Britain’s best restaurants open on Monday
Published 14 November 2024

With ‘incredible’ panoramic views stretching over the city to the Pennines beyond, 20 Stories can be an eye-popping experience. Literally towering above its nearest rival when it comes to sheer glitz (ahoy down there, The Ivy Spinningfields!), it's got all the glamorous rooftop cocktails and golden light a socialite could wish for – with the bonus of bottomless brunches, afternoon teas and well-crafted ‘festive family roasts’ on Sundays.

The kitchen also has the chops when it comes to an à la carte menu loaded with good North Country produce and well-grounded technique – as in braised lamb shoulder with grilled heritage squash, BBQ sprouts and chestnuts or pan-roasted cod with cauliflower, fennel, orange and red wine sauce. You're paying for the food and the view, so competitively priced set lunches and pre-theatre deals are worth considering for 'well-made classics' such as seared salmon with courgettes, orzo and basil or a textbook flat iron steak with skinny fries.

Desserts are a highlight, from caramelised pear cheesecake or peach frangipane slice with apricot sorbet to the signature ‘20 Stories wonderland’.  Exhibitionists will love the wine list, drawn from a collection of 600 bins stored in five Eurocave fridges – although a ‘broader range at the lower end’ would be appreciated.

Just off the quayside in Dartmouth is Luca Berardino's welcoming neighbourhood restaurant, 'a little jewel' in the estimation of one confirmed regular. There is a chef's table, but nobody will be expected to genuflect to a presiding genius; instead, diners lap up the chance of getting a little closer to the engineering of hearty food, some of it prepared on a wood-fired barbecue. The orientation of the cooking is somewhere between Italy and France, with enterprising small plates the core of the operation. Expect anything from a high-powered assembly of beetroot, Saint Agur cheese and apple dressed in Gewürztraminer or Torbay scallops with lime and coconut to Jerusalem artichokes and goat's curd in truffled vinaigrette or slow-roasted cabbage and ajo blanco. When the plates get bigger, they come bearing the likes of Black Angus fillet with beef fat rösti, artichoke and spinach in classic red wine jus. At the close of business, consider sticky toffee pudding with Earl Grey sauce and ginger sorbet or an Italian mash-up of espresso-laced affogato, zabaglione and vanilla ice cream. Fully dressed Sunday roasts are an abidingly popular recourse for weekenders tired of loading the dishwasher. Everything on the rough-and-ready wine list is available by the glass (from £6), while bottles start at £24. 

Run by a group of artists, this idiosyncratic Welsh take on a Venetian bacaro is all about off-the-wall nibbles backed by a prodigious line-up of obscure wines, craft beers and limited-edition ciders. The repertoire is constantly changing, so be prepared for crostini topped with the likes of candied spicy jalapeño, whipped ricotta and bergamot or goat’s cheese, chocolate and almond (great with a Starlino rosé spritz). Their version of the classic ‘sardé in saor’ (sweet-and-sour sardines) is served cold on polenta – perfect with a glass of Sicilian Grillo. Also nab one of their porchetta rolls doused in fennel sausage gravy if they’re on. Staff are lovely, and the affordability is ‘next level’. 

Anna Tobias works to a formula of doing simple, straightforward dishes with appreciable panache. Menus at her crowd-pleasing Bloomsbury café change weekly, and the food retains the kind of deceptively domestic air that can all too easily fool punters into thinking that they could knock up something similar at home. Start with some nibbly fare, along the lines of charcuterie or mussels in escabeche. After that, salt cod fritters with aïoli bring on a great whack of punchy seasoning and resonating garlic, or you might consider bistro-style stalwarts such as artichoke vinaigrette or tuna, radish and winter tomato salad. Robustly proportioned main dishes aim for unabashed sustenance, ranging from a Spanish-style ranch stew of sausage, morcilla, bacon and beans to baked brill with potato and more aïoli. Come hungry, as they say. As this is nominally a café, there may well be cake to finish – chocolate and walnut, possibly – but also crema catalana or rhubarb ice cream for those who are watching their carbs. The largely European wine list features plenty of enterprising discernment, from a Tarragona Macabeu-Muscat blend to a cherry-ripe Sicilian Frappato.

Among the network of lanes in Edinburgh's New Town, north of Princes Street, this ‘wonderful oasis of calm’ looks like a piece of heritage Parisian ‘restauration’ airlifted from Montmartre. Bentwood chairs on the robust side of rickety, a black-and-white tiled floor, properly clothed tables, dark wood walls and mirrors all form the backdrop to the kind of classic French bistro cooking that visitors love to stumble upon.

Start the ball rolling with, say, ham 'hough' terrine or St Bride's smoked duck breast with a salad of orange, pickled fennel and raddichio. Main course veer towards the sturdy end of things: roast lamb rump is accompanied by ratatouille, buttery mash and tapenade, while a serving of East Coast cod comes with a rich shellfish bisque, heritage potatoes, samphire and aïoli. It's all gloriously satiating, right up to desserts such as raspberry frangipane tart with crème normande or Perthshire cherry clafoutis with woodruff ice cream.

The fixed-price 'café classics' menu is a bargain for lunch or dinner, with mains such as Borders venison cottage pie or smoked haddock fillet with wilted spinach and green sauce. Glasses in two sizes lead off a serviceable French-based wine list. ‘We arrive to smiles and leave with a warm glow,’ mused one regular.

Quite the ace to have up your sleeve when you’re looking for somewhere casual, this dramatic double-height space, a former banking hall, houses a true urban eatery, an all-day Italian caffè. While busy and buzzy, the room feels classy: soaring pillars, ornate ceiling, grey walls, striking bright-pink dangling lampshades, massive central chandelier, and a lively baroque fresco covering part of one wall.

It ‘feels special’ and feeds the mainly Edinburgh crowd from breakfast to dinner, whether snacking, just having a drink, enjoying one dish or more. Any time and any dish will do, whether it’s a plate of trofiette pasta with sausage, cremini mushrooms, dried porcini, fresh cream, rocket and Parmesan, or rump of Highland lamb with cannellini purée, pan-fried puntarella and salsa verde.

If you’re into the sweet side of things, Contini’s tiramisu is the ultimate soothing treat, although other equally indulgent temptations beckon – from panettone al forno to gelati and sorbetti. Liquid refreshment covers all bases too, with the good-value all-Italian wine list opening at £25.

