SquareMeal Gold Awards

Housed inside the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel in King’s Cross, The Midland Dining Room is a French brasserie launched by restaurateur and hotelier Harry Handelsman (Chiltern Firehouse, Allegra, Booking Office 1869), chef Patrick Powell (Allegra) and globally-renowned interior designer Hugo Toro. Its named after the Midland Grand Hotel, the Gothic Revival 19th century hotel which originally occupied the building, and its renowned dining and coffee room which was known for its haute French cuisine.

Between 2011 and 2021, the space was known as The Gilbert Scott, which was operated by celebrated Michelin-starred British chef Marcus Wareing. Now, The Midland Dining Room pays tribute to the building's impressive past with its Parisian-inspired design and menu.

Menus are rooted in French cuisine and change regularly according to the seasons, with a particular focus on British fish and meat. Alongside a versatile à la carte menu is a set lunch offering, while signature dishes include the likes of crab and elderflower pain perdu, chicken liver parfait with a truffle and Madeira jelly and Grand Marnier soufflé. These sit alongside broader, more familiar menu items such as salad of English tomatoes, pesto rouge, pickled shallots and soft herbs, wild mushrooms on toast with parsley and garlic, Welsh lamb with Pommes Anna, ratatouille and whipped aubergine, and grilled Dover sole.

As well as an a la carte, The Midland Grand Dining Room also offers a very reasonable lunch set menu that changes weekly. 

The wine offering is a considered list of predominantly old-world varieties, demonstrating established as well as up-and-coming producers. There is also a concise and carefully-crafted cocktail list created specifically for the restaurant to complement Powell’s menu, and overseen by bar manager Jack Porter. For example, Le Pain cocktail is a digestif that takes inspiration from Powell’s grandmother’s soda bread, including soda bread mix, Jameson, Guinness liquor, black walnut bitter and sweet vermouth.

Hugo Toro and Harry Handelsman have overseen the interiors which honour the Victorian origins of the room, while updating it for a cosmopolitan, contemporary audience. The vintage space features a variety of different botanicals and produce, along with bespoke tables, banquettes and its very own bar. Various textures are used via mirrors, rattan and caning, wood columns and glass, while the room’s bespoke orange colour pays homage to its original design.

Gouqi is a fine dining Chinese restaurant from seven Michelin-starred chef Tong Chee Hwee, where he brings innovative contemporary Chinese cuisine to St James’s in London. Tong helped to open Hakkasan Hanway Place in 2001, which gained its Michelin star two years later in 2003, before later becoming the executive chef of the entire Hakkasan Group in 2010. Over the years, he’s also led the kitchens at Hakkasan Mayfair, Yauatcha Soho and HKK, before leaving the group in 2019.

Gouqi marks the chef’s return to London’s dining scene and is his first solo venture, where he offers a contemporary take on Chinese cooking with a range of la carte, tasting and dim sum menus. The name Gouqi (pronounced like ‘goji’) originated as a play on goji berry, traditionally viewed as a symbol of health and vitality and which informs the ethos of the restaurant. As such, dishes are made using the freshest possible seasonal ingredients and offer a fusion of flavours, techniques and ingredients drawn from across China, as well as parts of Europe.

On the a la carte menu, diners are able to tuck into its ‘legendary’ peking duck with Oscietra caviar, as well as other luxurious dishes such as eight treasure crispy chicken with foie gras and a steamed royal dim sum platter. While the eight-course tasting menu combines modern European influences with Chinese flavours to create dishes such as chargrilled silver cod with yellow bean sauce and passion fruit, and black truffle roasted duck with honey-glazed Iberico char siu with salted egg yolk.

Meanwhile, its cocktail menu is inspired by the four Chinese mythological creatures: the Azure Dragon of the East, the Vermilion Bird of the South, the White Tiger of the West, and the Black Tortoise of the North. Discover four collections of drinks, each offering their own distinctive flavour profile, from floral and fresh to rich and full-bodied. Elsewhere, a premium wine list features a lengthy selection of bottles from across the globe.

Restaurant 8 is a unique dining experience led by Liverpool-born chef Andrew Sheridan. Guests are invited to enjoy an immersive sensory experience, filled with nostalgic storytelling, incredible food and drinks, and a curated soundtrack designed to complement the meal.

Andrew Sheridan rose to prominence after competing on Great British Menu in 2018 and 2019, an educational experience that saw the chef hone his skills and eventually win the Welsh heat in the latter year. 8 is very much a summation of his time spent cooking on the show, as well as years of hard work and graft, pushing himself to be the best he can be. The concept originally launched in Birmingham while Andrew was executive chef at Craft Dining Room, but has since relocated to Liverpool.

The chef’s table can seat up to 16 guests, and the entire experience is themed around the number eight, from the types of dishes to the number of courses. At its core, 8 is based around simplicity, quality produce and flavour, using food to evoke childhood memories and nostalgia without any of the stuffiness associated with fine dining.

Menus are seasonal and constantly fluctuate throughout the year. In fact, its offering is given a complete makeover in April, July, October and January in line with what’s in season. An example of a meal you might expect to try there includes a selection of chef's snacks to start, followed by mackerel with gazpacho and horseradish, scallop with brown butter and dashi, wagyu beef with pickles and truffle, and jasmine rice with coconut and lime. Sweet things, meanwhile, might feature chocolate with salted caramel and pecan praline.

Restaurant 8 is open for dinner Wednesday to Friday, and for lunch and dinner on Saturdays. Split across two floors, there is an upstairs area for pre-dinner drinks and snacks, while two separate 10-cover counters are each staffed by two chefs.

Found on the 24th floor of Tower 42, right in the heart of London, Michelin-starred City Social boasts jaw-dropping, panoramic views of the London skyline and a classy modern British menu to match.

City Social is a particularly bright star in Jason Atherton's impressive Social Company restaurant group. As of 2019, Tomas Lidakevicius has taken over executive chef duties here, and he brings a wealth of experience to the role having worked at the likes of Galvin at Windows, Corrigan’s Mayfair and Texture. 

The menu at City Social is typical of Atherton's restaurants - elegant, modern British food that celebrates the best produce the country has to offer, and elevates it with a dash of international panache. Dishes include the likes of Devon crab with bitter leaf salad, nashi pear and brown crab toast on starters, braised short rib with watercress, alliums and olive oil mash for mains, as well as a pasta course and Hereford beef steaks from the josper grill. Naturally there's a choice of caviar options for those who are ready to push the boat out. City Social also caters well for vegetarians and vegans, offering dedicated vegetarian and vegan set menus as well as the vegetarian options on the a la carte. Don't forget to leave room for desserts like chocolate délice, miso caramel and black sesame ice-cream.

Within the same venue as City Social, you will find Social 24, a more casual bar that features equally stupendous views of London. As well as a terrific cocktail menu, the bar also includes a selection of beers, spirits, wines and Champagnes, along with a bar menu ideal for a relaxed bite with friends or a business lunch.

When The Cinnamon Club opened in 2001 it offered up a fine-dining experience when the majority of Indian restaurants in the capital were still subscribing to the curry-house format that had propelled the popularity of the cuisine in the UK.

Classically trained in India, chef Vivek Singh understands the building blocks of age-old cooking techniques and couples them with contemporary twists on classics for unusual and surprising creations that have helped to push his restaurant into the premier league of London eateries. Additional accolades include Singh having authored five bestselling cookbooks and appearing regularly on cooking programmes such as Saturday Kitchen and Celebrity MasterChef.

The Cinnamon Club has undergone a £1 million refurbishment to transform its home in the old Westminster Library into a bright and modern space that still retains much of its original character. Old books line two sides of the dining room while walls are painted bright white and a mezzanine level adds additional seating without detracting from the double-height space.

Priding itself in catering for every eventuality The Cinnamon Club offers all sorts of special menus, including a vegan one which offers a wonderful selection of plant-based Indian dishes. From the main menu you can expect creations like a Bengali-style lobster thermidor and a 48-hour marinated pheasant breast in pickling spices. For those who enjoy communal dining there is also a handful of signature sharing mains, like the Old Delhi-style butter chicken and a whole rack of lamb in a corn and yoghurt sauce.

The Cinnamon Club also offers private dining spaces for special occasions and serves meals from first thing to late into the evening, with a breakfast menu that includes unexpected dishes such as a full traditional cooked English breakfast.

On the beautiful banks of the River Thames in London, the world famous Savoy Hotel has been home to one of London’s most iconic restaurants since 1889, the Savoy Grill, and over the years has been visited by names such as James Dean, Winston Churchill and Marilyn Monroe. Inside the iconic building, enjoy the grandeur of the Savoy Grill, which is one of the world's most iconic dining destinations.

Following a monumental refurbishment in spring 2023, this historic restaurant on The Strand has undergone a breathtaking transformation. Enjoy the elegant new look that graces the dining room, featuring mirrored walls, plush velvets, and an iconic feather tile feature, paying homage to the glamorous golden age. Open seven days a week, the Savoy Grill by Gordon Ramsay invites guests to dine amidst Hollywood and history, with a chic chef’s table space overlooking the kitchen and a sublime wine experience room like no other. Enjoy the fruits of wood fired charcoal grills, offering delicious options like the hearty 300g rib eye steak or the indulgent côte de boeuf, which is perfect for sharing.

Seafood lovers will enjoy a showcase of British produce, including oysters, lobster thermidor, or dover sole. Begin your meal with the exquisite Arnold Bennett soufflé made with smoked haddock and Montgomery cheddar sauce, or enjoy the opulence of oscietra caviar with brown butter waffle and smoked sturgeon rillette. If you love a classic, be sure to order the steak tartare with a confit St Ewes egg yolk and black truffle crisps, or enjoy the freshness of kingfish crudo with pickled green apple, radish, and ponzu. The iconic beef Wellington, accompanied by pomme purée, tenderstem broccoli, and red wine jus is delicious, and don’t forget to end on a sweet note with the irresistible Savoy Grill éclair filled with raspberry, vanilla, and lime.

There isn't a more iconic British activity than partaking in afternoon tea at The Ritz. With five sittings served daily in the grand surroundings of the hotel's Palm Court, guests will leave the Mayfair dining room having indulged in the finest of afternoon teas. 

Located on the ground floor of the hotel, the Palm Court stuns with its grand chandeliers, ornate designs and high ceilings. Decorated in tones of gold and cream, this stunning room looks like something straight out of a fairytale, and features leafy palms, huge paned mirrors and vast marble columns as you enter. Depending on your sitting, guests are also serenaded with live music while they dine, as expert musicians play the piano, cello, harp or violin at intervals thoughout the day.

The traditional afternoon tea is a quintessentially British offering of sandwiches, pastries and freshly baked scones with clotted cream and preserves. Start off with delicate Scottish smoked salmon and citrusy lemon butter on sourdough, followed by a classic cucumber and cream cheese sandwich that is served with the elevated flavour pairing of dill and mint. A chicken breast and creamy tarragon mayonnaise meets malt bread while some sandwiches are served in a rich, buttery brioche roll. 

In terms of tea, guests are spoilt for choice with 18 different types of loose-leaf tea available. From The Ritz's own breakfast tea, to a floral earl grey, refreshing mint and the more complex Chinese green teas. 

Moving onto the sweet selection, guests will find an assortment of seasonal pastires and cakes alongside the staple of scones, Cornish clotted cream and strawberry preserve. Turn the afternoon into a celebratory occasion for the whole family with a children's menu, and the addition of a glass of Champagne for the adults to indulge in. 

Special occasions need special surroundings and even more impressive food, and you won't find a more spectacular place to dine than at The Ritz. Holding a Michelin star, executive chef John Williams MBE creates the finest cuisine, presented with the utmost elegance and precision.

Surrounded by grand chandeliers, floor-to-ceiling windows and mirrors, and magnificent statues; the dining room alone is enough to take your breath away. Join friends and family overlooking the green haven of Green Park and let the head sommelier guide you through his list of gems, or perhaps you might favour a glass of Champagne or even a taste of the Champagne of the month.

The menus draw inspiration from traditional dishes using Escoffier-inspired recipes. Each dish is composed of fine, British produce; plus the menus change seasonally to adapt to the best ingredients available at each moment of the year.

A speciality of this restaurant can be found in their Arts De La Table section - shared dishes with table side service that pays homage to the harmony between the kitchen and service. If guests prefer, they can stick to a traditional three-course affair; begin with the likes of native lobster paired with tomato and basil before moving onto a main of sea bass. You may see the likes of seasonal Yorkshire grouse on the menu, served with tart blackberry and walnuts. 

In the dessert selection, the restaurant showcases its delicate patisserie skills. The infamous chocolate souffle is perfectly risen and fluffy with a smooth, vanilla chantilly cream to match. If you don't have much of a sweet tooth, then the selection of artisan cheeses make the perfect finish.

Experience grandeur and elegance like no other when dining at The Ritz. Soak up the atmosphere of the live music performed by the resident pianist or harpist and revel in one of Mayfair's finest culinary destinations. 

Aside from having one of our favourite addresses ever (No.1 Poultry), Coq D'Argent is a luxurious space in the heart of the City of London, boasting a chic bar, lavish restaurant and stunning roof terrace. The menu is spearheaded by head chef Damien Rigollet, with the award-winning wine list coming from head sommelier Giuseppe Iacona.

The restaurant itself is an elegant, refined space, with white tablecloths and discreet but attentive staff. The bar, meanwhile, is a more relaxed setting, ideal for a post-work drink with a colleague or catch-up with a friend. Finally, the terrace and garden offer stellar views of the London skyline, with alfresco dining all year thanks to blankets and heaters.

Those looking to dine on a budget can enjoy the extremely reasonable set menu, which offers three courses for under £40. Options mainly consist of French staples including snails with garlic and parsley butter, comte tart and creme brulee. For more decadent options, diners can opt for the a la carte menu, which features more global entries such as teriyaki glazed octopus or falafel with violet artichoke salad. Seafood lovers can indulge with Colchester rock oysters or bouquet prawns, while caviar connoisseurs can enjoy Baerii, Oscietra or even Beluga, which comes with Taittinger "Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs" 2005. 

For earlier visits, there is an excellent brunch menu. Diners can start their day with a Bloody Mary, Mimosa, Espresso or Aperol Spritz, before tucking into the likes of crab toast, eggs Royale Benedict, potato rostis, artisanal sausage and macaroons. The 38-page wine list is truly something to behold, offering grapes from all over the world at varying price levels. There is also an impressive range of sparkling, fortified and sweet wines, as well as a separate list of Taittinger Champagne, including a 2007 'Comtes de Champagne'.

Another jewel in restaurant group D&D’s ubiquitous empire is Angler, a Michelin-starred restaurant perched at the top of South Place Hotel specialising in sustainably-sourced fish and seafood. Led by executive chef Gary Foulkes, the menu features an ever-changing display of modern and innovative dishes, with both a la carte and tasting menus available. Gary has spent more than two decades working in Michelin-starred restaurants, starting his career under the guidance of acclaimed Gary Rhodes before going on to work at two-starred The Vineyard at Stockcross, one-starred Aubergine in Chelsea and two-starred The Square in Mayfair.

In addition to the main restaurant, The Angler Terrace is a rooftop terrace and bar which offers guests fantastic views across the capital. Offering a retractable roof and heaters, it’s a great place to soak up the city’s skyline all year round, and functions as an extension of the restaurant should you wish to enjoy a meal here.

The a la carte menu offers a concise selection of starters, mains and dessert, revolving predominantly around fish and seafood. To start, you may enjoy the likes of sea bass tartare with oyster cream, green apple and shiso, or native lobster ravioli with chicory, Japanese citrus and basil. While mains might include Cornish monkfish with pumpkin gnocchi, chestnut and rosemary butter. The tasting menu begins with a selection of snacks, from a comte, goat’s curd and pumpkin gougere to prawn and squid ink crackers with smoked cod’s roe and espelette peppers. This is followed by seven courses, not including petit fours.

To drink, there is an extensive bottled wine list which is carefully selected by its resident Sommelier. Discover a huge range of wines by the glass if you’d like to try a few, as well as a global selection of fine and premium bottles.

Located in the quaint village of Shinfield, just a short drive from junction 11 of the M4, L’Ortolan is a sophisticated operation that is set within a Grade-II listed building. L’Ortolan serves a high-end, well-executed menu of contemporary French dishes and is widely accepted as one of the best restaurants in Reading.

The main dining room here is a smart and intimate space, which features just 11 tables. High back chairs, soft lighting and windows which allow natural light to flow through (as well as offering views of the manicured grounds) set a romantic mood, while extra character is added to the space via the works of well-established artists, such as Richard Rowan and Bob Barker, which hang from the dining room walls. It is hardly a surprise then that L’Ortolan is a popular spot for couples, particularly those with special anniversaries to celebrate.

The kitchen at L’Ortolan has been overseen by a number of Michelin star chefs over the years, but currently heading up the team is James Greatorex. The chef oversees a regularly changing menu of modern French fare, with a focus on getting the best out of good produce and working in harmony with the seasons. The restaurant is also able to accommodate for most dietary requirements if notified in advance and includes vegetarian options as part of its offering.

On your visit, you will be able to choose from an a la carte, or two multi-course tasting menus (‘Gourmand’ and ‘Elegance’). Dishes you might come across include the likes of Orkney scallop with celeriac broth, kohlrabi and radish or guinea fowl with chestnut, wild mushrooms and leeks. To round off your meal, you might tuck into a Mirabelle souffle or a selection of British and French cheeses.

To drink? Expect paired wines or innovative house cocktails.

While Sketch is a staunch long-time resident of Mayfair and famed for its unusual, artistic interior design, there's one room within the multi-restaurant venue that you probably won't have seen all over social media. On a private, upper floor, The Lecture Room & Library boasts a more exclusive offering, often used on a sole hire basis and only holding lunch and dinner reservations at restricted timings throughout the week - for example, between midday and 1.30pm, or 6.30pm until 9pm in the evenings. 

The Lecture Room & Library's kitchen was formerly ran by longtime Sketch collaborator, French chef Pierre Gagnaire, who was awarded three Michelin stars for his work here, but now the baton has been passed to head chef Daniel Stucki. The a la carte lunch menu begins with starters such as summer vegetables in herbal broth with Scottish girolles, and mains spanning fish, meat and vegetarian bases. Options here include sea trout with raspberry butter served with maris piper potato and confit shallot, next to creedy duck marinated in cumin and savory served with grilled fruits and nutmeg. 

In the evening, guests are welcomed to try the tasting menu which spans eight courses and includes vegetarian options, as well as a wine pairing. An example of the plates you might see here include roasted slice of pollock with aromatics, Anjou pigeon roasted and smoked with hay, as well as poached native lobster with leafy carrot, peach and watercress. 

As always, the space is also incredibly visually stimulating, making it more than just a feast for the tastebuds. High, corniced ceilings are enhanced by a wall of mirrors, elevating the space to ballroom-like proportions, while rich hues of red, orange, gold and purple flit across the furnishings. The centre piece, though, is without a doubt the huge, red chandelier hanging in the heart of the space, setting the tone for the whole experience. 

Located inside Surrey's luxurious Pennyhill Park Hotel, The Latymer is a fine dining restaurant serving a choice of inventive menus designed by head chef Steve Smith. With a Michelin star to its name, The Latymer prides itself on providing only the highest level of service and a suitably formal atmosphere to best showcase the award-winning food. The restaurant is committed to showcasing only the finest local produce and also has a real focus on seasonality, which means that the menus change every day based on availability of ingredients.

Found in one of the oldest parts of the house, The Latymer's dining room boasts a snug yet grand feel with rustic exposed beams and opulent décor throughout. A mixture of brightly upholstered chairs and banquettes sit on a turquoise carpet while tables are topped with white tablecloths and wooden panels line the walls.

Taking on the position of head chef in 2020, Steve Smith has completely redesigned Latymer's food offering. The focus is on its discovery tasting menu which is available for both lunch and dinner. This is comprised of six regularly changing courses with guests recommended to allow three hours to experience the gastronomic experience. Examples of dishes might include Birxham crab salad and custard with mango and coriander to start, followed by Ventowyn Farm egg with peas, girolles and ham, and sea bass with Roscoff onion, smoked eel and mustard. Sweet dishes might include seasonal delights such as Yorkshire rhubarb with waina and pistachio.

When it comes to drinks at The Latymer, you can opt for a wine pairing designed by head sommelier Sergio Dos Santos to perfectly complement every dish on the tasting menu, or you can choose a bottle from the extensive wine list. There are also plenty of other drinks available for those who don't want wine and for non-drinkers.

Mayfair restaurant Gymkhana originally opened its doors in 2013, and the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star just a year later, which it retains to this day. In the summer of 2019, Gymkhana was struck by disaster when a fire in the restaurant forced the Mayfair hotspot to close down – luckily, no one was injured in the blaze. Gymkhana underwent a significant refurbishment and reopened in February 2019.

Restaurant guests can expect to find a striking dining room kitted out in tones of jade green and polished dark timber, matched with metallic accents and marble tabletops. The restaurant’s original booth seating has survived, and provides a degree of intimacy and privacy in the restaurant - no doubt a reason why it remains a popular celeb haunt. Head down the mirrored steps and you'll find the much-lauded bar area - a great place to enjoy a gin and tonic with some Indian snacks.

When it comes to the menu, the restaurant offers a range of menus from a daily a la carte to special lunch and tasting menus. It is inspired by the elite social clubs of colonial India, and the a la carte offers a range of snacks, kebabs, curries and game dishes to suit all comers. Dishes from the reinvigorated menu include the likes of quail seekh kebab with mustard and mint chutney, and kasoori chicken tikka with moong sprouts and kasundi kachumber. Curries may suit those who want something a little more familiar - pork cheek vindaloo, chicken butter masala and lamb shank rogan josh all make an appearance, all accompanied by a wide choice of sides, from perfect steamed basmati rice to channa masala and Rajasthani bhindi.

Desserts are equally luxurious - saffron pistachio kulfi, and cardamom and basmati rice kheer, for example - and come accompanied by a choice of digestifs, dessert wines or fine tea blends.

For special occasion dining, it doesn’t get much better than the peerless three Michelin-starred temple of gastronomy that is Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester. Any conversation about the world's most decorated chefs must include Ducasse, who holds three Michelin stars in a number of countries. Indeed, he is the second most decorated chef of all time, only being pipped to the post by the late, great Joël Robuchon.

Ducasse’s London restaurant finds its home in the classic, opulent surrounds of The Dorchester. Interiors are suitably elegant with a stunning floor-to-ceiling sculptural chandelier feature taking centre stage. Surrounding this you’ll find a mix of banquette seating and classic dining tables with white tablecloths, which are spaced widely enough for private conversations without losing the convivial buzz of the space.

Guests at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester are offered three menus to choose from - an a la carte menu, a full tasting spread, or a menu jardin, which showcases seven courses of seasonal vegetarian cooking. The a la carte gives diners the choice of three courses for £150, whilst the tasting menu is a selection of seven great Ducasse's dishes, including at the time of writing dishes such as lobster medallion, chicken quenelles, Périgord truffle and homemade semolina pasta, farmhouse veal fillet, green pea and mint condiment, and pineapple, galanga sorbet and kombu condiment. The tasting menu costs £210 and runs through hot and cold starters, a fish and main course, as well as an assortment of French cheeses and an elegant dessert.

World-class wines have been carefully chosen by in-house sommelier Vincenzo Arnese to complement the flavours on the menu and the helpful team are ever-present to make suggestions and pairing recommendations. Indeed, there’s the option to add a wine flight to your meal should you wish to take the element of chance out of things.

As you might expect the service here is top-class, with the team trained to the highest standards which results in personable but professional care throughout your time in the restaurant.

The Pass is an intimate restaurant within the luxury spa South Lodge hotel, West Sussex, headed up by the highly talented chef Ben Wilkinson. Under Ben’s guidance, the restaurant is now the proud holder of a Michelin star, winning the accolade for the first time in 2023. The Pass serves exciting tasting menus which make the most of seasonal produce, and promises each guest a unique and memorable dining experience.

The restaurant is able to cater for up to 28 diners within its historic walls, with guests seated slap bang in the middle of the kitchen in order to immerse themselves in its buzzing atmosphere. Overlooking the brigade of chefs in action, diners can watch them create each innovative dish before finishing them at the pass, for a truly immersive ‘chef’s table’ experience.

Head chef Ben Wilkinson lies at the heart of the kitchen, who moved to The Pass following his success working at Michelin-starred The Cottage in the Wood in the Lake District. His partner Monika Zurawska, meanwhile, manages the front of house team, a seemingly unstoppable duo with the aim of bringing diners an unrivalled dining experience.

There is one seven-course tasting menu available, which changes regularly depending on the seasons and what produce is available that day. However, examples of dishes you’re likely to try include celeriac with beef cheek fillet and celery, wild Newhaven turbot with asparagus, oyster, Ridgeview sparkling and king oyster mushrooms, as well as Fallow venison with beetroot, kale, red wine, peppercorn and lardo. Sweet courses, meanwhile, include Yorkshire rhubarb with ewe’s curd, vanilla and rose.

On the drinks menu there is a wide range of wine from all over the world, including a diverse selection of English sparkling wine, and specially curated wines from France, Austria, New Zealand and Croatia. Diners also have the choice to add on a carefully considered wine flight with each course.

As the name suggests, The American Bar at five-star The Stafford in St James’s pays homage to the illicit speakeasies that became renowned in London and Paris during the 1920s and 30s. To truly immerse diners in prohibition era England, the bar has been designed with a distinctively vintage feel, boasting subtle lamp lighting, a wooden bar, brown leather seating and an all-round cosy ambience. It’s also one of the longest surviving American bars in London, just to add extra gravitas to its aformentioned credentials.  

Both food and drinks are served here, but let's start with the former. Bar director Benoit Provost and director of mixology Salvatore Megna oversee the cocktail menu, which comprises a mix of signatures and classics, both old and new. Sure, there are other drinks too, such as vintage Champagne, premium spirits and a whisky collection to put all others to shame, but cocktails are its ‘thing’. Choose from the Equilibrium menu for a series of perfectly-balanced drinks which are sub-divided by earth, air, water and fire. You might find one called Nimbus for example, which mixes gin, mangosteen, akashi-tai yuzu, citrus, peach and Champagne, or Sonus made with mezcal, cantaloupe melon, grasshopper salt, green yoghurt and fino sherry.  

You can also find a selection of signature, classic and after-dinner cocktails, as well as numerous twists on a negroni for lovers of the punchy drink.  

Michelin-starred chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen heads up the food menu, with the bar serving lunch, dinner and light bites throughout the day. Offering a selection of American-inspired dishes, smaller snacks might include BBQ Iberico pork ribs, sticky buffalo wings with hot sauce, sesame and soy, mini sausages with American hot sauce and loaded potato wedges. If you’re after a full meal, you can choose from main dishes such as a lobster thermidor sub, chicken parmigiana, a signature burger made with beef, cheddar and caramelised onions and a pastrami-cured smoked salmon bagel with soured cream and lemon.  

The aim of Lyle’s is simple: to ensure British food has a place in this day and age. This Michelin-starred London restaurant offers a ‘micro-seasonal’ daily menu, celebrating whichever ingredients that are fresh and available that day. Matching the trendy surroundings of Shoreditch, this pared-back space was once a factory for Lipton’s tea. Wooden tables and chairs, large windows and simple lighting adorn the white-walled space. Clearly, this is a place where the food speaks for itself.

Due to the ever-changing menu, you likely won’t know what’s on the menu until you arrive. But you can expect simple, elegant dishes using only the finest British produce. There is typically a mixture of familiar flavours like anchovy, cider or chard and less familiar tastes like crab apple, ewe’s cheese or quince. Top-quality meat features at Lyle’s too, but this is certainly a vegetarian-friendly place.

Previous vegetable dishes at Lyle’s have been combinations like Tema artichoke, chard and preserved lemon or radicchio with apple and Berkswell cheese. Seafood is handled with care, paired with the likes of sweet oroblanco and smoked roe or sea beet and seaweed broth. Meat is typically paired with somewhat punchier flavours, such as dried winter tomato and black pepper or liver and broccoli.

Desserts at Lyle’s are certainly not to be missed with previous creations like blood orange and panela sugar millefeuille, bee pollen ice cream with pear and meringue or caramel ice cream with expresso.

At lunch, there are choices of dishes, but in the evening this is not the case. Instead, you hand the reigns over to James Lowe and the team (there is still a vegetarian menu to opt for). The primarily European wine list is refined, with a fair few options by the glass before you get onto the big hitters. Aperitifs, beers, ciders and non-alcoholic options are also available.

Prepare to step out of modern-day Mayfair and into Golden Age Shanghai as the concierge at Park Chinois welcomes you with a tip of a hat. This glamorous spot is dedicated to celebrating the romance and etiquette of yesteryear, alongside the thrills and luxury of the present. Park Chinois, which comprises the elegant Salon de Chine and indulgent Club Chinois, is a unique dining experience popular with the well-to-do, so have your credit card at the ready.

The lavish décor within takes inspiration from a 1930s Shanghai speakeasy, so prepare to be ensconced in red velvet upholstery and flashy frills, as you take in one of the venue’s live shows and get acquainted with some seriously special Chinese cooking.

There’s a menu for every occasion at Park Chinois, from light lunches to long, luxurious dinners. For an all-round taste of what’s on offer, try the two- or three-course set lunch menu. The restaurant’s more expensive dishes won’t feature, but you’ll still get to try the likes of bang bang chicken salad,  Cantonese roast duck with Champagne and orange sauce, and an 85% chocolate fondant.

For those looking to make a serious dent in their bank accounts though, the sky is the limit. You’ll find rare caviars, prime cuts of meat including Japanese Hida Wagyu rib-eye, premium fish and shellfish, and other dishes containing the likes of foie gras, black truffle and venison.

Exquisitely-crafted desserts are a must for the sweet-toothed as they include creations such as the Granny Smith apple cheesecake served with vanilla and apple cream, apple gel and crumble, and a decadent dark chocolate fondant made with sweetcorn and Rémy Martin Cognac Sauce and decorated with gold leaf. Drinks are similarly glamorous whether you opt for a cocktail, a glass of Champagne or a pot of rare Japanese tea.

Adding to the ranks of some of London’s best Indian restaurants comes Bibi, a fine-dining destination for deftly spiced dishes of warming Indian flavours.

This contemporary restaurant is backed by JKS, the people behind Michelin-starred Gymkhana, with chef Chet Sharma at the helm of the kitchen where he brings a wealth of skill and expertise. Sharma previously worked as the group’s development chef, creating some of the best-loved dishes in London. This venture sees him have free reign of his very own kitchen for the first time.

A variety of 'Chef's Selection' menus are available as either five or eight-courses, with the option to choose from separate vegetarian and pescatarian menus. On the five-course menu, for example, diners are served a selection of assorted snacks, followed by green chilli haliut, and then buffalo milk paneer. Next, is a combination of Sharmaji’s Lahori chicken and a Galouti kebab, before finishing with a Pondicherry chocolate kulfi.

While only tasting menus are available in the evening, it also serves an a la carte offering at lunch which features a range of small snacks, chaats and grills. 

As is fitting for a Mayfair address, there’s Champagne on the drinks list here, as well as sparkling teas, a progressive wine list and a whole host of cocktails. In terms of the latter, you might choose to try a Calamansi Margarita featuring Calamansi tequila, mango ginger and green chilli.

Interiors at Bibi are by Sam Hosker and have been designed to create a warm, relaxed environment for diners. Expect mango wood paired with sandstone furnishes, as well as antique brass accessories and abstract prints. Inside the restaurant there’s room for 35 guests, while the outside space can accommodate up to 20 people and is furnished with rattan chairs surrounded by verdant foliage.

Set within beautiful, well-tended parkland, 17th-century Grantley Hall exudes luxury, from the polite, plaid-uniformed staff to the lavish decor and furnishings within. Widely regarded as one of the best hotels in the country, Grantley Hall possesses everything you’d expect from an upscale country house hotel, and then some. Three restaurants, several bars, and a state-of-the-art gym and spa are just some of the draws for the well-heeled seeking a gold-standard stay, but it’s the partnership with critically acclaimed chef Shaun Rankin that undoubtedly takes top billing.

Rankin is Yorkshire born and bred but left the surrounds of the countryside to pursue his ambitions of becoming one of the country’s top chefs. Ambitions achieved via a handful of Michelin stars, he returned to open his eponymous restaurant in 2019 where he's since added another star to his collection. 

Rankin’s fine-dining restaurant is situated at the front of the hall in a plush room that’s as warm and inviting as it is beautiful. The original ornate ceiling sports twinkling chandeliers which come together with the rich drapes and heavy, scalloped chairs to create an air of hushed serenity.

A dedication to sustainability and quality means all meat (organic, naturally), cheese and seafood is sourced from local suppliers and, like the discernibly fresh fruit and vegetables, comes through in the superb flavours. It’s a tasting only affair here, with an optional – but advised wine or non-alcoholic drinks pairing. While dishes flex with the seasons, guests can expect the usual run of bread and butter into fish, meat and sweet plates that span ten courses and finish with a trolly of petite fours enjoyed at your table or in the next door lounge.

Dovetale is the flagship modern British restaurant at 1 Hotel Mayfair, overseen by two Michelin-starred Restaurant Story chef Tom Sellers.

Sustainability, seasonality, and a plethora of nature-inspired finishes are what the 1 Hotel Mayfair is all about. Situated (not by chance) facing Green Park, the venue's spaces, including signature restaurant Dovetale, are carefully crafted with an environmentally friendly approach. The hotel features living walls, which are irrigated by rainwater, sustainable materials used all across the building, and over 1300 plants, trees and shrubs plants across the grounds. 

Sellers works meticulously to embrace zero waste methods and source from eco-minded suppliers at Dovetale too. With a modern European à la carte menu, Dovetale offers dishes from the grill as well as from a raw bar, and there's a real focus on letting outstanding produce shine - emphasised by dishes like English burrata with Amardo Manni 'oil of life' olive oil. Elsewhere there's some celebration of classic French cooking and flavours, with a day boat-caught sole Veronique, where sole is gently cooked in a sauce of vermouth, cream, white grapes and tarragon. 

There are also tributes to old-school puddings in the dessert menu as well, as guests can choose from options including a Grand Marnier souffle with tonka bean creme anglaise, and a Knickerbocker glory, served tableside from a trolley for a bit of extra entertainment and theatre. 

If you fancy al fresco dining, there's Dovetale's outdoor terrace, which features a cozy copper fireplace and pergola, perfect spot for all seasons. And for an even more special occasion, there's a private dining room available.

The hotel also has a cocktail bar - the Dover Yard - perfect for pre- or post-dinner drinks. 

Moor Hall is a beautiful, grade II-listed country house with a surrounding estate of five acres and views out to the lake, set in the heart of West Lancashire. The property and grounds were taken over in 2015 by husband-and-wife team Andy and Tracey Bell, who oversaw a multi-million-pound renovation and transformation into the award-winning restaurant and rooms it is today.

While the Moor Hall Restaurant is the gem in the estate's crown, having been awarded two Michelin Stars, a Michelin Green Star, and 5 AA Rosettes, the Barn restaurant also sits on site and boasts a Michelin Star of its own, as well as a historic setting and gorgeous views. 

