28 of the best restaurants for solo diners Published 02 August 2023
‘I love eating alone, even for pleasure’ says The Good Food Guide editor Elizabeth Carter. ‘I’ll happily take a book and head off for one dish and a glass of wine – it’s the perfect way to chill.' So which are the best restaurants for solo dining? A comfortable counter seat, a spot in the window or a tucked away corner await at these 28 restaurants, as well as excellent service to help you settle in.
High-end Chinese cooking, alluring flavours and bags of creativity
Since 2012, Andrew Wong’s Pimlico restaurant has re-defined high-end Chinese dining not only in the UK but, arguably, for anywhere outside Asia. The no-choice, 30-dish tasting menu takes inspiration from far and wide –… Read more
Since 2012, Andrew Wong’s Pimlico restaurant has re-defined high-end Chinese dining not only in the UK but, arguably, for anywhere outside Asia. The no-choice, 30-dish tasting menu takes inspiration from far and wide – Hong Kong for the dim sum, Shaanxi province for the bao, Anhui for the fermented wild sea bass – but the result is unmistakably Wong’s own vision, not least in its striking presentation. A martini glass suspended over ice, for instance, contains finely chopped green beans spiked with wasabi soy encased by a quivering shell of osmanthus jelly, while ribbons of tofu wave in a limpid soup like the fronds of a sea anemone.
At its best, Wong’s cooking melds astonishing creativity with the most alluring of flavours and sublime contrasts of textures, everything held in a delicate balance by the surest of touches. Consider a candied walnut stuck onto a trio of honey-roast roast pork slices, each daubed with gravy to glue onto shavings of frozen foie gras, grated as finely as sherbet; or wagyu tartare, presented in a caviar tin and adorned with shards of crisp potato, its chilli heat balanced by the citrus jolt of yuzu when dolloped onto a barely-there ‘pancake’ of pear.
Wong’s contemporary interpretation of Chinese cooking is so compelling that when a faultless nugget of sweet-and-sour chicken arrives (an affectionate nod to his parents’ Cantonese restaurant, Kym’s), it feels like an uninvited old friend gatecrashing the party. At £200 a head for food, however, it is not unreasonable to expect this level of perfection throughout, and our most recent meal fell short of that. There were basic errors (prawns not properly shelled) and some dishes tasted of very little at all – even if they looked lovely (cheung fun refashioned as an inside-out wafer of pork or an al dente roll of Peking duck, for example).
Overall, we longed for more nuance to the flavours rather than an insistent, unremitting savouriness. These criticisms might have been easier to stomach had there been more charm to the service. Empty plates were whisked away with lickety-split haste, a neighbouring table was brought Pouilly-Fumé not Fuissé, and being moved to the empty bar to eat dessert in solitude seemed ungracious while our seat upstairs was filled with the next round of punters.
Perhaps we visited on a rare off-night; certainly, the advance planning required to secure a table here (or a seat at the counter, with its direct view into the kitchen) indicates there is no shortage of takers.
When sleek, handmade pasta specialist Bancone opened its first branch in Covent Garden back in 2018, it scored an instant social media hit with its ‘silk handkerchiefs’ – soft, glistening rectangles of fazzoletti… Read more
When sleek, handmade pasta specialist Bancone opened its first branch in Covent Garden back in 2018, it scored an instant social media hit with its ‘silk handkerchiefs’ – soft, glistening rectangles of fazzoletti dressed with walnut butter, sprinkled with nuggets of chopped walnut and topped with a golden confit egg yolk. While still the stars of the show, they share the billing with other tempters such as pappardelle with Herdwick hogget, soy, Thai basil and chilli or cappellacci with Cornish crab, corn, chives and sea herbs. Start with cauliflower salad, smoked almonds and pecorino sardo; finish with fior di latte or crème caramello with coffee and buckwheat. Prosecco and Italian regional wines go down a treat.
This spot-on take on the classic tapas bar is authentically, some say irritatingly, reservation-free – unlike Barrafina's other branches in the capital (Adelaide Street, Drury Lane, Borough Yards and King’s Cross)… Read more
This spot-on take on the classic tapas bar is authentically, some say irritatingly, reservation-free – unlike Barrafina's other branches in the capital (Adelaide Street, Drury Lane, Borough Yards and King’s Cross). Inside, just 28 high stools are lined up along the length of the L-shaped kitchen counter to accommodate diners (there are some pavement tables too). The attraction is not only the lively, informal vibe but also the theatre of dishes cooked in front of you – a line-up of top-drawer tapas rendered as simply as possible. Freshness is the key (especially when it comes to seafood) and you can sample the results by ordering from the standard placemat menu: made-to-order mini tortillas, croquetas, chipirones, gambas rojos, pluma Ibérico with confit potatoes. Even better is the little specials board, a daily changing roster of more creative dishes along the lines of fresh grilled mackerel slathered in a bright, garlicky chimichurri sauce or a plate of lamb's sweetbreads with fresh peas, cooked in a richly lip-smacking sauce that we found especially impressive. Crema catalana and Santiago tart are the never-off-the-menu desserts. Spanish regional wines by the glass, carafe or bottle match the food perfectly, likewise a big choice of sherries – including the Hart brothers’ own-brand manzanilla.