Shake off the humdrum location (beside the busy Otley Road in north Leeds) and relax into the easy enjoyment of Dastaan. Sibling of the original restaurant in Epsom, with Nand Kishor Semwal (ex-Gymkhana) as executive chef, it bears many of the same hallmarks: faultlessly warm, attentive service and a fresh, snappy menu which skirts all the curry-house clichés. Start with spinach and kale bhajiya or generous, charred wedges of paneer tikka with bright mint chutney before delving into a pork cheek vindaloo or Malvani fish curry. The vast 130-cover dining room has its own bar serving up cocktails, mocktails, local Kirkstall Brewery beer on draught and a selection of mainstream wines.

'So good to have Eusebi raise the bar in this local neighbourhood,’ is a typically enthusiastic endorsement for this Scottish/Italian marriage made in Glasgow. Giovanna Eusebi’s jam-packed deli/café/restaurant hybrid cherishes the time-honoured traditions of her homeland and leavens them with ample supplies of seasonal Scottish produce. Occupying a colourful red-and-white corner site, the venue scores heavily with breakfast and brunch, served to a merry throng of workers and shoppers in the ground-floor space. Come for eggs ‘energia’ (with avocado, chilli and lime purée) or one of their savoury breakfast rolls; alternatively, breeze in for coffee and a sweet treat. If you want something more substantial, graduate to the downstairs dining room for plates of pork cheek ragù, gnocchi genovese or, perhaps, one of the big main courses such as chargrilled halibut with courgette and basil purée. After that, cakes and classic desserts have plenty of Italian swagger. Regional wines from the old country keep company with aperitivi, vermouths and spritzes. Eusebi’s slogan is ‘Food, Family, Life and Passion’ – which just about sums it up.

Picture credits: Gerardo Jaconelli

* The restaurant has closed as of February 2025. The two Forza Wine sites (in Peckham and at the National Theatre) continue to trade as normal. *

Back to life after its previous iteration (in a Peckham warehouse) was cancelled by the first lockdown, Forza Win (without an 'e') is an utterly comfortable and welcoming spirit-reviver in its own right. If you don't feel good about focused Italian flavours, Sicilian wine on tap or cool-but-kindly service, better check your pulse. Behind peachy arches overlooking Camberwell Church Street, the kitchen wears its technique with ease; for every serving of breezy spaghetti with clams and mussels, there's a bowl of fluffy Florentine topini with the intensity of mushroom stock and morels, or a masterfully breaded and fried lamb cutlet draped with anchovy fillets and served with chunky salsa verde. The selection of four secondi might range from a summery green vignarola (Roman vegetable stew) to a piece of pork belly sliding gently into its accompanying chickpeas with San Marzano tomatoes and capers. Such a satisfyingly compact menu will always be seasonal, although the house 'custardo' is non-negotiable – an affogato made with custard rather than ice cream. For more heft, the chocolate and apricot cake (shades of Sachertorte) or a blowsy take on tiramisu both deliver.

Attracting the cool, the curious and the convivial for its happy melange of sipping and supping, this joint venture comes from the comestible creatives behind the Thornwood Bar and one-time Malaysian staple, Julie’s Kopitiam (RIP). It's an equal billing that doubtless hits a sweet spot for many but may prove a little too bar-heavy for some. The decor is certainly more funky than formal, with stripped-back, post-industrial shabby-chic touches offering an eclectic and buzzy backdrop to animated chatter and diverse tunes. Amiable staff weave between closely packed tables distributing kaleidoscopic cocktails – pique your appetite with a bar classic from the 'Straight Up Swally' selection or perhaps brave the on-theme exoticism of a banana sesame sour. Meanwhile, a tsunami of tasty morsels races from the kitchen. Navigating the small-plates menu as a group brings the perennial challenge of quantity and pace. While the swift and unfussy delivery is obviously a local crowd-pleaser, staggered ordering may pay dividends for those wishing to slowly savour. Prawn toasts with chilli are generous, flavoursome and unapologetically calorific, while the Malaysian vegetable curry offers coconut comfort zapped with a confident hit of fragrant roasted chilli oil. Side dishes such as miso/garlic potato or chips with basil mayo (or the ubiquitous Kewpie mayo) remind you that, at heart, this is well-prepared street food given a contemporary makeover. As a final flourish (before one last cocktail perhaps), the Ga Ga sundae drizzles rich sesame caramel over passion fruit and coconut before balancing the sweetness with sour mango and salty peanut. Subtle? No. Bowl-lickingly tasty? Definitely. Booking is essential.

With its impressive abstract paintings, café-style furniture and floor-to-ceiling windows opening onto a homely little pavement terrace, effortlessly stylish Gloriosa gives off a seductive Mediterranean vibe on sunny days. Rosie Healey's cooking matches the lively mood with equally sunny sharing dishes that come out swinging as and when they’re ready. An opener of bluefin tuna crudo, chilli, capers and lemon should reawaken any tired taste buds, or you can seek comfort in a dish of roast cauliflower with labneh, saffron and pistachio. Larger plates major in robust pasta riffs including pappardelle with pork ragù and Parmesan, while fish dishes tend to be sturdy, as in braised squid with potato, mussels and aïoli. Alternatively, consider something seasonal and gamey – perhaps whole partridge with squash agrodolce and hazelnut sauce. Desserts veer towards the sharper end of the spectrum, yielding Amalfi lemon sorbet with frozen vodka or raspberry and almond clafoutis. Knowledgeable, very friendly staff manage proceedings admirably. A carefully constructed wine list spotlights small growers, and you might fancy sipping a spicy Margarita before you get started.

Although it occupies a listed 19th-century courthouse, Hawksmoor Manchester is really more of a banker. It's been making reliability sexy since 2015, when diners first trod the parquet floor, enjoyed the touch of green leather and squinted at a blackboard offering some of the the best steak in town. The clubby look and low-lit bar belie a mixed crowd, which includes babes in arms and a significant youth contingent drawn by a good-value lunch and early-evening deal. Highlights include the heritage tomato salad – a glorious, glistening pile of zebra-striped toms and crumbled Graceburn cheese with saline, wafer-thin toast and loads of black pepper.

