Best restaurants in Belfast: GastroGay's Patrick and Russell share their best places to eat in the city
Discover the best restaurants in Belfast with everything from poutine to pizza on offer in Northern Ireland’s foodie capital
Looking for the best restaurants, bars and cafés in Northern Ireland’s foodie capital? Patrick Hanlon and Russell Alford, aka GastroGays, the restaurant critics of the Sunday Times Ireland, share their their top recommendations alongside suggestions from Caroline Wilson, founder of Taste and Tour, Belfast’s premier food tour company. For more Ireland inspiration, discover the best Irish holidays. For more city dining guides, check out the best restaurants in Dublin, best restaurants in Cardiff, best restaurants in York and best restaurants in Liverpool. Jump to: Best places to eat and drink in Belfast 5 of the best Belfast pubs Where to stay in Belfast Best places to eat and drink in Belfast Neighbourhood – for an indulgent breakfast On Donegall Street, this handsome cafe styled like a plush sixties-bureau-meets-modern-Scandi-restaurant serves some of the best brunch dishes and coffee in the city. Don’t miss the croissant eggs benny or the seasonal French toast. neighbourhood.cafe Established – for coffee When Established opened the doors of its industrial-chic cafe in the Cathedral Quarter in late 2013 it sparked a revolution in Belfast’s coffee scene. Over a decade on it remains a beacon of quality and consistency, sourcing and roasting. Their food menu is also a massive draw, changing regularly with the seasons. Their bakes are similarly legendary, particularly the ‘pie and drip’ special, a slice of pie and a drip coffee for £7.50, available only on Sundays until sold out. established.coffee St George's Market – for a food market Saturday is the day the city’s historic Victorian covered market properly springs to life, packed with stallholders, street food traders and food and drink producers aplenty. Snack on dried dillisk/dulse and gulp oysters, try Young Buck blue cheese, pick up some Belfast Brew from Suki Tea and try Armagh apple juice, among other local delicacies. One floor up is the restaurant, Stock Kitchen and Bar, led by chef Danny Millar, where the menu sources a lot locally, including from the market below itself. This is also one of Belfast’s greatest breakfasts with a view — ask for a terrace table! @stgeorgesbelfast General Merchants – for brunch When General Merchants’ chef and co-owner Tim Fetherston first visited Australia, its brunch scene blew him away: “I fell in love with the coffee and café culture. Lots of fine-dining chefs were opening breakfast places. It was an epiphany.” That inspired the original east Belfast General Merchants on the Upper Newtownards Road and now the group boasts three further branches — Ormeau Road, Antrim Road and Stranmillis — plus a city centre hatch on Donegall Place. Its sunny all-day fusion breakfasts range from Mexican-inspired huevos rotos to Melbourne-style smashed avocado with Vegemite on Zac’s Bakehouse sourdough and hawker eggs, a Chinese chilli crisp scramble. Coffee is excellent with a rotating line-up of roasters, differing for espresso and drip. generalmerchants.co.uk Arcadia – for local produce A local institution, Arcadia deli first opened in 1933 and has been going strong ever since. It’s supportive of local producers so new produce hits its shelves first. Look out for Broighter Gold rapeseed oils, Abernethy butter (try the dulse and sea salt), Passion Preserved pickles (including spiced apple jelly and kasundi chutney), Corndale chorizo and Ispini charcuterie. arcadiadeli.co.uk mrDeanes – for a sleek bistro Legendary Belfast restaurateur Michael Deane has done it all, from casual dining to fine dining, burger and steak concepts to Michelin star success, not to mention most of Northern Ireland’s finest chefs having cut their teeth in his kitchens at one time or another, including Danni Barry and Alex Greene. In 2024, he totally restructured his mini empire around Howard Street, closed Michelin-starred EIPIC and reimagined the same space as a sleek bistro, bar and social called mrDeanes with a more accessible concept of classic dishes at a value price point, to which a Michelin Bib Gourmand followed almost immediately. michaeldeane.co.uk The Muddlers Club – for modern dining Deep within the Cathedral Quarter, The Muddlers Club bar and restaurant takes its name from a secret society that used to meet on the site 200 years ago. There’s nothing hush-hush about its operation now, though; sharp, modern food (think venison with parsley root, salt-baked beets and bitter cherry) served from an open kitchen. themuddlersclubbelfast.com Rattlebag – for cocktails Looking for the city’s