Must-see restaurants in England

  • Ember Yard

    The West End

    The parillas of Spain, asadors of the Basque country and BBQs of Italy inspire the food at this stylish restaurant, decked out in polished timber, and…

  • Hoppers

    The West End

    All bare brick and spice-box tones, this snug Sri Lankan is the real deal: serving bowl-shaped hoppers (fermented-rice pancakes) alongside karis (curries)…

  • Brasserie Zédel

    The West End

    This restaurant in the renovated art-deco ballroom of a former hotel may be the most French brasserie north of Calais. Favourites include choucroute…

  • Momo

    The West End

    Overflowing with cushions and lamps, and staffed by tambourine-playing waiters, this atmospheric Moroccan restaurant has warm service and dishes as…

  • Bridges

    Shropshire

    Some 5 miles northeast of Church Stretton, at the base of Long Mynd by the river, this is one of those secret country pubs revered for its Three Tuns ale,…

  • Gauthier Soho

    The West End

    Alexis Gauthier's temple of gastronomy is housed over two floors of a handsome Regency townhouse where you have to buzz for entrance. Evening meals are a…

  • Blackfriars

    Newcastle-upon-Tyne

    A 13th-century friary is the atmospheric setting for 'modern medieval' cuisine. Beautiful stained-glass windows frame the dining room; in summer tables…

  • Prawn on the Lawn

    North Cornwall

    An offshoot of a London original, this tiny seafood bar is a new addition to Padstow's dining line-up. It's a simple one-room affair, with bare brick,…

  • Nutshell

    The West End

    The subtle spicing, fresh herbs, expert grilling and unique way with bread and rice that distinguish Persian food are well represented in this inviting…

  • Mildreds

    The West End

    One of the West End's most enduringly popular vegetarian restaurants, Mildreds is crammed at lunchtime: you can't be shy about sharing a table in the sky…

  • 10 Greek St

    The West End

    This confidently undemonstrative bistro is making quite a splash with food that marries top-quality British and Mediterranean produce and techniques…

  • Staith House

    Northeast England

    Opposite the fishing quay where catches are landed daily, gastropub Staith House has a sunny beer garden, bar made from recycled timbers and an…

  • Garden House Inn

    Northeast England

    Dating from the 18th century, rustic country-style inn Garden House does great lunchtime sandwiches, such as lobster or crab, fennel and 'Nduja (spicy…

  • Andrew Edmunds

    The West End

    This charismatic little restaurant, operating from the same Georgian townhouse since 1985, is exactly the sort you might wish still abounded in Soho…

  • Boston Tea Party

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    A spacious, friendly, vintage-chic cafe, where relaxed decor – all blue faux-leather booths and rough wood tables, fresh flowers and colourful cans –…

  • Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons

    Oxfordshire

    Oxford itself has no Michelin-starred restaurants, so local food-lovers make the 9-mile pilgrimage east to this impressive manor house, which has two…

  • Delaunay Counter

    The West End

    The informal sibling of the grand Mitteleuropean Delaunay next door, the Counter goes full Vienna with Sachertorte (dark-chocolate iced cake filled with…

  • Quilon

    The West End

    Specialising in the cuisines of Goa and Kerala, this Michelin-starred restaurant might serve the best and most inventive Indian food in London. While the…

  • Yipin China

    North London

    As authentic a Chinese restaurant as you'll find in London (it's usually full of Chinese diners – a good sign), Yipin specialises in the spicy and…

  • Vine Cafe

    North York Moors National Park

    Goodies plucked from the gardens take centre stage at this whimsical cafe housed in vine-draped Victorian greenhouses within creepers distance of Helmsley…

  • Casa do Frango

    South Bank

    Forget your notions of Nando's: Casa do Frango kicks peri-peri up a notch in its cool plant-filled upstairs space steps away from Borough Market. Frango,…

  • Delaunay

    The West End

    This immaculate spot channels the majesty of the grand cafes of Central Europe. Schnitzels, sausages and fish take pride of place on the menu, which is…

  • Kitty Fisher's

    The West End

    Taking pride of place in Mayfair’s 18th-century Shepherd Market (historically one of London's red-light districts), this cosy dining room is named after…

  • White Peacock

    The Midlands & the Marches

    The beautiful Grade II–listed building sheltering this fine-dining restaurant overlooks pedestrianised New Walk. Ambitious menus might start with…

  • Praza

    Birmingham

    The runaway success of Indian restaurant-cocktail bar Pushkar led the owners to open this sister restaurant in Edgbaston, serving its own signature dishes…

  • Lina Stores

    The West End

    Lina Stores has been operating a deli on Soho's Brewer St since 1944, and they've finally started dishing up their perfect handmade pasta to drooling…

  • Purecraft Bar & Kitchen

    Birmingham

    Fabulous dishes created in the open kitchen of this craft-beer-lover's paradise come with suggested beer pairings. The menu changes monthly but might…

  • Tapasya Marina

    Yorkshire

    Marrying old and new in a converted warehouse with giant windows onto Hull's marina and a projector showing old black-and-white films, this sharp modern…

  • Mortimers

    Shropshire

    For fine dining, this is Ludlow's top table. Dark timber panelling and cosy nooks and crannies create a romantic backdrop for intricate dishes such as…

  • Monsal Head Hotel

    Peak District

    At the dramatic viewpoint of Monsal Head, its namesake hotel serves real ales and brilliant British cuisine, such as Cheshire cheese and horseradish…

  • Oscar Wilde Lounge

    The West End

    An extravagant gilt-and-parquet jewellery box within the Hotel Café Royal, the Oscar Wilde Lounge – dating from 1865 and named after its most famous…

  • Daffodil

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    This breathtaking brasserie conjures its retro setting, in a 1920s cinema, into fabulous art deco glamour, with a delightful daffodil theme from its tiled…

  • Taco Queen

    Brixton, Peckham & South London

    Crowd into this small shopfront for some of the best tacos in town. Started by two former music-industry execs with no restaurant experience, this once…

  • Som Saa

    Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields

    So beloved is Som Saa that it successfully crowdfunded £700,000 to open its first permanent restaurant in this old fabric warehouse. The menu has expanded…

  • Pollen Street Social

    The West End

    Chef Jason Atherton's cathedral to haute cuisine (Michelin-starred within six months of opening) is a worthy splurge, especially for those in search of…

  • Castle Café

    North London

    An utterly unique London experience: this sustainable social enterprise is set within a spacious climbing centre, itself set within a wildly eccentric…

  • Hawksmoor Guildhall

    London

    Parquet floors, maroon leather seating and rich wood panelling create a clubby atmosphere in this subterranean steakhouse, one of a handful in a London…

  • Pied à Terre

    The West End

    This petite and elegant Michelin-starred French restaurant, a stayer on London's dining scene, presents plenty of Francophile favourites (such as skate…

  • Prawn on the Lawn

    North London

    This B&W-tiled establishment both sells the freshest of fish and shellfish as a fishmonger's and serves it as a restaurant. Consult the ever-changing…

  • Northern Soul Grilled Cheese

    Manchester

    Carving out a niche for artery-clogging, gooey grilled-cheese delights in Manchester’s grungy Northern Quarter, Northern Soul is a great spot for a budget…

More destinations you need to see