24 of our favourite Local Gems Published 26 September 2023
Value for money, informal settings and delicious cooking characterise our growing fleet of Local Gems in The Good Food Guide. Here's a selection of our current favourites.
An artfully simple proposition amid the demanding retail decisions of Cambridge's pre-eminent mall, Amélie's spot at the Grafton Centre is marked by its yellow Citroën van. The Crépy family's shop-stop USP is cr… Read more
An artfully simple proposition amid the demanding retail decisions of Cambridge's pre-eminent mall, Amélie's spot at the Grafton Centre is marked by its yellow Citroën van. The Crépy family's shop-stop USP is crisp Alsatian flammekueche topped either with classic crème fraîche, bacon, onions and Gruyère or a host of less trad toppings, but with interest across the menu (sardine bruschetta to start, tarte tatin to finish and a neat wine list), there's plenty here for a longer lunch.
A charmingly eclectic bookshop, café and bakery with a vintage vibe – think mismatched furniture, high stools perched at the sea-facing picture window, and retro velvet sofas where you can curl up with a flat white an… Read more
A charmingly eclectic bookshop, café and bakery with a vintage vibe – think mismatched furniture, high stools perched at the sea-facing picture window, and retro velvet sofas where you can curl up with a flat white and thumb through the secondhand books. The owners' previous business was the Skye Bakehouse, famous for its sourdough bread and homemade cakes. On offer are warming bowls of soup (spicy Moroccan harira, say) as well as chunky sourdough sandwiches – the Scottish 'Reuben' perhaps, filled with Great Glen venison salami and Comté cheese. Also look out for unusual blackboard specials such as Burmese chicken curry with lemongrass and jasmine rice.
One of those perfect, no-frills seafood spots you dream of finding in every fishing village but rarely do. Despite the name, this is a proper restaurant rather than a shed, while its haul of crabs is landed and boiled a stone's th… Read more
One of those perfect, no-frills seafood spots you dream of finding in every fishing village but rarely do. Despite the name, this is a proper restaurant rather than a shed, while its haul of crabs is landed and boiled a stone's throw from the quay. Other plus points include a good wine and beer list, local spirits, waterside terrace seating and far more variety than just whole crabs cracked and served cold or warm with garlic butter. Expect anything from fish and chips to bouillabaisse; crabs are also available ready-dressed for those who don't fancy getting messy.
Shake off the humdrum location (beside the busy Otley Road in north Leeds) and relax into the easy enjoyment of Dastaan. Sibling of the original restaurant in Epsom, with Nand Kishor Semwal (ex-Gymkhana) as executive chef, it bear… Read more
Shake off the humdrum location (beside the busy Otley Road in north Leeds) and relax into the easy enjoyment of Dastaan. Sibling of the original restaurant in Epsom, with Nand Kishor Semwal (ex-Gymkhana) as executive chef, it bears many of the same hallmarks: faultlessly warm, attentive service and a fresh, snappy menu which skirts all the curry-house clichés. Start with spinach and kale bhajiya or generous, charred wedges of paneer tikka with bright mint chutney before delving into a pork cheek vindaloo or Malvani fish curry. The vast 130-cover dining room has its own bar serving up cocktails, mocktails, local Kirkstall Brewery beer on draught and a selection of mainstream wines.
The broad expanse of shingle stretches as far as the eye can see, dotted with quirky huts and the late Derek Jarman’s Prospect Cottage, with Dungeness power station looming in the distance. Here you'll discover a fishmo… Read more
The broad expanse of shingle stretches as far as the eye can see, dotted with quirky huts and the late Derek Jarman’s Prospect Cottage, with Dungeness power station looming in the distance. Here you'll discover a fishmongers and the weather-dependent Snack Shack – a 'fantastic find' serving cooked-to-order seafood from a hatch, to be eaten at picnic benches on the shingle. The brief menu reflects the day’s catch: there's always a griddled fish with fried potatoes but other options could include fat, juicy scallops on flatbread or an outstanding fisherman’s roll filled with two super-fresh fish fillets. Smoked cod chowder is a warming wintertime treat (weather permitting). Check the website for opening times.
