Best places to eat near Britain’s train stations Published 20 May 2025
There's something glamorously continental about the idea of dining in a grand old train terminus, but these days the reality is an overpriced sandwich or a sad sausage roll. In celebration of our new member perk with Belmond Trains, here are our tops spots for a slap-up lunch or deliciously decadent bake within striking distance of the station.
This cosy and buzzy neighbourhood venue has raised the bar for Spanish food in Brighton significantly. The cheerful and stylish red-painted frontage is easy to spot on a side street close to the city’s Open Market and is jus… Read more
This cosy and buzzy neighbourhood venue has raised the bar for Spanish food in Brighton significantly. The cheerful and stylish red-painted frontage is easy to spot on a side street close to the city’s Open Market and is just a short walk from the train station. The small, subtly themed dining room features decorative porcelain wall tiles, tasteful framed prints and a semi-open kitchen headed by Iain Swainson (whose CV includes The Samling, Pennyhill Park and The Pass at South Lodge Hotel). With partner Justyna Maria Ciurus (formerly front of house at The Little Fish Market in Hove) they bring the sort of attention to detail you’d expect at far swankier places than this good-value casual dining spot.
Indeed, a fillet of torched mackerel – skin beautifully crisp, flesh cooked to perfection - wouldn’t have looked out of place on a smart tasting menu with its pearlescent sorrel and Gordal olive dressing and bed of smoky cod’s roe mousse. Even simple items such as cep croquetas and a textbook patatas bravas over-deliver on flavour and texture.
Although you could easily order a traditional three-course meal here, we chose to share a selection of snacks, starters, main courses and sides. With our crockery and cutlery replaced with each new dish, it meant we weren’t eating a boldly favoured dish of crispy chipirones with fideuà and squid-ink velouté off the same plate as a perfectly roasted skate wing pil pil. You can drink well too, with well-made and nicely presented cocktails and a concise list of Spanish wines and sherries from top producers.
Traditional and delightfully untrendy, this trattoria has been serving up a slice of Italy to appreciative locals for more than 20 years. Run by chef Antonio Cersosimo (from Calabria by way of Milan) and Neapolitan wine importer L… Read more
Traditional and delightfully untrendy, this trattoria has been serving up a slice of Italy to appreciative locals for more than 20 years. Run by chef Antonio Cersosimo (from Calabria by way of Milan) and Neapolitan wine importer Luca Montuori, the proposition is a picture of regional Italian gastronomy, pairing premium Italian imports with bountiful Welsh produce.
The concise menu, supplemented by a paper slip of specials, will transport you from the humdrum lookout onto an NCP car park, while charming service invites you to kick back and relax. From the list of antipasti, there might be spinach and ricotta gnudi, or thick-cut bruschetta, messily laden with stracciatella, sweet blistered tomatoes and the peppery undertones of good olive oil. Pasta dishes such as pappardelle with venison and pork ragù rule the mains alongside fresh fish from the market (halibut on our visit) and rosy-pink Welsh lamb rump with Parmesan mash. Dessert might be a simple almond panna cotta or a glass of passito with cantucci. Look out for the good-value lunch menu (£28 for three courses at the time of writing) or, if choosing is beyond you, there's a tasting experience of five courses for £60.
As for wine, there’s a whole handbook of help available, although it's better to rely on the easy-going, knowledgeable staff when it comes to picking something from the all-Italian line-up. An upstairs dining room is warmly lit for a convivial evening, though we think the toilets could do with a makeover to bring things up to scratch.
The Dishoom group has the knack of picking atmospheric locations for its various restaurants, and this Edinburgh outpost is no exception – although one local thought it felt ‘a bit like a pub’. Occupying three fl… Read more
The Dishoom group has the knack of picking atmospheric locations for its various restaurants, and this Edinburgh outpost is no exception – although one local thought it felt ‘a bit like a pub’. Occupying three floors of a handsome Art Deco building overlooking St Andrew Square, it is dedicated to hirsute Scottish botanist and all-round man of the people Sir Patrick Geddes, who helped improve living conditions in Edinburgh's Old Town during Victorian times and had strong links with Bombay. Appropriate, since Dishoom aims to recreate the essence and ambience of that city's classless Irani cafés, with a lively all-day menu of Anglo-Indian tiffin and tucker.