Then, of course, there's the triumphantly multi-hyphenate beef: British-bred, grass-fed, dry-aged and 'really-delicious'. Informed advice on cuts and cooking are there for those who want it and, from a long list of sides, there are triple-cooked chips (cleverly spritzed with salt and vinegar before they leave the kitchen) as well as nuggety Stichelton hollandaise, bone-marrow gravy and, for those with real commitment and determination, mac and cheese. Puddings tend towards the robust, but with seasonal touches; sorrel granita with a strawberry cheesecake, or a scoop of peach-leaf ice cream.

Sunday lunch is a big hitter, built around a whole rump of 35-day aged beef served with a spectacular array of extras and  accompaniments including gorgeous bone-marrow gravy. Lovely service is a given – staff have one setting and it's 'moodbooster extraordinaire'. To drink, expect a range of beers (some local) and a fabulous cocktail selection, as well as plenty of big, beefy wines; prices start around £40 and rise to stratospheric four-figure heights.

As the name suggests, this is the perfect drinking spot, whether you're enjoying a bottle of something familiar and reasonably priced with friends or exploring quality wines slightly outside the norm. Yet, though wine is a big focus here, food is by no means neglected – in fact, John Dory offers a masterclass in how to run a new-wave wine bar. Monthly Sunday lunches and steak nights are big attractions, as are the regular collaborations with chefs from near and far. There are special pasta nights too (check Instagram for dates and details). And if you happen to drop by when the kitchen isn't operating and get peckish, order from a selection of locally made pies, sausage rolls, croquettes and more. We promise it’s all good stuff. Rickety wooden tables and chairs confirm the informality of the set-up, and devotees are enthusiastic about the affable service, led by wine experts Louisa Walls and Zeren Wilson. This is a place that serves its neighbourhood well, even if you're just in for cheese, olives and a glass of wine.

Just off Byres Road, this striking green-and-white tiled architectural A-lister brings the flavours and energy of South East Asian-inspired street food to Glasgow’s cool climes – and an even cooler customer base. The low-key side entrance leads down to a buzzing basement that celebrates the building’s industrial heritage with exposed metal ducting, brightly painted galvanised walls, functional furniture and a vibrant open kitchen. A young team of friendly and efficient servers help you explore less-familiar ingredients and navigate the Scoville scale for chilli heat.

There are plenty of opportunities for getting messy with finger food. Corn 'ribs' with salted coconut, dried shrimp and lime are a top shout, while one fan reckons that the sticky fried chicken with spicy caramel is ‘my death row meal’. Larger plates build layers of flavour, as in coconut-poached king prawns with jackfruit, white turmeric and chilli jam or a creative, veggie-friendly curry of roasted cauliflower, crispy potato and ajat pickle. Accompanying salads merit more than a minor supporting role – the hispi cabbage with cashew nut butter and house sriracha is ‘magic’ and a perennial hit, or you might fancy a simple salad of bitter leaves jazzed up with blackberry, hazelnut and prik nam pla.

Although it can occasionally veer towards hot cooking rather than haute cuisine, this is unapologetically bold, in-your-face food that certainly hits that ‘addictive’ sweet spot. Meanwhile, the bartenders craft cocktails that build on the four cardinal points of this culinary compass (hot, sour, salty and sweet) – or you might prefer a refreshing lemongrass and lime-leaf soda.

‘A welcoming place with real heart and passion,’ the Kinsella family’s authentic Catalan tapas joint and deli has been one of the city's roaring success stories of the past few years, offering a taste of sun-splashed Spanish tradition beamed into the Liverpool One shopping complex. A large red map dominates one wall for geographical orientation, while views into the kitchen are an education in themselves, assuming you haven't opted to sit out in the bright Merseyside sunshine.

Kick-start the day with a traditional Catalan migas (country breakfast) of cured meats sautéed with breadcrumbs, onion and garlic, topped with a poached egg. The full menu gives meat, fish and vegetables (almost) equal billing. Here you’ll find everything from fragrant morcilla balls coated in cornflakes and slathered with a rich sauce of orange-blossom honey and pomegranate molasses to boquerones from Cantabria's finest (Pujadó Solano), accompanied by Spanish potato crisps – not forgetting roasted parsnips tossed in maple syrup and dusted with dukkah.

There are also deli platters aplenty, as well as big pans of paella and tasting banquets for the whole table to plunder; they even serve a Catalan riff on Liverpool’s classic ‘scouse’. Round things off with vanilla ice cream served with turrón and pelted with PX-drenched raisins. Gins are almost as much of a speciality as sherries, and there is a regionally diverse slate of artisan Spanish wines in two glass sizes from around £6.80.

Embracing the country house genre with charm, sumptuously sited Lympstone Manor boasts picture-perfect views across its own extensive vineyards to the Exe estuary, plus three gracious chandeliered dining rooms, luxe bedrooms, and a front-of-house team well-drilled in old-school 'silver-ish' service.

Where Lympstone parts company with tradition, however, is in the food. Michael Caines' cooking, with its roots in France and Britain, is a tantalising mix of classic and modern. His carte and tasting menus are deftly executed by head chef Jordan Denning and, while breaking new ground is not the game here, the cooking shows off superlative produce and gains vitality (as well as identity) via its use of sharp flavours to point up the main ingredients. A delicate nugget of warm Lyme Bay lobster offset by a mango and lime vinaigrette, cardamom, curried mayonnaise and oscietra caviar is a delightful interplay of sweetness and acidity, while salted cod with dabs of confit lemon, samphire, crabmeat and chorizo foam creates a multi-layered sensation.

Other revelations have been the straightforward pleasure of new season's Powderham Estate lamb – a gloriously flavoured rib chop – with pea purée, a dice of braised boulangère potatoes, balsamic-glazed onion and a glossy truffle jus. Similar contentment is to be found among the desserts, especially a delicate apple mousse with Granny Smith apple sorbet and vanilla foam.

As for the wine list, Lympstone Blanc de Blancs and rosé sparklers head up a stunning collection that is resplendent in quality and imagination for those with the readies. Fine wines by the small glass are a flawless bunch. It’s also worth noting that the Pool House overlooking the heated pool and vineyard sets a more informal tone, with a broadly appealing menu that aims for easy satisfaction.