best cocktails? Rattlebag at the Bullitt Hotel is an award-winning darkly lit, plush and intimate den serving keenly crafted sips from the classic to the experimental with lots of house-made tinctures, washes and oils. rattlebag.co.uk Coppi – for Italian food Located in St Anne’s Square in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, Coppi takes its inspiration from all regions of Italy, but when it comes to ingredients the kitchen looks to producers in Northern Ireland. “We work closely with local suppliers including award-winning farmer Peter Hannan – two of our signature dishes are Peter’s Tuscan spiced pork and fennel sausage cichetti and a steak florentine of salt-aged beef,” says Coppi’s Tony O’Neill. “The pasta we serve is freshly made daily in our production kitchen and the duck ragu, porcini mushroom ravioli and truffle has been on the menu from day one, along with our cichetti of feta fritters with truffled honey. I think there could be a riot if we tried to take them off the menu.” coppi.co.uk Flout – for pizza Fancy pizza? Ireland’s best Stateside-inspired slices are found at Flout! in east Belfast where Peter Thompson’s team sling a daily-changing line-up of slices, squares and rounds reflect the subtleties of US styles of pizza from deep dish and Detroit to New Haven and New York. flout.pizza Bodega Bagels – for bagels Find Brooklyn-inspired Bodega Bagels on Royal Avenue or Banana Block in east Belfast for freshly baked and filled bagels and popular boulder cookies. bodegabagels.co.uk Oui Poutine – for poutine Arguably Ireland’s best take on Canadian poutine comes from Oui Poutine which handily pitches beside The Big Fish statue on Donegall Quay Thursday to Saturday weekly from 12pm. ouipoutine.com 5 best Belfast pubs The Garrick A traditional Victorian boozer with wood-panelled walls and open fires, The Garrick has been one of Belfast’s best bars since 1870. You’ll find great session music and the city’s best champ, plus a range of local ales (try a Hilden’s Belfast Blonde or a MacIvors cider). thegarrickbar.com The Duke of York The Duke of York is found down the colourfully eclectic, umbrella-lined Commercial Court. Inside, get lost among the endless vintage beer and whiskey memorabilia pinned to every available surface (even the ceiling). thedukeofyorkbelfast.com The Crown The Crown is an institution, a grade A-listed gin palace dating back to the early 1800s on Great Victoria Street. The details really need to be experienced in person to be appreciated, this ‘liquor saloon’ is all mosaic tiles, brocade walls, carved woods, gold ceiling and stained glass windows. Try secure one of the coveted snugs for the best experience. nicholsonspubs.co.uk White’s Tavern To find Belfast’s oldest tavern, dating back to 1630, head up the skinny lane called Winecellar Entry to the original White’s Tavern which is like stepping a couple of hundred years. Expect hushed chatter, a roaring fire, a top Irish coffee and piping hot chowder with wheaten bread and butter. White’s also has a more contemporary beer hall, garden and store to the front but the tavern is where the real magic is. whitestavernbelfast.com The Sunflower The Sunflower is known generally as Belfast’s friendliest pub in contrast to its caged facade, a relic of the past which serves as a reminder of the social history of the city and The Troubles. Here you won’t find Guinness but a more eclectic and interesting array of craft brews and stout alternatives like Beamish on tap. sunflowerbelfast.com Where to stay in Belfast The Grand Central A large, luxury hotel in the heart of Belfast’s Linen Quarter. Expect panoramic views and Northern Ireland’s highest rooftop bar. There’s a definite dose of NYC swank about The Grand Central, from the uniformed top-hatted doormen to the huge, high-ceilinged glass and marble lobby. Despite the grandeur, however, there’s plenty of cosy Irish charm. Rooms are spacious, calm and luxuriously furnished with king-size King Koil Cloud beds, smart white linen, and thick, noise-cancelling carpets. The bathrooms are particularly swish with double sinks, freestanding baths, walk-in rainfall showers and toiletries by ESPA. The Seahorse restaurant on the first floor is an airy space, with floor-to-ceiling glass flooding it with light by day and the twinkle of city lights by night. The dinner menu is a celebration of Irish and European classics, with modern touches and delicate portions. The 23rd floor rooftop Observatory Bar is a must-visit, before or after dinner. With its own private lift, it’s become something of a destination for trendy Belfasters. But don’t mistake that for exclusivity; the welcome as you reach the top floor is still very warm. Each cocktail refers to a local landmark – try Napoleon’s Nose (a heady mix of mezcal, Benedictine, fig and orange bitters), or the more floral Botanical Garden, made from gin, rhubarb, aperol, pomegranate, pink peppercorn and citrus. Rooms start at £185 per night, check availability at booking.com More info: visitbelfast.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 Best restaurants in Perthshire Words by Caroline Wilson, founder of the Belfast Food Tour and Director of Taste and Tour NI (tasteandtour.co.uk), Patrick Hanlon and Russell Alford Photographs by Leonid Andronov/Getty, David Cornder/Alamy stock photo and Elaine Hill Photography
