Britain’s best fish restaurants
Published 20 March 2026

First find your restaurant. With very little signage and a hidden square to negotiate, diners are unlikely to eat here on a whim; a visit is booked in advance and eagerly anticipated. Billed as an ‘experimental’ venture from Alex Claridge and the team behind the Wilderness, the neutral toned space follows current fashion: no distinction between the fully open kitchen and the dining room; hard surfaces (wall, floor, kitchen counter) and 14 unyielding counter stools providing close-up views of the action – namely the preparation of what is primarily a multi-course, Japanese-inflected seafood tasting menu.

Service is warm and welcoming, but it pays to give careful attention to the announcement of each dish – no menu is offered until you leave. And it’s all effortlessly modern. A tartlet of mackerel is infused with a hint of heat from jalapeño, while slivers of wild, line-caught sea bass are enlivened with a whisper of smoke and seaweed, and the sweetly acidic flavours of yuzu vinegar – just the sort of bite-size morsels one wishes came in a serving of 10. Dishes are inventive but restrained, classical yet able to embrace broader influences: take a simple layering of brown-crab custard with finger lime, apple, white crabmeat and a few leaves of oxalis or a translucent roundel of lightly cured Cornish cod, wrapped in autumn truffle and served in a hot-smoked bone broth with yeast butter and egg yolk.

Each flavour blends tantalisingly with the one preceding it, so a plump, sweet scarlet prawn in a delicate, chilli oil-infused broth (made from the head) might be followed seamlessly by hamachi poached in brown butter with a dashi, sesame and ginger-based broth. Wines are chosen with the food firmly in mind, but given the lack of menu information, wine matching (or tutored advice from the sommelier) seems a sensible way to proceed.

‘By far the best restaurant in Margate,' sums up many readers’ affection for Lee Coad and Charlotte Forsdike's tiny eatery with rooms – in fact, some are even happy to endure lengthy train rides for a taste of its friendly hospitality, reasonable prices and Rob Cooper’s dependable seafood cookery. All in all, it’s a crowd puller, expanding onto the pavement in fine weather and, in high summer, to a few tables across the road, where the daily changing blackboard is hiked from table to table, French bistro-style.

Expect intensely seasonal cooking built around regular supplies of ethically sourced fish. Every dish sings with flavour: a main course of monkfish, tomatoes and smoked cod’s cheeks in a rich, green-flecked sauce was an early summer revelation, while reporters continue to applaud the perfectly cooked skate enhanced by fabulous, meaty nuggets of ‘chorizo’ (made from fish offcuts rather than pork) in a rich sauce. To begin, you might consider mackerel with fennel and pickled gooseberries or something as straightforward as brown crab on toast – a seasonal treat. There’s always a vegetarian dish, while crowd-pleasing desserts include a popular flourless chocolate cake or fig-leaf posset with gooseberries and meringue. The short wine list is packed with interest, offering classic fish-friendly and low-intervention tipples from England and coastal Europe. 

In Scots dialect, ‘barry' means fine or good; it's also the first name of chef-owner Barry Bryson, who runs this well-liked addition to Edinburgh's restaurant scene. Barry Fish is his first solo venture, and with olive-green paintwork and fresh, contemporary interiors, it's a bright, modern space. The menu showcases Scottish seafood, with a couple of additions for vegetarians and meat-eaters. Proceedings open with a clutch of ‘big snacks’ (aka sharing plates) ranging from fish pastrami with aïoli and capers to smoked sea bass rillettes with soused Orkney herring. To follow, shelled half lobsters, whole lemon sole véronique and even a roast chicken pie, with a couple of desserts and cheese rounding things off. Alternatively, you can drop by without booking for the ‘first wave’ (early-evening set menu) or rock up for some oysters and Champagne (Tue-Sat, 4.15pm-6pm). Run by an ‘amazingly friendly team’, the restaurant’s relaxed vibe extends to locals, visitors and their four-legged companions. To drink, there are signature cocktails and a small but thoughtfully curated selection of wines.

