Restaurants for your best alfresco meal of the year
Published 07 April 2025

Ahoy there landlubbers! You don’t need to have your sea legs to enjoy the unique experience of dining at Barge East, a floating (but not moving) restaurant on the river Lee at Hackney Wick. The carefully preserved Dutch barge has been moored there for five years, and has grown during that time to include a street kitchen and canalside garden and to adapt to the needs of visitors to the area which now include West Ham football fans (check for home fixtures before you book) and besequinned devotees en route to the ABBA Voyage Arena. Inside the barge, it’s more hygge than hectic, with upcycled wooden tables, cushions and little vases of flowers. The vibe is romantic, quirky, and charming. While the cooking is fairly up-to-the-minute – zero-waste techniques feed into the menu – it’s all very approachable. You don’t have to be Gen Z to understand what you’re eating. We were impressed by a nicely made ham hock and pistachio terrine with ajo blanco, and by classical venison loin with pomegranate, parsnip and bread sauce. Loquat purée and mushroom XO don’t do an awful lot for English asparagus, but the produce can’t be faulted. Other dishes might include whey-brined chicken with braised spelt and wild garlic pesto or spiced cauliflower with cauliflower-leaf bhaji and rice cakes. Finish with sticky toffee pudding, sweet cicely panna cotta or an inspired cheese course of ‘lost bread’ with Wigmore, walnuts, celery. A list of European wines (from £34) includes around half a dozen by the glass. The bill takes the form of a message in a bottle. The message being, you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy a meal out in London.

Brat’s Tomos Parry first did a residency at Climpson’s Arch, a coffee roastery near London Fields, back in 2013. He returned after lockdown and has stayed put. On offer is a rollicking inside-outside operation, with tables in the courtyard by the wood-fired grill, and also inside the railway arch where trains rumble overhead. Service starts in perfunctory fashion. ‘Have you taken a photo of the menu?’ passes for 'hello' (the menu is written on a blackboard, so you need to snap a pic). But what a menu! It reveals Parry’s affinity with cooking from the Basque Country. Many come for the mammoth grilled whole turbot (around £150 and enough for four) and Flintstone-esque beef ribs. Lighter ideas include grilled peas in the pod, salted pollock crudo, young leeks with fresh cheese, and a fritto misto of Flourish Farm produce (including, but not limited to, mint leaves, asparagus, broccoli and a whole red chilli). A top tempura chef could hardly better the lacy batter, pristine frying and impeccable produce on show here. Parry is even better known for his fish cookery, and it’s refreshing to see cuts such as hake collar with aïoli and a soothing, traditional hake pil-pil with kokotxas (cheeks) and big creamy beans. Basque burnt cheeecake has become very fashionable of late, thanks in no small part to Parry; his version, with a puddle of vanilla sauce and rhubarb compôte, is a good one. Excellent cocktails including Climpson’s Espresso Martinis, natural wines and cold Estrella Galicia on draught provide the lubrication. On a busy night, the place is packed, the staff harried, the atmosphere unparalleled. Great fun.

What began as a supper club operating out of the owners’ flat is now firmly established as one of Bristol's go-to eateries. ‘I’ve been making a regular pilgrimage for the last seven years,’ commented one reporter, ‘and it never disappoints.’ Others wax lyrical about the magical atmosphere, the unmatched effervescent energy of the place and the exemplary service – although the constantly changing menu of seasonal tapas forged from top-drawer Spanish ingredients is the undoubted star of the show.

Whether you’re holed up in the cramped bar (dim lights, pop music, cluttered counter seating) or in the open-air section at the front, the kitchen delivers surprisingly eclectic flavours with more than a hint of culinary finesse. Cleverly reworked versions of the classics form the backbone of the repertoire, from tortilla de patatas with allioli to a freewheeling take on Russian salad with tuna belly and tostadas, but it’s also worth delving into the selection of more substantial specialities from the plancha – perhaps salt-grilled wild prawns, chorizo cooked in cider or roast pumpkin with mojo rojo sprinkled with seeds. 

Beautifully presented regional cheeses make a good finale or you could splash out on the three-part dessert board served with two glasses of vino dulce. The drinks list features an impressive selection of Spanish sherries, beers, brandies and wines, as well as a lengthy gin menu; the choice of seasonal cocktails is also much appreciated. 

When visiting Mull, those in the know wouldn't miss this low-key, no-frills dining room perched atop the old CalMac ferry office on the North Pier. There are superb views out to sea but, first, check out the compendious blackboard menu of 'fantastically fresh' seafood. Joint owners (and cousins) Jane Gill and chef Liz McGougan have their own boat (The Highlander) but also procure the pick of the catch from the local crews. That might mean crispy whole sea bream with citrus salsa to a classic fish stew in spiced Tuscan broth with bread and gremolata.

If you’re staying on Mull for a few nights, you can ring the changes – perhaps a few locally grown oysters, an ‘outstanding’ fish pie or a grand platter of grilled seafood doused with garlic butter. They don’t serve chips, although the place is known for its sourdough pizzas (including a lobster thermidor version). Glengorm steaks and a few desserts such as a rich chocolate pot or warm Belgian waffles complete the food offer. It's the Hebridean dream: the best place in town for 'intimacy with a wee buzz', and you can wear an old jumper. Staff are patient and jolly – and they don't treat visitors like tourists (most people on Mull seem to demonstrate this kindness).

To drink, expect anything from Aperol spritz and Mull whisky to fish-friendly white Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Sancerre and Verdejo. Opening times are seasonal and you must book for dinner, although they sometimes take walk-ins for lunch (check the website or social media) – and remember it’s cash only.

Farm dining rather than fine dining is the order of the day at Wiston Estate Winery's on-site restaurant. Situated in a restored 18th-century threshing barn and making use of ingredients from a walled kitchen garden on the estate (as well as bountiful foraged pickings), Chalk's short, regularly changing menu celebrates seasonal produce in a mostly unadorned fashion. The attractive, light-filled dining room's soaring, exposed roof space is hung with pendant lamps, while the whitewashed walls are decorated with original artworks – a pleasing (and often buzzy) backdrop for some equally pleasing food. Chef Tom Kemble has moved on, and the kitchen is now run by his number two, Jordan Powell. Little else has changed: lunch is a carte, while evening meals (Fri and Sat only) revolve around a slightly more elaborate fixed-price menu (aka the Estate Dinner). Either way, expect appealing, uncomplicated cooking with the accent on fresh up-front flavours. Proceedings open with superlative house-baked focaccia and cultured butter, while starters might bring South Coast mackerel – perhaps accompanied by salt-baked beetroot, cucumber, horseradish and a scattering of elderflowers from the estate. Mains also keep things local, from Sussex lamb ravioli to corn-fed chicken breast partnered by confit potato, estate courgettes and onions. To finish, excellent ice creams fragranced with meadowsweet or lemon verbena add the final gloss to desserts such as white peach and almond tart. Lovers of English wine (still as well as sparkling) will appreciate the selection from Wiston’s own cellars, enhanced by a short list of interesting bottles from around the globe. The owners also run wine tours, ‘sundowner safaris’ and tastings, which come highly recommended.