Just moments from the main house, the Barn was once a business man's carriages and horse's stables, and today flush with period features such as exposed brick walls and wooden beams overhead. It is helmed by patron-chef of Moor Hall, Mark Birchall, who describes this as a neighbourhood restaurant offering a seasonal menu and the best Sunday lunch of your life. 

It's important to the team that as much of the ingredients and produce are sourced as locally as possible, growing many of their own vegetables and herbs on site. Highlights from the menu include 60 day aged grass-fed ex dairy Jersey beef tartare with Jerusalem artichoke and nasturtium; Cornish cod, smoked onion, charred leek, bacon crumb and stem ginger panna cotta, blood orange, granola. And, as for those unmissable Sunday lunches, they say the roasted 40 day aged Longhorn sirloin with all the trimmings is the dish to try.

Guests are invited to enjoy either a set three-course menu for lunch from Thursday to Saturday, or for dinner on Wednesdays and Thursdays. An a la carte menu is also available, allowing you to pick your favourite dishes from the curated selection.

Norma celebrates the coming together of flavours from the south of Italy and north Africa, a pairing that pays homage to the history of Sicily. This Italian-inspired restaurant was originally overseen by Ben Tish, but now rests in the hands of executive chef Giovann Attard.

Despite the definite foodie credentials, a visit to the restaurant is as much about the interiors and hospitality as it is the menu. The three-floor townhouse space looks to recreate the grand café culture found throughout Sicily, while staff are warm and charming in their manners, reminiscent of that signature Italian service. A crudo bar greets guests at the entrance, made up of striking marble colours, while the dining room is awash with intricate mosaic walls, hanging pendant lighting, booth seating and cosy seating nooks found in carved-out arch spaces. Low lighting adds to the ambiance.

On the first floor you’ll find the cocktail bar where you can enjoy drinks and snacks, while the top floor hosts a private dining space. Here guests can work with the kitchen team to perfect their party menu from a selection of family-style sharing platters and will enjoy their meal in the warm and intimate surrounds of the mirrored-ceiling space.

Back in the main restaurant and the menu features Sicilian-inspired dishes made using seasonal Italian and British produce. While the menu might change from day-to-day, you can always expect sparklingly fresh seafood from the bar, dressed with high-quality olive oil or other deftly handled garnishes, while the antipasti options might throw up combinations like burrata with chicory, blood orange and coriander seeds. Homemade pastas are the kitchen’s signature serves, while mains like grilled salt marsh lamb or pan-fried stone bass feature as large plates. There is also a full vegan menu for plant-based eaters and a selection of tempting dessert for a sweet finish to your experience at Norma.

Ormer, housed in the plush Flemings Hotel and headed up by executive chef Sofian Msetfi, has become a staple of Mayfair fine dining, boasting a Michelin star and many other accolades. Msetfi brings his elegant flair to the table in the form of a variety of tasting menus - including vegetarian, vegan and pescatarian options - as well as breakfast in the mornings. As one might expect from a Mayfair restaurant of this calibre, there is an extensive wine list featuring some of the finest bottles in London. 

Breakfast at Ormer includes a wealth of classic, light and indulgent options. Alongside a full continental featuring cured meats and cheeses, smoked salmon, baked Viennoiseries, fresh fruit salad, cereals and yoghurts, you can also find plenty of cooked options, such as brioche French toast, omelette Arnold Bennett, and baked eggs 'en cocotte'. 

Msetfi's tasting menus are centred around seasonal ingredients sourced from Ormer's dedicated suppliers, as well as produce from its kitchen garden in Essex. Drawing on a wealth of influences and cooking techniques, dishes include the likes of Sicilian tomato peas, broad beans and vanilla, cured Cornish mackerel with sesame, kombu and spiced nage, and roast Anjou pigeon with mushroom and lime. All menus begin with a selection of canapes, and finish with a 'petit bun' and sweets. While the dessert section of the menu includes the likes of Caramelia and malt ‘gateaux’ with honey vinegar and Madagascar vanilla ice cream.

Two tiers of wine pairings are available - signature and prestige - although diners can choose their wines for themselves thanks to a comprehensive list. Bottles from Ormer's cellar, sweet and fortified wines, and pink, orange and biologically aged wines are all on the menu.

Promising to bring the best of Barcelona to Manchester, Tast is a Spanish bar and restaurant in the centre of Manchester serving Catalonian twists on tapas dishes. Décor is modern and minimalistic, and the site is set over three spacious floors. Each floor boasts a slightly different atmosphere: the ground floor houses its buzzy bar and terrace, the first floor is where you'll find the main restaurant, while the top floor houses a beautiful private dining room. The restaurant has got a couple of big names behind it too. The kitchen is led by chef Paco Perez, who's won multiple Michelin stars throughout his career, while the restaurant is backed by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

The food at Tast aims to be as authentic as possible, while only using the highest quality ingredients. The restaurant and bar both offer up a broad range of ‘tastets’, a Catalan word meaning ‘tasting plates’, and is intended to offer a Catalonian spin on tapas. Examples of these small and tasty dishes include roasted red pepper croquetas, octopus with potatoes, mojo rojo and mojo verde, and duck egg with fried squid, potato soufflé and tartar sauce.

Larger dishes, meanwhile, include a selection of Catalan-style rice and charcoal options, from lobster rice and coral mayo, to creamy mussel rice with mussel mayo. All of the rice dishes are finished off in a charcoal oven, to create the traditional caramelised glaze at the bottom of the dish.

Tast boasts a large selection of Catalonian wines - in fact, it's one of the largest collections of Catalonian wines in Manchester - which are ideal to accompany your authentic meal. There is also a range of international options if you prefer, plus plenty of cocktails and beers if you’re just stopping by the bar for a drink and a nibble.

It’s hard to imagine a more iconic London dining destination than The Wolseley, a restaurant that feels as though its existence makes up part of the very fabric of the city.

The iconic site of 160 Piccadilly began its story when it was commissioned in 1921 by Wolseley Motors Limited to English architect William Curtis Green, their desire was to create a prestigious car showroom that exuded luxury and grandeur. Marble pillars and archways teamed with Venetian-inspired details left an impressive finish, but alas the cars did not sell quickly enough and in 1926 the company went into bankruptcy. Barclays Bank took over the site in 1927 but it wasn’t until 2003 that the building was sympathetically renovated, throwing open its doors as the grand cafe-restaurant destination that we find today. It turns out that the showroom features work just as well as a backdrop to some of the city’s most ritzy dining, adding a bit of good old-fashioned drama to proceedings.

Breakfast brings iconic dishes to the table by way of eggs any way you can think of, hand-made Viennoiserie, piles of pancakes and signature house dishes like the bubble and squeak with a fried egg or the delicately spiced kedgeree which by now benefits from a legendary status. Lunch and dinner centres around hearty serves like steaks, schnitzels and cheese savouries – including a very good Welsh Rarebit. If you happen to find yourself dining after-hours, the late-night menu does a very good job in quashing any before-bed hunger with a fun line-up of everything from burgers and omelettes through to ice cream coupes and banana splits, for a fittingly nostalgic nod to dessert.

Known for its unique combination of spectacular design, classic food and seamless service, The Wolseley, part of The Wolseley Hospitality Group, remains an iconic and popular choice for both Londoners and tourists alike. 

The Pem is the flagship fine-dining restaurant at the Conrad London St James hotel, run by chef Sally Abe - one of London's most acclaimed young chefs. Abe acts as consultant chef for the hotel and also oversees its in-house pub, The Blue Boar.

Having previously been head chef of Michelin-starred The Harwood Arms in Fulham, Abe now brings her culinary knowledge to The Pem, which serves a dinner menu that champions top-quality British produce and reworks classic dishes with innovative new spins. The menu changes seasonally, but on your visit, you can expect to find dishes that are underpinned by fresh produce from trusted suppliers - think poached native lobster with shellfish cream, heritage tomatoes and sweet olive or roasted John Dory with brassicas, lemon and sauce Choron. Desserts meanwhile, include the classic likes of black forest gateau topped with chocolate curls and served alongside English cherry ripple ice cream.

The Pem takes its name from suffragette Emily Wilding Davison, whose family used the pet name ‘Pem’ for her, and a commitment to showcasing female talent is reflected in Abe’s exclusively female senior team. The restaurant’s look is also distinctly feminine - the dining room boasts an art deco inspired design, including soft lighting and comfy banquettes and tub chairs, all decked out in romantic rosy hues. The main dining room seats up to 70 guests, while a private dining space has room for 24.

The Pem’s wine list combines highly sought-after fine wines with lesser known bottles from independent producers and has been curated from sommelier and wine consultant Emily Harman.

Speaking about the opening, Abe said: “I have the freedom to serve the food I’ve always wanted to cook. It’s me on a plate. I’m taking classic combinations and really making them my own, like steak and oyster, cheese and onion – I won’t be messing with the framework but trying to put a new spin on them without creating challenging or modernist dishes. I want to bring a sense of familiarity and transfer those flavours to high-end restaurant dining.”

Located in the heart of Mayfair, Murano is Angela Hartnett’s Michelin-starred restaurant, where diner's can indulge in the chef’s signature honed Italian cookery. Having mastered the staples of Italian cooking from her grandmother and aunts, the food is a reflection of Harnett’s childhood, elevated with excellent quality produce and knowledge acquired from decades in the UK's culinary scene.  

Aiming to take the stuffiness out of fine dining, the space is warm and welcoming, with soft lighting, comfortable seating and eccentric paintings on the walls. It's the perfect setting for a relaxing yet elegant meal. The a la carte menu changes regularly to ensure all ingredients are as seasonal as possible and features a select few dishes per day, which diners are encouraged to try in whatever order they please.

Choose from anywhere between three or six courses, with no traditional signposting as to what might be a starter or main, bringing an element of unexpected theatre and entertainment to the table.  

The frequently changing a la carte menu might include the likes of rabbit raviolo with courgette, basil and sauce vierge, red mullet with burnt orange romesco and a ricotta filled courgette flower, and veal tartare with aged parmesan, almond cream and dill, all of which featured on the restaurant's summer menu. To finish your meal, tuck into desserts like caramelised Amalfi lemon tart or whisky baba with strawberries and smoked vanilla ice cream. Each dish displays a suggested sweet wine pairing, too.  

To accompany your meal, the Murano wine cellar comprises outstanding bottles from renowned Italian vineyards, as well as international bottles. The collection focuses on grapes that complement the cuisine and growers who share the ethos of quality and flavour. There is an extensive number of wines available by the glass, including Champagne and sparkling wines, as well as plenty of sought-after bottles from highly regarded labels.  

A true seafood institution, Bentley’s needs little introduction. Serving up the freshest seafood around for over 100 years will often have that effect. Headed up by Michelin-starred chef Richard Corrigan for more than a decade, Bentley’s shows no sign of slowing down. This is a restaurant where diners feel relaxed, but every detail has been examined before anything leaves the kitchen. Specialising in not just oysters but all seafood, this is widely considered one of the best places to enjoy the fruits of the sea in the UK.

An essential start to a meal at Bentley’s is, of course, oysters. Here there are over ten varieties to choose from, available individually or by the half dozen. Purists can enjoy theirs as nature intended, while those seeking something more flavoured can opt for theirs dressed or garlic-baked. Oscietra, Cornish and Iranian Beluga caviar is available for those wishing to go all-out for their meal.

From the raw bar, the delights of the sea continue with options like langoustine with ponzu and pink grapefruit or cherry clam with tomato and horseradish. Classic dishes like shellfish cocktails are elevated to new heights here, featuring Cornish crab, Atlantic prawns, lobster and brown shrimp. Starters include further elevated dishes like lobster bisque with brandy and tarragon chantilly or Cornish crab and mussel soup with coconut, ginger and lime.

Those wanting something more relaxed for their main course can enjoy classic fish and chips with tartare sauce and mushy peas or fish pie. However, the decadence continues with options like pan-seared turbot with olive oil mash and langoustine sauce. Meat dishes like a herb-crusted rack of lamb are also available, but seafood is certainly the main event here.

There is an extensive list of wines by the glass as well as bottle so that the ideal accompaniment for each course can be chosen. There are plenty of sparkling options as well as larger bottles for extravagant celebrations.

Tucked in amongst the verdant countryside of West Berkshire, The Woodspeen is a restaurant and cookery school, housed inside a lovingly restored 19th century farmhouse. Despite its credentials, this is a relaxed and welcoming space, which makes the most of its lush surroundings with large windows that frame the idyllic countryside views and an open kitchen which adds a touch of theatre to proceedings. Bare tables and pendant lighting add a rustic, countryside feel, while cosy banquettes on one side of the room and verdant greenery add warmth to the space.

The menu at The Woodspeen is a seasonally changing affair which is inspired by homegrown ingredients. Plenty of restaurants wax lyrical about the importance of provenance, but The Woodspeen really means it, often incorporating ingredients that have been plucked from the restaurant’s own garden. Otherwise, high-quality local suppliers are used wherever possible.

The Woodspeen is open for both lunch and dinner, offering an a la carte that showcases the best of what is currently in season. On your visit, you might begin with starters such as Cornish crab and spring vegetable risotto with lemon emulsion, or chicken and black pudding terrine en croute, before moving on to main courses including garden pea and caramelised onion lasagna with roasted morels or roasted lamb rump with white asparagus, local wild garlic salsa verde and rosemary potato rosti. If you still have a bit of room, round off the meal with a rhubarb and custard tart, or a strawberry and lime alaska with warm dark chocolate sauce.

A dedicated children’s menu is also available, as are plentiful vegetarian and vegan options, while on weekends, you can head here for a traditional Sunday lunch. Be sure to explore the illustrious wine list too, home to over 400 varieties.

Since opening originally in 2006, Hawksmoor has built a successful empire on expertly-sourced steaks served alongside more side dishes than you can count on one hand. Obviously, we know there’s more to its unrivalled popularity than that, but you can’t knock the people’s love for steak and chips, a truth that Hawksmoor has capitalised on exponentially. Now, with eight restaurants in London as well as multiple sites across the UK, this steakhouse giant shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.  

Hawksmoor Seven Dials can be found down a quiet street in the old Watney-Coombe brewery. Boasting a well-stocked bar where guests can slurp on signature cocktails (discover multiple twists on a Manhattan, highball and martini) before slouching over to one of its leather banquets to tuck into a meat (and fish) filled feast. The long dining room is decorated in a cosy art-deco style, with wooden parquet flooring, painted wood-paneled walls and a huge skylight above that floods the room with natural light during the day.  

Situated slap bang in the middle of Covent Garden, this branch occupies a prime spot for a quick dinner before heading to the theatre in the West End. Fortunately, an express two or three-course menu is perfect for pre or post-theatre dining.  

The a la carte menu, meanwhile, revolves around a selection of British-bred beef steaks and sustainably-sourced seafood. Go easy on the starters because the main event is guaranteed to be a feast! Kick off with smoked salmon with soda bread, or potted beef and bacon with Yorkshires and onion gravy before choosing your preferred steak. Larger cuts are generally 500g or more, perfect for two people to share, and include chateaubriand, T-bone and bone-in prime rib, while smaller options include fillet, sirloin and rib eye. Serve alongside a mix-and-match of sauces and sides – think tripled-cooked chips, mash and gravy, macaroni cheese and maple bacon.  

The Gilpin group spans two five-star hotels in the Lake District, just a mile from one another and both nestled in some of the area's most beautiful scenery with thick woodland and, of course, breathtaking lakes.

The Gilpin Hotel is set in 21 acres of lush countryside and benefits from a Champagne bar, rooms with private hot tubs and en suite spas, as well as two restaurants - Gilpin Spice and SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel. The latter is headed-up by Executive Chef Ollie Bridgewater (formerly of Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck) with a focus on exquisite produce, distinct flavours, seasonality, sustainability, and precision, which when combined with exceptional service creates a fun and fine dining experience.

The restaurant offers a ten course tasting menu and a six course tasting menu, both with a strong focus on using the very best ingredients. With a sustainable ethos comes a daily changing menu - ensuring to keep it fresh whilst still always encompassing the seasonality and skill as expected from the SOURCE kitchen. Example dishes include butter poached cod with waldorf, lovage and vermouth, and loin of venison with spiced beetroot, endive and kampot pepper.

The ten course tasting menu is priced at £120, and the six course alternative can be enjoyed for £90 - which makes a great option for those with limited time. For those who like to indulge in a selection from the drinks list as much as the food, there’s an optional wine pairing available that can be enjoyed alongside your meal.

Housed in a popular little spot on Frith Street, Hoppers Soho is largely responsible for putting Sri Lankan food well and truly on London’s map. The small and cheerful venue with its wooden furniture, bright yellow walls and framed Bollywood posters is inspired by the village toddy shops on the backstreets of Sri Lanka and the restaurant serves a laid-back informal menu of traditional and authentic dishes from the country including hoppers, dossas, kothus and roasts – all complimented by a tropical drinks list focussed around the popular native spirits Genever and Arrack.  The restaurant is the brainchild of the Sethi siblings, best known for their Indian restaurants Gymkhana and Brigadiers, and the success of their casual small plate outpost has seen Hoppers replicated in St Christopher’s Place and soon to be King’s Cross.

A very reasonable express lunch menu is a good way to experience a broad range of the restaurant’s popular dishes comprising mutton rolls, goat or veg Kothu rotis, a hopper or dosa, choice of Kari and selection of sambols or chutneys; but for those with more time on their hands the Taste of Hoppers feasting menus are an absolute must. For just £35 a head the whole table will be served a selection of signature dishes to share that showcase the very best of authentic Sri Lankan cusine. Choose between a meat or vegetarian option and look forward to sharing dishes that include hot butter chilli paneer; devilled squid; goat Kothu roti; Kappa cutlets; and bone marrow varuval. Next guests can choose between a traditional hopper- a large bowl shaped fermented rice and coconut milk pancake- or dosa – a pancake made from a fermented lentil and rice batter. Finally diners can choose a Kari (the Tamil term for a curry) of their choice to round off the feast with some Sri Lankan heat.

The Victoria Oxshott is an award-winning British restaurant and gastropub located on Oxshott High Street, near Leatherhead in Surrey. Open for lunch, dinner and a roast on Sundays, The Victoria is a family friendly pub serving a menu of locally sourced seasonal dishes. 

The Victoria is a spacious modern pub with a large bar area and plenty of cosy seating areas and fireplaces. A green and gold colour palette is visible throughout the restaurant, and the interiors are luxurious but classic, with timber floors, wood-panelled walls as well as cosy rugs everywhere. There is also an expansive terrace and beer garden.

The main a la carte menu changes regularly. However, you may find dishes such as Sladesdown farm breast and leg of duck with hay baked carrot, Scottish girolles and apricot, and slow cooked pork, hispi cabbage, apple and black pudding crumb. Other classic dishes include traditional fish and chips, as well as a selection of steaks from the grill, all of which are served with roasted onion, chips and Bordelaise sauce. 

There's plenty in the way of meat-free options, including at the time of writing a cauliflower steak, torched corn and coriander. Save room for desserts like apricot Bakewell tart, yoghurt ice cream and banoffee pie souffle, or a cheese plate if you prefer. There is a large drinks menu, with an extensive wine list, as well as local beers and spirits. 

If you’re dining with younger guests you will find plenty of good options on the menu, such as cheese crumpets, fish and chips, and a mini Sunday roast. The Victoria is conveniently positioned within reach of Oxshott train station, alongside a number of shops, a delicatessen and a butchers. Keep an eye out for many seasonal specials, including The Victoria boxing day menu, and the New Years Eve menu. 

Farlam Hall has been a country manor for nearly 500 years, and for much of that time owned by the local gentry, the Thompson family. Created as a space to entertain family and friends, the current team are passionate about continuing its hospitable legacy with sumptious interiors, cosy fires and fantastic food and drink. 

The Cedar Tree Restaurant is the jewel in the hotel's culinary crown, boasting a Michelin star and hosting guests in a beautifully elegant space, overlooking the gardens with delicate, floral wallpaper and white tablecloths. Here, the team offer a fine-dining experience which seeks to highlight the very best of local produce and seasonal ingredients, with its heart firmly planted in Cumbria. 

Helmed by Chef Patron Hrishikesh Desai, the sample menu takes diners on a seven-course journey, starting with cod tartar in a crispy puff ball, with soya and honey dressing, carrot and cumin purée with garden cress, alongside an aubergine ‘Cornetto’ with smoked aubergine pickle and cheese mousse.

Across the main courses, enjoy dishes like fried fillet of cured hake with roasted pineapple and smoked sweet and sour sauce, as well as Aglionby Longhorn Beef tandoori ‘Wellington’ with tandoori spiced marinated beef fillet wrapped in classic mushroom duxelles, potato cream,  seasonal garden vegetables and tandoori jus.

For afters, enjoy Thompson’s farm rhubarb with vanilla pannacotta, rhubarb textures and orange cake, as well as dark chocolate delice with banana bread, caramelised hazelnuts and milk ice cream, and coffee and tea with petit fours. 

The restaurant is available to book for both overnight guests of the restaurant and visitors just for the day. For those making a Sunday booking, try the five-course Sunday lunch with dishes like poached Loch Duart salmon, crab dumpling and keta caviar beurre blanc, followed by sticky toffee pudding with dark chocolate and cardamom ganache with salted caramel ice cream.

There are few restaurants across the country that really live up to the word iconic, but Cliveden House, a country manor in Berkshire with over 350 years of dazzling history, really does. Built in 1666, Cliveden was a gift from the second Duke of Buckingham to his mistress and since then, has been the site of roaring parties held by the likes of Winston Churchill and John Lennon. 

Within this stunning, sprawling Grade I Listed building you'll find The Dining Room, a lavish restaurant serving an a la carte, tasting, Sunday lunch and afternoon tea menus. The Dining Room was originally the house's drawing room and faces south with views overlooking the beautiful gardens. The huge windows fill the space with natural light and the sumptuous decor features impressive chandeliers and ornate ceiling cornicing. 

The food takes its cue from local, seasonal produce and throughout the year chefs take great efforts to ensure that the menus are at least 30% vegetarian and vegan friendly, showing off the work of nearby growers. All menus are available online and to get a flavour of what to expect, check out the a la carte which showcases stand-out dishes like confit lemon sole with brussels sprouts, ponzu and blood orange to start, slow-cooked guinea fowl with glazed wing, pickled grapes and white carrot for mains, and spiced pineapple with passion fruit, coconut sorbet and lemongrass for dessert. 

For a special occasion, it has to be the tasting menu with eight fabulous courses. We won't spoil all the surprises for you, but we love the sound of the seared scallop with pumpkin, rehydrated cranberry and lemongrass, as well as the Earl Grey crémeux with Granny Smith jelly. The team at Cliveden have also put together a brilliant selection of wines to go alongside, with options to go for the classic pairing, or sommeliers’ cellar selection.

Situated in the heart of Chelsea just off the King’s Road, The Five Fields is a Michelin-starred restaurant serving contemporary British food. Originally opened in 2013, this elegant neighbourhood spot has earned a flurry of accolades over the years, including its prized star in 2017. Taylor Bonnyman is the chef patron behind the operation, having previously worked in some of the best kitchens in the world: the now-closed Michelin-starred Roussillon in London, Marcus Wareing, Pierre Gagnaire in Paris and two Michelin-starred Corton in Tribeca to name a few.

Taylor and his team take provenance very seriously and the restaurant sources a huge amount of its plant-based produce from its very own Kitchen Garden in Sussex. Spanning an acre and a half, The Garden provides a host of organic and seasonal produce exclusively for the restaurant, from fruits and vegetables to rare herbs and flowers. It also boasts 10 hives which produce honey and honeycomb for its desserts. In the kitchen, the team follows a low-waste approach to cooking, with any food waste it produces returned to The Garden for composting.

The restaurant serves tasting menus only for lunch and dinner. Dishes are built around the seasons so you can expect the menu to change fairly often. However, examples of things you might expect to try include lobster with pumpkin seed juice, fallow deer with Jerusalem artichoke and sunflower glaze, red cabbage salad with shiso gazpacho and oyster, and baked apples with cider sabayon.

Guests can also elect to include either a classic or prestige wine pairing with their meal, but there is also an extensive wine list which might be better suited to those who know what they like. Here, you'll find a magnificent collection of global wines, English sparkling, vintage Champagnes and more.

The Rivoli Bar is located within the Ritz hotel in the heart of Piccadilly, an iconic London institution since 1906. This is an elegant destination suitable for everything from lavish evening drinks to a decadent lunch stop off while exploring the capital. Boasting opulent art déco interiors designed to imitate ‘walking into a jewellery box’, this stunning spot features striking chandeliers, vintage paintings and marble panelled walls. Guests can take a seat at the counter and watch the expert mixologists conjure up enticing concoctions or settle in for a long evening at the comfortable table seats and enjoy the all-day dining menu.

On the menu, diners will find a modest selection of dishes, made with only the finest ingredients and executed to the Ritz’s high standards. There is a variety of caviar available to get your evening off to an indulgent start, in either 30g or 50g tins, all of which come with a recommended vodka pairing. For your main course, the Rivoli Classics include light bites such as tuna niçoise salad, Caesar salad with chicken and bacon, and six Rossmore Oysters. For something a bit heartier, try the Ritz cheeseburger, plat du jour or the lobster rolls with sauce Choron. There are also sandwiches like salt beef with mustard and a classic club, all served with French fries.

To pair with your meal, or if you’ll be just stopping off for a tipple, the beverage list is extensive and guaranteed to have something that takes your fancy. The signature cocktail list consists of the Rivoli’s take on many classics like a Negroni, and features a monthly special cocktail highlighting seasonal flavours. As this is the Ritz, some fetch quite a price and showcase vintage liquors like 1960s Gordon’s gin, 1970s Campari Bitters and Louis XIII Cognac. There are also plenty of Champagnes and a global wine list featuring vintage bottles, magnums and some available by the glass.

The Olive Tree restaurant is Bath's only Michelin-starred restaurant - set inside the magnificent townhouse at the Queensberry Hotel in Bath. This boutique hotel is one of the most popular in the city, and sits just a stone's throw from famous Bath landmarks like The Circle, the Georgian Gardens and the Royal Avenue.

At the time of writing, The Olive Tree is the only Michelin-starred restaurant in the city and, with Chris Cleghorn at the helm, it seems likely to retain that award for some time. Chris honed his skills while working with the likes of Michael Caines at Gidleigh Park and James Sommerin. Not to mention spending time at Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck. His cooking is a reflection of each of these experiences - combining the precision of dishes at The Fat Duck with a style that honours local West Country produce. Bath is fortunate to be surrounded by exceptional farmland, and The Olive Tree aims to showcase the best local and seasonal ingredients in a refined and modern manner. 

There's a six-course and a nine-course tasting menu, as well as a smaller four and three-course menu, available at lunch on Fridays and Saturdays, so there's something for every occasion and budget. Dishes include the likes of veal sweetbread, Westcombe ricotta, salted lemon and mint as a starter, Cornish monkfish with sea herbs and vin jaune as a main, and yuzu, Szechuan pepper, meringue and nasturtiums for dessert. There are dedicated vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian and dairy-free alternatives for the nine-course option, so dietary requirements are no problem at all. 

The Olive Tree is also a past winner of The AA’s Overall Best Wine List, so as you'd expect, the wine choice is varied here, with a wealth of new and old world wines as well as biodynamic, organic and vegan options.

34 Mayfair is an up-market, glamorous restaurant in the heart of London's most fabulous postcode, as nodded to by its name. The central space is a smart dining room with polished wood flooring, red leather brasserie seating and a grand art deco bar. 

The outdoor terrace which sits along the front entrance is a pretty place for food and drinks in the summer, while indoors, large windows flood the space with light in the day and atmospheric lighting making the dining room a buzzy place to meet friends, colleagues or a date for lunch or dinner. 

On the menus, you'll find a breadth of modern European dishes, but the rotisserie and grill are certainly a talking point. The a la carte menu starts with small plates like seared scallops with soy glazed pork belly, dashi and shiso butter, alongside Robata grilled octopus with smoked black bean, aji amarillo and avocado, as well as Dorset crab tart with kohlrabi, green apple and yuzu jelly.

The main menu spans salads and fish dishes, plus signature meat mains off the rotisserie and grill. If you fancy something a little lighter, the 34 Caesar salad combines a smoked garlic and parmesan dressing with Ortiz anchovies and the option to add rotisserie chicken. There is also a raw bar, with dishes like salmon sashimi, steak tartare, and shrimp and seabass ceviche. Pescatarians will enjoy the likes of Indonesian BBQ sea bream, alongside Dover sole and the fish of the day, but if steak is on your mind, check out the Wagyu selection, sirloin, fillet, rib-eye, and cuts for two.

When it comes to drinks, wine connoisseurs will want to see the 'legends of wine' list with rare and vintage glasses from the cellar, while the cocktail selection has some creative twists such as an Old Fashioned inspired by banoffie pie. 

Bruce Poole was born in Guildford Surrey. After several years in hospitality, he started cooking at Bibendum, followed by The Square then Chez Max and finally his very own Chez Bruce in 1995. Since then, there have been many awards, recognising the culinary prowess of this Wandsworth restaurant. That being said, there is no resting on laurels at Chez Bruce. Poole, along with head chef Matt Christmas' sole focus is the business, and as such rarely appears in the media. It's an old school restaurant in the best of ways, where service is extremely efficient while remaining knowledgable and friendly. Regular staff tastings are key, so that every member of the front of house team knows the menu personally. So much so, in fact, that the staff offer other dining recommendations for London and further afield. 

You'll notice from the menu here that the menu is very much up to date. Starters might include miso-glazed aubergine with ginger, puffed wild rice, sesame, shiso and soy or a lobster ravioli with bisque, pickled fennel, brown shrimp and samphire. You will, however, see more traditional first course options like rabbit rillettes with Armagnac prunes and toast, or deviled lamb's kidney with crisp tongue. Similarly, main courses at Chez Bruce are traditional, featuring the likes of veal rump or stuffed pig's trotters. Unpretentiously, this Michelin-starred restaurant also offers options like steak and chips (admittedly a Chateaubriand with hand-cut chips). 

There are usually around seven dessert options like creme brulee, yoghurt parfait with blood orange and pistachio or Yorkshire rhubarb trifle, not to mention the famous 'grande assiette de fromage Chez Bruce'. There is a huge selection of wine here with plenty by the glass, ranging from affordable half-bottles to a magnum Chateauneuf du Pape. Head sommelier Victor Barre is more than happy to guide your choices. 

Situated in the village of Aughton in West Lancashire, amid five acres of beautiful gardens, is Moor Hall – a 16th-century, Grade II-listed house, and now, an award-winning restaurant. The building was acquired back in 2015 by husband-and-wife team Andy and Tracey Bell, who brought around a multi-million-pound renovation, transforming it into a destination restaurant with luxury rooms, boasting views of a lake that’s said to be the remains of a medieval moat.

The restaurant is helmed by chef-patron Mark Birchall who has worked hard to create delicate, produce-driven menus inspired by the Hall’s exceptional natural surroundings. Wherever possible, Mark uses produce grown on-site or from local suppliers, and uses his broad culinary experience garnered at top establishments such as Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume to ensure each dish is beautifully-presented and full of flavour.

Since its inception, the restaurant has been awarded a breath-taking number of accolades including two Michelin Stars and a Michelin Green Star, and was voted ‘Best Restaurant in the UK’ at the SquareMeal Top 100 Restaurant Awards in 2019.

Guests can choose to dine from a four- or eight-course menu at lunchtime, while dinner is a set eight-course menu. Naturally, the menu changes to reflect the seasonality of the produce, but the kinds of dishes guests can expect to encounter include Gaisgill Row Farm blue grey beef, barbecued pablo beetroot, mustard and shallot, as well as, Isle of Mull scallop with white asparagus, grains and truffle, and garden apples and gooseberry, woodruff, birch sap and marigold.

Moor Hall says its attitude to wine is simple; it should be fun, interative and within reach of everyone. There are two wine pairings available, one which focuses on leading winemakers - both those who made their mark in the past, and innovating for the future. The second is called the 'Rarity Pairing' and shines a light on the most iconic winemakers and vintages.

One of six restaurants and bars in towering skyscraper The Shard, Oblix is a contemporary restaurant located on the 32nd Floor offering a sophisticated dining experience with much of the menu cooked on the kitchen’s rotisserie and charcoal grill. The restaurant has a double identity and is split between two distinct spaces with Oblix West being home to the main dining room.

Providing a more formal dining experience, enjoy a muted and relaxed atmosphere at Oblix West at The Shard, in a setting that boasts awe-inspiring views of west London and employs a muted colour scheme of tan leather upholstery seating and natural woods which let those views do the talking.

Here, you’ll find a buzzy open kitchen by the entrance and a chic dining room in which you can enjoy lunch, brunch or dinner from a selection of menus celebrating the best of British cuisine with modern day twists. The a la carte menu features a number of highlights such as the barbecued Iberico pork ribs with jalapeno salsa verde or cedar smoked black cod with pickled onion and citrus.

There's also a great selection of dishes intended for sharing, with sharing starters such as tempura crab cakes or beef carpaccio, as well as a seafood platter or a whole grilled turbot which are both designed for two to three people. There is also the option to order from the grill – think a selection of steaks and whole lobster slathered in garlic butter.

On the weekends, Oblix West serves a three-course brunch with the option to add bottomless Prosecco or completely indulge with the Limitless Bruch complete with unlimited Champagne, wine and cocktails. Starters include red tuna tartare and a classic prawn cocktail, while main courses see spicy seafood spaghetti and grilled rotisserie chicken served alongside with lemon, garlic and rosemary mashed potatoes.

An extensive wine list will take your evening to the next level with a selection of wines from all over the world carefully recommended by the restaurant's sommeliers. 

'Riwaz' meaning ‘tradition’ is Atul Kochhar’s latest Buckinghamshire venture, following the success of Sindhu and Vaasu in Marlow and Hawkyns in Amersham.

Found in Beaconsfield Old Town, it’s located in the heart of the town on the former Zizzi’s site and offers a fresh take on Indian fine dining. The menu takes rustic influences from Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Orissa, among others. The unique fine dining menu created by Atul honors his Indian heritage while also allowing for creative contemporary dishes taken from his 30 years of living in the UK. This impressive menu style keeps the flavors and recipes of tradition alive, while presenting them in various modern ways.

Open daily for lunch, dinner and to takeaway, there are a choice of menus to suit the experience you are looking for. Those wanting to drop in for lunch can take advantage of the incredibly affordable set lunch menu, priced at £15 for two courses or £19 for three and includes the likes of crispy fried chicken with tandoori spices, grilled paneer with spinach and coriander potatoes and spiced cauliflower steaks. For the evening, you can experience a taste of Rivaz with a £35 set dinner menu or for the full experience opt for the 5-course or 7-course tasting menu. An A La Carte menu is also available.

When it comes to drinks, the cocktails are where the menu really shines with a host of signature cocktails using spirits from local distilleries and fresh takes on classic cocktails like the cranberry and passionfruit mojito. The wine list is extensive and each bottle is chosen for its outstanding quality and great value. If you would like advice on which wines to pair with your food then the team is happy to help with their unique and personal wine suggestions. 

In an enviable St James’s spot formerly occupied by Green’s restaurant and bar, Maison Francois draws inspiration from the grand brasseries of Paris, Lyon and Alsace with MasterChef: The Professionals 2018 finalist Matthew Ryle taking up the helm in the kitchen.