Roll up early for buttery maska buns with hot chai or a chicken kathi roll, lunch on a couple small plates (perhaps a hot potato vada pau or chickpeas, halwa and pickles in a puffy puri); otherwise, get sociable by sharing a feast of different dishes. Grills such as Dishoom’s invigoratingly spiced lamb chops share the billing with slow-cooked biryanis, various ‘Ruby Murrays’ and the house special – salli boti (braised lamb in rich gravy served with crunchy ‘crisp chips’ and buttered roomali roti).
To finish, a creamy, cooling kulfi fits the bill admirably. Drinkers are also handsomely served with a bewildering array of ‘sharbats’, coolers, esoteric beers, wines and cocktails on offer: don’t miss the special Horniman’s Old Fashioned, named after Benjamin Horniman - a friend of Patrick Geddes and editor of The Bombay Chronicle.
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 … Read more
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.
‘The highest quality meat and cheese we’ve tried anywhere,’ thought a fan of this popular charcuteria/bar/bottle shop hard by Leeds railway station. The many marvels of the curer’s and cheesemaker's craft a… Read more
‘The highest quality meat and cheese we’ve tried anywhere,’ thought a fan of this popular charcuteria/bar/bottle shop hard by Leeds railway station. The many marvels of the curer’s and cheesemaker's craft are on display via a series of customised sharing boards loaded with artisan classics – from instantly addictive Ibérico secreto and bresaola di Montagna to Baron Bigod and cave-aged Gruyère. A few tapas plates (butter beans in lardo broth, say) are also on offer, along with sourdough sandwiches and affogato, although cured meat (matched with a glass or two of natural wine) is the main reason for befriending this cool, cashless gem. There’s a branch in Ilkley.
Handy for a classy train snack to go, this excellent bakery next to Bristol Temple Meads station is also a hugely popular destination in its own right. Inside, it’s simply decorated with moveable counters on castors and a gl… Read more
Handy for a classy train snack to go, this excellent bakery next to Bristol Temple Meads station is also a hugely popular destination in its own right. Inside, it’s simply decorated with moveable counters on castors and a gleaming coffee machine in front of the open-plan workspace. There are also a few tables inside and a couple of outdoor benches for those who want to linger over their doorstep sourdough toasties or cinnamon buns. Open from early doors till 3pm, its daily menu of baked goodies is supplemented by lunch specials such as chicken and tomato broth with asparagus and peas. Coffee is from the local Extract roastery.
A block or two from Piccadilly Gardens, Higher Ground is run by a triumvirate who met while working at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills in New York State. They have now rocked up at the corner of an office building in, … Read more
A block or two from Piccadilly Gardens, Higher Ground is run by a triumvirate who met while working at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills in New York State. They have now rocked up at the corner of an office building in, naturally, New York Street, to bring up-to-the-minute bistro food to a vanguard gastronomic city. Much of what comes into the kitchen is supplied by their own farm Cinderwood, a market garden smallholding in Cheshire, and its vivid intensities of flavour inspire chefs and diners alike. Eaten in a bright, spacious airport-style space, with counter seating as well as tables, the result is dishes that you will want to share, rather than merely being told that you have to. Green pea and spring garlic fritters enriched with Isle of Mull Cheddar won't touch the sides, and there are pedigree cured meats such as 12-month air-dried culatello or the cannily sourced salami taormina from Curing Rebels of Brighton. Fish cookery is of the first water: Scottish turbot with grilled lettuce, spring onions and basil is perfect with a side order of waxy Marfona potatoes dressed in roasted yeast and smoked butter. Desserts are, surprisingly, of a more delicate persuasion than puds and cheesecake. Try house-cultured yoghurt with preserved gooseberry and bay leaf, or milk ice cream given a little fairground pizzazz with chocolate malt fudge. Speciality bottled ales from the English regions are a plus point, and wine-drinkers can be sure their tipple will have been left to its own devices as far as possible, turning burnt orange for Ardèche Marsanne or abashed pink for Sicilian rosato. House fizz is a Crémant de Limoux.
Modern sharing plates with an old-world French vibe
The sophisticated big sister to Slad’s Woolpack Inn, this all-day bistro marries a modern European menu with a decidedly old-world French vibe. Large windows flood the long, narrow white room with light, while linen-draped t… Read more
The sophisticated big sister to Slad’s Woolpack Inn, this all-day bistro marries a modern European menu with a decidedly old-world French vibe. Large windows flood the long, narrow white room with light, while linen-draped tables, black leather banquettes, rich mahogany sideboards and a parquet floor evoke the understated elegance of a bygone era.
