketchup, while at dinner, family sharing dishes for three or four include a whole roast chicken, chips and salad for £60. Mains from £19; harvestrestaurantuk.com Blowout: Killiecrankie House, Perthshire Both playful and cerebral, this restaurant-with-rooms celebrates the Scottish larder with contemporary vigour. From a venison tartare taco, to Irn Bru-infused wine gums, chef Tom Tsappis’s tasting menu is diverse and delicious. His take on that historic snack of set, sliced porridge (here, filled with 16-hour-braised wagyu oxtail, fried in wagyu dripping and topped with pickled walnut purée and Isle of Mull cheddar) is a tantalising must-eat dish. Tasting menu £105; killiecrankiehouse.com Mexican restaurants Budget: Tacos Padre, London 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, including beef short-rib suadero with aged beef fat and morita salsa, chicken asado and cauliflower al pastor with guajillo adobo – and an increasingly famous salsa macha every day until 6pm. Tacos from £4; tacospadre.com Blowout: Los Mochis, London This new restaurant pioneers Baja-Nihon cuisine (a blend of Mexican and Japanese) with a mix of ceviche, sashimi and tiraditos on offer. The taco menu is a great place to experiment, with 18 variations including the signature miso cod, and pato carnitas with teriyaki duck. Add a tequila or mezcal flight from the huge selection. Tacos from £15; losmochis.co.uk Kol, London In his ingenious use of stellar UK produce to recreate authentic Mexican flavours in London, chef-owner Santiago Lastra is redefining what is possible. Certain items (heritage corns, rare cacao) are imported to support artisan Mexican producers, but tasting menu dishes – say, langoustine taco with smoked chilli and sea buckthorn – are predominantly conjured from the British landscape. There's even a dessert and drinks pairing available downstairs. Tasting menu £145pp with a new five-course lunch menu at £95; kolrestaurant.com Indian restaurants Blowout: BiBi, London BiBi is informed by generations of familial Indian cooking, led by chef Chet Sharma, who has worked in some ambitious kitchens (Moor Hall, Mugaritz, L’Enclume). Exceptional UK and Indian ingredients underpin a tasting menu and lunch-only à la carte that consistently excel in dishes such as aged Swaledale lamb barra kebab or Devon scallop in a sauce inspired by the lemonade, nimbu pani. Dinner tasting menu £125pp; bibirestaurants.com Empire Empire, London The Indian disco era of the 1970s inspired this new opening from Harneet Baweja (Gunpowder). Eat traditional dishes such as bihari boti kebab, tandoori broccoli and chicken malai tikka from the open grill serenaded by 70s Bollywood bangers from the bespoke jukebox. For the ultimate in luxe dining order the showstopping lobster dum biryani to share, £42 – complete with the crustacean’s head emerging from the pastry lid. empire-empire.restaurant
From fertile kitchen gardens to farm restaurants, olive is celebrating green-fingered chefs getting close to their produce
Read about the best farm-to-fork restaurants the UK has to offer, then check out the UK's best sustainable restaurants, fine dining restaurants, and best private dining rooms in the UK. If you want to pull out all the stops, find out the UK's best showstopping restaurants to impress. The farm-to-fork mantra is revered with good reason. The positives that arise from chefs working in close proximity to their ingredients are manifest in flavour, creativity, freshness and sustainability, and chefs are keen to capitalise on that. Whether growing their own in kitchen gardens, cooking on farms or collaborating closely with market gardens, more and more chefs are not just sourcing locally but seeking greater control of their produce, its cultivation and quality. They work in symbiosis with nature to use seasonal ingredients at their freshly harvested peak. The UK's best farm-to-fork restaurants that are leading the way The Abbey Inn, Byland Tommy Banks’ latest pub further expands a North Yorkshire ecosystem that, at his Michelin-starred restaurants, The Black Swan and Roots, has seen the chef forge a distinctive form of sustainable British cooking. At his family farm in Oldstead, teams of growers, foragers and chefs are at work cultivating, preserving and fermenting often neglected produce into delicious, waste-minimal ingredients. These underpin the creativity of Tommy’s restaurant teams. The Abbey Inn, for example, a bucolic, 19th-century inn, is serving chipolatas with Japanese knotweed jam (similar to rhubarb, apparently) and beef tartare with fermented peppers, nasturtium and bone