The name behind the new venture is Francois O’Neill, whose pedigree in the restaurant industry should stand him in good stead. O’Neill’s father Hugh was co-founder of Brasserie St Quentin in Knightsbridge which later became Brompton Bar & Grill when Francois took over in 2008. Chef Matthew Ryle also has an impressive heritage, having trained at The Dorchester before becoming head chef at Mayfair fashion hangout Isabel at the tender age of 22.

Maison Francois serves a menu of French brasserie classics with a selection of fresh seafood, hearty terrines, patés and homemade charcuterie to keep patrons happy from lunch through to dinner. A wood-fired grill turns out cuts of meat and whole fish, with a poisson du jour as well as options for an entrecote of beef or poulet roti which can come as a quarter or a half.

For something sweet diners can look forward to the arrival of a traditional pudding trolley serving all the adored French classics: hazelnut Paris-Brest, an almond and raspberry gateau and a selection of seasonal fruit tarts. The restaurant also houses an in-house bakery serving breads and patisserie, available all day but perfect for breakfast.

The decor is equally traditional, with art-deco chandeliers suspended from the 20ft-high ceilings, mirrored arches and off-white drapery.

Downstairs, Frank’s wine bar offers up rustic sharing plates of cold meats and terrines with carefully matched wines and sherries. Both restaurant and bar are watched over by the eager eye of Ed Wyand, former maître d’ at Scott’s and owner of Verden wine bar, who heads up the front of house team.

With stunning views overlooking the tranquility of the Exe Estuary and the famed Jurassic Coast, five star Lymptone Manor might just be one of the most beautiful country retreats anywhere in the UK. This five star hotel boasts 21 stunning guest rooms and suites, a world-class wine cellar, and 28 acres of ground, including an 11 acre vineyard. Not to mention, of course, the presence of a true legend of British cooking - Michael Caines MBE - in the kitchen.

Michael Caines has become one of the UK's best known and respected chefs over his long career. His distinctive, modern British cooking - honed on classical French technique from the kitchens of legends like Joel Robuchon, Raymond Blanc and Bernard Loiseau - earned him two Michelin stars at nearby Gidleigh Park, an award that he held for eighteen years.

In 2017, Michael left to open Lympstone Manor, and he made an instant impact, winning a Michelin star just six months after opening. The menu is vintage Michael Caines - international influences, smart flavour combinations, all underpinned by old-school technique. Starters on the a la carte at the time of writing include confit salmon with honey and soy vinaigrette, wasabi yoghurt and a salmon consomme, and pan-fried duck liver with braised orange chicory, orange puree and anise-scented duck jus. Mains are a little more classic, like butter-poached Brixham turbot with braised leeks, poached scallops, truffle and chive butter. And who could possibly turn down a pistachio souffle for dessert, cooked by the master?

Aside from the a la carte there are two tasting menus available - the signature, and the 'Taste of the Estuary' that celebrates the best ingredients from the local area. And finally, appreciation of fine wine is also integral to the Lympstone Manor experience. The world-class wine cellar has over 600 bins representing some of the finest wine estates from around the globe.

Lunar Restaurant is the brainchild of renowned chef Niall Keating, who was crowned champion of champions on The Great British Menu in 2020. Aside from his TV success, Niall has also accomplished winning the Michelin Young European Chef in 2018 and Rising Chef Trophy in 2019. Niall became Britain's youngest chef with two Michelin stars from his previous roles, and has carried forward the high quality and standards to Lunar. Here, the team recognises that working towards a better future means sustainability, less food miles and more creativity, and incorporates this into the menu.

The Lunar Experience menu brings guests a 12 course feast that has been carefully curated to take diners on Niall Keating and head chef Craig Lunn's personal journeys through their career to date. Inspired by their love of food, travel, life, sustainability, local produce and working with some of the finest restaurants in the world, the pair have created a menu that is constantly evolving.

Due to the dishes being so unique, and the fact that each week is so different from one to the next, the menu isn’t published and is left as a surprise to everyone who visits. However, there is a sample menu available, where you’ll find dishes like Orkney scallops with dill pickle and mussel veloute, linguini with autumn truffle and aged parmesan as well as rhubarb, ginger and goats milk for dessert.

For those looking for something slightly less extravagant, there is also an a la carte menu where guests can choose from three courses. Whilst guests are unable to see what they’ll be eating in advance, the restaurant is still able to cater for allergies and intolerances. However, with regards to subjective tastes, guests are encouraged to open their minds and mouths and travel on the journey with them.

Their mission is to create an experience that people will remember forever, through creating a tasting experience like no other using local sustainable produce.

In the last few years, London diners have witnessed the rise of local, neighbourhood joints that foster a sense of community. In well-heeled Chiswick, The Silver Birch is a local opening that has joined in on the action, setting up shop on the area’s bustling high street.

The Silver Birch serves up a string of modern European dishes as part of a menu which evolves with the seasons, while plates are crafted using ingredients that have been locally sourced where possible. With such an impressive commitment to fastidious pedigree, it should come as no surprise that the chef behind the food here is far from an amateur. Heading up the kitchen is Nathan Cornwell, who has previously worked at big hitters like Geranium in Copenhagen which has three Michelin stars and Le Champignon Sauvage in Cheltenham which has been honoured with two Michelin stars.

Diners can start off with creations such as organic celeriac, Coolea cheese, hazelnut and celeriac broth or Devon smoked eel with Jersey Royals, chive and asparagus. Mains continue with the likes of Shetland cod with Swiss chard and chicken butter sauce, alongside lamb with wild garlic, glazed tongue, pickled cockles and sea herbs, and new season asparagus with pickled leeks.

To finish, guests can opt for a pear and brown sugar tart with gingerbread, brown butter chocolate delice, milk sorbet and caramelised white chocolate, or a summery dish of Gariguette strawberries, cream cheese and strawberry sorbet.

The dining room is a relaxed, pared-back space which exudes calm thanks to a mix of natural materials and unfinished textures. Olive green seating is complemented by the exposed brick and plaster walls, while a stream of dappled sunlight illuminates the room come afternoon. The Silver Birch also boasts a chef’s table which overlooks the open kitchen, if you would prefer a seat close to the action.

Turn right when you exit the ear-popping elevator at The Shard and you’ll be greeted with the most spectacular view in London, a jaw-dropping panorama of the ever-evolving skyline of the Square Mile, with famous landmarks such as St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London and Canary Wharf crowding the edge of your field of vision.

From the two dining options on offer – British-themed Aqua Shard and Szechuan-accented Hutong – we’d go Chinese very time, although no one should come here without first having a drink in Aqua Shard’s bar, which is where you'll find the best views.

That said, the views from Hutong aren’t exactly shabby, stretching westwards up the river from St Paul’s to the Millennium Wheel and Houses of Parliament, with Wembley Stadium and the hilltop villages of Hampstead and Highgate visible on the horizon on a fine day.

Minimally decorated surrounds of dark wood latticing and Chinese lanterns puts the emphasis firmly on the view, though we’ve always felt that the cooking would be worthy of attention even if it weren’t on the 33rd floor of London’s most iconic skyscraper.

The cooking is nominally northern Chinese, though in reality you’ll find many of your favourite high-street dishes done to an exceptionally high standard; Aqua is owned by a restaurant group based in Hong Kong, the spiritual home of Cantonese cooking.

Roast duck carved tableside is a speciality of the house, served in a first course of pancakes and then stir fried. Otherwise, expect vegetable spring rolls, sautéed crispy shredded beef and chilli and some terrific seafood dishes such as king crab and chilled tofu or ma la crispy eel.

Dim sum is served at lunchtime, often made from luxury ingredients: Iberico pork or lobster xiao long bao, pan-fried Wagyu beef buns or baked Wagyu beef puffs – as well as more classic pan-fried chicken dumplings or scallop siu mai. Prices match the sky-high location, but so too does the top-drawer service.

No doubt one of Brighton's most celebrated restaurants, The Little Fish Market is true to its name - a small, 20-cover restaurant, run by Duncan Ray, who cooks a single tasting menu with a heavy lean towards south coast fish and seafood. Ray has worked under the likes of Marco Pierre White, John Burton Race and Heston Blumenthal in his career, before striking out on his own in Brighton.

Since opening in 2013, The Little Fish Market has scooped a bevy of awards, including a place in the Good Food Guide, the Michelin Guide, the National Restaurant Awards Top 100 and three AA Rosettes. These days, Brighton boasts a rejuvenated restaurant scene, but The Little Fish Market was there right at the beginning, and alongside chefs like Michael Bremner and Steven Edwards, Ray has done a great deal to put Brighton on the national culinary map.

You'll find the restaurant just off the main road towards Hove, where its unnassuming double-front sits neatly next to The Old Market theatre. This old building used to be a fishmonger, hence the name, and though it has smartened up a bit it still retains that rustic charm. Though Ray has experience in some very fine dining establishments, his cooking at The Little Fish Market is more classic and restrained.

The single tasting menu shows off a variety of fresh fish and seafood - whatever is best on each day - cooked in a way that shows it at its very best. The dishes are described in very few words - think 'Brill', 'Scallop' and 'Bream' - to keep a sense of mystery and surprise behind each one. While the accompanying wine selection is ably curated by Noble Rot's Dan Keeling and Mark Andrew. 

Evernight is a Japanese izakaya serving inventive and progressive small plates alongside an extensive wine list of low intervention wines. Evernight describes itself as a modern izakaya - it serves a menu broadly designed around the traditional izakaya concept of food made to eat whilst drinking, but the dishes are a more inventive take on classic Japanese techniques and flavours. Born from the mind of Lynus Lim - a Singaporean chef who trained under Tom Angelsea at the Laughting Heart - the restaurant showcases a progressive izakaya philosophy that utilises ingredients and produce from the British Isles.

Evernight has been widely acclaimed since opening in 2022, thanks to its exciting, innovative Japanese cooking. Simple nibbles like pickles and senbei (a type of Japenese rice cracker), come as a fantastic accompaniment to the intriguing and extensive wine list. Definitively global, the list features mainly low intervention wines from across Europe, introducing diners to new examples of fine reds, whites, rose and sparkling wines. For those wishing to pair their small plates with a beverage with an Asian origin, the menu also boasts a huge range of sake and sochu. 

On the food menu, you'll find snacks like turbot and shiso spring rolls, potato cakes liberally topped with dashi mayonnaise and Petrossian trout roe, and prawn and tsukune-stuffed chicken wings. That's before you get to a selection of small plates, sushi and sashimi, yakitori skewers and a sharing, seasonal rice donabe bowl.

Head chef Nicholas Tannett, formerly of Kitchen Table and Allegra has created the menu in a way that plays with traditional, regional and progressive techniques, allowing guests to experience new and exciting flavours without going too far from their comfort zones. A familiar chawanmushi dish takes on the strong, smokey flavour of smoked pork and is served with beans and trompette mushrooms.

Diners experience this progressive offering in a contemporary, stylish dining room, designed by Italian architect Ettore Tricario. Featuring plenty of wood and dark, natural colours, the restaurant is laid out in a traditionally communal way with diners seated on long tables or at the counter below bright, feature lights. 

Photography: Josh Croll

Tucked away in the quiet backstreets of Hackney, Papi is a restaurant that is serious about good food, and fine wines. It was opened by Matthew Scott, the brains behind pop up sensation ‘Hot4u’ during the Covid-19 lockdown, and Charlie Carr, owner of Wingnut Wines in Netil Market. Both being passionate in their fields, it’s no surprise that Papi became an overnight success after opening in early 2023. The interior is minimalistic, with just wooden tables, and a little open kitchen where the chefs knock out all of the small plates. Down the steps below is Freddles bar, which is run on a walk-ins only basis, and although it operates separetly from Papi, it makes a great space for post dinner cocktails.

The menu changes regularly, partly due to using the best ingredients of the season, but also because the team believe in a zero waste system, where leftovers are reinvented to create something new for the following day. However, one of the dishes that has earned a permanent place on the menu is the fried brown butter waffle with vacherin ice cream. It's won the hearts of customers for its flavour reminiscent of a donut at the fairground, and can often be found paired with a seasonal fruit.

The wine list contains natural wines, and each producer has been personally met by Charlie, who can talk you through not only how the wine tastes, but what the company and the founders are like. He has a talent for taking the often pretentious air out of wines, and puts it to guests in simple terms - is it delicious, and do I like how it’s made?

Monica Galetti, Masterchef judge and former senior sous chef at the legendary Le Gavroche, has offered herself up for scrutiny with her first solo restaurant. Mere, pronounced Mary, is the French word for mother and the Samoan word for Galetti’s own mother Mary.

Kick things off on a deep-blue velvet chair in the elegant ground-floor bar where, à Le Gavroche, guests peruse the menu, perhaps over a glass of the richly rounded house Champagne that Galetti has produced with Duval Leroy.

The striking design continues downstairs where a double-height glass frontage removes any sense of eating in a basement and has transformed the site into a light-filled lunchtime rendezvous as well as an elegant setting for dinner.

But as expected, it’s the cooking that shines the most brightly, with Galetti’s Samoan and New Zealand heritage blended seamlessly with Gavroche-style haute cuisine for a contemporary take on high-end dining.

To start, a light ’nduja sauce highlights the meatiness of a springy curl of octopus, sticky from the plancha, while the accompanying caper and raisin jam is so good you’ll want to spread it over the mini bread loaves that arrive warm from the kitchen. Brined cabbage, pickled celeriac and a gribiche dressing are the perky contrasts to soft folds of ox tongue.

To follow, lobster is rescued from creamy sauce territory, simply poached and served with potato purée, cabbage and a bisque sauce in harmony of light sweetness, while 30-day aged sirloin comes with puffs of onion beignets, glazed cheek and a tarragon crème fraiche to keep all the richness in check.

Desserts have more conventional flavours but are no less good for it: chocolate and peanut cremeux with peanut praline, roasted cocoa nib ice cream, and a coconut cream pie filled with roasted banana and drizzled with rum caramel are the stuff of sweet dreams.

The letter ‘M’ appears everywhere in the restaurant, from the door handles of the loos to the lapel pins of the nattily attired waters. With Mere, Monica Galetti has stamped her own claim to one of London’s most famous restaurant addresses.

L’Atelier Robuchon is the latest restaurant from the acclaimed Joël Robuchon International group, who have given the Mayfair restaurant - formerly Le Comptoir Robuchon - an exciting facelift, helmed by executive chef Andrea Cofini who has been working for the brand for a decade. 

The restaurant continues the legacy of the late, great Joël Robuchon, who remains widely regarded as one of the most acclaimed chefs ever (his restaurants are known for their many Michelin stars). The menu maintains a sense of continuity and showcases plenty of signature Robuchon dishes, including his famous purée de pomme de terre (a mashed potato so famous it is served by many other chefs around the world), the sea bream carpaccio or quail with foie gras, this is the place. 

Another much-loved feature from the existing Robuchon world include the dessert trolley. Boasting a sophisticated marble-topped display, it's a show-stopping way to highlight sweet treats from the kitchen including fresh á la minute Madeleines and renowned patisserie classics. If pudding isn't your thing, though, don't worry, as the cheese trolley won't be far behind with its daily-changing rotation of southern French and Italian cheeses.

In terms of the space, expect an elevated design scheme that shocks and delights with a colour palette of scarlet and monochrome, coupled with intimate booths and atmospheric lighting. And, with a setting like that, it's no wonder that the team decided to lean into the ambience and host a variety of live music nights throughout the week, and late-night DJs at the weekend.

And, whether you're visiting L’Atelier Robuchon for a special occasion or not, don't forget to check out the Champagne list. Said to be the pride and joy of head sommelier Neomie Favrat, it features almost exclusively small producers and an unusually large wine-by-the-glass selection. There's also plenty of red, white and rose bottles on offer, sourced from across France, too. 

Where the light gets in is a Michelin Green-star restaurant located in Old Stockport Town, serving a selection of quality, contemporary British dishes which will make up part of your WTLGI dining experience.

Cosy, modern and inviting, this loft-style location has been thoughtfully designed to function as one large space that incorporates both the kitchen and the dining room – serving up to 30 people.

Located on the top floor of a Victorian coffee warehouse, Where the light gets in shares a thoughtfully crafted seasonal changing menu, they work closely with farmers and fishermen to ensure the story of each dish is carefully told by the team.

Due to the seasonality of the dishes, you will find a varied and changing set menu, which will include plenty of locally harvested produce depending on weather patterns and sea conditions. Customer favourites include the freshly-made sourdough bread and home-churned butter, it is worth noting that many ingredients are directly sourced from the WTLGI farm.

The set multi-course menu has been designed by head chef, Sam Buckley. If you have any specific dietary requirements the WTLGI kitchen is happy to accommodate, please contact the restaurant prior to your visit to share any needs you may have.

Where the light gets in has a good selection of wine available, all of which has been carefully and ethically sourced. Your meal can be served with paired wines, however if you’re looking for something specific from the cellar the restaurant has a good range to choose from.

Where the light gets in currently has a set price of £65.00 per head for their menu which includes a series of small plates and carefully crafted dishes. 

Prawn on the Lawn’s journey began in 2013 when owners Rick and Katie decided to open a fishmongers and seafood bar in North London. It had just eight seats, humble beginnings for a restaurant that’s gone on to become one of the best fish and seafood spots in the capital. After two years of raging success, the duo decided to up sticks and move to a bigger site, albeit on the same street. They now have two restaurants, one in London and the other in Padstow.

Its ethos is all about fresh produce cooked simply, and it relies on daily deliveries from Cornwall and Devon to create its stellar dishes. Things start with small, but flavour-packed plates, such as seared tuna with soy, mirin and spring onion, cod with feta, dill, mint, basil and pine nuts, and buttermilk fried fish with sriracha creme fraiche. You could easily dine on a few of these with a glass of wine, but seafood purists are sure to want to try one of the larger dishes, which include the likes of John Dory, wild sea bass or brill cooked whole in a classic, Thai or Chinese style. Elsewhere, crab and lobster are served over ice, while oysters are in abundance.

Feasting on large quantities of fresh seafood may seem like a lavish way to dine, but Prawn on the Lawn offers a relaxed, rustic setting which is bound to make diners feel at ease. Exposed brick walls, a tiled counter, wooden floors and furniture and hanging light bulbs achieve this effect.

A sizeable drinks list completes the experience, comprised of refreshing cocktails, low and no-alcohol concoctions, G&Ts and a wine list with a heavy lean towards whites.

Wealthy people like to eat where the owner is, in the words of Margaret Thatcher, “one of us”, which is why Casa Cruz and Isabel, the London duo of restaurants from investment banker-cum-interior designer-cum-restaurateur Juan Santa Cruz, have proved such a hit.

Santa Cruz has an instinctive understanding that for a certain type of well-heeled diner, the look of the restaurant is as important (perhaps even more so) than the food that is being served. For the London fashion crowd – whether that’s staffers on the magazines from nearby Vogue House, Bond Street shoppers with money to burn or the photographers and models who make up the biannual jamboree of London Fashion Week – Isabel is a restaurant where the interior design is as striking as the designer clothes modelled by its customers.

Which isn’t to suggest that there isn’t some accomplished cooking on offer at Isabel, though be aware that the portion sizes lean towards size zero, while the kitchen’s formula of low-carb, high-protein dishes will not be a recipe for success for lovers of creamy sauces and indulgent side dishes.

That said, diners who eat out a lot for either work or pleasure will be relieved that the likes of radicchio salad with anchovy, parmesan and grapefruit, or cod with sprout tops, capers, black olives and pine nuts, won’t send them out onto Albemarle Street needing an afternoon nap or falling asleep on the tube home.

Breakfast and weekend brunch add to Isabel’s all-day appeal – there are pastries, French toast and a full English if you don’t want to go down the healthy eating route – while evenings offer the opportunity to sit up at the bar with a cocktail or glass of wine and some ‘para picar’ nibbles. Like all of the food here, however, the cost of the small plates is likely to lead to a very large bill.       

Headed up by Shaun Hill, the Michelin-starred Walnut Tree is well-established as a top destination for both food and board in Wales. The dining room is simple and elegant, adorned with pieces from the sister Art Shop and Chapel, and the dishes display Hill's expertise confidently. Every ingredient is celebrated from humble herbs up to lavish cuts of meat and fish, in a dish that may seem simple, but is only presented so. 

The ever-changing set and a la carte menus depend on which ingredients are available that day. A typical lunch or dinner menu might feature indulgent intros like a twice-baked cheese souffle with Welsh black truffle, tandoori monkfish with masala gravy and raita or veal sweetbreads with pig's head cromesqui and sauerkraut. These are followed up by the likes of skate with brown butter and shrimps, seabass with chorizo, shellfish and haricot beans or Creedy Carver duck breast with pastilla and medjool date. Those with space left can enjoy a dessert such as a pear bakewell, twice-baked rhubarb souffle or a selection of French cheese. 

An extremely affordable set menu, however, will feature a similar style of dish. This might start with Keralan fish curry or pork rillettes with pickles and toast, before moving to hazelnut-crusted hake with watercress sauce or a blade of beef with mushroom and bacon. A set menu might then finish with a dark chocolate and lime cheesecake with raspberry icing, or an apple and blackberry parfait. 

The range of wines by the glass is impressive, and the range by the bottle even more so, both featuring careful global selections. Sparkling is available by the glass or bottle or in one of three Champagne cocktails, including a French 75 and kir royal. Other cocktails are on offer here too, including negronis, Brooklyns and even a black garlic bloody Mary. 

Set in Hampton Manor's historic walled garden, Grace & Savour topped SquareMeal's Top 100 Restaurants in the UK list in 2023, as well as winning a Michelin star for its diverse, seasonal tasting menus and outstanding hospitality. The restaurant is spearheaded by head chef David Taylor and his wife Anette - David was part of the team that won Maaemo in Oslo its three Michelin stars, so the restaurant is in extremely good hands, whilst Anette leads the front of house team. 

Hampton Manor itself is a 45-acre estate that opened in 2008, and has always had a considerable food reputation, thanks to former flagship restaurant Peel's, and Smoke, which is run by MasterChef: The Professionals winner Stu Deeley.

Upon arrival at Grace & Savour, guests are taken on a tour of the garden to explain the menu. Estate maps and wellies are available for guests who would like to explore, and living areas face the kitchen, teasing what is to come. Each of the five adjoining bedrooms has a bespoke concrete bath and overlooks the estate's original kitchen garden, while the restaurant is fitted with handmade chairs and even locally made crockery using clay from the estate itself. 

The menu is truly seasonal and governed by what is available, rather than the other way around. Dishes celebrate ingredients in their entirety, such as using the branches and leaves of the blackcurrant or imitating the life cycle of a fallow dear. Dinner is typically 12-14 courses, with the number varying depending on the availability of seasonal produce from day to day. Produce comes from the estate, or local, sustainable producers like Sole of Discretion or Paviland Farm. 

For an immersive, 360-degree, 24-hour culinary experience, look no further. Grace & Savour's offering puts you as close to the action and origins of the food as possible, resulting in an unforgettable stay. Even better, city-dwellers can easily get here on foot - Grace & Savour is just a short walk from Hampton-in-Arden station, making this perfect for overnight city escapes.

The Abbey Inn is steeped in history - it was originally built by monks in 1845 as a farmhouse, using ‘borrowed’ stones from nearby Byland Abbey, but by 1853 it had been converted into a public house. Over 150 years later, the inn has been restored to it’s former glory by The Tommy Banks Group, joining the nearby Black Swan at Oldstead and Roots York in the Banks’ stable.

The Abbey Inn is a relaxed country pub and restaurant, with a handful of rooms attached for overnight stays. As well as a newly-renovated dining room, The Abbey Inn also features a cosy bar area, with roaring open fires to warm you on colder days.

The kitchen team is led by head chef Charlie Smith, who has been part of the Tommy Banks Group for years and brings that signature style to a classic modern British menu in the dining room. As is the case at other Banks restaurants, produce all comes from the nearby Banks farm and garden, including their own meat which is reared just a mile away from the pub.

The menu is full of reimagined classics with interesting touches - a signature of Banks’ other restaurants. Dishes on the menu at the time of writing include smoked baby beetroot, ewe’s curd and ‘rhuboshi’, salt aged bavette tartare with fermented peppers and smoked bone marrow, and glazed Herdwick lamb rib with yoghurt flatbread and fermented carrots to name but a few. Hearty mains include The Byland burger - a Dexter chuck brisket and short rib patty, topped with bacon and chicory jam and served alongside pork fat fries.

The dessert menu features carrot and chicory tiramisu as well as an array of soft serve sundaes. Meanwhile the bar is stocked with an array of local beers and Banks Brothers canned wines.

The elegant, spacious and light-drenched conservatory dining room commands a panoramic view of the gardens and is set in a beautiful Victorian villa is on Midsummer Common on the banks of the River Cam, Cambridge. Midsummer House was awarded its first Michelin star in 2002, followed by a second in. The restaurant also proudly holds five AA rosettes.

Michelin-starred The River Café has long held the status as one of the best Italian restaurants in London, originally opening in 1987 and retaining its iconic reputation pretty much ever since. Located on the banks of the River Thames in Hammersmith, it’s known for its exceptional Italian food, excellent-mannered service and its stunning terrace, which is a must if you’re dining at the restaurant on a balmy day (although you might have to join a waiting list to get a seat). Head chef and founder Ruth Rogers is at the fore of the kitchen and has been for the last 35 years, with The River Café spawning some of the UK’s greatest chefs including Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Theo Randall.  

The interiors are simple, minimalist and a little dated, which is all part of the canteen-style charm that the restaurant was originally built to imitate. Bright colours draw the eye to certain features in the room, such as a bright pink wood-fired oven, while stainless steel finishes bring a slightly industrial, café-like edge to the dining room.  

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and the menu changes with the seasons. Expect rustic Italian fare that’s unfussy yet elegant and made with exceptionally high-quality ingredients. The menu is divided into antipasti, primi, secondi, dolci and gelati. Dishes might include the likes of Carpaccio di Manzo (finely sliced beef fillet crusted in thyme & black pepper with rocket and Sardinian winter tomatoes), Tagliatelle al Ragu (fresh pasta with veal, rabbit, pancetta and radicchio slow-cooked in red wine) and Coda di Rospo con Vongole (monkfish and clams roasted in white wine with capers, anchovies and cima di rape). Dessert span many gelato flavours and classics such as lemon tart or pannacotta with Grappa and Champagne rhubarb.  

The wine list, meanwhile, features varieties from Italy’s many wine-making regions and also includes port, masala and sweet wines.  

Brat is a Michelin-starred restaurant in Shoreditch, housed within a former strip club and headed up by chef Tomos Parry. Brat is largely based around applying the techniques of Basque cooking to British produce with a focus on wood-fired cooking, while also celebrating the Welsh ingredients and food experiences that Parry holds so dear (the chef hails from Wales originally). The restaurant gained its Michelin star within six months of opening, which says a lot about the calibre of cooking here.  

Diners are immediately alerted to the restaurant’s main focus on cooking with fire thanks to a huge grill taking up a wall of the open kitchen, designed to fill the restaurant with fantastic aromas when entering. The interiors are cosy, rustic and wood-heavy, with large paned windows and a traditional feel reminiscent of the seafood restaurants in Portugal.  

The food at Brat exemplifies simple cooking done well. The menu doesn’t give much away in its descriptions of each dish, and instead highlights the main ingredient used in each one. For example, starters include fresh chorizo, lamb chop, roasted cockles and spider crab with tomato, while mains feature John Dory, duck rice and sirloin with little else to identify the finished dish. The mains are designed to be ordered with sides though, with things like bread and burnt onion butter, smoked potatoes and grilled red peppers on offer to complete the meal. For dessert, look out for burnt cheesecake and pear, caramel cream and olive oil ice cream with fig.  

The wine list is incredibly generous and features wines from across Europe, from ‘easy drinkers’ and ‘classics’ to ‘off the beaten track’ options. Choose from red, white, rose and sparkling as well as sweet wines and sherry.

Fhior, meaning ‘true’ in Gaelic, is a Scottish restaurant located just north of Edinburgh city centre that celebrates modern dining via an ever-evolving set tasting menu. The restaurant was opened in 2018 by couple Scott and Laura Smith and is based around the concept of being ‘true’: whether that’s to its ingredients and producers or own artistic expression.  

One of the main elements that makes Fhior stand out from the rest is its commitment to using local and seasonal produce. In fact, it even boasts its own kitchen garden, which it launched in 2020 so it could gain even more visibility over where its produce comes from, while ensuring it's grown organically without any chemicals. Anything that can’t be grown in the garden is sourced from producers who take true pride in their craft and share Fhior’s same ethical ethos.  

Fhior aims to take its diners on a journey via a menu of innovative dishes. It encourages individuals not to look at the menu before dining to increase the element of surprise, but that’s not to say knowing what to expect takes away from the dining experience. For dinner, there are both seven and 10-course tasting menus available, while for lunch guests can choose between four or seven courses. Examples of dishes might include langoustine with kohlrabi and lovage, courgette with fresh cheese and herbs, cod with chicken butter and aster as well as aged duck with turnip and scurvy grass. Dessert is likely to revolve around something fruity: think strawberry with crème fraiche and sweet cicely.  

All great food requires a drink to match. Fhior’s wines are selected from small-scale producers that are made naturally with minimal intervention. For that reason, the menu is ever-changing in line with what’s best at the time, with many bottles only being made in small batches.

Before Padella came along, pasta was something that impoverished students ate or restaurant diners would order as an alternative to a main course (with the greedy eating pasta as part of the traditional four-course Italian meal).

Padella changed all of that. The big idea here is to shrink pasta down to small-plate size and order it as one would any sharing-plates, tapas-style menu. The pici cacio e pepe, squidgy cylinders of pasta slicked with cheese and scattered with pepper, is the house speciality, while other classics include pappardelle with beef-shin ragu and tagliarini with Dorset crab, chilli and lemon.

Vegetarian options are good – gnocchi with nutmeg butter or straci with sweet onion, thyme and Gorgonzola, say – while non-pasta dishes extend to some salady antipasti and a trio of puddings.

To drink, there are four wines available on tap, British beers and some rather alluring aperitivi, from prosecco or homemade lemonade to fruity spins on the Negroni, Americano and Spritz.  

The food and drink isn’t the only aspect of Padella that is bang-up-to-date. Like nearly every hot new opening in London, Padella is no bookings, though given how reasonable the prices are – over half the pasta dishes cost under £8 – it’s not surprising how many people are willing to wait for a table here.

Expect to queue not only at peak times but any time. Even before the doors open, a line of would-be diners stretches round the corner well into Borough Market, while waits of two hours are not uncommon if you turn up at a time you may actually wish to eat, such as 7pm.

The solution? Arrive by yourself and you may very well be shown straight to a stool at the counter by the open kitchen. Even better, you won’t have to share any of your food.   

Located just away from the hustle and bustle of Piccadilly Circus, Cecconi’s is a modern but classic Italian restaurant which focuses on using the finest ingredients to create dishes that you can’t help but love. At Cecconi’s the service and ambience is just as important as the food and adds to the real sense of occasion when you eat there.

The outside of the Burlington Gardens restaurant looks old-school smart from the moment you approach it, with large windows allowing you to see into the smart dining room. The interior of the restaurant continues the feeling of traditional fine dining with white tables cloths covering every table, mirror-covered walls, and a large dark wood bar in the centre of the room; servers wear classic black and white uniforms.

When it comes to the food menu, you can expect everything from Italian dishes you will have tasted often, to more decadent plates of food. The all-day menu begins with cicchetti such as meatballs with tomato sauce, and whipped ricotta with truffle honey and crostini. In terms of starters you might go for Cornish crab with avocado and lemon, or there is of course a classic burrata on offer too. There is also a selection of raw meats available such as tuna tartare, as well as a plant-based section which includes grilled cauliflower with salsa verde.

Appealing pasta dishes vary from a tagliatelle bolognaise to casarecce with wild boar. Whereas other main courses option include dishes such as fish stew and veal Milanese. If you still have any room, desserts range from tiramisu to crème caramel. As well as the all-day menu, Cecconi’s also offer a breakfast menu full of brilliant Clarence Court egg dishes.

Drink-wise, there is of course a wine list covering many different regions with bottles, glasses, and half bottles available, and also a great selection of cocktails to pick from.

HIDE is a modern British restaurant from chef Ollie Dabbous, encompassing three floors of a stunning space opposite Green Park. HIDE in Mayfair is comprised of three main spaces: the ground-floor restaurant, the bar downstairs and a slightly more high-end dining experience upstairs. At its core, HIDE is a Michelin-starred, multi-floor restaurant serving refined plates using the freshest ingredients. The restaurant above is the fanciest of its dining offerings, serving both a la carte and tasting menus, as well as a set lunch menu if you’re looking for an in-and-out meal. 

With tranquil views over Green Park, HIDE offers a relaxed and calming setting for diners to indulge in its dishes, which is accentuated by its all-natural décor. To reach the restaurant upstairs, guests must climb the spiral oak staircase to be greeted by a swathe of wooden furniture and flooring. All these soft surfaces are complemented by a colour palette of similar beige hues, via earthy-toned seating and lampshades. Finally, the glass-fronted ‘show window’ floods the space with plenty of natural light, which feels like the most appropriate lighting for a space like this. 

The tasting menu changes seasonally and features a range of innovative and, occasionally, theatrical dishes. Formulated by head chef Ollie Dabbous, there are both five and seven course menus available. If you prefer to retain a little more choice over what you want to eat, then the a la carte menu is just as special and made up of classic HIDE dishes from the tasting menu. Examples of dishes include golden turnip shavings with borage flower honey, pine and marigold, Herdwick lamb cooked over charcoal with roast garlic, violet artichoke and three-cornered leeks or Gigha halibut with citrus fruit and imperial caviar. Desserts are a similar artistic affair, with the likes of sherbet of mastic crystals with fresh blood orange and pine on the list. Both vegetarian and vegan versions of the a la carte menus are also available, and the tasting menu can be complemented with a wine pairing chosen by the sommelier team.  

Pint-sized Kiln has become one of Soho's most popular restaurants, a Thai barbecue joint which serves up a regularly-changing menu to its locals. At one time Kiln took walk-ins only, resulting in long queues down Brewer Street - thankfully these days it's possible to book, though the real fun remains at the counter, which is still for walk-ins only. 

Kiln is the brainchild of chef and restaurateur Ben Chapman, who is also behind popular Thai eatery Smoking Goat, which can be found in Shoreditch. Taking up residency on Soho’s Brewer Street, Kiln finds itself in good company alongside the likes of Randall & Aubin and El Camion. Much like its sibling, the menu here focuses on stir fries, curries and barbecue dishes cooked over open flames, championing dishes from a grill, seafood and clay pot alike.

To fans of Smoking Goat, it should come as no surprise that the food at Kiln is punchily spiced. The menu also changes regularly, with the offering evolving depending on what produce is currently in season. You can visit Kiln for either lunch or dinner, and while you’re there you might come across the likes of slow grilled chicken and soy, Tamworth pork belly curry with kapi, or wild ginger and beef neck curry which finds its roots in Burma.

One dish that you will always find on the menu is Kiln’s signature serve – clay pot baked glass noodles topped with Tamworth pork belly and brown crab meat. Kiln doesn’t serve desserts, but it makes up for that with a truly delightful drinks list. Accompany your meal with a glass from Kiln’s list of European-leaning wines, or opt for one of its house-made cocktails which experiment with fermentation and pickling.

