The secret restaurants worth driving hours for
Published 17 July 2026

It might be a tiny converted shed tucked behind Bridport’s police station, but this weekends-only restaurant is both sophisticated and instantly lovable. Sisters Connie and Jess Booth are floral decorators and growers by day, but come Friday and Saturday evenings, they chalk up a confidently short blackboard menu detailing exactly what you might want to eat for the time of year (and even the weather). Two sittings (6.30pm and 8.30pm) make the most of the 20 or so covers, which are quite comfortably accommodated around little bistro tables dressed with white paper tablecloths and colourful dinner candles. Start with a local pint or cocktail du jour to kick things off and let the buzzing atmosphere and vibey music wash over you. Thursday nights offer a single-choice dinner, often with live music, and are saved for walk-ins; otherwise, bookings should be made via their Instagram page. Don’t miss Selected Grapes, the wine bar and shop across the yard, for a pre- or post-meal bottle.

Having made his name cooking at the Pack Horse pub in Hayfield, Luke Payne branched out with the launch of this new venture five miles down the road in Glossop – with help from an enthusiastic team who are ‘masters of creativity and hospitality’. Above a cosy bar, behind café curtains, a simple dining room serves umami-rich British dishes laced with thoughtfulness and great technique. Roscoff onions braised in velvety chicken broth until they are slippery and tender are colourfully described as ‘orbs of joy’. Another small(ish) plate of mutton merguez with pease pudding and chermoula is balanced as well as toweringly meaty, rich and spicy. Skate forestière, one of several generous main courses, is lifted by a touch of dashi in a herb-flecked mushroom sauce of compelling, spoonable richness. Seasonal colours and flavours also define desserts such as Eton mess or custard tart with rhubarb compôte. Wines align happily with the appeal of the food, making Almanac quite the package – at any price. ‘A hidden gem at the gateway to the Peak District.’

Chef Gareth Bartram made his name at Winteringham Fields but now he is flying solo at this pint-sized spot in Louth, which has ‘brought something refreshing and inspiring’ to the town. Both the bar and the dinky dining room on the first floor are well supported by the local populace, who appreciate the fact that this dynamic, welcoming space ‘evolves seamlessly throughout the day’ – from breakfast and light bites to cocktails and dinner. Snacks open the show (perhaps a Lincolnshire Poacher tartlet with pickled walnut ketchup), while ‘beautifully executed’ small plates bring temptation in the shape of, say, chorizo with crushed peas, house ricotta and preserved lemon. Among the larger plates, the catch of the day with sauce vierge or BBQ picanha steak with peppercorn sauce, Roscoff onions and horseradish cream show off the kitchen’s classic skills, while sherry trifle with Anabel strawberries, vanilla and elderflower brings proceedings to a seasonal conclusion. The succinct, well-priced wine list is a real highlight, with a former Winteringham Fields sommelier sending offbeat bottles from their shop across the Humber in Hull.

Neston is a nice little town on the Wirral, and Bolete’s many fans consider themselves lucky to have such a good, solid neighbourhood local on their doorstep. Run by a super-friendly and obliging couple, the restaurant's small menu changes regularly, with café-style lunches (think chicken thigh Caesar salad or ham, egg and chips), and an evening repertoire that morphs into restaurant territory (spatchcocked chicken or skrei cod with chorizo and butter beans). Chef/co-owner Shaun Woodage's deft hand in the kitchen keeps things modern and upbeat without straying out of its depth – impressive for a self-taught former accountant working solo. With a good selection of wine and craft beer (both wider than you might imagine), combined with top-quality ingredients and dishes cooked fresh to order, the only thing you can do when 'it's gone, it's gone' is book to come again. And bring your dog. If the weather is right, there’s also a pretty terrace with tables to the rear.