marrow. Native and rare-bread meats are increasingly prominent in the farm’s work, as featured in The Abbey’s Dexter beef burger or use of its own Herdwicks in plates of hogget rump with glazed faggot, fermented turnip and pommes anna. Mains from £21; abbeyinnbyland.co.uk Wilsons, Bristol From an onion custard with smoked eel, pickled onion and onion broth, to ice cream made from September’s new, sweet celeriacs (served with buckwheat and truffle-fermented honey), chef Jan Ostle’s six-course dinner menu is intimately inspired by the produce emerging from the restaurant’s Barrow Gurney garden. Run by head grower, Anna Barrett, and Jan’s partner, Mary Wilson, who trained in biodynamic agriculture as a student, the 2.5-acre plot is farmed using regenerative techniques and is a precious resource for this ambitious Redland bistro. “When you see how much time and energy goes into growing, it changes the way you perceive and treat ingredients,” says Jan. “Everything becomes something to look forward to, from potatoes to the last tomatoes.” Dinner £68pp; wilsonsbristol.co.uk Chalk, Sussex At winemaker Wiston’s estate, all aspects of the business (restaurant, vineyard, walled garden) work in mutually reinforcing synergy. For example, food waste and spent grapes are turned into compost, while the salt for Chalk restaurant is smoked in old wine barrels. Chef Tom Kemble sources nearly 70 per cent of his ingredients from Sussex, and almost half of that total from Wiston Estate itself – anything from quince to White Park beef. This September, you might see Wiston’s spiced, honey-glazed Hokkaido pumpkins and leaves served with burrata, or its jerusalem artichokes turned into a soup with bay cream, focaccia croutons and smoked ham. Mains from £19; wistonestate.com View our full list of UK vineyard stays here. Heckfield Place, Hampshire A stylish synthesis of ancient and modern, Heckfield was once a Georgian country house, now luxury hotel, where sustainability is foremost. Led by culinary director Skye Gyngell and executive chef Michael Chapman, its green Michelin-star restaurant, Marle, uses produce from Heckfield’s organic farm, which includes Guernsey cows, hens and sheep, Heckfield’s biodynamic market garden and harvest from Skye’s long-term inspiration, Fern Verrow biodynamic farm. Ingredients are showcased with an elegant, Italian-influenced simplicity in, say, a layered crab salad of late summer vegetables, or ricotta and roast squash filled scarpinocc pasta in marjoram butter. Mains from £29; heckfieldplace.com The Newt, Bruton Famously, The Newt is a cider-maker. But the commitment of this stylish hotel, gardens, farm and all-round food hub to growing goes way beyond the 70 varieties of apples in its orchards. Covering 1,000 acres, The Newt variously rears cattle (grass-fed British Whites), manages multiple market gardens and a new hydroponic glasshouse (cultivating anything from revered Tropea onions to Padrón peppers), and staff also forage in its hedgerows and woodlands. Found within the site’s Grade II listed Georgian manor house, Hadspen, the Botanical Rooms restaurant and conservatory terrace is where chef Matt Heeley makes deft use of estate produce in dishes such as glasshouse tomatoes, goat’s curd and basil on sourdough; beef tartare, burnt corn and jalapeño dressing; or lamb, artichoke, confit garlic and mint. Dinner £85pp; thenewtinsomerset.com Pine, Northumberland Farming is in Cal Byerley’s DNA (his family have worked the neighbouring land since 1805) and, with fellow head chef, Ian Waller, he manages more than an acre of growing tunnels, raised beds and a small orchard at their Michelin-starred restaurant. A colony of honey-producing bees help with pollination. Pine’s no-dig garden (compost and plant waste is left to breakdown naturally, enriching the soil) underpins exquisite tasting menu creations including a custard of local, gouda-like Berwick Edge cheese with smoked, aged carrots and horseradish leaf jelly or a jerusalem artichoke cone of ice cream, infused with dried, roasted parsley root. £145pp; restaurantpine.co.uk Where the Light Gets In, Stockport Chef-owner Sam Buckley wants WTLGI to be a unique expression of sustainable, seasonal British food. No more so than in The Landing. Located atop Stockport’s 1960s Merseyway shopping centre, this sun-trap kitchen garden has become a fertile source of anything from figs to Andean tubers. WTLGI’s continually changing Landing Plate (maybe a vibrant salad or a chronological selection of preserved vegetables) platforms this produce. But its presence is felt throughout the menu, from wild strawberries with