As seen on screen: A taste of Great British Menu 2025
Published 21 February 2025

The verdant decor and sylvan accents of the staff outfits subtly re-affirm that impeccable food and perfectly judged service are ever-green. Since 2020, Cail Bruich has been under the meticulous eye of chef Lorna McNee, protégée of the late, much-lamented chef Andrew Fairlie. The team are certainly not resting on any laurels as they continue to grow an enviable reputation on sustainable values, local provenance, artfully designed dishes and technical precision. Don’t be fooled by the relatively understated environment, this is top-notch food delivered by engaged and committed professionals. Two set menus are available – the shorter one at lunchtimes only. Opening snacks are a statement of intent: a fragile langoustine tartelette spiked with lemon gel or a single boned chicken wing on a customised silver skewer – perfection. Scottish seafood shines as West Coast brown crab is paired with raw Orkney scallop on a subtle Jerusalem artichoke custard – all brought together by a delicate dashi and hazelnut puffed rice. A sense of playfulness remains part of the technical masterclass: ‘mushrooms on toast’ adds duxelles of oyster mushroom, chicken-stuffed morels and generously shaved black truffle to a golden brioche with a rich Madeira cream and balsamic notes. The kitchen is prepared to take bold liberties with flavour in a cod and pork creation where a gleaming pig's trotter broth provides the yin to the yang of a rich langoustine bisque and additional spoons are needed to ensure the final specks are cleansed from the bespoke crockery. However, simplicity is equally celebrated with rosy blackface lamb unadorned alongside fat-headed asparagus and wild leek. Finish, perhaps, with a Valrhona chocolate confection – a precious ingot of multiple layers and textures, cut with blood orange sorbet and an orange-infused olive oil. The wine and drinks lists offer individuality without the urge to be encyclopaedic or unaffordable. Bold twists to cocktail classics such as a briny caviar Martini (distinctively dirty) or a very grown-up black truffle amaretto sour push flavour to the fore. The approachable sommelier recognises customer preferences and budgets while proffering well-targeted suggestions. Front-of-house staff are not just knowledgeable but also bring passion, humour and personal interest. The overall atmosphere is calm and unhurried, while the contented buzz of generously spaced diners, punctuated by the rhythmic responses of the well-drilled brigade in the open kitchen creates a pleasing sense of harmony and purpose.

* Mark McCabe, formerly at The Ethicurean near Bristol (now closed) has taken over as head chef. He replaces Cillian Hennessy, who has been appointed Aulis development chef. Watch for a new review coming soon.*

Once up the sweeping driveway of Linthwaite House and through the 14 acres of gardens onto the hotel’s terrace, you'll be treated to one of the finest views of Windermere, with the namesake ‘hen rock’ poking out of the lake below. Henrock (the restaurant) is at the viewless rear of the hotel, which focuses attention firmly on the plate, though – as in the rest of the impressive property – there is also art to admire from the owners’ private collection. Henrock is a Simon Rogan restaurant with a pronounced Asian accent (the chef is a big deal in Hong Kong) and each dish bears the imprimatur of Rogan’s precise presentation. Meals kick off with the ‘hen on a rock’ canapé (mushroom and egg in a scooped-out shell atop a piece of slate) ahead of starters such as lacquered smoked eel with XO custard – eastern flavours filtered through modern British fine dining. A main course of Peking duck with a date and gochujang croquette, meanwhile, involves pink-cooked, crisp-skinned roast breast and autumnal, sweet-and-sour accompaniments. Many of the ingredients have travelled no further than the extensive Our Farm in Cartmel, 13 miles away, and vegetarian dishes such as fermented and grilled cabbage with truffled tofu, teriyaki sauce and wasabi emulsion are as diverting as the meat and fish options. Desserts (pistachio cake with blackberry and buttermilk; steamed banana sponge with rum ice cream) suggest that afternoon tea here would be excellent (and it comes with a lake view from the conservatory). The wine list casts its net wide, from Sussex to Slovenia, and an excellent by-the-glass selection (from £6) helps to make amends for the rather lofty bottle prices. If there’s a drawback, there’s no getting away from the feeling that one is eating in a hotel dining room, and that this is a Rogan satellite rather than the L’Enclume mothership. But if you can’t get into L’Enclume or a Lakeland visit doesn’t allow time or transportation for Cartmel, Henrock provides a taste of Rogan destined to inspire further exploration. 