Playing a starring role at the Artisan Market in Edgbaston, Chapter covers a lot of bases in one stylish, streamlined package. Weekend breakfasts should start the day as you mean it to go on, a smart bar with glitzy cocktails opens out to a terrace for drinking in the Birmingham sun, and dining takes place in a smartly attired room with op-art banquettes and an open kitchen. It all looks great (or 'annoyingly photogenic, if your partner insists on snapping') and the whole show is run by a team of impressively knowledgeable staff. Menus (fixed-price or carte) deal in the kind of modern brasserie dishes that city-dwellers love to eat: Caesar salad made with smoked mackerel; ham hock rarebit; chicken ballotine with couscous and chimichurri; market fish in, say, curried cream or lemon and caper butter. Simple bistro desserts won't lack for takers when it comes to strawberry pavlova or a chocolate and pistachio mousse topped with raspberries and a brandy snap. Sunday roasts are an invaluable local amenity, especially for locals who are partial to crackled pork rack or dry-aged beef rump with Yorkshire pud, perhaps served with a side of cauliflower cheese. Drappier Champagnes head up a by-the-glass wine list that isn't pedantic enough to give vintage dates, even for the reds.

The younger sibling of Covino in Chester is altogether a larger, more aspirational affair. Its greatest USP is the location. Although not the first to fly high in the sky over Manchester's city centre, it keeps the urban panorama centre stage with clean, modern lines and a clever use of the rooftop space. The wrap-around interior provides every frill-free table with a pigeon’s eye view; high chairs border the long counter of the open kitchen. The connecting garden area (note the beehives) provides ample seating to satisfy the Mancunian thirst for sunshine when it appears. Climat describes itself as a 'wine-led' restaurant, a reference to their impressively stocked cellar. Burgundy leads the pack but doesn’t dominate. A Xinomavro 2018 from Macedonia had big flavours that partnered well with a robust dish of lamb leg, roasted cauliflower and kale. Unfortunately, the wine descriptions are generic; a sommelier or more informed serving staff might have helped guide the choice. The sharing-plates menu is a good spread of classic and modern, with a broadly Gallic orientation, plus retro and international references: salt fish beignets with aïoli and herb salad; prawn cocktail with avocado mousse and baby gem vol-au-vents; Tamworth pork chop with flat beans and Pommery mustard. The kitchen shows a deft hand with vegetables and salads, which are often enlivened with bitter notes – a combo of beetroot, whipped tofu, charcoal vinaigrette and mustard cress, for example, contrasted its creamy, light and earthy elements well. But there are slips, too, from an excessively oily dressing on purple sprouting broccoli to a plum tarte fine that proved unremarkable. Luckily, the quartet of well-sourced cheeses (a sheep’s milk St Helena; Roquefort-like sheep’s milk Regalis; a lactic, soft goat’s milk Elrick Log; and raw milk Baron Bigod) proved a better finale. It may be unfair to compare Climat with older sibling Covino (both are relaxed and innovative, without being gimmicky), but at inspection we found the latter offered a much more happy-making experience. 

Back in the day, Darleys was a destination address for those looking for a ‘posh option’ when celebrating significant birthdays, anniversaries or graduations. But the current owners, who took over in 2019, have refurbished the old cotton mill overlooking a fast-flowing section of the Derwent and brought in a new team of chefs with strong local backgrounds to make the place more accessible to all. Although the fine-dining aspect has been retained (various tasting menus), you can now drop in for breakfast, work your way through the good-value bistro menu or the carte, and tuck into a traditional Sunday lunch. Expect a repertoire that pushes all the modern dining buttons, with a heavy reliance on seasonal produce and competitive pricing. Venison with Wye Valley asparagus, fermented plum and wild garlic has been justly applauded, likewise the smoked haddock risotto, and a Derbyshire rib of beef with braised beef cheek, lovage and onion. Breads also receive plenty of praise, alongside their accompanying pumpkin butter (‘the best thing I’ve tasted in a long time’), while desserts could include strawberry cannelloni with pistachio or a chocolate and mango délice with passion fruit and salted caramel. It’s all served by staff who ‘go above and beyond, and are obviously well trained’. Cocktails are worth exploring and there's a list of mainly European wines to match the food – although the bottles from Halfpenny Green Wine Estate in nearby Staffordshire are also worth a punt.

Located a winding five-minute drive through the 1,000-acre Trelowarren Estate on the Lizard Peninsula, this remarkable enterprise feels charmingly isolated – although a handful of holiday cottages and a small gallery, plus Flora’s café, bakery and restaurant bring a quiet buzz to the old stable yard at the centre of things.

Tim and Louise Rødkjaer Spedding took up residence here in early 2023 and make excellent use of local supplies as well as produce from their walled garden. What they offer is some of the most confidently simple cooking in the region, all deeply connected to the seasons in a way that most city chefs can only dream of.

Superb Danish pastries are the stars at breakfast (Louise is from Copenhagen), and bread from their wood-fired oven is a mainstay across the board. During a recent summer lunchtime visit, our table in the courtyard (next to rambling roses and vines) was perfect for enjoying a fragrant but barely dressed salad of mozzarella, fresh peas, nectarine and basil, paired with a generous portion of Tim’s sesame-encrusted einkorn loaf (some of the best we’ve ever had). Dessert was a perfect arrangement of chamomile panna cotta, strawberries and tangy elderflower granita, which elicited audible sighs from fellow diners.

The café also opens for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays, when the repertoire might range from butter-poached lobster with cherry tomatoes, basil and lemon verbena to crisp pork belly partnered by anchovy sauce, grilled peppers and olives. On Sundays, they open the larger New Yard restaurant space for a fixed-price lunchtime spread headlined by a mighty roast – perhaps 60-day dry-aged sirloin and featherblade with rainbow chard, grilled onions and fresh horseradish.

Service from a small, happy team is cheerfulness personified, while homemade soft drinks such as kombuchas and fig-leaf cordials sit alongside a selection of wines from Tutto. Booking is recommended for lunch and dinner, as is a walk through the estate to the magic creeks of the Helford River (featured in Daphne du Maurier’s Frenchman’s Creek).

After years of pop-ups, this Italian-inspired restaurant group is firmly established south of the river with permanent spots in Peckham (Forza Wine) and Camberwell (Forza Win). Now a third venue – its most ambitious project to date – is to be found on the second floor of The National Theatre. The concrete, wood and glass 160-seater is the place to pop in for drinks – Forza’s special cherry Negroni leads the cocktail charge and there’s an interesting list of approachable, modern European wines including plenty by the glass. From the kitchen comes a compact, seasonally aware list of Italian-style small plates to share. To begin, we enjoyed a generous serving of cauliflower fritti with aïoli, as well as a satisfying plate of potato, pancetta and porcini mushrooms. As dishes arrive when they are ready, we happily discovered that roasted Delica pumpkin set atop a pool of creamy pearl barley and sage worked really well with pink, well-flavoured slices of lamb shoulder, celeriac and salsa verde. Each of these items was simply executed and tasted deliciously of its excellent well-sourced ingredients, although not everything we sampled passed muster. However, there was nothing awry about our milk soft serve with roasted apple and a topping of candied walnut; the famed ‘Custardo’ – an affogato made with custard – is not to be missed, either. While on-the-ball staff check if you are dining pre-theatre, such is Forza’s following that few people depart when the final call sounds for the Lyttelton Theatre one floor down – the atmosphere remains lively. It's also worth checking out the pleasant, partially covered terrace looking onto the river and Waterloo Bridge.

