31 restaurants to book now for Mother’s Day
Published 11 March 2025

‘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. Angela’s gets regularly booked up, especially during the summer season; if you're out of luck, Dory's (their simpler, seafront sibling) is just a stroll away – and it holds back seats for walk-ins. 

There's no more appetising way to eat fresh seafood than overlooking a harbour, with a busy fish market close by. Such is the scene at Argoe, which is perched above Mount's Bay at Newlyn. Classic European ways inform the menus, which might kick off with an appetiser of marinated octopus or deeply flavoured home-smoked cod's roe offset by sharp gherkins.

Summer visitors were mightily pleased with their crab, green beans and tomatoes, as well as 'meaty’ balls of minced and braised ray with saffron onions. A whole megrim sole straight from the grill provides a world of ozone-scented satisfaction, dressed in nothing more than browned butter and lemon (‘a faultless piece of fish cookery’), while grilled lobsters (‘deliciously fresh and rich’) are reckoned to be particularly good value, simply doused in herb butter.

A winter menu might feature smoked hake with white beans and leeks, with hand-dived scallops, sardines and black bream being given the grill treatment. There are also a few creative veggie alternatives too – perhaps  roast carrots with pickled walnut and a soft boiled egg. Desserts are simple but far from a mere afterthought, taking in the likes of rhubarb pavlova or clementine sorbet blasted with vodka. A short list of constantly changing but quite pricey low-intervention wines has included a pét-nat version of Beaujolais rosé and a skin-contact German Riesling.

An abidingly popular neighbourhood spot in the Wavertree district of Liverpool, Belzan is the very image of a modern bistro, with its comfortable banquettes against whitewashed bare brick and high shelves crowded with empty bottles. ‘The atmosphere is great and the serving staff are a delight,’ confirms one regular. In the context, it would be churlish not to start by snacking on some devilled eggs or a potato and Cheddar croquette with aïoli, before cruising into the menu of soundly constructed seasonal dishes.

To start, you might plump for wild sea bass crudo or a plate of English tomatoes with smoked aubergine yoghurt and oregano – although one fan swears by the ‘show-stopping’ Guinness rarebit potato. Combinations are more enterprising than the standard bistro cookbook might furnish, so expect grilled hispi cabbage topped with romesco and crumbly Lancashire cheese, BBQ pork collar with Provençal sauce or a Barnsley chop jazzed up with Middle Eastern muhammara dip, leeks and broad beans. Desserts are as simple as can be, from chocolate mousse with hazelnuts to a peach Melba choux bun – although we’re partial to the North Country ‘cheese and cake’ combos. 

The prix-fixe of three courses and a glass of wine for £40 is worth a full-throated cheer, while Sunday lunches bring in the local crowds with their offer of Dickey’s roast chicken and swede mash or sirloin of beef with horseradish cream. The drinks menu features a slate of classic cocktails and the place also supports wine producers with food and wine-pairing nights.

* Desai is launching a 10-seater chef's table (aka Hrishi's Table), which will serve a 16-course taster utilising produce from Farlam Hall's kitchen garden alongside matching wines. *

Built of Lakeland stone and with architectural roots dating back to the 15th century, Farlam Hall’s fortunes were once closely entwined with the Cumbrian coal-mining industry. It's a country house on the human scale, with gardens to wander in and bright interiors that owe nothing to sickly chintz, while the Cedar Tree restaurant puts Farlam in the first rank of regional cooking in the UK. Hrishikesh Desai, formerly at The Gilpin, Windermere, is an accomplished and energetically inventive chef brimming with smart ideas. Appetisers include fragile tartlets of peanut and coriander tartare with cauliflower and coconut foam – a whole world of flavours in a mouthful. Desai’s gastronomic signature is the artful incorporation of Indian nuances and seasonings into contemporary western cooking: a serving of red and golden beetroot fresh from the garden, for example, comes with thick, chilled beetroot rasam (a South Indian soup) as well as apple and ginger chutney and coconut bavarois. Dishes often match great flavour impact with astonishing delicacy of technique: a piece of salmon is very slowly poached, and then supported by salmon rillettes and a gently herbed and spiced garden gazpacho, while cured hake in a subliminally light batter comes with roasted pineapple topped with lemon mayo and caviar for a wondrous combination. That sense of travelling around the plate, encountering new surprises at every turn, also illuminates a main course of salt-aged Creedy Carver duck breast with a sweet-sharp blackcurrant sauce, the braised leg, pressed duck and hazelnut terrine and, on the side, a samosa containing layered shaved celeriac, topped with a little Parmesan and truffle. It takes formidable ingenuity and poise to bring so many elements together without creating a culinary brawl, but Desai is a skilled conductor. A délice of strong Valrhona chocolate with spiced orange panna cotta and milk sorbet, or perhaps a golden raspberry soufflé with matching coulis and toasted pistachio ice cream, are the kinds of desserts that hit the sweet spot for most of us. Despite the monotonous pop muzak piped provokingly into the dining room, which views over garden and lake do their best to nullify, it's a gorgeous experience. A varietally arranged wine list with garrulous tasting descriptions suits the country-house mood. Glasses (from £7.50) are a trifle dull, almost as though they are tiptoeing round the food rather than squaring up to meet it head-on. Braver selections would round out the offer.