Get your burger fix courtesy of Britain’s finest patty purveyors, from Korean brisket burgers in the North West, to beef short rib cheeseburgers in the capital
Looking for the best burger restaurants across the UK? Want to know where to find the best gourmet burgers? Read on for our restaurant guide, or check out our burger recipes here... Best burger restaurants in London… Buster's, Brixton A stone’s throw from Brixton station is potentially the best new burger in London. You’ll find it at Buster’s, effectively a hole in the wall joint, bar a few small tables, serving up delicious wagyu beef and fried chicken burgers. The London restaurant scene is full of spots trying to claim they do ‘simple things, executed perfectly’ but Buster’s is a spot that is actually nailing it. The wagyu cheeseburger is made up of tender meat, seasoned perfectly and cooked to a juicy medium. The green peppercorn dijonaise adds a welcome acidity, and the potato roll it is all sandwiched between is soft and bouncy. The chicken burger is equally excellent, crispy, juicy and served with plenty of pickles. The IPA cheese sauce is aerated and rich, perfect for dipping lots of hot, crispy fries in. We finished off the meal with a chocolate mousse, which was light but decadent. If you’re looking for a great burger south of the river, Buster’s is where it’s at. busterslondon.co.uk Supra Burger, Queen's Park Housed as a permanent pop-up in the cosy rotisserie restaurant Cocotte, Supra does smashed burgers and it does them well. The burger menu is short and the five burgers on offer are a variation on double stacked smashed cheeseburger, to which you can add bacon or salad, or change up the sauce to make it a Supra, truffle or barbecue burger. The burgers are generously portioned but without being too big to eat. There’s attention to detail in the preparation, along with the use of high-quality ingredients, resulting in burgers that are juicy, flavourful and smashed to perfection. The fries are crisp, golden and fresh from the fryer, and a side of chicken tenders were succulent from what we guessed must have been a wet brine. As well as a choice of six sauces (the burnt chilli was our favourite), there’s a short list of desserts. We tried the Mont Blanc, which was a tall sundae of sweetened chestnut purée, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and almonds. There’s a fair few eateries on this stretch of leafy Queen's Park and Supra is now the go-to for burgers. supra-burger.com MEATLiquor, Clapham November marks 10 years since the first MEATliquor restaurant launched. Their origins from a burger van in Peckham, to a pop-up above an abandoned pub in New Cross, couldn' be further from the latest venture — and biggest yet — in Clapham's Old Town. The huge space has two bars, a heated outdoor dining area with TVs and a large projector and photo booth inside. Everything about MEATliquor is full-on — from the graffiti-led design and the music played, to the flavours on the menu, a mix of American diner specials, all with a MEATliquor twist. Burger aficionados will point to the Dead Hippie: a French's-mustard-fried double patty with onions, cheese, lettuce and pickles all within a soft bun that soaks up the good stuff. Buffalo chicken wings are a match for any of those found in the US and the loaded fries on offer are a meal within themselves. There are a range of vegetarian and vegan options — from the Tempeh Tantrum patty to the Black Bean Chilli Dog. The drinks list is a mix of craft beers and cocktails, and that's before you hit the 'Poke For Jäger' button on your table. meatliquor.com Tucka Burger, Shoreditch Andy Gardener and Lachy Brown met at school in Australia, and both moved to London to pursue careers in accountancy and consulting. Lachy says: “We quickly realised our passion lay elsewhere, and so in July 2018 we turned to our burger truck dream.” The beef is a high-fat blend of chuck, brisket and bone marrow, which has been dry-aged for 35 days. Try the signature Tom Tucka American cheeseburger, or the vegetarian What the Tuck (beef is substituted for grilled halloumi). “Our burgers are incredibly juicy and messy,” says Lachy. tuckaburger.co.uk Hawksmoor, London This upmarket steakhouse chain also serves a mean burger – notably the £17.50 beef short rib cheeseburger with kimchi, which was launched in 2010 when the Seven Dials restaurant opened. Inspired by a trip to Seoul, it features Hawksmoor’s own kimchi, the recipe for which you can find in the Hawksmoor at Home cookbook. thehawksmoor.com Bleecker, London What started as a street-food truck by former corporate lawyer Zan Kaufman now has three sites in Bloomberg, Victoria and Old Spitalfields Market. Bleecker serves six burgers with a range of fries, including the “angry” version with hot sauce and blue cheese sauce. The patties are made with native-breed beef, and brand director Liam O’Keefe says the secret blend they’ve created helps the butcher use the whole animal. “We believe we have the best-tasting beef burger possible,” he says. bleecker.co.uk Black Bear Burger, E1 (Shoreditch) This Box Park Shoreditch operation keeps things simple with three classic burger options. Stew Down, who opened Black Bear alongside his wife Liz, says: “We don’t mess around with gimmicks – everything in our burgers is there for one reason: flavour.” Beef comes from grass-fed South West native breeds (Stew’s family are beef farmers in Devon), and the most popular burger is the Black Bear: dry-aged beef, American cheese, bacon, onion jam and garlic mayo in a super-light seeded bun. It’s the balance of flavours that sets these burgers apart – Stew says that they’re keen to avoid overpowering sauces, incorrect seasoning and unnecessary ingredients. blackbearburger.com The Wigmore, W1 (Oxford Cirus) An upmarket pub just off Regent Street and Oxford Circus, The Wigmore serves a mean cheeseburger with grilled ox tongue. It was created by head chef James Hawley, who says the idea came from enjoying ox tongue and English mustard rolls when he was a kid. The Wigmore burger also features a caramelised onion brioche bun, crispy shallots and the same melted three-cheese mix used in the pub’s signature toasties. the-wigmore.co.uk Best burger restaurants across the UK… Bunsen, Belfast Keeping it simple and using high-quality ingredients (such as Black Aberdeen Angus beef minced on site every morning, and homemade soft Amish dinner rolls) is what sets Belfast’s Bunsen apart from competitors. It’s a straightforward choice between classic hamburger or cheeseburger, the latter of which includes a special blend of comté and monterey jack. bunsen.ie Steak & Honour, Cambridge Steak & Honour (which also has mobile burger vans across Cambridge) serves three types of burger: classic, cheese and a veggie shroom. The meat patties are made with 100% hand-minced chuck beef from cattle that graze East Anglian pastures and water meadows. Nothing is added except Maldon salt as they sizzle, and Dovecote Bakery created the brioche bun recipe for them. Order a side of three-cheese mac ’n’ cheese, too, which comes sliced and grilled. steakandhonour.co.uk Patty & Bun, Brighton Eight Patty & Bun branches have opened in London and Brighton over the past seven years. It’s known for impeccable sourcing – beef from HG Walter, bespoke buns from Bread Ahead, cheese from Neal’s Yard and Kupros Dairy – and bestsellers include the Lambshank Redemption: a lamb patty with coriander and chilli, buttermilk baby courgettes, pickled aubergine, cumin aïoli and feta. pattyandbun.co.uk Hills, Brecon A mile outside the town and overlooking the Brecon Beacons, the glass-fronted Hills restaurant is a destination that attracts thousands of diners every month. Owain and Emily Hill showcase Welsh produce in their burgers, with signature options including a chips and gravy cheeseburger, sweet and sour chicken burger, and pulled pork with hoisin and soy sauce burger. Hills uses aged PGI Welsh beef from local butcher Paddy Sweeney, and cooks its burgers using the ‘smashed’ method, creating an incredible crust and flavour. Each burger comes with two 3.5oz smashed patties and a blend of monterey jack and American cheese as standard. hillsbrecon.co.uk Blas Burgerworks, St Ives, Cornwall “Not fast, just fabulous” is the motto at Blas Burgerworks, the tiny restaurant and takeaway close to St Ives harbour. Now into its 14th year, it has become something of a local institution thanks to an unwavering commitment to provenance and sourcing. Beef comes from nearby Trevaskis Farm, Cornish potatoes are used for the hand-cut chips, and all the sauces are made on the premises. Blas Burgerworks also makes a mean vegetarian organic black bean burger, and occasionally serves a special mackerel burger using fish landed in the bay around the corner. blasburgerworks.co.uk