Perhaps you’re in the mood for a Turmeric Gin & Tonic, or maybe it will be the Thai Basil & Peppercorn Mojito that takes your fancy. Competitive pricing, on both the drinks and food, is a further draw. 

Upmarket Muse occupies an intimate 25-cover space in a renovated mews property in one of the most chi-chi corners of Belgravia. It’s the brainchild of chef Tom Aikens, who has returned to London’s fine-dining scene after a five-year absence.

Muse is split over two floors of a characterful mews house, with each floor boasting a fully open plan kitchen which allows diners to see the kitchen team at work. The space has been designed by Australian interior designer Rebecca Korner, who has combined an eclectic mix of furniture with splashes of jewel-toned marbles and rich woods.

The restaurant exclusively serves multi-course tasting menus, with Aikens drawing on his childhood memories and moments in his illustrious career to inspire dishes. The tasting menus evolve with each season and include stripped-back dishes which place an emphasis on one key ingredient or element. Unsurprisingly, the tasting menus come with an appropriate Belgravia price tag, however, a smaller tasting menu is available for under £100 for those on a slightly tighter budget.

Speaking about the opening of Muse, Aikens said: “Throughout my life, I have been inspired and influenced by many different people, places, time and travels. My new home, Muse, pays homage to all of these and more.”

Aikens is one of Britain’s most highly acclaimed chefs, and he still holds the record for being the youngest ever chef to be awarded two Michelin stars, a feat he achieved at the age of 26 when he headed up the kitchen at Pied à Terre. At Muse, Aikens works with British suppliers and farmers who are as passionate as the restaurant about provenance. These include HG Walter (an independent, family-run butcher), Flying Fish (who supply fish and seafood to the restaurant within 48 hours of being caught) and The London Cloth Company.

Illustration: Brodie Williams

Sushi Kanesaka is the London omakase counter at the glamorous Dorchester Collection's hotel 45 Park Lane. The restaurant belongs to Shinji Kanesaka - one of the world’s most highly regarded sushi masters, and holder of two Michelin stars at the original Sushi Kanesaka in Tokyo.

The restaurant itself is cosy and intimate. A screen divides the room into two distinct parts - a nine-seat counter, and a private dining room with space for up to four diners. As is traditional for luxury omakase design, the counters have been carved from a single piece of hinoki wood, and the subtle, earth tone interiors are softened by gentle, natural lighting. The accompanying row of wooden armchairs are modelled on Hans J. Wegner’s iconic Wishbone design that’s said to be the perfect sushi bar seat.

The term ‘omakase’ loosely translates as ‘I’ll leave it up to you’, thus, omakase diners leave the menu entirely to the chef to decide and eat whatever they’re presented with on the night. Kanesaka’s omakase menus ebb and flow within the bounds of Japan’s 72 micro seasons, delivering 18 total courses that range from traditional dishes to a series of precise sushi and nigiri. The full omakase menu comes in at £420 a head, making Sushi Kanesaka the most expensive restaurant in the UK at the time of writing.

Kanesaka is joined by some of his experienced staff from Tokyo, and alongside service from behind the counter, guests can also expect traditional Japanese service from a geisha host.

A number of drinks pairings are also offered, with drinks including wine, beer, Japanese whisky and Japanese sake. Pairings start at £150 and rise to £220.

Following on from locations in London and Miami, Sexy Fish has opened a third site in Manchester, in the heart of its vibrant dining, shopping and events district Spinningfields. Famed for its high-end glamour, opulent interiors and surrealist aesthetic, the sushi restaurant has taken over the former Armani unit, with a maximum capacity of up to 200 guests. This particular site features three sculptures by Damien Hirst, as well as fish-shaped lamps by designer Frank Gehry, huge tanks of tropical fish and a pink onyx bar where you can order one of its award-winning cocktails.

At the helm of the kitchen is head chef Bjoern Weissgerber, who earned his first Michelin star at the age of 27. Diners can indulge in signature Sexy Fish dishes, with a menu that’s similar to its original restaurant in Mayfair, and spans a la carte options, omakase tasting menus and late-night dining. Dishes are inspired ‘by the seas of Asia’, and span the likes of smoked tuna belly, black cod, king crab and more – including a wealth of dishes that are exclusive to this Manchester site.

Partial to a glass of fizz? The restaurant is home to the largest Champagne collection in the country with 75 different bottles, as well as a selection of top vintages and an outstanding sake collection. Those who prefer something a little more unusual can sample cocktails from the Trinity Menu, which combines award-winning cocktails available in London and Miami, as well as four bespoke serves created specifically for Manchester. This includes a Tonic & Mango featuring Manchester’s own Thomas Dakin gin, tonic, mango, coconut and pandan.

Finally, Sexy Fish Manchester is open from lunch until late, with a host of late-night entertainment in the form of world-class performers, DJs and menus, available on Fridays and Saturdays. Who’s ready to party?

Rambutan is British-Sri Lankan cook Cynthia Shanmugalingam’s debut restaurant, and she couldn't have chosen a more foodie location slap bang in the middle of London’s Borough Market. Although Cynthia was born in Coventry, the restaurant takes inspiration from her time spent exploring Sri Lanka with a focus on regional dishes traditionally found in the north of the country.  

The 60-cover restaurant spans two floors and offers a bright and warming space to dine, taking inspiration from the modern, post-colonial style of Minnette de Silva (Sri Lanka’s most famous female architect). A number of one-of-a-kind pieces have been created for the restaurant, including geometric textiles, prints, sustainable Ceylon teak chairs and hand painted tiles, while natural clay and concrete materials provide a relaxing backdrop to the colourful decorations.  

Downstairs, diners can perch at the eight-seater bar for pre or post dinner drinks, with a menu of island-inspired cocktails made with tropical ingredients including lemongrass, pandan leaf and iced Ceylon tea. A selection of beers from South London brewers are also available as well as a weekly changing line up of natural and biodynamic wines. 

Rambutan makes use of the local, fresh produce that’s readily available from neighbouring suppliers in the market. Daily-changing menus feature a range of street food snacks that are commonly eaten on-the-go in the northern cultural capital Jaffna, things like aged mutton rolls, spice fish malu buns and a traditional type of bun filled with curried potato and fish. Fresh vegetable dishes include daikon and mint sambol, carrot and lime kosambari salad and aubergine pahi, while large plates include grilled lamb chops, Jaffna crab fried rice and grilled mackerel with turmeric and tamarind.  

Alongside its signature plates, guests can tuck into plenty of authentic curries, such as a cashew nut curry, pickled pork curry and red beef and bone marrow curry, as well as classic hoppers, dosas and rotis.  

Arguably the most sought after seat in London, Sushi Tetsu is a seven-seat sushi bar in Farringdon headed up by ex-Nobu sushi master Toru Takahashi. In this tiny restaurant, he prepares every single dish himself, while his wife Harumi serves drinks. For the full experience, diners are recommended to opt for the omakase (which translates to 'I leave it up to you'). In this format, the chef essentially makes you whatever they want. This usually comes as lots of tiny courses, like a single piece of nigiri. 

While the omakase changes along with the seasons, you can definitely expect a mixture of sushi and non-sushi dishes. You might start with a mini selection of fresh sashimi, perhaps including sea bass or bream with a light ponzu or soy dressing. A non-sushi starting dish could be raw squid and noodles in cold dashi broth. This would likely come topped with a sprinkle of chives and nori. Later sushi courses will most likely feature richer entries like fatty o-toro tuna belly or snow crab. These could arrive with a heavier, miso-based sauce.

On to the proper sushi, where each course is one piece, you will likely be given almost every type of sushi you can think of. Salmon, tuna, prawn and all the other usual suspects will likely come as nigiri, splayed over a small blob of rice. Less common ingredients, such as salmon roe (or ikura), might come as gunkan (basically a loose seaweed cup with some rice, then the main ingredient). 

For a truly intimate sushi omakase experience in London, this might be the best around. Perfectly paired sake, served by Toru's wife Harumi makes this a beautiful dining experience. A la carte is also available here, but we think being taken on a journey by a sushi master is much better. 

Having taken over the restaurant at The Connaught in 2008 as part of a mass refurbishment, Hélène Darroze has now been overseeing the kitchen at the luxury London hotel for well over a decade. During that time, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught has become regarded as one of the Capital’s finest restaurants and currently holds the highest accolade of three Michelin stars.

Serving creative dishes which are each focused around one main ingredient, the restaurant offers a bespoke menu which reflects each diner’s personal tastes and preferences to create a truly unique dining experience. This combined with the world class service and impressive interiors at Hélène Darroze at The Connaught make it a restaurant for the most special of occasions.

A tenth-birthday facelift from designer Pierre Yovanovitch has seen the dining room become warmer and slightly more relaxed in feel; the light wooden panels play host to two collages by British artist Damian Hirst, while the leather and velvet chairs sit around exposed wooden tables. An impressive blue glass-blown chandelier hangs from above providing a stylish yet contemporary edge to the restaurant. Hélène Darroze at The Connaught now also boasts a stunning chef’s table which overlooks the pass and allows diners to question the chefs as they prepare the food.

Showcasing some of Britain’s finest produce, the food offering consists of a lengthy menu from which you can choose either five or seven dishes to create your perfect tasting menu. Meanwhile, the lunch menu provides three courses at an agreeable price without any beverages. You can expect dishes on offer such as caviar with langoustine, oyster and runner bean, Denbighshire Pigeon with beetroot, wild blueberry and Mexican mole, and Tainori chocolate with hazelnut and voatsiperifery pepper.

The restaurant’s drinks offering is equally elaborate as the food with a variety of different drink pairings available, trolleys of spirits being wheeled table-to-table, and an impressively expansive wine list.

Following the unprecedented success of his first solo venture Pollen Street Social, which achieved Michelin-star status in less than six months, world-renowned chef Jason Atherton went onto open Social Eating House, a more relaxed setting where diners can enjoy the same top-quality British food for which he has become known.

The restaurant is located in the heart of Soho and is influenced by the buzziness of this vibrant area of London. Low-lit interiors with exposed brickwork, traditional white-washed copper ceilings and weathered leather banquette seating give the space a cosy and intimate ambience whilst the friendly and relaxed service add to the informal atmosphere.

Social Eating House is split across three floors with the popular Blind Pig cocktail bar on the first floor, the restaurant at street level and an exclusive chef’s counter dining space in the basement overlooking the open kitchen.

The kitchen is helmed by chef patron Paul Hood who has worked closely with Jason Atherton over the last decade. The duo have collaborated to create and develop dishes on the contemporary bistro menu that showcase both chefs’ personal styles of cooking while celebrating the very best seasonal and locally sourced produce. 

Starters from the ever-changing a la carte menu could include roasted foie gras, sesame-dressed vegetable salad, salted kombu kelp, pickled ginger and a bonito dashi; or Scottish scallop ceviche with smoked avocado, raw artichoke, sunflower seeds and horseradish.

From the main courses, highlights include slow-cooked Cornish venison loin, spiced red cabbage, salsify olive oil mash and candied walnuts; and roasted Cornish day-boat brill with cep, pearl barley, chipirones, charred baby leek and mushroom tea.

Finally, for something sweet, temptations include a caramelised milk tart with ginger wine gel, fromage frais sorbet and almond crack; or an autumn berry “cheesecake”, with blackcurrant sorbet, blackcurrant curd, and star anise.

Ikoyi has been on quite the journey since opening its doors in the summer of 2017. It survived a heavy barrage of TripAdvisor criticism in the first six months, then emerged as a genuine trailblazer in London's restaurant scene, scooping a Michelin star in 2018, then a second in 2022. To call this a 'West African' restaurant is a wild simplification of what dinner at Ikoyi entails. Yes, the restaurant is named after a district of Lagos, Nigeria, and yes, there is a great deal of West African inspiration in the dishes, but the menu at Ikoyi is so much more - it's West Africa via Noma, with smatterings of chef Jeremy Chan's Chinese-Canadian background and everything in between. 

Ikoyi has built a unique spice-based cuisine around British micro-seasonality, using vegetables that have been slowly grown for flavour, sustainable, line-caught fish and aged native beef. That produce is then served in it's optimal state, and combined with carefully constructed pairings using umami flavours. That umami can come from beef, or mushroom, or tomato, but also comes from a vast collection of sub-Saharan West African spices, meticulously researched and sourced by the restaurant. 

The results are astonishing, sometimes challenging and totally unique. The tasting menu  can feature dishes like octopus fried in wild rice and yeasted béarnaise, plantain smoked kelp and blackberry, turbot, caramelised chicken and artichoke miso and pistachio, comice pear and grains of peace - an African seed pod that has notes of liquorice and mandarin. And, of course, that smoking jollof rice that graced Instagram for a number of months.

Ikoyi also offers a shorter lunch menu and a clever bar menu that features smart West Africa-inspired cocktails, such as a plaintain old fashioned made with plantain rum and a Palm Punch, made with rum, palm wine and tiger nut.

Etch is Steven Edwards' flagship restaurant in Hove, a modern, neighbourhood joint which focuses on seasonal British produce to create its weekly-changing menus. But first, a bit about the man himself. Steven is a MasterChef: The Professionals champion having won the sixth series in 2013 at the tender age of 26. Previous to that, he trained with some of the best chefs in the business, from Chris Wheeler to Raymond Blanc. He’s also spent time at the renowned South Lodge Hotel where he became head chef of the hotels second restaurant Camellia. After six years there, he set up his own company – etch – which started life as a pop-up and delivery business but has since found a permanent home on Church Road in Hove.

This contemporary restaurant boasts an open kitchen and bar, while dark blue walls and modern art create a luxe feel suited to special occasions. The menus change weekly as they’re linked closely to the seasons, so no two meals are ever the same here. However, examples of dishes that have been served in the past include langoustine with Granny Smith apple, pork with delica pumpkin, squab pigeon with watercress amongst a range of innovative snacks and small taster plates.

Etch prides itself on having a good selection of wine, cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages to suit diner's needs. Creative cocktails include the Etchpresso Martini featuring whisky, coffee liqueur, crème de cacao, cream soda, brown butter, chocolate, walnut and coffee. While local beers, lagers and ciders appeal to the slightly less adventurous. Finally, the wine list champions smaller, family run producers with an emphasis on sustainability, providing the drinker with a sense of place and terroir. Guests can also elect to enjoy a wine pairing with their tasting menu which is designed to challenge the diner.

Tucked away in the backstreets of Notting Hill, Juno is a six seat omakase restaurant from the brains behind Los Mochis. Beyond this there’s sophisticated decor throughout with neutral hues and gold accents throughout. Chef Leonard Tanyag (ex Zuma) and Han (ex Nobu and Roka) take the helm at this intimate eatery; preparing, plating and occasionally cooking (in the form of a blow torch) right in front of guests.

You’ll not find a menu online for Juno, as it’s an omakase style restaurant (which loosely means to ‘leave it up to the chef’), and dishes change regularly depending on what’s available on the day. With a close relationship to suppliers, Chef Leonard prioritises using sustainable produce, championing everything from ethically caught fish to seasonal flavourings - you might even find a powder made from ground up insects. Otherwise there’s a selection of sushi, sashimi, and the occasional fusion inspired dish - much like Los Mochis Japanese X Mexican style plates. In total, the experience offers a whopping 15 courses, each showcasing quality and well-honed skill.

To drink guests can choose from an optional sake or wine pairing, where the sommelier will talk you through each glass and how it pairs with the food, plus there’s a welcome cocktail to kick off each evening.

Juno is an evening only service with two sittings at 6pm and 8.30pm, with pre payment required in full when making your reservation - which includes all food and drink (and extras available at an additional cost).

Whether you’re heading out on a date, or looking to celebrate a special occasion, Juno is an ideal spot for those who want a real treat.

The Clove Club is a relaxed fine dining restaurant, tucked away inside the Grade II-listed Shoreditch Town Hall in East London. The restaurant burst onto the London scene in 2013, and it has become one of the most awarded restaurants in the capital, scooping a heap of plaudits as well as two Michelin stars.

As you’d expect from a building like this, the dining room has a real sense of grandeur. High ceilings and towering windows make the room feel light, bright and almost palatial, whilst hardwood floors and pressed white tablecloths are sophisticated without feeling stuffy. The service matches, being both attentive but still friendly and easy going.

Led by chef-patron Isaac McHale, the team serves a precise, seasonal tasting menu that strips ingredients back to their essential elements. The restaurant goes far and beyond to source the best produce Britain has to offer, and presents that produce in its purest form. As well as the regular tasting menu, the restaurant also offers a vegetarian tasting menu, and a short tasting menu, which is available for lunch as well as for midweek dinner in the front room and at the bar.

Dishes on the tasting menu include Torbay prawn tartare with long pepper oil and pica lemon, sardine sashimi with ginger and chrysanthemum glaze, and grilled habanero granita with plum sorbet. Dishes are often inspired with McHale’s experiences, such as the Hazelwood grilled grouse sausage with bread sauce and clapshot, which is inspired by his upbringing on Orkney in Scotland.

An extensive wine collection accompanies the menus, and the wine list showcases some of the most exciting contemporary winemakers alongside a selection of fine, classical old world wines. A wine flight is also available to accompany the tasting menu.

With two experienced hospitality experts at its helm, Updown is destined to be a success. Ruth Leigh and her partner Oli Brown have launched their restaurant with rooms after a considerable restoration project. Ruth is the daughter of Rowley Leigh – the man often accredited with ‘inventing’ modern British cookery – while chef Oli previously headed up Duck Duck Goose in London, a modern Cantonese restaurant.

The pair set their sights on transforming their 17th century Grade-II listed farmhouse into a small hotel and restaurant. The accommodation includes seven rooms spread across the main house and a handful of outbuildings, as well as two separate cottages.

Oli heads up the kitchen while Ruth manages front of house. The pair have together curated a short but carefully considered menu of Italian-leaning dishes that use local ingredients from the best of Kent’s suppliers. Meat comes from award-winning The Black Pig butcher and fishmonger Jenkins and Sons provides the seafood. While dishes flex with the seasons, the kinds of things you can expect include raw sea bass with almonds and cherries or grilled lamb chump with broad beans, artichokes and bagna cauda – a warm sauce made from garlic and anchovies.

Food is served al fresco, at the hotel’s outdoor restaurant found under a pergola that is shaded by hanging vines and wisteria. Those worried about the impact of the British weather on their meal needn’t be, there are roaring open fires to keep guests cosy on cooler nights. To one side of the dining area there’s an outdoor kitchen where you can watch the chefs at work as they cook each meal to order on the open bakers’ oven.

The drinks list is similarly curated with a short but sharp billing of cocktails and local wines, as well as bottles sourced from further afield in France and Italy.

Occupying the 38th and 39th floors of the tallest building in the City, SUSHISAMBA Heron Tower boasts the highest outdoor terraces in Europe, so if you’re looking for unparalleled, 360-degree views of the City, it’s a must-visit. Guests can take advantage of the views from the moment they step into the panoramic glass elevator that whisks its occupants up 39 floors in a jiffy before opening out on to the show-stopping main dining room.

SUSHISAMBA’s main dining room capitalises on its spectacular views of London with floor-to-ceiling windows. Pendulum lights hang through the gaps of the spectacular bamboo ceiling at varying heights, making the space look more like an art gallery than a restaurant. The impressive design doesn’t stop there though; bright orange banquette seating around the windows and hanging plants add vibrant pops of colour that offset the black and white floor.

It’s not just a few carefully-chosen plants that create the indoor-outdoor theme of this high-rise restaurant either – the structural orange tree on the west terrace is a work of art designed to reinforce the earth-to-sky motif this restaurant projects.

There’s more to SUSHISAMBA Heron Tower than its interiors and views, though these are undoubtedly a draw both for locals and visitors to London. The food is a colourful blend of Japanese and South American cuisine, meaning guests can look forward to the likes of Japanese tempura and sushi, Brazilian churrasco and moqueca, and Peruvian anticuchos and ceviches. The open kitchen, with its hot robata grill, churns out chargrilled meats, vegetables and fish, while the restaurant’s small-plates concept encourages a shared dining experience. There’s a separate vegan menu and a menu for the gluten-conscious too, plus a dessert menu brimming with cleverly-designed sweet treats that often look too pretty to eat. The bar is as well-stocked as can be, so be sure to try a cocktail while you’re there.

Dinner by Heston has been one of London's most in-demand bookings since it opened in 2011, and the appetite for Heston's wild sensory creations shows little sign of abating. Dinner was initially headed up by Ashley Palmer-Watts, but Jon Miles-Bowring has been head chef since 2019 with Palmer-Watts left.

Nestled inside one of London's most opulent hotels, and the Dinner by Heston dining room is certainly a sight to behold. The dining room is subtle and elegant, with floor-to-ceiling windows providing ample natural light. A glass wall separates the kitchen and dining room, so diners can see the chefs at work and also, the unique pulley system that operates the open-fire and spit - a design lifted straight from the 16th century. Ivory walls are adorned with custom-made porcelain wall sconces in the shape of antique jelly moulds - another detail that brings Dinner by Heston's historical connections round full circle.

The menu follows a similar tack, with many dishes based on historical British dishes from the Tudor period and beyond. The kitchen at Dinner works with food historians and the British Library to make sure dishes are accurate to the history. The 'meat fruit' for example, is based on a recipe from the 1300s, but Dinner brings it into the modern day by creating a chicken liver mousse with mandarin jelly that looks exactly like an orange. Other dishes include 'Rice and Flesh' - almond, saffron, veal sweetbread and smoked eel, 'Frumenty' - octopus, spelt, smoked sea broth, pickled dulse and lovage, and 'Salmon Dressed in Champagne' with buttered leek, parsley, caviar and seaweed. 

Desserts follow a similar vibe, with the brown bread ice cream and a superb cheese board also proving popular.

Located in the old town of Amersham in Buckinghamshire, Michelin-starred Artichoke is owned and led by Chef Patron Laurie Gear and his wife Jacqueline. They opened the restaurant originally in 2002 with the aim of providing the very best neighbourhood dining experience, a feat largely undertaken by chef patron Laurie Gear and head chef Chris Chegwin. While Laurie runs the kitchen team, Jacqueline oversees the day-to-day management of Artichoke with a strong background in business.  

The restaurant is set inside a 16th century Grade II listed building with many of its original features left intact inside. The style, however, is slightly different to its historic foundations, with the interiors designed by Fiona Johnston Parke in a Scandi-chic style. Drawing on Laurie’s time spent in Scandinavia, expect lots of soft tones of walnut, grey and lilac, with finishing touches including amethyst glass and hand-crafted pottery.  

The menu is modern European in style and uses top quality ingredients that are locally sourced and hyper-seasonal. For dinner, there is only one nine-course tasting menu available while for lunch there is a slightly shorter lunch set menu, ‘Artichoke’ menu or the tasting menu. There are also vegetarian equivalents of all the above. Most start with chiltern ale black bread with malt vinegar and cultured butter while other signature dishes might include mushroom tortellini with fennel, carrot, golden enoki and trumpet mushrooms, roast cornish cod with clams, crisp potato, clam and chervil sauce as well as goosnargh duck breast with duck leg croquette, leek puree and blood orange. On the sweet front, guests are treated to apple tarte tatin with Somerset apple brandy caramel and vanilla ice cream. 

To drink, there is an international wine list that is broken down by region and can be ordered by the glass, half bottle or bottle.

Originally opened in 2013, Restaurant Story is the brainchild of wunderkind chef Tom Sellers, who took the restaurant world by storm with his innovative, high-concept dishes, bagging a Michelin star just five months after opening its doors.

The concept of Restaurant Story is to offer a fine-dining experience that is a feast for the eyes as much as it is for the taste buds, as evidenced by some of Sellers’ previous signature dishes - the beef dripping candle, for example, which is lit at the table and melts to become a dipping sauce for sourdough bread. Despite the initial success of his restaurant, Sellers also developed a reputation for being somewhat difficult - he famously launched an online tirade against former Evening Standard restaurant critic Fay Maschler after she wrote a lukewarm review of his Restaurant Ours concept.

It seems that Sellers has grown up since then though and so has the restaurant that first made his name. In 2018, Restaurant Story underwent an extensive refurbishment, which saw more luxurious tables and seating being added to the dining room, as well as the addition of a feature ceiling showcasing an installation of swallows taking flight. Sellers has also ditched the traditional a la carte format, instead offering guests a blind tasting menu (you will have time to warn your waiter of any dislikes or allergies). Restaurant Story reopened again in January 2024 after another refurbishment. 

Longtime fans of Restaurant Story will be glad to know that several of the signature dishes remain, which are served alongside seasonally inspired plates. It seems all of Sellers’ efforts have paid off, because Restaurant Story was awarded a second Michelin star in 2021. Prices are as high as you would expect in a place like this, but the relaxed, unstuffy service will help to soften the blow of the bill.

Founded by two Dinner by Heston alumni, Fallow in St James's first started out life as a long-term residency at 10 Heddon Street in Mayfair. The brand began when Will Murray and Jack Croft met over the stoves of Dinner by Heston and shared a similar passion for cooking sustainably while retaining very different approaches to their style of food. Four years later, with Dinner by Heston behind them, the pair came up with the idea of Fallow and distilled their individual talents into one coherent concept.

Then, just ten days after Fallow opened officially for the first time at 10 Heddon street, the team had to close the doors to their band new venture due to Coronavirus. During that time – as many other businesses did – the restaurant pivoted to start selling produce and began creating home cooking kits. Once the doors reopened, the team came back with a creative, constantly evolving menu packed with lesser-used ingredients to minimise waste in the industry. Making use of elements like cod’s head and dairy cow beef, the line-up is full of interesting combinations that elevate humble produce to new heights.

Fallow now finds its permanent home in St James's Market (on the former site of Duck & Waffle Local). As well as the traditional a la carte offering, it also serves brunch, a set lunch menu and a specific Sunday option. Sharing plates on the main menu might include things like smoked cod’s head with Fallow Sriracha sauce and leek oil or Fallow deer with Kalibos cabbage, glazed celeriac and beetroot. Finish things off with a caramelised whey Chelsea tart, or Pump Street chocolate mousse with salted caramel, mushroom and truffle.

The 150-cover site is open all day and boasts a main dining room and a wraparound terrace, while a seven-seater chef’s counter overlooks the open kitchen, should you want to be up close to the action.

Photography by Steven Joyce

The Hakkasan brand, a global entity with locations in the likes of New York, Las Vegas and Dubai, is arguably one of the most instantly recognisable restaurant names out there. Loved by celebrities, moneyed Mayfair residents and Londoners looking for a taste of the high life, Hakkasan’s popularity has endured when other long-standing restaurants have faltered.

London is blessed with two Hakkasan locations (there’s another in Mayfair), but this Hanway Place original still draws in the crowds. While the discreet entrance just off Tottenham Court Road may not look up to much, it soon gives way to a stunning subterranean dining room, decked out in a sleek blue and black colour scheme. The dimly-lit dining room is given added character via gold accents and lattice work which divides up the different dining areas, resulting in the overall feel that you’re in one of London’s sexiest dining haunts.

Hakkasan Hanway Place is certainly not a case of style over substance though, with the expansive menu featuring everything from expertly prepared dim sum to Chinese classics revisited with luxury ingredients. On your visit, you can kick-start your meal with the likes of a crispy duck salad, sesame prawn toast or golden friend soft-shell crab. Next up, choose from Hakkasan Hanway Place’s masterful selection of dim sum, with luxury options including langoustine har gau with Prunier caviar and a Wagyu beef dumpling.

There are more substantial dishes to try too though, such as roasted silver cod drizzled with a Champagne and honey sauce, or black truffle roasted duck. Vegetarians shouldn’t feel left out either though, as there are plenty of meat-free options to choose from. Tuck into the likes of a tofu, aubergine and Japanese mushroom clay pot or a black pepper and yellow bean stir fry.

To drink, there are Asian-inspired cocktails such as a Lychee Martini, while Hakkasan’s wine list traverses the globe.

When it opened in 2014, Chiltern Firehouse was the first restaurant since Scott’s to cross over from being a must-visit in the reasonably niche world of upmarket restaurant-goers to become a bona fide cultural event, its name known to the sort of people who might never dream of eating in a posh West End dining room.

The initial tsunami of celebrity may have slowed to a trickle but the hotel upstairs remains a favourite of visiting A-listers and means that you’re still likely to see a famous face in the dining room. But even if your meal isn’t dusted with a sprinkling of stardust, there’s still much to enjoy here.

Punters adore the clever outdoor-themed interiors and the lively atmosphere, which brings an infectious energy to proceedings. We also love the subtle nods to the venue’s original incarnation as a fire station, with ceiling patterns inspired by hoses and a fireman’s pole forming the centrepiece of one corner table.

Right on cue, the open kitchen serves up wave after wave of likeable successes. Snacks such as the famous coral-dusted crab doughnut kick things off nicely, but there are other highlights too: BBQ pork skewers are served with brown-butter mayo, flaky salmon is cooked tandoori-style and complemented by a puddle of cooling lime yoghurt, cucumber and puffed rice, while a plate of burrata is given a summery makeover thanks to piles of juicy heritage tomato and a lively chilli jam.

Early risers pack in for breakfast (courgette and spinach scrambled eggs topped with aged Parmesan), freelancers take advantage of the indulgent lunchtime offers (Ibérico pork with red pepper mayo and barbecued peach on toast, say) and we’d also recommend a pre/post-meal trip to the botanically themed bar for cheekily named cocktails (hotel guests are given priority, but it’s easier to slip in on quiet nights).

Luca is an Italian restaurant located in Farringdon serving high-quality ingredients from around the British Isles and Italy. With a restaurant, bar and outdoor terrace, it’s a multi-faceted dining destination where you can stay, eat and relax for a sit-down dinner, pop in for some drinks and snacks at the bar or enjoy a plate of pasta bathed in sunshine in the stunning courtyard.  

The main dining area offers bright and spacious interiors that marries Italian-meets-art deco design, with red leather banquette seating, wooden floors, exposed brick walls and large light fixtures to illuminate the space. It is here where guests can indulge in Luca’s modern Italian plates all year long. Kick off with a plate of Italian salumi with pickled giardiniera vegetables to nibble on while you decide what to order. Starters include tempting combinations such as burrata with winter panzanella, pickled walnuts and radicchio tardivo, while the ‘primi’ course includes many impressive pasta dishes including tagliatelle of rabbit and pumpkin and amaretti tortelli with sage and pickled chilli. For ‘secondi’, opt for the likes of Hereford beef fillet ribeye with borettane onions and confit garlic.  

When the sun is shining, guests can also reserve a table alfresco in the secluded, foliage-adorned terrace surrounded by olive trees and jasmine. There is even an open fire for when it gets chilly in the evenings. Or, plump for a meal at the bar for an occasion that’s a little more relaxed, where you can order classic Italian cocktails or a glass of wine from one of its many wine-making regions. A range of aperitifs and digestifs are also available, and food can be ordered from the bar's ‘express menu’ for lunch if you want to taste the food but can't stick around for long. 

Opheem is a Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in Birmingham belonging to acclaimed, Aston-born chef Aktar Islam, who showcases his signature modern take on Indian cuisine. Its aim is to push the boundaries of Indian cooking using techniques from all over the world to create something totally new and innovative. Inspired by watching his Dad working in his own restaurant growing up, Aktar discovered his love for food, cooking and creativity in the kitchen, eventually going on to set up Opheem in 2018. Aktar was also a contestant on Great British Menu, becoming a finalist in the 2011 series and winning the fish course in the final (which is now on the menu at Opheem).  

There are multiple menus to choose from and they change seasonally throughout the year to reflect the freshest produce possible. Diners can opt to dine a la carte, or choose either the five or ten-course tasting menus. The a la carte menu is to be taken at lunch and features a concise list of elegant plates – think achaari pink fir potato with tamarind, soft shell crab with caraway seed tempura and crab shaami (Aktar’s winning dish on Great British Menu) as well as creedy carver duck with turnip and pearl barley.  

The tasting menus, meanwhile, feature all the above and more. Look out for lentil porridge with citrus and caramelised onion and inventive sweet courses such as Valhrona chocolate with pomegranate, pistachio and mint.

There is an optional wine flight to be taken with the tasting menus and which has been carefully curated by the sommelier team. Rather than pairing a wine with specific dishes, however, the team have curated a list of some of the best wines they can fine and it’s up to the diner to decide how many courses they’d like to pair them with. A selection of old and new world wines mean you’ll be spoilt for choice, so do ask the team if you need a recommendation.  

Pavyllon London is the flagship restaurant at The Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, run by Yannick Alleno - arguably one of the most celebrated and decorated chefs in the world. Alleno holds a whopping 15 Michelin stars across a worldwide portfolio of 14 restaurants, including three Michelin stars at the world-renowned Alleno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen.

Pavyllon London is Alleno’s first restaurant in the British capital, and he brings his signature contemporary French style to a luxurious, fine dining menu at one of Mayfair’s most prestigious hotels. That said, this restaurant will also embrace the more dynamic, relaxed fine dining atmosphere that embodies London’s restaurant scene - there’s a counter, for example, for those who want to get up close and personal with the chef, as well as an array of different dining spaces.

Another signature of Alleno’s cooking is the reinvention of classic French ingredients - he uses far less sugar, fat and salt than is traditionally used, believing that chefs have a responsibility to look after the health of their guests. He also combines lots of modern techniques with classic dishes, as shown in Pavyllon Paris dishes such as vegetable ravioli with spring extraction broth and perfumed oils, as well as his aiguillette of sea bass with a celery extraction sauce.

Whilst the menu is recognisably Alleno’s food and rooted in French gastronomy, dishes at Pavyllon London draw inspiration from seasonal British produce, making this a unique proposition. Still, expect plenty of luxury ingredients, as found in Alleno signature dishes like his ‘Perfect egg’ with Paris ham jelly, Isigny cream and caviar, as well as the famous Pavyllon surf and turf, combining Wagyu beef mille-feuille, blue lobster and choron sauce with toasted sesame oil.

Meanwhile, star sommelier Vincent Javaux has curated an expert wine list that includes some serious wines from the most prestigious winemakers in the world, alongside lesser-known family-owned chateaus.

Owned by acclaimed Bristol chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias, Paco Tapas is a Bristol restaurant serving traditional Spanish tapas in a cool setting right next to Bathurst Basin and marina. With a menu that changes every day, Paco endeavours to use the finest quality ingredients and to treat them all with the upmost quality to create dishes packed full of flavour. This means that while every meal at Paco Tapas will be completely different, you will always be guaranteed to try some pretty special dishes.

Based just on the edge of Bathurst Basin, you would be forgiven for thinking that the restaurants was just a bar from the outside, with large barrels covered by umbrellas providing space to enjoy a few drinks outside. However, once you head inside, it’s clear that this restaurant means business as amazing smells waft out from the open kitchen. The decor is simple yet stylish; black tiles cover the walls, with the odd piece of modern art on show and there are a mixture of counter seats and high tables.

The ever-changing menu begins with snacks such as manzanilla olives, manchego with honey, and fried almonds. However the main event is obviously the tapas dishes, designed to be shared by the whole table. These vary from meat dishes including jamón croquettes, pork ribs cooked over coals, and lamb rump, to seafood options such as scallops and lardo, and octopus from the Canary Islands. Expect vegetarian options such as Roscoff onion, patatas bravas, and purple sprouting broccoli. Puddings might include chocolate mousse with toast and olive oil, and a crema Catalana.

