Britain’s 100 Best Local Restaurants 2026: South-East winners
Published 20 August 2026

Raising the bar for Spanish food in Brighton, this cosy and buzzy neighbourhood venue scores heavily with its ‘innovative dishes’, fine presentation and attention to detail. It may be small and informal with tasteful framed prints and decorative wall tiles, but the restaurant speaks of class, experience and an intelligent mind in the semi-open kitchen. Chef Iain Swainson has cooked in some big-name establishments such as The Pass at South Lodge Hotel and it shows: ‘I will never forget the prawn tortilla,’ one reporter noted, while others have praised the mushroom croquetas (‘an explosion of flavour’) and the Padrón peppers (‘the ultimate comfort food’). It’s also worth looking out for specials such as cauliflower and goat’s cheese buñuelos with candied walnuts and honey, Nutbourne Farm tomato salad or a perfectly roasted skate wing pil pil. Superb execution is the kitchen’s hallmark, whether it’s a tapas classic or something more creative. You can drink well too, with well-made and nicely presented cocktails plus a concise list of Spanish wines and sherries from top producers.

The mood is casual and the decor pared-back at Swedish-born chef Tomas Eriksson’s hard-working Broadstairs asset. Ingo is a tiny neighbourhood spot and then some, with enthusiastic locals and tourists cramming the kitchen/bar stools (reserved for walk-ins) and a handful of close-packed tables (bookable). The attraction is a blackboard menu of well-wrought Spanish and Mediterranean-style cooking shot through with honesty and integrity. Cantabrian anchovies with olive oil, jamón croquetas, baked salt-cod brandade and smoked prawns are the kitchen’s stock in trade, but it’s the exemplary small sharing plates with their emphatic no-nonsense flavours that keep the crowds returning – think piquillo peppers stuffed with rich, tender braised beef cheek or chicken schnitzel topped with curry mayo and pickles. To round things off, go for the salted chocolate mousse with olive oil or a plate of Manchego cheese with truffle honey. As for drinks, you could start with a cocktail or look to the short list of affordable wines, with everything available by the glass. Charming service seals the deal. 

‘Bauji bears comparison to places like Gunpowder, Kricket and Cinnamon Kitchen … I would absolutely kill to have it as my local,' is praise indeed for this charming neighbourhood restaurant, a five-minute walk west of Worthing town centre. The cooking reimagines the comfort food of Rajasthan, where chef-proprietor Dayashankar Sharma grew up, and he hits the target with a longish menu that delivers well-judged spicing and a kaleidoscope of flavours and textures. We like the mainstream dishes – the signature shatkora jhinga (huge shatkora citrus-infused grilled prawns), an ‘absolutely fantastic’ chicken biryani – more than the contemporary interpretations (we suggest swerving the cranberry-stuffed paneer). But a meal here will impress. Portions are generous, and prices are reasonable. As for drinks, the brief, spice-tolerant wine list opens at £33 for a bottle, £8 by the glass.

Sitting pretty on a tree-lined avenue in the smart Montpelier neighbourhood, this little restaurant and bar literally draws in passers-by with its good looks. Painted cream with striped café curtains and pavement tables, it wouldn’t feel out of place on a Brooklyn backstreet, while inside the bare plaster walls and simple decoration conjure a homely yet sophisticated mood. There’s only space for about 20, and if you’re feeling sociable, the best seats are at the dining counter, facing a bar lined with bottles of amaro and vermouth – Brusco’s specialist subject. Start with a refreshing vermouth soda or a cherry Negroni while perusing the short, Italian-leaning menu from ex-Moro chef Victoria Skinner. Meat from Trenchmore Farm yields a flavourful bavette with tonnato sauce or there might be rustic fennel sausages with lentils and punchy salsa verde, all wrought with a great deal of care and attention. Portions are generous and a one-dish meal feels particularly good value – it just depends on how far you delve into the all-Italian wine list. Friday nights are typically packed, so it's best to book ahead at weekends.