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.

Tucked away at the bottom of a steep valley that feels lost in time, this 'absolute hidden gem' of a farm-to-table restaurant is an entrancing prospect complete with prettily planted sun-trap terraces, while inside beautiful oak beams and terracotta walls hung with gardening tools give a stylishly rustic feel. There's much praise, too, for chef Matthew Briddon's 'modern, imaginative' Italian menu, showcasing vegetables from the estate's walled kitchen garden alongside locally reared meat. Everything from the bread to the ice cream is made in-house. You may know Iford Manor for its excellent ciders and cans of apple soda (both of which feature on the drinks list), but there is much more to admire here. Briddon's care and attention to provenance and process pays dividends on the plate, whether in a starter of pickled beet salad with rocket, croûtons and a wonderfully refreshing apple/fennel gazpacho poured at the table, or a main of tender, juicy grilled pork with a hasselback potato, a roast head of fennel and a fabulously tangy lemon, anchovy and tomato salsa. Our late spring lunch crescendoed with a limoncello curd, raspberry and mint tart topped with a generous swirl of burnt Italian meringue. Committed and friendly staff combined with the restaurant's community-minded ethos create a warm welcome, and there's a short European wine list to round things off. Note that the restaurant is only open for lunch (accompanied by live jazz on Saturdays); they also host occasional supper clubs. Next door is the private Georgian manor house and the extraordinarily beautiful and romantic Grade I-listed Peto Garden (open to the public April to September), which you must book separately to visit.

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.

‘A beacon of freshness and seasonality’ in the elegant environs of Herne Hill, independently owned Llewelyn’s has more than proved its worth as a neighbourhood asset with chef Lasse Petersen at the helm. Large windows flood the pale walls of the dining room with natural light, reflected by gilt-edged mirrors, while the sumptuous leather of the green banquettes makes a naturally inviting place to linger during an unhurried lunchtime. Despite the relative simplicity of the menu descriptions, there is much afoot in the dishes: a rösti is embellished with smoked eel and mustard leaf, while monkfish is given the seasonal treatment with capers, crab and Brussels sprouts.

There are touches of traditionalism too: crisp-skinned pollack might be honour-guarded with mussels and sauced with a rich bisque, while grilled leg of lamb could be dressed with bagna cauda and charred greens. Veggies might fancy something cheesy – perhaps Roquefort with marinated figs, grapes and frisée or a Comté soufflé with creamed spinach and autumn truffle. Desserts play the seasonal card, from a set cream with winter citrus and pistachio to a ‘mince pie’ riff on Arctic roll.

Service exudes ‘unwavering warmth and impeccable hospitality,’ according to one devotee, while an eclectic collection of wines, including a welter of skin-contact gear, adds to the allure. The owners also run a shop and wine bar called Lulu's, next door to the restaurant.

Originally conceived by the owners of the Clove Club, this ‘Britalian’ restaurant is almost as well-known for its bar as its restaurant –so it was with some reluctance that we bypassed the Negroni-based fun in favour of the dining room. Until we clapped eyes on the space itself, that is: a stunning covered garden worthy of a Roman palazzo. Seating is divided between an attractive cosmopolitan room and a terrace complete with a fireplace, cobbles and foliage (you can specify where you sit when you reserve). For the Luca-on-a-budget experience, try the bar, where lunch is currently £32 for two courses. Otherwise, those with cash to splash can knock themselves out with four courses, Italian-style, and a bottle or two from the impressive Italian list – specialist subject Barolo (sub-£50 bottles are few). Vitello tonnato may now be ubiquitous in London but we’ll never tire of it when it's as satisfying as this. The veal is more well done than is fashionable – a good thing – but is tender and flavoursome beneath a generous spoon of tonnato mayonnaise and a frisky celery, artichoke and lemon salad. Terrific stuff. Fresh pasta is a standout: mezzi paccheri with a pork sausage ragù gains depth from anchovy and freshness from mint, while green and yellow variegated ribbons of tagliatelle with rabbit, lardo and green olives are comforting and luxurious in equal measure. Secondi at inspection include Hebridean lamb with caponata, Hereford beef fillet and short rib, and a dish of John Dory with mussels, mousserons, Jersey Royals and a frothy lemon verbena sauce. Tiramisu, like your nonna might make, is a bravely unfancy finish; vanilla panna cotta with Yorkshire rhubarb is a nicely executed pairing, if lacking the ‘Luca’ signature that characterises the restaurant's best dishes. Overall, a confident operation. Credit, in particular, for setting a tone as conducive to business as it is to pleasure.

A multi-purpose community hub and daytime pit stop rather than a proper restaurant, Outside comes complete with a couple of polytunnels, a growing patch, skate park, pottery studio and plenty of outdoor seating. The open-plan café-bar serves brunch and lunch (Wednesday-Sunday), offering a hotchpotch of global ideas based on local ingredients (some home-grown): expect anything from crispy polenta cakes or giant chickpeas and chard on toast to aloo tikki with farm greens and pea and cashew fritters (plus meat and fish specials). You can also drop in for a flat white and a pastel de nata – or dip into the minimal list of wines, beers and cocktails.

It came as a complete surprise when, post-lockdown, Frances Atkins, the former owner and chef of the Yorke Arms at Ramsgill in Nidderdale, moved from her sophisticated restaurant with rooms to a café in the grounds of a garden centre near Harrogate. Atkins was (and remains) one of the country’s most celebrated chefs, who, over 23 years at the Yorke Arms, collected a heap of awards and accolades. Along with her long-time general manager John Tullett and head chef Roger Olive, they commissioned an Airstream caravan, parked it beside the glasshouses and set up a daytime café serving good fresh, nutritious food. They operated like this for 12 months until a purpose-built café was ready – a 60-cover, bright modern space, filled with pot plants and paintings, an open kitchen, a chef’s table and a small terrace with views across the lake. At breakfast, choose from full English, kedgeree or pancakes (with fruit compôte or bacon and maple syrup). At lunchtime, perhaps a warm cheese tart in light crisp pastry, or seared tuna with lightly pickled peppers, chorizo and little gem lettuce with Caesar dressing. You might also find lime- and ginger-seared scallops or belly pork with beans and mustard mash – the menu changes with the seasons but generally offers a dozen dishes, half of them plant-based. Dessert doubles as the afternoon tea menu with cakes, tarts and their own vanilla ice cream, mango sorbet, praline and chocolate sauce. Service from John Tullett is impeccable but it's all quite low key – Paradise might call itself a café, but the principles upheld at the garlanded Yorke Arms are just as relevant here even if dishes are less complex, less labour intensive. It has the same restrained elegance, with dishes that uphold Frances Atkins' mantra: simple, nutritious food and no messing about.