This is all accompanied by a fantastic range of Spanish wines, as well as sherries available by both the glass and bottle. On top of this Paco Tapas has decent list of cocktails on offer which go perfectly with the rich dishes on the menu.

Paul Ainsworth is one of the most recognisable chef names in these parts, operating a clutch of restaurants around Cornwall including Padstow Townhouse, Caffe Rojano, The Mariners Public House at Rock and his chef training academy in Truro.

Located in a gorgeous Georgian townhouse in the heart of Padstow, Paul Ainsworth at No 6 is the Michelin-starred jewel in the crown of his restaurant portfolio, serving contemporary British fare which champions locally sourced Cornish produce. Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner, the dining room here is a light and airy space which blends old world Georgian aesthetics with luxe modern finishes. There are no tablecloths or silver trays zipping around the room, which helps diners to feel relaxed, but the likes of studded black leather club chairs and plush light fixtures, plus beautifully plated dishes reassure you that this is a special occasion experience.

No.6 offers a tasting menu which is available at either lunch or dinner. A dedicated children’s menu is also available upon request and while the restaurant cannot currently cater to vegan diets, the team are able to accommodate most other dietary requirements. The menu evolves with the seasons, depending on which produce is available at the time, but you can always expect to find intriguing and visually pleasing dishes, including plenty of fish and seafood options (this is Cornwall, after all).

To start, you might tuck into the likes of beetroot with pomme anna aged aged kaluga cavia, or wild red prawn with iberian ham mousseline. More substantial dishes meanwhile, might include wild cornish brill with mashed potato and onion gravy, or pigeon with umeboshi condiment and pain au chocolat. Come dessert, don’t miss the showstopper titled ‘a fairground tale’ - a selection of dainty sweet treats served on a miniature revolving carousel.

Hidden away in the basement of The Blue Posts pub on the edge of London's Chinatown, Evelyn's Table is an intimate chef's table restaurant from the team behind hotspots The Palomar and The Barbary. Having first opened in 2017, the restaurant reopened in 2020 with a brand new team. Originally run by ex-head chef of HIDE Above and Great British Menu finalist Luke Selby, and his two brothers Nathaniel and Theo, Evelyn's Table is now headed up by James Goodyear. Having previously spent time working in a wealth of Michelin kitchens, including Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Mugaritz, Maaemo and HIDE, one can only expect exceptional things from the chef. Expect an evolving five-course menu built on James's formative experiences, using the freshest British produce and utilising Scandinavian and Japanese techniques where necessary to elevate his classic French cooking style.

Accessed via a set of stairs on Rupert Court, the small dining room consists of just ten seats around a counter which overlooks the open kitchen. There is little by way of decor at Evelyn's Table apart from a few lamps providing a glow up at the marble-topped counter. Due to the nature of the restaurant there are only two sittings each night, at 6pm and again at 8:45pm meaning that you're likely to be sat up at the counter with people you haven't met before. Who knows, you might even get chatting with some of the other customers.

The five-course food menu changes every month to make the most of seasonal ingredients. Expect Japanese-inspired dishes such as marinated mackerel served with plum umeboshi and shisho, and squid noodles with a mushroom dashi. Meanwhile sweeter plates might include tarte tatin with clotted cream and miso. The drinks offering at Evelyn's Table comes courtesy of Honey Spencer, who as well as running wine bar The Mulwray above, has curated a list of predominantly naturual wines which has been designed to perfectly complement the flavours of the food.

This double bar concept comes from renowned bartender Alex Kratena (formerly of Artesian Bar) and Monica Berg. Found right by Old Street roundabout, Elementary is a casual all-day bar which serves seasonal drinks and snacks, while Tayer is a more progressive space featuring a daily changing menu written up on a blackboard.

In Elementary, guests sit around a large communal bar, enjoying drinks and snacking on a succinct menu of just three snack plates. If they move through to Tayer, they’ll find seating around a large open counter, where they can see the bartenders and chefs at work.

Ta Ta Eatery has been appointed to oversee the food side of things, serving up a menu which is Asian in style, but incorporates European elements. Dishes can be ordered individually or as tapas-style sharing plates, while the drinks list doesn’t just privilege cocktails – you can also expect considered lists of spirits, sakés and soft drinks.  

Food and drink images: Bernard Zeija

Given the Mandrake root’s trippy herbal reputation, it’s fitting that the mind-bendingly exotic, sensual interior of this boho-deluxe boutique hotel is a magical mystery tour de force. The décor throughout the hotel has been thoughtfully designed to offers guests an immersive experience, strongly influenced by the Amazon rainforest and nature.  

There is a choice of three bars at The Mandrake, although Waeska is perhaps the most intriguing of the lot – a decadent clubby cocktail lounge overseen by a fantastical creature that is half-gazelle, half-peacock. As you enter, your eye is immediately drawn to the collection of treasured artifacts, objets d'art and priceless artworks housed behind the expansive labradorite bar.   

Guests can sample a unique range of cocktails and bar snacks in this one-of-a-kind venue. The cocktail menu is founded on ethnobotany – the study of a region’s plants and their practical uses through the traditional knowledge of a local culture and people. Expect a range of drinks that feature various herbs and botanicals you’ve likely never heard of before.  

Restorative plant-based sips include Oshun (Bombay Sapphire gin infused with gynostemma herb, yuzu sake, basil, sudachi sherbert and champagne) or Euphoria (St Germain elderflower, Muyu Chinotto, blood orange, champagne and fennel). A serious selection of spirits, sakes, mezcals and digestifs are also available from the general bar menu.  

Diners can sample a selection of bar snacks alongside, inspired by South American cuisine, such as spinach, pine nut and ricotta empanadas, chorizo iberico, guindillas and almonds, burrata with chicory, hazelnuts and pears and oysters with ancho chilli vinegar.  

Looking for a late-night drinking destination? Every Friday and Saturday night, Waeska hosts also live DJ nights for guests to head to after hours for a dance within dark and mysterious surrounds. An evening spent at this opulent bar is guaranteed to be one to remember.  

Situated in Angel, Islington, Jam Delish is a vegan Caribbean restaurant and cocktail bar. The restaurant was set up by siblings Jordan and Chyna in 2020, with the goal of sharing the delicious and authentic Caribbean food enjoyed by their grandparents with the London food scene. Jam Delish is just a 5 minute walk from Angel tube station, the entrance to the restaurant is tucked away on Tolpuddle Street, in the middle of the building.

The interiors are bright and inviting, with chairs and banquettes upholstered in shades of blue, and a vibrant living wall at one end of the restaurant. As well as tables for diners, there are also some seats at the bar for anyone nipping in to enjoy a few of the restaurants house cocktails.

Jordan and Chyna strongly feel there is a gap in the market for authentic Caribbean cuisine, fused with plant-based, vegan ingredients. The menu is entirely vegan, featuring dishes such as brown stew with oyster mushrooms and fried dumplings, served with smoked butternut squash puree, and crispy grilled aubergine served with Caribbean pepper sauce, fresh coconut yoghurt, pomegranate and crispy onions.

Desserts sound equally as tempting, with dishes such as chili chocolate brownie served with coconut sauce, and caramelized banana cake with a Lotus biscuit crumb, served with cream.

Sharers and larger plates are available at the weekend, and may include the Jam Delish fried "chicken" burger (vegan), and stacks of fluffy vegan pancakes served with whipped cream, toasted coconut and mango puree.

The cocktail offering at Jam Delish is unique and innovative too, with house mixes including a passion fruit rum punch, and a sorrel margarita. The blue lagoon also sounds a must, made with blue curacao, coconut syrup and pineapple juice.

Michelin-starred Restaurant Pine in Northumberland proudly celebrates local British ingredients - often foraged and grown in it's on-site gardens - via innovative, contemporary tasting menus.

Head chef Cal Byerley and partner (and restaurant manager) Siân are the brains behind Pine - it is the couple's first restaurant and a highly successful one at that. Pine earned itself a Michelin star within nine months of opening and is also the owner of a Green Michelin star for its commitment to sustainable practices. 

The restaurant is set inside an old cow barn with views of the surrounding Northumberland countryside thanks to huge glass windows. It uses local produce from Northumberland or homegrown produce from its very own kitchen garden and indoor poly tunnels wherever it can, and practices whole-animal butchery to minimise food waste. 

In the evenings, a generous tasting menu is available using foraged ingredients from the surrounding area. Diners can watch the chefs hard at work in the open kitchen while they cook up the likes of sugar kelp dumpling with North Sea trout and sour cream, langoustine claw with artichoke and cured pork belly and yoghurt whey sorbet with elderberry, sorrel and hyssop granita. The menu has been designed by head chefs Cal Byerley and Ian Waller who met and worked at Michelin-starred Forest Side previously.  

Diners can opt to add a bespoke wine flight to the tasting menu, which has been expertly chosen by Pine’s head sommelier Vanessa Stoltz. Vanessa grew up in Alsace and has previously worked at Hipping Hall and Forest Side, before winning the Champagne Gosset Matchmakers competition with her partner Ian Waller.  

Pine serves a lunch menu on Saturdays, and also offers a dedicated vegetarian menu. Guests can choose between the regular tasting menu experience or a seat at the chef's table, where you get one-to-one service from Cal and his team. Guests also have the option of staying overnight at nearby Hygge, which offers a number of cabins for overnight stays. 

Michelin-starred chef Tom Brown opens his second East London venture with Pearly Queen, an oyster bar and restaurant located on Commercial Street in Shoreditch. Following up on his Michelin-starred restaurant Cornerstone just up the road in Hackney, this second project is all about fresh fish and seafood, inspired by the East End’s heritage of fish cookery.

The 60-cover dining room is split across two floors, with upstairs designed to mimic the feel of an East End boozer, boasting a bar with counter seating for guests to enjoy a drink at. While a smart dining room with banquet seating, secret cubbies and a late-night vibe can be expected on ground level. The interiors have been designed by AN-RD, an award-winning interior and furniture design studio, while artworks throughout the space are by London artist Reuben Dangoor, who you might recognise having been commissioned for the likes of TFL and Arsenal. Elsewhere, works by Olivia Rose can be found, who currently has pieces hanging in the National Portrait Gallery.

Pearly Queen is open for lunch and dinner and features a selection of crustaceans, sharing platters, small and large dishes. Guests can start their meal with UK-sourced oysters, along with rotating specials such as crispy buffalo oysters with ranch dressing. Elsewhere, shellfish platters featuring seaweed aioli and burnt tomato ketchup are served over ice, with customers able to select their preferred shellfish from the counter and see them being shucked by the skilled team. Small plates include cockle bhajis and prawn scotch eggs, while larger dishes include grilled lobster in an XO lobster butter sauce.

To drink, cocktails play a starring role. Max Venning has curated a special list featuring the likes of an OCS cocktail, mixing gin, olive oil, cucumber and lemon, and a Pearly Martini, combining vodka or gin, Picpoul and a pearl onion. These can be paired with a selection of snacks, such as shellfish hummus and tuna and parmesan gougères.

Lake Road Kitchen is a multi award winning restaurant in Ambleside, found in the heart of the stunning Lake District. Food here is slightly different to what you encounter at most restaurants. Choose for either twelve or eight servings per person, or the classic Lake Road Kitchen menu of five servings. For each menu, delicious wine pairings are available. There is also a gluten free, dairy free, pescatarian, vegetarian and vegan option available for the menus.

When dining at Lake Road Kitchen, expect to find dishes of pecan smoked pastrami with dill pickled cucumber and mustard mayonnaise, along with kingfish tartare with a delicious mix of white soy, mirin and gold grade nori. Then, you may enjoy a dish of Escargots de Bourgogne adorned with parsley miso, and fried chicken with smoked peppers and lime. Smoked Shetland monkfish, burrata and beetroot follow up, and then a prawn cutlet sandwich. Galician octopus, Peruvian lemon chili are next on the menu, before a plate of rich beef shin and Koshihikari rice. For those who love dishes from the sea, you’ll be delighted with the Steamed Norwegian sea trout with a tomato consommé and pink peppercorn, and a BBQ saddleback pork chop with aubergine is next up.

Finishing off the menu on a sweet note is the walnut gelato with calvados caramel and lingonberries, then the honeyed custard, fig and orange purée and earl grey oil, and lastly, a rich Amadei 65%, Chantilly with raspberry. Additional courses can be added on if they’re available, from a 9 year old Parmesan custard to A5 Kagoshima wagyu beef, and lastly, sweet woodruff and Jersey milk gelato. What a delicious and delightful way to spend an evening.

If somebody was to compile a list of London restaurants which are known for attracting the rich and famous, Sexy Fish is sure to be placed somewhere near the top.

Found on Berkeley Square, glamorous Sexy Fish is part of the Caprice Holdings Group, which also looks after the likes of Scott’s, J Sheekey and The Ivy Collection. The restaurant has gained a reputation as a bit of a celeb-magnet, while it also courts the Instagram crowd with its famously lavish interiors – think a giant gold-plated crocodile hanging from the wall, an ocean blue mermaid statue draped over the bar and more gold accents than Midas himself could rustle up.

Billed as a pan-Asian brasserie, although it is safe to say that the menu is replete with contemporary and luxury updates on classic Asian fare, while authentic renditions are perhaps harder to spot. Nonetheless, there’s no denying the appeal of the menu; kick things off with a helping of caviar, before moving on to the likes of tuna tataki, glazed pork belly skewers spiced with pear and ginger, or a crispy duck and watermelon salad. Naturally, the à la carte also offers a roll call of luxury ingredients, with lobster, Wagyu beef and sprinklings of black truffle shavings all present and correct.

To go alongside the food, it boasts what claims to be the world’s largest collection of Japanese whisky, while its cocktail menu (designed to look like a high-fashion magazine) features a seasonally changing selection of sips that includes innovative creations and twists on the classics, like an Old Fashioned made with passionfruit juice.

Apart from the regular menu, the restaurant also offers a tasting menu and a range of sophisticated bar snacks. Watch out for special seasonal and festive menus too, celebrating the likes of Veganuary or Valentine’s Day.    

Located on the 1st floor of Michelin House, Bibendum is one of London's most extravagant and iconic restaurants, with a significant history to match. Many great chefs have worked a service here, among them Simon Hopkinson and Jeremy Lee, but now Claude Bosi has taken the reins, returning Bibendum to its rightful place as a temple of British gastronomy.

Stunning stained glass windows form the centrepiece of Bibendum's dining room, which retains its white tablecloth smarts but with less of the stuffiness of yesteryear.

Whilst Bibendum of the past was British with classical French underpinnings, today's menu is unashamedly French, with Bosi taking great inspiration from his upbringing in Lyon. Right from the get-go, the a la carte doesn't hold back on the decadence with a selection of amuse bouches, followed by starter dishes like beetroot, smoked eel, burrata and caviar, and duck jelly with onion, smoked sturgeon and (more) caviar. Some classic Bibendum dishes remain - the turbot a la Grenobloise, for example, and the Brittany rabbit with langoustine and tarragon too - but Bosi throws in a few twists and turns, like a Devonshire farm Peking duck with celery and celeriac. 

Tasting menus are available too, including the more modern addition of a vegetarian menu too. These playfully start with mini versions of the restaurant's best dishes past and present, before embarking on a culinary journey of around ten courses, with an optional supplementary board of international cheeses. In truly decadent fashion, diners can add white truffle to certain dishes at market price. 

Desserts are equally extravagant - the Bibendum double chocolate souffle is a chocolate lover's dream and surely must go down as one of the most decadent desserts anywhere in London. Add in the extensive cheese trolley, pitch-perfect service and humongous wine list, and Bibendum looks to be well worth its three Michelin stars. 

Dating back to 1870, The Pelican is a pub and dining room in Notting Hill from co-owners Phil Winser and Richard Squire, and restaurateur James Gummer. The site underwent a major refurbishment in 2022 and was relaunched by the trio as a neighbourhood pub with the intention of being ‘a cornerstone of the local community, not just somewhere to eat and drink’. 

The warm and traditional dining room accommodates up to 48 people and has been designed in an understated style throughout, with dim lighting, cosy tan leather banquettes, original fireplaces and antique furniture. The bar area is able to seat 40 guests at most, while an outdoor area can house a further 24.  

Head chef Owen Kenworthy has spent time in a multitude of respected restaurants including The Wolseley, Sketch and Brawn where he was head chef. His menu focuses on the very best British produce and follows a strong sustainable ethos, engaging with suppliers who use regenerative farming methods as much as possible. Typical dishes from the main dining room menu include raw beef with Gentleman’s relish, ham hock with egg mayo, potted shrimp, onglet and shallot, and lobster and monkfish pie with lobster head gravy. Desserts include lemon posset with shortbread and ginger parkin and custard, made with Owen’s family recipe.  

On the drinks list, discover a wide selection of British beers including Allsopp’s IPA, Portobello Pilsner, and Deya. A selection of classic cocktails are also available as well as a concise 40-bin wine list. The pub also offers a constantly evolving single bottle wine list, so do ask the team to see what’s on that week

If all you fancy is a drink at the bar with a couple of snacks, you can also find a bar snack menu featuring small but tasty plates such as pork scratchings, sausage roll, spider crab toast and Welsh rarebit

London’s first – and to our knowledge, only – handroll bar finds its home in Brixton Village. TEMAKI is headed up by Shaulan Steenson, the restaurant’s executive chef who also happens to be a Japanese rice specialist.

While rice might seem like a filler food, here it has been elevated to hero status and is the focus of the main dish – the handrolls. Instead of being treated in the normal way (with salt, vinegar and sugar), using his experience in some of Tokyo’s best sushi restaurants, Steenson has devised a signature style to elevate the rice in his restaurant. The secret lies in the use of Japanese red vinegar, which gives each grain a golden hue and a rich, aromatic flavour that pairs perfectly with fresh fish.

Both a la carte and set menus are available. On the a la carte offering, fillings for the handrolls – aside from the rice – are premium. Combinations include mackerel with ginger and miso, BBQ eel with cucumber and bbq sauce, and trout with ikura, cucumber, shiso and sesame. There is also a selection of small plates and snacks to complete the food line up, featuring things like whole prawn tempura and monkfish karaage. 

Interiors are pared-back for a modern minimalism that creates a calming atmosphere. Think industrial concrete flooring and a central bar where the chefs work from. Each wrap is hand-prepared in front of guests and handed over immediately to ensure utmost freshness (while also adding a little theatre too). Tables are both inside and outside, allowing guests to enjoy the vibrancy of Brixton Village (which you might be pleased to know is covered).

The food menu is accompanied by a range of wines, sakes and Japanese beers as well as batch-made cocktails created specifically for TEMAKI.

Chef Douglas McMaster originally set up Silo in Brighton back in 2014, before transplanting his trailblazing zero-waste concept to London in 2019, taking up residence at CRATE Brewery in Hackney Wick. Silo really kickstarted the renewed interest in sustainable restaurants and food production that we’ve seen in recent years, with McMaster going above and beyond to show that - although sometimes labour intensive - practically everything can be made zero waste. Silo aims to work only with natural materials and creates everything from its whole form, cutting out food miles and over-processing whilst preserving nutrients and the integrity of the ingredients in the process.

Silo’s restaurant furniture and fittings are created from a desire to re-use, choosing up-cycling before recycling: the table tops are made from upcycled Smile Plastic, the bar front from recycled leather, and the wall lights crafted from crushed wine bottles. All products delivered to the restaurant come in re-useable crates, pails, urns or containers.

Silo’s commitment to sustainability means that the food menu changes constantly, with 10-15 dishes available at any time. Examples of what you might find include the likes of red Kuri pumpkin with whipped ricotta and wet walnut, celeriac with caramelised cream and cobnut or fallow deer with celeriac and quince. Sweeter dishes, meanwhile, might include the house bread as an ice cream sandwich or panela ice cream with apple and lovage. To accompany the food, there are wines from small-batch producers, while cocktails are being produced in partnership with cocktail king Mr Lyan (of Lyaness and Cub fame).

McMaster is keen to spread his eco-friendly message to diners too, by hosting sustainability-focused workshops in Crate’s new events space which can be found next door to the restaurant. In 2021 Silo was awarded the Michelin Green Star for its pioneering zero-waste work.

The Kinneuchar Inn is a renovated 17th-century pub and restaurant serving seasonal British dishes in Kilconquhar, near Fife on Scotland's beautiful east coast. The kitchen is headed up by James Ferguson, while his partner Alethea Palmer oversees the front of house (Ferguson and Palmer were previously head chef and general manager of Rochelle Canteen respectively). It's a cosy place, with modest interiors and a buzzy atmosphere that further adds to the pub's appeal. It's somewhat remote, however, nestled in the East Neuk village of Kilconquhar, which perches on the shore of a loch with the same name. Produce is sourced primarily from the Balcaskie Estate, alongside a handful of other local suppliers.

Given the couple's pedigree, you won't be surprised to see St John wines on the roster, alongside an eclectic selection of French, Spanish and Italian bottles. Elsewhere, you'll find plenty of Scotch whisky to try, as well as local beers and ciders too. Those who prefer cocktails can enjoy the likes of negronis, bloody Marys and an enticing sour apple and rum number. 

The snack selection alone foreshadows the deliciousness to come, with entries like pigs head croquettes and plum ketchup, house charcuterie or Cape Wrath oysters with shallot vinegar. From there, many would describe the starters almost as mains in their own right, such as steamed Shetland mussels with chilli, garlic and white wine or grilled ox heart with beetroot, watercress and horseradish. 

For the main event, vegetarians are no afterthought here - you might see braised globe artichokes with farro, rainbow chard and Corra Linn. At the meatier end of the scale, meanwhile, options could include hare ragu with pappardelle and aged pecorino, beef bourguignon with mash, or a Belted Galloway steak for two. A seafood main, meanwhile, could be brill with white beans, braised leeks and chanterelles. Finish with a hearty dessert such as pear and sherry trifle or treacle tart with creme fraiche. 

Climat is a chic, wine-led dining concept located at the top of Blackfriars House in the bustling city centre of Manchester. The restaurant opened in December 2022, the second venture from the team behind Covino, a Chester-based foodie hot spot, also with a big focus on wine. 

At the heart of Climat is an appreciation for French cuisine, borne out of Executive Chef Luke Richardson's time working in Paris. This is complemented by the team's love of French wine, hinted to with its name, which refers to a wine-growing plot found specifically in Burgundy. In their wine cellar, you'll find over 400 wines sourced from across France, from independent makers to the iconic. 

Dishes use fresh, seasonal ingredients and change daily. While there isn't an updated version available online, examples of previous dishes are sure to get your mouth watering. You might enjoy nibbles like beef fat hash browns with crème fraîche, seasonal oysters with plum hot sauce and malted sourdough loaf with Café De Paris butter. 

Smaller plates have included veal sweetbread, nettle, pine nuts, lemon and brown butter, as well as grilled leeks, butterbean, hazelnut and truffle. While, larger dishes might look like middle white pork loin with smoked clementine and mustard seeds, alongside whole john dory with chestnuts and salsify, or perhaps whole lamb shoulder with chicory and anchovy. Desserts are just as creative with combinations like brioche, muscovado mascarpone and bbq cherries.

As for the space, think marble-topped tables and sophisticated, dark-toned seating, complemented by a lofty ceiling, exposed pipework and huge, floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the restaurant with light. The vibe is casual but elegant, the perfect place for a date night or a catch up with friends. And, if you should be so inclined, speak to the team about private dining bookings, as they cater for events.

Counter 71 is a chef’s table restaurant serving 16 covers a night from head chef Joe Laker. It’s his first solo venture in London, following roles at big-name restaurants across the UK, including head chef at Fulham restaurant Fenn until 2022, as well as Anglo, St Leonards and Roots. Located on Nile Street in Shoreditch, the intimate dining experience sees diners seated around a marble countertop which takes centre stage in the room. Elsewhere, an earthy green colour palette is employed throughout the restaurant, with textured accents including Japanese tiled footrests, boucle upholstery and concrete floors.

Counter 71 is Joe Laker’s culinary ode to the British Isles, offering a seasonal and minimalist tasting menu for both lunch and dinner. Intricate flavours are presented simply on the plate and adhere to a fewer-ingredient philosophy, while showcasing various preservation techniques throughout. The menu also highlights lesser-known ingredients from the British larder but that are available in abundance due to the warming climate, including citrus fruits and chillies.

The menu revolves continuously with the seasons, but a few examples of dishes you might try includes langoustine broth with pickled carrot, brown crab donut with scallop roe, eel tart with fried seaweed and Caviar, cheese and Marmite scone and poacher custard, and a chocolate parfait with yoghurt sorbet and buckwheat crumb.

The relationship between diner and chef is an important part of the experience at Counter 71, with Joe and his team serving dishes to guests themselves. Working alongside Joe in the kitchen is sous chef Michael Miles (Manteca, Fenn and St Leonards), while Harry Cooper (Fenn, Anglo, Picture) heads up front-of-house and curates the wine list. This includes a selection of new world wines and bottles from lesser-known producers, as well as vintage and premium options.

Both Counter 71 and Lowcountry Bar, a bar paying homage to the cocktail culture of the American South, are housed under the same roof at 71 Nile Street.

Andrew Fairlie is a two-Michelin-starred restaurant by the chef of the same name. Although it is an entirely independent venture, the restaurant is located within the iconic five-star Gleneagles hotel in Scotland and set against the backdrop of the stunning Perthshire Hills. Andrew Fairlie is the only restaurant in Scotland to hold two Michelin stars (which it has held for the last 15 years), a success that can be attributed to work of the Scottish chef, who was awarded a Roux Scholarship at the young age of 20 and accrued a series of accolades throughout his lifetime. Andrew sadly passed away in 2019 due to a brain tumour.

The restaurant is his greatest legacy and continues to serve outstanding food under his name. There are multiple menus available including both a la carte and tasting options, as well as vegetarian alternatives. The tasting menu features a selection of the restaurant’s greatest dishes, with examples being crab claw and razor clam with golden oscietra caviar, ballotine of fois gras with rhubarb and pistachio, herb crusted lamb loin with lamb bon bon and pearl barley and chocolate parfait with yuzu and pistachio.  

To drink, diners can opt for a wine flight to be paired with the tasting menu, or choose to sample the drinks list which includes a selection of aperitifs, digestifs and fine wines.  

The restaurant is open six nights a week for dinner and can be accessed via its own private entrance within Gleneagles. Andrew Fairlie pays as close attention to its thoughtful service and attention to detail as much as the food, so expect to be treated like royalty for the night if you dine here. And if that doesn’t do it, the royal interiors, complete with plush seating and dimmed lighting, just might.

For an iconic dining destination with breath-taking views of the capital, Duck & Waffle is at the peak (if you’ll pardon the pun) of the pack. Finding its home on the 40th floor of 110 Bishopsgate in London you would be hard pressed not to be impressed by the space, which is reached by a swiftly moving glass lift that prompts stomach-flipping views of the city below as it zips out of sight during the brief 40 second assent.

As one of the only 24/7 restaurants in London, Duck & Waffle gives diners the ultimate flexibility in fine dining. Whether you find yourself browsing the menu after a few drinks on a Friday night or prefer to start the day with a sunrise breakfast, you’ll be treated to a playful British menu with international influences. Of course, the obvious choice is the house signature duck and waffle, but outside of this there are other gems to discover. A raw bar throws up Angus beef tartare and Jersey oysters, while small plates see combinations like a spicy ox cheek ragu packed into a savoury paprika-sugar-dusted doughnut and seared scalloped with potatoes, chilli and garlic. If you’re not the sharing type or want to skip starters, then the main menu features larger plates that include excellent cuts of meat cooked in the wood oven and inventive vegetarian serves. As if wanting to push proof of its popularity, the restaurant group boast having sold over a million dishes worldwide and now includes a Hong Kong site in its portfolio.

If preferred guests can also enjoy the indoor/outdoor bar area which has dazzling views of the city below whatever time of the day you find yourself at it. Compliment cocktails with the selection of temping bar snacks like crispy BBQ pig ears or cauliflower and red onion pakora.

Tucked away in the Brighton Lanes, 64 Degrees is a fine dining neighbourhood restaurant from Great British Menu winner Michael Bremner, serving creative tasting menus using local and seasonal produce. Originally hailing from Aberdeen, Michael has spent time working in highly-praised kitchens including Quo Vadis in London, as well as restaurants in Thailand, America and Canada. Returning to London and the south, Michael began to develop the idea for 64 Degrees, which he wanted to be focused around using the best local produce, and where chefs are free to be as creative as they like with dishes.

The concept behind the menu is based around sharing, with the restaurant itself built around a large open kitchen so that diners can see and chat to the chefs while they work. Every year since opening, 64 Degrees has been awarded a Bib Gourmand by Michelin, which recognises restaurants that offer great cooking at a reasonable price.

The food offering is geared towards tasting menus, although there is a small plates menu priced dish by dish for a more relaxed style of dining if preferred. Examples of dishes you might expect to find on the dinner tasting menu include squid with fennel, plum and buckwheat, cod with brown butter, shrimp and hispi cabbage, and an eel bao bun with hoisin and dashi. To finish, think pears with vanilla and ricotta. The menu changes all the time depending on what’s seasonal and fresh, so you can always expect to try something new.

An optional wine flight is available with the menu and recommended by the team for the ultimate experience. However, diners are able to choose wines by the glass or bottle from a dedicated list if they prefer. Again, these are hand-picked and rotate regularly.

Created by Will Bowlby and Rik Campbell (the duo who created Kricket, one of London’s best Indian restaurants) SOMA is the restauranteurs' first foray into bars.

The venture was born out of the popularity of Kricket’s cocktail list, which the co-owners saw as reason enough to open a dedicated bar in order to show them off in their full glory. The result is SOMA, a place the pair have given the drinks the headline slot. Kricket’s Head of Beverages Will Rogers is in charge when it comes to the menu, having worked alongside bar manager Angelos Bafas to come up with a list of crowd-pleasers. Bafas’ accolades include time at Aqua Shard, as well as being previously voted as one of the top 5 bartenders in the world.

Similarly to Kricket, SOMA’s drinks are centred around Indian flavours. Drinks include a Gooseberry Chaat Margarita, which is made with tequila, triple sec, homemade gooseberry cordial and a little chaat masala; a Coconut and Jaggery Old Fashioned that combines bourbon, jaggery, coconut and mace bitters; and a savoury Pickled Mooli Martini which features vodka, dry vermouth, pickled mooli and fennel oil.

While the drinks are the main focus, there is also a short menu of snacks to help line the stomach. Think homemade crackers fashioned out of leftover rice from the restaurant – a delicious way to cut down on a waste. 

Simple interiors create an elegant backdrop and have been fashioned through a collaboration between architects Bureau Cake and interior designer Max Radford. Holding court in the middle of the room is the 9-metre-long hand-finished stainless steel bar, which can seat 23 guests. Walnut furnishings and pops of colour give the whole space a speakeasy vibe, and exclusive events and private functions can be catered for by way of the lounge room.

Dorchester Collection's luxury country house hotel and spa at Coworth Park, Berkshire is home to acclaimed chef Adam Smith and his latest restaurant - Woven by Adam Smith. Set in the picturesque grounds of Coworth Park, the restaurant is surrounded by 240 acres of parkland, trees, flowers and wildlife. Taking inspiration from the quintessential Berkshire countryside, the restaurant takes on a natural concept that offers an unforgettable culinary experience.

Coworth Park interior designer Martin Hulbert has also taken the lead on designing the restaurant, and it follows a similar sense of grandeur. Each detail of the design is inspired by the natural world and its beauty; fabrics, lighting, artworks, natural materials and striking colours and textures will all contribute to an intriguing, unique but luxurious dining space. The main dining room has the capacity for 44 guests while the adjoining conservatory adds an extra 12 guests; it is within this space that diners will get the best views of the park. 

Dining at this Georgian country house is a special occasion brought about by Adam Smith's innovative and contemporary menus. The menu takes diners on a culinary journey with sections labelled from the pantry, larder, stove, pastry and finally a treats section. Kicking things off in the pantry, there are simple snacks like devilled egg, caviar and Coronation chicken. Moving to the larder, you'll find crab paired with radish, apple, basil and yuzu; followed by salt aged yorkshire duck from the stove. Heading to the pastry section, Adam's selection of desserts include British cheeses, his signature chocolate and sea salt dessert and black fig paired with walnut, bee pollen and honey from the estate. 

Combining the interiors, the menus and the atmosphere and the restaurant, Adam aims to tell stories from his career as well as from the idyllic landscape. Dishes on the seasonally-changing menu are inspired by the finest produce; guests are treated to fresh seafood, professional butchery, foraged mushrooms, hand-picked herbs and native flower garnishes.

Parkers Arms is a character-filled British inn owned by charming proprietors Kathy and Stosie. It serves classic British food in a warm and welcoming atmosphere, with daily pie specials and a reasonably-priced, three-course menu. 

Here you’ll be greeted with a warm Lancashire welcome, with the inn attracting everyone from locals to tourists alike. Stop by for a pie and a pint or stay for the night to make the most of the robustly British menu. Pies, as it happens, are what the pub is most famous for. If you come by at lunch there’s nearly always one on the menu, and it might not be the kind you expect with all kinds of inventive fillings having been stuffed into pastry over the years.

In the evening, there is a fixed price, three-course menu served for a very reasonable £50. All dishes make use of local and seasonal ingredients, from Yorkshire rhubarb cured mackerel to a black pudding and pork turnover. Expect lots more comforting British classics, from Slaidburn egg mayo and soused herrings on toast, to a layered creamed potato terrine pie. 

While there isn’t a specific children’s menu, families are welcome, and the team will gladly alter a few key dishes to make them suitable for little ones. It also offers a small daily selection of dishes for children up to 10 years old.

The dining room is prettily decorated with colourful wallpaper and mix and match wooden furniture, while the open fire creates the perfect ambiance in the cooler months. Thanks to its wonderful location, Parkers Arms guarantees stunning views over the Lancashire countryside, and on sunny days there’s a neat little beer garden – the perfect place for a G&T and a packet of crisps post-walking.

The Padstow location of Prawn on the Lawn first opened its doors in 2015, two years after the debut of the concept’s original incarnation in the London borough of Islington. Following the success of the London site, husband and wife team Rick and Katie Toogood decided to open a second site in Cornwall’s Padstow, where the restaurant is obviously much closer to the maritime suppliers that underpin its menu of seafood and fresh fish.

Prawn on the Lawn Padstow is similar in look and feel to its London counterpart, showcasing relaxed and cosy interiors - think white tiles, overhead fans and slate flooring, all of which makes you feel like you are sat in a traditional fish and chip shop. The menu at Prawn on the Lawn is made up of a selection of shellfish and oysters, small plates, fish for the table and side dishes. However, the offering changes constantly (sometimes even hour to hour), depending on what produce is available that day.

Local fisherman supply fish and seafood daily for the restaurant, allowing Prawn on the Lawn to serve the likes of seared tuna with soy, mirin, spring onion and chilli or hake with truffle oil, parmesan, cauliflower and a porcini crumb. Alongside the small plates, you will find some larger fish dishes which can be served family-style to enjoy at the table, served whole or filleted and with the option to have them cooked classic, Thai or Chinese-style. Choose from the likes of John Dory, wild sea bass, plaice or brill.