Frequent queues stretching out of the door are testament to the daily popularity of this trendy modern Italian, which is marked by an ornamental boar's head suspended above the entrance. Manteca is that sort of place, a Shoreditch resource named boldly after a variety of fat – lard, to be precise. Ground floor seats offers views into the open kitchen, while downstairs refrigerated cabinets of home-cured charcuterie whet the appetite (salumi and prosciutto are tip-top and not to be missed). An infectious buzz animates the whole restaurant, augmented by piped tunes that some may find passably funky.

The kitchen is deadly serious about sourcing from the best suppliers, menus often change several times a day, and the chefs have the autonomy to put new dishes together on the fly. The result is a much less formulaic repertoire than is often the Italian case. A plate of line-caught sea bass crudo dressed with green strawberries was a seasonal treat on our most recent visit, while a dramatic swoop of rich, silky duck liver parfait was served with black date jam and a pile of craggy chargrilled bread. Hand-rolled pasta stars in fazzoletti with duck-fat pangrattato or tonnarelli with brown crab cacio e pepe, ahead of mains from the wood-fired oven – perhaps John Dory, plaice or a premium cut of longhorn beef. Finish with a doorstop helping of almond cake with stone-fruit and vanilla gelato.

A minimal-waste approach sees some of the beef fat turning up in the fudge with coffee, while the copiously unusable bits of globe artichoke might eventually find their way into the house cynar liqueur. Service is temperamentally patchy – mostly hail-fellow, occasionally glum. However, eminently kind pricing earns the places bonus points, especially as Italian wines on tap start at £5.50 a glass. Adventurous imbibers, meanwhile, should home in the sections of the list entitled ‘down the rabbit hole’.

There are currently two Marays in Liverpool, one at the Britannia Pavilion on Albert Dock and this outlet, at the top end of restaurant-heavy Bold Street. Sitting cheek-by-jowl with eateries of every complexion, it is dedicated to Levantine meze (labneh, houmous et al) and bigger traditional dishes (lamb shawarma, spiced lentil and rice majadara). There's a popular, good-value lunch too, while well-chosen cocktails and wines are a decent match for the food. 

Run by a ’friendly, capable team’ who care about the food they are serving, this relaxed spot is best known for its seasonal brunch and lunch dishes. Sit inside or take advantage of the ample pavement seating for a global menu that might run from bacon, cockles and laverbread on toast to shakshuka, huevos rancheros and onion bhaji buns, plus sweet stuff such as burnt Basque cheesecake. On Friday and Saturday evenings, it’s walk-ins only as the kitchen rolls out its menu of artisan pizzette (chargrilled artichokes with Gordal olives and roast peppers, say) backed by charcuterie, tinned fish, bespoke cocktails and natural wines (curated by the local Pontcanna Bottle Shop). The coffee is good too.

Finding a long-standing culinary offer at the bottom of Byres Road can be a challenge. To find one that has been doing the business since 1999 and still consistently delivers imaginative and tasty dishes at reasonable prices makes you value the commitment of small, passionate local restaurateurs. The premises are petite and whether you're on the bijou mezzanine or at street level, you’ll be cosy with your neighbours. However, loyal regulars and visitors are here for the food and the friendly service. With well-priced set lunches and a fuller carte on offer, expect to see locally sourced ingredients given contemporary makeovers. Start, perhaps, with cured sea trout confidently matched with watermelon gazpacho, compressed melon flesh and pickled rind – any residual sweetness offset by dried ribbons of nori, baby chervil and salty pops of trout roe. Main courses are strong on local meats and fish, although more limited vegetarian choices also show care and craft. Slow-cooked Ramsay’s pork belly segues confidently from its Lanarkshire origins to more exotic climes in company with pineapple, pak choi, coconut and chilli sauce – they’re clearly not afraid to mix things up in the tiny kitchen. Elsewhere, tender Gressingham duck in various forms has been described as 'one of the best dishes I have eaten this year'. Desserts offer both sugar ‘overload’ and fresher options – a deconstructed crowdie cheesecake with intriguing salted pistachio and almond ice cream plus some dark fresh cherries bridges the two extremes. Like the menu, the wine list is well-balanced, with comforting staples alongside some more interesting options – all at reasonable prices.

* At lunchtime, guests can now order individually priced dishes in addition to the 'Fish Kitchen to Share' tasting menu. *

‘I saved the best till last,’ commented a visitor to this ‘remarkable small restaurant’ overlooking the slipway. Housed in the oldest building in the fishing village where Doc Martin was filmed, it’s all ancient, gnarled ships’ timbers, a very low ceiling and the definite feeling of pouring a quart into a half-pint pot (the tiny bathroom requires a determined effort at self-compression). The whole place is run with great enthusiasm, with the six-course tasting menu – ‘lovely, simple, brief’ – moving along at a reassuring pace. It’s another string to Nathan Outlaw’s bow, a local, seasonal and sustainable commitment filtering down from parent Outlaw’s New Road at the top of the village. Here, the offerings might take in diced cured bass, dressed in spiced pumpkin ketchup and served on a crisp blue corn tostado (so popular it’s fast achieving cult status); a lobster dumpling in seafood broth, which comes with a piece of sensational sesame toast; and crisply breadcrumbed megrim sole, with pickled slaw and jalapeño mayonnaise. Elsewhere, John Dory was excellent at inspection, big enough in flavour to stand up to an old-school creamy mushroom sauce. With the bounty of the seas getting star billing, you might expect dessert to be a perfunctory offering, but not so. A dome of browned Italian meringue contains seductively tangy passion fruit and lime parfait on a coconut shortbread biscuit base. There are some aristocratic wines on the short list, with both Cornwall and the classic French regions showing up well. Note, the tiny dimensions mean that the Fish Kitchen gets booked up way ahead.

Ox and Finch has maintained its popularity and standards since first wowing the Glasgow in-crowd with its ‘group-grazing’ approach back in 2014. Following a refurb in 2024, this corner site still creates a crowded and energetic neighbourhood bistro within a converted Victorian tenement building. Elegant plasterwork ceilings are offset by industrial gantries, repurposed wooden finishes and low booth seating. It may be artfully designed to look scuffed and loved but, rest assured, there’s due care and attention to detail when it comes to the food and the 'relaxed, friendly service'.

