33 restaurants to book for Boxing Day lunch
Published 21 November 2023

With ‘incredible’ panoramic views stretching over the city to the Pennines beyond, 20 Stories can be an eye-popping experience. Literally towering above its nearest rival when it comes to sheer glitz (ahoy down there, The Ivy Spinningfields!), it's got all the glamorous rooftop cocktails and golden light a socialite could wish for – with the bonus of bottomless brunches, afternoon teas and well-crafted ‘festive family roasts’ on Sundays.

The kitchen also has the chops when it comes to an à la carte menu loaded with good North Country produce and well-grounded technique – as in braised lamb shoulder with grilled heritage squash, BBQ sprouts and chestnuts or pan-roasted cod with cauliflower, fennel, orange and red wine sauce. You're paying for the food and the view, so competitively priced set lunches and pre-theatre deals are worth considering for 'well-made classics' such as seared salmon with courgettes, orzo and basil or a textbook flat iron steak with skinny fries.

Desserts are a highlight, from caramelised pear cheesecake or peach frangipane slice with apricot sorbet to the signature ‘20 Stories wonderland’.  Exhibitionists will love the wine list, drawn from a collection of 600 bins stored in five Eurocave fridges – although a ‘broader range at the lower end’ would be appreciated.

The fact that this vibrant suburban Indian is in a residential area well away from Stockport’s main drag means that it’s still a proper locals’ restaurant – even though its fame has now spread far beyond SK7. Much of the credit must go to owners Sandeep Gursahani and Donya Bonyadi, who put their heart and soul into the place, treat kids with affection and ensure that standards remain ‘sky-high’. The interior is a riot of colour (posters, framed photographs, murals, bright orange napkins), while ‘incredibly friendly’ staff are always happy to guide diners through the menu. Check out the Indo-Chinese specialities and dishes from Sindh province (Sandeep’s homeland), although there are well-rendered regional winners wherever you look. Regulars know most of the repertoire by heart but there is always the odd surprise, such as a lightly spiced chicken kebab – hunks of juicy meat, each on a hanging skewer, set over smouldering charcoal to give the whole thing a delicious smokiness. Hits are many and varied, from the crispest masala dosa with soothing coconut chutney to the ‘Mumbai sizzler’ (a fiercely hot metal skillet with cubes of paneer, onions, a stuffed pepper, makhani sauce and rice) – perfect with a superb onion and chilli kulcha. Fans of Bollywood movies will recognise the curious names of some dishes: Lai Bhaari, for example, is a fabulous lamb creation with a gorgeous sauce (sweet jaggery, sharp tamarind, earthily savoury peanuts). To finish, try a ‘sizzling brownie’ or the mini white chocolate and cinnamon samosa. Drink Indian beer or one of the Bollywood-themed cocktails.

This Spanish Black Cat lurks in one corner of the Exchange Flags courtyard by Liverpool City Hall, behind a monument to Nelson and four of his poignantly chained French captives. Inside is an expansive, impressive space, smartly furnished and run by enthusiastic, courteous and hard-working staff who know all about the extensive tapas menus.

The dishes are mostly familiar items from the Castilian and Catalan traditions, rendered with a panache that inspires confidence, but incorporating the odd outlier. Caramelised cauliflower with shabu-shabu is off-piste, likewise harissa-roasted butternut squash, although the classics also get a decent outing: look for salt cod croquetas, super-fresh boquerones, patatas bravas, little chorizos in thickly reduced cider sauce and pinchos morunos (skewers of spicy marinated Ibérico pork with sobrasada sauce and salsa verde). Cheeses and charcuterie are there for the taking too.

When it comes to dessert, the Spanish classics are the ones to go for: dense, moist tarta Santiago with salted caramel mousse; baked Basque-style cheesecake with Turrón sauce. A party of three can eat for £20 up till 5pm most days, while cocktails and international wines should keep things swinging – although it can get very noisy at peak times.