‘You can happily eat on your own here,' although this ‘pearl’ of a seafood restaurant (with an adjoining fishmongers) is always packed with locals and well-heeled visitors. Bright maritime-themed interiors set the tone, while Ayrshire-born chef Marcus Sherry puts sustainably sourced Scottish seafood centre stage, cherry-picking the catch from boats in Peterhead and Scrabster. He also sources hand-dived and creel-caught shellfish from Cape Wrath and Macduff – which lends its name to restaurant’s signature crab crumpet (‘a definite must,’ according to one reporter). Also check out the Shetland mussels with ‘nduja jam and white wine. Mains might range from harissa-roasted monkfish with fennel salad to meaty options including Inverurie pork chop with crushed celeriac and lardo. As a finale, try a slab of Blue Murder cheese with a fried clootie dumpling and apple. There’s also a ‘thoroughly affordable’ set lunch, while Marcus’s warmly welcoming wife Jasmine manages front of house. The well-considered drinks list champions wines from biodynamic vineyards and beers from Scottish microbreweries. ‘If this were a show, I would give it a standing ovation,’ cheered one fan.

One could easily drive straight past without registering La Locanda's special presence on the main road through Gisburn village. The solid stone building has no super-flashy signage, and there's no indication that this is anything other than a conventional 'pizza and pasta' pit stop. Yet, for over 20 years, Cinzia and Maurizio Bocchi have been raising the ‘tricolore’ in defiance of the 'fast-food, frozen lasagne and garlic bread' norm still typical of many Anglo-Italian restaurants.

The trattoria setting is homely and modest, with an intimate and unhurried atmosphere and a welcome in inverse proportion to the size of the cramped ground-floor bar. The seasonal menu requires some study, but there’s no rush and Cinzia is on hand to answer all questions. The focus is on a Slow Food-style carte that marries Italian regional dishes (including Maurizio's trademark pasta) and rigorously curated imported ingredients with local produce such as Goosnargh chicken, Gisburn Forest roe deer and Bowland wild garlic. A key part of the ethos is sustainability and authenticity, so the owners only work with like-minded suppliers. 

In summer, you might find specialities ranging from sardine fillets with red peppers, spaghetti alla Trapanese or outstanding pork-stuffed spinach tortellini to wild sea bass partnered with punchy emerald salsa verde or an unusual dish of marinated whitebait typical of the version made with the little freshwater fish of the Italian Lakes. For dessert, there are ice-cream sundaes and the best cannoli we have ever tasted – the secret is fresh ricotta sourced directly from Sicily. The all-Italian wine list is arranged by region, and there's also an extensive range of Italian beers, aperitifs, soft drinks and cocktails – not forgetting a 20-strong 'coffee menu'. 

‘It gets better every time,' exclaimed one reporter who has become a regular visitor to this stylish little bistro in a former car showroom five miles from Huddersfield. Norman's is run by sommelier Oliver Roberts and chef Will Webster (both ex-Shibden Mill Inn), who have the knack of making top-class dining and personal service look disarmingly simple. There’s creativity at every turn on the ever-changing menu, and Webster is seriously good at putting together flavours, textures and colours that sing. Snacks such as potato rösti with kipper custard typify the kitchen’s offbeat approach, while the small-plates menu might range from asparagus with scampi fries and trout roe to sturdy plates of salt-aged porterhouse steak with bone-marrow bordelaise. And there’s no let-up when it comes to dessert, which might feature dark chocolate and beef-fat fudge or kombu ice cream with Yorkshire strawberries, olive oil and nori. A ‘tight and efficient’ team runs the show with knowledgeable efficiency, and Oliver Roberts’ varied wine list makes fascinating reading. ‘Amazing cocktails’ add to the good-time vibe (anyone for Spritz & Giggles?).