‘This is how summer dining should be,’ thought one visitor. Indeed. Deep in the Wiltshire countryside, Pythouse's billowing flower gardens and warm walls embrace the old lean-to conservatory that acts as a dining room. Geraniums and little lemon trees juggle for windowsill space, blinds shade from the sun, and doors are open to the breeze. It’s an easy place in which to pass a few hours – especially when your table is filled variously with good things, prepared simply, mostly over fire. Bouncy, chewy potato bread with garlicky fava-bean houmous drizzled with rapeseed oil and a gathering of pickled veg nudges the appetite. The garden dictates culinary proceedings, with preserved ingredients lifting flavours here and there. A June outing brought treasures aplenty: miso-braised hispi cabbage with wet garlic; slow-cooked tomatoes with wisps of pickled rose petals and herb oil; roasted beets with smoked cream, fig-leaf vinegar and the toasty crunch of puffed quinoa. What’s not grown on site comes from nearby: wild venison from north Somerset; pasture-reared beef from a small family farm in the impossibly romantic-sounding hamlet of Nempnett Thrubwell; chalk stream trout (served with asparagus velouté). Gorgeously tender lamb (cooked pink) is a highlight, with a wilt of fermented wild garlic giving sharpness and roasted cauliflower purée adding a savoury note. To finish, fresh strawberries tumble against the 'Milk Bar's crack pie’ – a chewy, treacly, biscuity tart topped with thick, whipped Jersey-milk Ivy House cream – while bitter notes temper sweetness nicely in an espresso caramel with a Pump Street chocolate mousse. To drink? Yes there’s wine, but this is the home of Sprigster, the botanical shrub that surely refreshes parts no alcohol can truly reach.

Famous as purveyors of organic vegetable boxes, it’s hard to believe that Riverford’s slightly lesser-known sibling celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2025. Situated in the heart of its (original) Buckfastleigh farm, Riverford Field Kitchen is ‘as farm to fork as it can get’, with produce grown in polytunnels metres from the simply adorned open-plan kitchen/dining room with its dried flowers and mismatched furniture.

Everyone is served at the same time (family-style) and meals are bulked out with shared seasonal salads and vegetables at their peak, while daily changing menus featuring only prepared-to-order food means that waste is kept to a minimum. Expect the likes of freshly baked sourdough, meze-style starters, just one main course and a choice of desserts. 

On our visit, starters featured the purest of flavours ranging from gently warmed, sweet figs with crumbed, salty feta to Thai-style cauliflower florets tossed with blackened flat beans, coconut and ginger. The main course was equally delicious and delivered our only hit of meat – roasted, organic pork belly (from renowned farmer/campaigner Helen Browning), soft and juicy with perfectly brittle crackling, paired with a riot of autumnal produce including Crown Prince squash, fennel, tomato and aïoli, plus crushed, roasted potatoes bejewelled with finely chopped gherkins, and well-seasoned January King cabbage draped in chilli butter.

The line-up of desserts, meanwhile, might include a soft and fluffy chocolate olive-oil cake with chilled Chantilly and frosted almonds, or a play on apple crumble involving rum-soaked fruit, hazelnut crumb and a creamy parfait. Saturday brunch (a four-course veggie set menu) is a new addition to the set-up, and there’s an extensive range of drinks to match the food – the house-made cordials and ferments are divine.

Opened on Bristol’s waterfront Cargo development in 2017, this 'restaurant in a shipping container' may be starting to show its age (in good weather, the terrace is the place to be), but Root still delivers fresh creativity on the plate. Part of Josh Eggleton’s Pony Restaurant Group, it offers an ever-changing seasonal menu of vegetable-led small plates – although there are always a couple of fish and meat choices, say butterflied red mullet with Isle of Wight tomatoes and saffron aïoli. 

A recent meal kicked off with a simple plate of crudités, elevated by the presence of sparklingly fresh raw vegetables, punchy pickles and a delicious cashew and seaweed dip. Light and fluffy gnudi-style ewe’s curd dumplings are a Root signature dish and rightly so; the accompanying braised greens had great flavour, accentuated by tart and fragrant preserved lemon. By contrast, Wye Valley asparagus with peas, broad beans, radish and cider shallots was spring personified in one fresh and invigorating assemblage. A beautifully made honey and brown butter tart brought the meal to a satisfactorily sweet conclusion. The wine list offers 25 choices, with eight available by the carafe. The emphasis is on natural viticulture, but with enough organic and biodynamic options to please the wider wine-drinking audience. 

With founding chef Rob Howell having relocated to the sister Root in Wells, we couldn’t completely dismiss the nagging feeling that the Bristol original is now something of a poor relation. In addition to the interior’s wear and tear, service was somewhat inattentive and there was a general lack of excitement about the experience. Nevertheless, there is still plenty to love about Root, and it remains a Bristol stalwart.

With forested hills sloping onto fields of grazing sheep and the Gothic remains of Byland Abbey towering over the entrance, this pub with rooms is a dream ticket – no wonder it was snapped up by chef Tommy Banks (the Black Swan at Oldstead is nearby). Inside, there’s a little bar with a snug for those wanting a drink, but the main action takes place in the three dining rooms, one of which is the former piggery – an expansive room with beams, giant flagstones and a double-facing log-burning stove, all illuminated by a conservatory-style skylight. The mood is relaxed and staff stay on top of their tasks, while cute details in the handsome finishes speak of Tommy Banks’ pedigree.

The food also makes a connection to the Banks family farm (without labouring the point), and chef Charlie Smith serves up a procession of seriously appealing, modern pub-style dishes – an incredibly original Dexter steak tartare, perhaps, cut into uniform nuggets resembling translucent rubies decorated with grated wild horseradish, fermented peppers and smoked bone marrow. Elsewhere, there might be a light, elegant plate of smoked Pablo beetroot with ewe’s curd, preserved Yorkshire rhubarb and linseed crackers for texture. Some of the meaty main courses such as a pork rib chop with fermented mushroom béarnaise could do with a little finessing, although fish dishes hit the spot – judging by a pitch-perfect serving of cod with a splendid mussel cream sauce and purple-red potatoes on the side.

Everything is executed with flair, professionalism and a deep respect for local ingredients – and that extends to the dazzling roasts served for Sunday lunch (check out the rare-breed Berkshire pork and Herdwick lamb from the family farm, just two miles away). If you're looking for real value, however, order the mighty Dexter cheeseburger with fries, plus a pint of Yorkshire-brewed ale and a shared dessert – say a soft-serve sundae topped with Douglas fir, blackcurrant and white chocolate. Aside from real ale, drinks include seasonal cocktails, homemade libations and a short but decent selection of wines with plenty by the glass.