Back in 1984, Sally Clarke MBE was one of the first chefs to introduce London's restaurant-goers to the now-fashionable notions of seasonality and traceability; she was also an early champion of organic produce. Little has changed in the intervening years. Her once-famous no-choice menu may have been replaced by a carte of daily changing dishes, but the cooking is still influenced by time spent at Alice Waters' Chez Panisse in California.

Dining takes place in a light room dressed in neutral tones (green-grey walls, wicker chairs, black leather banquettes, polished wood flooring) with well-spaced, white-clothed tables and contemporary artwork. The atmosphere is quiet and refined, service courteous and attentive – more so if you are a regular.

There's a naturalistic quality to the menu and the kitchen puts a premium on execution rather than creativity – a delightful Cornish crab salad with tardivo radicchio, lemon mayonnaise and puntarelle plus a couple of rye toasts, say. To follow, our loin of Scottish fallow deer – roasted with thyme and apple and teamed with baked beetroot, cavolo nero and herbed lentils – was elegantly cooked, allowing the flavour to shine. We finished on a high note with a light yet rich dark chocolate and almond cake with crème fraîche.

The set menu is keenly priced for this exclusive neighbourhood and the wine list is a cracker, with quality bottles starting at £30.50 (for an own-label Verdicchio 2020) plus 30 by the glass or carafe. Also look out for mature vintages of Ridge Monte Bello from the Santa Cruz Mountains in Sally Clarke's beloved California.

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).

At heart, tiny Giulia is a neighbourhood restaurant, one where Endris Kerbizi’s bold, assured Italian cooking draws back locals again and again. A passion for quality runs through every aspect of the place, and the menu embodies the capital's take on Italy – a pared-back aesthetic, a short, regularly changing repertoire and a light, contemporary touch. ‘Never had a duff dish,' just about sums it up.

Seared octopus with cauliflower, creamy potato and 'nduja sauce is a never-off-the-menu must-order, but in season the baked courgette flower filled with ricotta and served with a courgette salad is not to be missed. To follow, there’s plenty of love for the veal cotoletta alla milanese, while the roast lamb rack with braised shoulder, peas and asparagus is reckoned to be as good as anything in London. And if you're craving some handmade pasta, the seafood paccheri is a standout.

Focaccia and gelato (both made in-house) have been praised, while one fan insists that 'they have the best tiramisu I have ever tasted (and I’m Italian)’. However, we have a soft spot for the lemon tart with caramelised apricot. Giulia Quaglia heads the small front of house team, a ‘smiling, friendly presence’ who always finds time to chat and talk food. To drink, there are some classic cocktails and a short list of affordable all-Italian wines.

Kelvingrove's Gloriosa is the kind of place that wins not just admirers, but fanatics. 'They use local produce where possible,' says one reporter,, 'and the cooking allows it to shine – it is fabulous.' The place certainly looks the part: simple café-style furniture is offset by royal blue drapes and impressive abstract paintings.

Rosie Healey's cooking matches the lively mood with Med-influenced sharing dishes that come out swinging. Grilled squid is accompanied by potato, spring onion and green chilli for an initiatory jolt to the taste buds, or there could be something old-school French such as globe artichoke in chive butter. The larger plates major in robust pasta riffs including mussels with garlic and chilli on a tangle of tagliatelle, while fish dishes tend to the sturdy, as in hake with butter beans, Grelot onions and aïoli. If you've time to kick back, allow 40 minutes for a roast half-chicken with roast potatoes, green salad and tzatziki.

Desserts are oriented at the sharper end of the spectrum, yielding rhubarb and almond clafoutis or loquat and elderflower sorbet doused in cava. Knowledgeable and very friendly front of house staff manage proceedings admirably. A carefully constructed wine list spotlights small growers, and you might want to take in a spicy Margarita before you get started.

Neil and Louise Hitchen have got a good thing going at their Barn not far from Oakham Castle, deftly balancing a homely pub ambience with some serious restaurant finesse. Regional suppliers are naturally front and centre on Neil's daily changing menus, and if snacks such as pickled quail's eggs or roast chorizo with Dijon mustard and honey are anything to go by, the formula exerts broad appeal.