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

‘Always full of Newnham locals’ (especially when the excellent-value lunch deal is available), this beautifully restored Post Office building is now a fantastic boutique bistro and bottle shop that is enhancing the town’s already ‘cool’ reputation. Owners Ben Thompson and Florence de Maré are both successful designers, and it shows. ‘Ever-present’ head chef Fred Page (ex-Marle at Heckfield Place) commands the room from behind a high-top counter surrounding his open kitchen, but wherever you sit, there are no bad spots here. Likewise, there are no bad choices on Page’s weekly changing menus. Everything is made in-house, from the cordial in your rhubarb Bellini to the unbelievably crispy olive oil-soaked spelt rolls, and Page’s small plates tease out the very best from locally sourced ingredients. Feast on an oozingly rich pig’s head croquette or saltfish beignets before tackling a beef-heart tortilla with chimichurri and chipotle or chalk stream trout with slow-cooked cuttlefish and chickpea stew – ‘all beautifully thought out and presented with an impressive choice of accompanying wines.’ Delightfully warm, personal service makes you feel like an old friend. 

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

Dunkeld's finest, winner of our Best Local Restaurant award for Scotland in 2025, incarnates one of the more pleasurable ways of dining on today's restaurant scene. It's a smart eatery and wine bar in a bottle shop, with little tables amid the wine shelves, a list that's updated weekly, and a programme of daily tastings. Buzzy at lunchtimes, more intimate in the evenings, the place hits the right notes throughout, not least with Morgwn Preston-Jones' carefully considered dishes sourced from Perthshire farms, mills and homesteads. Start with a hunk of home-baked focaccia and charcuterie, before motoring on to wonderful silky pasta dishes or a hefty roast beef sandwich. Fully loaded sharing boards of cured meats, pâté and cheeses, to be mixed and matched with wines by the glass, add greatly to the sum of human happiness. Simple finishers such as ice creams, mousses and affogato add the right kind of closure, before you toddle away with a couple of choice bottles from the shop.

At first glance, Soulshine is a humble café – a cluster of bar stools fronting a silver espresso machine, with a selection of cakes placed on the bar. Follow a corridor, however, and you enter a semi-secret dining room – a bohemian space with a profusion of potted plants, artworks and lots of primary colours. Locals drop by to plunder a similarly colourful small-plates menu four evenings a week. The kitchen lets ‘truly locally sourced ingredients’ speak for themselves: moreish Baron Bigod brie with salted walnuts and a drizzle of Devon honey, for example, or Dorset venison, pork and sloe salami with cornichons. There’s also plenty of imagination at play in tightly choreographed medleys such as peach with whipped ricotta, pickled onion and almonds or beetroot with barley, black garlic and hazelnuts. Puddings include simple, satisfying offerings such as a spiced apple tart or affogato with locally roasted Goose & Badger coffee. Also look out for set-menu supper clubs, winning breakfasts, and special events including ’a special sausage festival’. A succinct but eclectic wine list seals the deal. 

‘Overall, to find this level of cooking in such an unassuming location was a real treat,’ is praise indeed for Josh and Hannah Byrne’s warmly welcoming rural dining pub, which is surrounded by rivers, mountains and fields. Perched proudly by the side of the road – and seemingly a beacon in an area with not much else around – the Black Bear Inn has quickly built a reputation with diners who keep coming back because the food is precisely what they want to eat. From what must be one of the smallest kitchens in Wales comes a menu heavily weighted towards delicious snacks (we got a little overexcited and ordered too many), but the trio of starters and mains is well worth investigating – perhaps Dexter beef tartare with fried bread and anchovy mayo or haddock and mussels in herb butter sauce. The largely European wine list offers an astonishing range for a country pub, full of excitement, with interesting grape varieties all over the show, interspersed with some orange stuff and chilled reds. Check the blackboard for excellent by-the-glass selections.