The varied menu of around 30 items offers a seasonally changing feast of mini creations, making it 'always exciting to go back'. Dishes can arrive randomly, but ordering in small waves offsets this, allowing time for sharing and savouring. Start perhaps with devilled eggs, jazzed up with sweet southern Indian spices and served with the tiniest chips imaginable and an indulgent daub of caviar. The artisan charcuterie platter showcases proper mortadella – silky, flavoursome, pistachio-laden and worlds away from the shaved pink rubber that too often passes for this under-valued gem. Perfectly pan-roasted and crisped chicken thigh comes with Jerusalem artichokes three ways (puréed, roasted and shaved) and a chicken butter sauce which is as unctuous as it sounds. Satisfyingly al dente tubetti with brown butter, peas and guanciale gives an ironic and more authentic nod to Scotland’s apparent obsession with macaroni cheese. There’s plenty for those seeking lighter flavours, while vegan and vegetarian options are gathered on a separate menu.

Desserts are well judged, with pineapple carpaccio, coconut and a zesty lime and tarragon curd offering a summery close. A wine wall showcases some of the vintages from a list that achieves a credible level of imagination and ambition while remaining affordable and accessible. Booking is essential, with an online 'waitlist' for the coveted outdoor tables that fill up on Glasgow’s much-valued sunny days.

Of all the multifarious eating and drinking opportunities in the heart of Soho, this ‘warmly welcoming’ little restaurant is one of the more compelling. Rita’s goes about its business with gusto, its popularity not surprising given the casual vibe, the warmth of the service and straight-to-the point modern American-style cooking. It’s not going to win any prizes for inventiveness – dishes tend to be simple assemblies built around seasonal British produce – but barbecued beef tartare with garlic, raw vegetables and lots of herbs, and a special of corn-crusted turbot served on a heap of courgettes and set in a puddle of herb butter – were good calls on a warm spring evening. Salt-fish taquitos have been praised, fried chicken parmigiana puts in an appearance, and flavours are ramped up with prime cuts and sharing steaks (order with ‘wrong way’ French fries). Desserts feature the likes of sunflower ice cream with caramel sundae, and the express lunch of, say, fried chicken roll, Caesar salad or eggplant panino is good value. Cocktails star alongside a European wine list stuffed with on-trend low intervention producers.

Older subscribers may recall the Taco Boys' horse-box on Porthilly beach. It was the jumping-off point for the collective that now runs Stage in Exeter's bosky Magdalen Road district, a 10-minute flit from the city centre. The place has been dolled up a little in the last few years, with comfier booth-style seating and the reception desk now moved sensibly to the door. Felix Craft and his team can be seen through a broad hatch at the back, while the effervescent Robbie Ashby runs the front with galvanising panache.

The place takes about five minutes to fill up in the evening (book well ahead), and a sense of community prevails – we're all eating the same things, after all (give or take the odd allergy). It's four set courses at lunch, six at dinner, changing weekly. We began with a bowl of yummy beetroot gazpacho, accompanied by a steel brochette of beetroot, bresaola and quail's egg. Next up was a shatteringly good version of Chinese sticky chilli beef, made with battered and glazed shin, on an underlay of stir-fried spring greens, asparagus and slivered garlic – a stunning success. An intermediate salad saw more wafer-thin, rosy-red beef topped with Devon Blue cheese and rocket, before a majestic main course of crisped pollock with lemony fennel and wholewheat farfalle in a puddle of 'nudja fat, sizzling with chilli. 

A cheese course with lacto-fermented mini-plums and candied pistachios followed, while the whole show was rounded off with a slice of rhubarb frangipane tart, its accompanying milk espuma dotted with cornflakes. The drinks flight is worth taking: only three of the six items were wine when we visited, the rest were aromatic cocktails, shrubs and shandy. Not every match is, strictly speaking, a match, and the approach can teeter on the edge of recklessness, but it adds hugely to the fun. Which is exactly what Stage aims to deliver.

Specialising in the culinary traditions of Kerala in southern India, Tharavadu generates a voluminous stream of plaudits from loyal customers. It has the kind of fanbase that not only returns regularly, but has acquired some knowledge of the distinctive regional specialities the kitchen deals in. The former captain of India's test cricket team, Virat Kohli, is a confirmed supporter, and there ought to be no arguing with an endorsement like that. In the warm embrace of hospitable staff, everybody feels welcome, and the kitchen hits one highlight after another. The mutta roast starter, a preparation of boiled eggs in chilli-hot tomato and onion, served with appam, is technically a breakfast dish, but who's counting? A more conventional way in might be with adipoli chemmeen, grilled prawns alight with their spice marinade, served with lemon chutney. Fans dream of the meen koottan, a classic coastal fish curry replete with Keralan seasonings and kokum mangosteen, best ordered with house paratha. Lamb mappas is a traditional Easter dish of the regional Christian community, incorporating spinach and a complex mix of garam masala and other spices. There's fresh okra in mustard as a side-order, zesty lemon rice to accompany, and cardamom and saffron vermicelli if you've any room left. A decent wine list, from £17.95, should cope with the cooking.

The 10 Cases is so named because owners Will Palmer and Ian Campbell buy just 10 cases of each listed wine on their 23-bin list – all offered by the glass, carafe and bottle (from around £33) – then don’t stock it again when it's all sold. However, this is no spot for cult producer fanciers chasing the rarest Burgundy or for those who just want to glug cheap plonk; it's somewhere for those who want to drink well for not too much money and embrace quality wines slightly outside the norm – we sampled a bottle of 2014 Morgon Les Charmes from Château Grange Cochard, a richer, modern style of Beaujolais. All in all, it’s a crowd puller. The place is also billed as a neighbourhood Bistrot à Vin, with a menu of simple, affordable French classics – perhaps smoked duck breast with rémoulade and candied walnuts or steak frites with peppercorn sauce – all served against a pitch-perfect backdrop of small tables, warm, low lighting and white walls covered with blackboards listing wine and food. We kicked off with a trio of small plates: blistered Padrón peppers hot from the fryer and dusted in rosemary salt; cod cheeks in a light, crisp tempura-style batter sprinkled with chilli and spring onion and served with a sweet, smoky, spicy vadouvan mayo; and a bowl of bacon-rich, creamy rillettes topped with cornichons. Next up, a whole roasted pork T-bone chop (for two to share). This was carved into slices alongside the bone and served with a wonderfully intense meat sauce, light and creamy celeriac purée and two halves of roasted apple – plus two huge slabs of confit-style potatoes layered with roasted onions on the side. To finish? Panna cotta with pistachios, and treacle tart with crème fraîche. Next door is the Cave à Vin wine bar, which is for walk-ins only.