Easing into the main menu, there are good things galore. A smoked salmon Scotch egg is neatly offset with samphire and warm tartare sauce, while the famous twice-baked two-cheese soufflé of Lincolnshire Poacher and Red Leicester has deservedly acquired the status of a signature dish. Fish main courses are both generous and big on flavour (creamily sauced fillet of sea bass with clams, crayfish and new potatoes, for example), while meats offer pedigree prime cuts such as chargrilled ribeye with hand-cut chips or flavoursome pork fillet in prune and Armagnac sauce with savoy cabbage and mash.

A flawlessly balanced blackberry cheesecake paired with outstanding apple sorbet rang all the autumn bells at a November visit, or there might be an apricot Bakewell tart with honey-poached apricots and roasted almond ice cream. A thoughtfully chosen selection of wines by the glass completes the picture.

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.

Farmer's son yearns to be a chef, leaves home to work for the likes of Claude Bosi and Simon Rogan, then returns in 2014 to open his own restaurant in a 16th-century farmhouse next to his family’s 4,000-acre farm. No, not a storyline from Emmerdale, but the backstory of John Duffin. Given the off-grid surroundings (you can hear cows mooing from inside the farm shop), this is the full contemporary bucolic experience – one that is booked weeks in advance.

The first-floor dining room is rustic and homely, mixing exposed brick with wood (beams, floor) and well-spaced white-clad tables. By contrast, Duffin's cooking is refined and he's not afraid to take risks, maxing out his agricultural heritage along the way. In less accomplished hands, an ox sirloin tartare paired with pumpkin-seed emulsion and a smoky/salty charcoal and grilled cream could have been muddled – instead, it's a triumph. Other recent highlights have included a delicate truffle pudding accompanied by a soup of wild garlic and Beauvale Blue cheese, as well as poached halibut topped with asparagus and morels, paired with tapenade and elevated by a salted lemon sauce. We could also taste every component involved in a dish of home-reared Leicester Longwool hogget (shoulder and belly), bursting with flavour and served alongside allium, wild garlic, Jersey Royals and a full-bone reduction split with oil.

To start, some homemade charcuterie, plus a freshly baked onion and rosemary roll and soda bread (perfect with salty wild garlic butter as well as a creamy butter made smoother by the addition of a little yoghurt) was so good that we had to stop ourselves from eating more. To conclude, a scoop of yoghurt atop peanuts with yuzu, Szechuan pepper oil and kaffir lime was a subtle segue from savoury into sweet. For the final flourish, a delightful sweet cheese was matched with anise-infused poached rhubarb and a topping of hazelnut crumb.

The wine list has interesting bottles every which way, starting from £35 and heading skywards to the highly coveted millennial 'Pingus' at £1,200. Three dozen come by the glass (including Coravin), with the bonus of helpful and incisive notes. The wine pairings for the tasting menus are particularly well considered. Accommodation is now available in two self-contained cottages 'just a stumble from the restaurant'.

‘Consistently good quality for over 10 years,’ is praise indeed for Nikki Billington and Paul Watson’s long-established restaurant, which has occupied a commanding spot overlooking the North Sea at Tankerton Slopes since 2010. With its hard-working open kitchen, mishmash of large, unadorned wood tables, wood burning stove and sea views, the light, airy and remarkably comfortable dining room is a draw all year round.

It’s also the kind of place where loyal customers won’t allow favoured dishes to disappear from the repertoire without speaking up, which adds to JoJo’s distinctive community vibe – and two menus. One covers ever-present classics such as the famed beer-battered calamari, charcuterie boards, homemade gnocchi with Parmesan, and our excellent mutton and feta koftas. The rest of our January lunch was chosen from the second, seasonal menu, with its focus on local and regional produce. Highlights were an ingenious dish of pan-fried cabbage with white wine, cream, Parmesan and toasted walnuts, and a robust, rustic combo of perfectly cooked mackerel fillets on a bed of chorizo in a rich tomato sauce.

Superb slices of focaccia and a delicately dressed green salad with feta, red onion and pine nuts added to the pleasure, and we finished with a chocolate, orange and hazelnut tart, which came with an intense raspberry sorbet. Dishes are generously portioned and designed for sharing, service is relaxed, friendly and efficient, and there’s decent selection of European wines from £26 (£6.75 a 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.

It’s easy to walk past this ‘hidden gem’, so tastefully understated is its sign. Once inside, the dining room is a symphony of soothing grey, with damask covered tables, statement mirrors and shining silverware. However, there’s nothing 'grayscale' about chef Jon Howe’s 'detailed, expertly crafted and playful cooking', which is showcased in a choice of three tasting menus.