The menu is arranged as a series of sharing plates of escalating size, brought in order, so that one might start with an oyster or oeuf mayonnaise from the snacks, before a more substantial dish of clams with Tropea onion and asparagus or beef tartare with pommes allumettes. Portions are generous, with the final dishes (maybe a butterflied mackerel scattered with agretti and bottarga) the size of a conventional main course.
Will Rees (formerly head chef at Wilsons in Bristol) and Oliver Gyde spin magic from sustainably sourced local ingredients, including salad leaves grown in owner Dan Chadwick’s walled garden at nearby Lypiatt Park. Lashings of grass-green olive oil, presumably not locally produced but none the less delicious for it, enriches many dishes and looks so pretty against the white plates. The standout from the short dessert menu is a decidedly grown-up apple tarte tatin, caramelised to within an inch of its life and served with crème fraîche.
Should you wish to take advantage of the impressive list of low-intervention and artisanal wines, Stroud train station is a mere stumble away. Service from the team of young, passionate staff brims with pride and enthusiasm.
Skewers and small-plate thrills in a hot-ticket izakaya
Most izakaya restaurants in Japan are in tucked-away locations within the city, and Kushi-Ya, which moved to a new address in 2024, has found its own home along a gated walkway off a side-street in the centre of Nottingham. Blond … Read more
Most izakaya restaurants in Japan are in tucked-away locations within the city, and Kushi-Ya, which moved to a new address in 2024, has found its own home along a gated walkway off a side-street in the centre of Nottingham. Blond wood and dark-blue tiles are lightened by big windows, and there's an outdoor terrace too – making the most of the East Midlands sunshine. A quotient of tables is kept free for those who arrive on spec, although it's walk-ins only for sub-£20 lunches.
The name means ‘skewer-shop’, and a range of speared items forms the centrepiece of the menu: chicken tsukune with egg yolk and beef with black garlic mustard were both hugely pleasing at our visit. Also look to the specials, where more unusual offerings such as duck hearts are often to be had. Before those appear, do not miss the prawn toasts.We cannot stress this enough. Little barrels of toast are piped full of the prawn filling and served with furikake and savoury mayo. You'll never forget them. A plate of excellent pickles sharpens the appetite in every sense, with red radish and daikon, mushrooms and cucumber, all prickling with acidity. Our special of mackerel crudo with shiso and high-grade wasabi gained from the intensely savoury mayo in which it was bound.
A small-plates selection encompasses a clever Japanese/Korean prawn cocktail as well as soy-braised pork shoulder with condiments for the meatily inclined. Finish with the supremely well-balanced pairing of black-sugar parfait with a charred sesame-seed crisp or the sweet-and-sour combination of matcha cheesecake and lime meringue. A concise drinks list includes cups and cans of sake, Koshu wine, Japanese whiskies and an exciting cocktail range. Anyone for a gochujang Old-Fashioned (whisky, pineapple rum and gochujang-honey syrup)?
Standing proud by Rye’s 14th-century Landgate, Martin Peacock’s neighbourhood bistro has been a local benchmark for many a year, and it’s still ‘a great little place with a perfect ambience.’ The inte… Read more
Standing proud by Rye’s 14th-century Landgate, Martin Peacock’s neighbourhood bistro has been a local benchmark for many a year, and it’s still ‘a great little place with a perfect ambience.’ The interior has a suave contemporary look, while the food is dependably on track, mixing rock-solid Gallic traditions with impeccable local sourcing (including some produce from a little plot not far away).
Elderflower vinegar adds a floral note to a starter of beetroot, goat’s cheese and homemade gnocchi, while pickled carrots and harissa aïoli bring depth and variety of flavour to a dish of buttermilk rabbit. Romney Marsh lamb (served three ways) is an occasional addition to the menu, likewise local venison (cooked two ways and served with pickled blackberries, red cabbage, green beans and croquette potato). Otherwise, consider something from the waters of the South Coast – perhaps poached fillet of lemon sole with pea purée or baked fillet of sea bass accompanied by griddled sea kale and squid-ink risotto.
Sorbets and ice creams are made on the premises, or you could round off with a seasonal tart (say, quince and almond with crème fraîche). Organic wines from Sussex feature on the carefully selected international wine list, which keeps its mark-ups in check.