A ‘very reliable’ Mayfair fixture since 1916, the self-titled ‘grand dame of Swallow Street’ is still shucking oysters with a vengeance under the stewardship of chef/patron Richard Corrigan. These days, reg… Read more
A ‘very reliable’ Mayfair fixture since 1916, the self-titled ‘grand dame of Swallow Street’ is still shucking oysters with a vengeance under the stewardship of chef/patron Richard Corrigan. These days, regulars agree that its two great assets are the ground-floor Oyster Bar and the spacious gem of a terrace on Swallow Street itself (heated and covered for year-round bonhomie).
If you’re indoors, the best seats are indubitably at the marble-topped bar counter, where you can watch the chefs expertly flashing their thick-bladed oyster knives and doing the business on ‘natives’ and ‘rocks’ from places as far apart as Donegal, Oban and Jersey – although one fan reckons the Pembrokeshire specimens deserve a special mention. Otherwise, squeeze into one of the close-packed tables for a more formal and ‘extremely fresh’ piscine blowout – perhaps scallop ceviche dressed with jalapeño, mint and lime ahead of Dover sole meunière or pan-seared turbot with olive-oil mash and langoustine sauce.
Readers have praised the impeccable Cornish fish stew packed with myriad different species in a tomato and saffron broth, although you can also feast on classics such as fish and chips, fish pie and Bentley’s handsome shellfish platters. Pudding might be crème caramel with Armagnac-soaked prunes or a bitter chocolate mousse embellished with cherries, gold leaf and amaretto. The classy fish-friendly wine list is priced for Mayfair’s big spenders, although it does offer some excellent bargains by the glass.
The capital's Indian restaurant scene is booming, with openings across the spectrum from street food to high-end cuisine, yet this venture from the JKS group (Sabor, Lyle’s, Hoppers, Gymkhana, Bao etc) is one of the most exc… Read more
The capital's Indian restaurant scene is booming, with openings across the spectrum from street food to high-end cuisine, yet this venture from the JKS group (Sabor, Lyle’s, Hoppers, Gymkhana, Bao etc) is one of the most exciting to date. A short distance from Selfridges, and fronted by an outdoor heated terrace, it’s a bijou space, long, narrow, dimly lit and dominated by an open-plan kitchen. Most seats are at the counter overlooking the chefs at work, though there are some black-leather booths along the opposite wall; the vibe is sociable, aided by a lively soundtrack and a highly charged service team. It’s a great platform for chef Chetan Sharma, who has L’Enclume and Moor Hall in his culinary DNA. He doesn't disappoint, experimenting with ingredients and techniques while fusing different culinary influences into his own individualistic style – although everything is rooted in traditional Indian cooking. The result is an innovative, contemporary menu (two tasters and a carte) based around small plates, chaat (street food) and grilled dishes. Layers of flavour are built up gradually: a raw scallop is provocatively paired with blood orange and Indian lemonade ('a beautiful marriage between the soft, sweet mollusc and the citrusy pop’); tender grilled Lahori chicken comes with a cashew and yoghurt whey. Elsewhere, okra is given a lift with peanuts, sesame and fermented chilli, while 'sides' such as roomali roti or pilau rice cooked in a little chicken broth and topped with deep-fried onions merit a central role. The ‘addictive’ sweet-spicy notes of puffy sweetcorn nuggets served with Kashmiri yellow chilli and corn-husk mayonnaise make a brilliant opening salvo; saffron and white chocolate kulfi 'in the shape of a Magnum ice cream' provides the perfect finale. Wines have been thoughtfully assembled with the food in mind, although prices aren't cheap.
* Brett now bills itself as a modern European restaurant serving a conventional three-course carte rather than a series of global small plates. Watch for a new review coming soon. *
Brett is the colloquial name for rogue yeasts t… Read more
* Brett now bills itself as a modern European restaurant serving a conventional three-course carte rather than a series of global small plates. Watch for a new review coming soon. *
Brett is the colloquial name for rogue yeasts that can add funky complexity to wine. While this 'natural wine bar and eatery' (from the team behind Glasgow high flyer Cail Bruich) isn't exactly rogue, it does exude an edgy confidence. Cheery chefs execute a complex choreography in the small open kitchen where open-fire cooking adds drama and depth of flavour. Seasonal ingredients sing in deceptively simple dishes such as chargrilled squid with smoked chilli and coriander or delicate salted baby chicken with zesty lime and soft Vietnamese herbs. To finish, a ripely runaway Gorgonzola comes with its own mini pecan pie and pecan pickles, while chocolate délice with Caol Ila caramel and puffed barley delivers a grown-up sugar rush. Dishes can be shared 'small plate style' or you could follow a more traditional structure. Sides such as sourdough with chicken fat or brown-butter baked potato with torched raclette could easily be a cheeky wee nibble if you’re only having a drink. The wine list offers a voyage of discovery, homing in on small producers who favour minimal intervention and the natural approach to winemaking. Down-to-earth staff will help you navigate with enthusiasm, expertise and some well-judged banter. The limited space is maximised through high seats and tables, with a small mezzanine and welcome outdoor space for sunny days. With hip industrial lighting and steel gantrys holding the glistening range of Riedels, there whole place has a stylish, contemporary feel – although it's more about the vibrant buzz than secluded intimacy.