The restaurant celebrates its 15th birthday in 2024, and Howe’s cooking has climbed to new heights since the chef took on his own smallholding during lockdown, allowing for a more committed and expansive farm-to-table experience. Home-grown produce is beautifully presented in say, a canapé of coronation carrot with a delightfully light lemon curry marinade, apricot purée, yoghurt and pickled sultanas encased in a crispy waffle case made with local pale ale. Or how about a cottage pie of slow-cooked Wiltshire beef with diced root vegetables topped with a celeriac mousse, blue Wensleydale and a sourdough crumb. Exquisitely delicate tuiles in bold colours add a certain wow factor to a dessert billed as ‘forced rhubarb, ginger, Orelys chocolate and sorrel’ – a simple description that belies a dazzling display of skill while creating a panoply of textures and flavours.

Howe’s commitment to local and sustainable food is explained in detail in the menu notes that accompany each course – read them on a tablet left on your table. Service is smartly professional, yet warm and personal – the staff brim with cheerful enthusiasm. A carefully curated selection of wines is offered in a series of good-value flights, or by the glass and bottle. If you’re driving, various homemade herbal ‘jukes’ designed to mimic different varieties of white wine are a fun alternative to booze.

There’s something reassuringly old fashioned about this self-confident restaurant (the latest in what is now a trio of London-based Noble Rots) – and that’s a large part of its charm. With a dark green frontage, ground-floor windows sporting café-style net curtains and two slightly cramped dining floors, it feels as if it has been around forever – an impression reinforced by the simple polished wood tables, red banquettes, wooden chairs and mottled walls covered in framed Noble Rot magazine covers. Clued-up staff, a general air of warm-heartedness and a commendable wine list all contribute to the appeal. The regularly changing menu is reflective of both the season and head chef Adam Wood's many enthusiasms – his food is a delight. The short, Euro-accented menu offers dishes that are (mostly) straightforward assemblies with inspired finishing touches – beef tartare with green tomatoes and Ossau-Iraty (Basque ewe's milk cheese), say, or smoked ravioli with courgette and preserved lemon. We enjoyed tender squid with a chorizo sauce – so good we regretted not ordering bread to mop it all up – followed by two generous slices of tender Ibérico pork, served with a heap of runner beans, sliced apricots and juicy whole blackberries. And we couldn’t fault the rich, delicate duck-egg custard tart – a sprinkling of sea salt proved a sharp foil that really enhanced the flavour. The wine list is simply one of the best in London, an outstanding, deeply researched and inspiring document. Predominantly organised by grape variety, with regional sections where blends are predominant, it spans a massive range of top-drawer growers and estates. The principal focus is Europe, though there are some pedigree New Worlders too. Portuguese and Greek selections are encouragingly thorough, and the listings of sparklers and sweet wines (rotted and late-picked) are tremendous. Wines by the glass are in small enough measures to make comparative tasting feasible. Coravin pours will test the budget, but are uniformly glorious.

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.

‘Brilliant cooking, kind owners, great team, seriously reasonable pricing,' commented a fan of this well-liked venture from Ben Hughes and Rafael Lopez (formerly at the Goods Shed in Canterbury). The intimate, simply decorated restaurant in a small Victorian seaside town two miles east of Margate really is a breath of fresh air. Seasonality is at the heart of the compact menu – this is where local means local – and the two chefs prove their pedigree by following the calendar unerringly. They also have no truck with bizarre marriages of ingredients or avant-garde techniques. Game season, for example, has delivered a fabulous roast partridge breast and confit legs accompanied by nothing more than a dollop of bread sauce, watercress (fresh and puréed) and roasting juices. This dish came from the excellent-value set lunch (preceded by a delicate Crown Prince squash and Shropshire Blue tart), but the brief, regularly changing carte exudes an elegant simplicity in presentation and flavour, too. A starter of beautifully judged, meltingly tender ox cheek with cauliflower and mustard cream could be followed by a perfectly timed hake fillet with salsify and mussels in a pool of rich, pungent, aromatic saffron sauce. We also lapped up the showstopping finale – a cheese course of creamy, semi-soft Burwash Rose, turned into something extraordinary with the addition of a slice of carrot cake and a dash of sweet quince purée. This is triumphant cooking, displaying an instinctive feel for what is right and natural on the plate. The wine list is built on interest, appeal and value, with good choice by the glass and bottle (from £25.75).

Since launching in 2023, this bijou restaurant has proved that it can deliver ambitious food while staying true to its local roots. The spirit of the place is youthful and breezily energetic (complete with an indie rock ‘n’ roll soundtrack), while the decor is neat and clean-lined. Appropriately, the cooking is lively but serious, with bold, rich flavours coming through strongly via a choice of tasting menus – a ’core’ version (seven courses) and a ‘signature’ option (nine courses), both with seasonal and dietary adjustments.