a seasonal parfait to herbs garnishing a pork ragu. Open to the public, both informally and through horticultural and creative workshops, the Landing is a special project. Dinner £110pp; wtlgi.co Horrell & Horrell, Bruton, Somerset This new micro-dining experience sees the eponymous Horrells, chef Steve and host Jules, welcome 20 people to a communal dinner in an open-fronted barn at their home. Using produce from their 6.5-acre smallholding (fruits and nuts, myriad vegetables, even home-reared lamb) and select regional, artisan suppliers (Chapel Cross goat’s cheese; Buffalicious mozzarella; Brown & Forrest smokery), Steve creates a seasonal, four-course menu in his bespoke outdoor kitchen. A southern European influence is clear in dishes such as artichoke fritti, basil mayonnaise and parmesan, or rosemary and garlic lamb, cime di rapa, chilli and pangrattato. £45pp, BYO alcohol; horrellandhorrell.co.uk Pasture, Cardiff and Bristol Chef-owner Sam Elliott’s steak restaurants serve pasture-reared beef from the South West, cooked over sustainable charcoal. The restaurants also, in dishes of ash-baked beetroot with blackberry jelly, ajo blanco and dill oil or coal-roasted hispi cabbage, aïoli and romesco, utilise produce from their own 3.5-acre, no-dig market garden. Managed by grower Tom McPugh, Sam created Bristol’s Buttercliffe Farm to further populate Pasture’s menus with ingredients grown in a sustainable, regenerative environment. With 3,500 vines planted, Pasture hopes to eventually make its own wine, too. Mains from £15.95; pasturerestaurant.com Carters of Moseley, Worcestershire Running until late September, Brad Carter’s super-inventive, Michelin-starred restaurant has temporarily relocated to key supplier, grower Westlands UK. This summer glasshouse pop-up will see Brad using the surrounding produce, from heritage tomatoes to courgette flowers, across a nine-course menu, ranging from snacks of fresh cheese and nasturtium, via servings of ex-dairy beef to a dessert of grilled strawberries and woodruff. “Expect edible flowers, herbs and plants harvested within minutes of eating them,” says Brad, delivering “optimum” flavour. £75pp; cartersofmoseley.co.uk
Book a window table in a cosy wine shop, treat your date to a Michelin star restaurant or secure a spot with the perfect view for a meal that delivers all the romance (whether it’s Valentine’s Day or not)
In restaurants, love blossoms. Good food, wine and service can combine to create a magical aura in which relationships flourish. But don’t wait for Valentine’s Day – here’s olive’s pick of inspirational venues, lovingly chosen to suit every dating occasion. For more restaurant recommendations, check out the latest UK restaurant openings. Based in London? Check out London’s most romantic restaurants, new London restaurants. Cooking to impress? Discover our effortless Valentine's Day menu ideas. If you fancy a romantic getaway for two, try one of the most romantic UK hotels. Best romantic UK restaurants L’Enclume, Cartmel, Cumbria A rare three-Michelin-star restaurant, bag a booking at Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume and win the heart of any foodie. To make a break of it, stay in L’Enclume’s rooms around Cartmel and book a prelim lunch or dinner at the spin-off Rogan & Co – this is where you’ll have breakfast the following morning, too: devilled eggs, bacon and brioche. L’Enclume is a benchmark in seasonality and creativity, with dishes such as Boltardy beetroot, rose and lobster tart; West Country duck, Kalibos cabbage, pickled walnut with sweet woodruff; and the signature ‘Anvil’ dessert (caramel mousse with miso, apple and spruce), painstakingly refined over weeks and months in development kitchen, Aulis, next door. Expect to see kale from L’Enclume’s farm and Cartmel Valley roe venison on the winter menu. Service is another highlight: in-demand tables include one and three, in the conservatory. £250pp; lenclume.co.uk Check out our recommendations for foodie Lake District hotels here. Curado, Cardiff Romance does not always require a quiet table. Particularly on a nervous first date, you might want a crowd around as, over relaxed food, you see how things develop. This pintxos bar, created by pioneering Welsh deli brand Ultracomida, fits that bill. Get to know one another over plates of chargrilled lamb cutlets with a garlic and parsley picada, baked Valencian goat’s cheese or cuttlefish a la plancha. Want to prolong the night? Next door, snug sister bar, Vermut, specialises in sherry and the eponymous herbal wine. Plates £6-£16; curadobar.com Burnt Orange, Brighton Good