Libertine Burger, Leamington Spa Charles Harris of Libertine Burger says that the main reason his patties stand out is the quality of the meat. It’s a mix of double-ground chuck, brisket and flank from 35-day dry-aged Angus beef, supplied by renowned butcher, Aubrey Allen. Hand-smashing the patties to order on a really hot grill lends a great crust. The Warwickshire punters also love the buttermilk fried chicken burger. libertineburger.com Squeezed, Bristol He might be cooking in a tiny shipping container on Bristol’s harbourside but Squeezed founder Alex Hayes was still crowned burger chef of the year at the National Burger Awards 2019. Signatures include the Beetlejuice (double beef patty, smoked bacon, cheese, black garlic, squid-ink aïoli and gochujang ketchup) and the Reverse Cowgirl (beef patty, smoked bacon, peanut chipotle BBQ and charred scallion soured cream). Alex says: “You can taste every element, as well as the overall flavour profile.” bristolsqueezed.co.uk Fat Hippo, Newcastle, Durham and Sheffield “Get ready to sink your teeth into something juicy,” is one tagline at the Fat Hippo, which started life in Newcastle and has since added Durham, Jesmond and Sheffield branches to its empire. The idea is indulgence, messy fingers and a full belly. The Bubba Gump burger, for example, includes a double patty, cheese, popcorn shrimp, smoked bacon and pickleback slaw. fathippo.co.uk The Beefy Boys, Hereford The Beefy Boys are four childhood friends who have always loved cooking burgers at garden BBQs. They’re regular competitors at worldwide burger championships (their next challenge in October takes them to Dallas, Texas) but, following a series of pop-ups across Hereford, the crew now has a restaurant in the city. Co-founder Murf says: “The Beefy Boys are the definition of a drunken BBQ that’s got seriously out of hand... so much so that we now own a restaurant, a food truck and an events business.” Murf puts their success down to local Hereford beef (100% chuck and brisket), toasting the bun with bacon fat, butter or aged beef fat, and seasoning. “We also steam our burgers, a tip we picked up from American diners. You spray water onto the hot plate, then steam the burgers under a cloche – it heats the bun up and melts the cheese, making the whole thing come together in a cacophony of cheesy, meaty goodness.” thebeefyboys.com Free State Kitchen, Liverpool “We serve straightforward American classics,” says Kate Hughes of Liverpool’s Free State Kitchen, whose bestseller after six years of business is still the cheeseburger (served in a locally baked brioche bun). The core menu may stay the same, but Free State Kitchen likes to use its specials board to mix things up on a regular basis. Expect treats such as the Korean brisket burger, made with locally produced kimchi, bulgogi-style beef and a crispy fried egg. freestatekitchen.co.uk Slap & Pickle, Leeds James Tabor and Zoe Perret run Slap & Pickle at Assembly Underground, a street-food hub located in the basement of a Grade-II building in Leeds city centre. The burgers are made from 100% grass-fed Yorkshire beef, and showcase a signature blend of chuck, short rib and clod. James says: “We can serve every item on our menu in meaty, veggie or vegan incarnations, and we make all of it ourselves. We don’t buy ‘science-lab fake meats’, because they’re all horrible.” slapandpickle.co.uk Big Boys, Folkestone Brothers Gareth Attwell and Guy Meurice launched Big Boys in 2014, and have made it to the finals of the National Burger Awards twice since then. Chef Gareth worked in top-end restaurants for 16 years, including spells with Marcus Wareing. The burgers are made with local rare-breed beef (matured for 28 days) and French brioche buns (or even mac ’n’ cheese ‘buns’, pictured). Big Boys are well known for their specials – try the Fat Elvis for its peanut butter, raspberry jelly and bacon jam. bigboysburgers.co.uk El Perro Negro, Glasgow Nick Watkins started El Perro Negro as a kitchen takeover pop-up, but it became such a hit with Glasgow burger fans that it was a permanent restaurant by 2018 (and winner at the National Burger Awards 2019). Using beef from small local farms, specials include the Top Dog, with bone marrow and roquefort butter, bacon and black truffle mayo, and the Black Dog, which adds black pudding to the mix. Nick says: “We don’t attempt to reinvent the wheel, we just use great beef, great bread and great ingredients. Our short rib and marrow patty gives a super juicy burger, with a really intense bovine flavour. The beef should be the star of the show. Anything that goes on the patty is there to complement the beef, not drown it out.” @ElPerroNegroGLA Magu, Bath Magu founder Leon Dunnett