Florence comes to Farringdon at this pulsating jam-packed eatery
Russell Norman’s sudden death in November 2023 shocked the restaurant world, but his masterfully staged final project, Brutto, carries on regardless – thanks to his wife Jules and son Ollie. Inside, checked tablecloths… Read more
Russell Norman’s sudden death in November 2023 shocked the restaurant world, but his masterfully staged final project, Brutto, carries on regardless – thanks to his wife Jules and son Ollie. Inside, checked tablecloths, Chianti flasks and typewritten menus do their best to transport you to Florence, although the 1990s soundtrack pumping out at high volume may shatter your illusions.
Reservations are released online two weeks ahead; act fast if you want a table at prime time. Otherwise, walk in, sit at the bar, order a £5 Negroni and nibble on some pinzimonio (crudités) or Sicilian anchovies with toast and butter curls. It’s all ‘intrinsically simple, but reliant on the quality of the ingredients,' noted one fan. The vitellotonnato is 'exemplary', pasta might bring rabbit pappardelle or pork and mortadellatortelloni in bone broth, while panzanella (a cucina povera classic) is made moreish with red onion, basil and a vinegary dressing. We also loved the fried dough balls with prosciutto and Stracchino cheese, while a bollito with tongue and fall-apart beef brisket was equally captivating and lifted by perky salsa verde. Dry-aged Florentine T-bones (well-seasoned and rested) are available in limited numbers, so best bag one on arrival.
Pudding can be as simple as plum and almond cake or ‘brutti ma buoni’ (the ‘ugly but good’ biscuits from which the restaurant takes its name). Like the food and the ambience, the friendly young staff earn top marks. The house wine is more than palatable, and there’s an attractive list of Italian regional bottles. 'Bravo Brutto!'
‘Cash chemists’ proclaims the 1920s mosaic tiling at the entrance to Caper and Cure – a reminder that the site was famously a pharmaceutical drop-in where poorly folk could procure their remedies without prescrip… Read more
‘Cash chemists’ proclaims the 1920s mosaic tiling at the entrance to Caper and Cure – a reminder that the site was famously a pharmaceutical drop-in where poorly folk could procure their remedies without prescription. The pill boxes and potions are long gone, of course, and the place is now in the business of nourishing the local community with expertly crafted food. Owner Giles Coram has created a bijou shabby-chic success story here, an ‘absolute little gem,’ genially run by a band of helpful, happy staff. Dishes are whisked out of a tiny open kitchen at the back of the restaurant, and they never fail to please: nibble on chorizo croquettes before tackling some scallops enriched with brown crab butter or a serving of cured gilthead bream with smoked caviar and pickled kohlrabi. To follow, regulars continue to rave about the onglet steak and the pan-fried gnocchi, although the day’s market fish served with pink fir potatoes, capers and Muscadet sauce is always a seasonal winner. A scoop of frozen vodka and lemon sorbet makes the perfect palate-cleanser ahead of, say, tonka bean panna cotta with Yorkshire rhubarb. Casual midweek suppers receive lots of support and everyone dotes over the Sunday roasts – and why not, when the menu promises Quantock pork belly, chicken ballotine or dry-aged rump cap with their time-honoured accoutrements. Drinks are top-notch too, with brews from the Bristol Beer Factory alongside some perky wines at keen prices. ‘I would go here every week if I could,’ confesses one loyal local.
*Chris Trundle (former head chef of Brawn and Lyle's) has now taken over as head chef from Luke Richardson. Watch out for a new review coming soon.*
The younger sibling of Covino in Chester is altogether a larger, more aspiration… Read more
*Chris Trundle (former head chef of Brawn and Lyle's) has now taken over as head chef from Luke Richardson. Watch out for a new review coming soon.*
The younger sibling of Covino in Chester is altogether a larger, more aspirational affair. Its greatest USP is the location. Although not the first to fly high in the sky over Manchester's city centre, it keeps the urban panorama centre stage with clean, modern lines and a clever use of the rooftop space. The wrap-around interior provides every frill-free table with a pigeon’s eye view; high chairs border the long counter of the open kitchen. The connecting garden area (note the beehives) provides ample seating to satisfy the Mancunian thirst for sunshine when it appears. Climat describes itself as a 'wine-led' restaurant, a reference to their impressively stocked cellar. Burgundy leads the pack but doesn’t dominate. A Xinomavro 2018 from Macedonia had big flavours that partnered well with a robust dish of lamb leg, roasted cauliflower and kale. Unfortunately, the wine descriptions are generic; a sommelier or more informed serving staff might have helped guide the choice. The sharing-plates menu is a good spread of classic and modern, with a broadly Gallic orientation, plus retro and international references: salt fish beignets with aïoli and herb salad; prawn cocktail with avocado mousse and baby gem vol-au-vents; Tamworth pork chop with flat beans and Pommery mustard. The kitchen shows a deft hand with vegetables and salads, which are often enlivened with bitter notes – a combo of beetroot, whipped tofu, charcoal vinaigrette and mustard cress, for example, contrasted its creamy, light and earthy elements well. But there are slips, too, from an excessively oily dressing on purple sprouting broccoli to a plum tarte fine that proved unremarkable. Luckily, the quartet of well-sourced cheeses (a sheep’s milk St Helena; Roquefort-like sheep’s milk Regalis; a lactic, soft goat’s milk Elrick Log; and raw milk Baron Bigod) proved a better finale. It may be unfair to compare Climat with older sibling Covino (both are relaxed and innovative, without being gimmicky), but at inspection we found the latter offered a much more happy-making experience.