Define a pub you love. There’ll likely be an easy welcome, the sort that makes you plan your next visit as you're leaving; there’ll be firelit cosiness in winter and rambling outside spaces in summer; there’ll probably be layers of interest on a beer and wine list that takes you excitingly down paths less-trodden without abandoning the familiar. And there’ll be a menu that feeds generously with beautiful, seasonal simplicity, and without taking itself too seriously. That's The Anchor. Graze on oysters, or allotment courgettes sliced raw and scattered with olives, Parmesan, rocket and an intense olive oil, or endlessly moreish halloumi fries sharpened by a dip in sweet chilli vinegar. Monkfish tail, muscular and roasted to perfection on the bone, comes in a broth that's satisfying with saffron-warmed potatoes, fennel and celery, or go for aubergine, cooked to sweet softness in the kitchen's wood-fired oven and served with lightly spiced chickpeas and rice. Fish and chips, burgers and steaks may be pub staples, but the pep of jalapeño in a homemade tartare sauce, a tangle of caramelised red onions, and a Café de Paris butter elevates each accordingly. Pizza? An outside wood oven roars into life (check times) to produce, among others, deliciously laden mushroom and Baron Bigod or a simple margherita version to order. The chocolate fondant is everything such a dessert should be, so too a lemon posset with a pistachio biscuit and berries – unless, of course, you need to save that for your next visit.

Just off Holyport's handsome green, this laid-back, bare-boarded 200-year-old pub has many loyal fans who praise the open fire, the garden near the village pond and the welcoming, well-practised staff, as well as the Sunday roasts – especially the ‘incredibly succulent’ pork from a local farm. During the rest of the week, a brief menu of pub classics is served throughout the day, with more adventurous cooking coming into play at lunchtime and after 6pm. Results can vary, but a cheesy Heckfield Cheddar soufflé with Parmesan cream sauce and a wonderfully wobbly panna cotta with warm flapjack and zesty sloe compôte showcase the kitchen’s capabilities. Wines are a cut above, too.

Hiding behind its full-length green ivy coat is a north Norfolk inn with rooms that has plenty of fanatical support. ‘An absolutely fantastic local restaurant with exceptionally friendly staff and quality food every time,’ is a typical endorsement. The place is done up in a nice mix of old and new decorative touches, with a shiny wood floor, walls in jade-green or undressed brick, and old settles or kitchen chairs to settle on, and there's the bonus of two acres of garden to enjoy in fine weather.

It wouldn't be a proper dining pub without a steak night (Tuesdays), but there is also an enterprising modern menu that wouldn't look at all out of place on one of London's leafier fringes. Try sautéed kidney and smoked bacon on toasted sourdough to start, then cod fillet with roasted cauliflower and Norfolk asparagus with mash and leek oil for that distant waft of the coast, or chicken and ham pie with mash and seasonal greens. Indeed, well-sourced meats are the star attractions of main dishes such as grilled pork loin steak with sweetheart cabbage, apple sauce and sautéed potato.

Puddings, crumbles and brownies await the pure in heart at the finishing stage, or perhaps consider a rhubarb flan tartlet with rhubarb and custard ice cream. The Sunday lunch prix-fixe looks like a bargain. Hand-pumped ales and a serviceable wine list complete the picture.

London escapees Ivor and Susie Dunkerton started making organic cider and perry on their Herefordshire smallholding back in 1980 and their enterprise has reaped rich rewards ever since. The business is now run by their son and production has moved to Cheltenham, but inquisitive travellers can still visit the original cider mill – and its adjoining restaurant, housed in a beautiful Grade II-listed 400-year-old barn nearby. Run by local chef Sophie Bowen, it eschews folksy, homespun fodder in favour of stylish contemporary food inspired by ingredients from the surrounding countryside. At lunchtime, you can graze from the café menu (shallot fishcakes, teriyaki beef with pickled cabbage, seafood chowder), but it pays to book in for the full works in the evening – especially if you’re intrigued by the prospect of baked hake with creamy polenta, sautéed wild mushrooms and kale dressed with shrimps and capers or soy-marinated pork loin accompanied by a black pudding croquette, caraway-spiked spring greens and horseradish mayo. To finish, freshly fried doughnuts with citrus curd sound unmissable, but also consider the caramelised white chocolate, tarragon and rhubarb millefeuille. Sunday lunch is a showcase for slow-cooked Herefordshire beef with all the trimmings. To drink, one of Dunkertons fruity brews is the natural choice, but there’s also a short list of well-chosen wines from £21.

Let's all get over the fact that it isn't geographically Cornish, but resident on a town-centre street in the west of Devon. This is a lively venue that manages an impressive balancing act between pub and restaurant, the more so since the extensive refurbishment it underwent back in 2022.

While the menu format rests on broad choice, as before, there is a distinctly more adventurous air to the nibbles, which now embrace buttermilk king prawns with smoked paprika mayonnaise or teriyaki chicken wings. The main menu continues to offer a broad range of options, with a mixture of traditional pub fare and modern classics. Expect ham hock Scotch egg with blue cheese and beer-pickled onions to open the show, ahead of roast cod with brown shrimp vinaigrette in béarnaise or a distinctly elegant butter-roasted breast of guinea fowl, served with Jerusalem artichokes, pearl barley and hazelnuts in sherry gravy.

Fifteen minutes seems a small investment of time to be rewarded with a mango soufflé, served with the full regalia of pineapple compôte, coconut sorbet and clotted cream or you could get instant satisfaction from a Yorkshire strawberry trifle in season. Fans also dote over the traditional Sunday lunch, which offers the likes of roast sirloin with sublime brisket to best end of Saddleback pork alongside maple-glazed pork belly. A user-friendly wine list is arranged by style, and the glasses come in all three sizes.

A centuries-old village local atop a hill midway between Hadrian's Wall and the conurbations of Tyne & Wear, the Feathers continues to provide sustenance for locals and visitors alike. Inside, it looks the part with beams, log-burning stoves, Northumbrian ales and old-fashioned pub games as part of the offer, although the place has built its current reputation on locally sourced seasonal food, industrious home production and a commitment to ethical practices. The kitchen cures its own charcuterie, makes black pudding and pickles North Sea herrings (‘as good as most I’ve had in Scandinavia,’ noted one visitor) – as well as producing bespoke spirits including mulberry gin. They have a published list of more than 60 local suppliers, including foragers and growers, Northumbrian farmers specialising in rare breeds and day-boat fishermen catching sustainable species off the East Coast. An outdoor fire pit works its magic on flatbreads, grilled vegetables (used for vegan meze) and Haydon Bridge beef patties (slotted into brioche buns with Gorgonzola piccante and dill pickles). Otherwise, the kitchen’s eclectic approach sees battered haddock and fillet of wild halibut with chilli and rosemary velouté alongside braised local roe deer with celeriac purée, English lentils and emmer wheat or Spanish-style home-cured pork chop with fried potatoes and bravas sauce. For afters, the Northumbrian cheeses are well worth a punt, as are the homemade ices and homespun desserts such as blackberry and apple sponge with custard or steamed gingerbread pudding. To drink, vermouth-based cocktails and keenly priced, well-chosen wines fit the bill nicely.