Simon Rogan was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours List at the end of 2023, which is some measure of the influence he has had on contemporary British dining. The nerve centre of the whole operation is still here, in a stone-built former smithy on a Cartmel road-bend, not far from its sibling Rogan & Co. The ambience has lost none of its rusticity, from the roughcast whitewashed walls and raftered ceilings to the anvil after which the place is named. The light, airy conservatory makes a fine spot for lunch. Smartly clad staff oversee a welcoming – and supremely professional – approach to hospitality, and the food does the rest. The kitchen mobilises a battalion of unexpected ingredients in surprising – even stunning – combinations, with textural notes to the fore as well as a clear focus on sustainability and regionalism. Among the appetisers is a fritter of Duroc pork and smoked eel on lovage emulsion with sweetcorn purée, an unimaginably delicious composition of flavours. There is also a pudding of Berkswell cheese coated in caramelised birch sap, tapped from a tree just a couple of miles away. A succession of plated dishes might include tiny pink fir potatoes cooked in chicken fat with pickled walnuts and an oil of burnt onion ash, while one of L'Enclume's signatures is the seaweed custard in beef broth and bone marrow, garnished with a house blend of caviar and Maldon oyster. Various vegetable-based specialties are always part of the menu, their seasonal freshness offset with powerful herbs and seasonings. As for animal protein, a pairing of John Dory and cuttlefish in pork fat with shrimp sauce, spinach and verbena might precede an outstanding dish of dry-aged Middle White pork in mead sauce with black garlic purée and pickled allium seeds, plus a pork-fat crumpet sitting on a hot stone to keep it warm. Textures go haywire in a serving of frozen Tunworth cheese topped with puffed buckwheat, lemon thyme crystals and gel, on a compôte of Champagne rhubarb. After strawberries and sweet cicely cream served in a ceramic pouch, followed by a miso-caramel mousse with apple (another L’Enclume signature), we concluded with an array of superlative petits fours – including a cornet of peach-stone ice cream with elderflower and white-chocolate ganache, and a tiny caramelised pear tart with a spot of herb oil. Wines by the glass are presented on an iPad, which you may want to keep by you as the menu progresses, but it's best to let the wine flights themselves take wing on a cosmopolitan journey around the globe.

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

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

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

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

There is a genuine feeling of affection radiating from the many readers’ reports we receive for this cutting-edge Indian restaurant. To be sure, it’s an unashamedly smart destination and visitors appreciate the comfortable, softly lit lounge and the dining room’s elegant neutrality as well as the sense of theatre provided by the spectacular open kitchen.

Birmingham-born Aktar Islam has been pursuing his own path here since 2018, his culinary style vigorous and imaginative, a mix of aspirant riffs on familiar Indian recipes and stellar British seasonal produce. Once you’ve snagged a reservation expect clever textures, thrilling contrasts and exact spicing. From the palate-awakening shot of cucumber, green chilli and apple juice served with snacks such as an ethereal oyster emulsion with perfectly judged chilli broth and coriander oil to petits fours that might include a pistachio-crumbed madeleine straight out of the oven, the chef’s intricately realised multi-course menus pulse with innovation and flavour.

Sublime tandoori sand carrot jumbled with mini lentil pakoras is given added vibrancy with mint and coriander, while other stand-outs range from aloo tuk (pink fir potato with mango and tamarind) to a tantalising slice of tender hogget loin fringed with beautifully flavoured fat and served with its slow-cooked shoulder – made all the more memorable by a subtle hint of heat that lingers gently on the palate. Beyond these anchor points, we were equally delighted by a buttery, flaky just-baked milk bread, and an intriguing ‘After Eight’ chocolate finale involving pine ice cream and mint compôte.

Service appears to have thawed since our last visit; the front of house staff and the chefs who delivered dishes to our table were on the ball and warmly welcoming. Drinks impress too. Cocktails blended to match the cuisine are a particular strength, and the wine list – also carefully tailored to complement the spicing– flies you first-class around the world, with by-the-glass choices from £16.