Cantina Caruso is Margate’s typically cool answer to the problem of where to eat if you have no reservation. An Italian deli by day, it transforms at weekends into a walk-in wine bar with a brief menu of small(ish) plates. Despite being next door to alma mater Bottega Caruso, it has the tucked-away feel of a hidden gem – rustic and atmospheric, with charming staff who are clearly proud of the food and wine they serve. Much depends on sourcing, and Simona Di Dio and Harry Ryder have an enviable reputation for garnering faultless raw materials. Pop in for a glass of Nerocapitano (a Sicilian chilled red) and you could be tempted to add some Sardinian pickles and a plate or two of simple, affordable Italian classics. It’s the kind of unfiddly, big-flavoured food that we all like to eat, seen at its proudest in a dish of local squid and peas or the extraordinary aubergine parmigiana. No wonder Cantina is an all-year-round local hit.

Having scored a palpable hit with Copper & Ink in Blackheath, Tony and Becky Rodd have proved they are no one-hit wonder, quickly establishing Fifteen Square Metres as one of Broadstairs’ must-visit restaurants – ‘it’s like being in their home,’ noted one visitor. The venue's name references its bijou dimensions, so expect a small, contemporary space with just 16 seats and a galley kitchen tucked into one corner of the dining room. Despite the limitations, Tony Rodd has put together a thoroughly enticing package of good-value, generously portioned small plates, which arrive from the kitchen as and when they’re ready. Solid simplicity combined with a creative spirit yields appetising dishes ranging from mackerel tartare with salted celeriac, apple and avocado purée or jerk pork belly pointed up with mango slaw, charred pineapple and crackling. Reporters have appreciated that the whole kitchen is ‘gluten-free’ (right down to excellent bread), while clever desserts including grilled peaches with white chocolate mousse and basil oil, and clever pairings from an astute blackboard of global wines, all add to the feel-good vibe. 

‘An excellent local restaurant that makes you feel like you've walked into a bistro in the backstreets of Lyon,’ is one of many enthusiastic endorsements for David Hart and Polly Pleasence’s intimate wine bar-cum-restaurant. Indeed, Franc plays the part of a neighbourhood bistro perfectly. The service is charming, the style casual and the setting simple, with close-set tables in both the compact ground-floor bar and the pretty upstairs dining room. And with the culinary compass pointing towards France, the cooking is authentic and delicious. Booking is recommended, especially now that the format has been simplified: proceedings now revolve around a fixed-price two- or three-course menu at lunch and dinner. Everything depends on the freshest of ingredients, and the output has a palpable directness, whether delicate lamb koftas, Langland Farm duck with beetroot, raspberries and geranium, chalk stream trout with tomato butter sauce or possibly ‘the best green salad in the UK’. It’s also good to report that the vibrancy of the food is easily matched by an affordable, predominantly French wine list.

Here is an off-centre hot spot with USP coming out of its ears. Nicole Yeoh and James Harris have set up camp in a smartly tended Winchester pub, the Green Man, to offer sparkling Malaysian/Chinese-inspired cooking that reflects Nicole's upbringing in Penang. It's a winning formula, as is reflected by the torrent of Best Local Restaurant nominations Lucky Lychee receives: 'we try to get here at least once a month for their roti brunch,' noted one regular. Reporters love the lively ambience, the adventurous approach to food and drink pairings and, of course, the razor-sharp precision and invigorating freshness of the cooking. Nicole weaves her magic with a mix of traditional dishes and seasonal awareness, drawing on regionally sourced produce as well as the assertive seasonings and spices of her culinary heritage Off-piste signature turns involve marinating fried chicken in honey and Marmite, with oyster sauce and toasted peanuts in the mix. House-made cordials, South-east Asian softs, orange wines and fizz all help to make this a happy place.