It’s the whole cod’s head, drenched in sriracha butter, that brings us face to face with the truth: the pursuit of sustainability is going to change the way chefs cook and we eat. Leading the charge are Jack Croft and Will Murray, two young chefs who honed their skills at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal before opening Fallow, originally a pop-up, now a fixture in St James’s. ‘Creative cooking, sustainable thinking’ goes the strapline, and that’s certainly what we get. The menu is broad, incorporating small and large plates, sides, snacks, steaks (45-day dry-aged dairy cow) and Sunday roasts (fallow deer, for example). The £38 lunch is a good deal, though sides and supplements soon bump up the bill. Two snacks to start: piping hot, liquid-centred cauliflower cheese croquetas with black garlic mayo, and fried corn ribs dusted with kombu seasoning, best enjoyed with a drink. Mushroom parfait, sounds pricey at £18, but with hefty slices of sourdough toast it’s generous and as rich as any chicken liver parfait. Impressively, the mushrooms are grown in-house. Presentation throughout is rustic, bordering on eccentric. To wit, that cod’s head, concealing plentiful beautiful moist flesh. Credit to Fallow for the focus on nose-to-tail eating, even if the lamb’s tongue with caper sauce proves divisive. Desserts are interesting and mostly impressive, such as sourdough soft-serve and a wobbly caramelised whey tart which just wanted finer pastry. Fallow is progressive but approachable: the glass-walled dining room with bar and open kitchen is boisterous and packed with folk of all ages. The casual vibe belies the ambition of the wine cellar, which offers few bottles under £50 and some 'grands noms' for those with the means.

‘A celebratory and inspiring environment offering a little bit of escapism in the heart of Oxford,’ is one reader’s verdict on this long-standing beau monde favourite, which now boasts a heated garden terrace and an adjacent art gallery/private dining space (handy for wedding bashes). The essence of Gees, though, has always been its beautiful conservatory restaurant, converted from a greengrocer’s in 1985 and still under the same ownership.

Globe lights dangle from the glass roof, while black-and-white tiled flooring and a convivial crowd of youngish locals add to the brasserie vibe – as does the catch-all Med-inspired menu. Crisp, thin-based pizzette with regularly changing toppings (including an inspired pairing of Taleggio with potatoes and thyme) are equally good as a first course or as a snack with drinks; alternatively, start with harissa-roasted squash, chickpeas and feta. Moving on, ‘today’s fish’ could be a little fillet of fresh mackerel matched with a wonderfully punchy anchovy and tomato salsa; otherwise, dip into the selection of pastas – perhaps rigatoni with duck ragù and pecorino. Sides such as tenderstem broccoli with chimichurri provide the greenery, yet also bump up an already sizeable bill.

To finish, desserts such as chocolate nemesis and crema catalana maintain the broadly Med theme, likewise unhurried Sunday roasts such as porchetta with chorizo-roast potatoes, carrots and courgettes. However, Gees' main attraction is its happy hubbub, helped along by agreeable young staff and a drinks list comprising cocktails and a 30-strong selection of wines with southern Europe as the main player.

There had been high-end Chinese eateries in London before visionary restaurateur Alan Yau launched Hakkasan in 2001 but none that had made the concept approachably aspirational rather than simply offering dining rooms for the rich. This 2010 sequel keeps all that was ground-breaking about the Tottenham Court Road original but in a Mayfair location that seems a better fit for the high-octane glamour of it all. A mirror hanging above the staircase to the basement dining room emphasises that this is a restaurant where appearances are at a premium and, from the carved oriental screens and spot-lit tables to the scarily good-looking staff, Hakkasan Mayfair is not somewhere to slum it. Then again, this is food to dress up for. The Anglo-Chinese favourites can be pimped up with luxury produce – the Peking duck comes with the optional addition of beluga caviar – but all the ingredients here are top-notch (as indeed they should be at these prices) and the quality of cooking is unfailingly high. The pork ribs are smoked with jasmine tea, the Singapore noodles adorned with jumbo-sized prawns (rather than the usual sad specimens), soft-shell crab, squid and Dover sole are gently encased in the lightest of batters, while perfectly timed pak choi zings with fresh ginger. Balance is a hallmark of the Hakkasan kitchen, whether the genuinely sweet-and-sour Duke of Berkshire pork (a best-in-class rendition of the clichéd dish), the hot-and-sour crispy freshwater prawns with chillies and cashews (an update of the classic kung po), or the sharp and rich slow-roasted ibérico pork char siu coated with black garlic glaze, mustard dressing and pickled daikon. Wines from the style-led list will at least double the bill, while other drawbacks to dining here include tightly packed tables that allow easy eavesdropping and a throbbing soundtrack that would not be out of place in a nightclub. Natural light makes the ground-floor dining room-cum-lounge bar feel less claustrophobic, not least for daytime dim sum that is some of the best in London. But for special occasions – or any time you just want to feel special – Hakkasan Mayfair fits the sizeable bill.

