Looking for Chester restaurants? Here are our favourite restaurants in the small city in Cheshire. The best foodie spots include cracking aubergine pizzas at Stile Napoletano, pillowy blueberry pancakes at Flower Cup and freshly made dumplings at Pierogi. Check out our ideas for eating and drinking in Chester, between the city’s Roman walls and medieval alleys…

Advertisement

Best coffee shops and brunch spots in Chester

The Jaunty Goat

Choose between the fruity house blend or guest single-origin brew, a flat white or a V6O pour-over at this coffee shop, which takes its beans seriously. Turn it into brunch with a bowl of gently spiced kedgeree or silken slow-poached eggs on sourdough (discover our guide to baking your own sourdough here).

Jaunty Goat, Chester

jauntygoatcoffee.co.uk


Flower Cup

More like this

This plant-garlanded café is hidden away in one of Chester’s famous Rows (covered walkways on top of the street-level shops). You might come for the fiery tofu hash or pillowy blueberry pancakes, but you’ll probably leave with a cactus or funky pot from sister shop, The Violet Palm.

flowercup.co.uk


Best restaurants in Chester

The Chef’s Table - for seasonal British dishes

Don’t be fooled by this tiny spot’s simple décor; The Chef’s Table creates elegant dishes from carefully sourced ingredients. The heritage tomato soup is almost too pretty to eat, while honey and lavender peaches are the perfect foil for tender salt-aged duck breast and duck leg faggot.

chefstablechester.co.uk


Pierogi - for Polish food

Within weeks of opening, Chester’s first polish café had established itself as a firm favourite with locals. Pierogi only does two things: hearty soups and a pick ‘n’ mix of plump, freshly made dumplings that often sell out. Save room for dessert – sweet curd cheese and vanilla dumplings.

Pierogi, Chester

@pierogichester


Porta - for tapas

On Fridays and Saturdays you’ll need to arrive early to bag a spot at Porta, a snug tapas bar tucked beneath the ancient city walls. Order juicy seared pork shoulder with zingy mojo verde and romesco sauce-smothered broccoli, along with a glass of dry, nutty La Gitana Manzanilla sherry.

Porta, Chester

portatapas.co.uk


Best bars in Chester

Covino

You won’t find sauvignon blanc on the menu at this wine bar but owner Chris Laidler is only too happy to guide novices through his intriguing array of organic, biodynamic and minimal intervention wines. Pair a crisp pétillant naturel with a plate of creamy Brillat-Savarin brie from Normandy.

Covino, Chester

covino.co.uk


The Cellar

An unpretentious pub, this promises 20 taps, 40 gins, a handful of real ciders and its own session brew – the zesty, hoppy Saison du Pint. Craft beer connoisseurs can order thirds and soak it all up with a handmade pork pie and pickles.

Bar, Chester

thecellarchester.co.uk


Best food shopping in Chester

Chester Market

With a new artisanal bakery, sandwich bar and craft beer shop, Chester Market is rapidly turning into a foodie haven. The biggest queue is for Stile Napoletano, where Giacomo Guido makes what might be the best pizza outside of Naples (check out our guide to Naples here). Order his award-winning Parmigiano with melting aubergine and airy crust.

Pizza at Chester Market

@stilenapoletanouk


The Cheese Shop

If you’re in need of a picnic, or a delicious gift, look no further than The Cheese Shop, where farmer’s daughter Carole Faulkner stocks the fruit of 180 small producers. Team Mr Bourne’s 1845 (a punchy, tangy mature Cheshire) with artisan biscuits and Mrs Bridges’ caramelised onion chutney.

Cheese shop, Chester

chestercheeseshop.co.uk


Best food tour in Chester

Taste of Chester

Explore the city’s Roman history and flourishing food scene on a new Taste of Chester walking tour. Guide Gareth Boyd’s knowledge is second to none, and there are plenty of opportunities to stock up or refuel; the pitstops include Pierogi, Stile Napoletano and indulgent liqueur pancakes at quirky café Hanky Panky.

A man in a white tshirt making pizza at Stile Napoletano Chester

chesterrunningtours.co.uk


Other places to eat in Chester…

1539 Restaurant & Bar

1539 Restaurant & Bar (named after the year racing first began in Chester) provides an unbeatable view of the world’s oldest racecourse. On race days, the glass-fronted restaurant offers a spectacular vantage point of the final furlong.

restaurant1539.co.uk

Tables and chairs are laid in a restaurant that looks out over a green racecourse

Stile Napoletano

Although he worked as a chef in London before opening Stile Napoletano in Chester Market in 2018, Giacomo Guido hails from the island of Ischia in the Bay of Naples, well known for its sourdough pizzas. Here pizzas include Neapolitan sausage, wild broccoli, mozzarella, smoked mozzarella, fresh chillies and extra-virgin olive oil.

Giacomo says: “I use a blend of flours selected by myself, and my dough rises for 48 hours to offer a light and digestible pizza. I think what makes my pizza special is the authenticity, the passion and the knowledge of what I do.”

stilenapoletanopizzeria.co.uk

A room with a counter at the front and tables for two

Best places to stay in Chester

Hotel Indigo, Chester

This gleaming new 75-bedroom hotel makes a sensible city centre base. Not only are its bedrooms peppered with racecourse memorabilia (Chester’s racecourse is the oldest still in use in England) and kitted out with stylish bathrooms (complete with rainfall showers) but dining is a real draw. With Masterchef winner Simon Wood at the helm of the hotel’s restaurant, WOOD (one of three branches, the original is in Manchester with another, slightly more informal, outpost in Cheltenham), the menu focuses on dishes that celebrate local produce, be that Cheshire short rib with truffle, or lamb with Bosworth Ash goat’s cheese and lavender honey.

If you fancy something more casual there’s also a separate, small plates, lounge menu (yakitori meats with crispy onion, breaded halloumi or falafel with mint yogurt), plus a choice of ‘surprise’ seasonal tasting menus (5, 7 or 10 courses).

Check availability at booking.com


Advertisement

Words by Claire Webb, Mark Taylor and Ellie Edwards

Comments, questions and tips

Choose the type of message you'd like to post

Choose the type of message you'd like to post
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement