25 small towns across the UK that every foodie should visit
From Welsh market towns with creative culinary gatherings to Yorkshire boroughs that are home to artisan roasters and gin distilleries, these are 10 of the best foodie towns across the UK for a staycation
Looking for UK staycations? Want to know the best towns for foodies? Check out our guide for the must-visit UK towns that every foodie should visit. Filled with must-try restaurants, bakeries and bars, there is something for everyone in 0ur gourmet picks – from an island getaway in Jersey to picturesque Bruton in Somerset's green rolling hills. For more travel inspiration, find out the best unique UK holiday cottages for foodies and check out our best gastropubs with rooms. Feeling active? See our picks of 10 unique walking holidays for foodies. If you're planning a summer holiday, check out our UK summer travel ideas. Totnes, Devon The market town of Totnes in Devon has some of the most progressive organic restaurants in the country. The Bull Inn is driving the charge with its ecological and social impact pledges, including commitments to “field grown, not flown”, mindful meat, seasonality and supplier-led organic food. Its inventive menu includes such dishes as roasted courgettes, whipped tahini, preserved lemon, pumpkin seed picada and basque cheesecake with plums. Eversfield organic farm shop & café has a menu of all-day brunch classics such as toasted banana bread with seasonal compote and Turkish eggs with warm chilli butter. The Totnes Sunday food market is the biggest in Devon offering up fine produce from local producers. For a taste of fine-dining, head to Gather which showcases locally sourced and wild foraged ingredients from Devon’s fields, shoreline, rivers and hedgerows. Where to stay: not just a restaurant, you can also stay at The Bull Inn. There are nine chic, minimally-designed rooms to choose from plus a four-bed self catering apartment (with it's own private terrace) that is ideal for larger groups. Doubles from £165, check availability at booking.com Alnwick, Northumberland The market town of Alnwick, famous for its historic castle, is quietly becoming something of a culinary hotspot. New fine-dining restaurant Sonnet serves up a tasting menu inspired by ingredients from small local farmers, producers of rare-breed meats and British fine food makers. Alnwick Brewery Co & Taproom has been producing traditional brown ales and IPAs since the 1860s, and is a lively hangout that regularly hosts food trucks from local establishments like Caribbean Ren’s Kitchen. The Bistro at The Cookie Jar is a relaxing restaurant serving up local produce in dishes such as tempura cod cheeks with spicy pea purée and chorizo crisps, and homemade ice creams and sorbets. And Jasper’s Bistro, in nearby Amble, is an intimate seafood restaurant with just six tables, specialising in locally landed lobster, crab and langoustines, with an excellent wine list. Check out our full guide to the best restaurants in Northumberland for more. Falmouth, Cornwall Falmouth in Cornwall is famous for its scenic natural harbour and stunning views, and is now also something of a culinary hotspot. Perched on the rocks overlooking Swanpool beach is new seafood restaurant Beach House Falmouth, which is centred around a menu of fresh, local and sustainably sourced seafood. It serves delicious dishes like whole grilled Falmouth Bay crab with garlic butter, shell-on wild prawns with ’nduja, and fried oysters with aïoli. Harbour House, just over the bay in Flushing, is a waterside pub with a focus on seasonal dishes and local drinks. Its menu includes Fowey scallops from the grill, beef short rib cottage pie, and kedgeree scotch eggs with curry mayonnaise. Located between Mylor and Flushing, Food Barn is a weekly market with more than 20 stalls that champion local, sustainable food from traders like Allet Dairy, Penny’s Pies, Loveday distillery and Ruby June’s Indian Kitchen. Sabzi’s Deli serves up Cornish and British produce cooked into Middle Eastern-inspired dishes, like local roasted Savoys with sumac, butter beans and fresh herb chutney, and spiced roasted carrots with whipped tahini. Settle, Yorkshire Dales 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. Folkestone, Kent The coastal town of Folkestone in Kent offers a unique blend of creativity, seaside charm, and hidden foodie hotspots which are lesser known than some of its trendy seaside neighbours such as Margate and Rye. The Folkestone Harbour Arm is home to an outdoor array of shipping containers which have been converted into independent food businesses, offering everything from fresh oysters and champagne to global street food, all set against the backdrop of stunning sea views. Highlights include poffertjes (mini Dutch pancakes), and inventive cocktails. For a relaxed family meal, head to Rocksalt, where local produce takes centre stage in dishes like Romney Marsh lamb and Folkestone-caught mackerel. Folkestone's Creative Quarter, brims with live music, tapas, cafés and Kentish beers and wine. In the evening, discover strong and perfectly-formed cocktails at The Potting Shed which will transfer you back-in-time to the vibrant 1920s. Where to stay: Shoreline Holiday rentals are the ideal base for exploring Folkestone. Each property is thoughtfully styled, offering luxurious yet cozy interiors, well-equipped kitchens, and private balconies with sweeping views of the English Channel. Perfect for families and couples alike, there’s two and four-bedroom beach houses on offer, all within walking distance of beaches, galleries, and restaurants. Jersey, Channel Islands A short hop from the UK (or France), Jersey, famous for its prized potatoes, oysters and rich custard-yellow cream – is having a gourmet revival. Restaurant pêtchi, from island-raised chef and Great British Menu finalist Joe Baker, is leading the charge. Its menu celebrates the abundance of the island’s local seafood with dishes such as Chancre crab and seaweed tarts, and a signature wood-roasted lobster rice. JEJE, housed in St Helier’s historic fish market, specialises in fresh sushi and Korean-inspired dishes made using the daily catch. Over on St Ouen’s Bay is SANDS, whose menu is inspired by Australasian and Californian coastal cuisine, with homemade tacos and sodas like its apricot/cardamom and lychee/vetiver. And for a nightcap head to The Porter’s Store, a stylish speakeasy with live music and cocktail masterclasses on offer. Reigate, Surrey Reigate has had an influx of foodie establishments in recent years, making it well worth a visit. Lebnani – from chef Jad Youssef – is leading the charge. Its menu is inspired by the food of Beirut with traditional meze and charcoal grills designed for sharing, using the finest spices, herbs and grains from Lebanon, combined with local ingredients. Chalk Hills Bakery makes artisan breads that use traditional long-fermenting methods, each kneaded by hand, including sourdough with potato, rosemary and nigella seeds. The Chapel is an independent café specialising in perfectly brewed coffee, open sandwiches and sausage brioche rolls using meat from local family butcher Robert & Edwards. And New Gurkha Kitchen serves up authentic Nepalese cuisine, like Gurkha aloo (potatoes with turmeric and cumin), Kathmandu chicken and Nepalese-style chow – stir-fried noodles with spices. Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire Famous for its spirited community ethos which has attracted writers and artists for decades, Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire is now a hotbed for culinary creatives. At its heart is Kitchen 91, a micro-bakery and dining room in a converted weaver’s warehouse specialising in Italian cuisine with sustainability at its core. Independent cooperative Valley Organics sells ethically sourced ingredients from local producers, and Goo Cheese has a range of more than 100 British and continental cheeses with an emphasis on lesser known cheesemakers. Stylish contemporary restaurant Coin is the best spot for dinner, serving small plates such as Crown Prince squash, rocket, Loch Arthur yogurt and smoked almonds alongside an extensive list of natural wines. For a night cap, lively bottle shop Drink (open until 10pm) has a range of regional craft ales, fruit sours and cloudy gose beers from across the county. Bruton, Somerset Picturesque Bruton is nestled among Somerset's green rolling hills and has become a something of magnet for unconventional chefs and arty culinary creatives in recent years, turning the once quiet market town into a foodie hot spot. At the Chapel – a Grade II listed restaurant-gallery-hotel hybrid – takes pride of place in the centre of Bruton high street, serving a Mediterranean menu that heroes West Country produce and a wine store filled with organic, biodynamic vintages. Durslade Farm Shop showcases artisan makers and growers of Somerset in the chic Hauser & Wirth Gallery. The Newt country estate hosts seasonal gastronomic events such as foraging masterclasses and artisan cyder tasting in its orchard. And Michelin-starred restaurant Osip, fronted by chef Merlin Labron-Johnson, has removed all menus entirely – asking diners to put their faith in the hands of its masterful chefs. Where to stay: Number One Bruton is a revamped Georgian townhouse that offers 12 bedrooms and a sense of playfulness behind the polish. In the Georgian townhouse itself, designers Frank & Faber have decorated the bedrooms with a tasteful riot of pattern on pattern, plus period fireplaces and gilt mirrors. For a more modern feel, a trio of cottages behind the main house (overlooking the courtyard garden) have simple white bathrooms, quarry-tiled floors and neutral colour schemes, reflecting their former status as workshops. Breakfast, taken in Osip (see above), is totally unique in terms of its offerings. Try vanilla-spiked rice pudding topped with homemade granola and a spoonful of toffee-ish milk jam; still-warm boiled egg cradled in a little nest of hay; pheasant terrine and chutney on freshly baked sourdough; or a sliver of jammy pear and quince tart. Check rates and availability at numberonebruton.com Lyme Regis, Dorset Affectionately known as the pearl of Dorset, thanks to its beautiful bay, the areas surrounding Lyme Regis are also rich in culinary delights. The Seaside Boarding House, overlooking Lyme Bay, champions local Dorset produce and has a guest series with a host of exciting chefs including Jeremy Lee, Rick Toogood and Abby Lee. The Parlour at Bredy Farm offers Italian small plates like Tuscan fish stew with Dorset clams and courgettes alla poverella. And Rachels in West Bay is a beach side hut with fresh local seafood platters, moules and chowder, plus it gets our vote for the best fish and chips in the area. Stockbridge, Scotland Perched on the Water of Leith river and blessed with eye-catching architecture, this hip, upmarket inner suburb is a very pleasant 25-minute walk from central Edinburgh. Beyond its period charms (check cobbled Insta fave, Circus Lane), it is also a tasty place to eat. Acclaimed fine dining restaurants eòrna and Avery, which previously operated in San Francisco, rub shoulders with ambitious gastropub, the Scran & Scallie, cool basement small plates joint, Skua, and the Last Word Saloon, sister bar to legendary cocktail spot, Bramble. Wine geeks will love pace-setting wine bar, Smith & Gertrude (do not miss its grilled Montgomery cheddar sandwich) and the shopping opportunities at treasure trove, Raeburn Fine Wines, Vino and newcomer, Communique Wines. To accompany those wines, food shop at Stockbridge Market (Sundays) or cheesemongers IJ Mellis or George Mewes. Before the steep climb back into Edinburgh, refuel on next-level croissants at revered bakery, Lannan, or take a moment in craft beer haven, Stockbridge Tap, or Edinburgh Cider Co’s The Cider House. Aldeburgh, Suffolk Aldeburgh, a small seaside town in Suffolk, is famous for its annual food and drink festival, and something of a hot gastronomic ticket. The Lighthouse serves simple home-cooked fare with a neighbourhood vibe – including its very own Lighthouse 77 gin, which includes botanicals such as heather and liquorice. Sea Spice is a beautiful restaurant that combines local Suffolk produce with flavourful Indian cooking. The beach is lined with shacks selling boxes of prawns and smoked fish from local artisans including Butley Oysterage. And, like all great coastal towns, there’s the iconic Aldeburgh Fish & Chips made the traditional Suffolk way – fried in beef dripping! 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 six-bedroom The Suffolk has been carefully considered. Enjoy the rooftop sea-view terrace, then head down to the 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. Check rates and availability at the-suffolk.co.uk Malton, Yorkshire There’s so much going on in Yorkshire’s food capital of Malton right now. Those serious about their food won’t be disappointed. Over a four year period, 26 food and drink businesses have set up shop here. Many cluster around Talbot Yard – a former stables – which now houses an artisan roaster, Roost, the Bluebird Bakery, the Groovy Moo gelateria, macaron-maker Florian Poirot, the Rare Bird Gin Distillery and a butcher, Food 2 Remember. Other dates for the diary include the Malton Harvest Food Festival in October, and the monthly food markets. These events bring together the wider area’s exceptional producers’ including Malton Cider, cheese from Botton Creamery, chutneys from Sloemotion and lots more. Where to stay: Talbot Inn (owned – like much of Malton – by aristocrat Tom Naylor-Leyland and his glamorous wife and Vogue-contributor Alice) has relaxed décor, in a glamorous, playful sort of way. Ex-Lucky Onion stalwarts, Georgie and Sam Pearman, spruced up the 26-bedroomed Talbot, bringing a modern style to the imposing 17th-century coaching inn, resulting in oak-floored rooms where modern art and antique finds rub alongside ancestral portraits. Eating is when and where you want. Already savoured the views of the watermeadows from the plant-draped Garden Room? Curl up by the log fires in the Snug, or slouch into a leather armchair beneath the wall-mounted wild boar in the navy-walled Upper Bar. Wherever you sit, jeaned and Converse-sneakered waiting staff miraculously appear. Doubles at Talbot Inn from £96 per night, check availability at booking.com Studland, Dorset The village of Studland, on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, is gathering a reputation as a beach destination with discerning culinary clout. Shell Bay Restaurant & Bistro – on the tip of the Jurassic Coast – is a scenic sunset-watching spot that specialises in open-fire cooking. Its exciting menu champions local lobster, bass and Poole Bay oysters, with dishes including fire-roasted miso and yuzu cod and pepper soft-shell crab with smoked pineapple chilli sauce. The Pig on the Beach has a walled kitchen garden and is committed to home-grown produce with its 25-mile menu, serving veg picked that morning and transformed into dishes such as marinated beetroot with spiced hazelnut crumb and blood orange. Across the water from Studland in Poole is Thirteen from head chef Alex Naik, whose tasting menus combine locally sourced and foraged ingredients – courses might include the likes of mushroom tom kha soup with seaweed noodles, velvet shank and oysters, and thyme panna cotta with orange jelly, ginger gel and clementine powder. And Bankes Arms is a pub by the sea that’s also home to the award-winning Isle of Purbeck Brewery – serving up the likes of Studland Bay Wrecked, Solar Power, Fossil Fuel and Purbeck IPA. Moreton-in-Marsh, Cotswolds In the Evenlode Valley, within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the market town of Moreton-in-Marsh makes an ideal base for a ‘foodie’ trip. A short hop from popular villages and towns such as Daylesford (famous for its organic farm, shop and restaurant), Chipping Norton and Stow-on-the-Wold, it benefits from good public transport links including direct trains to London. The main street is lined with handsome stone buildings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, many of them shops, tea rooms, pubs and places to eat. There are plenty of places to stay the night, including the White Hart Royal, a former manor house where King Charles I took refuge during the Civil War. The main public building is the Redesdale Hall which holds antiques and craft fairs, and there’s a weekly Tuesday street market. When it comes to eating out, Henne is highly regarded by the locals with its inventive and sustainably driven menu using hyper-local produce. If it’s artisan bread and patisserie you’re after, Otis & Belle bakery is exceptional and The Cotswold Cheese Company sells countless local cheeses. A short drive out of town is the Michelin-starred Royal Oak at Whatcote. Tisbury, Wiltshire In Wiltshire’s pretty Nadder Valley, Tisbury is more village than town yet still packs a punch when it comes to eating and drinking. On its edge the Grade I thatched Tithe Barn has been converted into Messum’s, a contemporary art gallery where the Mess Restaurant offers much more sophisticated fare than your standard museum café. In the morning Genius Coffea, on the High Street, is the first port of call. For sustenance to go with it, continue on to Tisbury Deli where the shelves prop up goodies from croissants to pork pies. Pick up a bottle to go with your supplies from <The Beckford Bottle Shop, where you can try-before-you-buy and get expert advice from staff. Pythouse Kitchen Garden should be on everyone’s radar too; not only for the first-rate restaurant but because the company’s glamping village, tucked away in the orchard, is the perfect place to stay. Where to stay: Pubs in the area are plentiful but few focus on food; the exception is The Beckford Arms where you’ll need to book to get ahead of the locals who come for a Beckford Bloody Mary and stay on for Sunday lunch. Doubles from £91 per night, check availability at mrandmrssmith.com North Berwick, Scotland There’s a food revolution underway in the seaside town of North Berwick, just half an hour from Edinburgh by train along the East Lothian coast. Millennials priced out of the city have de-camped to the coast bringing with them a demand for flat whites and sourdough – which they get at Steampunk Coffee Roasters and the <Bostock Bakery. The croissants at the latter are so good that NOMA’s René Redzepi sent his pastry chef from Copenhagen to learn from Bostock’s Ross Baxter. For seafood, try Lobster Shack – a seasonal operation on the harbour that cooks its catch from the neighbouring Firth of Forth Lobster Hatchery between Easter and October; the lobster and crab bisque is exceptional and the Shack is licensed so you can order a glass of crisp white to go with it. A blustery and beautiful walk out of town brings you to shipping container turned coffee shop DRIFT, perched on an outcrop above Canty Bay; sit in and order the bacon and egg sandwich with herby aioli. Where to stay: Stay just out of town, in Gullane, at The Bonnie Badger, Tom and Michaela Kitchin’s restaurant with rooms. Doubles from £236 per night, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com Deal, Kent Kent’s coastal towns are smartening up, luring in a hip London crowd who steer south on fast trains. Whilst foodies still love Whitstable, Deal is the buzzy new kid on the block. Find everything from Kent’s favourite chippie, Middle Street Fish Bar to date-night-dining at Victuals & Co. where the Raid the Larder menu on Sunday evenings is particularly good value. The Deal Dining Club is an institution and its Friday and Saturday night set-menu feasts always sell out; typical events include a Taste of Kent, with a menu boasting Canterbury cheese puffs, Kentish brown shrimp, local pigeon, home-smoked haddock and rhubarb crème brulee. It’s BYOB so pick up a bottle beforehand at Le Pinardier, a French wine bar and shop with an array of predominantly natural wines. Where to stay: Cross the road to The Rose where the seasonal cocktails are invented by local forager and chef, Lucia Stuart, who also runs excursions such as a Berry Bonanza Wilderness Picnic via The Wild Kitchen. As well as a bar, restaurant and pretty courtyard garden, The Rose has eight artfully-designed bedrooms. It’s worth staying for breakfast – the sourdough toast with pear and ginger jam is scrumptious. Doubles from £167 per night, check availability at booking.com Orford, Suffolk The Suffolk town of Orford may have kick-started its foodie reputation with the opening of the renowned Pump Street Bakery (a visit to its Suffolk-pink premises for breakfast pastries is a must) but the business has done a pivot into artisan chocolate-making so save space to try one of their artisan bars too. Proximity to the shingly coastline means the town is also home to two excellent seafood spots, fixtures since the 1950s – Butley Oysterage, a smart restaurant serving up plump oysters and griddled prawns dripping in garlic butter, and the sister shop, Pinney’s, where you can buy smoked fish, potted crab and angels on horseback to take away. If you’re visiting in September, Orford also makes a great base for exploring Aldeburgh Food Festival – confusingly not in Aldeburgh town but, rather, at nearby Snape Maltings, the Victorian red-brick malt kilns turned world-famous concert halls that sit amongst the reedbeds on Suffolk’s river Alde. It’s a great setting to learn, among other things, how to make bread courtesy of Marriage’s Bakery Room. Where to stay: Orford’s pub, the The Crown and Castle, promises smart bedrooms overlooking Orford’s 12th century castle, or there’s the Wash House Studio B&B – stay in a sweet shepherd’s hut or the converted wash house next to the coastguards cottages and wake up to find a breakfast hamper covered with a gingham cloth on your doorstep in the morning. Doubles at The Crown and Castle from £122, check availability at booking.com Abergavenny, Wales Abergavenny Food Festival takes place each September and is one of the most creative and dynamic culinary gatherings in the UK, also one of the longest running. Regulars come for talks by Diana Henry and Bee Wilson, Dinner Party masterclasses with Rosie Birkett and Elly Pear, vegan BBQing tips from Matt Pritchard, debates on sustainable farming, a children’s cookery school and outdoor feasts based around wild cooking. Beyond the festival, you’ll find a quiet market town packed with independent shops like The Angel Bakery, which serves seasonal fruit pastries and perfect artisanal baguettes. Pair one of the latter with a ploughman’s hamper from The Marches Deli (it includes three Welsh cheeses, local chutney, Cradocs crackers and Welsh ale). The top table in town for breakfast and lunch is at The Kitchen at The Chapel where soda bread is baked each morning and might be served with pumpkin, butter bean and olive oil soup and a local craft cider, while the Michelin-starred Walnut Tree Inn is just outside town. Where to stay: Stay at Old Lands in one of three pretty holiday cottages set within converted stables and barns on an old family estate. There’s a walled garden and an on-site micro farm shop and guests can book children into Forest School, go on a nature walk or take a rowing boat out to an island on the estate’s lake. Check rates and availability at old-lands.co.uk Clitheroe, Lancashire The Lancashire market town of Clitheroe, in the Forest of Bowland, is the hub of Lancashire’s Ribble Valley. You’ll find a heaving cheese counter at Holmes Mill, Clitheroe’s monumental new food hall, and regional produce galore at Booths. Dip into independent food shops, such as Cowman’s Famous Sausage Shop, which sells over 70 varieties. Then go for a walk on Pendle Hill, followed by lunch at the Assheton Arms in Downham. Where to stay: Stay over at Freemasons At Wiswell, just south of town. As well as a chef’s table experience the dining pub has added bedrooms; enjoy Herdwick lamb with aubergine and miso purée, and a superlative vanilla slice, then stumble into bed. Or head half an hour out of town to remote Dale House, a 400-year-old farm. One of its owners used to work as a chef for the Roux brothers so expect standout breakfasts and sumptuous (zero-mile) dinners, such as venison haunch steak with blackberries followed by homemade eccles cakes. Doubles from £160 per night, check availability at freemasonsatwiswell.com Porthleven, Cornwall Almost as far southwest as you can get in England, Porthleven is a pretty Cornish port that greets you with waving sailing flags and colourful buoys bobbing in the water (and a medley of carefully curated food stalls if you time a trip to tie in with the annual Porthleven Food Festival each spring). It may be a tiny town, but the food scene is growing at pace here – think Padstow thirty years ago. Current highlights include Origin, a coffee roasters that started here but now has shops in Shoreditch, Edinburgh, the British Library and Southwark too. Next door is Kota Kai which serves Thai tapas and forms a more relaxed little sister to Kota restaurant, up the road. Run by half-Maori, half Chinese Malay chef, Jude Kereama, Kota (meaning ‘shellfish’ in Maori) serves Cornish seafood with Asian and Kiwi influences; think pan-fried hake, crab ravioli, Cornish mussels and tiger prawns in a vegetable dashi broth or Porthilly oyster tempura with wasabi tartare. Try the tasting menu and then stumble upstairs to bed. Where to stay: Kota has two bedrooms above it so you don’t need to leave town. Alternatively rent a picture-perfect thatched cottage on the nearby Trelowarren Estate, also home to the excellent New Yard restaurant. Bridport, Dorset It’s over fifteen years since Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall turned the spotlight on field-to-fork dining in Dorset, with the River Cottage, and West Dorset is now a firmly foodie pocket of the UK. Exciting things are happening in the market town of Bridport. A vibey Asian street food joint might be the last thing you’d expect to stumble on up a small-town alley, but Dorshi is exactly that. The name (“Dorset-sushi”) stems from the founders’ days spent doing a roaring trade out of a food truck. Now in a bricks-and-mortar restaurant the menu is all about dumplings, buns, zingy salads and noodle bowls. Likewise the Soulshine Café is on-the-button with superfood spirulina smoothies, oat milk lattes and a vegan full English on the menu – meat-eaters needn’t worry you’ll find sausage sarnies here too. For a sweet treat visit Baboo Gelato where the ice cream is award-winning – try the plum sorbet. Just outside the town visit Washingpool Farm, home to one of the region’s best farm shops (it stocks its own veggies as well as other local produce, like North Perrott apple juice and Dorset Cereals. Where to stay: Stay further up the sands at the Seaside Boarding House, a hip hotel with unrivalled views over Lyme Bay, elegant modern cooking and a grown-up line in cocktails. Ashburton, Devon Dartmouth and Salcome might get all the attention in Devon’s southernly corner, but look inland for fewer crowds and great food spots. Ashburton, on the edge of Dartmoor, is home to the famed Ashburton Cookery School where over 40 classes are offered from a five-day patisserie week to a three-hour Indian cook-to-go and a recently introduced range of Christmas classes, from festive breadmaking to party canapés and chocolate advent calendar workshops. If you’d rather leave the hard work to the experts, the award-winning Ashburton Deli is the place to go, stocked with the best produce from across the West. Ten minutes’ out of town, meanwhile, brings you to Riverford, the organic farming champions – visit their home turf for lunch or supper at The Riverford Field Kitchen where the set veggie menu is about as close to farm-to-fork as can be. Where to stay: Stay at the Live and Let Live pub where there’s excellent provenance-orientated food and three bright and airy bedrooms. Kendal, Lake District 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. Where to stay: 20-minutes drive from Kendal, Gilpin Hotel & Country House in Windermere offres luxurious bedrooms with lakeside views, and an on-site Michelin-starred restaurant that puts an Asian twist on Cumbrian dining. Doubles from £335 per night, check availability at booking.com or expedia.co.uk Words by Daisy Allsup Photographs by Clare Hargreaves, Weekend Journals, Rhiannon Batten, Helen Cathcart, Keiko Oikawa More travel guides Best country house hotels in the UK Best health and wellness retreats Best hotels in London Best UK boutique hotels Best hotels in the Cotswolds Best Cornwall hotels Best hotels in the Lake District Best London hotel bars to visit Best romantic hotels in the UK European hidden gems: hotels off the beaten track Best Paris hotels Best Spanish hotels Best Italian hotels Best restaurants with rooms in the UK Best Amsterdam hotels
Best restaurants in Cambridge: where to eat and drink
Check out our guide to the best independent coffee shops, bakeries and restaurants in Cambridge, from fine dining to the ultimate sandwiches
This student town is full of independent restaurants worth visiting, from Michelin-starred fine dining to unmissable ice cream, burgers, tapas and much more. For more exciting restaurants and weekend ideas for food lovers, check out our best UK city breaks and foodie day trips from London by train. Also discover more city food guides, including the best restaurants in Oxford, best restaurants in Bath and best restaurants in York. Jump to: Where to stay in Cambridge Best places to eat and drink in Cambridge Mercado Central – best dinner spot in Cambridge Channel a Spanish getaway in the heart of Cambridge at Mercado Central, where the team transform local British produce into dishes inspired by traditional Spanish markets and flavours. The perfect croquettes (crisp on the outside, melting in the middle) with a puddle of aioli are not to be missed to start with, alongside unique rosemary manchego cheese. The short mains menu is generous and varied – the Iberico pork was a highlight. Wash it all down with a glass of sangria or take a recommendation from the impressive wine list, then finish your meal with a traditional almond tart. The intimate, cosy setting, set over two floors of a Cambridge townhouse, makes this a great date night or special occasion spot. mercadocentral.co.uk Bread & Meat – best sandwiches in Cambridge These are no ordinary sandwiches. Independent small eatery Bread & Meat (just round the corner from Kings College) has been serving up cracking, generously loaded sandwiches for over 10 years. Everything is cooked onsite and you can choose between a ciabatta, poutine or bowl, served on rustic metal trays in a buzzy atmosphere. Our favourites are the giant warm ciabatta sandwiches, with a side portion of poutine for the best of both worlds. Take your pick of sandwich fillings from herby porchetta or juicy honey soy chicken to interpretation of Philly cheese steak or roast beef with roasted garlic aioli. There are also veggie options and a weekly special. breadandmeat.co.uk Novi – best brunch in Cambridge For a fun weekend brunch with a group, buzzy all-day Novi is worth a visit. The varied menu has the classics covered, with scrambled eggs and avocado toast, along with global-inspired dishes such as red pepper and harissa shakshuka or 'nduja Turkish eggs. There's a dedicated waffle menu, with sweet and savoury toppings including smoked salmon, fried chicken or hazelnut granola. Our breakfast burrito was hearty with a decent hit of spice, and a side portion of herby roast potatoes was generous. There's a bottomless brunch option of £39pp for bottomless prosecco, beer or mimosas alongside any brunch dish. novicambridge.co.uk Aromi – best café in Cambridge Aromi occupies a sprawling corner of Bene't Street, located opposite the Corn Exchange, for a handy stop off before a gig or comedy show. Pick up pasta, slices of pizza or Sicilian cannoli to take away, or sit in for their unique rectangular pizzas in the restaurant. The Sicilian sourdough bases come fresh from the oven with authentic chewy crusts and leopard-spotted char. Whole pizzas are good value, starting at £6.90 for a simple marinara. Don't miss the ragu-filled arancini to start. aromi.co.uk The Cambridge Chop House – best Sunday roast with a view in Cambridge You'll undoubtedly walk past the Cambridge Chop House as you explore the city, with its prime central location opposite King's College and next to the famous Corpus Clock. Inside, there's an unexpectedly large basement downstairs with booths tucked into brick arches, but try and book a table upstairs in the window for a meal with a view. As the name would suggest, the menu is heaven for meat lovers – from steaks and chops to slow-braised pig cheeks, grilled venison haunch and hearty pies of the day. On Sunday it's all about the roasts, with generous portions piled high with fluffy Yorkshire puddings and lashings of rich gravy. Kick off with the deep-fried brie bites to share – crunchy on the outside, melting in the middle with a punch of caramelised onion mayo. A special mention for the mocktails too – both a homemade lemonade and the apple and elderflower fizz were winners. cambridgechophouse.co.uk Varsity Hotel – best rooftop bar in Cambridge Escape from the hustle and bustle of the city on a sunny day and head up to the Varsity Hotel Rooftop Terrace for a cocktail. There may be a queue to get in, but it moves quickly, as the rooftop is large with plenty of tables. The compact cocktail menu covers the classics – fans of a sweeter drink will enjoy the Vodka Blush made with Absolut Vodka, vanilla, lemonade, lemon juice, cranberry juice and fresh raspberries. The crowd is varied, from graduates celebrating in gowns to hen groups and couples, all admiring the view over the Cambridge spires. In a famously flat part of the country, it's a unique perspective six floors up. thevarsityhotel.co.uk/the-terrace Fitzbillies – best Cambridge icon Fitzbillies is a Cambridge institution, loved by students and locals alike. The original café, on Trumpington Street, has been around since 1920, and dark wood-panelled walls and window displays of tiered cakes add to its historic feel. If you fancy somewhere with a fresher vibe, head to buzzing Bridge Street and grab a seat on the high stools in its window, while the whirr of a coffee machine and the chatter of families rumbles gently in the background. Be prepared to queue on a weekend, but it’s worth it for the signature Chelsea buns, gently spiced and bursting with currants and sticky sugar syrup. For something different, enjoy the blueberry cheesecake bun with cream cheese icing. If you can, stay for a brunch of sourdough toast with poached eggs, or a grilled cheese sandwich. If not, order a sausage roll or a sticky bun to take down to the river with you. fitzbillies.com Parker’s Tavern – best for British classics in Cambridge Parker’s Tavern is a British brasserie that’s part of the University Arms hotel. The menus focus on simple British cooking, championing local produce from across East Anglia and celebrating producers. Executive Chef Lee Clarke joined Parker's Tavern in 2024, bringing dishes such as a sharing ox cheek and bone marrow pie, Suffolk pork terrine or dry aged duck with salt baked beetroot. The bar serves a range of English sparkling wines and inventive signature cocktails. parkerstavern.com Midsummer – best fine dining in Cambridge If you’re looking for Michelin-starred dining, book a table at Midsummer House. The two-starred restaurant is a classy spot, with conservatory tables laid with crisp white cloths and vases of dainty flowers. Choose between the à la carte menu or an eight-course tasting menu (a lighter lunch menu is also available midweek). Dishes focus on British produce, from braised Cornish turbot with clams and gnocchi to Cumbrian lamb served with heritage tomatoes. The killer dish? Scallop, truffle and apple. It's been on the menu since the restaurant opened, and it’s easy to see why: made with Bramley and Blenheim Orange apples grown in the restaurant’s kitchen garden, it’s fresher than a college quad in Fresher's Week. midsummerhouse.co.uk Stir Bakery – best bakery in Cambridge A stop off at Stir Bakery is the best way to start a busy day in Cambridge. The diminutive bakery, tucked away on Green Street in the heart of the city, displays freshly baked loaves (handy if you are self-catering), cakes and pastries, and serves up speciality coffee. Choosing a breakfast pastry will be a struggle – our highlights were a supremely light and fluffy cinnamon knot, and a deliciously squishy pain au raisin with a drizzle of icing. A select range of freshly baked brownies and biscuits (we were tempted by a bag of chewy amaretti) provide a snack for later in the day. Perch on the window bench inside or take your coffee and pastries to go and find a spot to people-watch. yourstir.co.uk Bould Brothers – best speciality coffee spot in Cambridge Describing themselves as 'serious about quality', Bould Brothers is a spot for the coffee connoisseur. There are two branches in the city – one near the station and Downing College, and one nearer the city centre and St John's college – so regardless of where you explore, good coffee shouldn't be too far away. Coffee is carefully sourced; pick up a bag of their seasonal house coffee beans to take home. bouldbrotherscoffee.co.uk Jack’s Gelato – best gelato in Cambridge This sleek gelato parlour serves a range of inventive flavours, all made by hand in small batches in the downstairs kitchen. Ingredients are carefully considered, whether that's the coffee beans sourced from Essex-based The Coffee Officina or the Pump Street chocolate used in the stracciatella flavour. Come rain or shine there’s usually a queue down the street, but it’s worth joining. The menu changes daily but if they’re in stock, make the most of your cone with some hazelnut brittle, sweet-salty treacle or refreshing alphonso mango sorbet. You can also expect white peach, Greek yogurt and elderflower sorbet throughout the year. In the winter, the mince pie flavour is a highlight, while in the summer months, you’ll find the cool Cambridge crowd enjoying scoops of rhubarb and rose sorbetti from the parlour’s tricycle, which travels around the city. If you’re really peckish (or can’t visit on a regular basis), buy a tub of your favourite flavour to store in the freezer. jacksgelato.com Vanderlyle – best plant-led menu Chef Alex Rushmer is doing something deliciously revolutionary without making a thing of it. His plant-led tasting menus render meat’s absence irrelevant in dishes of fried mooli, monk’s beard and seaweed sauce, or lentil ragu and maitake mushrooms with hasselback potato and bordelaise sauce. vanderlyle-restaurant.com Cambridge Wine Merchants – best wine spot in Cambridge This stylish wine bar has a huge collection of wines, beers, spirits and whiskies – browse the shelves to find something new, take recommendations from the in-house experts or pick a glass from the wine bar menu. You might just find a new favourite bottle to take home. Find a table inside among the shelves packed with interesting bottles during winter, and in summer nab one of the sought-after outdoor tables to watch the world go by. cambridgewine.com Hot Numbers Coffee Roasters – best coffee in Cambridge Named after the record store that once traded on the adjacent street, Hot Numbers Coffee Roasters is a must for caffeine lovers. The menu is split into two sections: black coffees or espressos with milk. Choose between filter, pour-over or nitro cold brew (great in the summer months). All the coffee is single-origin and roasted in nearby Stapleford, with beans from Costa Rica, Ethiopia or El Salvador, which can also be bought to take away. Hot Numbers has two locations, but we especially like the Gwydir Street branch, an airy space with large warehouse windows, communal wooden benches lit by dangling filament bulbs and a peppering of pot plants. In the morning students sit tapping away on laptops and catching up over brunch (avocado on fluffy cornbread, punchy chilli with burnt lime and sweet shredded carrot…) while in the evenings you can sit and sip to a background of live jazz. hotnumberscoffee.co.uk Gurdeep Loyal's Cambridge restaurant recommendations Restaurant Twenty-Two is a modern British eatery housed in a converted Victorian townhouse, serving up a seasonally changing menu of dishes like Yorkshire spring lamb with ras el hanout and courgette flower, and Cornish mackerel with bouillabaisse. Old Bicycle Shop serves up an all-day menu championing local ingredients in dishes such as heritage squash risotto and braised lamb shoulder. The Tiffin Truck is an Indian street food bar serving chaat snacks, thalis, regional Indian curries and baked dum biryani. Best hotels in Cambridge The Varsity Hotel The Varsity Hotel has plenty to offer for a special stay in Cambridge. Situated in the heart of the city (close to Jesus and St John's colleges), this boutique hotel has 48 colourful rooms with unique artwork and design for a cosy base. For an extra-memorable stay, book a Senior Fellows Kings Room and enjoy floor-to-ceiling windows, a four-poster bed and huge bathrooms with underfloor heating and freestanding bathtubs or giant walk-in showers with Elemis toiletries. Breakfast is served in the Six Brasserie on the sixth floor, so you can start your day with views of the city, or return later in the day for afternoon tea with warm scones and classic finger sandwiches. During your stay, head to the Glassworks gym and spa for a massage, facial or dip in the whirlpool hot tub overlooking the river, and finish your day upstairs on the Rooftop Terrace for a cocktail at sunset. Doubles from £222; check availability at booking.com or thevarsityhotel.co.uk University Arms Originally opened as a hotel in 1834, the University Arms has undergone an £80m transformation by architect John Simpson and the interior designer every hotelier wants to work with, Martin Brudnizki – adding a glamorous new facelift to its elegant, historic bone structure. The white stone building, with its striking Corinthian-style pillars and grand entrance, sits on Cambridge’s lush Parker’s Piece (an open green). Parquet flooring, Cambridge Blue walls and locally inspired artwork gives it a fresh but quintessentially Edwardian English vibe, and the dapperly dressed concierge swiftly appears to greet you good day. There are 192 bedrooms, split into cosy, classic, superior and suite categories. Each one is thoughtfully equipped with city guides and access to free bicycle hire. Doubles from £169; check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com 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 Manchester Best restaurants in Margate
The Wash House B&B, Orford, Suffolk: review
Read our review of The Wash House Studio in Orford, a quirky self-contained B&B that delights with its bumper hamper breakfast, pretty views and wonderful setting
Welcome to Orford, a little town on the Suffolk coast that's home to a bakery so good that it once got a mention at The Oscars, a seafood restaurant that’s been selling its own oysters since 1959, a family-run fishmongers with quayside smokehouse and a travelling fish ’n’ chip van that settles outside Orford Castle every Wednesday. Needless to say, we love it. So much so that a recent visit necessitated an overnight stay just to fit everything in. A few local pubs offer bedrooms (those at The Crown and Castle are particularly plush) but, for something unique, personal and appropriately foodie, you can’t get better than The Wash House Studio. Owned by Polly and Mike, who live in one of the Coastguard Cottages next door, the studio is literally an old red brick wash house that’s been stripped of its hand pump (it now sits proudly in the garden) and fitted with a foldaway double bed, ensuite bathroom, small seating area and underfloor heating. Compact, yes, but it’s also cosy, warm and stylish – we liked the original ceiling (it dates back to 1875), collection of antique books, glazed lobby and swish tiled wet room, complete with Suffolk-made Honeybee toiletries. Plus there are beautiful views from the French windows – a rambling garden and shepherd’s hut in the foreground, Orford Ness in the background. Polly and Mike make considerate hosts. There were gooey homemade brownies coated in dark chocolate on arrival (you can buy more at the country market in the village hall every Saturday), as well as a hand-drawn map of the town, with all the best bits labelled. There’s a fridge in the shed at the bottom of the garden to use if you like – ideal for chilling wine – and fresh milk whenever you want it. Then there's the breakfast hamper. Delivered to your door whenever you want it, elegantly covered in a red gingham cloth, it’s a great way to feed B&B guests without intruding on their privacy (or vice versa). Start with local Cox and Bramley apple juice (from High House Fruit Farm, less than three miles away) and follow it with yoghurt and homemade blackberry and apple compote (using fruit grown in the garden), hard-boiled eggs, croissants, homemade berry jam and sourdough toast from Pump Street Bakery – it was The Phone Call director Mat Kirkby, a local, who name-checked Pump Street and its ‘fantastic’ doughnuts in his 2015 acceptance speech. Everything comes neatly presented in little Tupperware boxes. It took us a good hour to work through the whole hamper – eat yours outside if the weather suits, on a little table for two next to the shepherd’s hut. It’s the perfect way to kick-start a day of exploring delicious Orford. Written by Charlotte Morgan, October 2016 You might also like The Unruly Pig, near Woodbridge, Suffolk: restaurant review The best restaurants with rooms in Edinburgh, Sussex, Kent and Suffolk The UK’s best places for beer and food pairings The Lake District: where to eat, drink and stay olive pitstop: foodie guide to Whitstable olive pitstop: top 10 places to eat and drink in Margate