Picture the scene: a lovely sunny day and a delightful lunch by the sea, complete with a gorgeous panoramic prospect of Dorset’s cliffs and headlands beyond. In fine weather, diners head for the covered marquee, before dipping into the ever-changing menu of fresh, flavoursome local seafood. Breakfast and lunch are the main events, with staples such as crab sandwiches or Newlyn hake and chips competing with specials from the day’s catch – perhaps grilled megrim sole with samphire, crayfish and blackened cauliflower purée or halibut in tomato jus with edamame beans. For afters, nothing beats a creamy lemon posset with heady notes of citrus. Enthusiastic local staff stay focused – even when the place is packed. Decent drinks too.

There's something deeply reassuring about this grand lodge in a remote but spectacular spot overlooking the Irish Sea. It’s probably all down to the traditional decor – the tartan armchairs, the floral swagged windows, the open fireplaces, panelled walls and slightly faded paintwork – yet in the elegant dining room (all linen napery and china display cabinets) any stuffiness is offset by cool background tunes and informal, young staff. And if you're lucky enough to get the window table, your view across the gently sloping lawn to the sea and (on a good day) Ireland, is well worth the price of admission. Veteran chef Tony Pierce’s set five-course dinner menu might begin with a teacup of chilled vichyssoise (‘perfect in blistering summer temperatures’) followed by a 'delicate chicken and egg sausage' – actually a tiny feather-light omelette with a wafer-thin slice of mushroom and a subtle Madeira and truffle broth. Next up, a simple but delicious Galloway beef consommé with a touch of sherry, the perfect precursor to a beautifully judged serving of Isle of Gigha halibut with chard, garden beans, peas and an exquisite saffron and Champagne emulsion – ‘a riot of high-summer colour and flavours'. To finish, we suggest the textbook strawberry soufflé served with passion fruit sorbet. The ‘brilliantly put together’ wine list roams the globe, and the Coravin system allows you to sample widely (and well) by the glass.

Embracing the country house genre with charm, sumptuously sited Lympstone Manor boasts picture-perfect views across its own extensive vineyards to the Exe estuary, plus three gracious chandeliered dining rooms, luxe bedrooms, and a front-of-house team well-drilled in old-school 'silver-ish' service.

Where Lympstone parts company with tradition, however, is in the food. Michael Caines' cooking, with its roots in France and Britain, is a tantalising mix of classic and modern. His carte and tasting menus are deftly executed by head chef Jordan Denning and, while breaking new ground is not the game here, the cooking shows off superlative produce and gains vitality (as well as identity) via its use of sharp flavours to point up the main ingredients. A delicate nugget of warm Lyme Bay lobster offset by a mango and lime vinaigrette, cardamom, curried mayonnaise and oscietra caviar is a delightful interplay of sweetness and acidity, while salted cod with dabs of confit lemon, samphire, crabmeat and chorizo foam creates a multi-layered sensation.

Other revelations have been the straightforward pleasure of new season's Powderham Estate lamb – a gloriously flavoured rib chop – with pea purée, a dice of braised boulangère potatoes, balsamic-glazed onion and a glossy truffle jus. Similar contentment is to be found among the desserts, especially a delicate apple mousse with Granny Smith apple sorbet and vanilla foam.

As for the wine list, Lympstone Blanc de Blancs and rosé sparklers head up a stunning collection that is resplendent in quality and imagination for those with the readies. Fine wines by the small glass are a flawless bunch. It’s also worth noting that the Pool House overlooking the heated pool and vineyard sets a more informal tone, with a broadly appealing menu that aims for easy satisfaction.