‘Still the standout restaurant in the area and a credit to Pen Llyn,’ declared a fan of this bistro tucked discreetly between a butcher's and a bakery in the seaside village of Abersoch. It's a front-room bistro operation done in soothing neutral colours, with calming lake views on the walls to counterpoint the happy buzz of customers. Chef-owner Si Toft is on a mission to showcase the best Welsh produce and runs a tight ship: expect Anglesey black beef, Cardigan Bay fish and Penderyn whisky to crop up regularly on the frequently changing menus. Smoked haddock with a potato scone and laverbread butter sets the tone, but there are more modern offerings too – from red mullet with lentil salad to prime Welsh lamb rump with caramelised cauliflower, pomegranate and mint dressing. A canny understanding of sweet treats results in wacky ice lollies (perhaps rhubarb and custard) as well as classic dark chocolate torte with Aperol sorbet. Cocktails are great fun, while the wine selection includes some of the new generation of Welsh producers.

With prime raw materials harvested from the day-boats less than 40 metres from its front door, the laid-back Dory Bistro ensures that Pittenweem is amply supplied with ‘classy food all year round’. Ruth Robinson's kitchen teems with Cumbrae oysters, lobsters, crabs, langoustines and locally landed fish – not to mention garden pickings and game from nearby estates – and there’s an art gallery to wander around while you work up an appetite. The regular menu makes all kinds of classic moves, culminating in the ‘catch of the day’ served with seaweed and sorrel beurre blanc. The kitchen’s clean, classic style (‘with a touch of adventure’) also shows in desserts such as a layered vanilla and miso ice cream with miso pearls. Visitors applaud the specials board too – particularly as it also features ‘the most amazing aperitifs’. As for wine, expect plenty of on-trend varietal whites to match the fish-friendly menu. Wonderfully friendly local staff add to the pleasure of eating at this harbourfront gem.

‘Great food, magnificent countryside and no passport queues!’ cheered one reporter, while another simply proclaimed, ‘This is all about happiness’. They were referring to the tastefully refreshed Gordon Arms – a fine old coaching inn, now a family-run restaurant with rooms. Guests are drawn into the comforting solidity of well-banked fires, convivial chat and a sense of respite from travel, while seasonality, sustainability and local sourcing are the kitchen’s watchwords. There’s a keen eye for value, too, although eating here also feels ‘elegant and exclusive’. Expect carefully prepared, rustic food from a chef who understands the quality of his raw materials and is content to let them shine: Yarrow Valley venison salami, wild garlic from the Ettrick Valley, beef from the Borders’ herds, and a veritable harvest festival of pickings from the orchard and garden. Elsewhere, honey from the glen is used to dress a ricotta-stuffed courgette flower, while rare-breed pork loin might be paired with ‘nduja-spiced chickpeas. The wine list is well-focused, with some interesting options and a decent selection by the glass or carafe.

In a Devon barn where grain was once threshed, the Lost Kitchen inspires readers with fresh ideas, a menu supplied by local farmers, and wood-fired cooking that scores highly on the all-important 'scrumptiousness' scale. A gorgeous terrace overlooking the gardens is a must when the sun comes out. Sharing plates mobilise plenty of assertive flavours, as do the tempting pizza variations, while grilling and roasting bring out the best in meat, fish and veggie options. A flexible approach means you can pop in for cake and a hot drink at most times, but tables go quickly for main meals, so always book ahead. West Country cheeses and multi-layered fruity desserts are not to be missed. Everyone agrees that the phenomenal staff help make this an experience to remember, as does the in-house beer and cider brewing. Meanwhile, there are enough wines by the glass to ring the changes for repeat visits.

Striding confidently towards its third year, The Nettle in Settle shows no sign of slowing down – open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner, it’s a great all-rounder. Hard to miss overlooking the Market Place, it's a busy but relaxed spot – one where your kids and dogs will always be welcome – and very much at the heart of the community. When it comes to influences, the all-day small-plates menu takes a broad view – a dish of cauliflower teamed with a peanut and sesame dressing, yeast and Indian oil may have an Asian bent, but there are Euro-classics too, such as chicken schnitzel with a fried egg. Overall, this exuberant repertoire of well-wrought dishes has won the kitchen a band of firm local devotees. The warmest of welcomes helps things no end. The short but smart wine list majors on natural varietals; otherwise, there are cocktails and beers on tap.