The formula could hardly be simpler: izakaya-style eats and drinks at the back end of the week in a simple white-walled space lit by paper globe lanterns in the evening. Much of Margate's culinary renaissance has been happening along the Northdown Road, and Mori Mori is an integral part of it. Regulars never fail to praise the uplifting atmosphere, which has none of the stuffiness of formal Japanese dining. Smartly compiled sushi boxes, noodle dishes teeming with umami seasonings, okonomiyaki and gyoza options, and a list of savoury nibbles all press the right buttons. It feels like 'clean healthy cooking', but without the earnestness, and staff invariably make everybody feel welcomed like old friends – the modest dimensions of the place giving it an intimate feel. Nobody would forgive us for failing to mention the matcha cheesecake with malted caramel crumb and coconut, which has its confirmed devotees. Sake and skin-contact wines lead the drinks range.

Bookie Mitchell, the Thai-born chef behind the popular Namo Eats kitchen in the Eagle pub, has taken things to the next level with this smart standalone restaurant that feels a cut above your average high street Thai without ever tipping into formality. The menu draws largely on Mitchell's Northern Thai roots and uses local Sussex produce where possible. Portions are generous, the prices are reasonable (dishes are all under £20), and it's the kind of place where you'll struggle to order badly. Don't miss the deeply comforting claypot rice or the sparky Laotian salad, layered with texture. A warm atmosphere and well-executed twists on classic cocktails round things out wonderfully.

In early 2026, Nathan Outlaw called time on his fine-dining flagship, Outlaw’s New Road, and moved his all-star team over the road to Outlaw’s Guest House to open a bistro. The informal setting and a simpler three-course menu are a sign of the times, though many longtime regulars are grateful for the opportunity of being fed royally by Outlaw himself and his right-hand man, Peter Biggs. The dining room has been dressed up with some banquette-style seating, pot plants and bare tables and enjoys an aspect overlooking the coast – although it can’t quite shake off its bones as the former breakfast room of a Victorian-era seaside inn. It’s a marked contrast to the magic on the plate. A blackboard special of crab and lobster salad is a delicately wrought celebration of Port Isaac’s finest catch and impossible to improve upon, while main dishes bring together comfort, elegance and more dazzlingly fresh seafood. With sparks flying in the kitchen and warm, well-polished service, it’s easy to start racking up the bill – especially when sipping cocktails and dipping into a wine list peppered with prestigious bottles. On a fair-weather day, we’d plump for a lunch on the terrace and go to town.

‘Francophiles love this place,’ although Pompette is not only a godsend for Summertown locals but also draws in diners who are prepared to undertake a long trip to sample its wares. With its walls emblazoned with artwork, a gorgeous summertime terrace and ‘attentive but knowledgeable staff’, no wonder it is reckoned to be ‘a must-visit’. And that’s before we get to the food. Long-serving chef/co-owner Pascal Wiedemann’s menu is entrenched in bourgeois French cuisine (with the odd European detour) and everything is crafted with care, passion and ‘perfect balance’.  Welcome to the world of sautéed lamb’s sweetbreads with peas, broad beans and anchovy dressing, richly flavoured coarse-textured beef onglet, and kirsch choux buns with griottines and warm chocolate sauce. Other highlights include poulet frites on Wednesday (served Provencal-style in summer), a proper petit-déjeuner from 10am, and also a regular apero hour. Pompette is the charming French word for tipsy, so we do need to mention the drinks: Ricard, Picon Bière and Normandy cider all get a look-in alongside a list of patriotically French wines.

Owned by chef Andres Alemany and his wife Marie-Lou for more than a decade, Pulpo Negro is a real find. Behind its Georgian frontage, there’s a dark interior of bare floorboards, exposed brickwork and menus on blackboards, while a pulsating soundtrack keeps things buzzing and casual – although the eye-catching action happens in the open kitchen, where a young team produces dishes that deftly balance flavours, textures and colours. A couple of snacks followed by five or six tapas is the recommended quantity for two. To start, the ‘pregnant bread’ is a must (five exquisitely light little empanadas topped with grated cheese and blossom honey) but the choice ranges from BBQ Jersey royals with mojo verde and anchovy butter to crispy aubergine with whipped goat’s cheese and Canarian palm syrup – not forgetting an impressive array of BBQ meats and seafood cooked over fire. To finish, sherry-glazed pineapple, chocolate churros or Spanish artisan cheeses might tempt. Pithily annotated Spanish wines and sherries, plus Hampshire cider and ‘fabulous’ cocktails make Pulpo Negro ‘a super-fun place to be’.