*Solo will close its doors for a complete refurb after lunch service on 27 July 2025. Re-opening at the beginning of November 2025.*

Tim Allen moved some 250 miles from his former post at the Flitch of Bacon in Essex to set up Solo, his first independent venture. The erstwhile roadside pub is warmly welcoming and comfortable, tables are well spaced, chairs padded and two blazing fires were 'much appreciated' on a wet autumn evening when we visited. Service is relaxed (as is the atmosphere), but it's clear that this is a serious operation. It's a brilliant local asset, too – the no-choice set lunch is excellent value for the quality on offer.

The chef's cooking has confidence, his ideas speak of maturity, and you get the impression that he spends every spare moment trying out new ideas – his six-course evening taster (including vegetarian and pescatarian versions) changes regularly with the emphasis firmly on local and regional ingredients. You might begin with perfectly al dente agnolotti filled with spinach and dressed with a Parmesan foam, sweetcorn, a lightly poached quail’s egg and a rich brown chicken jus, then proceed to Cornish brill with diced salt-baked celeriac, ceps and smoked eel in a lovage-infused sauce.

Cauliflower, heady with Madras spices and the sweet-sour flavours of lentil dhal with lime buttermilk, has the making of a signature dish, while tender Aynhoe Park venison loin, paired with beetroot and red verjus, was evidence of the use of top-quality produce. A riff on raspberries teamed with caramelised white chocolate and verbena could be one of a pair of desserts.

On Sundays, Allen cleverly weaves a traditional roast in a mini four-course taster that is refined enough to wow but served with 'zero pretentiousness'. There is plenty of decent drinking by the glass on a short, global wine list that includes some skin-contact, organic and biodynamic bottles.

Specialising in the culinary traditions of Kerala in southern India, Tharavadu generates a voluminous stream of plaudits from loyal customers. It has the kind of fanbase that not only returns regularly, but has acquired some knowledge of the distinctive regional specialities the kitchen deals in. The former captain of India's test cricket team, Virat Kohli, is a confirmed supporter, and there ought to be no arguing with an endorsement like that. In the warm embrace of hospitable staff, everybody feels welcome, and the kitchen hits one highlight after another. The mutta roast starter, a preparation of boiled eggs in chilli-hot tomato and onion, served with appam, is technically a breakfast dish, but who's counting? A more conventional way in might be with adipoli chemmeen, grilled prawns alight with their spice marinade, served with lemon chutney. Fans dream of the meen koottan, a classic coastal fish curry replete with Keralan seasonings and kokum mangosteen, best ordered with house paratha. Lamb mappas is a traditional Easter dish of the regional Christian community, incorporating spinach and a complex mix of garam masala and other spices. There's fresh okra in mustard as a side-order, zesty lemon rice to accompany, and cardamom and saffron vermicelli if you've any room left. A decent wine list, from £17.95, should cope with the cooking.

Once home to the only Abergavenny man ever to become Mayor of London, the Angel is a classic late-Georgian coaching inn with pillared entrance and flying flags – a sturdy-looking monument to the graces of hospitality. Its main dining space, the Oak Room, adorned with colourful modern paintings, plays host to Wesley Hammond's resourceful cooking, but a table in the courtyard on a sunny day makes for its own kind of contentment.

The choice is as vast as people would expect to see in a pub/hotel dining room, with starters ranging from favourites such as crab cocktail to San Daniele ham with figs and Camembert, while main courses bring on pan-fried skate wing with parsley potatoes and caper sauce, burgers, dry-aged steaks and venison haunch in sauce Diane with colcannon mash. Wye Valley asparagus is welcomed in like an old friend when its season comes around each year. Finish with tarte tatin and amaretto ice cream or chocolate nemesis with clementine sorbet; otherwise, plump for the three-part ‘café gourmand’ selection of mini desserts.

Everything is served in an atmosphere of infectious jollity, with Sunday lunches offering a particularly valued local resource. The hotel is also known for its afternoon teas and high teas. A serviceable range of wines comes in three glass sizes as well as by the bottle (check out the Welsh representatives from White Castle Vineyard in Llanvetherine), and the bartender's full-throttle Negroni is made with Tanqueray gin.