restaurants are cocoons from the world. Sitting in a window seat, watching Middle Street go by, or secreted deeper in this warm, stylish bar-restaurant (good cocktails, Fatboy Slim curated soundtrack), real life seems very far away. To minimise fuss and maximise conversation, opt for Burnt Orange’s wood-fired sharing menu of, variously, BBQ chicken thighs with spiced celeriac remoulade and aïoli or smoked miso aubergine, crispy onions and soured cream. To finish, add a baked Tunworth cheese for two. Experience menu, £35/37pp; burnt-orange.co.uk Isabel, London From its luxe grill dishes, including a Galician ex-dairy côte de boeuf or a sharing Cornish dover sole with creamed spinach, preserved lemon and brown butter, to its silk jacquard wall coverings, golden ceiling and bar, this glamorous Mayfair restaurant is guaranteed to wow any date. After dinner, the beats purr, as DJs take guests through until 3am, both in the restaurant and the Dragon Room bar, downstairs. Isabel’s innovative cocktail list includes the Rosetta, a take on the French 75, garnished with a rose petal and dehydrated lychee. Mains from £24; isabelw1.london Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Oxfordshire The headline for foodies is the recent arrival of Luke Selby as executive head chef. A former employee steeped in its seasonal ethos, he returns, says Raymond Blanc, as: “One of the UK’s most creative chefs.” Elsewhere, this gorgeous retreat glides serenely on, offering the kind of exceptional service (bespoke bouquets from its in-house florist; specially requested treats by patissier, Benoit Blin), that have made it both a favourite of young lovers – the Japanese gardens are a popular proposal spot – and married couples. Be it sourcing the wines from your wedding day to celebrate a major anniversary or hosting private candlelit dinners in its glasshouse, Le Manoir excels. Dinner, £230pp; belmond.com/belmond-le-manoir-aux-quat-saisons 10 Tib Lane, Manchester Its scale and location (two compact floors on a back street), décor (candles, wood, distressed walls) and feel (calm, welcoming) make 10 Tib Lane a date night doozy. Start with cocktails, such as the whisky and soda made using a house yogurt-washed Chivas Regal. Revived, head upstairs for on-point sharing plates of smoked trout mousse, roe and brioche toast; sea bream with champagne sauce; or sea salt caramel tart. Plates from £6; 10tiblane.com Lerpwl, Liverpool The Barrie brothers’ Albert Dock stunner is a date night spot you can enjoy as you see fit. Want intense conversation? That’s fine, lean in. If you like to buzz off an energetic room – engaging music, excitable vibe, open kitchen action – you can do that, too. Across tasting menus and a daily changing plates carte, chef Ellis’s modish dishes – fermented chilli-dressed Menai Strait oysters; Anglesey crab risotto with celeriac from Warrington’s Field 28 – make exemplary use of Welsh and northern produce. The signature dry-aged duck for two has, says brother, Liam: “Established its own cult following.” Plates £13-£28; lerpwl.com Chef Jono at V&V, Leeds Comprising just eight tables, Jonathan Hawthorne’s intimate, tasting menu restaurant is date night gold. The chatty staff encourage a relaxed atmosphere, as the open kitchen dispatches dishes such as bone marrow crème brûlée, chilli lobster and crab bisque with passion fruit, or mushroom tiramisu. With its porcini sponge, white chocolate and shiitake ganache and coffee and cep caramel, the latter is, says Jono: “A very modern take on a classic.” Tasting menu, £70; chefjonoatvandv.co.uk Café St Honoré, Edinburgh Chef-owner Neil Forbes is an award-winning sustainability evangelist, whose fealty to the Scottish larder and its artisan producers is legendary. But in its French-inspired food and 1920s Parisian aesthetic, St Honoré retains a surprisingly Gallic feel. Table 1 is good for couples who like to people-watch. For greater intimacy, head downstairs to Neil’s fairy-lit library: “I keep a lot of my cookery books there.” Over winter, expect rich, delicious braises: petit salé pork with lentils and bacon, beef bourguignon or coq au vin, accompanied by predominantly organic, biodynamic wines. Mains from £22.50; cafesthonore.com Beckford Bottle Shop, Bath Arguably, a romantic night requires only great wine, good lighting and a comfortable setting. Beckford Bottle Shop, a bistro and wine shop on an impossibly pretty street, offers all three in abundance. If you can, book the table for two in the wine shop’s window but, wherever you eat, chef James Harris’s menu of sharing charcuterie boards or seasonal small plates (do not miss the Bath chaps or Dartmoor venison with jerusalem artichoke) will seal a memorable night. Next date night, try new the spin-off, Beckford Canteen, housed in a Georgian greenhouse. Plates £6-£12; beckfordbottleshop.com Date-night restaurant no-nos • Spending more time on selfies and #foodporn shots than talking to your date • Ordering for your date without asking • Haggling over split bills • Bragging about legendary meals you’ve eaten, especially if eaten with someone else • Flirting with the FOH • Endlessly updating friends (phones down!) • Booking multiple tables to give your date loads of choice (Οlive could never love someone who no-shows) • Snaffling your date’s food without consent • Finding fault with the restaurant that your date booked • Getting uptight about spills, greedy slurps or giddy enthusiasm for messy foods (an appetite is sexy!) • Faking food knowledge to impress • Not tipping. Not cool. • Getting so engrossed in your conversation that the restaurant closes around you. Come on, the staff have love lives, too. 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The UK restaurant industry: 2022 in review
Join us as we look back at a year in which the hospitality industry proved its mettle and made an incredible comeback
Check out our 2022 year of restaurants in review, then read our guide to the best new London restaurants and new UK restaurants. This was the year when the restaurant scene roared back after two years of disruption. To celebrate, here is olive’s year in review: the trends, dishes and restaurants we loved, and the people making them happen. Whatever the world throws at it, hospitality endures. The UK restaurant industry: 2022 in review 1. Mexican wave At London’s unique KOL (British ingredients, Mexican flavours) and Cavita or Durham’s La Mesa, not to mention street food spots such as Borough’s Tacos Padre or Enrique Martinez’s Manchester classic Pancho’s Burrito, our Mexican food crush is getting serious. 2. Hot hotels Hotels are linking with distinctive talent to attract locals, as well as fill beds. LA chef Kris Yenbamroong road-testing Thai-US restaurant, Chet’s, at The Hoxton’s Rondo La Cave (it will go permanent at a new Shepherd’s Bush Hoxton), is typical of the exciting things happening at the food/hotel interface. As well as Daisy Cecil at Margate’s Fort Road Hotel and incoming restaurants from Mary-Ellen McTague and Belzan’s Sam Grainger at Treehouse Manchester. 3. Delicious destinations outside of London UK cooking talent is increasingly dispersed, as demonstrated by the rise of south Somerset: home of foodie Bruton and acclaimed Osip, Margot Henderson’s The Three Horseshoes and Larry’s spin-off Holm in South Petherton. Barry, in South Wales, is likewise coming in strong, thanks to new live-fire restaurant, Alium, talented chocolatier Cocoa Therapy, and Goodsheds’ shipping container stars, such as Bab Haus Mex, and the parmesan fried chicken aces, Mr Croquewich. Aughton in Lancashire, home of Moor Hall and sister venue, The Barn (three Michelin stars between them), and chef Tim Allen’s ambitious sō-lō, was, this year, dubbed, the “UK’s hottest culinary destination” by The Daily Telegraph. London is not the world. 4. Alfresco everywhere One lockdown legacy? We’re all up for eating outdoors, and from rural idylls (Hertfordshire’s The Zebra Riding Club), to cool urban canalsides (the cluster of great kitchens at Kampus in Manchester), we made the most of it. 5. Awesome openings Nuno Mendes’ typically original homage to Lisbon, Lisboeta, had food lovers enraptured, while, in Liverpool, Manifest, with its ham hock rarebit crumpet and ex-dairy beef tartare, was making waves. The year’s most anticipated opening, Akwasi Brenya-Mensa’s pan-African Tatale, has, in its fried chicken chichinga kebabs, ackee croquettes and takes on traditional dishes such as red red stew, the potential to be a landmark evolution in UK African food. 6. Japanese counter dining Multi-course kaiseki and omakase counter dining inspired the tasting menus and chef’s tables common in high-end Western restaurants. But in London’s Roketsu, Maru or Rai – check Brighton’s FUMI, too – you can go to the source and eat exquisite dishes created by chefs trained in Japan to showcase A1 ingredients. 7. Natural wine bars From Robin Gill’s neo-bistro inspired Bottle + Rye in Brixton (expect pig’s head terrine, barbecued artichokes with aïoli), to Higher Ground’s Flawd in Manchester, olive loves this growing wave of funky, super-casual natural wine bars serving exceptional food. 8. Rarebit revival Liverpool’s Belzan has its Guinness rarebit potato. In London, Richoux opened doing a classic Welsh version, while Elephant & Castle’s Rarebit serves three, including a crab option. Suddenly, rarebit is everywhere. 