‘Simplicity, modesty, passion’ – three little words that sum up Francesca and Wesley Smalley’s well-run modern restaurant just off Maidenhead town centre. The bright interior is dominated by a gleaming central island kitchen, and the unique design of the place ‘makes every diner feel like they have a seat at the chef’s table.’ Here, Wesley conjures up a roster of assured, seasonally inspired dishes, while also finding time to greet customers when they arrive. His smart, innovative menu is peppered with delicious enticements, with flavours gleaned from across the culinary globe – from ‘patatas bravas’ fondant to sake-cured sea trout with Waltham beets and grelot onions via the familiarity of roast cod with spring vegetables, peas and smoked bacon velouté. Desserts such as pistachio crème brûlée or a chocolate and cherry choux bun maintain Seasonality's enviably high standards. In addition to the regular fixed-priced menu, there’s now a modest lunchtime carte featuring some of the chef’s current favourites. Just add charming service and a wine list that's arranged by style and weight, with a good choice by the glass.

An elegant addition to Kent’s lively restaurant scene, Shwen Shwen (the name apparently means ‘fancy fancy’) is a celebration of Maria Bradford’s Sierra Leonean heritage and her feel for Afro-fusion cuisine. Daintily tucked away behind a sheltered courtyard terrace (great for alfresco meals), the place itself creates a real vibe with its warm terracotta tones, upholstery decorated with multi-coloured kpokpo fabrics and striking photos of Maria’s West African heritage. Dining takes place in two hospitable upstairs rooms with tightly packed tables, where personable staff are more than ready to guide customers through the intricacies of a menu peppered with unfamiliar ingredients.

Sophistication and comfort define the mood, while culinary exploration is the name of the game, from small sharing plates pointed-up with fonio (a West African ‘supergrain’) and kankankan (a smoky, aromatic spice blend) to a mille-feuille dessert involving moringa-leaf cream. Fixed-price lunches, early dinners and a £75 ‘chef’s choice’ taster provide a decent overview of the cooking, and it’s also worth taking a serious dive into the drinks list with its global tea menu, creative infusions, zingy cocktails and well-chosen international wines.   

‘I just love it here and feel so lucky to have such an exemplary spot as our local neighbourhood restaurant,’ sums up the many reports from locals and visitors who have been impressed by the Union's friendly, relaxed atmosphere – and by the cooking, which is both seasonal, current and fresh. And with a centuries-old rough-hewn interior, this former pub charms with its plank floors, exposed brick and timbers, open fireplaces and simple furnishings. Sharing plates of escalating size signal informality, too, and the oft-changing repertoire (strongly focused on local produce) encourages regular return visits. Dishes are flavour-driven – a mash-up of eclectic global flavours along the lines of wild sea bass with pak choi, cuttlefish and a rich sobrasada sauce. As for drinks, we’ve heard good things about the blood orange Margarita, and the short wine list has been carefully chosen. Everything is offered by the glass or bottle, so it’s tempting to experiment, though the very decent house selection is a perfectly good choice.

Kimberley Duke and San Seesarun cherish their customers and their intimate, contemporary Mauritian spot on the seafront with a care that is both endearing and welcoming. To be clear, Tonka is very casual, very cramped, simply and cheerfully decorated in a DIY sort of way, but the food on the short menu is delicious. Crab mac and cheese appears alongside tapioca fried chicken, and the repertoire also takes in tamarind pork ribs and skewers of black garlic aubergine or crispy cuttlefish. A wider commitment to the community runs to dumpling-making workshops and serving hot food and mulled drinks out of the window on Bonfire Night, which is a huge event in the town. The rose lemonade has been praised (as have the cocktails), and there’s a brief selection of wine, beer and Kentish cider. Good coffee too. Probably the pick of eating places in Hastings on current form.