A cheerful celebration of multicultural Oxford, Lula’s fits perfectly into its community-centre home near the railway station. Fairy lights and vibrant wall displays of ethnic artefacts temper the capacious, functional surro… Read more
A cheerful celebration of multicultural Oxford, Lula’s fits perfectly into its community-centre home near the railway station. Fairy lights and vibrant wall displays of ethnic artefacts temper the capacious, functional surroundings – as do enthusiastic staff and a menu of great-value dishes. Communal eating is the norm, with the classic meal consisting of various curries served on spongy injera flatbread: tear off some and scoop up the food. There’s plenty for vegetarians (try the gomen curry of carrots, cabbage and potatoes), although the best bet for newcomers is a sharing platter of four vegetable dishes plus a non-veg centrepiece – the tender lamb zigni is recommended. Accompany the feast with tej (honey wine).
‘A welcoming place with real heart and passion,’ the Kinsella family’s authentic Catalan tapas joint and deli has been one of the city's roaring success stories of the past few years, offering a taste of sun-spla… Read more
‘A welcoming place with real heart and passion,’ the Kinsella family’s authentic Catalan tapas joint and deli has been one of the city's roaring success stories of the past few years, offering a taste of sun-splashed Spanish tradition beamed into the Liverpool One shopping complex. A large red map dominates one wall for geographical orientation, while views into the kitchen are an education in themselves, assuming you haven't opted to sit out in the bright Merseyside sunshine.
Kick-start the day with a traditional Catalan migas (country breakfast) of cured meats sautéed with breadcrumbs, onion and garlic, topped with a poached egg. The full menu gives meat, fish and vegetables (almost) equal billing. Here you’ll find everything from fragrant morcilla balls coated in cornflakes and slathered with a rich sauce of orange-blossom honey and pomegranate molasses to boquerones from Cantabria's finest (Pujadó Solano), accompanied by Spanish potato crisps – not forgetting roasted parsnips tossed in maple syrup and dusted with dukkah.
There are also deli platters aplenty, as well as big pans of paella and tasting banquets for the whole table to plunder; they even serve a Catalan riff on Liverpool’s classic ‘scouse’. Round things off with vanilla ice cream served with turrón and pelted with PX-drenched raisins. Gins are almost as much of a speciality as sherries, and there is a regionally diverse slate of artisan Spanish wines in two glass sizes from around £6.80.
From the people behind Nether Edge’s excellent Bench, this no-bookings cocktail bar is every bit as chic as its concrete-and-couches interiors suggest. Highly inventive cocktails are Pearl's USP, with ingredients ranging fro… Read more
From the people behind Nether Edge’s excellent Bench, this no-bookings cocktail bar is every bit as chic as its concrete-and-couches interiors suggest. Highly inventive cocktails are Pearl's USP, with ingredients ranging from spent coffee to pea-pod cream, but you’re in safe hands. Drinks are fantastic value considering their quality, as are the ‘plates’ – seasonally changing dishes offering comfort food in its fanciest guise. There are chicken wings with harissa and lime, salted new potatoes with aïoli and interesting combos including tangy marinated mushrooms tangled up with a cured egg yolk and dill. Just add assorted beers and natural wines on tap. In summer, the terrace buzzes with drinkers enjoying the panoramic views over Sheffield.
Though the South Indian street-food venue near Hackney Wick is now defunct, the latest in Prince Durairaj and Glen Leeson’s stable, which also includes Islington’s Tamil Prince and Tamil Crown, is a modern, lively and … Read more
Though the South Indian street-food venue near Hackney Wick is now defunct, the latest in Prince Durairaj and Glen Leeson’s stable, which also includes Islington’s Tamil Prince and Tamil Crown, is a modern, lively and informal curry house not far from King's Cross station (there’s another branch in Clapham). It’s contemporary in its approach to Indian cookery, too, with the kitchen viewable to diners on the ground floor (there’s further seating in the cosy bar-basement) and a short menu of snacks, small plates and curries. Judging by the turnover of tables at our weekend lunch, it's clearly been taken to heart by the locals – so booking is advisable.
Fresh ingredients and whole spices are the building blocks, and dishes celebrate the sweet astringency of South Indian cooking – perhaps a crisp tangle of fried baby sweetcorn with a sweet chilli chutney or pancake-shaped masala dosai to be dipped into a superb sambar (lentil stew). The traditions of the classic British curry repertoire are also respected. Order the rich, creamy paneer butter masala with unmissable buttery, flaky roti – the undoubted star of the menu – then select the tandoori chicken with its pronounced smoky, charred flavour.
We really appreciated the warmly embracing style of service, with staff proffering good advice on food and drink. As regards the latter, a brief, spice-friendly selection of wines competes for attention with whizz-bang cocktails – we recommend the Tamil Negroni and the charcoal Old Fashioned; there's also Tamila lager on draught.