Whatever the time of year, the opening salvos (aka snacks) are a cracking way to start: in spring, that might mean a single-bite version of ‘nan’s cheese and onion pie’ and a deep-fried doughnut stuffed with soft pulled pork belly (‘I’d have happily eaten a bucketload of the latter,’ admitted one reporter). Then comes a mini truffle and chive loaf accompanied by chicken liver parfait and a little bowl of chicken soup for sipping or dipping (or both).

Bigger savoury courses also hit the mark, from a small fillet of sustainable coley roasted and served with parsnip purée, cubes of bacon and lovage to chicken breast cooked with Brightside Brewery’s Mancunian IPA (brewed in Radcliffe) alongside a mini-pie of long-cooked leg meat, plus Jerusalem artichoke crisps and purée. To conclude, a mix of plum sorbet, tangy yoghurt and mint caramel makes a truly delicious palate cleanser, but it pales in comparison to a milk chocolate ganache with pistachio mousse, orange cream and an orange-flavoured cracker. Service is ‘smiley and very on the ball’, while drinks include some well-matched wine pairings.

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.

There’s a modest elegance about this neighbourhood restaurant in the quiet southerly reaches of the Lake District. White walls, alluring photography of Lakeland fells, and simply laid tables are reminders that you’re in the realm of Rogan, a place where unfussy deliciousness and a peerless approach to ingredients rule. Snacks launch a refreshingly uncomplicated offer from head chef Tom Reeves. A tartlet with whipped cod's roe is palate-quickening; a Parmesan sablé with artichoke cream and flutter of petals is richer; a croquette of mushroom and truffle duxelles umami-laden. To follow, Simon Rogan's 'Our Farm' provides ‘Aynsome offerings’ (the farm is on Aynsome Lane, just outside Cartmel), a pert little bowl of carefully prepped veg. Green beans are fresh from an exuberant harvest, so too little kale leaves, purple-tinged baby turnips and peppery nasturtium. They’re combined with fermented cucumber and pickled radish from last year, the tussle of ingredients anchored by a forthright sauce of Isle of Mull Cheddar. Elsewhere, tenderly smoked eel tumbles around a caramelised potato terrine that's dotted with two emulsions (one of eel, the other of wild garlic), its richness balanced by a buttermilk and mussel sauce that's split prettily with dill oil. Mains might centre on Jerusalem artichoke or a sublime piece of hake, grilled just-so and served with spinach cooked in miso butter, plus a fermented celeriac and mussel sauce. The tenderest St Brides chicken breast is stuffed with hen of the woods mousse (the mushroom is also roasted for that umami win) – the dehydrated skin mixed with toasted yeast provides yet more umami, and acts as a foil for sweet heritage carrots. A mirror-glossy chicken sauce ties everything together gloriously. Proper puds include dark chocolate fondant with apple marigold, and a playfully nostalgic vanilla rice pudding that’s pitch-perfect on an early autumn day – served in a wooden bowl with blackcurrant sorbet, fresh blackberries, toasted macadamia nuts and crimson oxalis. Coffee provides a bolster, while bouncy little sticky toffee pudding madeleines nod in a neighbourly way to what is arguably Cartmel's most famous export. A creative cocktail list includes spirits infused with Our Farm pickings – anyone for a woodruff Old Fashioned? – while the wine list leans towards natural styles, suggesting plenty of 125ml pours before topping out at £185 for a Californian Cabernet. Service is notable, from the confidence of a young apprentice waiter to the expertise of restaurant manager Kayleigh Thorogood.

‘We knew Seasonality had an excellent reputation... It exceeded our expectations... We were blown away.’ So enthused one visitor to Wesley and Francesca Smalley’s well-run modern restaurant, which can be found in a parade of shops in an ‘up and coming retail area’ just off Maidenhead town centre. The bright interior is dominated by a gleaming central island kitchen that is Wesley Smalley's domain. Here, he conjures up a roster of assured, seasonally inspired dishes, while also finding time to greet customers when they arrive.

His smart, high-quality menu is peppered with tasteful, quirky details and delicious enticements – one diner raved about a cheese soufflé that was ‘like eating a soft cloud, full of flavour’. Others have praised the excellent wild mushroom-stuffed pasta, the sea trout tartare, and the smoked haddock kedgeree, while an ‘outstanding’ short rib of beef with sherry, alliums and potato, and ‘wonderfully tender’ pork fillet with swede, white soy, sesame and cucumber were outright winners for several reporters.

Deserts such as a blackcurrant and lemon-verbena meringue and a deconstructed cherry Bakewell tart (accompanied by ‘the best vanilla ice cream I have ever had’) maintain Seasonality's enviably high standards to the very end. Just add charming service and a wine list that's arranged by style and weight, with a good choice by the glass.