The idea behind Behind, Andy Beynon’s restaurant on the ground floor of a new development in London Fields, is to foreground what usually goes on behind the scenes. The restaurant, more spacious than its 18 covers might suggest, is open plan with no distinction between kitchen and dining room, front and back of house. The chefs get to enjoy the abstract paintings and the excellent soundtrack too. No wonder they look happy. Although it’s a self-described ‘chef’s table’ set-up, Behind differs from others of this ilk because the counter is a single high table that curves around the room in a near full circle, quite apart from the culinary workspace. Service is delivered entirely by the chefs themselves who come over only when they have a dish to present or a wine to pour. They know their stuff. Beynon, who has worked under Claude Bosi, Phil Howard, Michael Wignall and Jason Atherton, offers a fish-focused daily ‘menu surprise’ at £98 for an eight-course dinner, £54 for a six-course lunch (tremendously good value). He introduces the concept personally and personably, explaining his approach to ethical sourcing and seasoning (he likes to use seawater, not salt). From a waiter, it’s a spiel; direct from the chef-patron, it’s a statement of belief. The first wave of dishes served at our lunchtime inspection expanded on the statement: an intense shellfish broth made only of prawns and wine; lavosh flatbread pressed with microscopic shrimps (‘bycatch’ that would otherwise be wasted); and a sashimi-like sliver of the powerfully flavoured top side of mackerel cured in tiger’s milk. Did the cured trout in seaweed with bonito flakes and a full-bodied mustard and chive emulsion need a buttery laminated bun on the side? No, not really, but who would turn down such excellent baking. Delica pumpkin tortellini made of duck-egg pasta in crab soup was the pinnacle of the meal: rich, sophisticated, complex, clever. The main course, a take on fish pie, with a beautiful glassy piece of skate, oyster leaf, beurre blanc and trout roe, seemed conventional after the pasta. Standards remained high for an 82% chocolate dessert with ricotta ice cream, sesame and black olives, and an optional cheese course that paired blue cheese with sweet plum jam and a frangipane tart. The wine list goes from £39 to £390, with just a handful below £60. But we’d argue that cooking this confident is worthy of a special bottle.

A ‘very reliable’ Mayfair fixture since 1916, the self-titled ‘grand dame of Swallow Street’ is still shucking oysters with a vengeance under the stewardship of chef/patron Richard Corrigan. These days, regulars agree that its two great assets are the ground-floor Oyster Bar and the spacious gem of a terrace on Swallow Street itself (heated and covered for year-round bonhomie).

If you’re indoors, the best seats are indubitably at the marble-topped bar counter, where you can watch the chefs expertly flashing their thick-bladed oyster knives and doing the business on ‘natives’ and ‘rocks’ from places as far apart as Donegal, Oban and Jersey – although one fan reckons the Pembrokeshire specimens deserve a special mention. Otherwise, squeeze into one of the close-packed tables for a more formal and ‘extremely fresh’ piscine blowout – perhaps scallop ceviche dressed with jalapeño, mint and lime ahead of Dover sole meunière or pan-seared turbot with olive-oil mash and langoustine sauce.

Readers have praised the impeccable Cornish fish stew packed with myriad different species in a tomato and saffron broth, although you can also feast on classics such as fish and chips, fish pie and Bentley’s handsome shellfish platters. Pudding might be crème caramel with Armagnac-soaked prunes or a bitter chocolate mousse embellished with cherries, gold leaf and amaretto. The classy fish-friendly wine list is priced for Mayfair’s big spenders, although it does offer some excellent bargains by the glass.

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.

Three generations of the Capel family have owned and run their homely, simply decorated fish and chip restaurant in a Bournemouth suburb for 35 years – in fact it's considered something of a local institution. The menu features Atlantic cod or haddock, with a ‘catch of the day’ listed on a specials board (perhaps plaice, hake, red gurnard or rock), all sustainably sourced, sparklingly fresh, and fried in a light, airy batter with very good chips. There's a gluten-free day on Tuesdays, and a takeaway section if you find the queue for the dining room too long.

‘From “oyster happy hour” to beautifully roasted sharing platters, this place has so many nuances to keep locals coming back, and to drag Edinburgh’s food fanatics away from Stockbridge and Leith,’ noted a fan of this ‘relentlessly good’ neighbourhood bistro in Bruntsfield. Fans of tinned fish and other booze-friendly snacks make a beeline for the broody little wine bar in the basement, although the main action takes place in the bright, unfussy dining room at street level. Despite the postcode, chef-patron Stuart Smith’s cooking is anything but parochial, and he is currently delivering some of the best seafood in the city.