Along the narrows at the top end of Totnes, the Bull Inn is a flesh-coloured pub that has had the kind of makeover that makes over a million pounds look artfully like ten grand. Foliage entwines the rafters, potted plants loom in … Read more
Along the narrows at the top end of Totnes, the Bull Inn is a flesh-coloured pub that has had the kind of makeover that makes over a million pounds look artfully like ten grand. Foliage entwines the rafters, potted plants loom in the corners, the bar frontage is done in jade-green, and an air of dynamic, but not oppressive, hubbub prevails. Organic and ethical credentials pour forth from both the portable chalkboard menus and the drinks list, where cask ales, cloudy shrubs and ingenious cocktails are the main lures. An extensive roll call of substantial starters is cause for celebration, with both roasted late Jerusalem artichokes in green sauce, and grilled early asparagus spattered with garlic and hazelnuts, on offer at our spring visit. A trio of venison koftas in thin cumin-laced yoghurt, sumac onions and honey proved to be a delightful way in. Mains bring a shorter choice of enterprising veggie dishes, an old-school bistro bavette in creamy mushroom sauce, or a hunk of (very slightly overdone) monkfish in the kind of buttery curry sauce that could have seen service on a bag of chips. For dessert, a complicated cake of chocolate and olive-oil mousse on pistachio sponge, dressed with Cognac-poached pear, coffee syrup and mascarpone filled to capacity the tiny tea-plate it was served on. Otherwise, resist if you can the Basque cheesecake with Earl Grey prunes. Wines are a little less than thrilling, but there is a reasonable selection in three glass sizes.
Tucked away beneath the arches close to Newcastle Central station, the French Quarter offers small plates of ratatouille, Roquefort salad and chicken liver parfait, all priced just under a tenner. There are cheese and charcut… Read more
Tucked away beneath the arches close to Newcastle Central station, the French Quarter offers small plates of ratatouille, Roquefort salad and chicken liver parfait, all priced just under a tenner. There are cheese and charcuterie boards, too, as well as more substantial dishes of duck confit, boeuf bourguignon or tartiflette, plus die-hard Gallic desserts including crème brûlée and chocolate mousse. It can also feel a bit like a wine bar, with an extensive list by the glass, carafe or bottle and the clever offer of three 75ml tasters for £11.95. Just add fixed-price weekday lunches, a deli market selling French produce and liberal opening times. A worthy city-centre choice.
Since opening in 2000, this rustic but comfortable restaurant tucked within a farmers' market in a large, characterful converted railway shed next to Canterbury West station has made a big impression. Even after all these years, l… Read more
Since opening in 2000, this rustic but comfortable restaurant tucked within a farmers' market in a large, characterful converted railway shed next to Canterbury West station has made a big impression. Even after all these years, locals seem well aware of what a gem they have on their doorstep: ‘It has been our "go to" restaurant for the last 20 years and, hand on heart, I have never been disappointed,' noted one regular. Huge arched windows and mismatched wooden furniture help to create a relaxed, cosy and rustic atmosphere, and ‘when the lights are dimmed and the candles come out in the evening, it makes for a very intimate dining experience’. Jackson Berg (ex Barletta, Margate) has taken over the kitchen and delivers a short menu that’s an exciting mix of good, seasonal ingredients (many sourced from the market stalls) overlaid with flashes of Mediterranean vibrancy. Start with pork rillettes, cornichons and toast or cured sea bass with citrus, shallots and capers, ahead of lemon sole with fried potatoes and hollandaise or roasted pork loin with celeriac parmentier, anchovy and peppercorns. Readers have also praised the ‘little touches... delicious breads, proper linen napkins’, the ‘charming’ staff, and ‘the excellent value for money’. In addition, there’s a brief, efficient list of European (and English) wines.
Admirably surviving the COVID-related battering that commenced a few months after it opened, the Royal has raised the bar in St Leonards. It has done so without flash or hype, gaining a reputation for down-to-earth warmth, as well… Read more
Admirably surviving the COVID-related battering that commenced a few months after it opened, the Royal has raised the bar in St Leonards. It has done so without flash or hype, gaining a reputation for down-to-earth warmth, as well as its well-deserved status as the town’s best in show. With its spruced-up Hague Blue prow, it makes a beacon of well-considered gentrification bang opposite Warrior Square train station. The interior is unpretentious but grown-up, with quietly intriguing artwork – the perfect setting for Ben Krikorian’s well-executed, seasonal, robust cooking. Starters either veer towards classic (an irreproachable crispy pig’s head with gribiche sauce) or slightly jazzier (wild garlic soup with goat’s curd or an autumnal dish of duck ham with boozy prunes). At least two vegetarian mains (including a vegan option) might include charred hispi cabbage with tomato lentils or marrow curry with pickles. There’s also onglet and chips, as well as hake with anchoïade and superb crispy fried prawns. Very good tarts, ice creams, custards and outliers such as amazing chocolate fritters round things off. Service is responsive and on the ball. The wine list changes frequently, remaining decidedly Europhile with Berry Bros crémant by the glass and Sybille Kuntz Riesling, but also trying out New World reds that max out at £55.