‘Go there for fine feasting in wonderful surroundings,’ advises one reader who was instantly captivated by this singular restaurant in the newer wing of Somerset House. Another dubs it ‘one of the most serene and beautiful dining rooms in London’ with its gleaming white walls, neo-classical pillars, exquisite floristry, pastel upholstery and cluster light fittings. The mood is soothing and eminently civilised, aided by diligent, helpful and ‘extremely knowledgeable’ staff.

The late Skye Gyngell's legacy is a joyous celebration of all things seasonal, with cooking that seeks out new creative possibilities – especially when it comes to fruit and vegetables. Flavours are always true to the calendar, while inspiration is gleaned from the annals of Mediterranean cookery and beyond, whatever the time of year. Cultured kefir butter comes as standard: spread it on ‘porridge’ sourdough and seeded rye bread or use it to enrich a plate of radishes. Pasta is a favourite call with readers (perhaps pappardelle with artichokes, guanciale, chilli and mint), various seasonal takes on stracciatella have been well received, and there’s also the simple pleasure of Wye Valley asparagus with Italian fonduta. Fern Verrow biodynamic farm in Herefordshire supplies many of the kitchen’s vegetables and leaves, which might feature in a meat-free dish with tulips, elderflower and buttermilk dressing. If animal protein is required, look no further than grilled leg of lamb accompanied by slow-cooked courgettes, rocket and horseradish cream or a well-reported dish of wild sea bass with girolles and corn purée.

Desserts are also hugely impressive, be it a classic summer pudding with crème fraîche, a honey custard tart with white peaches and white almonds or an ‘espresso jelly pud’ with cream, which reminded one recipient of a Malaysian gula melaka. There’s nothing avant-garde or experimental here, but for pinpoint execution, flavour and sheer pleasure, the results are exceptional.

Prices aren’t cheap, but weekday set lunches offer terrific value, and it’s worth checking out the early-evening ‘scratch menu’ built around ‘waste’ from the kitchen. The well-spread wine list nails its colours to the mast with an impressive roll call of on-trend varietals and low-intervention contenders backed by some seriously priced ‘cellar’ bottles.

The Angel has been a fixture in the Guide for many a decade, surviving various culinary eras and changes of look. Its present incarnation, under chef-patron Michael Wignall (ex-Gidleigh Park et al), offers a smartly attired suite of three dining rooms – ours featuring polished concrete floors, lacquered oak tables and seating in soft grey leather. The aura of relaxed informality remains undented, and the view over the Dales is appetising enough, even if you haven't been hiking the long day through. Presented via a mixture of tasting menus and a carte, the cooking has, once again, acquired the innovative edge it had in days gone by. A delightful starter of tomato textures – fresh, cooked, dried and consommé – is served with lovage ice and basil. Even more fragrant is a serving of Shetland crab in buttermilk dashi with oscietra caviar, green strawberries and herb oil. To follow, guinea fowl is poached and sautéed to crisp satisfaction, teamed with roasted hen of the woods mushrooms and puréed corn, while lamb (and its tongue) arrive with a garniture of salsa verde shoehorned into a roll of lettuce, topped with anchovy crumb. Only desserts fell a little flat at inspection, but the incidentals – particularly the ingenious canapés – are all up to the mark. Wines by the glass start at a reasonable £5 for a small measure of a light Macabeo-Verdejo from Spain.

From the lowlands of west Lancashire, it’s a pleasure to drive into the immaculate grounds of Mark Birchall's Moor Hall. The Barn itself is a first-floor restaurant that runs the length of a beautifully restored outbuilding, with an open kitchen occupying the far end. Wooden beams criss-cross the airy pointed roof and the red-brick walls exude a warmth enhanced by the friendly but properly courteous welcome.The short seasonal menu is (thankfully) constructed in traditional three-course fashion; prime ingredients are supplemented by Moor Hall’s own produce – including their excellent in-house charcuterie (perfect with a delightful non-alcoholic libation). There are intriguing elements such as smoked marrow and sea buckthorn sauces, but dishes sound comfortably contemporary rather than riskily experimental, and they are well-served by a suitably sophisticated wine list with a broad global spread. Even on a mid-winter visit, the cooking felt fresh and light. A fragile Pablo beetroot tartlet presented like a bishop’s mitre held spiced pieces of the vegetable, a luscious slice of smoked duck ham, blackberries and red radicchio leaves. Equally elegant and restrained in appearance was lightly seared, cured Cornish mackerel draped with translucent ribbons of earthy-sweet salt-baked white beetroot, buttermilk and dill. An impeccable dish of Saint-Sever guinea hen yielded tender white breast moistened with jus alongside a nugget of stronger-tasting leg meat encased in crispy skin as well as a piece of rolled leek stuffed with offal forcemeat – the whole thing pulled together with a bowl of super-creamy, fluffy potato purée. However, Belted Galloway short rib glazed with black garlic, shallot, charred baby gem and smoked marrow sauce was less successful and lacked the coherence notable in other dishes.The kitchen’s patisserie skills are showcased in desserts such as apple millefeuille with buttermilk custard and cider caramel served with vivid apple and vanilla sorbets – although the unexpected star turn was a squash custard tart with clementine and crème fraîche sorbets. The perfect custard, with deep, intense toffee notes, was finished off with the smoky, mineral notes of drizzled birch sap. Petits fours included gorgeous fudge coated in fiery Ormskirk gingerbread crumbs (they should sell this delicacy in boxes to take home).