9. Restaurants reborn Successfully relocating a beloved restaurant is notoriously difficult. Kudos to London’s Honey & Co and Café Spice Namaste, and also Home in Leeds, for showing how it is done. 10. Mushrooming interest The relaunched Ledbury is growing its own Lion’s Mane and Grey Oyster mushrooms, served with potato, yeast and rosemary. Like Bubala’s epic charred oyster mushroom skewers or, in Liverpool, Lerpwl’s stunning autumnal ceps and girolles on grilled focaccia, the Ledbury’s fungi cultivation reflects a burgeoning love for this meatiest meat-free option. 11. More meat-free marvels From Todmorden’s exhilarating South American-inspired Yakumama via Chester and Hypha’s cutting-edge vegan tasting menus to Vanderlyle’s Cambridge creativity: who needs meat? 12. Timeless luxury Notably, the past two winners of the National Restaurant Awards’ chef-to-watch category were Spencer Metzger, head chef at The Ritz, and Tom Booton at The Dorchester Grill. With their modish takes on such classics as beef wellington or lobster thermidor (Booton’s is a roasted tail on a cheese tart, lobster bisque and thermidor foam), these young chefs – like Shay Cooper at The Lanesborough Grill – bring fresh vigour to grand hotel dining. 13. Cooking with fire... has never been hotter, from London’s Acme Fire Cult or Radnage’s Mash Inn to Brighton's Burnt Orange, where miso aubergine with crispy onions or chermoula monkfish get that delish smoky kiss. 14. Hot tips for tomorrow They may not be household names... yet, but olive loves Rishim Sachdeva’s plant-based wizardry at London pop-up Tendril, Stephen Andrews’ Fish & Forest in York and Matt Beardmore’s pasta at Bermondsey’s Legare. 15. Green scene From its zero-waste menu (accessed by QR code, not printed) to its upcycled toilet sinks, Chantelle Nicholson’s Apricity leads those restaurants, from Pizza Pilgrims’ sustainable innovation at Selfridge’s London to Cardiff’s “nose-to-tail, fin-to-gill, root- to-shoot”, napkin-free Kindle, mapping a greener future for UK dining. 16. Food halls forever Slick ordering, ace food and, occasionally, terrific full-service restaurants (see Barnacle at Liverpool’s Duke Street), are making halls such as London’s Arcade or Brighton’s Shelter Hall must-eat destinations. 17. Next-gen talent This year, olive’s world was rocked by Chet Sharma’s clever, creative Indian food at London’s Bibi; Leyli Homayoonfar’s exacting, eye-catching BBQ at Caerphilly’s Bab Haus; ex-River Café man Yohei Furuhashi’s sunkissed Mediterranean menus at London’s Toklas; and Patrick Withington’s modish plates at Manchester’s Erst. 18. Hospitality heroes Writers and chefs Olia Hercules and Alissa Timoshkina are the public face of the team at #cookforukraine, an initiative uniting restaurants, supper clubs and home bakers in fundraising for Unicef UK’s Ukraine appeal. Josh Eggleton, most notably at The Pony Chew Valley, is seeking to weave community outreach into his restaurant businesses. This summer, Darjeeling Express closed pending relocation, but owner Asma Khan remains a vital voice for progressive change and indie ethics in hospitality – olive can’t wait to see Darjeeling back. 19. Ready, set, grow! The ultimate restaurant accessory? Space, often urban, where kitchens can cultivate ingredients. The Culpeper’s rooftop greenhouse and Deptford farm; The Landing, a shopping centre plot farmed by Stockport restaurant, Where the Light Gets In; and chef-grower Luke Farrell, whose Plaza Khao Gaeng uses southern Thai ingredients grown at his Dorset nursery, exemplify this farm-to-fork innovation. 20. Dishes of the year: 2022’s hot plates of pleasure Lunar’s lamb loin with lamb fat seaweed ragout ‘sauce’; Marmite butter flatbread, Acme Fire Cult; salted egg custard bun, London’s Bun House; G Bread, cheese and garlic in perfect harmony at Ramona, Manchester; a universally adored red prawn and seafood rice at Lisboeta; Fallow’s cod’s head in sriracha butter; cachaça pistachio baba at London’s Da Terra; wood-roasted greens, peas and herbs, bone marrow and bottarga at the magisterial Moorcock, near Halifax; enginar dolmasi at London’s Zahter, roast globe artichoke stuffed with spiced rice, sour cherries and almonds: dazzling for the senses. ..and the #trending dishes we loved: pork tonnato; chawanmushi; Detroit-style pizza; red-stained birria beef tacos; innovatively topped flatbreads; barbecued Hispi cabbage; whipped cod’s roe; and sweetbreads... the comeback is on.