The Small Canteen, Newcastle
'A small restaurant with a big heart in Sandyford in Newcastle. Sam Betts runs a rather chaotic ship (bookings are on his mobile phone, he doesn’t always reply to phone messages and I had to come here twice when he’d cancelled my booking but the message never reached my phone!) It was worth a second go because the chalked up menu offers homely, comforting and very generous dishes. They are not all perfect, but mostly they are. I don’t know how he does it for the price but shoe-horned into the 14 cover very small canteen, I'm very glad he does.'
- Inspector TJ
Lark, Bury St Edmunds
'It has to be Lark in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, the tiny spot that was once a flower shop and before that a bus shelter and is now home to some of the most exciting cooking in the area. It never misses a beat and has brought something different to this already food-rich market town. It's not surprising it's achieved national recognition so quickly.'
- Inspector ATE
Sael, London
'Jason Atherton's all-day diner is a positive move towards more affordable dining. The cluster of snacks such as Marmite custard tart will satisfy the most discerning foodie.100-layer Hereford snail and ox cheek lasagna is another instant classic.'
- Inspector NJ
De Kas, Amsterdam
'De Kas (Amsterdam), Asmalı Cavit (Istanbul) and Limmat (Marseille) all stood out this year for delivering spectacularly thoughtful and delicious food with apparent effortlessness and a catchingly convivial atmosphere. On home turf, North Street Kitchen in Fowey was a highlight of a big run of Best Local Restaurant inspections. It wears its heart on its sleeve and captures the spirit of its special spot by the water. Most visited of 2024? Forza Wine at the National Theatre. It played host to pre-theatre dinners, long meals with out-of-town friends, summer sundowners and snacks on the terrace and even our annual GFG inspectors’ lunch.'
- Inspector HC
Tiella, London
'Tiella was my dining highlight of this year, and I will be sad to see the residency end on December 21st. A Puglian trattoria in an old Islington pub might sound like an odd mix on paper but in reality, it is the perfect set up and it's such a privilege to eat there. The food is soulful, satisfying and comforting with real finesse and Tiella doesn’t try to be something it’s not, which can be hard to find in London these days.'
- Inspector CP
Nightshop, Brussels
'After a delayed Eurostar and a rush across Brussels to make our 9:30pm reservation, we were welcomed with open arms to the bustling ex-car garage space split into a wine bar and casual restaurant. Full to the rafters on a Thursday evening, vibes were high as we squeezed into our seat opposite the pass. Our selection of small plates and glasses of wine arrived in a perfect procession, rounded off by a house-made herbal tea. A good-time restaurant with a ‘not-taking-themselves-too seriously’ style of service which is sometimes hard to find in the UK.'
- Inspector FC
Mambow, London
'Mambow is easily the restaurant of the year for me, I love Abby's food. It's so powerful and confident, original and exciting. It feels totally connected to a food culture and place. The restaurant itself is the antithesis of the typical slick London launch. It's full of personality, the food's full of flavour - it's what I want to eat and it's great value. Great music, cool interior, compact wine and cocktail list, and friendly, open service. If I could go every week I would. On the menu at the moment, I like the sound of wok-fried mussels with prawn floss, braised beef tripe kerabu, and pandan pancakes with gula melaka filling, and Malaysian coffee ice cream. The assam tea bourbon cocktail is not to be missed.'
- Inspector AH
Interlude, Sussex
'My meal of the year would be Restaurant Interlude. It's a fantastic example of the extended tasting menu format. Hugely detailed and technically brilliant cooking combined with the use of hyper-local ingredients and influences from chef Jean Delport's South African heritage make for a memorable and very delicious experience.'
- Inspector LA
Osip, Somerset
'Predictably, my best restaurant this year has to be Osip. It is undeniably an event to eat here; a privilege. The extraordinary flavour Merlin Labron-Johnson can conjure from the most humble ingredients is astonishing and now he has a venue with proper wow factor to match.'
- Inspector WR
Sola, London
'My meal of the year was Sola. Their crazy priced set lunch is a rare reminder of the days when lunch bargains genuinely existed in London. Incredible precision without sacrificing flavour, produce quality or inventiveness. Setting & service are formal but not stiff. I’d think twice about the dinner menu, but the set lunch was absolutely my meal of the year.'
- Inspector FT
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