* Chef George Prole is leaving and the restaurant is launching a programme of ‘guest chef’ residencies, beginning with Chester-based Roux scholar Harry Guy, who will take over the kitchen for three months from 17 Janua… Read more
* Chef George Prole is leaving and the restaurant is launching a programme of ‘guest chef’ residencies, beginning with Chester-based Roux scholar Harry Guy, who will take over the kitchen for three months from 17 January 2025. Watch for a new review.*
If you think Covino is just a touch snug in its dimensions, be aware that when it first opened, just around the corner, it was even teensier. Tuck your elbows in, and be prepared to be seduced by a high-achieving gastronomic wine bar that has become an integral component of Chester's dynamic city centre. The midweek evening offer extends to a lunchtime start on Fridays and Saturdays (as the end of the working week beckons), and it reliably encompasses lively small-plate dining of true distinction. A combo of beetroot and tofu dressed in gochujang and sesame competes with a salad of bitter leaves, Bleu d'Auvergne and orange in the vitamin stakes. Pasta is impressive, perhaps cavatelli with Marina di Chioggia squash and sage, while proteins get motoring with salt fish beignets and tarragon mayo or the properly satiating guinea fowl with borlotti beans and root veg. The reader who commented that the winning service is 'always charming, always funny,' reminds us that being entertained is an often overlooked, but essential, aspect of happy dining. That, and a bowl of muscovado pudding with Pedro Ximénez-lashed figs, probably. The wine selection continues to impress for its imaginative range.
Since relocating to this former Victorian banking hall not far from Market Square more than a decade ago, Delilah Fine Foods has cemented its reputation as a real asset for shoppers and a boon for foodies in Nottingham. Combining … Read more
Since relocating to this former Victorian banking hall not far from Market Square more than a decade ago, Delilah Fine Foods has cemented its reputation as a real asset for shoppers and a boon for foodies in Nottingham. Combining the virtues of a deli, café and all-purpose eatery under one roof, it allows customers to cosy up at the communal wooden bar or sit among the well-stocked aisles surrounded by shelves of comestibles. Fill up on breakfast until noon (think granola, sausage brioche rolls, big fry-ups and eggs every which way). After that, lunch brings a choice of platters, plus a swag-bag of global dishes ranging from bruschetta with wild mushrooms and cavolo nero to burgers with ‘posh pickle’ or lamb kofta with heritage carrots, bulgur wheat, chickpeas, spinach, pomegranate and tahini dressing. They even do fondues for two, as well as croques and deli-style sandwiches. If you crave something sweet, look no further than the splendid array of cakes, pastries, tray bakes and sweet breads. Drinks are all present and correct too, from single-origin coffees and loose-leaf teas to Old World wines and beers from Nottinghamshire breweries.
Margate is inundated with blow-ins from the London restaurant scene and beyond at the moment, but it was local talent that established the town as a serious food destination. And there are few better examples than Dory’s, th… Read more
Margate is inundated with blow-ins from the London restaurant scene and beyond at the moment, but it was local talent that established the town as a serious food destination. And there are few better examples than Dory’s, the small, simple seafood eatery-cum-wine bar overlooking the beach, where a local, seasonal and sustainable commitment filters down from famous older sibling Angela’s, just round the corner. Ethical credentials pour forth from chalkboard menus and the drinks list (aperitifs run to a take on the Bloody Mary earthed up with garlic) and, as a no-cook set-up, it’s a model of its kind. Dishes are pre-made: the likes of soused paprika mussels are served cold, but brown crab piled high on toast (creamy with just a hint of chilli warmth) or smoked haddock and dill pie (with a fabulous pastry crust) are finished or reheated behind the bar. We also tried a bass fillet with kale, lentils and green sauce (superb), reignited our love affair with smoked prawns (first sampled at Angela's in the summer), and enjoyed an apple cake with caramel and crème fraîche. From a trio of wines by the glass chalked up on a board, we chose a skin-contact Rennersistas-Intergalactic from Burgenland, Austria – a brilliant match for the food; by contrast, the wine list proper favours some superb, forward-thinking English vineyards. The fact that everything is as it should be is down to a cracking front-of-house team. And while Dory's now takes bookings, the good news is that some space is reserved each day for walk-ins – a godsend in a town where the best restaurants can be booked up weeks in advance.