He may not have the public profile of all-conquering Rick Stein, but Paul Ainsworth is a big player in Padstow these days – and this engaging Georgian townhouse is his gastronomic HQ. Cool artwork and a ‘great soundtrack’ add some upbeat vibes to the two modest dining rooms, while staff get a special mention for their thoroughly professional attitude and ‘sense of humour’. That said, Ainsworth's cooking is indubitably the star of the show. The menu is divided into four sections highlighting the chef’s technical prowess, his loyalty to seasonal produce and his bold culinary imagination. Ainsworth's modish approach and his pairing of disparate ingredients may seem tantalisingly outré, but the results invariably draw ‘sighs of pleasure’: ‘bird’s liver’ with carrot ketchup and smoked eel; truffle-cured cod with roast chicken and manzanilla; ‘all of the pigeon’, various gamey conceits including a confit leg wrapped in crispy shredded kataifi pastry sitting on umeboshi condiment (made from Japanese salted plums), followed by a dark pain au chocolat filled with the remaining bits of the bird. To finish, there might be some artisan cheese with 'apple pie', but all eyes inevitably turn to the near-legendary ‘Fairground Tale’ (as seen on TV). Roll up for three edible sideshows: the ‘old tyme coconut shy’ (a towering bitter chocolate and coconut soufflé with chilled cocoa and rum custard); a miniature, hand-painted wooden carousel bearing a chocolate bar and a crunchy brown-butter choc ice wrapped in paper; and finally, ‘all the fun of the fair’ – a wickedly rich muscovado-glazed doughnut served warm with raspberry curd and butter-roasted peanuts. Matching this is a wine list stuffed with bottles that the owners like to drink; France claims pole position but the range is global, and there are some tasty by-the-glass selections too. ‘A brilliant dining experience that made the six-hour drive down from Kent more than worthwhile,’ concluded one couple.

The edge-of-Leeds location isn't glamorous but Prashad continues to draw fans from all over Yorkshire; there are some very smart cars in the car park. Minal Patel's cooking style and creativity have grown steadily over the years; her food has always been fragrant, with vivid aromatics the dominant feature, but today the most significant difference is in the presentation. What was once a fairly rustic offering is now a masterclass in creative plating without being outright dots-and-dribbles cheffy. The notion of an amuse-bouche was once a stretch, but now it’s likely you’ll get a spoon of slow-roasted dhal with gram-flour vermicelli and beetroot chutney. Sweet and earthy, it’s the perfect way to kick-start a meal. Among the classics are kopra pethis (fresh coconut dough balls, precisely spherical, zesty and moist) and mausmi ghota (essentially a crunchy-on-the-outside/soft-on-the-inside ball of spiky root ginger and herby mint with mashed Jerusalem artichokes), while sanku (a deeply traditional dosa) is presented as dinky ice-cream cones. Kofta (spiced lentil dough balls revved up with caraway-infused tomato rasam) hit all the senses, while the paneer and cauliflower biryani is a salty-sweet-heat firework. The setting is a cavernous former pub but there's no doubt you're in an Indian restaurant (complete with flashes of pink bling); there's also a subtle, sophisticated vibe, emphasised by the seven-course tasting menu, a delicate distillation of regular dishes and a great introduction to the depth and complexity of Minal Patel's cooking. Excellent craft beer pairings match the food, Cobra is on tap, and there’s an all-vegan and organic wine list – in addition to cocktails and mocktails.

To ask for £175 per diner upfront sets the bar high for any restaurant, so it’s difficult to enter Kenny and Abbie Atkinson’s new Quayside venture without demanding (at least notionally) ‘prove yourself!’ Slowly, via up to 19 tasting dishes on a no-choice menu, Solstice does exactly that. Scott Hodgson is head chef, though Kenny Atkinson (who gained fame on the Great British Menu) was orchestrating proceedings in the kitchen when we visited, emerging to explain dishes to his customers. And what dishes they are! Guests are presented with a bare-bones menu on arrival: ‘caviar’, ‘cod roe’ and ‘mackerel’ being the first three items on our line-up (shortly before the winter solstice). Elaborate verbal descriptions are provided at table, and you’re given a detailed account on paper at the end. A meal here is characterised by beautifully presented, complex morsels of artistry, where contrasting textures and tiny bursts of concentrated flavour excite the taste buds. Highlights? Seafood is certainly a star: Lindisfarne oyster, poached in its shell then covered with an oyster and bonito beurre blanc, topped with oscietra caviar set off by drops of walnut oil (applied at the table); langoustine tail roasted in its oil yet still translucent, served with a citrus yuzu koshu butter sauce and fennel flower; steamed pollock, wrapped in nori and stuffed with a fish and mussel mousse, the masterstroke being its intense Craster kipper sauce. Shortfalls? Perhaps a sweet Parker House roll (itself perfect) wasn’t the ideal accompaniment to a main course of venison, which came with a glorious gravy of red verjus and smoked bone marrow. But that’s a minor gripe. Puddings? Northumberland heather honey parfait won the prize. Don’t be daunted by the number of dishes: portions are well-judged and the final four (including chocolate with sansho pepper ganache) are petits fours, served together. The setting for all of this is a split-level room (with limited kitchen views) seating only 14 diners; colours are subdued but note the sunburst wall lights replicating the restaurant’s logo. Staff are young but well-versed in the menu (and charming too). The suitably voluminous wine list is presented on an iPad; flights cost £95, though there’s ample choice by the glass, starting with a palatable Albariño. It’s clear Solstice is setting its sights at a level still higher than its older sibling House of Tides. If it succeeds, and on this evidence it will, it should become the brightest star in the Newcastle firmament.