Small plates form the bulk of the menu, backed up by ‘market fish’ specials (perhaps ‘perfectly cooked’ John Dory on the bone accompanied by pak choi, carrots, fries and aïoli). Salt cod mousse with herb oil and grilled sourdough is a fixture, but also look for wonderfully sweet Gairloch langoustines with emerald-hued wild garlic mayo or pickled mussels with carrot, buckwheat and fermented peach hot sauce. Away from the sea, you might find Denhead Farm asparagus with white beans, walnut and guanciale or slow-cooked lamb shoulder accompanied by friggitelli peppers, roasted onion and goat’s curd.

For afters, readers have singled out a ‘suitably tart’ lemon posset and a well-judged chocolate mousse with miso caramel and hazelnuts. The comprehensive but accessible wine list has a distinctly French accent and at least a dozen options by the glass, while a separate, more indulgent 'cellar list' is available for those seeking to mark an occasion – or to create one.

‘Seafood straight from the loch… creel caught… shell recycling… local organic produce’ – some notes from an effusive report on this stunningly located restaurant at the northerly reaches of the Isle of Skye. Located in a terrace of whitewashed cottages on the shores of the eponymous loch, it has been home to Michael and Laurence Smith since 2016 (readers may remember Michael from his time at the acclaimed Three Chimneys, Colbost). In contrast to his previous posting, petit Loch Bay has no more than half a dozen tables in a charming, informal dining room that's somewhat at odds with the chef's refined cooking.

Delivered across a multi-course ‘Skye Fruits de Mer’ tasting menu that is described as ‘contemporary Scottish with a French twist’, the Gallic influence shows in a warm, freshly baked French baton served with smoked Crowdie cheese, followed by a terrific, crunchy oatmeal-coated oyster ‘mignonette’. After that, plump 'twice-dived’ Sconser scallops – fished from deep, more nutritious waters for a fuller, fatter bivalve (a system unique to Skye) – might be seasonally teamed with chanterelles and Orbost sauce vierge. A substantial pot-au-feu arrives with butter-grilled langoustines in a pot bursting with prawns, braised vegetables and, tucked in the bottom, crunchy little potato curls. Other seafood courses might bring a gratin of cod, clams and mussels or Bay lobster and monkfish with shrimp sauce and green apple.

Depending on the season, you might finish with a warm tart of Scottish strawberries, raspberries and brambles with yoghurt ice cream and Kir Royale jelly. It’s a glorious tour de force, aided by accommodating service and bolstered by wines from an impressive Francophile list.

The Friskney-Bryers have created ‘a Fowey institution’ in their converted boatshed restaurant overlooking the comings and goings of small craft out on the creek. The couple are fully committed to seasonality and sustainability, and their staff are also impressively clued-up when it comes to all things local. An infectiously informal vibe prevails in the main dining room with its long communal table, festoon lights, open kitchen and simple blackboard menu. Each week, the kitchen has a fish soup on the go, made from trimmings that can’t be used elsewhere; otherwise, the roll call of fabulous seafood specialities, might take in anything from cured pollack with fermented chilli dressing or confit sea bass with Cornish ‘earlies’, mayo and lovage to salt fish gratin. Away from the sea, you might also find slow-cooked lamb bolognese or nettle gnudi with mushrooms, and it's hard to resist the chocolate mousse with caramel and salt. To drink, a handful of natural wines by the glass do the trick – or you might fancy some grape juice from the Tamar Valley.

* At lunchtime, guests can now order individually priced dishes in addition to the 'Fish Kitchen to Share' tasting menu. *