Overlooking the western end of Porthmeor Beach, away from the tourist hugger-mugger of downtown St Ives, the Fish Shed is swathed in scents of the sea. If you turn up sandy-footed from pottering on the beach, nobody will object. Populist seafood dishes take in the likes of crab Scotch egg, Cornish mackerel tartare or crisply battered Korean-style monkfish, and the bracing freshness of it all comes as standard – although execution can be a little muted. For afters, there could be a fairly hefty miso treacle tart with Cornish honey and yoghurt sorbet – enough for two, unless you're an incorrigible dessert fiend. A short wine list opens at £7.50 a glass.

One of Brighton's most striking restaurants is a light and airy space, housed in a handsome purpose-built two-storey brick building in the Hannington's 'retail and cultural quarter' development in the Lanes. Part of Ben McKellar's Gingerman group, the Flint House deals in small and sharing plates – nothing new, but with its enthusiastic and imaginative take on the concept, the kitchen keeps the idea fresh. Exuberantly eclectic, the food investigates a multitude of culinary traditions, perhaps serving East Asian-influenced miso and chilli emulsion with tender braised ox cheek fried in a crisp breadcrumb coating, and offering a rustic assembly of roasted aubergine, coconut yoghurt and curried lentils finished with a sprightly Middle Eastern-style dukkah spice mix. Go easy though, portions can be on the generous side, but don't miss the signature sweetcorn fritters with jalapeño mayonnaise, a staple since the restaurant opened in 2019. They go perfectly with a glass of locally made Ridgeview English sparkling from the concise but globally spanning wine list, especially when sitting at the counter by the open kitchen or on the first-floor rooftop terrace overlooking the Lanes. Not everything hits the mark, although the front-of-house team are efficient and professional but pleasantly relaxed, with a knack for creating a lively, upbeat atmosphere.

As the name suggests, the Loveable Rogue doesn’t take itself too seriously but offers creative and good-value food in an informal setting or, as chef/co-owner Joe Lazzerini puts it, ‘good times and great scran’. Whether opting for the carte, their single-course 'date night' deal for £10, their self-styled ‘epic’ Sunday roast or just some tasty nibbles with drinks, you can always expect local and seasonal sourcing, the odd culinary twist, and an emphasis on flavour and fun. Delivering quality and creativity across the board is a challenge embraced and delivered from the small open kitchen.

Start with rich roasted onion velouté, hiding crispy diced tongue and a cheeky cheese churro for dipping. A mini coronation chicken pie with date purée and celeriac rémoulade evokes summer picnics, while a soft crab lasagne with shellfish bisque is 'floaty like a loosely made bed'. Perfectly cooked pork fillet from Ayrshire is followed by a blue cheese 'royal' on finely shredded Waldorf salad. Dark chocolate crémeux with confit blackberry and almond rounds off proceedings on a pitch-perfect note.

Lazy Sunday? Then it’s comfort-food nirvana – rare Speyside beef, wonky Yorkies, beef-fat garlic roasties, brisket mac 'n' cheese, honeyed roots, crushed vegetables and lashings of gravy. Service is cheery, the atmosphere is lively, and there's a simple but kindly priced wine list too.

For many visitors, enthusiasm for this lovely 17th-century country house remains undimmed. As a member of the Pig Hotels group, the entire package appeals, including the chance of alfresco eating on fine days. Inside, the honeycomb of rooms and passageways feels convincingly special, informal but stylish with plenty of panelling, open fires and comfortable seats. Meals are taken in a conservatory-style dining room done up in the Pig’s trademark 'chic garden shed' style with bare tables, shelves of bottled produce and plants galore. The output of the open-to-view kitchen is testament to its championing of local and regional produce aided by a burgeoning kitchen garden and an emphasis on provenance. While much is made of local sourcing on the ’25-mile menu’, inspiration for dishes comes from wider-spread European roots, exemplified by snacks such as moreish pork belly croquettes, excellent venison and pork meatballs, and flavoursome beetroot houmous. Roasted courgettes with toasted hazelnuts and pesto, followed by basil and cavolo nero pappardelle, plump sardines from Folkestone market (with garlic butter and roasted shallot) and thrice-cooked chips proved to be good shouts at a late-August lunch. There’s a Kentish cheeseboard if a boozy G&T jelly topped with tangy lemon sorbet doesn’t appeal. Cocktails abound (of course), and the modern wine list includes Kentish names, with a sommelier on hand to give sound advice.

If you’re after a stunning location and laid-back luxury, the Mendip branch of this upmarket hotel chain doesn’t disappoint. Whet your appetite with a pre-dinner stroll round the beautiful walled kitchen garden, whence the restaurant’s ‘25 mile menu’ draws much of its produce. (Perhaps avoid visiting the hotel’s deer park and piggery for the same reason, unless you’ve a heart of stone.) The tastefully cluttered dining room with its mismatched fine bone china, artfully distressed furniture and abundant plants opens into a charming conservatory, where the best tables are found. The ultra-local menu (with a map of suppliers on the back) offers simply cooked and beautifully presented British food, with freshness its calling card. With such impeccable provenance, there should perhaps be a few more fireworks on the plate. Still, starters such as ‘kitchen garden on toast’ (finely shredded veg in a lemony dressing on a slab of toasted Bertinet bread slathered with creamed almonds) are like a mouthful of summer. To follow, a whole Newlyn plaice, topped with agretti and tiny edible blue flowers is as pretty as as picture, exquisitely cooked and easily enough for two. If no-frills puddings such as ‘zero mile gooseberries’ with cream and meringue don’t excite, there’s a wickedly tempting cheese menu. Service from a coterie of uniformed young staff is attentive but not intrusive. The extensive wine list, which includes a large section devoted to 'natural' tipples, is a tad pricey but offers many interesting choices.

* A casual offshoot called the River Café Café (with its own terrace) is now open, adjacent to the main restaurant. Walk-ins only. Watch for more details coming soon. *

Only a handful of London restaurants can genuinely claim to be ‘iconic’, and this glamorous spot on a Hammersmith backstreet is one of them. Launched by Ruth Rogers and the late Rose Gray in 1987, the River Café’s mission was to bring the seasonal pleasures of artisan Italian cuisine to the capital. It may be approaching middle age, but this is still ‘one cool restaurant’, frequented by a well-heeled, fashion-conscious crowd who love to eat (and be seen) here. The dining space is filled with light and luminous colours (sea blue, bright yellow), there’s cafeteria-style seating and an open-plan kitchen with a wood-fired oven, while a shiny zinc bar brings you close to the action. Topping it off, an outdoor terrace with a view of the Thames is the perfect summery spot. As for the food itself, everything depends on impeccable supplies from Italy and nearer home, all attuned to the calendar. The culinary approach may be understated but ingredients are treated with the utmost respect, as in a plate of fabulously sweet, split and wood-roasted Scottish langoustines paired with garlic and parsley. Some once-thrilling ideas now seem commonplace (chargrilled squid with red chilli and rocket, for example), but others still create a special magic: a dish of hearty softened cannellini beans with summer girolles, parsley and a slice of crostino could have come straight from a Tuscan farmhouse, while properly gamey wood-roasted Yorkshire grouse (bang in season) with crispy Tuscan-style roast potatoes and a jus laced with a generous splash of Brunello di Montalcino is rustic yet sophisticated. No corners are cut here – even the wine used for cooking comes from renowned estates. For dessert, there are classics aplenty, from the sumptuous and much-copied chocolate nemesis to a citrussy Amalfi lemon tart. Service is charming to a fault, although all this fame and legacy can cost a small fortune: depending on your financial status, it can seem ‘reassuringly expensive’ or downright pricey. And you will need to nurse your bank balance if you plan to indulge in the wine list – a mighty tome packed with Italian gems (including some stunning Super Tuscans) as well as classy Champagnes. Thankfully, around 25 by-the-glass selections (from £13) help to ease the burden. 