At the hub of a Sussex hilltop village, with a sunny terrace overlooking the local church, this reimagined 16th-century inn has all the nooks, crannies, inglenooks, oak beams and floral displays that you could wish for. Efficient, cheery staff keep things rolling along, bringing ‘pint milk bottles’ of water to each table as a matter of course. The place gets packed and everyone is here for the food – thanks to a confident kitchen that can deliver consistent crowd-pleasing dishes from a regular menu and a chalked-up specials board that included a tempting with a crab-topped crumpet with cucumber and almond cream.

Burgers, pies and battered fish keep the traditionalists happy, but there's room for invention too: a well-balanced goat’s cheese brûlée delivered on all fronts, with a fine lavosh cracker alongside, while cod fillet was perfectly pan-fried, with impressive accompaniments including a crayfish beurre noisette, silky-smooth celeriac purée, savoy cabbage and crispy Parmesan-crusted potatoes. Meaty choices range from Surrey ribeye steaks with peppercorn butter to haunch of local venison richly embellished with a braised shoulder tartlet, quince poached in mulled wine, potato terrine and a boozy sauce. And on Sundays, the prospect of three ultra-traditional roasts guarantees regular full houses.

The kitchen puts on a show when it comes to desserts: our deep-filled lemon tart had bags of citrus tang, with blackberry purée and blackberry sorbet on the side, while a dark chocolate terrine was lifted by a raspberry sorbet and maple-flavoured honeycomb. The well-considered wine collection offers oodles by the glass, including a range of Sussex sparklers.

Just on the other side of the ancient bridge over the river Teme, this busy inn has been a stopping point for travellers for centuries. Try to secure a table by the window – the view of the river, with its attendant ducks and geese is utterly beguiling, as is the roofscape of the vibrant old town that rises from the far bank. Run by Cedric Bosi, younger brother of the much-lauded Claude (of Hibiscus and Bidendum fame), the kitchen turns out some pretty good food. The mainly British menu does allow the odd French slip: a Scotch egg, cooked to runny-yolk perfection, is encased in merguez-style sausage; a fish soup is delivered complete with rouille and Gruyère; a café gourmand comes with a very French range of petits fours, including chocolate opera cake and delicate macarons. But locals are just as likely to order fish and chips or a fully loaded burger from the chargrill, considering that 'this is the best and most relaxed way to eat out in Ludlow at the moment'. Staff are happy to bring a pint through from the pub, but the restaurant focus is on the reasonably priced wine list.

‘What a lovely little place,’ observes one visitor to Dominic Chapman’s classy village pub not far from Maidenhead. All-comers are welcome here, and accommodating staff are keen to keep everyone happy – whether you’re in for a pint after walking the dog in the nearby woods or have ‘turned up from London in a fancy car’. Inside, it looks and feels local but with a gentrified veneer; prices on the seasonal carte are at the higher end of the foodie pub scale, but there’s also a set deal (dubbed ‘the village menu’) which will provide three courses for under £30.

Chapman’s sure-footed cooking brings judiciously sourced ingredients (some of them local) and worldly-wise culinary technique to the table – from his renowned lasagne of wild rabbit, wood blewits and chervil to peppered fillet of wild venison with creamed spinach, celeriac purée and sauce poivrade. He also has a way with fish, be it roast Cornish cod (with gremolata and olive oil) or line-caught Cornish sea bass (with potato gnocchi, purple sprouting broccoli, girolles and a boozy red wine sauce). Alternatively, look to the specials if you fancy a plate of tagliolini with smoked salmon or a stomach-warming oxtail and kidney pie with mash.

Desserts are fashioned with immaculate skill, witness dark chocolate délice with cherries, salted-caramel ice cream and almond biscuit – although there’s also room for a generous helping of steamed treacle pud with custard. The wine list is noteworthy too, offering plentiful by-the-glass options covering most major grape varieties. In short, ‘an all-round perfect local’ and a ‘huge asset to the area’. 

It’s all change at the historic Crown, with the arrival of restless, talented chef-patron Simon Bonwick, who has installed dozens of his own artworks and now offers various menus with the accent on old-style French cooking. Thankfully, the cosy 16th-century pub remains largely unchanged: locals still come to sup pints of ale among its ancient beams, low ceilings and wood-burning stoves, while checked tablecloths and a soundtrack of soulful jazz ballads add to the mellow bistro vibe in the dining area; outside is a large beer garden.