Overlooking the Gothic remains of medieval Byland Abbey, this dream-ticket pub ‘hits that sweet spot between effortless village local and divine destination dining’. Inside, it’s pure, cosy magic, complete with flickering fires, ancient stonework and genuine Yorkshire hospitality. Pull up a stool for a pint of hand-pumped ale or graduate to one of the three dining rooms for seriously appealing food with a punchy regional accent, underpinned by produce from owner Tommy Banks’ family farm. Classics such as beer-battered haddock or Saddleback pork pie sit alongside upmarket ideas ranging from confit chicken and nasturtium velouté to BBQ fallow deer haunch and braised shoulder with sour cherries. And you can now enjoy the pub’s ‘absolutely incredible’ smash burgers indoors during the colder months. For afters, it’s hard to see past the luscious soft-serve ice creams – ‘nostalgic bliss in a bowl’. Brilliant Sunday roasts are a winning ticket too, with everything from Yorkshire hogget to rare-breed Berkshire pork reared at the Banks’ family farm. Aside from real ales and botanical cocktails, there’s a decent selection of wines with plenty by the glass.

Once home to the only Abergavenny man ever to become Mayor of London, the Angel is a classic late-Georgian coaching inn with pillared entrance and flying flags – a sturdy-looking monument to the graces of hospitality. Its main dining space, the Oak Room, adorned with colourful modern paintings, plays host to Wesley Hammond's resourceful cooking, but a table in the courtyard on a sunny day makes for its own kind of contentment.

The choice is as vast as people would expect to see in a pub/hotel dining room, with starters ranging from favourites such as crab cocktail to San Daniele ham with figs and Camembert, while main courses bring on pan-fried skate wing with parsley potatoes and caper sauce, burgers, dry-aged steaks and venison haunch in sauce Diane with colcannon mash. Wye Valley asparagus is welcomed in like an old friend when its season comes around each year. Finish with tarte tatin and amaretto ice cream or chocolate nemesis with clementine sorbet; otherwise, plump for the three-part ‘café gourmand’ selection of mini desserts.

Everything is served in an atmosphere of infectious jollity, with Sunday lunches offering a particularly valued local resource. The hotel is also known for its afternoon teas and high teas. A serviceable range of wines comes in three glass sizes as well as by the bottle (check out the Welsh representatives from White Castle Vineyard in Llanvetherine), and the bartender's full-throttle Negroni is made with Tanqueray gin.

Between the Tyne and Gateshead Millennium Bridges, the Broad Chare stakes its claim to be a 'proper' pub in every sense. There are no fancy-dan decorative touches here; instead, bare wood floors, painted brickwork and a frosted-glass partition protecting the Snug set the scene. Eat upstairs or down, or in a garden at the back where the parasols and grassed areas feel faintly rural. When it comes to food, expect well-wrought versions of Scotch eggs and ploughman's lunches, but those in the market for more ambitious cooking will encounter an extensive menu of contemporary classics such as whipped cod's roe or a terrine of parsleyed brawn with pickles, followed by pedigree beef dishes, respectfully treated fish including hake or sea bass, with perhaps chargrilled summer squash for vegetarians. Properly filling sponge puddings and apple strudel complete the deal. Weekday 'worker's lunches' are a steal for the likes of Irish stew followed by greengages with Jersey cream, and Sunday roasts are a good way to top off the weekend. Beers are every bit as good as you would expect.

Pure Totnes, this maverick pub with rooms runs by its own eco ‘Bull rules’ and promotes itself as ‘organic, radical and ethical’ – although the vibe is always warm and approachable. Menus change twice daily, the attention to detail is exceptional and dishes arrive ‘bursting with unique, bold flavours’ (without running riot). Served on quirky crockery, tapas plates with a strong veggie bias are the main contenders from the seasonal line-up, so expect anything from aubergines ‘under oil’ with apricot salsa and dukkah to a hogget chop with whipped tahini, chilli honey and sumac onions. If something more substantial is required, consider a bavette steak with turnip purée, romanesco and green sauce or share a whole crab with wild garlic mayo if it’s in season. To finish, Basque cheesecake is a sweet stalwart. Super-friendly staff are always on point, prices are affordable and the pub has a cracking drinks list with organic ales, cocktails ‘to die for’ and a sharp selection of adventurous European wines (organic, biodynamic and natural, of course).

Generally regarded as triggering the phenomenon that was the ‘gastropub’, the Eagle landed on Farringdon Road in 1991 and has resisted all forms of gentrification over the years. Ever-lively and ever-popular, it parades its pubby credentials with ‘free eating’ at small tables and bar stools around the perimeter – although you can book. Order at the bar: choose one of the beers from the row of taps and pick your food from the day’s menu scrawled on the board over the stove. Edward Mottershaw cooks gutsy, country food from across Europe, but mostly from Italy and the Iberian Peninsula. The ‘bife ana’ rump steak sandwich has been on the menu since day one and still reigns supreme – although others prefer the heartier seasonally adapted dishes, perhaps smoked mackerel niçoise or grilled Napoli sausages with lentil salad, followed by panna cotta with raspberries or the near-ubiquitous burnt Basque cheesecake. Spain dominates the cracking list of quaffable and affordable wines, or you could plump for a well-mixed cocktail. ‘No fuss, no frills, and everything is done with a lot of love.’

‘A really unique spot’ set within a 1,000-acre deer park just four miles from the Norfolk coast, this idiosyncratic pub/restaurant with rooms is quite a prospect. The grey-stone exterior may seem rather stark but inside there’s a feel of ‘inviting, lived-in elegance’, thanks to soft, warm furnishings, lots of varnished woodwork, leather, blazing fires and the owners' unrivalled collection of contemporary British art. Despite its impressive credentials, the place has never lost its pub atmosphere, with ‘locals enjoying a pint in the bar, a well-used pool table, darts, dogs and muddy-booted walkers’ adding to the country vibe. However, much attention focuses on the mighty Elk Room fire where joints of locally sourced venison, Blickling beef and South Creake pork are dramatically cooked over open flames. Also look for rich, carefully seasoned pies and fish from the coast (perhaps whole grilled mackerel with heritage tomatoes from the walled garden and herb aïoli). For afters, buttermilk pudding with raspberries is suitably comforting. Sunday means roast joints, while drinks range from Norfolk ales to a short, fairly priced wine list.