To pad out your meal, you can add side dishes such as homemade soda bread served alongside seaweed butter, or a tomato and tarragon salad. After your meal, explore the European-led wine list or sip on one or two of Prawn on the Lawn’s delectable house cocktails.

Housed in a sparsely furnished former smokehouse, St John has been going strong for over 25 years now, and it remains just as essential to the capital as it was when it opened in 1994. Very little has changed here in a quarter of a century - Fergus Henderson may no longer be behind the stoves, but the brutalist wood and whitewash vibe remains ever present, alongside a menu full of the barebones, rustic British cooking that made the restaurant a hit in the first place. 

Before you climb the wrought iron steps up to the main dining room, you'll also find a smaller bakery area with some al fresco dining tables and the bar, which serves a curated lineup of wines by the glass and the bottle. 

St John has always been about honouring ingredients by not wasting anything, and using them when they're at their seasonal best. The belief is also that what grows together goes together, and certain seasonal pairings will rear their heads every year. Offal is also a common occurance on the menu, with dishes like rabbit offal, dandelion and roast shallot, or pickled tripe and radishes for example. The restaurant has accrued plenty of legendary dishes over the years - the roast bone marrow and parsley salad, the Welsh rarebit, the game and pigeon pies. That's not to mention the desserts, which are so hard to leave room for, but impossible not to order - iles flottante, Eccles cakes with Lancashire cheese and brown paper bags of baked-to-order madeleines. 

With an extensive wine list to match (with many excellent St John wines sourced from small suppliers in France) and smart, attentive service, it's no wonder the restaurant remains packed to the rafters on most evenings.

Sussex Vineyard Tinwood Estate’s on-site restaurant is a relaxed all-day joint serving lunch every day and dinner on Fridays and Saturdays. Focusing on modern British tapas using local produce, guests can expect an ever-changing menu that evolves with the seasons. The estate is a short drive away from Chichester city centre and easily accessible from London, making it a great spot for a day trip.

The spacious, light-filled dining room takes over what was once the estate’s dedicated tasting room with space for 50 covers. This spectacular room features huge sliding doors that look out onto the stunning south-facing terrace, offering guests views of the vineyard’s lush vines. Bag a seat here during the summer months to bask in the sunshine – preferably with a glass of English sparkling in hand.

The menu focuses on modern British sharing plates using local and seasonal produce, from meat and fish to fruit and vegetables. That means diners are constantly treated to new dishes according to what’s in season, what’s available and what’s tasting best. Guests are advised to choose three or four small plates each, all of which can be paired with the estate’s excellent wines.

There is also the option to enjoy your meal alongside a tutored wine tasting, but if you’d rather be left to your own devices, you can do that too. From romantic date nights to chilled catch-ups with friends, this relaxed restaurant offers a secluded spot to enjoy the best of British produce with a selection of Sussex wines.

Spring can be found nestled inside the New Wing of Somerset House and is the brilliant brainchild of Skye Gyngell. Skye’s culinary experience spans London institutions The French House and Petersham Nurseries, but it was at the latter where she developed her reputation for creating hyper-seasonal dishes using the best of British produce. Such is the thinking behind her debut restaurant Spring, which adopts an environmentally-conscious ethos with everything that it does.  

The main a la carte menu features a curated range of Modern European dishes including the likes of fern verrow broccoli with white bean purèe, black olives and chilli oil to start, guinea fowl with broad beans, peas, poached radishes and aïoli for mains and blood orange brûlèe custard tart to finish. There is also a set lunch menu available Wednesday-Friday, which constantly changes in line with what’s in season. On that note, Spring also offers its famous Scratch menu, which is available early evening from Wednesday to Saturday and is designed with the aim of using up surplus ingredients that would otherwise go to waste. For that reason, it always changes depending on what the restaurant has in that day. 

To drink, there is an extensive wine list with bottles from all over the world, including wines available specifically by the glass or the bottle. Seasonal soft drinks include clementine soda and apple and ginger juice, while house cocktails feature fruity concoctions such as a winter citrus vesper (housemade blood orange liqueur, Sapling gin, Sapling vodka, clementine bitters).  

Further examples of the restaurant’s sustainable initiatives include its Plastic Campaign, with the aim of eliminating single-use plastic from Spring entirely. From removing plastic straws and introducing bio-degradable cling film alternatives, to eradicating the use of plastic containers, all the above helped Spring to become the first single-use plastic free restaurant in London in 2019. 

Easily one of the most decadent bars in the capital, if not the country, Beaufort Bar at The Savoy Hotel is truly a sight to behold. Visitors to the bar are surrounded by exclusively black and gold furnishings and greeted by expert mixologists. This seductive space is perfect for wiling away the evening in style, dates or catching up with old friends over elegant cocktails or Champagne. Refined bar food is available too, including the famous ‘caviar bumps’ (the perfect accompaniment to a glass of bubbly).

Every cocktail here is a masterful creation, often featuring the finest spirits and liqueurs money can buy. The golden apple Champagne cocktail, for example, features Michter’s rye whiskey, Courvoisier XO cognac, Calvados, red toffee apple, vanilla, Laurent-Perrier La Cuvee Brut NV and a 24K gold sugar cube. The aura, meanwhile, is a much earthier concoction, blending Johnnie Walker Black and Blue Label Whisky with Aquavit, Cocchi Savoy dry vermouth, maple syrup, walnut bitters and mushroom essence.

The Champagne selection is similarly lavish, with entries like a 2002 Dom Perignon, 2013 Louis Roederer Cristal, Krug Grande Cuvée Rosé and Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill. Guests can add a caviar bump to any of these, making the perfect bundle of decadence. English sparkling wines also make an appearance here, with entries from Nyetimber ranging from the classic cuvée to the 2010 prestige cuvée.

Aside from caviar, there are other extravagant snacks like Carlingford oysters with virgin Mary dressing and Cornish lobster bites. Hot food is available too, including Hereford beef mini buns with Hampshire wasabi and red wine sauce, crispy chicken oysters with gochujang, pickled shimeji mushrooms and coriander shoots or mini wagyu sliders with spicy tomato relish and grilled cheddar. Sweet treats are on hand to round the evening off, including chocolate mousse with a touch of gold, and the award-winning cheese board is ideal for more savoury palates.

Fancy a cosy, welcoming meal? Visit The Coach, an inviting British pub that has been decorated with a prestigious Michelin one-star rating, found in the heart of Marlow.

Indulge in a wonderful experience curated by head chef Sarah Hayward, crowned Michelin Young Chef of the Year 2023. The seasonal small plate menu features a modern twist on traditional dishes, served to you at the peak of freshness. The Coach comes with a cosy and laid back ambiance, featuring TV screens for catching the latest sports action. The focal point is The Coach’s L-shaped pewter bar, offering diners a front row seat to the lively pub atmosphere. Bar stools face the open kitchen, providing an immersive view of dining theatrics during service.

If you fancy yourself a bit of a connoisseur, explore the thoughtfully crafted wine list and a selection of brewed beers and ales, including selections from the local Rebellion Brewery in Marlow. The restaurant is open every day for lunch and dinner, with the exception of Tuesdays when they take a brief pause. Reservations are available on the day for both lunch and dinner, while weekend breakfast operates on a convenient walk-in basis. Food is split into meat and no meat sections. Begin your meal with a starter of a rotisserie beetroot salad with mulled pear, burrata and hazelnuts, or mussels mariniere with warm stout and brown bread.

If you fancy something that is a twist on a classic, try the turbot scotch egg with curried onion and moilee sauce, or mushroom risotto claude bosi. Why not then try the crispy pig's head with devil on horseback, celeriac remoulade and date brown sauce, or the spiced parsnip soup with duck samosa and a sesame and peanut sauce.

This new site from French restaurant group Big Mamma is found on the corner of Great Eastern Street in Shoreditch, in the space which formerly housed Red’s True BBQ. The restaurant is split over two floors and seats around 150 diners. The interiors are inspired by the Italian island of Capri in the 1970s, while on the menu, you can expect to find over-the-top versions of Italian classics.

Take the 10-layer lasagne, or the cacio e pepe, which is served in a giant wheel of cheese. Desserts are just as epic, including the likes of a singular giant profiterole, and a hefty wedge of lemon meringue pie. Drinks are fun too, and include a classic Negroni topped with truffle foam. 

Interior image: Jerome Galland
Food image: Joann Pai 

After having some initial success as a yakitori restaurant that focused on ‘comb-to-tail’ chicken butchery and cooking, Humble Chicken decided to eschew the previous a la carte menu for a tasting menu at the beginning of 2023. Head chef Angelo Sato brings a wealth of experience from some of the world’s best restaurants - not just the likes of Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Restaurant Story in London, but also Eleven Madison Park in New York, and RyuGin in Tokyo.

Despite the name, Angelo Sato's cooking at Humble Chicken takes the same approach as his previous high end haunts, serving complex, precise dishes that evoke the flavours of Japanese izakayas. On the menu currently you’ll find dishes such as mussels with citrus kosho ponzu and avocado, pig trotter bao with karashi and quail egg, grilled oyster with fermented persimmon, citrus kosho beurre blanc and burnt chicken fat, and yakiniku of grilled, slow-cooked short rib with spicy miso and lettuce.

Desserts include a Japanese creme caramel called purin, and currently a dish called ‘everything clementine’ which combines citrus segments with whipped, sweetened cream cheese, shards of meringue and frozen clementine grated over the top to make a clementine granita.

The restaurant itself is based in the same unit that once belonged to Barrafina Soho, and it makes use of the old Barrafina set up to provide a pure counter dining experience. Humble Chicken offers two sittings every evening for guests to enjoy the full tasting menu experience, and seats around the counter have full view of the open kitchen where Sato and team finish each dish before serving it personally to guests.

A compact drinks list runs alongside the menu, featuring a mixture of house cocktails, sakes by the glass, wines, spirits and alcohol-free options. The former includes smart cocktails such as a watermelon negroni, lychee martini and a koji coffee old fashioned, which combines Nikka whisky, miso coffee, butter and shimeji mushroom.

Notting Hill is no stranger to big names, with the likes of Core, The Ledbury, Orasay, and Caractere calling this glitzy neighbourhood home. Modern British bistro Dorian has quickly become another big name in this glamorous part of town, with its team members hailing from some iconic London restaurants.  

Located in the former site of Raoul’s, just a stone’s throw from The Ledbury, Dorian is the latest brainchild of Supermarket of Dreams creator Chris D’Sylva. His unique vision is to create an ‘anti-Notting Hill restaurant for people that live in and love the area’, using a team of hand-picked professionals. 

The team is made up of alumni from the likes of Kitchen Table, the River Café and nearby Core by Clare Smyth. Max Coen - previously of Ikoyi, Kitchen Table and three Michelin-starred Frantzen in Sweden - heads up the kitchen, while drinks are looked after by Ale Villa who comes from three Michelin-starred Core by Clare Smyth. 

It’s a very stylish affair, with interior details including dark paint, wood panelling, brass furnishings, smoked mirrors, three-sided banquettes and marble tables with wrought iron stands. A stylised 8-bit logo is set to add some quirky 80s character. 

Dishes are ‘approachably priced’ and prepared in an open kitchen using a wood grill. The menu changes regularly but can include dishes like dry-aged cote de boeuf, potato rostis with crab, girolles and Cornish yarg, mussels with cucumber and shiso, and a peach custard tart. The predominantly French and Italian wine list has also been assembled by a stellar team, with input from Noble Rot's Keeling Andrew & Co., while seasonal cocktails will include twists-on-classics, such as a fig leaf negroni.

The restaurant is an all-day operation, transforming seamlessly from a bright lunchtime dining room to a subversive dinner destination. Diners can sit at the marble-topped bar for drinks and nibbles or book a full table for a more relaxed meal.

Experience the charm of Mýse, a restaurant with rooms offering a British tasting menu curated by chef Joshua Overington and sommelier Victoria Overington. Situated in the beautifully scenic village of Hovingham amid North Yorkshire's Howardian hills, Mýse pays homage to the region's rich history through Joshua's sophisticated take on traditional Yorkshire cuisine.Named after the Anglo-Saxon word for ‘eating at the table’, ‘Time and Place’ shape the menus, showcasing the day's unique, locally sourced ingredients. Mýse is committed to championing small scale and local producers, embracing regenerative farming, and embracing sustainability. From foraging and fermenting to crafting bespoke tableware, the team ensures a wonderful dining experience. Whether enjoying drinks by the fireplace, dining in the open kitchen's ambiance, or staying in the beautifully renovated 19th century inn's en suite rooms, Mýse promises a memorable and surprising fine dining adventure.

Immerse yourself in the flavors of North Yorkshire with Mýse’s tasting menu, carefully crafted to reflect the region's extraordinary landscape and rich history. Infused with an elegant twist on traditional Yorkshire cooking, this menu ensures it prioritises ingredients grown, farmed, fished, and foraged in the British Isles, emphasizing sustainability and regenerative farming. Collaborating with esteemed wine importers Keeling Andrew & Co, Mýse’s wine list, curated by Noble Rot, complements the menu's essence. Enjoy house made non alcoholic drinks featuring local seasonal fruits and herbs, or opt for the thoughtfully curated wine pairing and prestige pairing for a complete dining experience, available for pre-order or during your meal.

Expect to be delighted by dishes such as charcoal pie filled with raw roe deer and smoked caviar, hand dived Orkney scallop cooked in its own shell with sea urchin butter and roasted kohlrabi with barbequed leaves and a chive butter sauce.

Chutney Mary is a fine dining Indian restaurant in St James’s which first opened back in 1990, in its then Chelsea location. With a comfortable dining room and modern plating it quickly became a popular choice among London foodies and continues to be held in utmost regard on the capital’s dining scene.  

Bethnal Green Town Hall has housed many great restaurants over the last decade or so - both Viajante and the Typing Room held Michelin stars here in the past, but Da Terra eclipsed them both when it earned a second Michelin star in 2021. Italian chef Rafael Cagali was born in Sao Paolo and worked at The Fat Duck and Aulis before taking on Da Terra as his debut solo restaurant, and he brings his eclectic background and wealth of experience to the menu here.

Da Terra's dining room is remarkably simple, almost spartan by comparison with the plush, white tablecloth vibe in most hotel restaurants. Dark wood chairs surround smooth, circular marble tabletops, and a polished herringbone parquet stretches out underfoot. 

The setting places the food at centre stage, and diners have a choice between seven and ten course tasting menus. Dinner opens with an array of snacks - such as a cod croquette, a beef taco or a taleggio doughnut - before diving into dishes largely inspired by Cagali's Italian and Brazilian roots, as well as his time in Spain with star chefs Quique Dacosta and Martin Berasategui.

The resulting menu finds some fascinating pairings as a result - arctic charr comes with courgette and tucupi (a sauce made from Brazilian yellow manioc), and there's a custard with mussels, trout roe and sake kasu (the lees produced when making sake, which is often discarded). Wild halibut moqueca (a Brazilian fish stew) comes with palm hearts and farofa - a toasted cassava flour condiment, also from Brazil. It's a menu for the more adventurous, but service is simultaneously friendly and disarming, highlighting the casual fine dining movement that East London does so well.

Both tasting menus are available with or without accompanying drinks pairings.

Regent Street is blessed with another potential star in the making; this time it’s Alex Dilling - one time head chef of The Greenhouse and Helene Darroze at the Connaught - who arrives on this famous street with his first solo restaurant, Alex Dilling at Hotel Cafe Royal.

With a stunning view of the iconic Regent Street curve and across to Piccadilly Circus, this elegant dining spot seats only 34 guests, allowing for an intimate experience of Dilling’s contemporary French cuisine.

Decadence is infused in every aspect of the interiors, with details such as hand painted silk panelling and cosy, bespoke booths creating an exciting, fine dining ambience.

Dilling draws on inspiration from classic French gastronomy, and combines this with his own young, energetic cooking style. Diners have the option of a range of menus: a three-course lunch menu, and two evening menus - a seven course dinner menu, and a chef’s special menu of seven courses and additions, where guests will dine on the finest, seasonal ingredients in elevated, creative dishes.

This is no more evident than in Dilling’s bouillabaisse, where Dilling honours the beloved, traditional recipe, but elevates his fish soup with an indulgent oyster cream. Potato and aged Kaluga caviar complements a dish of salty, smoked sturgeon, and there’s more luxury courtesy of a Limousin veal sweetbread, served with smoked eel, watercress and a gribiche sauce. For dessert, diners can expect sweets that resemble works of art - spheres of intense Araguani chocolate are paired with smoked Piedmont hazelnut, and served alongside perfect spheres of aromatic Tahitian vanilla; this is a dessert you’ll want to leave room for.

Founded by chefs Amanda Powley and Philip Taylor in 1993, Terre à Terre has become one of Brighton's best loved restaurants, and a standard bearer for plant-based cooking in Brighton and around the UK. Not only is the restaurant committed to sharing great, meat-free food, Terre à Terre is also one of Brighton's original ethical restaurants, and has been central in sharing information about recycling, food waste management and how to run a sustainable restaurant. 

Everything served at the restaurant is vegetarian, with a wide selection of dishes also suitable for vegans and gluten-free diets. Terre à Terre has a wide range of menus to suit all sorts of different occasions - not just an a la carte, but also a 'Little Terrors' children's menu, a two-course 'Plantyful' menu served at lunch and in the early evening, and a 'Terre a Tapas' set menu, where guests get a selection of tapas-style dishes and a carafe of wine. The Asian-inspired afternoon tea menu is also popular, thanks to unique nibbles and snacks like the steamed rice bun stuffed with Szechuan-marinated halloumi, and seaweed tapioca cracker with pickled vegetables, as well as an assortment of sweets. 

The main menu, meanwhile, takes inspiration from global flavours - there are nibbles like wasabi-crusted cashews, deep-fried lavash breads topped with spices and served with charred aubergine zhuganoush (a combination of zhug and babaganoush), followed by classics like the Terre a Terre Korean fried cauliflower, rolled in tamari black vinegar and sesame, crispy-fried potato, onion and garlic rostis with buttered spinach, poached egg and mustard rarebit topping, and a dessert menu with treats like a lemon verbena creme brulee. 

Terre à Terre also sells a range of products in-store and online, including sweets, nibbles, jams, pickles, chutneys, hampers and organic wines.

Set on a restored 1940s lightship (the clue was in the name, really), is The Lightship; a fine dining restaurant that offers locally sourced food in a unique setting. Formerly the Mary Mouse 2, it used to run as a guiding light to ships travelling off the coast of Portsmouth, before setting up shop in Gosport at Haslar Marina. Now the boat can permanently be found at the end of the pontoon, with breathtaking views of Portsmouth Harbour, Gunwharf Quays and Old Portsmouth - that are equally as impressive at night as they are during the day.

The striking green and white exterior makes this spot hard to miss whether you’re arriving by land or sea, with easy access from mainland Gosport, Portsmouth via the Gosport ferry, or simply when arriving by private yachts.

Made up of three areas, you can choose between the top deck that offers unbeaten views, and comes with both a bar and charcuterie menu, the middle deck that’s perfect for al fresco dining from the main menu, and finally the inside restaurant that offers a stylish and sophisticated setting under cover.

The menu here is small but considered, and focuses on classic dishes given a contemporary twist. Ingredients are local, seasonal and of the highest quality, so each is given the opportunity to shine. Think crab ravioli with lobster bisque and samphire, pig cheeks with chicory, apple, potato terrine, pea purée and cider jus, and passion fruit and pomegranate Eton Mess. On the top deck you can expect to find a selection of sharing boards, with charcuterie, cheese and fresh seafood all available.

Wines see a variety of options from across the globe, including a Spanish Albarino, a French Bordeaux, and even English sparkling options available from The Grange in Hampshire.

It’s one of the most unique dining destinations in the surrounding area, and a sure-fire way to impress your guests.

Lyla, located on Edinburgh’s Royal Terrace, is an intimate, 28-cover fine dining restaurant run by Stuart Ralston. The restaurant - set in a Georgian townhouse - is predominantly seafood-focused and has taken over the site of the late Paul Kitching's restaurant 21212.

Lyla is Ralston's fourth restaurant in Edinburgh. He opened Aizle in 2014 and it was phenomenally successful, leading to the opening of Noto in Edinburgh centre, and most recently Tipo in 2023. His latest restaurant is more in line with Aizle than the more relaxed Noto and Tipo, promising 'unapologetically fine dining', and a menu that champions the produce of the Scottish Isles, using local and coastal ingredients. It is the accumulation of everything Stuart has learnt throughout his career. 

Upon arrival, guests are led up the staircase to the drawing room and towards the chef’s block, where the first snacks are prepared alongside a Champagne trolley. Guests then head back down the stairs, past the open kitchen and into the main dining room, which is decked out in natural limestone and sandstone tones. 

The ten-course tasting menu evolves with the seasons, whilst showcasing great ingredients from all over the Scottish Isles. Example dishes on the menu include N25 caviar with wild bread, black radish and sea buckthorn, Isle of Skye langoustine with bonito emulsion and burgundy sorrel, chawanmushi with razor clam and fermented white asparagus, and laminated brioche with cultured butter and whipped macadamia.

The courses can be accompanied by a carefully selected wine pairing chosen by award-winning sommelier Stuart Skea, featuring a variety of small-domain new and old-world wines. There is also a non-alcoholic pairing available that offers in-house tonics, ferments and kombuchas.  

Photography: Murray Orr

Serial restauranteur Richard Caring’s ever burgeoning Ivy collection now comprises 32 locations around the UK and Ireland, with each restaurant christened as either ‘Brasserie’ ‘Garden’ ‘Market Grill’ or ‘Café’. Of course, all of these off-shoots are nods to The Ivy’s iconic original site in Covent Garden.

Located in the historic Bishopsgate Gardens, an easy and pleasant walk from Liverpool Street Station, The Ivy City Garden is a charming and elegant spot for guests to enjoy breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and cocktails. The brasserie style restaurant is a relaxed yet sophisticated setting serving a menu of modern British and international classics seven days a week in the beautiful Dashwood House. The interiors are bold and vibrant with colourful leather and velvet furnishings, a long glamorous bar and bright contemporary artwork on the walls. Perhaps the biggest draw of this location is the glass roofed garden area, complete with tables and a bar, where diners can enjoy a meal al fresco surrounded by an abundance of leafy green foliage and tropical flowers. It’s a particularly special spot in the summer but the overhead heaters make it possible to enjoy this tranquil spot all year round. A gorgeous private dining room is also a popular venue for everything from informal gatherings to corporate meetings.

The a la carte menu is full to brim with crowd pleasing choices that range from light, healthy dishes to indulgent comfort food classics. The Ivy staples include the signature shepherd’s pie with slow-braised lamb leg, Wookey Hole Cheddar potato mash and truffle sauce, and of course The Ivy hamburger – chargrilled and served in a potato bun with mayonnaise, horseradish ketchup and thick cut chips. Special starters to look out for include the yellow fin tuna carpaccio served with cucumber, baby basil and an apple, jalapeno and avocado sauce; and the duck liver parfait on toasted brioche with caramelized hazelnuts, truffle, pear and ginger compote.

A City Garden special on the drinks list comes in the form of a Kir Royale made with Plymouth sloe gin, Briottet rose liqueur and hibiscus topped with The Ivy Collection Champagne – perfect for toasting just about any occasion!

Core is the first solo restaurant from Northern Irish chef Clare Smyth. Since opening in 2017, following Smyth’s departure from Restaurant Gordon Ramsay where she had held three Michelin stars for nine years as head chef and then chef patron, Core has become renowned for its contemporary style of British cuisine. Winning two Michelin stars after being open for just one year, the London restaurant was awarded its third Michelin star in the 2021 guide. Combining the highest level of service, with ground-breaking culinary prowess and a relaxed fine-dining setting, Core by Clare Smyth aims to provide guests with a truly memorable dining experience.

Located in Notting Hill, Core is based inside a stunning period building with steps leading up to the restaurant’s front door. Inside, the elegant interiors of the 54-cover dining room strike a careful balance between being luxurious but not overly formal. Exposed wooden floors play host to circular tables which aren’t adorned with white tablecloths, and there is little by way of décor apart from the odd shelf stacked with plants and books.

British produce is at the centre of all of Smyth’s menus, with a particular emphasis on natural, sustainably sourced food. There is the choice of two tasting menus and an a la carte menu at Core, all of which change regularly depending on the season. Dishes on offer range from starters such as Isle of Mull scallop tartare with a sea vegetable consommé, to main courses including Rhug Estate venison red cabbage and Tasmanian mountain pepper. In terms of sweet dishes, you can expect playful desserts such as lemonade parfait, and a dish known as the ‘Core-teaser’.

The food is accompanied by an extensive French-led wine list, with the option to opt for a pairing with the tasting menus. Meanwhile, Core’s well-stocked bar can rustle up everything from classic cocktails to non-alcoholic delights.

French-Russian restaurant Bob Bob Ricard has two sites in London, with its opening in the city offering as much glitz and glamour (if not more!) as the original restaurant in Soho. The £25 million project lives on the third floor of the Leadenhall building (aka The Cheesegrater) and is dressed in the same ostentatious style as its sister restaurant, taking inspiration from the Royal Yacht Brittania. Blue booth seating allows parties of all sizes to feel a sense of privacy while dining, while shiny marble floors, a million different light fittings and a wall of mirrors are like an optical illusion designed to arrest and beguile from the moment you enter the foyer. Perhaps its most famous feature is the ‘press for champagne’ button at every table – push the all-powerful button and receive champers poured from a magnum for maximum effect.  

It says a lot about a restaurant when the menu boasts dedicated sections for caviar, oysters and vodka shots chilled specifically to 18 degrees (and that’s before you’ve even reached the starters). Whet your appetite with one of the above, or opt for the likes of French onion soup, steak tartare, escargots and croque madam to start, all created by head chef Ben Hobson. 

The extensive main course list continues with the classic French theme. Seemingly straight-forward dishes get a luxurious upgrade: chicken pie is made with a splash of champagne, charcoal-grilled sea bream comes with a side of tomato fondue and there are two types of macaroni cheese on offer, one made with truffle and the other with lobster.  

A host of classic French desserts include tarte tatin with calvados ice cream, flaming crème brulee, tarte au chocolat and crepes suzette (which are, of course, flambeed at the table for dramatic effect). Guests who opt for an Armagnac doughnut can infuse their sweet course with a choice of Armagnac vintages from 1888 to 2005 – what fun! Nothing is done by halves at Bob Bob Ricard City.  

Price wise, while you can dine somewhat sensibly from the food menu, the wine list is sure to blow any budget out the water with very few bottles coming in under £50. The cheapest option is a £28 chenin blanc - white wine lovers rejoice!

There is a dress code, although it’s not as demanding as one might imagine for such an extravagant place. It specifies ‘elegant’ attire, ties not necessary, with formal or casual wear both welcome.

Despite its Asian credentials, Kricket was set up by two British friends whose Anglo-Indian approach to small-plates dining propelled it into becoming one of the most talked-about restaurants on the London scene. With a host of celebrity fans, including Pierre Koffmann and Michel Roux Jr (who apparently cited the restaurant as one of his favourite restaurants, saying that ‘places like this are the reason why London is the envy of Paris and New York), Kricket’s ability to pull the crowds seems to have lost no magnitude since its opening in 2015.

As with many popular eateries in the capital, Kricket started out as a pop up, in this case a shipping container in POP Brixton. Just one year into trading the team made moves to open a bigger sister site in the thriving heart of Soho. This venture was backed by The White Rabbit Growth Fund, a company founded by an ex-Soho House commercial director.

The small dining room attracts a mix of locals and tourists, but is always heaving, with a queue of people trailing out the door keen to wait for a spot at the bar or in the basement dining room. The counter dining allows you to view the chefs at work or gaze onto the street ahead for some people watching while the handful of booth seats upstairs and tables downstairs allow for more relaxed dining.

The menu changes periodically with the season but some standout dishes have become so popular that they are a permanent feature. Small plates like the samphire pakora and the Keralan fried chicken have acquired cult-like status and are served up to nearly every table in the joint as far as we can tell. Kricket is open for lunch and dinner daily, taking a break to refresh the kitchen in between, except Sundays when it’s closed all day.

Michelin-starred Sorrel in Dorking offers a modern approach to fine dining, the execution of which is overseen by head chef Steve Drake. Steve has numerous culinary credentials to his name that have led him to this point, from working in some of the world’s best kitchens (Chez Nico at Ninety Park Lane, the Oak Room with Marco Pierre White and Pied a Terre) to winning the Roux Scholarship in 2001. Before Sorrel, Steve worked a 14-year stint at Drake’s (now named The Clock House) where he won a Michelin star and retained it for all that time. Sorrel is the culmination of 25 years of culinary experience.  

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and there is a choice of menus available. For lunch, guests can choose to dine from the a la carte or tasting ‘Discovery’ menu, while for dinner only the tasting menu is available. The Discovery Menu really is where the true Sorrel experience lies and takes the diner on a journey from ‘Departure’ to ‘Journey’s End’. The dishes are based around seasonal ingredients which Steve combines using unusual and unexpected flavour combinations. Look out for things like apple and curry meringue with chicken liver, hand-dived scallop with crushed apple, turnip, miso, anchovy and turnip leaf oil, and pork belly with smoked cauliflower, ponzu, cockles and monk’s beard. Expect a surprise by the time you reach the sweet courses as well, such as blueberry ice cream with lavender cake, oregano and ginger beer. 

The setting at Sorrel is designed to be just as engaging as the food. The dining room features an open kitchen which allows guests to chat to the chefs and ask them questions about the food. The restaurant itself is housed inside a beautiful 300-year-old grade II-listed building and offers rustic period features throughout, from wooden beams to an old fireplace.  

What’s more, Sorrel is only open four days a week to provide better working hours for the chefs and allow the team a fairer work-life balance.  

Noto in Edinburgh is an independent wine bar and restaurant serving Asian-inspired small plates alongside a portfolio of small domaine wine producers and signature cocktails. The concept is inspired by chef-owner Stuart Ralston’s time spent living and working in New York, with the menu drawing on the city’s after-hours food scene and the dishes he would eat after a night’s service. In fact, the restaurant is named after Stuart’s friend and roommate at the time Bob Noto, who took Stuart under his wing when arriving in the Big Apple. 

Noto is not Stuart’s first, or indeed only, restaurant. He originally opened highly-acclaimed Aizle in Edinburgh in 2014 (Noto’s sister restaurant), a fine dining Scottish bistro designed to draw together Scottish produce with the chef’s famed internationally-inspired cooking style. Noto is his more casual follow-up to Aizle.  

The interiors are clean, minimal and effortlessly trendy with neutral tones, wooden tables and seating and single exposed lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling. Cool, right? The unembellished interiors encourage the focus to be kept on the food and drink. 

On the menu is an exciting collection of sharing dishes which blend Asian flavours with modern European touches. For example, you might find the likes of fresh burrata spiked with romesco, chilli and toasted sourdough, or beef tartare with jerusalem artichoke and black garlic. Other, dishes include sesame prawn toast with katsuobushi, chicken yakitori with umeboshi and egg yolk and hand dived scallops with yuzu kosho and pumpkin. There are a couple of sweet dishes too: think chocolate with miso and hazelnut.  

To wash it all down, Noto’s drinks list offers an expertly-curated selection of small-producer wines and bespoke cocktails. Finally, the restaurant earned itself a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2021, which recognises restaurants that offer fantastic food for a good value price.

Located inside a former bank perched on the corner of Rosebery Avenue and Tysoe Street, Morchella is the second restaurant from the team behind Perilla. Like its predecessor, Morchella follows as a modern neighbourhood restaurant offering fine dining calibre food but in an unfussy and welcoming fashion. The philosophy of founders Ben Marks and Matthew Emerson is that humble high-quality ingredient-based dishes can and should form part of an elevated but accessible dining experience for London communities. Morchella’s location just metres from Exmouth Market, where you can find some of the most vibrant foods in the capital, is a smart one.

At Morchella, vibrancy is the order of the day. Head chef and Great British Menu alum, Daniel Fletcher serves up a menu of Mediterranean-inspired dishes. Fletcher brings a wealth of experience picked up in the award-winning kitchens at The Square and Sky Garden. In true Perilla style, the menu comes to us in modern style with seasonal produce at the fore. Ingredients are sourced from both continental artisanal suppliers as well as independent British producers, butchers, and fisheries. Guests can expect twists on classic dishes, such as hake with sobrasada sauce, octopus alla Luciana, and salt-baked poussin. The wine list also champions organic independent wine production, including various bottles from the likes of Dynamic Vines, Keeling Andrew, and Newcomer Wines.

Avoiding the stuffy connotations of the London fine dining scene, Morchella is styled as an easy-going but soothing space, think exposed plaster and modest design features. Front and centre in the main dining room is an open kitchen, with the creativity of the chefs on full display. There is also a private dining room and wine bar located on another floor which functions separately and might just be the ideal spot to rest your legs and have a quick drink.

Michelin-starred Elystan Street is the work of acclaimed chef Phil Howard, whose previous restaurant The Square (opened in 1991) held two Michelin stars for 17 years. This is his slightly more casual follow-up and has now established itself as a Chelsea essential - the sort of restaurant to go to for supper on the way home or something more challenging for a special occasion. 

The dining room is a relaxing space that boasts a soft-hued colour palette of blues and pinks, warm wooden floors and lots of natural light. The menus, meanwhile, are overseen by head chef Aaron Potter, who is one of Phil’s early protégées and brings with him a wealth of classical training. There are both a la carte and tasting menus available, with options for both lunch (there is a set menu) and dinner.  

Examples of dishes might include the likes of terrine of dover sole with skate wing, smoked eel, tarama, pickled cucumber and lemon to start, sweet and sour breast of duck with a tarte fine of caramelised endive, burnt orange and kohlrabi for main course and a dessert comprised of a chocolate, peanut and caramel bar with hazelnut ice cream. If you opt for the six-course tasting menu, you will be able to sample some of the restaurant’s greatest dishes (the menu is titled ‘six of the best’ after all), with an optional wine pairing available if liked.  

If you’re not sampling the tasting menu, there is an excellent wine list to choose from which can be ordered by the glass, half bottle or bottle. A range of European and international wines are on the menu, with the generous choice meaning you’re bound to find something you like. The restaurant also mixes up a selection of mean cocktails, with many fine London beers on offer, too

Open kitchens have become all the rage in the UK over the last decade or two, but Kitchen Table takes counter dining to a whole new level. Located just a stone’s throw from Goodge Street Station, Kitchen Table provides a unique and exciting dining experience that’s as much a theatre production as it is a restaurant. Guests sit at a horseshoe-shaped counter and watch chef James Knappett and team prepare, serve and talk about every aspect of that evening's tasting menu.

A restaurant doesn't win two Michelin stars through theatre alone though. Knappett has worked at some of the world's most highly regarded restaurants, including Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Petrus, Thomas Keller's Per Se, Rene Redzepi's Noma and Brett Graham's The Ledbury. As such, Kitchen Table presents a unique opportunity to watch such a well-versed chef at work.

The Kitchen Table team leverages Knappett's incredible network of suppliers from day boat fishermen to farmers to woodland foragers, to bring in the best of British ingredients. A new tasting menu is devised each day depending on what the team get hold of, and as such, diners won't know what's on the menu until the day they head to the restaurant. Each course focuses on a single ingredient, and is designed to amplify that ingredient to show it at its very best.