There is nothing fancy about East Pier Smokehouse except that this functional blue-painted building on the edge of St Monans harbour serves food that is so simple and delicious you really don’t care that your lobster and chi… Read more
There is nothing fancy about East Pier Smokehouse except that this functional blue-painted building on the edge of St Monans harbour serves food that is so simple and delicious you really don’t care that your lobster and chips, whole hot-smoked sea bass, crab croquetas with romesco sauce or smoked fish curry come to you in a cardboard box. You don’t care because you can also eat their fabulous seafood (and more besides) in the little whitewashed room upstairs (complete with a woodburner for chilly nights) or on the elevated terrace with superb views across the Firth of Forth and the North Sea. Booking essential.
Located on a residential side street in Stoke Newington, this is the most perfect contemporary brunch spot in the Aussie London tradition. It's appealing inside and out with simple, light wood interiors, a counter stocked with exp… Read more
Located on a residential side street in Stoke Newington, this is the most perfect contemporary brunch spot in the Aussie London tradition. It's appealing inside and out with simple, light wood interiors, a counter stocked with expertly baked treats and a busy back garden filled with mismatched tables. Excellent coffee comes from Hasbean while the ever-evolving menu is far more creative than most, featuring top-notch suppliers such as Hodmedods and Flourish Produce. Think braised lamb shoulder with crushed chickpeas, spigarello and pickled cucumber salsa verde or something sweet such as French toast with Mairac apple, toasted hay cream and cobnut buckwheat crunch.
In-the-know locals call ahead to ensure they don’t have to endure a long wait at this tiny, cash-only Vietnamese spot. Designed and run primarily as a takeaway (although there are a few foldable seats and one table inside), … Read more
In-the-know locals call ahead to ensure they don’t have to endure a long wait at this tiny, cash-only Vietnamese spot. Designed and run primarily as a takeaway (although there are a few foldable seats and one table inside), Hoa Phuong is essentially a one-woman show and you’re expected to play by her rules: opening times are hit and miss, and everything comes in disposable packaging (although regulars often bring their own containers). The spicy beef noodle soup gets rave reviews, but the short menu also features one-plate rice dishes (lemongrass chicken, grilled pork), plus spring rolls and suchlike. We recommend grabbing your takeaway and heading to nearby Elephant Park for a picnic.
A neighbourhood favourite on the route of one of south Manchester's most characterful passeggiatas, Indique continues to generate enthusiastic feedback. The kitchen's hand with flavour extends across its Indian street food, grills… Read more
A neighbourhood favourite on the route of one of south Manchester's most characterful passeggiatas, Indique continues to generate enthusiastic feedback. The kitchen's hand with flavour extends across its Indian street food, grills and signature curries, with classic vegetable dishes especially well-judged. Striking presentation and the odd visual flourish may be contemporary, but they contribute to a sense of old-fashioned care.
East African cooking meets Gujarati cuisine – there's no other menu in Brighton quite like it. At this casual, intimate neighbourhood spot, expect closely set tables, warm, personal service and some seriously delicious,… Read more
East African cooking meets Gujarati cuisine – there's no other menu in Brighton quite like it. At this casual, intimate neighbourhood spot, expect closely set tables, warm, personal service and some seriously delicious, gently spicy food that's well worth the short journey to the northern edge of the city. The menu changes regularly but look out for kalio (a rich lamb curry with crispy saffron potatoes) and the deep-fried cauliflower with crisp batter, chilli and lemon sauce – a must-order. The urban pavement terrace is a popular spot when the sun shines.
Chris Davies built up a business selling handmade pasta at local markets, as well as delivering pasta boxes to people’s homes. A dream of opening a little restaurant/bar was finally realised when he opened on Bristol's Chand… Read more
Chris Davies built up a business selling handmade pasta at local markets, as well as delivering pasta boxes to people’s homes. A dream of opening a little restaurant/bar was finally realised when he opened on Bristol's Chandos Road (next door to Wilsons). The short menu features the chef’s famed pasta in dishes such as pappardelle with Creedy Carver duck leg ragù or mafalde with cuttlefish ragù, chilli, capers, brown crab and bottarga. The set lunch is excellent value.
Normah Abd Hamid, affectionately known in the local Malaysian food community as 'Auntie Normah' cooks entirely on her own in this bijou, simply furnished space deep inside Bayswater Market. It's not that easy to find but well wort… Read more
Normah Abd Hamid, affectionately known in the local Malaysian food community as 'Auntie Normah' cooks entirely on her own in this bijou, simply furnished space deep inside Bayswater Market. It's not that easy to find but well worth the effort for generous portions of Malaysian hits at low prices. Start with flaky roti canai and dhal before tucking into tasty curry laksa with king prawns or mee goreng. Nasi lemak comes with aromatic beef rendang, and whole sea bass is paired with asam pedas or belachan. No alcohol is served, so drink hot, milky teh tarik ('pulled tea') instead.