‘I saved the best till last,’ commented a visitor to this ‘remarkable small restaurant’ overlooking the slipway. Housed in the oldest building in the fishing village where Doc Martin was filmed, it’s all ancient, gnarled ships’ timbers, a very low ceiling and the definite feeling of pouring a quart into a half-pint pot (the tiny bathroom requires a determined effort at self-compression). The whole place is run with great enthusiasm, with the six-course tasting menu – ‘lovely, simple, brief’ – moving along at a reassuring pace. It’s another string to Nathan Outlaw’s bow, a local, seasonal and sustainable commitment filtering down from parent Outlaw’s New Road at the top of the village. Here, the offerings might take in diced cured bass, dressed in spiced pumpkin ketchup and served on a crisp blue corn tostado (so popular it’s fast achieving cult status); a lobster dumpling in seafood broth, which comes with a piece of sensational sesame toast; and crisply breadcrumbed megrim sole, with pickled slaw and jalapeño mayonnaise. Elsewhere, John Dory was excellent at inspection, big enough in flavour to stand up to an old-school creamy mushroom sauce. With the bounty of the seas getting star billing, you might expect dessert to be a perfunctory offering, but not so. A dome of browned Italian meringue contains seductively tangy passion fruit and lime parfait on a coconut shortbread biscuit base. There are some aristocratic wines on the short list, with both Cornwall and the classic French regions showing up well. Note, the tiny dimensions mean that the Fish Kitchen gets booked up way ahead.

Designed with table seating to one side, high-top stools to the other, window seats (for walk-ins) and an alfresco pavement terrace, Will Palmer and Ian Campbell's seafood spot (opposite their 10 Cases Bistrot à Vin) maximises a bijou dining space beautifully. The single-sheet menu lists a satisfying array of small plates and snacks, plus a handful of more substantial dishes, sides and desserts. What the dayboats bring in largely dictates what’s on offer. Two deliveries a day from the coast translates into some superb specialities – perhaps a whole turbot to share, served with mussel beurre blanc and Avruga caviar, or a great hunk of impeccably cooked skrei cod atop Jerusalem artichokes and a lemon beurre blanc – a hit at inspection. Other highlights included potted shrimp croquettes, smoked haddock chowder, and a superb Loch Fyne scallop croque monsieur where the sweet succulence of the bivalve worked beautifully with the rich, buttery, cheesy toast. Welsh rarebit makes an appearance on the dessert menu, alongside a spectacular tart-sweet blood orange sorbet and chocolate mousse with hazelnut crumb. Whites dominate the wine list, which has something to suit every pocket; it's an eclectic selection that encourages veering off the beaten path – although a few more options by the glass would be welcome.

During the summer season, you can now hire a deckchair from Riley’s and eat their food on the beach (they will also sell you a blanket to use and take home if the weather’s breezy). The location – a glass-fronted shipping container facing the North Sea – is spot-on for a menu inspired by the owners’ stints as street-food vendors. Seasonal seafood is the deal, and the day's dishes (and service times) often depend on the catch. Items are rubbed off the blackboard as they sell out, although Riley’s classic wood-fired sourdough wraps (served in their famous ‘floppy’ cardboard boxes) are a fixture – perhaps BBQ Craster kippers, bavette steak or ‘hot plate’ hake with caper butter. Otherwise, the line-up might run from chilli fish empanadas via salt cod with grilled cos lettuce, smoked egg and preserved lemon to pan-roasted headliners such as turbot ‘chop’, lemon sole or brill (served with panzanella salad). Round off with one of Riley’s special soft-serves (wood-fired pineapple or peaches and cream, say). A dozen wines are served in plastic tumblers, there are plenty of ales from regional breweries and the venue also does a good line in homemade beverages (try the hot butter rum).

‘There is some magical alchemy at work in this little corner of Dartmouth,’ notes one reporter, adding that the family-owned Seahorse delivers ‘seafood at its absolute best’. On the Dartmouth quayside, the restaurant is helmed by Mitch Tonks’ son Ben, who is maintaining its high standards and commitment to daily deliveries of locally sourced produce (especially fish). The Seahorse has always radiated a balmy sense of Mediterranean good cheer, and the cooking follows suit. Charcoal-roasted Torbay scallops with white port are never off the menu, and sunny flavours permeate the repertoire from fritto misto di mare to whole John Dory with Sicilian tomatoes and Leccino olives. There are lamb cutlets ‘alla milanese’ and chargrilled calf’s liver with polenta if you’re not in the maritime mood, while desserts maintain the theme of elegant simplicity – perhaps poached fruit with mascarpone and grappa. The fixed-price lunchtime ‘menu del giorno’ offers excellent value, while Ben Tonks’ monthly ‘open table’ gatherings in the private dining room (aka the Cantina) are a local hit. An excellent Eurocentric wine list does justice to the food.