makes his own sauces and serves fantastic smashed beef patties in bespoke buns. But his Bath diner has also gained a formidable reputation for the veggie burger with Somerset-made halloumi, roasted Mediterranean vegetables, pickled red onion and mint yogurt. magudiner.com Meat:Stack, Newcastle Following pop-ups around Newcastle, Meat:Stack found a permanent home in the city’s Grainger Market. Its American cheeseburgers are the stuff of legend, especially the Cease and Desist (made with rare-breed dry-aged beef, smoked bacon, mascarpone and black garlic honey). “We are obsessive about simplicity and clarity of flavour,” says co-founder Tom Westman. The beef is cooked on a searing hot grill, then steamed, and you should order a portion of beef dripping fries on the side. meat-stack.com Honest Burgers, across the UK With more than 30 sites across the UK, Honest Burgers has a point of difference from other chains – it’s heavily invested in its own butchery, with each restaurant making burgers from scratch. Co-founder Tom Barton says: “From day one we’ve made the majority of our menu in-house, starting with chips, relish, pickles and sauces. By having our own butchery, we now know exactly where our beef comes from. We also love working with nearby suppliers, whether it’s for a local burger (every branch of Honest has one) or a local brewery.” honestburgers.co.uk Hoof, Cardiff Sibling business to Cardiff’s Dusty Knuckle Pizza, Hoof has a permanent residency at the city’s Sticky Fingers street-food market in the Brewery Quarter. It serves a 100% Welsh beef featherblade patty with Teifi cheese, pickles, cultured cream and sweet chilli herb sauce. One of the secrets of their success, according to owner Phil Lewis, is the fact award-winning Hay-on-Wye baker Alex Gooch provides the buns. “Alex’s organic challah buns are slightly spongy and a bit crusty. They hold together perfectly and are a great marriage with our beef patties, especially when grilled with dripping.” @hoofcdf Original Patty Men, Birmingham “Our tag line is ‘Purveyors of Filth’ and we do our best to live up to that,” says Thomas Maher, director of Birmingham’s Original Patty Men. Five burgers are on the menu, including the Pineapple Express (aged longhorn beef patty, maple-coated bacon, lettuce, roquito chilli pepper, fresh tomato, cheddar and pineapple hot sauce). Thomas says: “Our suppliers list is something we’re incredibly proud of, and the majority supply Michelin-starred restaurants across the country. Our style of cooking is just a bit different to theirs!” originalpattymen.com Words by Mark Taylor Photographs by Justin D Esouza, David Griffen, Ed Sowerby
18 UK restaurants that top chefs love to eat at
Six of O’s favourite chefs tell us where they love to eat and about those memorable meals which, years later, they can still taste
Peter Sanchez-Iglesias, Casamia, Bristol (pictured above) With his brother Jonray, who sadly died late last year, Peter has minted a style of highly creative, ultra-seasonal cooking which continues to thrill diners at Casamia’s slick new central Bristol location. Casamia holds one Michelin star. @petercasamia Bulrush, Bristol “I’ve made it a goal to eat out more this year because, ultimately, that’s why I’m in this job – I love the romance of restaurants. I’ve been to Bulrush three times and it’s blown me away. It’s very relaxed. You can hang around and have the tasting menu or, if you want a more express thing, one plate. The space itself is quite stripped-back, which I like – white walls, bare tables, natural clay crockery. Quality-wise, George Livesey’s dishes are in the Michelin realm: well-sourced ingredients, well-executed cooking, and it’s different too, because he takes inspiration from Japan and he’s into foraging and preserving. He uses some really unusual ingredients like rose petal vinegar. I love his octopus with heirloom tomatoes, tomato consommé and wakame seaweed. Octopus isn’t easy to cook, and that consommé is banging. His asparagus with walnuts and elderflower hollandaise is another interesting flavour combination, as is his phenomenal dessert of pine yogurt with seasonal poached fruits, such as rhubarb and quince. George has his own style and with Katherine (Craughwell, who runs front-of-house) they’ve stamped their personality on the whole restaurant, be it in the music they play, or the homemade liqueurs (some made by George’s mum) that they use in their cocktails, such as cassis, vin d’orange and sloe gin. I think George is going to have serious awards and accolades coming his way.” Starters from £7.50, mains from £14.50; bulrushrestaurant.co.uk Hart’s Bakery, Bristol “I love Hart’s; good coffee, awesome savoury croissants and their sourdough is so, so