A blackboard bar menu is served through the week, with poshed-up pub nosh such as pie and mash or exquisitely presented, flavourful rabbit rillettes with pickles, while the first-rate bread is baked fresh for every sitting. From Wednesday onwards, a slightly more ambitious choice comes into play, perhaps starting with sharp pickled herring on a disc of potato salad, followed by poached chicken with mash or a lemon sole ('market fish, like when in Paris,’ says the menu). At our meal, both main courses had highs and lows: excellent braised carrots with the chicken, but the unremarkable chunks of skinless breast arrived in a tangy, vinegary sauce lacking the promised notes of tarragon, while the fillets of pan-fried fish came folded over and short on succulence, although the buttery meunière sauce was textbook.

For afters, there were no caveats about a properly weighty syrup sponge and a lemon curd crumble (crisp crumble, thick curd). Knowledgeable, engaging young staff add to the Crown's polish, likewise a lengthy wine list where even the house options have character. To sample Bonwick’s undoubted culinary flair to the full, book a seat at the ‘Troublesome Lodger’ Snug (Thursday to Saturday), where a six-course tasting menu encompasses his idiosyncratic take on French cuisine and traditional British specials.

With its simple whitewashed interiors, this unpretentious roadside hostelry is a relief from the many designer-led pubs hereabouts. There are no airs or graces, just a warm welcome from the staff and all the ingredients for a please-all boozer: quizzes, music, a dog- and child-friendly attitude, beers at the bar and decent food (think pizzas, curries, salads and suchlike). Otherwise, look to the specials for generous helpings of local seafood – mussels in winter, crab/lobster in summer. To drink, Brancaster Brewery ales compete with a brief wine list and a mighty rum selection. Jolly by name…

There are lots of hints that this semi-rural pub in the upmarket residential village of Old Windsor is part of Scottish-born chef Adam Handling’s mini empire. With its stylish tartan tub chairs and walls bedecked with dried heather and flowers, the decor has more than a hint of a modern Highland lodge about it. The menu includes signature Handling dishes such as the excellent sourdough served with chicken butter, chicken-skin scratchings and an intense but quaffable chicken jus for dunking. The biggest clue, however, is just how polished, professional and smooth the whole operation is. This might be a pub (and a highly enjoyable one at that), but high standards are maintained throughout – especially when it comes to the beautifully presented, precisely cooked and big flavoured food. Purists might be surprised by the artfully arranged pile of paprika-flavoured crispy shallots that tops off a playful version of steak tartare, but they wouldn’t argue with the extra layer of complexity they lend to this otherwise classic dish. To follow, chicken breast, possibly cooked sous-vide before being browned in a pan, was exceptionally tender and had excellent flavour, the mark of a good bird. Simply but elegantly garnished with tenderstem broccoli, fresh basil, crème fraîche and 'London miso', it was the perfect lunch dish. For afters, 'the king's trifle' involved a subtle yet spicy mix of parkin, ginger cream, custard and strawberry jelly topped with candied pistachios. You will also need to be strong willed to avoid bumping up your bill with some tempting snacks such as the intriguing octopus 'hot dog' in a brioche bun with mustard and harissa. Wine doesn’t come cheap either, with just four bottles under £40, but it’s an interesting and thoughtfully assembled list – particularly if you fancy splashing out at the higher end. In good weather, a seat on the shaded front terrace overlooking open fields would be the ideal spot for a lazy repast.

As with bungee-jumping or a trip to Venice, dinner at The Ritz is one of those experiences that every life should ideally embrace at least once. There is nothing in either hemisphere that looks like the hotel's dining room on a balmy day, with the sun pouring in off Green Park – unless it be the evening scene, when gilded Poseidon lolls on his pedestal, sparkling chandeliers twinkle and the silverware gleams like honesty in a sinful world.