The sensitive renovation of traditional pubs has become one of the design achievements of the UK hospitality trade, and here, in a historic white-fronted hostelry on the edge of Harpenden Common, is another triumph of the art. The… Read more
The sensitive renovation of traditional pubs has become one of the design achievements of the UK hospitality trade, and here, in a historic white-fronted hostelry on the edge of Harpenden Common, is another triumph of the art. There is a traditional bar area for well-kept beers, ciders and superior bar snacks, but the main dining room plays host to Matthew Reeder's artfully crafted and elegantly presented modern cooking, offered in the form of fixed-price set menus at lunch and dinner.
A gathering sense of anticipation distinguishes the repertoire as it progresses, hitting one highlight after another – perhaps encompassing tuna crudo with red pepper, capers and pine nuts, a fish course of Cornish cod with salsify, Parma ham and pecorino, and a main dish teaming Old Spot pork with oyster mushroom and black garlic in Madeira. The intermediate offerings are not to be scanted either, from the fine sourdough with yeast butter to a pre-dessert of blood orange and yoghurt, prior to a gathering of Yorkshire rhubarb, buttermilk and ginger to end things on a high.
Sunday lunch has its devotees too, none more so than the reader who was won over by principal roast dishes of dry-aged Hereford beef and Sutton Hoo chicken that came with salt-baked carrots, tangy cauliflower cheese, ‘great roasties’ (always essential), and more besides. A dessert homage to the Snickers bar has them gratefully returning.
The wine list finds space for such relative rarities as Canadian Chardonnay and one of the unsung Beaujolais crus, Saint-Amour. Sparklers, meanwhile, include a white and a rosé from Sussex's Rathfinny Estate.
Bathed in a warm glow, with floor-to-ceiling shelves of speciality dry goods and deli produce beckoning like a sweet shop, this little pocket of Spain is alive and well. Head through to the back and you’ll find a vinoteca in… Read more
Bathed in a warm glow, with floor-to-ceiling shelves of speciality dry goods and deli produce beckoning like a sweet shop, this little pocket of Spain is alive and well. Head through to the back and you’ll find a vinoteca in full swing on weekdays, and until 8.30pm Thur-Sat. Chance a walk-in for a glass of organic cava rosado and a plate of fresh-out-the-fryer bacalao, or book ahead at the 10-seat counter and settle into a vermut flight and the full tapas menu. Wandering off to explore the extensive wine display is encouraged.
Up above the ground-floor Landrace Bakery in the centre of Bath, a block away from the Avon, is a small eatery that is one of the city's treasured all-day resources. Its doors open at 9am for coffee and fresh bakes straight from t… Read more
Up above the ground-floor Landrace Bakery in the centre of Bath, a block away from the Avon, is a small eatery that is one of the city's treasured all-day resources. Its doors open at 9am for coffee and fresh bakes straight from the oven; take out if you haven't time to loiter. Lunch and dinner service are well worth the loitering, though, for the inspired (and often astonishing) contemporary bistro cooking on offer. The Cheddar curd fritters are a popular way of priming the appetite, or consider a plate of Cantabrian bonito with butterhead lettuce, radish and egg. There's more than a hint of English tapas about many of the options, even when it comes to the larger dishes, such as turbot with white beans, agretti and aïoli. Mutton gets too rare an outing on the British restaurant scene, but here it is, the roast leg with courgettes, Jersey Royals and salsa verde, providing succulent sustenance or perhaps forming the base for a meaty version of puttanesca sauce with mafalde pasta and pangrattato. 'It's the kind of place you could eat at all day, every day,' enthuses a reporter, who would clearly never tire of the changes the kitchen rings, right down to finishing touches such as apricot and almond cream puffs or Neal's Yard cheeses and chutney. Classic cocktails use plenty of vermouth, beers are organic and there are some freaky wines to add character to the occasion.
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