good.” Savouries/lunch, £3-£6; hartsbakery.co.uk Tasty Ragga, Bristol “Caribbean BBQ stall found at various markets and festivals. I dream about the jerk chicken wraps!” Meal deals £6.50; tastyragga.co.uk Nieves Barragán Mohacho, Barrafina, London W1 Bilbao-born Nieves is the culinary dynamo who, as executive head chef, gives Sam and Eddie Hart’s Barrafina restaurants their auténtico edge. @nievesbarragan1 The Seahorse, Dartmouth, Devon “I first visited The Seahorse 10 years ago. Mitch Tonks, who is the chef and co-owner there, had been at (Barrafina’s then sister-restaurant) Fino, he loved it and said, ‘come to my restaurant and I’ll cook for you’. Nowadays it’s my favourite place. The restaurant is a stunning room overlooking the estuary with a very special ambience – it feels like home. The food may look simple – perhaps just three ingredients on the plate, and Mitch is not overly fussy about presentation – but it’s backed-up by real skill. Being by the sea, and because he knows everyone locally, Mitch has the best seafood and he really knows how to preserve flavour in these amazing ingredients. His white port scallops are heavenly, as is the cuttlefish cooked with fennel, tomato and orange juice served with a cuttlefish ink polenta. Mitch also introduced me to roasting fish using a charcoal oven (we have one at Barrafina Adelaide Street and Drury Lane because of him), and he loves to cook delicate fish such as brill or John Dory whole, on-the-bone, as we do in the Basque Country. It’s always a long dinner. I never want to leave.” Mains from £20; seahorserestaurant.co.uk The Ninth, London W1 “This is Jun Tanaka’s place and, so far, his rabbit lasagne is my dish of the year.” Mains from £15; theninthlondon.com Quality Chop House, London EC1 “Unbelievably tasty, interesting English food. The cod with langoustine and hollandaise is wonderful.” Mains from £14; thequalitychophouse.com Minal Patel Prashad, nr. Leeds Head chef at one of the north’s most celebrated Indian restaurants, Minal’s Gujarati vegetarian food packs revelatory layers of flavour. @Prashad_veggie Salvo’s, Leeds “Normally, in India, you eat Indian food everywhere, so when I came to Britain in 2004, I discovered lots of new cuisines, from English to Chinese. My husband Bobby first took me to Salvo’s about six years ago and it took some time to get used to these Italian flavours. We know John (Dammone, Salvo’s co-owner) and so he would make specials for us and put a little more chilli in certain dishes for me, but, nowadays, I love the cheesy gnocchi ai quatro formaggi. I like the simplicity of it, it’s soothing and homely and the potato gnocchi are really light. We’re vegetarian and I also really like the casarecce frattese, a short tubular pasta served with tomatoes, mozzarella, pecorino and my favourite vegetable, aubergines – from Puglia in this case. I don’t drink alcohol, so with my meal I’ll usually have an Italian blood orange juice. We normally have Monday off, so we might go to Salvo’s with our young daughter. It has a really good family-friendly atmosphere, the service is warm and it’s good to see the owners working in the kitchen. When we first went it was tiny, but it has been expanded recently and now it’s a really open, dynamic space.” Starters from £6.50; mains from £8.50; salvos.co.uk Benares, London W1 “Lovely food and atmosphere. I like to see how Atul Kochhar is experimenting with Indian cuisine, its ingredients and presentation.” Mains from £21; benaresrestaurant.com Akbar’s, Bradford “I usually order a mixed vegetable curry or slow-cooked channa dhal and the special potato and pea brown rice is beautifully fragrant.” Mains from around £7.95; akbars.co.uk Stephen Toman, OX, Belfast Stephen is the chef and co-owner at Belfast’s modern, seasonally-driven one-Michelin-starred sensation, OX. @oxbelfast Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London SW3 “This is a special occasion place – I ate there in 2008 before my honeymoon. Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants are the crown jewels of the UK food scene and, having grown up reading his books, to eat those classic dishes such as his lobster, langoustine and salmon ravioli, was amazing. I went on a beautiful summer’s day, the room felt fresh and it’s more relaxed than you might think. You’re a wee bit nervous going to a three-Michelin-starred place like that, but you’re made to feel at ease. As a chef, you tend to dissect everything, but you’re there to enjoy it – I didn’t go in with a clipboard and pen. I had the tasting menu and I particularly remember the lamb with these beautifully turned artichokes that had a Provençal garnish of olives and herbs. It was quite classical in its technique, but current: very fresh in its flavours. The plating is very exact and on beautiful crockery. It’s all very confident. There was some theatre, too; the petit fours were white chocolate truffles served on dry ice. There are other places that I’m still dying to get to, such as Simon Rogan’s Fera and The Fat Duck.” Three courses, £110; gordonramsayrestaurants.com The Muddlers Club, Belfast “The cool kid: dark 80s feel, loud music, amazing cocktails and very fresh, seasonal food. The beef carpaccio with tarragon, egg yolk and burnt carrot is quite unusual.” Mains from £14; themuddlersclubbelfast.com Castle Terrace, Edinburgh “Dominic Jack is one of the UK’s best chefs. His red mullet tartare is phenomenal.” Three courses, £65; castleterracerestaurant.com Ben Radford, Timberyard, Edinburgh In this hip warehouse space, Ben applies a Nordic methodology (seasonal, local, foraged, home-smoked), to create fascinating dishes from peerless Scottish produce. @timberyard10 Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterader, Scotland “The first time I visited Andrew Fairlie it was bucketing down, but Gleneagles Hotel still looked beautiful. It’s enormous, the grounds are stunning and, from the minute you walk in, you’re waited on hand-and-foot, but in a friendly way. The staff are always ready with a smile, there is no pretence. The restaurant is in the windowless heart of the hotel, so whatever time it is, or whatever the weather outside, you’re in your own lavish bubble of crisp linen and polished silver cutlery. Andrew’s smoked Orkney lobster dish with lime herb butter, in which the meat is first removed and the shells smoked over whisky barrel chips, is fantastic. In 2012, the restaurant acquired a nearby walled garden and, since then, the style of the food began to change from being classically French (say, foie gras terrine with sauternes and caramelised fig), to something more influenced by this light, abundant produce. Last year – I’ve been four times since 2011 – they ran a tasting menu using just their own ingredients and those from within 20 miles. People throw ‘local’ and ‘seasonal’ around but, for me, Andrew Fairlie is a Scottish restaurant genuinely committed to that ethos. Seeing the possibilities of that was quite influential on Timberyard.” Three courses, £95; andrewfairlie.co.uk The Dairy, London SW4 “This is where London cooking is right now: a fun, cheap, bustling restaurant and constantly evolving, technically great food.” Plates £6-£10.50; the-dairy.co.uk The Honours, Edinburgh “The chateaubriand is hands-down the best steak I’ve ever had. Fantastic service, too.” Mains from £22; thehonours.co.uk Lisa Goodwin-Allen, Northcote, Lancashire Executive head chef at the Michelin-starred Northcote, Lisa takes Lancashire ingredients and traditional dishes and turns them into world-class dining. @_LisaAllen The Coach, Marlow, Buckinghamshire “I went last summer when it was newly opened and what Tom (Kerridge, the owner) has done with it feels really welcoming. It’s still a pub where you could drop in for a pint or watch the football on Sunday, but it’s also quite elegant. It’s in a lovely old building in which they’ve kept some of the original features, but it now has a really attractive bar, there’s lots of leather, little bespoke wooden things that your cutlery sits on, nice placemats. It feels like a pub but it’s been elevated with the refurb. It’s really social, too. You can see into the kitchen with its rotisserie and interact with the chefs, the waiting staff are really friendly and the menu includes small and sharing plates. The food is pubby but very tasty and done with flair and imagination. The chicken kiev with gem lettuce and peas was brilliant, as was the venison chilli con carne and – I’m a big fan of this dish – the steak tartare with a fried quail’s egg and rye cracker. There’s a great selection of gins, tonics and interesting garnishes such as dill and rosemary. If you’re into gin, it’s quite exciting.” Small plates from £5, large plates from £10; thecoachmarlow.co.uk Inn at Whitewell, nr. Clitheroe, Lancashire “An amazing old building with really good pub food, say braised lamb shoulder with parsley mash or spicy squid noodle salad.” Bar mains from £10.30; innatwhitewell.com Benedicts, Whalley, Lancashire “A café that serves all homemade food and good cakes. It has a deli attached, too.” Mains from £6.50; benedictsofwhalley.co.uk Words Tony Naylor Photographs John Arranchara Blackwell, Kirstie Young, Elaine Hill, John Carey, Myburgh Du Plessis You might also like Top 16 UK Street Food Stalls | The Best Street Food in the UK The UK’s best places for beer and food pairings The Best Places for Afternoon Tea Outside London best outdoor restaurants in the UK