It may date from the mid-17th century, but nowadays the Farmers Arms is every inch the 21st-century village pub. It was the initial inspiration for a far more substantial project that has become 'The Collective of Woolsery' from San Francisco-based tech entrepreneurs Michael and Xochi Birch.

The couple now own the local convenience store and post office, the fish and chip shop, and various rooms and cottages around Woolfardisworthy (to give the place its full name) – including the Grade II-listed Wulfheard Manor (opening as a hotel in 2025). In addition, their 150-acre farm provides the pub with rare-breed and heritage meats as well as just-harvested fruit and vegetables – hyper-seasonal produce that is beautifully realised in the hands of Ian Webber (Michael Caines’ former head chef at Gidleigh Park).

The bijou ‘farm menu’ could bring a moreish Curworthy Haytor cheese puff dotted with oxeye daisy petals and deep-red globules of sour cherry gel, ahead of Birch Farm pork fillet perched on a generous chunk of coppa bacon and offset by the earthiness of fermented grains, paprika, red cabbage and finely sliced pickled fennel.

Alternatively, you could look to the more traditional 'pub menu' for the likes of Honey Wood Haze cider-battered haddock, chips and minted peas, or an elevated monkfish and scallop fishcake with buttered leeks, poached Birch Farm egg and chips. Visually stunning desserts include a warm lemon geranium cake topped with raspberry jam and pistachio ice cream, served with a citrussy lemon verbena curd.

There’s also a terrace with a covered seating area and heated stone benches for all-weather dining. To drink, take your pick from locally brewed ales and seasonal cocktails, or select a bottle from the well-chosen wine list. 

With its rampant popularity all but necessitating a relocation to larger premises, this Leith upstart has matured into its new, grown-up home with grace, becoming an altogether more polished proposition as a restaurant. Carrying over the nautical blues and cool whites of its predecessor, the new room has a bright, Scandinavian quality, with the open kitchen breathing warm light across the restaurant. Getting a table on a Saturday night remains a matter of blind luck, or a wait of two or so months.

The expanded kitchen brigade, operating under co-owner Roberta Hall and head chef Dominic Greechan, delivers a concise, ambitious menu of dishes that are never less than meticulous, and are frequently beautiful. A case in point: a resplendent duck salad starter where a rosy, slightly gamey breast contrasts with the bittersweet crunch of ruddy castelfranco leaves, while a glossy, hearty bundle of accompanying rillettes is tempered by fruity laces of orange.

Mains are similarly praiseworthy. An eclectic two-part lamb dish (fillet and merguez sausage) showcases the delicious potential and variety of their nose-to-tail approach, while a perfectly cooked cod fillet, yielding and succulent with delicately crisp skin and shrimp butter, is very nearly upstaged by a small, flawless bowl of mash, adorned with a crown of brittle, saline seaweed. Desserts might flit between an unusually effervescent rhubarb trifle and the joyous experience of smearing funky, whipped Hebridean Blue cheese across a hot cross bun, while sipping a glass of chewy Portuguese tawny port.

Out front, Shaun McCarron has built on and embellished his experience in fine-dining service. His team is precise and knowledgeable, but as importantly, affable and relaxed, with a sommelier whose confident and well-considered suggestions draw on an exciting, varied and approachable list.

The venerable Merry Harriers is to be found in the village of Hambledon (not the Hampshire one) near Godalming, a rural enclave set in a buffer of fields and woodland. It has been kitted out to suit the modern mood, with a soft green colour scheme and bentwood chairs at unclothed tables, plus candlelight in the evenings and fires in winter. A menu that exhaustively lists all the kitchen's and cellar's local suppliers inspires confidence, and the food is just what country-pub aficionados want to eat, with plenty of praise lavished on the Sunday lunch offer – a choice of ‘impeccably cooked’ roast platters, piled high and designed for two to share.

On the regular menu, lightly horseradished smoked mackerel pâté might compete with Trenchmore Farm beef tartare and plum ketchup, before mains take flight with some more adventurous ideas. Pork chop with sweetcorn, girolles and pickled walnuts delivered an impressive array of flavours when we visited, the superlative quality of the meat shining forth; a pheasant schnitzel with pickled red cabbage and pink firs was almost as good, although it needed a little more in the way of lubrication than an evanescent suggestion of beurre noisette. A fish option could be baked hake in bouillabaisse with saffron-scented fennel, while pumpkin and spelt risotto with hazelnuts, sage and chilli provides robust sustenance on the vegetable front. 