In the distant past, the cooking idled amid pedestrian Anglo-French cliché, but under John Williams MBE, it began a steady ascent toward global greatness. Needless to say, the style of service is an exercise in arts that have been cheerfully abandoned elsewhere, and yet there is genuine warmth within the impeccable propriety. Prime materials from the home nations – organic Cornish beef, Lakeland lamb, Scottish lobster – furnish a menu that is supple enough to be parlayed into five- or seven-course ‘epicurean experiences’ for those reluctant to tear themselves away.

To start, there's Dorset crab dressed in crème fraîche and adorned with Imperial caviar, or you might plump for roast quail cooked in verjus and crunchy with hazelnuts. The delicacy of timing is exemplary throughout, from wild sea bass with artichoke and lemon to truffled veal fillet with chestnuts, but equally sharp judgement distinguishes the miraculously tender roe deer and its aromatic garnitures of smoked beetroot and juniper.

Tableside service was what there was before open kitchens, a chance to see the finishing touches being applied to dîner à deux servings of Dover sole or beef Wellington, followed perhaps by crêpes Suzette – an Edwardian culinary bloop that stuck. Otherwise, look to chocolate soufflé with vanilla Chantilly, chestnut Mont Blanc or the distinctly daring port-roasted figs in orange and olive oil.

If you're after a spot of wine as well, the Ritz can oblige. Perhaps start with a larger-than-average glass of the ‘Champagne of the month’, before setting about the main list. French and Italian classics form the solid, lottery-win foundation, but there are excellent selections from South America and Australasia too.

Off the beaten track, and not an easy place to find, this 16th-century half-timbered building stands on the banks of the river Lugg, positioned by an old stone bridge on the Mortimer Trail (a 30-mile walking route from Ludlow to Kington). Inside, a warren of heavily beamed rooms with wonky floors and open fires provides nooks for a quiet tête-a-tête and separate spaces for louder crowds or those with their four-legged friends; the terraced garden comes into its own on fine days. Service is friendly and welcoming. In the kitchen, Andy Link and his team take sustainability, ethical sourcing and food miles seriously, seeking out the very best that the region has to offer from local farms and artisan suppliers, backed up by their own kitchen garden (and their own hens). We noticed that lunchtime regulars tended to favour the perfectly cooked rare-breed Herefordshire steak sandwich with truffle chips, but we enjoyed a light meal of crispy garlicky Herefordshire snails with truffle mayo, followed by eye-catching river trout cured in beetroot and local Chase gin, plus a delightful poached pear accompanied by a scoop of assertive blue-cheese ice cream to finish. Many other items have been singled out for praise, from a generous piece of grilled and lightly caramelised cod served on a pile of peas and mangetout with a lovely lovage sauce to a dish of chicken with courgettes, garden chard and wild herb pesto that 'had some body’. For afters, readers have endorsed the nettle cake and the rhubarb purée with 'custard mousse'. A good chunk of the decently priced wine list is vegan or vegetarian – though given the impressive ethos of the place, there are surprisingly few English offerings.

*Peter Eaton (long-serving executive chef at the Woodspeen) has replaced Grahame Wickham as head chef.*

‘It’s the whole package,’ affirms one of the White Hart’s many advocates. The setting is a sprawling 15th-century pub a short drive from Oxford featuring a stunning dining hall with a soaring beamed ceiling, weighty wooden furniture and a stone fireplace. A mezzanine, a bar serving local ales, and an ‘orangery’ (popular for summertime pizzas) are further enticements. Happy young black-clad staff help to lighten the mood, aided by an all-encompassing drinks list and a menu of tempting modern assemblies ranging from posh fish and chips to more ambitious French-accented dishes.

Co-owner Mark Chandler has handed over the day-to-day cheffing duties to Grahame Wickham, who is maintaining the pub's reputation for assured, seasonally attuned cooking. Our November visit opened with a pairing of goat's cheese mousse and deep-fried goat's cheese bonbons with fig chutney and fresh figs from the owners' tree, while a main course of pan-roasted duck breast upped the ante, the juicy, tender meat well-matched with zesty preserved plums, kale and mashed sweet potato. Fish is also impressively handled, witness a handsome serving of succulent on-the-bone monkfish ‘bourguignon’, presented with pommes Anna and smoked pancetta in a tasty red wine jus.