*Bangkok Diners Club will open in Edinburgh Castle's restaurant space from Wednesday 2nd April. Watch out for a new review coming soon.*
Not that Castle. This one is a reconditioned late-Georgian pub in the Ancoats district of Ma… Read more
*Bangkok Diners Club will open in Edinburgh Castle's restaurant space from Wednesday 2nd April. Watch out for a new review coming soon.*
Not that Castle. This one is a reconditioned late-Georgian pub in the Ancoats district of Manchester, now part of a regeneration zone that has conjured a modern neighbourhood where once there was industrial wasteland. Generously upholstered banquettes, mirrors and plenty of daylight from big windows are spirit-lifting in themselves, but the cooking lifts the place into another dimension. There is a traditional Sunday lunch offering, but the more speculative contemporary food makes weekdays equally popular with readers. Locally grown purple artichokes are served alla giudia, a Roman Jewish deep-fried treatment that produces a crisply seared surface on a creamy, bittersweet inner texture – not to be missed in their season. When did you last eat a fantail squid? Here they are, hauled in from Brixham and served with new season's peas for textural contrast. For main course, there might be a satisfying fish dish such as hake with pepper dulse and Jersey Royals, while meats offer locally farmed Tamworth pork belly with hispi cabbage or lamb shoulder with broad beans and – of all the things to come upon in Ancoats – nasturtiums. A whopping great pie of Ryeland lamb shank should provide plenty of sustenance for a hungry pair of diners. Seasonal fruits make the dessert list a welcome recourse, whether it be strawberry fool and elderflower cream or Yorkshire rhubarb sorbet with a brandy-snap.
* The restaurant now offers fixed-price tasting menus rather than a selection of small plates.*
This site previously played host to sibling eatery the Little Chartroom and a few design tweaks set the two apart, with high tables a… Read more
* The restaurant now offers fixed-price tasting menus rather than a selection of small plates.*
This site previously played host to sibling eatery the Little Chartroom and a few design tweaks set the two apart, with high tables and slightly ill-judged backless stools wringing a few more covers from the bright, compact room. Truly, the food is what sets Eleanore on its own path. Expect a frequently changing menu that refines and develops dishes from the chefs’ earlier outings, with Asian-inspired ingredients and techniques combining with local, seasonal additions. Its structure rewards sharing, and between three, 'one of each, please' is a likely request. In addition to obligatory Loch Fyne oysters, smaller plates may include a bowl of cured sea trout that takes a stellar core ingredient and treats it with delicacy, embellishing the faintly briny, meltingly tender flesh with a fresh, fruity shiso dressing. Those flatbreads, long a staple on the Prom, also make a return. In this instance, the deliciously charred, doughy breads contrast magnificently with one of two spreadables: a luxurious, smooth mackerel pâté, punctuated with a sweet celery pickle, or a romesco and 'nduja spread, brimming with spice and rich, roasted pepper. Mains veer between classical and creative – a cod option tends toward the latter. Wrapped in daikon, the fillet nestles alongside an intense prawn mousse that would sit happily in a siu mai dumpling, with a fish broth of staggering, savoury depth and umami richness rounding out the dish. It is a hugely ambitious, complex and delicious piece of cooking. Service is friendly, swift and knowledgeable throughout, with drinks guidance hitting the mark. Wines come from a concise list of around 50 bottles starting at £29, taking in predominantly Old World producers and offering around a dozen options by the glass.
‘Perfect size. Perfect price. Perfectly cooked.' This is what is meant by a local restaurant: a convivial, friendly, family-run place that has a good regular following and where value for money is a big plus. Lee and Lucy Mu… Read more
‘Perfect size. Perfect price. Perfectly cooked.' This is what is meant by a local restaurant: a convivial, friendly, family-run place that has a good regular following and where value for money is a big plus. Lee and Lucy Murray’s no-fills, light-filled corner tapas bar – all white walls, blond wood and big windows – fits the Spanish ethos very well. The atmosphere is laid-back, buzzy and sociable, staff are enthusiastic and the offer is bolstered by chalked-up daily specials and a wine of the month. Working out of a tiny kitchen shoehorned in at the back, Shane Martin offers a regularly changing menu where just about every dish begs to be ordered. There’s a seasonal slant to the likes of grilled peach with goat’s curd, anchovy and basil, but menu staples such as jamón Ibérico, Galician octopus salad, chicken thighs with romesco sauce, and ‘next level’ grilled tiger prawns with chilli and garlic have many fans – in fact we got 'dish envy' as the next table’s Duroc pork ribs with membrillo glaze was delivered. If you don’t think you need dessert, think again – everyone praises the Basque cheesecake. Reasonable prices extend to the stash of sherries and mainly Spanish wines.
A block or two from Piccadilly Gardens, Higher Ground is run by a triumvirate who met while working at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills in New York State. They have now rocked up at the corner of an office building in, … Read more
A block or two from Piccadilly Gardens, Higher Ground is run by a triumvirate who met while working at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills in New York State. They have now rocked up at the corner of an office building in, naturally, New York Street, to bring up-to-the-minute bistro food to a vanguard gastronomic city. Much of what comes into the kitchen is supplied by their own farm Cinderwood, a market garden smallholding in Cheshire, and its vivid intensities of flavour inspire chefs and diners alike. Eaten in a bright, spacious airport-style space, with counter seating as well as tables, the result is dishes that you will want to share, rather than merely being told that you have to. Green pea and spring garlic fritters enriched with Isle of Mull Cheddar won't touch the sides, and there are pedigree cured meats such as 12-month air-dried culatello or the cannily sourced salami taormina from Curing Rebels of Brighton. Fish cookery is of the first water: Scottish turbot with grilled lettuce, spring onions and basil is perfect with a side order of waxy Marfona potatoes dressed in roasted yeast and smoked butter. Desserts are, surprisingly, of a more delicate persuasion than puds and cheesecake. Try house-cultured yoghurt with preserved gooseberry and bay leaf, or milk ice cream given a little fairground pizzazz with chocolate malt fudge. Speciality bottled ales from the English regions are a plus point, and wine-drinkers can be sure their tipple will have been left to its own devices as far as possible, turning burnt orange for Ardèche Marsanne or abashed pink for Sicilian rosato. House fizz is a Crémant de Limoux.