A shining beacon on the edge of the romantically desolate North York Moors, the Black Swan is a stone-built inn, now more obviously a regional restaurant with rooms. Inside, it has been daringly reconfigured for its contemporary purpose, with spare modern furniture and unclothed tables against a backdrop of thick stone and heavy beams.

Former civil servant Alice Power is the latest incumbent in the Swan's kitchen, disposing over two acres of kitchen garden, overseeing a tireless foraging operation, and maintaining the format of a lengthy taster of around a dozen stages – a menu structure that crucially depends on robust endurance. That said, there is no sense of overload about these dishes, largely because they don't go heavy on carbs.

First nibbles evoke excited first impressions, from smoked eel and oscietra caviar with fennel pollen to a bite-sized chunk of truffled roe deer with celeriac. Foraged ingredients provide the haunting aromatics in dishes ranging from scallop and leek with spruce to lobster with salt-cured rhubarb and lemon verbena. A thrifty approach to meats might find locally shot partridge served first in a broth, followed by its heart and liver with chestnuts, a leg with elderberry and fir, and finally the roasted breast with Pablo beetroot and bread sauce.

An innovative approach to desserts ensures that the latter stages of the production are among the most memorable: mushroom-dusted chocolate ganache with meringue and chocolate/honey pieces, as well as yoghurt ice cream with wood sorrel and Douglas fir oil applied at the table. The rather over-rehearsed mood of service – often a feature of the tasting format – would benefit from relaxing a little.

Three levels of wine flight are offered to accompany the cavalcade of flavours, ranging from ‘experimental and adventurous’, through ‘grand and classic’ to ‘rare and exceptional’, depending on depth of pocket. The first might embrace a Naoussa Xinomavro with that partridge, the second a 2009 Beaune premier cru ‘Les Epenottes’, the last Calera's 2008 Pinot Noir from Sonoma, California.

Take a peep into the Coach and you might be misled. This 'welcoming and friendly' town-centre venue – one of four Tom Kerridge establishments in Marlow – still has all the trappings of a bustling boozer. There’s attractive green tiling on the walls, a fine choice of local ale on the handpumps, seating on red leather banquettes or bar stools, and even a few TV screens (on mute) tuned to sports channels. However, it's the food that takes precedence – and classy food at that. Tables can only be booked on the day (apart from weekend breakfasts, when it's walk-ins only). Try to bag a seat near the open kitchen, where head chef Sarah Hayward creates a repertoire of small-plate dishes that arrive as and when they’re ready. A velvety little helping of watercress and Jersey Royal soup might kick things off in summer, served with a wondrously light Parmesan-topped cheese scone with ham-hock butter. Likewise, mushroom ‘risotto’, topped with more Parmesan, had an intensity born of culinary skill and training. It also revealed Kerridge’s low-carb convictions, with slivers of mushroom taking the place of rice (and there’s no bread on the menu). An inspection meal continued with highs and lows: half a barely cooked hispi cabbage with a salad cream and pork-puff topping was surpassed by roasted sea bass with cockles, saffron potato and a mouth-wateringly savoury bouillabaisse sauce. Flair was most evident when it came to dessert: a sublime choux bun arrived with a creamy yet tangy filling of mango and coconut (the accompanying custard-like pineapple rum sauce was scarcely needed), while a rich chocolate and orange sponge with chocolate sauce was enhanced by the bitter notes of marmalade ice cream. To drink, the pithy wine list holds much of interest (including whites from Syria, Greece and Norfolk) and there’s a short selection of inventive (if pricey) cocktails too. Service from polite young men is well-meaning, though a few extra training sessions wouldn’t go amiss. Nevertheless, it’s the bonhomous vibe that keeps this Coach on track.