Meanwhile, Kitchen Table's front-of-house and drinks are managed by award-winning sommelier (and wife of James Knappett) Sandia Chang. The wine list offers a world-leading selection of Grower Champagnes alongside wines by the bottle and the glass, whilst the bar menu riffs on house-made spirits and liqueurs. There's also a soft drink pairing for each course, for those who don't wish to drink alcohol.

As well as winning Michelin stars in 2014 and 2018, Kitchen Table was also awarded Michelin’s ‘Welcome and Service Award’ in 2018 for exceptional service.

Nostalgic, traditional, and full of pomp, this splendidly antiquated institution purrs along like a vintage Rolls Royce, serving the kind of Bulldog British food that makes tourists dewy-eyed with admiration. Specialising in game, oysters, puddings and pies, Rules' menu isn't designed with vegetarians in mind, but one would expect nothing less from London's oldest restaurant.

Opened by Thomas Rule in 1798, Rules would no doubt still be familiar to former patrons such as Charles Dickens, who looks down over the plush, panelled dining room from walls crowded with old sketches and paintings. A wonderfully soothing atmosphere pervades the whole place – no wonder several scenes from TV’s Downton Abbey were filmed here.

There’s consistency across the board and quality is guaranteed, especially if you are feasting on confidently rendered staples such as Dorset crab salad, chicken and ham hock pie or roast tranche of turbot with hollandaise. Game from the restaurant’s Lartington Estate is a real draw in season, when specials such as braised pheasant with lentils or roast grouse with game chips, bread sauce and redcurrant jelly make their time-honoured appearance.

Desserts are mostly dear old friends such as bread and butter pudding and apple crumble – all served with custard, naturally – while the wine list is stuffed with bottles from Old World producers. There are also various house cocktails dedicated to royal spouses, including The Duchess of Sussex.

Expect to be treated like an old friend from the moment you're greeted by the top-hatted doorman to the moment you leave, sated and satisfied with a big smile on your face, whistling Rule, Britannia! under your breath. 

First opened in 1975, The Seafood Restaurant is where it all began for chef Rick Stein and his then wife Jill (although the pair have since divorced, they are still in business together). Rick Stein is now synonymous with Cornwall and Padstow in particular, owning and operating a number of restaurants in the area, as well as at other beachside locations across the UK.

The Seafood Restaurant is perhaps the most well-known and well-liked location amongst his vast property portfolio though, boasting an international reputation for serving up only the freshest fish and shellfish, using locally sourced ingredients to craft uncomplicated seafood dishes that are packed with flavour. Stein himself has long since departed the kitchen, instead leaving it in the more than capable hands of head chef Pete Murt and his team, who champion seasonal and local produce in all that they do.

The restaurant’s USP is undoubtedly the no-bookings seafood bar, where the team of chefs put together pallets of oysters, langoustines and sashimi for guests to feast on. The Seafood Restaurant is also well placed to take advantage of Cornwall’s famous summer sunshine too, thanks to an upstairs terrace which overlooks the gorgeous coastal beauty of the Camel Estuary.

On the menu, you will find a blend of British and globally-inspired dishes such as shellfish soup or Cornish crab with a wasabi mayonnaise, followed up by the more substantial likes of traditional fish and chips or an Indonesian seafood curry. Prices are high, but those on a budget can take advantage of set lunch menus.

If you are really looking for the full Seafood Restaurant experience however, you can opt to stay overnight in one of the coastal-inspired bedrooms on location (designed by Jill Stein) and soak up every inch of those aforementioned views. Check out the restaurant’s ‘dine and stay’ packages for more information.

After winning Glasgow's first Michelin star in 17 years, it's fair to say that Cail Bruich is leading the charge in the city's rejuvenated dining scene. Scotland has long been home to some of the world's very best produce, and Cail Bruich harnesses the potential of that produce and combines it with precise cooking and relaxed, informal service.

You'll find it nestled in Glasgow's West End, just across the way from Glasgow's Botanic Gardens. In charge of the kitchen is head chef Lorna McNee - a supreme talent who earned her stripes as a protégé of the late, great two Michelin-starred chef Andrew Fairlie, as well as a two-time finalist and 'Champion of Champions' on BBC's Great British Menu. McNee took over the kitchen in 2020 and the restaurant has never looked back.

McNee's elegant cooking makes the most of Scotland's seasonal bounty, and the menu at Cail Bruich pays great respect to ingredients, working with an extensive team of butchers, fishmongers, farmers, and foragers to source the best produce possible. The restaurant offers a chef's tasting menu that leans heavily into Scottish seafood, meat and local specialities like mushrooms. Dishes at the time of writing include fife carrot with tahini, sheeps curd and dashi, hen of the woods mushroom with black autumn truffle and madeira, and peterhead cod with jerusalem artichoke, hazelnut and beurre noisette. McNee's experience in the pastry kitchen at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie is also evident in the exquisitely detailed desserts.

For something truly special, book the chef’s table. This intimate counter for two sits directly in front of the kitchen where you can watch the chefs work in seamless unity. Here you’ll be served a completely unique menu that isn’t available in the main restaurant. Plus, thanks to a collaboration with Krug Champagne, there’s a fantastic drinks pairing available too.

Wilsons in Bristol is the picture of a perfect neighbourhood restaurant, serving up impressive modern British food made almost entirely from produce grown on its own allotment. Charmingly petite, it is one of just a handful of restaurants in the UK with a green Michelin star. However, despite its sustainability gravitas it retains a friendly local vibe with its chalked-up menu and warm service.

It was set-up back in 2016 by partners Jan Ostle and Mary Wilson whose combined energy and enthusiasm for hospitality is clear. The kitchen is run by Ostle, while Wilson’s experience in the biodynamic agriculture sphere helps to spur on the restaurant’s USP as somewhere which puts high-end produce front and centre. Alongside this, Wilson grew up in her family restaurant, which this iteration of Wilson’s is now named in honour of.

The menu changes regularly, and there’s a short, sharp billing that flexes with the seasons. Much of what makes its way to diner’s plates has been grown in the restaurant’s own small holding, and the restaurant also dry ages its own meat and fish, and makes much of its own charcuterie. Example dishes might include farm tacos, hoggit with aubergine and ewe’s curd, or a plate of dry aged trout with beetroot.

Come the evening, the six-course tasting menu offers you the very best of the kitchen’s inventions, while you can bag the same feast for less earlier in the day. Come at lunchtime and you’ll have the pick of six courses for £60 or a simple menu du jour with a glass of wine for just £25 per person. While some tasting menu restaurants can prove restrictive for guests with allergies, Wilson’s is able to cater to all dietary requirements as long as the team is given 48 hours’ notice.

Aside from the food, the drinks at Wilsons are particularly special. They’re interestingly sourced from a range of producers, with wine focused on organic and biodynamic bottles, and there are also some clever bottles made in-house too, such as the restaurant's parsnip vermouth. 

The combination of sleek interiors, a charming team and robustly honest cookery keeps Wilsons busy all week. If you fancy trying the team’s fare, we’d suggest booking well in advance.

With a slew of awards to its name, Orwells is no stranger to critical acclaim and has managed to do what many fail to do – maintain its momentum. Since it opened in 2010, this sweet Oxfordshire restaurant has drawn diners from across the country.

What, then, is the key its success? We think it’s most likely the personality on every plate. Headed up by Ryan Simpson and Liam Simpson (not related), the duo is invested in creating a laidback yet fine dining experience for their guests and the unpretentious, upbeat service helps to buoy this. Ryan’s experience lies in Michelin starred French kitchens, while Liam’s journey has included time at one of Liverpool’s best restaurants and a stint in Devon at five star hotel Bovey Castle.

The dining room at Orwells is found inside an 18th Century pub, with the traditional wooden bar still the centrepiece to the space. Elsewhere, neat tables and chairs adorn things while there’s a blue colour scheme that reflects the deliberate simplicity of the menu.

Passionate about province and sustainability, both Ryan and Liam have been known to change the entire menu on a daily basis to keep up with what’s best in season. With its own patch of land the restaurant is able to grow much of what it uses, while meat and fish are sourced as locally as possible. 

With both a la carte and tasting menus on offer, Orwells provides something for every occasion, and there’s even a garden where you’re welcome to grab drinks and snacks should the weather be playing ball. Vegans and vegetarians are all catered for too via dedicated billings. While dishes change regularly, example mains include Devon duck breast with Roscoff onions, purple sprouting broccoli and truffle or a salt baked celeriac with cheddar, onions, hen of the wood mushrooms, hazelnuts and kalettes.

Nestled in the heart of Chobham, a sleepy village in Surrey, The Cloche Hat is a contemporary European-inspired dining destination with a superb reputation. The Cloche Hat may look the part of a countryside inn, housed in an authentic, 16th-century Tudor farmhouse, but inside the team are all about innovation, using bold flavours, seasonal ingredients and cultivating a relaxed atmosphere alongside the stand-out food. 

In line with this, the interiors are both soft and welcoming, but suitably modern with a cream-toned colour palette and minimalist feel. Elegant dining chairs sit next to white table cloths for a sophisticated aesthetic, while the low candlelight keeps the atmosphere cosy. 

There are several different menus available at The Cloche Hat, spanning the a la carte, afternoon tea and tasting menu. On the a la carte, you'll find starters like burrata with nectarines, honey and salsa verde, mains such as corn fed chicken with onion and sage potato fondant, and puddings such as strawberry and pistachio tartlet.

The tasting menu comes in two forms; five or eight courses, as well as a vegetarian option, too. While the menu regularly changes, an example of what to expect includes confit salmon and nori, with fennel and yuzu, alongside wood pigeon with beetroot and cherries, and poached hake with tomatose and basil. For sweets, get stuck into watermelon sorbet to cleanse the palette, before tropical cheesecake and a board of artisanal British and French cheeses. On the vegetarian menu, you'll find swaps such as heritage beetroot with cherries and plum, as well as crispy baby artichokes with pine nuts and mooli.

The wine list is varied, sourcing bottles from across Europe as well as South Africa, New Zealand and America. The team are very happy to share their recommendations, whether it be by the glass or bottle, so do ask for their advice when it comes to pairings.

While there are plenty of places to grab tacos and tequila in London, KOL mixes things up by creating a fine-dining atmosphere in the heart of Marylebone. KOL, having opened in the somewhat challenging year of 2020, brings a whole new kind of innovative Mexican cuisine to the UK’s capital.

KOL's venture is headed up by chef Santiago Lastra who is keen to showcase Mexico’s food culture while simultaneously celebrating the best of British produce. The well-respected chef previously oversaw the launch of world-renowned restaurant Noma’s seven-week pop up in Mexico. While KOL serves Mexican food made with ingredients sourced mainly in the UK, it also champions ingredients that are often looked upon as simple or low-end. Its approach to food is referenced in the name. KOL is a play on the Spanish word ‘col’, which translates as ‘cabbage’. Lastra chose the name because he wants to show that “an average ingredient can be incredible”.

When dining at KOL, guests are invited to dine from the multi-course tasting menu, and there is an option to add a wine or mezcal pairing. While the food at KOL may flex and fluctuate with the seasons, guests can expect dishes offered to include the likes of langoustine tacos with smoked chilli, kohlrabi with pink mole and confit pork cheek carnitas.

Aside from the food offering, guests with a keen eye for detail will surely be impressed by the care taken over the interiors. Here you’ll find warm Mexican colours brought to life by the design team at A-NRD Studio. From rattan light shades and rough pottery ornaments (sourced from indigenous communities in Mexico) to the wooden bar, the whole restaurant is an escape from the buzz of London outside. Nice touches include works from Mexican artist Fernando La Posse, whose full-length heritage corn husk mosaic hangs in the reception, and the tableware which has been gathered from 18 artisan potters across the UK.

Kol also boasts a bar, which has a focus on mezcal and natural wines.

Casa restaurant takes up residence in the same building that was home to iconic Bristol restaurant Casamia for many years. Casamia, though best known as a highly-creative, avant-garde restaurant, started life as a casual neighbourhood trattoria. In closing Casamia and opening Casa, Peter Sanchez-Iglesias is taking the restaurant back to its roots, with elevated Italian fare. 

The 66-cover restaurant is relaxed but highly flexible, with a menu that makes Casa great for a special celebration, as well as a casual plate of pasta. Meanwhile, the family have revived much of the original crockery and tableware that featured in the original restaurant - another instance where Casa pays tribute to the legacy of Casamia. The interiors have been opened up to make the most of the views over picturesque Bathurst Basin, with maple and birch furniture built by local craftspeople.

The menu also brings back a number of classic dishes that once featured on the menu of Casamia in its early days. A signature potato ravioli, for example, comes with a Lion’s Mane mushroom ragu. The famous Sanchez-Iglesias tiramisu will also return, exactly as it used to be served. Like Sanchez-Iglesias' Michelin-starred Paco Tapas next door, menus feature handwritten annotations of daily specials, as well as a seasonally-changing menu that makes the most of top ingredients from great Italian and British producers. Also on the menu are dishes like fried semolina with Parmesan and prawn crudo, as well as platters of cured meats and cheeses. The pasta section features dishes like a seasonal agnolotti, and tortellini in brodo, and there are also fish and meat plates, such as veal ossobuco and bistecca alla Fiorentina to share. As well as the a la carte, Casa also has a chef's menu, which features a chef's choice of the best dishes of the day and saves you having to choose!

There's no questioning Tom Kerridge's credentials as one of the UK's most recognisable chefs, but his journey onto our TVs, through cookbooks and as owner of multiple restaurants all starts with the magnificent, two Michelin star-wielding Hand and Flowers in Marlow. Opened in 2005, the Hand and Flowers won a Michelin star in its debut year, and added a second in 2012, becoming (and still holding the title of) the only pub in the UK to hold two Michelin stars.

As you might expect, two Michelin stars means you receive a certain level of service and food, but Tom and wife Beth have endeavoured to make sure that the Hand and Flowers retains all of its rustic charm. That means friendly service, comfortable, informal atmosphere and bold, unpretentious pub food, elevated with the best of the best seasonal ingredients. 

The a la carte menu is packed full of contemporary pub fare, taken to new heights with classical cooking technique and outstanding ingredients. Starters include duck liver parfait with orange chutney and toasted brioche, and glazed omelette of smoked haddock and Parmesan, before moving onto mains like duck breast with duck vol au vent, Yorkshire rhubarb, almonds and black pudding, Essex lamb bun with sweetbreads and salsa verde, and dry-aged beef ribeye with chips, sauce Bordelaise and bearnaise. Desserts include a warm Bramley apple and vanilla bakewell with tonka bean cremeux, milk toffee tart with grapefruit sorbet, and blackberry souffle with bay leaf sorbet and roasted walnut ice cream. 

The Hand and Flowers also offers a Sunday lunch menu that includes a variety of roasts, including beef, venison, duck, fish and pork belly. 

Ynyshir is a restaurant with rooms in Wales run by chef patron Gareth Ward, who cooks a unique, 30-course tasting menu of pyrotechnic creations, heavily influenced by Japanese cuisine, with meat front and centre. The only two Michelin-starred restaurant in Wales, Ynyshir is regularly in the conversation among the very best restaurants in the country, and also boasts an attached four-star hotel where guests can stay over after dinner, which often clocks in between four and five hours.

A typical menu at Ynyshir is a true culinary journey, typically consisting of about 30 micro-courses. Aside from meat, there is also a focus on seafood. Earlier entries may include raw lobster tail with nahm jim, shrimp green curry and a chilli crab bun. These lighter bites then slowly blend into slightly meatier ones, like scallops with duck liver, aged bluefin tuna belly and miso-cured black cod with shiitake.

Moving to the meat dishes, you will typically see the likes of a duck larb, pork char siu, Welsh lamb spare rib or chicken katsu, before beef takes over. In this section, you can expect A5 beef (the wagyu of all wagyus). It could take any shape: a single-bite burger, ribs with black bean or sirloin with ponzu and caviar. Dessert is also usually spread across multiple tiny courses, which could take the form of buttermilk whey with Thai spices, Bramley apple with duck custard or tiramisu. 

The wine list is extensive and surprisingly reasonably priced, with a paragraph for each highlighting its background and best use. The back page of this list features fortified and sweet wines, but the whole list is only a few pages, showing Ynyshir's confidence in its decision-making. 

The Three Chimneys is enviably positioned enjoying striking rural views across the Isle of Skye. Petri, Sarah and Chef Scott warmly welcome you to enjoy their retreat, hotel and restaurant, serving many authentic local dishes from their fresh and simple seasonal menu.

Head Chef Scott Davies has designed a responsibly sourced, quality menu to reflect the striking rural location and natural larder of the Highlands. The Three Chimneys menu includes many locally sourced ingredients such as natural oysters, scallops and mussels.

An example of the seasonal menu includes dishes such as scorched langoustine served with cauliflower panna cotta and pickles, and Black Isle beef served with parsley and onions. Sides include a locally foraged salad and a whipped potato with bacon jam.

There are plenty of homemade tempting looking desserts available such as apple and custard parfait, and a selection of local cheeses served with oatcakes, quince and honey.

Head Chef Scott Davies and his team are happy to adapt dishes to suit dietary requirements, so please contact the restaurant prior to your visit to discuss your needs.

The restaurant strives to preserve the local area and community, they are assessed under Green Tourism regulations which is a sustainable tourism certification scheme committed to continuous improvement of the surrounding environment.

Cyclists and walkers are welcome at The Three Chimneys. There is indoor and outdoor seating available, the perfect place to relax and take in the natural landscape and surroundings.

Set inside a fairytale gothic mansion, The Forest Side is both a hotel and award-winning restaurant set against the stunning surrounds of the Lake District. The Forest Side restaurant has held onto its Michelin star since 2017, with head chef Paul Leonard at the helm of the kitchen. Serving food that’s firmly rooted in the landscape of the lakes, utilising the best seasonal produce and pairing it with wines from small organic and bio-dynamic producers, The Forest Side’s commitment to sustainability and innovation has led it to be considered one of the best restaurants in Cumbria.  

Diners are made to feel as connected to their surroundings as possible. The bright and airy restaurant overlooks a terrace which offers views of lush green lawns and beautiful woodland. A muted colour palette inside, as well as lots of reclaimed timber and steel tables, earthenware plates and a stunning centrepiece table made from a windblown tree contribute to the sense of the restaurant's place amongst nature.  

Only tasting menus are available, although guests are able to choose between six and eight courses for lunch and dinner respectively, with vegetarian options available, too. Examples of dishes you might find include spring peas with Herdwick lamb and smoked yoghurt, BBQ Shetland mussels, salt-aged duck roasted on the crown with morels glazed in truffle juice, and first-of-the-season rhubarb with cultured buttermilk and shiso.  

The wines share the same philosophy as the food with a focus on local, all-natural products. Each one is sourced from artisan makers who produce quality wines on a small scale and are made with no artificial chemicals, minimum sulphur dioxide and natural fermentation techniques. The cocktails, meanwhile, feature foraged ingredients, including one aptly named Forager made with pineapple-infused vodka, homemade ginger beer and lime. Meals here are best enjoyed with an overnight stay.

In 2016, Joseph, Daniel, and Richard crossed paths while working at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York under the guidance of Chef Dan Barber. Bonding as colleagues and fast friends, they nurtured a collective dream of owning and running their own restaurant. This vision came to life with the inception of Higher Ground, initially introduced as a pop up in Manchester at the beginning of 2020.

The trio's culinary journey includes stints at renowned Michelin starred establishments such as Noma, Relæ, and the influential Blue Hill at Stone Barns. These experiences have significantly shaped their philosophy and approach to both food and service, laying the foundation for the unique ethos that defines Higher Ground and its subsequent ventures.

Discover this British bistro and bar nestled in the vibrant heart of Manchester's city centre, where the kitchen team’s culinary focus revolves around the ever shifting seasons across the UK. Be delighted by the surprise of daily changing menus and dishes, showcasing the team’s dedication to seasonal vegetables, which are primarily sourced from Cinderwood Market Garden, Higher Ground’s trusted partner farm in Cheshire. Indulge in the art of whole animal butchery, enjoy hand rolled pasta, and savour the richness of fresh fish and seafood cooked over an open coal flame. There’s nothing quite like it.

Fuel your curiosity with Higher Ground’s wine list if you fancy yourself a bit of a connoisseur, curated to spotlight small scale, low intervention winemakers spanning the diverse landscapes of Europe.
Lunch and dinner present the choice between à la carte offerings and a seasonal set sharing menu. Walk-in visits are not just welcomed but encouraged by Higher Ground, with seating available in the dining room and at the kitchen bar counter. Drop by at any time to experience the joy of diverse plates and a perfectly paired glass of wine.

The Edinburgh Castle is a nationally recognised gastropub serving homely but sophisticated grub that speaks for itself. It has stood on the corner of Blossom Street since 1811 but the iconic red brick building has since been refurbished in a quirky but glamorous style in keeping with its history as a Victorian boozer. The cosy downstairs bar is fitted in a dark colour palette with marble, mirrors, mahogany and candlelit tables. The upstairs dining room is more mid-century in style, with tan leather chairs, parquet flooring, and framed posters peppering the walls. 

Under the culinary direction of executive chef Shaun Moffat - who has held roles with The Jamie Oliver Group, Berber & Q, and Manteca - The Edinburgh Castle menu seamlessly blends casual pub fair, fine dining technique, and North Country charm. 

It’s a short menu but composed with exclusively British produce, with bread and flour from the local Pollen Bakery, vegetables from Cinderwood market and organic noth, and fish sourced directly from Henderson in Brixham. Incorporating locally sourced ingredients with attention to seasonality, dishes here cover both the unusual and the familiar without presence. 

Menu options have featured a variety of dishes, such as Colchester oysters served with a rhubarb mignonette, Pollen sourdough accompanied by house butter, and Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire cheese doughnuts. For smaller plates and starters, guests can enjoy offerings like Tamworth sausage with cavolo nero and plum relish, Shetland mussels with leeks and cider, or a unique cull ewe crumpet-scone hybrid served with homemade garlic mayonnaise. 

Main courses include classic chops like a Barbara Davis Tamworth pork saddle, or a highland beef oxtail and bone marrow pie. Of course, it wouldn’t be a true Northern pub experience without an extra side of beef-dripping chips and a respectable Sunday roast offering. Plus, there’s an extensive but affordable wine selection to accompany your meal.

Secreted beside a discreet Mayfair alleyway since 2011, Jason Atherton’s imperious Michelin-starred flagship, Pollen Street Social, remains “bang on the money” – a “masterpiece of fine dining” and a worthy winner of the SquareMeal Restaurant of the Year award in 2011 and 2017. Step through the glass door and the good vibrations hit you straight away, while the clean-lined metropolitan dining room shows its cosmopolitan class with dramatic lampshades and eye-catching arty exhibits.

Atherton may oversee a global empire these days, but he still puts in the shifts at PSS, and is often to be seen at the pass – a world-class hands-on restaurateur in his rightful place. Culinary influences and cross-fertilisation abound, but everything is underpinned by indigenous ingredients, from a witty Cockney riff involving smoked eel, buttermilk, beetroot reduction and jellied eel to South Downs fallow deer with pear, cocoa and chocolate vinegar or “staggeringly good” Lakeland lamb with beetroot, blackcurrant, savoy cabbage and a mini hotpot on the side – scintillating, exuberant food of the highest order, with maximum flavour delivering maximum satisfaction.

Provenance is absolutely key to Atherton, who believes that a menu can only ever be as good as its ingredients and has taken the time to foster long-term relationships with suppliers across Britain in order to obtain the very best produce the UK has to offer, from Colchester crab to Buccleuch beef, Jersey oysters, Orkney scallops and Goosnargh duck from Lancashire.

To start, the ‘fruits of the British sea’ is a delirious array of maritime delights presented on a special stand – we love the oyster ice cream dressed with an oyster leaf, the lobster cocktail, and the scallop with pickled radish and jalapeño; to finish, the dessert bar promises close encounters with the likes of Brogdale pear sorbet, goats’ cheese ice cream, honey and bee pollen.

Service plays it ‘social’ without ever losing its professional cool, and there are treasures galore on the ever-expanding wine list curated by the group’s whizz-bang sommelier Laure Patry. “Few places are such a treat” concludes one admirer of Pollen Street Social– amen to that. 

The Sportsman, based just outside the small seaside village of Seasalter, may not look like much from the outside but is in fact widely regarded as one of the UK’s finest gastropubs. Having held a Michelin star since 2008, the pub serves a menu of classic British food in a relaxed environment. Set in what feels like the middle of nowhere, The Sportsman gives guests a real sense of escape and also maintains the cosy feeling of a traditional country pub. This makes it a glorious spot to enjoy chef Steven Harris’s bold plates of food.

The outside of the large pub is painted white, with a large conservatory dining area running around two sides of the building. The interiors however, are far more rustic with large wooden tables surrounded by a variety of mismatching chairs spread out around the bar area and menus written up on a blackboard.

The Sportsman offers three different food menus: an a la carte, a daily 5-course tasting menu, and a longer full tasting menu which needs to be ordered in advance. The a la carte menu begins with starters such as salt baked celeriac, apple and fresh cheese, and slip sole grilled in seaweed butter, as well as a choice of local oysters. When it comes to main course options, expect big dishes like roast saddle of lamb with mint sauce, and roast chicken with sausage and truffle cream sauce. Whereas seafood dishes might include roast gurnard fillet with bouillabaisse sauce and green olive tapenade. If you have room for dessert, you might be tempted by the warm chocolate mousse with salted caramel and milk sorbet.

The food is of course accompanied by an extensive list of wines by both the bottle and glass, as well as a huge selection of local ales, spirits and soft drinks.

Located in the Somerset village of Bruton, Osip is a tiny restaurant owned and run by Merlin Labron-Johnson, who conjures impossibly beautiful, hyper-seasonal British tasting menus using locally-grown and reared produce. The 22-cover restaurant is housed in a charming stone building which used to be the village ironmonger and brings top-quality cooking to this idyllic rural spot.

The interior is typically understated, as Labron-Johnson’s restaurants tend to be: tiled walls, a flash of exposed brickwork and muted blue and white tones strike a bright and airy pose that makes the most of the small dimensions.

Serving a refined line-up of farm-to-table food, the 22-cover restaurant works grows much of its own produce and works closely with local suppliers to source the rest for a predominantly vegetarian menu. A couple of tasting menus are on offer - lunch diners can choose between a shortened tasting menu plus the full 'Osip' menu, whilst dinner guests just have the latter. Osip has taken the decision to make the tasting menus completely blind - you leave yourself in the hands of Labron-Johnson and his expert kitchen team here (though you get a lovely printed menu to take away with you afterwards). 

Dishes at the time of writing include roasted vegetable tea with burnt garlic oil, young leeks with almond praline and ricotta, roast chicken with hen of the woods mushroom, bearnaise, chicken sausage and cider mustard. The menu is bookended by snacks and petit fours. 

The drinks menu is similarly focused - the wine list is almost exclusively European, and there are West Country ciders and beers on offer too, as well as aperitifs and cocktails. The latter two might include a Somerset negroni, red vermouth with blood orange or a seasonal cocktail. Like the rest of the menu, the drinks selection changes regularly.

The Angel at Hetton is widely regarded as one of the best gastropubs and destination restaurants in the UK, run by celebrated chef Michael Wignall and wife Johanna. The ancient inn has origins which date back to the 15th century, forming the basis of hundreds of years of delicious dining and drinking history. In recent years it has held the reputation of being the destination establishment, in one of the most exquisite corners of the North Yorkshire Dales. Famous for its food as well as its warm, welcoming atmosphere – it has maintained a strong following among locals as well as with customers from all over the world.

The Angel’s fortunes took an exciting turn in September 2018 with the arrival of a new management team. At the helm is chef patron Michael Wignall. Michael and his wife Johanna have a vision to keep everything that the Angel was famous for; fantastic food, a warm welcome and a deep connection with the dramatic Yorkshire landscape – and make it outstanding.

Two Michelin-starred chef Michael Wignall has reimagined the pub’s offering and created a host of fabulous a la carte and tasting menus. With a style that’s casual and contemporary, the new Angel is all about great food and great hospitality – and it aims to give people a relaxed experience. Examples of dishes from the tasting menu include Cornish brill with smoked pike roe and kelp, goat's cheese with lavendar honey and agen prunes, and a dessert of chocolate with hazelnut with yoghurt and Pedro Ximenez.

Michael Wignall delivers food that wows on every plate. His ever-evolving style creates unique dishes full of flavour, underpinned by a contemporary, less formal approach to fine cuisine. Describing his food as ‘modern, technical and meaningful’, each element brings flavour or texture, enticing diners to experience new combinations and ingredients.

In October 2019, just 12 months after taking over, Michael Wignall and his team were awarded a Michelin star.

Clos Maggiore is one of London's most picture perfect restaurants. In the enchanting conservatory, you'll be sitting under a retractable roof. So, on sunny days you can sit outside and bask in the beautiful sunshine, and when it’s winter, get cosy under the twinkling lights and decorations.

At this fabulous restaurant, indulge in French and Italian-inspired dishes that embrace the essence of each season, complemented by an extensive wine list that boasts remarkable depth. The lunchtime and both pre and post theatre menus, known for their exceptional value, have garnered love from all who visit. The inspiration for Clos Maggiore are the country inns in Tuscany and Southern France, and in keeping with their traditions, the restaurant uses fresh and seasonal ingredients wherever possible.

To start, perhaps you'll enjoy the spiced red lentil soup with yoghurt, cucumber and puffed wild rice, or a dish of seared yellowfin tuna with wasabi avocado puree, sesame and yuzu ponzu dressing. Those who want a classic starter may opt for steak tartare with pickled onion, chive crumb and smoked dressing. Main courses include Scottish halibut with ver jus gel, white grapes, sea aster and seaweed butter sauce. For a hearty dish, enjoy the Rhug Estate venison loin with a chestnut puree, poached pear and pickled blackberries. When it's time for dessert, try the caramelia chocolate with banana and coconut sorbet, which is paired beautifully with a glass of Vin de Constance, or a goat's cheese cheesecake with wild blueberry and Parma Violet, which goes with Recioto della Valpolicella.

There are also set menus for both weekdays and the weekend, a tasting menu, vegetarian and vegan options, and a pre theatre menu, so whatever the occasion, you can enjoy a cracking meal at Clos Maggiore.

Arguably serving up some of the best Chinese food in the whole of London, A. Wong is a fine dining restaurant located in the heart of Pimlico.

Named after head chef and owner Andrew Wong, it first opened in 1985 by Wong's parents under the name Kym's, before being reopened with a new name in 2012 by Wong and his wife. In 2021 A. Wong was awarded a second star in the Michelin guide making it the first Chinese restaurant in the UK to hold such a title. Serving a highly innovative menu of modern Chinese food, the restaurant aims to showcase a diverse selection of dishes from the many different regions of China. Its not overly formal ambience makes A. Wong a brilliant spot for special occasions when you want to avoid hushed voices and silver service.

Found on the busy Wilton Road, the outside of the restaurant is surrounded by trees and greenery, while there is some outdoor seating, allowing for al fresco drinking and dining when the weather allows. A Wong's large windows and light interiors provide a bright and airy feel to the place, with an open kitchen allowing diners to see the chefs at work and a few seats up at the counter.

There are a variety of different menus on offer throughout the day including a dim sum lunch menu, an evening a la carte, and a lengthy tasting menu. Expect creative savoury dishes such as Shaanxi pulled lamb ‘burger’ with Xinjiang pomegranate salad and Anhui province red braised fermented wild seabass, while sweeter treats might include poached meringue with fruit textures.

The drinks offering is equally innovative as the food with a range of Chinese-inspired cocktails available alongside an impressive selection of wines by the glass and bottle. You can either enjoy your drinks at the table or head down to the Forbidden City bar on the lower ground floor before or after your meal.

It's pretty rare to see Californian cuisine in the UK. But for it to earn a Michelin star makes SOLA Soho truly unique. This stylish dining room comes from chef patron Victor Garvey, offering up west coast-inspired plates, the best wines Cali has to offer and a touch of theatre from the service. Choose between a three-course lunch menu or ten-course tasting menu, each brimming with colourful creations. Each dish is plated in an incredibly beautiful way, to the point where the dish is often sketched first to plan the look. The setting itself is a chic, plant-filled dining room with carefully mismatched lightbulbs dangling overhead, nestled on the equally stylish Dean Street in Soho.

While the menus at SOLA Soho change regularly, the signature style remains consistent. As such, you can get a feel for the fare from the sample menus. At lunch, you will likely start with seafood, which could come as a wild Pacific salmon roulade or hamachi (kingfish) with leek, avocado and wasabi. There might be a meatier option like foie gras with stone fruit, yuzu and smoked duck. A pescetarian main course might be Scottish langoustines with ginger, dashi and wild mushroom, while a meatier main could be salt marsh lamb with morels and Roscoff potatoes. Desserts here celebrate fruit, so you might enjoy grapefruit, paired with lime, basil and vanilla. 

The tasting menu at SOLA Soho essentially combines all lunch options into one, longer meal. This way, there is no FOMO - you get to try everything. Wine pairings are available, and you might see lesser-known Californian bottles like Donkey & Goat 'Lily's Pet Nat' sparkling chardonnay or Big Basin Vineyards 'Dune & Mountain' Pinot from Santa Cruz. Sweet wines are also available, including a late harvest Riesling from New York or an orange muscat from Madera. 

By now it hardly feels like the Fordwich Arms requires any introduction at all, so magnetic has its draw been for keen foodies heading to the countryside on a pub pilgrimage. If you count yourself amongst the crowd, on arrival you’ll be met with a smart pub that balances just the right amount of authenticity with a good dose of plaudit worthy grub.

Chef patrons Daniel and Natasha Smith come to the pass with a wealth of experience. Daniel previously worked under Jason Atherton and at The Clove Club in London, while Natasha’s experience includes time at Michelin starred Chapter One in Kent, as well as heading up the pastry team for a prestigious capital-based catering company. Together, the pair have worked tirelessly to create a welcoming, hospitable vibe that not only offers diners a cosy, friendly place to relax and recuperate, but also delivers some of the best food in the area.

Unusually for a pub, there’s a tasting menu option which gives diners a unique insight into the full capability of the kitchen. With six courses plus snacks, bread and petit four, it’s not for the faint of heart, but if you come hungry, you’ll be well rewarded for your £110 investment. Starters might include a raw Orkney scallop with apple, coriander, and a jalapeno smoked butter, while mains bring dishes such as roast venison with braised shoulder, cep, kale, and quince. Pescatarian, vegetarian and vegan tasting menus are all available too.

Should you prefer, there’s also an a la carte which allows for you to create your own perfect menu from a short but sharp billing of the biggest hitters. Here you’ll find some of the same dishes that are on the tasting menu, plus sweets like the Kentish honey tart served with a crème fraiche parfait, orange marmalade and honey cream.

The Palomar is a true London institution and arguably still one of the best middle eastern restaurants in the capital. Dedicated chefs turn out dishes inspired by Spanish, North Africa and the Levant. The best seat in the house is one of the 16 at the counter, where you can watch the magic happen up close. For a more refined dining experience, however, there is also a 40-cover dining room in the back.