Nothing is too much bother for the tuned-in, courteous staff at this big-city bistro from crowdfunding supremo Gary Usher – in fact they make you feel like you are ‘part of the gang’, in a local haunt where every… Read more
Nothing is too much bother for the tuned-in, courteous staff at this big-city bistro from crowdfunding supremo Gary Usher – in fact they make you feel like you are ‘part of the gang’, in a local haunt where everyone knows your name. Inside, Kala looks the part, smart but not showy, with chic forest-green banquettes, an open kitchen and a pared-back mezzanine dining room with a bar below.
Knowledgeably sourced ingredients and seasonal forays define the ever-changing menu, which is all about assertive flavours from home and abroad. Sticky belly bacon with parsnip purée and sesame dukkah sauce is one way to begin, or you might prefer beetroot and Cashel Blue arancini with walnut butter. To follow, there are classics (confit duck leg, braised featherblade of beef), as well as globally inspired fish dishes such as pan-roasted cod with white onion purée, lardo ibérico, hen of the woods mushrooms and toasted hazelnuts.
The kitchen is also brilliant at the ‘simple things’: honey-baked goat’s cheese; the now-legendary truffle and Parmesan chips; carrots with smoked garlic honey; top-drawer Sunday roasts; warm spiced Eccles cakes with whipped cream. Value for money has always been high on Gary Usher’s agenda: the ‘3 for £20’ bistro menu is an absolute steal, and wines are also easy on the pocket as well as the palate.
If you want to gain access to Ben Chapman’s smoking-hot Soho homage to Thai regional cuisine (and much more besides), you have two choices: assemble a group of four friends (or more) and book a table in the basement dining r… Read more
If you want to gain access to Ben Chapman’s smoking-hot Soho homage to Thai regional cuisine (and much more besides), you have two choices: assemble a group of four friends (or more) and book a table in the basement dining room, where you can have a loud, noisy BBQ party, indoors; alternatively, go on spec, play the waiting game and queue outside for a slot at the stainless steel ground-floor counter (simply add your name and number to the list and grab a drink nearby until you are called). The pay-off is masterful cooking inspired and influenced by those regions where northern Thailand borders Myanmar, Laos and China's Yunnan province, but supplemented by regular supplies of British seasonal produce (notably day-boat fish and rare-breed meat). Intense, blisteringly hot dishes from the charcoal grill line up alongside slow-cooked claypots imbued with deep, dark, pungent flavours. On the one hand, that might mean skewers of aged ‘cull yaw’ mutton spiced with cumin or pounded hake with karashina (giant Japanese mustard leaves); on the other, perhaps monkfish liver curry with harlequin squash or the now-famous, sticky-rich baked glass noodles with specially reared Tamworth pork and brown crabmeat. Also, don’t forget to order some stir-fried Cornish greens and a bowl of brown jasmine rice on the side. ‘Sharing beers’, ferments and cocktails made with kitchen ingredients flow freely, but don't ignore Kiln's eclectic wine list – a short, intelligently chosen line-up that matches the spicy demands of the food.
*Chef owner Harriet Mansell has announced that Lilac will close after a final service on 3rd August after a series of special dinners in July.*
Secreted in a 400-year-old basement beneath a local solicitors, Lilac follows in the … Read more
*Chef owner Harriet Mansell has announced that Lilac will close after a final service on 3rd August after a series of special dinners in July.*
Secreted in a 400-year-old basement beneath a local solicitors, Lilac follows in the footsteps of its more auspicious grown-up predecessor, Robin Wylde (currently closed), putting the emphasis firmly on sustainability, eco-sourcing and zero waste. Expect a diminutive but elegant space, ‘bright and date-ready’ for aperitivi-style drinks and nibbles (from 5pm) and prepped for full restaurant meals five evenings a week. The menu deals in small but generous plates of food with lots of local and seasonal grace notes. Home-baked fennel-seed focaccia with pungent confit garlic oil and crisp house pickles sets the tone, while leaves, greens and salad veg from locally admired Trill Farm add vitality and freshness across the board – from radishes with labneh and dukkah to a ricotta-stuffed courgette flower paired with soft peaches, crushed hazelnuts, sprigs of allotment mint and honey (from a beehive across the road). Bigger plates merit serious attention too, from a ‘precise and satisfying’ dish of pearly hake topped with pangrattato in a pool of creamed spinach sauce to a rich, earthy hogget ragù spruced up with a scattering of ewe’s milk cheese. If you hanker for something sweet, consider the chocolate nemesis or lemon meringue tart with yoghurt cream. The drinks list also passes muster, with plenty of zippy cocktails and craft beers alongside an inventory of ‘rare, local and low-intervention’ wines. Saturday brunch and Sunday lunch complete the offer.