Housed in Apparel Tasker, a sustainable garment factory in Bow, this Italian café is a cosy corner sealed off by glass so guests can observe the production line while enjoying their coffee and cake. Humble home cooking of I… Read more
Housed in Apparel Tasker, a sustainable garment factory in Bow, this Italian café is a cosy corner sealed off by glass so guests can observe the production line while enjoying their coffee and cake. Humble home cooking of Italian and Austrian origin is on offer for weekday lunches and a Friday evening supper club. The simple, affordable menu ranges from soups and sandwiches to pizza and pasta. It changes daily, so don't come expecting anything specific though you might be rewarded with Sardinian wild fennel soup layered with pane carasau and cheese or fettuccine alla romana with chicken offal.
Fashions come and go, but the personal charm of Mark and Felicity Seager’s intimate 15th-century cottage restaurant endures – the couple celebrate their 32nd year in 2023. What’s on offer is a set-price dinner me… Read more
Fashions come and go, but the personal charm of Mark and Felicity Seager’s intimate 15th-century cottage restaurant endures – the couple celebrate their 32nd year in 2023. What’s on offer is a set-price dinner menu of tried-and-tested favourites, such as roast rack of Welsh lamb with Dijon and herb crust or fillet steak with brandy, peppercorn and cream sauce, both served with homely roasted potato wedges and steamed vegetables. Treacle tart, with its crunchy breadcrumbed topping, continues to delight, while Felicity’s cheerful service and a value-for-money wine list (from £20) explain the venue's popularity.
Set on the pretty green of sought-after Great Massingham, this is everything you could want from your local pub. It's a sizeable operation too, spanning a drinkers' bar, a bookshelf-lined dining room, a barn for events and generou… Read more
Set on the pretty green of sought-after Great Massingham, this is everything you could want from your local pub. It's a sizeable operation too, spanning a drinkers' bar, a bookshelf-lined dining room, a barn for events and generous outdoor space. They even show sports on TV and serve wood-fired pizzas. The kitchen offers competently executed pub classics (fish and chips with zippy homemade tartare sauce) alongside more global ideas (Sri Lankan curry; soy-glazed duck with bao) but it’s the ever-buzzy atmosphere and the admirably capable young staff that make this a happy place to be.
If you were unable to get a decent piece of fish in a restaurant attached to a top-quality fishmongers then it would be a poor show but, thankfully, the Easy Fish Company take its job seriously. Apart from gigantic portions of sup… Read more
If you were unable to get a decent piece of fish in a restaurant attached to a top-quality fishmongers then it would be a poor show but, thankfully, the Easy Fish Company take its job seriously. Apart from gigantic portions of super-fresh fried cod and thick chips, you might find stylishly presented pan-fried John Dory with saffron potatoes, samphire and shellfish bisque or sesame-crusted tuna accompanied by miso- and soy-glazed vegetables, crispy noodles and Malaysian curry sauce. Shellfish sharing platters (including lobster, mussels and tiger prawns) are deliciously formidable.
The Boswell family have been growing and selling garlic and garlic-themed products for many years. If you can tear yourself away from the shop – where the toasted garlic mayonnaise and the garlic jam with red chilli are must… Read more
The Boswell family have been growing and selling garlic and garlic-themed products for many years. If you can tear yourself away from the shop – where the toasted garlic mayonnaise and the garlic jam with red chilli are must-buys – the welcoming farmhouse-style restaurant serves up breakfast and lunch daily. Unsurprisingly, garlic features throughout, from gentle notes in a crowd-pleasing spiced BBQ pulled beef burger to a dish of watercress and roasted-garlic pesto gnocchi that would see Buffy the Vampire Slayer able to leave her stake at home for the day. Accommodation is in self-catering cottages and yurts dotted around the farm.
There are stories of smuggling on these marshy edges of north Norfolk, and it’s easy to imagine them being shared over a pint or two of Wherry ale in this character-laden, fire-warmed hostelry. Food is of the hearty British … Read more
There are stories of smuggling on these marshy edges of north Norfolk, and it’s easy to imagine them being shared over a pint or two of Wherry ale in this character-laden, fire-warmed hostelry. Food is of the hearty British school, the better to brace you for beach walks – so come for fish and chips, a steak pie to share, or a heaped bowl of Brancaster mussels. Sunday is all about magnificent roasts – those Yorkshire puddings! Visitors who fancy settling in for a night or two can take advantage of the attractive bedrooms upstairs.