Formerly home to the coastguard’s horse-drawn rocket-firing equipment, this cute, single-storey Victorian building brings a unique energy to the handful of retail and café outlets lining the Boscastle estuary as it flows into the sea. There is modest seating inside and a surprisingly generous all-weather courtyard, thanks to huge, heated umbrellas, and the red-brick property provides a contrast to the centuries-old, whitewashed cottages for which the village is known. A daily changing blackboard menu features fish-led sharing plates using local catch, lamb that roam the pastures above the restaurant (gently braised Trebiffen lamb shank with a spicy Shanghai pepper sauce is typical), with room for excellent local vegetables to play a starring role too. Puddings make less of an impression, but local and artisanal cheese are worth a punt. A bijou drinks list includes wines, cocktails, beers and non-alcoholic tipples to suit all pockets.

‘The entire dining experience captures everything we love about the Lakes,’ commented one reporter; ‘from the rustic aesthetics, the friendly, knowledgeable staff, locally sourced produce, and – of course – the incredible food, every detail feels thoughtfully done.’ There’s a sense of true dedication about this family-run ‘bistro with beds’ found up an easy-to-miss track off the Grasmere to Keswick road. Here, an industrious kitchen produces daily menus specialising in fiercely local produce, including a mighty ‘brekkie’ offered to all-comers, as well as stupendous Sunday roasts (including ‘the best mash ever’). At dinner, local beef can appear in several guises and Grasmere Herdwick lamb stars in the signature shepherd’s pie, but the kitchen isn’t averse to going walkabout for the likes of Basque mussel stew or crispy sushi rice with wild mushrooms. Portions are hefty, so you might want to skip a starter (say, crab and sweetcorn fritters) or dessert (egg custard tart with gooseberry and elderflower compôte). As for drinks, there are non-alcoholic spritzes, homemade fruit cordials and on-trend cocktails, plus a short list of global wines.

Just beyond Tighnabruaich village, this surprisingly smart little restaurant trades in some of the finest ingredients from the Cowal Peninsula and beyond. Behind it is the wife-and-wife team of Marie and Lauren Burke, who ‘put such care and attention into everything they do’ – be it supporting local charities, staging themed nights or offering occasional chippy takeaways on Friday evenings. Beyond the blue-painted frontage, the interior fit-out of sage walls, deep-green banquettes and pendant lighting sets an appealing stage for a broad-ranging repertoire from self-taught Marie’s one-woman kitchen. Slow-braised venison bourguignon and panko-breaded (langoustine) scampi highlight the kitchen’s admirable use of local produce, although ideas are gleaned from far and wide. How about Korean gochujang-glazed calamari with seaweed salad or Sri Lankan vegetable curry? To conclude, an affogato featuring coffee from Argyll's own roastery around the corner is a good way to round things off. There’s no alcohol licence, so drinkers are advised to bring a bottle (£5 corkage pp). Note that bookings are taken over the phone or via Instagram. 

A car park full of 'rustic Range Rovers' on Sunday lunchtime tells you how much the locals have taken this converted tollhouse in the Towy Valley to their hearts over the years – no doubt, partly explained by the owners’ stated declaration that 'you won't find foams, gels or technical wizardry on the plate'. What you will find is staff with ‘big smiles on their faces’ and a rolling menu loaded with seasonal Welsh produce (often given a European spin) – including 'sensational, traditionally caught sewin' (if you're very lucky). Provençal-style fish soup is a fixture, or you could ring the changes with a ragù of Richard Vaughan’s Middle White pork sausage or chive and garlic polenta with roast Mediterranean vegetables. Chargrilled steaks of Welsh black beef are hugely satisfying, while confit chicken legs arrive with duck-fat potato and slow-cooked tomato. Finish with a luscious Eton mess/knickerbockery glory crossover or yoghurt and cream panna cotta with berry compôte and almond crumb. A short wine selection offers nearly everything in three glass sizes, all at 'accessible price points'.