Chargrills and small plates given an imaginative twist
Old Leodians may remember it as Big Lil’s Saloon Bar, an infamous drinking den on the city's primary thoroughfare. Today, it's an on-trend ‘solid-fuel grill restaurant’, a simply furnished dining room of wood flo… Read more
Old Leodians may remember it as Big Lil’s Saloon Bar, an infamous drinking den on the city's primary thoroughfare. Today, it's an on-trend ‘solid-fuel grill restaurant’, a simply furnished dining room of wood floors, wooden tables, ladderback chairs and rather harsh lighting. If grill suggests hunks of beef slapped onto glowing charcoals you would be right, up to a point: note the offer of a kilo of côte de boeuf with peppercorn sauce and salsa verde at £95 for sharing. Otherwise, it’s lamb chops with smoked garlic cream or partridge with cotechino and lentils, plus fish in the form of whole sea bass with red pepper pipérade or celeriac in a Marmite glaze.
Besides these substantial mains, there's a selection of lighter dishes that can be taken as starters or ‘small plates’ – from fabulously gnarly grilled Jerusalem artichokes on whipped ricotta to red and golden beetroots roasted in the embers and presented atop goat's curd and walnuts, with orange adding a refreshing touch of sweetness. Elsewhere, smoky beef tartare is garnished with mushroom and potato and bathed in ‘gherkin ketchup’, but don't miss the focaccia served with chicken ‘schmaltz’ (the fat and juices from a roast chook with curls of crispy skin lurking in its depths).
Sunday roasts are enthusiastically reported and herald something a bit different: the fennel and apple porchetta is an incredible collation with smoked trotter, fennel gravy and ‘perfectly cooked’ pommes Anna. Regular desserts are Basque cheesecake with pear and cherry compôte or a prettily scorched baked Alaska. A carefully selected list of (mostly organic) wines is served by charming, informed staff who are attentive without being overbearing.
Next door to the Quality Chop House, Quality Wines is a purveyor of good drinking, with a wine bar/restaurant added to its offer five days a week (Tue-Sat, lunch and dinner). Bentwood chairs, candles in wine bottles, and a central… Read more
Next door to the Quality Chop House, Quality Wines is a purveyor of good drinking, with a wine bar/restaurant added to its offer five days a week (Tue-Sat, lunch and dinner). Bentwood chairs, candles in wine bottles, and a central marble table do not disguise the fact that one is eating in an emporium – but that’s no criticism (unless the single basic loo bothers you). The atmosphere is convivial and the seasoned waiters greet many of the customers like old friends. Nick Bramham cooks with confidence. One has to applaud the sheer excess of a glossy bun rammed with fried octopus, pommes allumettes and more aïoli (whatever a cardiologist might have to say), while boiled Swiss chard with Cretan sheep's cheese and pine nuts is impressively restrained. Risotto primavera with asparagus, peas and courgettes, plus some oil and a few twists of pepper is Italian for comme il faut. For dessert, don’t miss the stunning pig-fat cannolo. The blackboard menu changes weekly but there’ll always be gildas, charcuterie and focaccia to nibble on while mulling the wine list. Selections by the glass change daily and bottles from the shelves can be purchased to drink in (expect to pay corkage). To give some idea of the range: a random sample might include Czech Riesling, a classic Loire Chenin, and a Sussex Pinot.
Of all the multifarious eating and drinking opportunities in the heart of Soho, this ‘warmly welcoming’ little restaurant is one of the more compelling. Rita’s goes about its business with gusto, its popularity n… Read more
Of all the multifarious eating and drinking opportunities in the heart of Soho, this ‘warmly welcoming’ little restaurant is one of the more compelling. Rita’s goes about its business with gusto, its popularity not surprising given the casual vibe, the warmth of the service and straight-to-the point modern American-style cooking. It’s not going to win any prizes for inventiveness – dishes tend to be simple assemblies built around seasonal British produce – but barbecued beef tartare with garlic, raw vegetables and lots of herbs, and a special of corn-crusted turbot served on a heap of courgettes and set in a puddle of herb butter – were good calls on a warm spring evening. Salt-fish taquitos have been praised, fried chicken parmigiana puts in an appearance, and flavours are ramped up with prime cuts and sharing steaks (order with ‘wrong way’ French fries). Desserts feature the likes of sunflower ice cream with caramel sundae, and the express lunch of, say, fried chicken roll, Caesar salad or eggplant panino is good value. Cocktails star alongside a European wine list stuffed with on-trend low intervention producers.
Tucked away on the Digey, one of the less choked little streets in old St Ives, St Eia is a come-hither wine shop, with a café not so much attached as inveigled topologically into it. The good news is that they now take boo… Read more
Tucked away on the Digey, one of the less choked little streets in old St Ives, St Eia is a come-hither wine shop, with a café not so much attached as inveigled topologically into it. The good news is that they now take bookings – so there's no need to hang around and pounce when a seat becomes available. An all-day snack menu offers olives and salted Marcona almonds to nibble on, as well as paprika-spiced broad beans; after that, expect plates of luscious Cornish charcuterie, piquillo peppers with Graceburn soft cheese or – the pièce de résistance at our whistlestop – a row of buttered Coombeshead sourdough soldiers, each topped with a perfect Cantabrian anchovy. Isle of Wight tomatoes are a feature too (strictly seasonal, of course), while other possibilities might range from pork terrine with pickles to French onion soup topped with a Comté croûton. To finish, lemon polenta cake, made in-house that morning, is moist and moreish, soft as Madeira cake and singing with citrus. Wines by the glass reflect some of the more interesting biodynamic and organic gear with which the shelves are crowded. Only a fool would turn down a shot of Moreau-Naudet's partly barrique-aged Chablis.