With its rampant popularity all but necessitating a relocation to larger premises, this Leith upstart has matured into its new, grown-up home with grace, becoming an altogether more polished proposition as a restaurant. Carrying over the nautical blues and cool whites of its predecessor, the new room has a bright, Scandinavian quality, with the open kitchen breathing warm light across the restaurant. Getting a table on a Saturday night remains a matter of blind luck, or a wait of two or so months.

The expanded kitchen brigade, operating under co-owner Roberta Hall and head chef Dominic Greechan, delivers a concise, ambitious menu of dishes that are never less than meticulous, and are frequently beautiful. A case in point: a resplendent duck salad starter where a rosy, slightly gamey breast contrasts with the bittersweet crunch of ruddy castelfranco leaves, while a glossy, hearty bundle of accompanying rillettes is tempered by fruity laces of orange.

Mains are similarly praiseworthy. An eclectic two-part lamb dish (fillet and merguez sausage) showcases the delicious potential and variety of their nose-to-tail approach, while a perfectly cooked cod fillet, yielding and succulent with delicately crisp skin and shrimp butter, is very nearly upstaged by a small, flawless bowl of mash, adorned with a crown of brittle, saline seaweed. Desserts might flit between an unusually effervescent rhubarb trifle and the joyous experience of smearing funky, whipped Hebridean Blue cheese across a hot cross bun, while sipping a glass of chewy Portuguese tawny port.

Out front, Shaun McCarron has built on and embellished his experience in fine-dining service. His team is precise and knowledgeable, but as importantly, affable and relaxed, with a sommelier whose confident and well-considered suggestions draw on an exciting, varied and approachable list.

Like bungee-jumping or a trip to Venice, dinner at The Ritz is an experience every life should ideally embrace at least once. There's nothing in either hemisphere that looks like the hotel's dining room on a balmy day, with the sun pouring in off Green Park – unless it be the evening scene, when gilded Poseidon lolls on his pedestal, sparkling chandeliers twinkle and the silverware gleams like honesty in a sinful world. Under the culinary direction of John Williams MBE, the food has steadily ascended towards global greatness. Needless to say, the style of service is an exercise in arts that have been cheerfully abandoned elsewhere, and yet there is genuine warmth within the impeccable propriety. Prime materials from the home nations furnish a choice of menus ranging from set lunches to an ‘epicurean’ tasting experience. To start, there might be Dorset crab dressed in crème fraîche and adorned with Imperial caviar, while delicacy of timing and sharp judgement suffuse everything from wild sea bass with artichoke and lemon to miraculously tender roe deer and its aromatic garnitures of smoked beetroot and juniper. Tableside service offers the chance to see the finishing touches being applied to dîner à deux servings of Dover sole, beef Wellington and crêpes Suzette. The wine list is a global lottery-win treasure trove with Champagnes of the month preceding classics from France, Italy and beyond.  

*Prospective diners should note that the Ritz's iconic dining room is currently closed for at least two years while the hotel is being renovated. Guests now eat in the more prosaic Arlington Street Wing, although the quality of the food remains exceptional.*

Small wonder the Rose & Crown attracts comments such as ‘our go-to pub’. Under the same ownership for nearly 30 years, this venerable hostelry with rooms is a reliable stalwart that's equally popular with thirsty villagers, second-home owners and holidaymakers sneaking inland from the coast. It’s near Snettisham’s church and was built about the same time, a 14th-century whitewashed beauty with two gorgeous old bars (all beams, open fires, real ales and general cosiness) and a large, light dining room extension – its beachside vibe helped by part-panelled walls and wooden rafters hung with fairy lights. Outside in the enclosed garden, the theme continues with new beach-hut bars joining the established children’s play area. The seasonal menu of modern pub food also has a seaside accent (Brancaster mussels is a ‘signature’ in cooler months), boosted by specials and ‘classics’ such as burgers, curries and steaks. There are plenty of high points – from pea, mint and Norfolk Mardler (cheese) risotto to precision-cooked whole plaice paired with perfect in-season purple sprouting broccoli. Best of all during our visit was an expertly wrought combo of passion fruit gâteau, passion fruit parfait and lemon tart with raspberry coulis, which could have graced any haute cuisine establishment. Less heart-gladdening was a lacklustre Thai sauce in an otherwise praiseworthy dish of linguine with plump prawns and tender squid, while our chocolate and hazelnut tart has thick, dryish pastry. Service dwindled as the afternoon wore on, yet it was hard to blame the cheery young waitresses. Drinkers supping pints of Woodforde’s Wherry populate the bars, while vinophiles can choose from a serviceable list that includes a trio of Norfolk wines.

*The restaurant is currently closed for refurbishment. Due to reopen in spring 2026.*

Seafood cooked over fire is a USP to grab the attention of any self-identifying foodie – and it gets even better, because the Salt Room occupies a spot overlooking the English Channel. It's a shame about the busy road out front, especially if you're lucky enough to have nabbed a table on the terrace, but this is Brighton and you're not here for the tranquillity, right? Crittal-style floor-to-ceiling windows serve up seaside views indoors too (depending on where you're seated). There's an energy to the place which suits the city – it's big and loud. The menu favours seafood but meaty and veggie things are not discarded, perhaps Himalayan salt-aged ribeye, or tempura king oyster mushrooms. If you're diving into the seafood, and have a willing accomplice, the blackboard reveals the market fish of the day, cooked over hot coals: Brighton sea bass or Cornish brill, say, filleted or on the bone ('so you can divvy it up yourself'), arrives with potatoes, vegetables, lemongrass and seaweed consommé. Mackerel 'nduja is a first-course rillette with tangy salted ricotta and pickled shallots, or there might be tuna crudo with spicy ponzu. A main-course cod, cooked just-so, comes with cauliflower multiple ways and a shellfish bisque of proper depth, while Cornish monkfish gets the barbecue treatment and a stew of white beans and 'nduja (again). Desserts include a board of seaside-themed treats, but the highlight for one reader was a choux bun with passion fruit and mango crémeux. The wine list kicks off with a selection called 'Coastal Whites', which sails from Kefalonia to Cape Aghulas; bottles start at £25, with plenty of options by the glass and carafe. 

