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Best Local Restaurant
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Covino

Cheshire, Chester - Modern European - Restaurant - ££

Overall Rating: Very Good

Uniqueness:Does the establishment stand out in the context of the local area? Very Good

Deliciousness:How delicious is the food? Very Good

Warmth:How warm is the service and the hospitality in general? Very Good

Strength of recommendation:How enthusiastically and widely would you recommend the establishment? Very Good

* Chef George Prole is leaving and the restaurant is launching a programme of ‘guest chef’ residencies, beginning with Chester-based Roux scholar Harry Guy, who will take over the kitchen for three months from 17 January 2025. Watch for a new review.* If you think Covino is just a touch snug in its dimensions, be aware that when it first opened, just around the corner, it was even teensier. Tuck your elbows in, and be prepared to be seduced by a high-achieving gastronomic wine bar that has become an integral component of Chester's dynamic city centre. The midweek evening offer extends to a lunchtime start on Fridays and Saturdays (as the end of the working week beckons), and it reliably encompasses lively small-plate dining of true distinction. A combo of beetroot and tofu dressed in gochujang and sesame competes with a salad of bitter leaves, Bleu d'Auvergne and orange in the vitamin stakes. Pasta is impressive, perhaps cavatelli with Marina di Chioggia squash and sage, w...

* Chef George Prole is leaving and the restaurant is launching a programme of ‘guest chef’ residencies, beginning with Chester-based Roux scholar Harry Guy, who will take over the kitchen for three months from 17 January 2025. Watch for a new review.*

If you think Covino is just a touch snug in its dimensions, be aware that when it first opened, just around the corner, it was even teensier. Tuck your elbows in, and be prepared to be seduced by a high-achieving gastronomic wine bar that has become an integral component of Chester's dynamic city centre. The midweek evening offer extends to a lunchtime start on Fridays and Saturdays (as the end of the working week beckons), and it reliably encompasses lively small-plate dining of true distinction. A combo of beetroot and tofu dressed in gochujang and sesame competes with a salad of bitter leaves, Bleu d'Auvergne and orange in the vitamin stakes. Pasta is impressive, perhaps cavatelli with Marina di Chioggia squash and sage, while proteins get motoring with salt fish beignets and tarragon mayo or the properly satiating guinea fowl with borlotti beans and root veg. The reader who commented that the winning service is 'always charming, always funny,' reminds us that being entertained is an often overlooked, but essential, aspect of happy dining. That, and a bowl of muscovado pudding with Pedro Ximénez-lashed figs, probably. The wine selection continues to impress for its imaginative range.

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VENUE DETAILS

118 Northgate Street
Chester
Cheshire
CH1 2HTGB

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OTHER INFORMATION

Private dining room, Counter seating, Dog friendly, Credit card required

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