Almost two decades old, this offshoot of the original St John (housed in a former bank opposite Old Spitalfields Market) still retains something of that functional look – although the interior (close-packed wooden tables, wh… Read more
Almost two decades old, this offshoot of the original St John (housed in a former bank opposite Old Spitalfields Market) still retains something of that functional look – although the interior (close-packed wooden tables, whitewashed walls) now comes with bottles of wine, loaves of bread and blackboards by way of decoration. It’s the clatter and chatter of diners that lends the room its warm ambience. Menus, updated daily, speak to Britain’s historic foodways but feel fresh and modern. What you read is what you get: ‘Eccles cake and Lancashire cheese’; ‘smoked haddock, saffron and mash’; ‘boiled ham, carrots, and parsley sauce’; even ‘mushy courgettes’. It adheres to the nose-to-tail gospel of St John’s Fergus Henderson, so also expect heart, liver, kidneys and tails, alongside seasonal salads (cauliflower, leek and chickpeas) and vegetable dishes such as bobby beans with roast shallots and mustard. It’s rather fun to become reacquainted with specialities last seen in the Winnie the Pooh cookbook: jelly, prunes, sprats and anchovy toast, for example. Bread and wine, as the name suggests, are a focus. You can buy both to go, or you can sit down with a bottle from the all-French list which includes St John’s own-label Crémant de Limoux, Mâcon-Villages and claret.
Good-value Med-oriented cooking in atmospheric surroundings
In a retooled bank building in Edinburgh's Haymarket district, the Palmerston makes a virtue of the decorative style of yesteryear. Lots of dark wood, an uncovered floor and bentwood café chairs create an atmosphere of old-… Read more
In a retooled bank building in Edinburgh's Haymarket district, the Palmerston makes a virtue of the decorative style of yesteryear. Lots of dark wood, an uncovered floor and bentwood café chairs create an atmosphere of old-world civility rather than anything too severe, while tall windows provide the daylight.
The place opens at 9am for coffee and pastries, to encourage a little constructive dawdling on the way to work, but full services introduce a neat, seasonal menu of up-to-the-minute, Med-oriented bistro dishes with a strong backbone of pedigree regional supplies. Dishes often pack several punches in one concentrated package: brandade and puntarelle are dressed in chilli, capers and dill, while duck rillettes are sharpened to a fine point with pickled clementine.
A reporter's spring dinner that took in a rabbit sausage, as well as ox heart and chips, spoke for many in its admiration for the kitchen's respectful approach to meats, but there was praise too for pollack with clams in creamy cider sauce. Fans have also enthused about the pasta dishes. Lamb comes from Shetland, and could be served 'en crépinette' with mashed swede, while a canonical rendition of coq au vin for two (rich with ceps and bacon) is accompanied by mustard greens.
To conclude, the kitchen's bakery skills are spotlit for the likes of chocolate, almond and pear cake, and the heavenly rhubarb sorbet is also mentioned in dispatches. Free bread is the kind of touch that gets everybody onside. The enterprising cosmopolitan wine list is a closely printed miscellany of thoroughbred bottles, opening with a Soave Classico and Dão red at £27, and there is a clutch of quality fortified libations.
Back on form as one of the finest hostelries in the country, the Star is somewhere to come for a slap-up restaurant-style supper or a simple bar lunch. For all its fame – the walls are plastered with awards as well as photos… Read more
Back on form as one of the finest hostelries in the country, the Star is somewhere to come for a slap-up restaurant-style supper or a simple bar lunch. For all its fame – the walls are plastered with awards as well as photos of chef-owner Andrew Pern with celeb-chefs and King Charles – this reborn 14th-century inn is still Harome's village watering hole with strong local credentials on the food front. On the plate, Whitby lobster and organic salmon ravioli are just as worthy of attention as maple-glazed mallard. To begin, a snack of Yorkshire custard tart laced with honey from the pub’s hives and matched for sweetness by the golden raisins embedded in its savoury cream is an unabashedly rich introduction to the unusual flavour combinations to come. Pern’s signature starter is a slice of pan-fried foie gras sandwiched between two patties of grilled black pudding; to follow, there might be herb-roasted crown of red-legged partridge with haggis and a peat-whisky bread pudding, in which the metallic tang of the game is echoed by the iodine of the spirit. Banoffee pie, meanwhile, is successfully reinvented as a sort of chocolate gâteau flavoured with Blue Mountain coffee and Madagascan vanilla: a sugar-rush of sophistication. None of this comes cheap: the 10-course tasting menu costs £125, while three courses clock in at around £60. But the skill of the cooking is matched by the professionalism of a friendly team of Yorkshire youngsters out front, who are not only well-drilled on the finer points of the menu but are able to offer impressively knowledgeable wine advice. The surroundings are charming too, from the beamed warren of rooms filled with oak furniture crafted by Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson to the new lounge bar in the medieval eaves of the building where an engraving marks ‘The great fire of Harome’. If budget is an issue, a weekday menu offers two courses for £25: slow-roasted pumpkin soup followed by a steamed suet pudding of local venison, say. It’s served in the bar, which is where you’ll find the locals, pleased as punch to have their pub back at the centre of village life.
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