Sitting majestically at one end of Padstow, Rick Stein's family-run flagship is truly one of the heritage addresses of British gastronomy. In business continuously since 1975, it has played a major role in overcoming what was the national ambivalence about seafood. Those who always claimed they liked fish but didn't know what to do with it have been inspired by a range of dishes that has never shied away from stepping off the straight and narrow – witness the likes of Indonesian fish curry with green bean and coconut salad, or vigorously spiced monkfish with roasted butternut squash and crispy chicken skin.

At heart, though, it's sterling tradition that is celebrated most fulsomely here, producing hearty Provençal-style fish soup with rouille and croûtons, platters of cold or hot fruits de mer, and main courses such as casseroled hake, chargrilled sea bass with tomato, butter and vanilla vinaigrette, or the show-stopping lobster thermidor in cream and Noilly Prat, served with skinny chips. People appreciate the bright, relaxing atmosphere and the first-class service, and even if the cost of it all can mount up formidably, it is usually felt to be worth the outlay.

Bistro-style desserts round things off with classics such as lemon tart, chocolate fondant or passion-fruit pavlova. Wines by the glass open with a quality Muscadet Sur Lie, the kind of seafood-friendly white that has all but disappeared from other lists. The quality throughout is highly commendable, but markups may well be found too hot to handle.

The buzzy, anticipatory atmosphere among diners at this polished magnet for Berkshire’s food-lovers is contagious. Lucratively located near the M4, A34 and A4, the Woodspeen nevertheless occupies a quiet patch of verdant countryside and comes complete with a cookery school. In 2014, it was converted from a pub – though you’d hardly realise this when you're reclining on a smart grey banquette in the stylish modern dining room to the rear, with its soaring wooden ceiling (topped by a skylight), windows looking onto the garden and full-length open-view kitchen. The food continues to attract heaps of plaudits from a multitude of fans – and it's easy to see why. Roast halibut with crispy chicken-skin crumb, Bollinger and apple purée indicates the level of ambition to be found here, while beef Wellington for two is a speciality – although even the good-value set menu displays culinary flair and a feel for local ingredients (many from the restaurant’s kitchen garden). In May, for example, you might begin with the most delicate Parmesan arancino (crisp outside, creamy within) surrounded by a silky-smooth wild garlic and pea soup, the flavour of both ingredients skilfully balanced. Main courses are equally accomplished, a serving of succulent cured salmon, say, on crushed Jersey Royals, the whole dish elevated by a boldly flavoured fish broth and a modest sprig of purple sprouting broccoli in peak condition. After that, rhubarb pavlova makes a refreshing finale, with its light chewy meringue and delicately cooked cubes of rhubarb topped with blood-orange sorbet. Service attracts special comment from readers (‘exemplary’; ‘superb’; ‘fantastic and attentive without being overbearing’), and we found the knowledge, enthusiasm and expertise hard to fault. Second helpings of the first-rate spongy sourdough bread, served with whipped butter and a little pot of moreish black olive ‘houmous’ were provided without charge, once our appreciation had been noted. A studious, young sommelier takes his duties seriously, and the wide-ranging list is full of classy offerings – even a glass of entry-level Viognier comes bursting with juicy fruitiness. Cocktails, served in the front bar or out on the terrace, are yet another forte at this impressive set-up.

The candyfloss-pink frontage and walls crowded with maritime pictures announce one of Whitstable's most cherishable assets, a seafood haven since the mid-Victorian era, still serving sparkling-fresh fish and shellfish from the local boats to a discerning clientele. A roaring takeaway trade might send you off with a prawn and crab tartlet to treasure. Otherwise, the venue offers everything from daytime sustenance to a eight-course tasting menu on Friday and Saturday evenings. Mark Stubbs embraces a dazzling range of culinary styles, turning his hand to anything from chargrilled scallops with buttered Kentish asparagus, polonaise crumble and crab mimosa to sticky Korean prawns with kachumber salad and gochujang sauce. And that's just for starters. The choice of mains also covers a lot of ground: roast sea bass with spring-green colcannon, fermented wild garlic stalks and a tartare sauce flecked with coastal herbs; pistachio- and citrus-crusted halibut with scallop and horseradish velouté; crispy-fried buttermilk monkfish with red cabbage coleslaw, griddled sweetcorn kerrnels and BBQ sauce. The lightest option for dessert could be a raspberry soufflé with raspberry-ripple ice cream. Unlicensed – so nip into the 'Offy' across the road for a bottle of wine or one of the specially selected craft beers.

Newson’s Yard, a new destination for high-end design, is an appropriate location for this remarkably good-looking restaurant from chef Aaron Potter and interior designer Laura Hart. From the gorgeous marble-topped chef’s counter to the marble tiles, light and dark wood furnishings, brick walls, pale blue banquettes and candle-dressed tables to the outdoor seating under the glass atrium, it’s the type of place you don't want to leave.

This is Potter’s first solo project after proving himself an asset at well-heeled neighbourhood dining spots including Trinity and Elystan Street. There's a terrific neighbourhood vibe here too, pepped up by an ‘80s rock and pop soundtrack and engaging, personable service under the judicious eye of Anthony Glaze (also ex-Elystan Street).

The kitchen delivers a wealth of Mediterranean flavours with snacks of fennel salami and Cantabrian anchovy toast preceding starters such as a ravishing stracciatella with violet artichoke, dried apricot and black truffle. Mains prove equally accomplished: grilled Cornish red mullet with softened Grezzina courgettes and salsa verde, or perhaps an earthy surf-and-turf paella of tender rabbit and cuttlefish with a dollop of smooth blood-orange allioli. Baked wild mushroom rice with chanterelles is an enticing veggie option, while crispy ‘holiday’ potatoes are cooked to perfection. Any flaws? There was some heavy-handed seasoning in some dishes, but a dessert of blood orange, almond polenta cake with blood-orange sorbet made for a sweet and satisfying finish.

The all-European wine list deserves commendation too: despite the prime Belgravia postcode, it has plenty of decent bottles below £50. One final tip: any opportunity to head up to the stunning first-floor wine bar should not be missed.