Editorial

From new-wave culinary stars to top chefs downsizing to intimate settings, Good Food Guide editor Chloë Hamilton picks her top six new openings to be excited about in 2026.

Sardinian wild fennel soup in a garment factory in Bow, a nourishing frittata in Bloomsbury, the perfect jambon beurre in Covent Garden… While eating a little more lightly to kick off the new year, we’ve picked out our favourite selection of cafés, delis and laid-back restaurants for a simple, seasonal and delightfully delicious lunch.

Ahead of the launch of Restaurant Month 2026 (13th January – 13th February), Adam Hyman, owner of The Good Food Guide, shares his vision for this initiative, and why it’s important to support restaurants through the quieter months

This January and February, The Good Food Guide is inviting you to beat the winter blues with the launch of its first ever Restaurant Month.

The Good Food Guide’s inspectors are a far-flung and fiercely knowledgeable bunch, stationed across the country and constantly feeding back on Britain’s most compelling places to eat. The team spans decades of experience, from long-standing inspectors to newer recruits bringing curiosity and a contemporary lens. What they share is an uncompromising palate and a deep love of eating well. Here ...

Brave the Artic breeze and Helsinki’s dining scene makes for a delicious winter weekend away. Good Food Guide correspondent Stuart Walton explores its best markets, cheery bistros and high-concept counters, finding Finnish winter resilience plated with berries, reindeer and gold dust.

Margate’s dining scene is on fine form and Billy Stock fits right in. The chef has racked up experience at St John and The Marksman, but more importantly has built a strong local following thanks to time well spent in the seaside town, notably as head chef at Sète. No surprise then that The Wellington was packed when we visited ...

Often described as the ultimate Scottish road trip, the North Coast 500 is Scotland’s answer to Route 66 and this year has been celebrating its 10th anniversary. The circular route hugs the north coast for 516 jaw-dropping miles and, despite ongoing rumblings about the pressure on local infrastructure, the steady stream of campervans, classic cars and bikers just keeps on coming. It’s ...

Leeds has shaped one of the strongest dining scenes in the North, built on character rather than flash. It is the home of Bavette, The Good Food Guide’s Best Local Restaurant 2024, and The Highland Laddie, which claimed the top spot in our 100 Best Pubs 2025 list. Together they capture the city’s strengths: confident cooking, clear ideas and a ...

Keeping your finger on the pulse? If you've visited any of the new openings below, let us know what you think by sending us your review.   Restaurants opening this month | Restaurant openings this year | Restaurants opening next year Restaurants opened in 2025: January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November   Opening ...