Kick things off with an exciting house cocktail like the Soho kiss, a mix of whiskey, tequila, lillet rouge, sumac, lime, orange and soda, and some delicious snacks from the 'rip and dip' section of the menu. These handmade pitas, green olive labneh with za'atar and caramelised pistachios and even lamb brisket with white bean M'sabacha, harissa and pickled egg. Seafood at The Palomar is a must, with options like Metugan bream with Israeli kimchi and green harissa, or Yemeni crab labneh with herb salad, pickled carrots and amba yoghurt. Those seeking meat won't be disappointed either, with options like beef tartare with harissa aioli, shifka, sunflower seeds and mustard herbs or Persian lemon chicken with spicy chickpeas, cured lemon, aubergine and mint. 

From the 'field and garden', you'll see highly affordable vegetarian dishes like radicchio with saffron aioli and truffle oil or slow-cooked cabbage with Jerusalem artichoke and tahini puree, dates and macadamia. To finish, diners can enjoy some exotic treats like malabi with fruit coulis, coconut and roasted pecans or a sumac and lemon tart with orange blossom mousse. There is a pleasing mix of old and new world wines, including some bottles from the middle East. Those who prefer beer should try the Maccabee lager, which comes from Israel. If you're looking for a drink before or after, head to The Blue Posts, which is the group's pub.

Tucked away in the historic back streets of Belfast's Cathedral Quarter, The Muddlers Club takes its name from a secret society that used to meet in this very spot over 200 years ago. This Muddlers Club isn't quite as secret as the original - in fact, it's safe to say that the secret is well and truly out thanks to a litany of awards, including a coveted Michelin star, received in 2020.

The interiors stay true to the secret society inspiration, with masonic street art painted over exposed brick, and an all-seeing eye that watches over the restaurant from a far wall. The post-industrial dining room is designed by Oscar & Oscar - a well-regarded Belfast outfit that have designed many of the city's most appealing restaurants and bars, including Ox, Edo, Haptic Coffee and Ora.

Diners have a choice between a regular tasting menu and a vegetarian or vegan tasting menu, with chef Gareth McCaughey and team picking the best seasonal produce each day to ensure that ingredients are at their peak. Muddlers Club has been designed with an open kitchen, so guests get a sense of theatre as they dine. 

The menus aren't short of bold flavours, with dishes like scallop, Iberico pork and white beans, venison, hazelnut and salt-baked celeriac. There's also a fully vegetarian menu, featuring the likes of mushroom gnocchi with Jerusalem artichoke, courgette with pistachio and basil or a plum and onion tartlet. For dessert, meanwhile, you'll find similarly punchy flavours at play, such as chocolate with espresso and orange or elderberry with creme fraiche and pear.

A drinks flight is available with either menu for an extra charge, and there's an innovative cocktail list on offer too. Other dietary requirements can be catered for too, as long as the restaurant is given sufficient notice ahead of time. 

Holm is a modern and inviting restaurant in Somerset, serving a contemporary menu of locally inspired dishes and seasonal produce. It is the fourth restaurant from the team behind London restaurants Salon, Levan and Larry’s. You will find an a la carte menu, plus a chef’s tasting menu, lunch and vegetarian options available. There is also a Sunday lunch menu, featuring the likes of Alford Farm pork belly with red cabbage and black pudding. 

The restaurant itself is a light and airy space with an open kitchen and a bar area. If you’re visiting for dinner you will find a seasonal and changing menu, however, you may find dishes such as smoked pumpkin soup served with yoghurt, and barbecued squid served with Jerusalem artichoke. For mains, dishes might include baked celeriac with truffle and hazelnut, or gilt-head bream with crown prince squash and brown butter. There is also a selection of side dishes to choose from, plus dessert and a choice of Somerset cheeses. 

If you’re visiting for Sunday lunch you may find dishes such as mallard to share served with confit leg, red cabbage and bread sauce, and a roasted celeriac served with girolles, and mushroom ketchup.

The wine list has been thoughtfully crafted and features many organic wines from small artisan producers. The restaurant has its own wine vault, which stores a number of locally sourced ciders, perries and wines. The house negroni is famous and you'll often see seasonal cocktails too.

Nicholas Balfe is the founder and chef director at Holm. The restaurant is housed in a former bank and sits on a large quarter acre plot in the heart of the village of South Petherton.

Brighton’s Dave Mothersill has spent his whole career working around some of Brighton’s most respected and recognisable restaurants, including stints at Terre a Terre, with Ben McKellar at The Gingerman, and years as executive chef for Razak Helalat’s Black Rock group, during which time he opening The Salt Room and The Coal Shed in London.

At Furna, Mothersill is breaking out on his own and putting his own spin on fine dining. You’ll find the restaurant in a very central spot near the Royal Pavilion Gardens, making it easy to get to from anywhere in the city, as well as being a short walk from the seafront.

A bar area in the entrance provides a stopping point for pre- and post-dinner drinks, and the restaurant itself has 26 covers. The basement holds a walk-in wine room as well as a private dining room and chef’s table for groups of four to eight.

The menu is around eight courses including snacks, and includes an optional cheese course to finish. Mothersill’s style is broadly international, incorporating lots of Asian flavours in subtle ways. The restaurant also works with whole animals, using every part of the animal to craft dishes. Dishes on the menu include milk brined veal sweetbread with kabocha squash, maple sherry and roasted chicken sauce, and salt aged Sika deer with beetroots, Agen prunes, bone marrow and bitter chocolate.

There is also an extensive drinks menu that includes smart house cocktails, classic mixes, spirits, non-alcoholic options and a compact wine list that includes a selection of rare fine wines. Furna also offers a wine pairing to go with the menu.

Yauatcha is an international brand which has bases in London as well as Indian, the US and Saudia Arabia. Their winning combination is found in the pairing of traditional dim sum with larger Chinese plates, like stir fried rib eye of beef in black bean sauce or kung pao prawns with cashew nuts. This chain of high-end restaurants are also famous for their bakeries, which churn out deliciously delicate tea time treats, which are served up with a range of hot beverages – perfect for an afternoon snack.  

Kerridge's Bar & Grill is renowned chef Tom Kerridge’s first London restaurant and finds its home within the Corinthia London hotel in Whitehall. Famous for his pubs of exceptional standards, like The Hand and Flowers in Marlow, Kerridge’s love of big, bold flavours are seen in his latest venture too, something akin to pub classics punters know and love. Helping him take things to new heights is his head chef Nick Beardshaw who joins Kerridge in his love of British cooking.

Interiors have been created with luxury in mind, so that guests feel calm and comfortable in the cosy space. Rich red leather banquette seating is built in curves to allow for a feeling of privacy around round tables, while a chef’s table is open to a section of kitchen that allows VIP guests an insight into the workings of the skilled professionals making their meals. Elsewhere wooden bookshelves hold cookery tomes and encase wine fridges, while there’s also a generously sized bar for guests to unwind at after a long day of sightseeing or business.

With everything from pre- and post-theatre menus through to vegetarian and vegan sets there is something here for everyone. The classic chef-chosen six course option begins with chicken liver parfait before moving through dishes like mushroom risotto and treacle roasted fillet of beef with chips and béarnaise sauce. The feast is finished off with a tonka bean panna cotta with rhubarb sorbet, honeycomb and ginger. Sundays, as you might expect, bring elevated roast dinners; pork belly with roasted onions and horseradish cream, say, or dry aged rib of beef with Yorkshire puddings and roast potatoes.

For guests enjoying drinks at the bar there is also a small snacks menu which includes pub favourites like pork crackling (with Kerridge’s signature twist coming in the form of gherkin ketchup), devils on horseback or Welsh rarebit on toast.

Scully is an international restaurant found in St James's Market, run by ex-NOPI head chef Ramael Scully, serving a tasting menu of unique fusion flavours that you won't find anywhere else in London. Inside, all is cosily shabby-chic, with copper pendant lighting, potted plants and a fascinating glass-fronted pantry, stocked with herbs and spices. A large sharing table and an open kitchen create a communal vibe, but the marble-topped chef’s counter is undoubtedly home to the best seats in the house.

On offer is an intriguing menu that references Scully’s multicultural heritage, while confounding expectations when it comes to mixing and matching ingredients. Nearly all the seasonally changing sharing plates impress, from a tomato and coconut salad with green strawberries (summer in a bowl) to barbecued beef tendons, hidden by a dollop of smoky oyster mayo and served with salty fried tendon puffs for dipping.

Elsewhere, there’s fatty pork belly with house-made XO sauce concealing a subtle flash of heat, and a plate of monkfish rubbed with sambal belacan, a tongue-tingling shrimp paste. The arepa (a Venezuelan cornmeal pancake) topped with aubergine relish and bergamot-infused labneh is another Scully signature that rarely if ever leaves the menu.

To finish, there’s a love-it-or-hate-it dessert of parsnip and coconut ice cream, and a grapefruit sorbet which is paired with a scoop of caramel ice cream. Fastidious sourcing, impressively well-informed staff and an unflappable kitchen team swapping jokes while turning out plates of pure wonder all help to make dining at Scully a thrilling and eye-opening experience.

Gwen is an intimate, fine dining restaurant in Machynlleth, Wales, owned by Ynyshir chef patron Gareth Ward. The restaurant seats just eight guests at a time, with two tables of four set up right in front of the kitchen pass, putting guests right at the heart of the action. 

Head chef Corrin Harrison was an integral part of the team that won two Michelin stars at Ynyshir, and has also spent time at two Michelin-starred Steirereck in Austria, and with Lee Westcott at The Typing Room. At Gwen he cooks a ten course tasting menu that is built around the use of a charcoal grill, which is also a centrepiece of the restaurant. Gwen also uses the same suppliers and quality as Ynyshir, including meat aged in Ynyshir's salt chambers and produce grown in the kitchen garden. 

Though Gwen is unquestionably a fine dining restaurant, it has been designed to be relaxed, cosy and intimate, and Corrin and team are at the heart of a fun atmosphere. The space’s interior design uses upcycled materials and mixes wood and steel with dark green tiling to create a sophisticated environment for enjoying fine food.  The two tables are often communal and guests are encouraged to enjoy the meal together, whilst being immersed in the theatre of the whole experience. As for the name itself, Gwen was named after Gareth's late mother. 

The menu doesn't give much away so there's an element of mystery about each dish as it arrives, but example dishes include an eel chawanmushi (a Japanese savoury egg custard) with broccoli, a quail curry, barbecued pork with jalapeno hot sauce, Brazilian Yellow Bourbon coffee with orange and olive oil, and sourdough ice cream. 

Whilst the restaurant only accommodates bookings, Gwen also has a wine bar that accepts walk-ins. This is a cosy space, separated from the restaurant by a black curtain, where you can enjoy a glass of wine and a bite to eat. The wine list is made up of the team’s favourite wines and was designed by beverage director Rory Eaton, offering a varied and broad collection of wines.

The Blue Pelican restaurant offers Japanese-inspired seaside dining and natural wines with views over the Deal Pier. This is the third venture from the former Wallpaper design editor Alex Bagner and her husband Chris Hicks, who took over The Rose gastropub and hotel in 2018. Located on the idyllic seafront in the quaint coastal town of Deal, the dining room occupies the ground floor of a Grade-II listed townhouse overlooking the pebbled beach and the English Channel.

Devised by the owners, and designer Michelle Kelly, the interiors blend Japanese simplicity and English seaside resort style. The room adheres to a blue woodwork theme, with a hand-painted red checkered floor, and bespoke artwork by the local Japanese-inspired artist Tom Mariniyak. 

Tim Toovey from Uncharted Wines has carefully selected the wine list, focusing on English and European vineyards that practice minimum-intervention techniques. The cocktail menu blends Japanese-inspired flavours with coastal herbs and seaweed.

True to the source of inspiration - the Izakaya tradition of relaxed informal dining - the atmosphere is one of peaceful wellness, with marble candle-lit tables and upholstered banquette seating. The ground floor also features a 10-cover chef's counter, which pays tribute to the couple's first data and their fondness for the intimate dining experience at Japanese kitchen counters. A 10-seat private dining room occupies the second floor, and a garden courtyard opens in the summer months. 

The Blue Pelican menu, created by head chef Luke Green who spent five years in Tokyo, takes the form of small plates with sections ‘from the grill’ and ‘to share’ and side dishes. Items include smoked eel with tamagoyaki and sansho pepper, a chicken tsukune with hedgehog mushrooms and a sake broth, and grilled Jerusalem artichokes with kale and barley miso. To top it all off, finish with a creme caramel topped with kumquats. 

Kolae is a bar and grill in Borough Market, celebrating the cuisine of Thailand’s southern provinces. The restaurant comes to us, via a successful crowdfunding campaign, from the creators of Som Saa - a beloved Thai restaurant in Spitalfields that serves street style Thai food in a lively warehouse setting. Like its older sibling, Kolae is set in a repurposed building, this time taking the form of an old London coach house.

The restaurant boasts 80 covers split between three floors and includes an intimate open-air courtyard dining space and a private dining area at the top of the building. The restaurant is designed in a rustic-urban style and the kitchen is kitted out with all the traditional equipment required to make authentic Thai-cuisine.  

Kolae is named after a style of cooking (also known as Golae, Galae or Gaw Lae) developed in the Southern provinces of Thailand that uses a grill technique to prepare delicious cuisine that is often coated in a curry-like coconut marinade. Naturally the menu is centred around the grill and features speciality dishes, such as the half-chicken marinated in lemongrass, fresh turmeric and black pepper cooked over a roaring fire. The restaurant offers seasonal fish and seafood and a selection of vegetarian specials. Salads are made to order and prepared in the traditional way with a pestle and mortar. Ingredients intended to wake up the taste buds are used in the fiery nam phrik relish.  

The drinks menu is concise, featuring a refreshing array of cocktails utilising a selection of fresh Thai ingredients. A list of 15-20 wines (most of which are served by the glass), and a few beers and ciders are also available to purchase.  

Akoko is a contemporary West African restaurant in Fitzrovia that features modern interpretations of classic West African dishes. The restaurant nods to its African identity through the contemporary art by Niyi Olagunju that lines the walls, as well as bespoke ceramics which have been inspired by Ladi Kwali, a well-respected African pottery expert who came to prominence in the 1960s. If you’re wondering about the name, Akoko translates from Yoruba as ‘the first’.

The restaurant is made up of warm earth tones, with lots of terracotta and ceramic features matching the African artwork on the walls. At the rear of the restaurant there's an open kitchen, where chefs finish and serve dishes from a large open-fire grill. 

The menu has been devised by executive chef Ayo Adeyemi, and combines his West African roots with a fine dining pedigree. Two tasting menus are available - one at lunch and one at dinner - and they both make use of top quality British ingredients. The evening tasting menu at the time of writing kicks off with a number of snacks, including one of yassa cream with chicken mousse, a croustade with akami tuna, and smoked goat with curd and cucumber. The rest of the menu ventures further into intriguing West African flavours, including a Nigerian soup called miyan taushe, made with butternut squash, mackerel and honey, jollof rice with lobster tail and carrot terrine, and squab suya with charred greens and peanut soup. Vegetarian and vegan menus are also available on request. 

Akoko also has a dedicated bar area where you can sit and sip on a cocktail or a glass of wine. As well as an extensive wine list, the bar menu also features some intriguing house cocktails - including a cacao negroni and kola nut rum and coke - as well as pre and post-dinner sips. 

Photography by Food Story Media Ltd

Scott’s is more than a restaurant, it’s a scene, a landmark, a legend.  Although it’s been around for half a century, it only struck gold when it reopened under Caprice Holdings (the owners of Thy Ivy, J Sheekey et al) in 2006. Mount Street was changing from stuffy residential enclave to fashion Mecca and Scott’s was there – catnip to fish-loving foodies, fashionistas and posh people who were instantly hooked on its infectiously buzzy ambience.

The interior is beguiling by day and night. An oval oyster bar with tall stools and a magnificent ‘high altar’ for shellfish dominates the light-filled front space. There are cosy tables at the rear and confident modern art on the walls, while a flower-filled pavement terrace attracts smokers and the ever-present paparazzi.

The menu nods to meat eaters with veal cutlets, steaks, chicken pie and venison fillet with celeriac purée. But this is essentially a seafood restaurant, serving up what readers say is “simply the best fish in town” – from homely potted shrimps and dressed crab to exotic octopus carpaccio and monkfish with spicy tiger prawn masala via oysters and caviar, lobster Thermidor, battered haddock and extravagant fruits de mer.

‘Fish on the bone’ might bring halibut and massive 22oz Dover soles, as well as delicate slip soles with capers and parsley butter, but the full repertoire covers everything from scallops in the shell richly doused in garlic and chilli butter to roast cod dressed with cauliflower purée and chorizo. There are also some imaginative vegetable dishes such as roast squash with quinoa and harissa. 

It’s also worth saving some room for totally tempting desserts such as gooseberry pie, peach Melba or a flashy take on Bakewell pudding with almond ice cream. With its completely reliable food, brilliant but unobtrusive service and a wine list that won’t break the bank, Scott’s is quite simply outstanding.  

Adam Handling has established himself as one of the brightest young talents on the London dining scene since opening his first solo restaurant in 2016. This Covent Garden restaurant and private dining room is the flagship for the Adam Handling Restaurant Group, which also operates The Loch & the Tyne in Old Windsor and Ugly Butterfly in Cornwall. Frog by Adam Handling is the chef's Michelin-starred flagship restaurant, serving curious and intriguing tasting menus.

Walk past at night when the restaurant’s glow spills out onto Southampton Row and you’ll be struck by the sort of convivial scene that makes you want to make a booking on the spot. The open kitchen is the focus of the dark and stark dining room, with chairs angled to give a view of the chefs toiling away and a counter for diners who want to get up close and personal with the restaurant theatre that unfolds over the course of a service.

You can, of course, ignore what’s going on at the pass and focus instead on what arrives on the plate. Start with a couple of ‘snacks’ while you peruse the menu: cured trout tart - a crispy tart filled wilth dill emulsion, ponzu, trout tail and fresh fennel salad or lamb tartare with kimchi - lamb trim tartare seasoned with red pepper and cauliflower kimchi, finished with kimchi emulsion

A pair of tasting menus offer Handling's signature dishes in miniature (including stunning lobster tail and claw cooked in Wagyu fat), which may be a better way to get the most out of Handling’s undoubted talent for bold brushstrokes of savoury flavour.

There are also various pairings available to order alongside the tasting menu, including a juice pairing, wine, premium wine, and Cali Burgundy Excellence.

The Ledbury in London’s Notting Hill has long held a rather impressive two Michelin stars and is ranked amongst the top 50 restaurants in the world. It was with great reluctance, then, that it was forced to take a hiatus between 2020 and 2022 because, like so many other restaurants during the pandemic, it was hit hard by the effects of social distancing measures.  

But at the beginning of 2022, chef-owner Brett Graham reopened the legendary restaurant to the public, with a rejuvenated look and feel as well as a brand-new food and drink offering. The restaurant offers an ever-changing eight-course tasting menu only, that comes with an optional wine pairing (and a hefty price tag). Graham has brought in former Kitchen Table head chef Tom Spenceley to run the kitchen, with many of The Ledbury’s former staff returning to their positions once again. The restaurant is open for dinner service from Tuesday to Saturday, and for lunch on Friday and Saturday only.

The menu is constantly changing and makes use of the finest British ingredients, from Poole Bay Mackerel to six-year-old Jersey Beef. While all dishes showcase the kitchen’s obsession with the highest quality produce, with the Jersey beef and Iberian pork for the charcuterie coming from Brett’s own farm. Details about the exact menu items are few and far between however, to retain the element of surprise when dining. 

The restaurant has had a bit of a makeover too, with London-based design studio These White Walls enlisted to give the dining room a total revamp. Not sure what that entails? They were also the studio in charge of the décor at Hide, so imagine lots of natural materials, warm lighting and a rustic yet luxurious feel.

The Ledbury originally opened back in 2005 and has held its two Michelin stars since 2010.

Having opened in 1984, Raymond Blanc’s critically acclaimed Le Manoir is one of the most famous restaurants in Britain which serves two Michelin starred French food. The building itself is a 15th century manor, a house that lies in acres of manicured, organic grounds.

While you can come and dine as an evening guest, most people choose to stay the night in order to make the most of the surrounds. Here you’ll find wildflower carpeted fruit orchards, manicured vegetable gardens, ordered herb beds, a little pink Japanese tea house on the edge of bright green algae covered pond, and even a small walled lake. Everywhere you look there are sculptures and art details, and there’s a perfectly flat croquet lawn to boot. Just across the path there are clusters of tables and chairs where you can enjoy drinks and snacks before you meal, with the only sound to disturb you being the thwack of the balls going through the hoops.

One seated ini the dining room, you’ll be treated to a seven course tasting menu. The experience doesn’t come cheap with lunch priced at £205 and dinner coming in at £230 per person (increasing to £220 for lunch and £245 for dinner in 2024). Sure, it’s not a bargain, but you get a lot for your money. Kick off with canapes and the most indulgent breadbasket you’ve ever seen, before moving on to seasonal starters, mains and desserts.

Using the bounty of the gardens and local suppliers for fish, meat and game, the menu bounces and bends over the course of the seasons. Things usually kck off with a cured fish dish before moving through a pasta course of something like crab raviolo with courgette and a lemongrass bisque. Later on you might find milk-fed lam with asparagus and wild garlic, before finishing on a Yorkshire rhubarb baba.

If you’ve managed to secure a bed for the night, breakfast the next morning is an event in itself, and it would be a crime not to take one last wander through the gardens before you depart.

Finding its home on Edinburgh’s Lady Lawson Street, Timberyard is a popular spot for both residents and visitors to the city. The restaurant is family-run and found in the atmospheric surrounds of a 19-century warehouse, which was originally built as a props and costume store.

Timberyard is rightfully proud of its enterprising approach to foraging, butchery, curing and growing much of its own produce. In fact, many of the plates served at Timberyard are beautifully adorned with herbs and flowers from Timberyard’s very own garden patch. Where there are gaps, the team source additional ingredients from artisan suppliers across Scotland, working with small-scale specialists to ensure they're using the very best of the country’s larder.

Those choosing to dine here can pick from various menus, including an eight-course dinner menu, a lunch menu and a five-course evening offering which allows you a choice of dishes. Well-balanced dishes you may come across on your visit could range from scallops with smoked roe and, seaweed through to crispy duck with sheep’s yoghurt and Tropea onion. When it comes to dessert, you might see the likes of ricotta, sorrel, flowering currant and fig leaf or cocoa husk, hazelnut, and chocolate concoctions.

Timberyard’s drinks list is stuffed with hidden gems, found within the restaurant's wide range of natural wines. If you’re not in the mood for vino, try out a beer from a small-batch producer instead or choose a tipple from Timberyard’s fun selection of cocktails, with combinations including pairings of quince, preserved lime and rum or hibiscus, blood orange and vodka. There’s also a stellar softs selection, as well as mocktails and a non-alcoholic pairing.

Those looking to add a touch of exclusivity to their dining experience can book out the Old Brick Shed for any private dining functions such as celebration dinners and birthdays, while the south-facing yard is much sought after for al fresco meals in the sunshine. Enthusiastic, knowledgeable staff and charmingly rustic interiors round things off nicely for a very pleasant dining experience.

From the team behind Fenn in Fulham and Nest in Hackney comes St Barts, a fine dining restaurant offering a British tasting menu experience. Located in London’s Smithfield with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the Church of Bartholomew the Great, the restaurant is brought to east London by long-term friends Johnnie, Luke and Toby where it serves tasting menus exclusively for lunch and dinner.  

The interiors take inspiration from the buildings in the surrounding area, with stone, wood and soft fabrics used in abundance throughout. Bespoke tableware and ceramics are both made in-house, with the former all hand-carved from wood from London Plane trees in keeping with its sustainable ethos. 

The menus are designed to take diners on a journey through the British isles via menus that champion only the best small-scale farmers and producers in the UK. Dining at St Barts is an experience, beginning to end, with diners invited to relax with a drink in the bar before being guided to their table for a multi-course feast.  

Johnnie Crowe occupies the role of executive head chef, with each of the numerous and varied dishes on his tasting menu featuring only two or three ingredients. The menus change regularly in line with its hyper-seasonal concept, but examples might include wagyu beef bellini with Exmoor caviar, native blue lobster with fermented red peppers and British XO sauce, poached cod with preserved Wiltshire truffle and a Hackney honey and lavender dessert.

Meanwhile, the drinks list offers a selection of classic cocktails, local beers, natural cider, premium spirits and a wine list that revolves around low-intervention bottles from artisanal producers. Drinks pairings are available with the menu, featuring unusual combinations like a Portuguese sherry to accompany cod or a skin contact-red hybrid with duck. 

Opened over a decade ago, this Italian establishment continues to wow patrons with their honest, authentic representation of Italian cuisine in the heart of London. Located in buzzy Soho, this restaurant is superbly located in the mecca of foodies, and holds its own very well – having won many awards and accolades over the years.

The interior of the restaurant is modest for its well-known reputation, with a family-run atmosphere that exudes a great passion for service and good food.  Dressed simply with an understated colour palette of muted greys and wood, the most dramatic feature of the room is stunning, round glass chandelier that disperses light around the low-key restaurant.

The menu claims to offer punters a taste of the twenty main dialects of Italian cuisine, and with a twice-daily changing menu according to season, Bocca fares well. While you cannot expect the same menu every time you go, you will notice that a location is attributed to each dish, so that punters can learn about the regional differences within Italian cuisine.

In true Italian style, the menu offers plenty of courses for punters to dine on for hours. To begin, the crudi and salumi (raw and cured) plates offers tuna tartare, Galician sea urchins, and confit tuna for patrons to whet their appetites with, while the fried section offers red prawns and squid with blood oranges slices. Swiftly moving on, the pasta selection is modest – as all the pastas are handmade – featuring a variety of shapes and sauces such as cime di rapa orecchiette and agnolotti dal plin. From the oven, you can order a pigeon and bread lasagne topped with truffle or a polenta with wild boar stracotto from the stewing pot section. The menu perpetually seems all-encompassing, as it changes from lunch to dinner, and you can be guaranteed authenticity with every bite. Plus the all-Italian wine lists truly seals the deal.

Simon Rogan's L'Enclume is one of the most highly regarded restaurants in the UK, and indeed the world, boasting three Michelin stars and a host of awards for its pioneering field-to-fork philosophy. The restaurant was awarded three Michelin stars in 2022, but has retained its Michelin-starred status since 2005 when it was awarded its very first star.

Located in Cartmel in Cumbria, L'Enclume serves an ever-changing tasting menu inspired by British seasonality. The ingredients used in the dishes at L’Enclume are sourced from Simon Rogan’s very own farm just up the road from the restaurant, and many dishes start with L'Enclume's farmers, who highlight ingredients when they're at their peak, before Rogan and team develop the resulting dishes. It’s one of the reasons the restaurant was also awarded a Michelin Green Star in 2021, an accolade that recognises restaurants that are leading in their industry for their sustainable practices.  

There is only one tasting menu available and it can be taken for lunch and dinner. It’s comprised of more than ten courses and can be paired with multiple wine flight options if desired – choose from the taster wine pairing, signature wine pairing or select wine pairing. Taking inspiration from British produce and dishes, expect exciting, inventive and unexpected creations such as Chalk Stream trout, pine cured, gooseberry tart, cherry belle radish and marinated trout roe. Other dishes might include the likes of seaweed custard with beef broth and bone marrow, Porlock oysters and caviar; Aged Cornish duck with Cylindra beetroot and Kalibos cabbage, aromatic herbs and seeds, smoked beetroot and elderberry vinegar; and Chamomile cake with cobnut cream, candied pumpkin, pumpkin juice and sea buckthorn. 

The dining room is cosy and traditional, with low ceilings and dark wooden beams to create a country house feel. It provides a relaxing contrast to the high calibre of cooking here, encouraging guests to feel relaxed while they make their way through multiple courses of Michelin-starred food.  

Guests can also book into Aulis Cartmel, which is a chef’s table experience adjacent to L’Enclume.

Zuma was a sensation when it first opened in 2002 and while some of the buzz has died down in the almost 20 years since it launched, it’s still one of the foremost party restaurants in the capital.

The excitement builds before you’ve even crossed the threshold thanks to an unpromising location on a Knightsbridge backstreet which whispers rather than shouts 'insider secret'. Once inside, a bar to the right of the entrance creates an immediate sense of buzz and, if you’re not in the mood for a full meal, serves some knockout Asian-accented cocktails as well as providing access to the restaurant's carefully curated wine list. Should you feel peckish, you can also eat here too, either up at the bar or one of the leather sofas.

The dining room proper stretches out behind. Larger groups sit at tables and chairs while solo diners, couples and curious foodies might be seated at the long, U-shaped counter which wraps around the open kitchen and gives a bird’s eye view of the chefs at work as they meticulously slice sashimi or craft exquisite morsels of sushi.

Zuma’s success, however, has always relied upon the combination of traditional Japanese culinary techniques grafted on to a western sensibility. As well as the expertly prepared raw fish, the long, long menu deals in beguilingly delicious signature dishes. Small plates include warm aubergine with sweet miso; seabass with yuzu, truffle oil and salmon roe; and crispy fried squid with green chilli lime. Meat dishes are just as good: chicken wings with saké, sea salt and lime, and rib-eye steak with wafu sauce and garlic crisps, are never likely to leave the menu.

The downside to all the good-time vibes is that when it’s at full tilt, eating here can feel like dining in the middle of a very loud party, and if being surrounded by the international super-rich is not your idea of a good time (or budget), then walk on by. But almost everyone who enters into the upbeat spirt of the place leaves vowing to return.  

Fish Shop is a fish and seafood restaurant in Scotland's Cairngorns National Park, run by the team behind The Fife Arms. Perhaps a tiny Scottish village on the edge of the Cairngorms is an unexpected place to find one of the best restaurants in the UK? But then again, when you consider that what makes Fish Shop Ballater so special is its fine, fresh produce, commitment to simplicity and community-focused ethos, it totally makes sense. 

Ballater is just a stone's throw from Braemar, the Highlands village which is home to The Fife Arms, the five-star hotel that's enraptured the world with its artistic decor (a Picasso hangs in the lounge, don't you know). And, when you consider that Fish Shop comes from the same hospitality group, you know you're on the right track. 

Inside, the restaurant floor is intimate with space for 40 diners in total, while decor is mainly simplistic with nautical nods and all designed to be as eco-friendly as possible. For example, the wooden, bistro seats are handmade from FSC timber veneer and an old rowing boat, which once navigated the waters of the Ardnamurchan Peninsula no less, is reused underneath a statement table - no doubt creating a talking point for diners. 

Fish Shop's menu is inspired by the heritage and traditions of Scottish fishing and is focused on shellfish and day boat fish, with the addition of select game, meat and vegetables from local farms and estates. Everything you see on the menu is sustainably sourced and daily highlights include scorched line-caught mackerel with Braemar rhubarb and radish, alongside BBQ whole plaice with Shetland mussels and samphire, as welll as sweetners like 70% Island dark chocolate ice cream and Blackthorn sea salt.

And, if you like what you taste, you can stop by the adjoining fishmongers which sells seafood from the same boats and providers as the restaurant, with a seasonal selection of fish and shellfish arriving early each morning.

Josephine is a French restaurant in Chelsea run by Claude and Lucy Bosi, focusing on traditional dishes from Claude’s hometown of Lyon. Perched on the corner of Fulham Road and Callow Street, Josephine has much in common with Bosi’s 2023 opening Socca - a French bistro collaboration with Samyukta Nair in Mayfair.

Josephine is a celebration of Bosi’s upbringing in Lyon, his parents' bistro there, and nostalgia for the region. Naturally, guests can expect a traditional Lyonnaise menu, serving up food and dishes influenced by his formative years in a province considered by many to be the capital of French cuisine.

At the heart of Bosi’s success is his approach to food: source the finest produce and prepare it to the best of your ability. His name has been synonymous with fine dining in London for many years, but Josephine is a much more relaxed restaurant, styled in a very traditional way, from the heavy entrance curtain right down to the white tablecloths, candles and bistro-style low curtains on the windows.

Dishes like French onion soup, frogs legs in garlic butter, beef fillet with peppercorn sauce, and sole with brown butter all arrive on classic white porcelain dishes. There are also large sharing dishes for the table, like rabbit with mustard and tarragon sauce, and a rotisserie chicken with salad and potatoes. Josephine also offers a good value plat du jours every week day, with dishes including steak hache with mashed potatoes, blanquette de veux with pilaf rice, and mussels in a creamy sauce with French fries.

On the drinks front, you can expect a thoughtfully-curated French wine list as well as plenty of chartreuse.

Born in Yokohama, Endo Kazutoshi is a third-generation sushi master, specialising in the centuries-old Edomae style of sushi - a technique particular to Tokyo. After years spent as the executive sushi chef for the Zuma group, Kazutoshi struck out on his own with Endo at Rotunda and soon after, fulfilled his ambition of winning a Michelin star.

You'll find Endo at Rotunda perched on the top floor of the former Television Centre in White City. The space is designed with a graceful minimalism by multi-award-winning architect Kengo Kuma - as soon as you walk in the eye is drawn to the stunning 200-year-old Hinoki wood counter in the centre of the room, above which cloud-like light installation hangs. Meanwhile, panoramic windows on one side of the room give an incredible view across London.

'Omakase' translates as 'I leave it up to you' - the omakase menu at Endo at Rotunda leaves you in Kazutoshi's safe hands as takes you on an odyssey of Japanese flavours. The menu is ever-changing, seasonal and artistic, and guests get to watch a master at work as Kazutoshi prepares each dish by hand. Not only does each dish continue the journey, it also tells a part of Kazutoshi's personal journey.

To drink, there's an international wine list and a short list of signature cocktails such as the Satsuma, which blends whisky with mandarin, green tea and kumquat. In addition, Kazutoshi has developed personal relationships with some of Japan’s finest saké breweries, with many of those labels now only available in the UK at The Rotunda. Prices are as high as you might expect for an experience like this, but seats at the counter sell out pretty soon after being released.

The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant has cemented its reputation as one of Scotland's best restaurants thanks to head chef Mark Donald's exceptional tasting menus. It is also, notably, the first distillery to be awarded a Michelin star. Scottish-born Donald was awarded the star just seven months after opening. The chef’s previous experience includes time spent at Number One at The Balmoral in Edinburgh.

This latest venture has been conceptualised in partnership with Lalique – the heritage French crystal house – so the dining room is suitably sparkly. Expect stunning custom-made sculptural chandeliers overhead, shining their light on crisp white tablecloths below. Views of the landscape surrounding the distillery are afforded thanks to the glass sided dining room, while the intimate 26-cover nature of the space makes things feel special.

The restaurant offers both a bar lunch menu between Wednesday and Saturday, as well as an evening tasting menu daily. Here Mark looks to hero and elevate Scottish ingredient using playful international twists. While things change regularly, you might find starters like raw clams with gooseberry and dulse kicking things off, or a ‘tattie’ scone with winter truffle and caviar. As you can see, no ingredient is too luxurious here, and the price tag reflects that. Meatier, main style dishes include creations such as scallop kedgeree or venison with hay smoked celeriac and sour quince. Both pescatarians and vegetarians are able to order from dedicated billings to suit dietary requirements.

Given its location in a distillery you can expect a stellar drinks pairing too. Things might begin with a light sake with notes of plum, while through the central part of the meal you’ll be treated to carefully chosen wines. Desserts come with a pudding wine – naturally – and things finish with one of the distillery’s signature peaty whisky cocktails.