Must-see restaurants in England

  • Upstairs at the Grill

    Chester

    This two-storey Manhattan-style steakhouse is the place to devour every cut of meat, from American-style porterhouse to a sauce-sodden chateaubriand. All…

  • Hub Box

    Exeter

    This rapidly expanding southwest burger business now has an Exeter outlet, in a studiously hip space with brick walls, vintage-style signs and plywood…

  • The Flour Pot Bakery

    Brighton & Hove

    On a street where shoppers swarm around cool boutiques, the Flour Pot invites you to take a moment out of the bustle to feast and people-watch. While it’s…

  • Zouk Tea Bar

    West Yorkshire

    This modern and stylish cafe-restaurant staffed by chefs from Lahore offers an upmarket menu and some unusual twists on traditional Indian and Pakistani…

  • Church Bar & Restaurant

    The Midlands & the Marches

    At this superbly converted old church, you can dine on contemporary dishes like British rainbow trout with tarragon butter sauce, whisky-glazed beef ribs…

  • Couch's Great House

    South Cornwall

    This surprisingly swish bistro is set in a low-slung cottage near the harbour, overseen by chef Richard McGeown, whose previous gigs included working for…

  • Ye Olde Ferrie Inn

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    This no-nonsense pub has been filling bellies in a stunning spot on Symonds Yat’s west bank since 1473. Options include ploughman’s boards, juicy burgers,…

  • Oast House

    Manchester

    Modelled on a Kentish oast house (a medieval kiln used to dry out hops), this Spinningfields staple was completely refurbished in 2018, including a…

  • Gylly Beach Cafe

    South Cornwall

    When the sun shines, everyone heads to Gylly Beach for coffee or lunch, so it's nigh on impossible to snag an outside table. Sliding doors open on to the…

  • Boho

    Canterbury

    This hip eatery in a prime spot on the main drag is extraordinarily popular and you’ll be lucky to get a table on busy shopping days. Cool tunes lilt…

  • Master Builder's House

    Wessex

    You're spoiled for choice here. Head to the atmospheric river-view restaurant for classy, classic dishes; or drop by the beer garden and wood-panelled…

  • Salt

    West Cornwall

    Right in the centre of Hayle, near the town's former foundry and a prominent Cornish graphic design studio, this is a surprisingly smart cafe-bar that…

  • Modern Pantry

    Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields

    This three-floor Georgian town house in the heart of Clerkenwell has a cracking all-day menu that is almost as pleasurable to read as it is to eat from…

  • Greedy Goose

    Plymouth

    The surroundings are gorgeous, and so is the cuisine. A beautifully lit medieval building sets the scene for food that is both supremely elegant and…

  • Malton Relish

    North York Moors National Park

    This lovely deli overlooking Malton's market square is a good place to shop for local produce or sit down and taste it. The menu includes sandwiches,…

  • Monk’s Kitchen

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    With its cosy dining room and pretty courtyard garden, the cathedral cafe is a great secret hideaway. Drop in for homemade cakes, afternoon tea (£16 for…

  • Ivy Asia

    London

    Newly opened Ivy promises to inject some late-night life into this part of the City, and it's well on its way with a nightly resident DJ, an extensive…

  • The Bow Room at Grays Court

    York

    An unexpected pleasure in the heart of York, this 16th-century mansion hotel's small restaurant focuses on British, locally produced food, some of it…

  • Sienna

    Dorset

    The menu at sleek Sienna is peppered with rarities; expect to find fermented blackberry, jerk carrot or squid ink artfully arranged on your plate. The…

  • Painted Heron

    Kensington & Hyde Park

    The rather formal setting – starched white tablecloths, cubby holes and leather banquettes – is softened by intimate lighting in the evenings and affable…

  • Ginger & White

    North London

    This lovely cafe on a quiet alleyway is a long-standing Hampstead favourite for its excellent coffee, simple but delicious food and light, airy set-up…

  • Chesil Rectory

    Winchester

    It's almost as if they created a checklist for a great date: hushed tones, flickering candles, dark beams. They get the food right too, from lighter…

  • Pizza Ten

    Shropshire

    Tucked away in a charming courtyard, this little split-level space brings the region's famed produce to its 10 different pizzas, with toppings like minted…

  • Moon & Sixpence

    Whitby

    This brasserie and cocktail bar has a prime position, with views across the harbour to the abbey ruins. Its menu is a refreshing change from the fish-and…

  • Aromi

    Cambridge

    Sometimes you should yield to temptation. So be drawn in by a window full of stunning Sicilian pizza, and feast on light, crisp bases piled high with…

  • Winking Prawn

    South Devon

    Overflowing with distressed driftwood-chic, this brasserie features huge rowing oars, red ensigns and a sea-view deck. It's a perfect spot to sample…

  • Crab Shack

    South Devon

    The location couldn't be better for superfresh fish: Crab Shack overlooks the sheltered Teign estuary, and the fleet that brought your supper ashore. The…

  • Lisa Jean at Bennetts Brasserie

    The Midlands & the Marches

    A sumptuous champagne breakfast (served until 2pm, with options including eggs Benedict and devilled lamb's kidneys) is the showpiece of this elegant…

  • Osborne Bros

    East Anglia

    Part fish stall, part bare-bones cafe, Osborne's is set right on Old Leigh's waterfront. It serves up expansive Thames Estuary views, best observed while…

  • Huffkins

    The Cotswolds

    The original outlet of a Cotswolds chain that’s been baking and serving delicious scones, cakes and pies since 1890, this lively, friendly cafe is usually…

  • The Gun

    East London

    Set at the end of a residential street that somehow survived the Blitz, this early 18th-century riverside pub has been seriously dolled up, but still…

  • Juliet's Garden Restaurant

    Isles of Scilly

    St Mary's long-standing bistro, in business for over three decades, is still the best place to eat. It's in a converted barn 15 minutes' walk from town:…

  • Moya

    Oxford

    While Slovakian food has yet to sweep the foodie world, this little evening-only place has a lot of local fans. Vegetarians love the halusky dumplings,…

  • Ognisko

    Kensington & Hyde Park

    Ognisko has been a stalwart of the Polish community in London since 1940 (it's part of the Polish Hearth Club). The grand dining room is stunning, bathed…

  • St Martin’s Coffeehouse

    Southeast England

    A little cocoon of nooks and crannies tucked away in a part-18th-century, part-medieval town house, this organic cafe serves freshly ground coffee with…

  • Baltic

    South Bank

    In a bright and airy, high-ceilinged dining room with glass roof and wooden beams, Baltic is travel on a plate: dumplings and blini, pickle and smoke,…

  • River Cottage Canteen

    Winchester

    The setting is pretty idyllic – beside a rushing river in an imaginatively converted Georgian mill. Memorable food focuses on sustainable fish and …

  • Annie's Burger Shack

    Nottingham

    More than 30 different burgers (available in vegan, veggie or meat versions) are on the menu at Annie's, a wildly popular joint in the Lace Market that…

  • Brew Brothers

    The Lake District

    The hipster cafe comes to Kendal at this new number on Highgate. With its scruffy wood furniture and black-aproned baristas, it's got the aesthetic down,…

  • Boot Inn

    The Lake District

    Owned by Robinson Brewery, this whitewashed inn (single/double £60/90) is a popular lunch stop for passengers on La'al Ratty – the station at Dalegarth…

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