Best of all was a gratifyingly large portion of lusciously creamy custard tart with poached pear, pear ice cream and a crunchy mouthful of honeycomb, full of bonfire-night flavours. There's also high praise for the Sunday roasts, topped up with seasonal vegetables from the pub's own garden and served with ‘pride and enthusiasm’. Small wonder that this package is often bursting at the seams with customers.

It could be just another whitewashed roadside inn, briefly glimpsed along the A149 as you drive past, but the White Horse is something special. Set on the marshes, it provides one of the best views along the coast and manages an impressive balancing act between pub and restaurant. A rustic public bar caters for drinkers who can spill out onto the front courtyard when the sun shines, while the light-filled conservatory dining room and terrace maximise the views – big skies, tidal creeks, little boats.

Here, chef Fran Hartshorne presents a strong 'when in Norfolk' case for choosing the exceptional mussels, half a dozen oysters served classically or tempura, dressed Cromer crab or delicious smoked salmon from the tiny Staithe Smokehouse on the premises. Elsewhere, pan-seared sea trout with leeks, local cockles, clams and brown shrimps, smoked cream and potato is a straightforward pleasure, as is marsh-grazed sirloin with Café de Paris butter and skin-on fries – one of the few meat options. For afters, the signature lemon tart with blueberries, Dann's Farm yoghurt sorbet and poppyseed crumb beckons.

If you want something more casual, head down to Marshside, the pub’s seasonal, alfresco hangout for a cocktail, glass of wine or beer plus a few small sharing plates – a robata-grilled scallop, devilled mussel crumpet or Cheddar doughnuts, say. You might, however, like to keep large plates of grilled lobster and chips or crayfish poutine to yourself. In both dining areas, the well-targeted, international wine list offers plenty by the glass.

Having conquered the populist bistro scene in the north-west, serial crowd-funding restaurateur Gary Usher turned his hand to the pub sector in 2023. The result was the White Horse – a pleasingly spacious and sensitively renovated old hostelry in a pretty village near Chester.  Soft colours, vibrant food paintings and glittering light fittings set the tone, with a big conservatory opening out onto the garden.

The menu is short but suits all-comers: a solo lunch of whitebait, steak frites and panna cotta hit the bullseye for one diner, while others have raved about the Korean chicken wings with pickled ginger, the melting pulled lamb shoulder, an ‘incredible’ dish of John Dory in tarragon beurre blanc and the mighty handmade cheese and onion pie. Usher’s legendary truffle and Parmesan chips are present and correct, while puddings are of the hearty, calorific variety (unless you prefer a triple chocolate brownie). And it’s all served by absolutely charming staff who know how to look after their regulars but welcome everybody with a smile. 

Weekday two-course deals are a steal at £25, and Sunday lunches receive a round of applause – as does the terrific line-up of beers. Cocktails and fairly priced wines also pass muster. Regular community-based events, a prolific guest chef calendar and a bakery pop-up on Saturday mornings 'help to keep things fresh,’ notes one fan.

Atul Kochhar was among the first generation of chefs to reinvent Indian cooking for the modern age. At his second Marlow address (he also runs Sindhu by the riverside), a gentle atmosphere is created by means of muted woodland colours, a sequence of matching framed pictures and festoon lighting across the ceiling.

However, there is plenty to excite the imagination on a series of resourceful menus that might feature tandoori broccoli with tomato chutney and pomegranate to start, or perhaps baked spiced scallops with cauliflower purée and herb-scented ghee. Spicing is generally found to be on the mild side, so don't expect to be blasted with chilli – certainly not when lobster cooked in the tandoor comes with caramelised tomato and coconut korma alongside a grilled pineapple salad.

A knowledgeable reader was particularly impressed by what Kochhar makes of traditional dishes like dhal makhani and saag gosht, but it is the more speculative ideas such as muntjac venison with aubergine, celeriac purée and a sauce of berries and chocolate that will tantalise a novelty-hungry crowd. By the time desserts are offered, the influence of Subcontinental cooking may have receded to a dot on the Indian Ocean horizon – or so it seems with carrot cake and walnut brittle, or chocolate fondant with berry salsa. Prepare your palate with an apposite cocktail such as a fragrantly fizzy jaggery and coriander mojito, before moving on to full-bodied wines with bags of tang.