Already winning with its location (a landmark spot in prime Peaks territory), Max Fischer's self-styled 'village pub and restaurant' also boasts a strong kitchen and polished front of house team. Formerly Rowley's, it leads with s… Read more
Already winning with its location (a landmark spot in prime Peaks territory), Max Fischer's self-styled 'village pub and restaurant' also boasts a strong kitchen and polished front of house team. Formerly Rowley's, it leads with seasonal ingredients – try gnocchi with butternut squash sauce, fried sage and a fieldful of mushrooms in autumn. It also offers plenty of spots in which to enjoy these delights, from a downstairs bar to an open kitchen and upstairs dining room.
Open daily from the beginning of April to the end of October, this totally unpretentious catering trailer is a godsend for holidaymakers and locals alike. Be prepared for queues, and for outside picnic seating if you want to eat o… Read more
Open daily from the beginning of April to the end of October, this totally unpretentious catering trailer is a godsend for holidaymakers and locals alike. Be prepared for queues, and for outside picnic seating if you want to eat on site – although the quality of the locally caught, sustainable seafood is second to none. Hand-dived scallops with herb butter, creel-caught langoustines with hot garlic and thyme butter, hot-smoked trout from the Ullapool Smokehouse, and a tempura-battered haddock wrap that’s fast achieving cult status are typical examples from a daily changing menu that's in tune with the catch from the inshore boats.
Simple but creative Cumbrian classics served in stylish surrounds
The Lake District is well-fed, but proper restaurants serving simple, straightforward cooking are surprisingly hard to find. All the more reason, then, to treasure The Yan at Broadrayne (to give the place its full name), which goe… Read more
The Lake District is well-fed, but proper restaurants serving simple, straightforward cooking are surprisingly hard to find. All the more reason, then, to treasure The Yan at Broadrayne (to give the place its full name), which goes the extra mile on food, service and surroundings.
The 17th-century family farm is now largely converted into holiday accommodation, while the Yan (billed as a ‘bistro with beds’) is up an easy-to-miss track off the main road from Grasmere to Keswick. It is a welcoming prospect on all fronts. The dining room overlooks the fells of Helm Crag and Dunmail Raise, though the vibe feels more Scandi chic than Lakeland cosy, not least because all the hard surfaces hewn from natural materials can make acoustics noisy – that and the fact that it's busy almost all the time, including breakfast.
Herdwick lamb from the surrounding fields appears in several guises: as a rib with Cajun-spiced sweetcorn purée; minted and wrapped in cured ham with a pea mash; and, best of all, the signature shepherd’s pie, in which the meat (slowly braised to fall-apart tenderness) is topped with gorgeously smooth and soft cheesy mash. Generously filled fish pie is the other staple, while thoughtful vegetarian options include a cheese, tomato and spring onion risotto topped with pickled radish, broad beans, asparagus and toasted seeds.
There is always a great deal on the plate, which is perhaps the only downside: huge portions are likely to mean having to forego either a starter (say, the house pea and mint houmous with tortilla bread) or dessert (perhaps an excellent sticky toffee pudding with locally made Three Hills Gelato). The other drawback is that unless you’re staying over, someone is likely to be driving – although the non-alcoholic spritzes, made with a changing roster of homemade fruit cordials, are every bit as good as the on-trend cocktails and short global wine list.
Taking its inspiration from the Subcontinent's street-food vendors, Urban Choola offers an inviting mix of curry-house stalwarts and less predictable dishes. Expect anything from rogan josh, creamy Goan fish curry, rich dhal makha… Read more
Taking its inspiration from the Subcontinent's street-food vendors, Urban Choola offers an inviting mix of curry-house stalwarts and less predictable dishes. Expect anything from rogan josh, creamy Goan fish curry, rich dhal makhani and sticky gulab jamun to 'incredibly flavoursome' onion, kale and spinach bhajiyas or nalli gosht (tender osso buco-style lamb shank in a tomato-based sauce) – all delivered with due care and attention to detail. Cocktails complement a short but reasonably priced selection of spice-friendly wines. All in all, good-value food backed by warm, welcoming service.
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