At the sticky end of things, everybody will feel spoilt by the likes of gingered-up sticky toffee pudding or a version of knickerbocker glory that finds room for chocolate mousse, candied orange and bits of homemade brownie. There's an impressive varietal spread on the carefully compiled wine list, ascending to the majesty of a mature classed-growth St-Émilion at a fraction of what you would pay in the not-too-distant capital.

The village of Wombleton, four miles east of Helmsley, is where Richard and Lindsey Johns have settled for their latest venture – a village local complete with a substantial public bar and a separate beamed dining room. Seasoned restaurateurs, they have retained a strong following from loyal diners – some of whom are happy to travel across Yorkshire to enjoy what one supporter called ‘top-notch food’.

They come for dishes such as silky leek and potato soup, garnished with a vivid-green tarragon oil and snipped chives or treacle-cured organic salmon with prawns, given a dribble of marie rose sauce and an astringent hit of pomegranate seeds – a beautifully fresh and balanced composition. By contrast, rich and tender slow-braised venison is big, bold and generous, accompanied by sweet red cabbage and creamy mash (to mop up the gravy) – a sustaining plateful that is the hallmark of Johns' cooking. We were equally satisfied with a classic rendition of honey-roast duck breast and hasselback potatoes. Dessert might be a beautifully burnished crème brûlée or perhaps a lime and passion fruit sundae, in reality an inverted cheesecake with the crunchy crumb on top – the highlight of our visit.

Richard works single-handedly in the kitchen, always marching to his own drum, which invariably means a short, three-course carte stuffed with crowd-pleasers, plus a roast with all the trimmings on Sunday. Meanwhile, Lindsey runs things front-of-house, dispensing wines from an accessible list that starts with glasses of Chenin Blanc at a modest £4.75 rising to bottles of Pomerol at £65.

‘A real asset to Swansea,' this local favourite occupies one end of a former grain store overlooking the steely waters of Prince of Wales Dock on the city's regenerated waterfront. Inside, original features such as exposed brickwork, cement, tiles and some serious-looking riveted metal pillars are offset by bright and airy design flourishes, a theatrical open kitchen along one wall, counter seating and some cool, well-spaced modernist furniture – all overseen by a meticulous front of house team. Executive chef/co-owner Jonathan Woolway is a Swansea boy who decamped to London for a long stint at Fergus Henderson’s St John before returning to his hometown. 

The menu is a hymn to top-notch Welsh ingredients, from Pembrokeshire crab and lobster to Gower asparagus and new season's lamb. At times, the food is deceptively simple, but beneath the breezy presentation, individual elements are clearly carefully considered and the cooking is precise. The influence of St John is evident in the stonking Welsh rarebit (glossy, peppery and punchy) and in nose-to-tail ideas such as grilled ox heart or pork rissoles with fried egg and brown sauce. Elsewhere, comfortably familiar pies and chops appear alongside the less familiar options. Seafood is an undoubted strength – from ever-present cockle croquettes and potted crab to wild Gower sea bass with tomato, agretti and olive-oil mayo. 

This is generous, big-hearted food, but do leave room for dessert: fruity bara brith with heritage Teifi cheese, perhaps, or chocolate pavé with cherries and crème fraîche. Round off with some Welsh cakes and a shot of Welsh single-grain Dà Mhìle whisky. The wine list isn't exhaustive but its reach is expansive, with bottles for most pockets and tastes.

As dining rooms go there can be few more striking than this dramatic double-height space on the ground floor of the Sofitel St James Hotel. It's very grand, in a famous Parisian brasserie kind of way – a smart, polished environment that caters for a well-heeled crowd. Anthony Demetre remains a hands-on presence and a key part in the friendly, welcoming atmosphere that keeps guests coming back for more. His kitchen continues to turn out a mix of French classics with gentle modern touches and a fierce adherence to the seasons. Wild mushroom tart served with a fricassée of wild mushrooms and hazelnut sabayon, or crispy chicken with hand-cut macaroni and black winter truffles, typify the fresh, lively flavours that could be followed, perhaps, by fallow deer and slow-cooked celeriac with walnut and cocoa, kumquat marmalade and a grand veneur sauce. Finish with the signature wild-honey ice cream served with Bermondsey raw honeycomb, warm honey and lemon madeleine, though for some reporters, the sweet comfort of a classic custard tart can’t be beaten. The set lunch and pre-theatre menu is splendid value. There’s a serious dedication to drinks, too, with well-tailored cocktails and a wine list that takes in a sweeping global shuffle, lingering longest in France.