Deep in the otherworldly landscape of the Avalon Marshes (not far from Glastonbury), this quirky pub with rooms (and regular music) defies expectations. In summer you can dine on the wooden terrace at the back and watch the abundant wildlife on the nearby river Sheppey. Otherwise, the barn-like dining room, somewhat scruffily converted from an old cider house, is decorated with exhibits by local artists. The regularly changing and boldly flavoured menu offers a raft of eclectic dishes ranging from hearty fish stew (smoked haddock, clams, cod and salmon with Parmesan, fennel and lemongrass romesco) served with a hunk of sourdough to spiced fried tofu with a summer salad, fennel, crispy noodles, chilli and ginger dressing. More conventional pub dishes – beer-battered fish and chips, chargrilled chicken burgers – are well executed too. Pudding might be chocolate and hazelnut torte with white chocolate and raspberry parfait or scoops of homemade sorbet and ice cream. Drinks include an excellent selection of Somerset ciders, real ales and lagers, as well as a short selection of mainly organic red, white and orange wines from £26.

Back on form as one of the finest hostelries in the country, the Star is somewhere to come for a slap-up restaurant-style supper or a simple bar lunch. For all its fame – the walls are plastered with awards as well as photos of chef-owner Andrew Pern with celeb-chefs and King Charles – this reborn 14th-century inn is still Harome's village watering hole with strong local credentials on the food front. On the plate, Whitby lobster and organic salmon ravioli are just as worthy of attention as maple-glazed mallard. To begin, a snack of Yorkshire custard tart laced with honey from the pub’s hives and matched for sweetness by the golden raisins embedded in its savoury cream is an unabashedly rich introduction to the unusual flavour combinations to come. Pern’s signature starter is a slice of pan-fried foie gras sandwiched between two patties of grilled black pudding; to follow, there might be herb-roasted crown of red-legged partridge with haggis and a peat-whisky bread pudding, in which the metallic tang of the game is echoed by the iodine of the spirit. Banoffee pie, meanwhile, is successfully reinvented as a sort of chocolate gâteau flavoured with Blue Mountain coffee and Madagascan vanilla: a sugar-rush of sophistication. None of this comes cheap: the 10-course tasting menu costs £125, while three courses clock in at around £60. But the skill of the cooking is matched by the professionalism of a friendly team of Yorkshire youngsters out front, who are not only well-drilled on the finer points of the menu but are able to offer impressively knowledgeable wine advice. The surroundings are charming too, from the beamed warren of rooms filled with oak furniture crafted by Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson to the new lounge bar in the medieval eaves of the building where an engraving marks ‘The great fire of Harome’. If budget is an issue, a weekday menu offers two courses for £25: slow-roasted pumpkin soup followed by a steamed suet pudding of local venison, say. It’s served in the bar, which is where you’ll find the locals, pleased as punch to have their pub back at the centre of village life.

Quality dining options in the western reaches of the Isle of Wight can be few and far between, but visitors have been quick to recommended this harbourside restaurant with a sun-trap terrace offering great views over the Solent. It's also open all year round – a bonus when so many local venues are high-season only. The regularly changing menu is strong on seafood, offering anything from pickled Cornish mackerel with an apple dashi and artichoke purée to monkfish with tikka-roasted cauliflower, saag aloo, coconut and tomato sauce. There's a carefully selected, well-annotated and keenly priced wine list too – although the most effusive praise is reserved for the cheerful, welcoming and enthusiastic staff.

Located in a pretty village near Chester, this offering from the Elite Bistro group looks like a blueprint for the future. The amalgamation of bistro and pub is not altogether original but Gary Usher has done it with ease and confidence. Success is based on a sensitive renovation of a fine, free-standing old hostelry, an intelligent approach to menu construction, astute sourcing and an admirable degree of support from the local community. It's a pleasing spot, spacious and comfortable, the soft colours enlivened by colourful food paintings and sparkling light fittings, with a large conservatory opening up the traditional dining area and a garden for fine-weather eating and drinking. The sensibly short menu holds few surprises but has enough voguish items and traditional favourites to please everyone. The main question everyone asks is: 'What the heck are beer-battered frickles?' To their credit, the charming, well-trained staff are always enthusiastic when describing these deep-fried gherkins, perhaps the most popular bar snack. Things on toast have their own listing (mackerel pâté with pickled radishes), while small plates might include  excellent soy- and gochujang-glazed chicken wings, meaty and tender with lively but unobtrusive spicing and just enough pickled ginger, chilli and spring onion to perk up the taste buds. Main courses range from chargrill choices such as piri-piri chicken with baby gem, sour cream and skinny fries to plaice fillet with creamy peas and lettuce, smoked pancetta, ratte potatoes and spinach. Our curried lamb pie (served with sticky cumin carrot, green tomato and broad bean chutney and triple-cooked chips) had good crisp pastry and an intriguing filling of pulled lamb, chickpeas and green leaves. Puddings satisfy: a sticky banana loaf with butterscotch sauce, perhaps, or honeycomb ice cream with dark chocolate sauce and a wedge of honeycomb – a grown-up interpretation of a Crunchie bar. Sunday lunches are praised, and there are reasonably priced wines, cask ales and cocktails too.

Primarily a vineyard producing natural and biodynamic wines, Tillingham is recommended for those who are interested to see what's going on at the cutting edge of UK viticulture while enjoying something pleasant to eat. The location is seriously remote (you really have to trust your SatNav as signage is minimal), while the set-up itself is rustic and vaguely ramshackle – albeit comfortable and interesting in a 'restaurant meets working vineyard' sort of way.

The spacious, no-frills first-floor restaurant really lends itself to daytime and summer evening meals, as the views from the picture windows overlooking the vineyard are unrivalled. A 'local and seasonal' ethos comes into its own here, and our good-value, three-course lunch was shot through with fresh flavours. To start, a delicate sliced scallop, served ceviche-style with orange and shaved fennel chimed perfectly with a glorious spring day, while sole meunière came with a huge bowl of tasty crushed pink fir potatoes. As a finale, a truly wobbly panna cotta with rhubarb and eau de vie was spot-on. Staff kindle a warm, relaxed buzz and they're keen to show that nothing is too much trouble.

It’s wise to book (especially for fixed-price, five-course dinners), but if you are struck by a spontaneous urge on a lovely sunny day and can’t get a table, the winery's open-sided Dutch barn, bar and terrace (from May to September) serve wood-fired sourdough pizzas, snacks and salads for walk-ins. Drink estate wines by the glass or bottle; otherwise, choose from a list of modern European wines.

Built as a props warehouse in the 1800s before becoming a lumber store, the Radford family's aptly named Timberyard feels perfectly attuned to the space it occupies – monumental in scale but retaining intimacy and humility. Rough white walls, monastic timber tables, ecclesiastical candles and hemp linen may infer a certain cool asceticism – accentuated by the contemporary classical soundtrack – but there are certainly no metaphorical hair shirts where the food is concerned. Rusticity and refinement sit in perfect balance with the joyous celebration of flavours and a messianic elevation of honest ingredients, both foraged and from artisan producers. Slightly distant staff glide between the tables with almost ritualistic purpose.

Set menus include an extendable three-courses at lunchtime to fuller five-or seven-course options. An opening scene-setter of beach rose and tomato broth blends the Turkish delight aromas of foraged petals into a redolent consommé, while a raw beef toast masterfully offsets earthy funk with floral freshness. Follow on with tiny girolles in a Comté and hazelnut cream, draped in creamy slivers of guanciale and finished with shaved white truffle.

Each dish carefully builds the layers of taste, so a perfectly pan-roasted quail gets just enough sweetness and bite from its smoked onion and wilted monk’s beard accompaniments before harmonising the whole in the savoury creaminess of pan juices cut with black pepper yoghurt. Like so many of the dishes, the apparent simplicity of a raspberry and lavender dessert belies meticulous foundations: perfect fruits, seasoned juice, infused cream and a zingy gel.

If you don’t opt for one of the matched drinks flights, then 30-odd pages of all-natural and often unusual wines offer a compendious delight for those with a Mastermind 'specialist subject' interest. There are superlative choices in all categories, but markups are on the ferocious side. The sommelier offers ready advice and the unlisted, daily-changing wines by the glass are well-chosen – even if a measure of trust is expected when it comes to price and style.

Tucked into one side of the landmark brutalist building that is 180 Strand, Toklas is easy to miss. Just remember it has its own entrance on Surrey Street, opposite the old Strand tube station – if you find yourself outside Toklas Café & Bakery, you’ve gone too far. Set one level above the street, it’s a genuine find – an oasis of calm, especially on a warm summer’s day when a table on the wide, plant-filled terrace is highly prized. The restrained modern interior goes bare on napery and big on concrete, but natural light floods in through huge windows and striking artworks add colour.

The restaurant draws inspiration – and its name – from the avant-garde American food writer Alice B Toklas, but what distinguishes it is a commitment to concise, seasonal and elegant Mediterranean-style cooking. Indeed, the kitchen is noted for its simple, calendar-tuned line-up of dishes based on the freshest of ingredients with classic accompaniments. Those pristine raw materials are handled with a delicate touch, as in a starter of wild sea bass crudo with sweet 'honeycomb' tomatoes offset by dots of salty bottarga, plus a colourfully tangled assembly of black figs, oakleaf lettuce, crunchy hazelnuts, pecorino shavings and honey. Rabbit saltimbocca with a pile of braised chard and a chunk of fresh Amalfi lemon is completely delicious in its simplicity, while homemade pasta is the business: a plate of tagliatelle with Scottish girolles, garlic and parsley showed up well during our lunchtime visit. 

And there’s concord right to the final act: our dessert of gorgeous, perfectly roasted amaretto peaches needed nothing more than a dollop of mascarpone. The innovative wine list is dominated by bottles from the Mediterranean basin. Although there are comparatively few options under £40, drinkers have access to a generous clutch of recommendations by the glass and carafe. Excellent cocktails, too.

In the gentrified hinterland to the south of London Bridge, Trivet has the capacious, calming feel of somewhere on the American West Coast. A small outdoor terrace (with its own summertime menu), a glamorous bar and well-spaced tables set the scene for a smooth operation centred on an open kitchen, where Jonny Lake – formerly executive chef at the Fat Duck – is an authoritative gentle giant armed with tweezers. Staff are responsive to queries, the sommelier particularly good with recommendations, and the whole experience is restorative (assuming tootly-flutey jazz doesn't spoil your digestion). Nibble on olives, spiced cashews, or long broad vegetable crackers to get started. The food is all about sharply delineated flavours, with bite from pickled ingredients, salty savour from the likes of kombu and dashi, and combinations that spark the imagination. A braised spiky artichoke dressed in seaweed stock with cauliflower mushroom has plenty of piscine intensity, though it is actually a vegan dish, while dashi stock poured at the table turns a heap of saladings with kombu and gorse flowers into a sharp-dressed escort for panko-crumbed veal sweetbread. At main, a spin on duck with orange is composed of livid-pink fatless breast crusted in puffed rice and cracked peppercorns, with Tarocco blood-orange, orange-laced carrot purée, orange and endive salad, and bigarade sauce. An essentially fairly mainstream dish of turbot poached in citrus with herbed Chardonnay butter sauce was less than successfully partnered with chunks of confit Delica pumpkin that would have done better with the duck. A Turkish note is sounded in a small steamed yoghurt sponge coated in sesame seeds for dessert that comes with vanilla cream rippled with black olive caramel, or there may be a great wedge of griottine and almond tart with fantastic pastry, only let down by very pallidly flavoured pistachio ice cream. The wines are an adventurous modern collection, with stars from Turkey and Georgia alongside the skin content and 'funky' offerings. Seek the readily forthcoming advice. In a recent development, the owners have launched Labombe, a wine bar open every Monday evening in the restaurant's bar space. Alongside the rich depths of Trivet's full cellar, punters can look forward to a special by-the-glass selection from master sommelier Isa Bal, plus a blackboard menu of snacks and small plates.

It takes a bit of finding, but persevere because this collection of farm buildings turned cosy café/deli/glasshouse restaurant is the very definition of quirky. Anchoring everything is a no-dig market garden and a herd of Saddleback pigs that provide year-round supplies for hyper-seasonal chalkboard menus and style of cooking that is firmly from the gutsy, no-frills rulebook (don’t miss the spicy Tuscan fennel sausages). The kitchen satisfies the coffee-and-cake brigade, Sunday brunchers and those in for something more substantial: in winter, that might mean puntarelle alla romana (with anchovies) followed by confit Worton goose with beluga lentils. Come summer, the place really delights – especially if you're seated outside amid the greenery.

Above and beyond what you might expect in a little Welsh village, Maryann and Simon Wright’s bijou daytime emporium and eatery showcases local ingredients with a vengeance. The results are seasonal, a little bit different and a touch feisty too. From Thursday to Saturday, the short menu globetrots for ideas, taking in everything from cauliflower pakoras and bowls of ribollita to the signature pork belly Cubano (with Myrddin heritage ham, Hafod Cheddar, pickles and sriracha mayonnaise in a home-baked ciabatta roll). Sunday means brunch with a difference (toad-in-the-hole, anyone?), while rice pudding vies with lemon drizzle cake on the dessert menu. Drinks also cover all bases, from natural wines and artisan Welsh beers to sodas and milkshakes.