33 restaurants to book for Boxing Day lunch 2023 | Where To Eat

20 Stories

Manchester, Greater Manchester £££

Glitz, glamour, dependable cooking and jaw-dropping views

With ‘incredible’ panoramic views stretching over the city to the Pennines beyond, 20 Stories can be an eye-popping experience. Literally towering above its nearest rival when it comes to sheer glitz (ahoy down there, … Read more

No.1 Spinningfields, 1 Hardman Square, Manchester, Greater Manchester M3 3EB

Best Local Restaurant

Bombay to Mumbai

Stockport, Greater Manchester £

The fact that this vibrant suburban Indian is in a residential area well away from Stockport’s main drag means that it’s still a proper locals’ restaurant – even though its fame has now spread far beyond SK… Read more

10 Fir Road, Bramhall, Stockport, Greater Manchester SK7 2NP

El Gato Negro Liverpool

Liverpool, Merseyside ££

Lively tapas eatery with a big personality

This Spanish Black Cat lurks in one corner of the Exchange Flags courtyard by Liverpool City Hall, behind a monument to Nelson and four of his poignantly chained French captives. Inside is an expansive, impressive space, smartly f… Read more

Unit 2, Walker House, Exchange Flags, Liverpool, Merseyside L2 3YL

Fallow

St James's, London £££

It’s the whole cod’s head, drenched in sriracha butter, that brings us face to face with the truth: the pursuit of sustainability is going to change the way chefs cook and we eat. Leading the charge are Jack Croft and … Read more

2 St James's Market, St James's, London SW1Y 4RP

Freemasons at Wiswell

Wiswell, Lancashire £££

* Chef-patron Steven Smith has left. The kitchen is now overseen by head chef Matt Smith, although not much is expected to change as regards the menus.* There are no signs to guide you to the narrow ginnel (alley to southerners) … Read more

* Chef-patron Steven Smith has left. The kitchen is now overseen by head chef Matt Smith, although not much is expected to change as regards the menus.*

There are no signs to guide you to the narrow ginnel (alley to southerners) in this pretty village, where you finally spot the Freemasons sign with a sigh of relief and an appetite sharpened by the fresh air of the quietly affluent, green hills of the Ribble Valley. Once through the door, the welcome is warm and the young local staff are enthusiastic and endearing. The interior of the pub is equally self-effacing: the tone is smart but comfortable, conventional and restful with old beams, huntin' and shootin' prints, wooden tables, flagstone floors and open fireplaces. All eyes are directed towards the output of a kitchen that describes itself as 'seasonal, progressive, passionate and humble'. It is certainly ambitious, with lots of contemporary tropes, notoceable energy and sophisticated skills. The flavour-driven cooking can be brilliant, with provenance and seasonality evident in both the short carte and tasting menus: Nidderdale lamb, Victoria plums, English burrata and Proctor’s Kick Ass Cheddar (sic) all put in an appearance. There are also playful nods to regional tradition – note an excellent crispy fish finger with samphire, ponzu and elderflower butter sauce, or a slow-cooked steamed suet pudding of Nidderdale lamb. Elsewhere, roast grouse with sticky leg, offal kebab, BBQ sweetcorn, pickled shimeji mushrooms and Cumberland sauce weaves all those elements together to create a rich, treacly dish that transcends its radical monotone appearance. While the kitchen aims high, some feel that execution strains on tiptoe to match it and occasionally totters: Herdwick lamb loin chops, for example, pronounced ‘exquisite’ and paired with a courgette flower intriguingly stuffed with softly spiced kofta, was sadly vanquished by the dominating note of balsamic in the accompanying green olive and basil sauce. Still, there's good news when it comes to dessert: a deconstructed lemon meringue pie with Scottish raspberries and pistachio ice cream was full of flavour, especially the eye-catching, frilly pistachio sponge you could have sworn were clumps of emerald parsley, while an unusual interpretation of French toast with Victoria plum, ginger biscuit and stem-ginger ice cream didn't hold back on the flavour front either. Cask ales are locally sourced, and the excellent wine list has plenty of choice by the glass such as a 2021 Pino Grigio, lush and rich with fruity tones for £5.50.

8 Vicarage Fold, Wiswell, Lancashire BB7 9DF

Gees

Oxford, Oxfordshire £££

Much-loved and long-serving Oxford institution

‘A celebratory and inspiring environment offering a little bit of escapism in the heart of Oxford,’ is one reader’s verdict on this long-standing beau monde favourite, which now boasts a heated garden terrace and… Read more

61a Banbury Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX2 6PE

Glenapp Castle

Ballantrae, South Ayrshire £££

Visitors to Glenapp Castle might look forward to a certain ‘Downton Abbey’ vibe with its secluded location, impeccable welcome, opulent environment and stunning views across the Ayrshire coast to Ailsa Craig. It’… Read more

Ballantrae, South Ayrshire KA26 0NZ

Hakkasan Mayfair

Mayfair, London ££££

There had been high-end Chinese eateries in London before visionary restaurateur Alan Yau launched Hakkasan in 2001 but none that had made the concept approachably aspirational rather than simply offering dining rooms for the rich… Read more

There had been high-end Chinese eateries in London before visionary restaurateur Alan Yau launched Hakkasan in 2001 but none that had made the concept approachably aspirational rather than simply offering dining rooms for the rich. This 2010 sequel keeps all that was ground-breaking about the Tottenham Court Road original but in a Mayfair location that seems a better fit for the high-octane glamour of it all. A mirror hanging above the staircase to the basement dining room emphasises that this is a restaurant where appearances are at a premium and, from the carved oriental screens and spot-lit tables to the scarily good-looking staff, Hakkasan Mayfair is not somewhere to slum it. Then again, this is food to dress up for. The Anglo-Chinese favourites can be pimped up with luxury produce – the Peking duck comes with the optional addition of beluga caviar – but all the ingredients here are top-notch (as indeed they should be at these prices) and the quality of cooking is unfailingly high. The pork ribs are smoked with jasmine tea, the Singapore noodles adorned with jumbo-sized prawns (rather than the usual sad specimens), soft-shell crab, squid and Dover sole are gently encased in the lightest of batters, while perfectly timed pak choi zings with fresh ginger. Balance is a hallmark of the Hakkasan kitchen, whether the genuinely sweet-and-sour Duke of Berkshire pork (a best-in-class rendition of the clichéd dish), the hot-and-sour crispy freshwater prawns with chillies and cashews (an update of the classic kung po), or the sharp and rich slow-roasted ibérico pork char siu coated with black garlic glaze, mustard dressing and pickled daikon. Wines from the style-led list will at least double the bill, while other drawbacks to dining here include tightly packed tables that allow easy eavesdropping and a throbbing soundtrack that would not be out of place in a nightclub. Natural light makes the ground-floor dining room-cum-lounge bar feel less claustrophobic, not least for daytime dim sum that is some of the best in London. But for special occasions – or any time you just want to feel special – Hakkasan Mayfair fits the sizeable bill.

17 Bruton Street, Mayfair, London W1J 6QB

Hive Beach Café

Burton Bradstock, Dorset £

It would be hard to imagine a more stirring location: perched right where the tides rake the pebbles of the Jurassic Coast, commanding a panoramic prospect across the cliffs and headlands of Devon and Dorset. At first gl… Read more

Beach Road, Burton Bradstock, Dorset DT6 4RF

CLOSED

Ino

Soho, London ££

Deep in the Soho hinterland, where the restaurant competition is hotter than anywhere else in the country, this self-styled 'gastrobar' is a contemporary Greek venue from the team behind an Athens spot with the sobering name of Fu… Read more

4 Newburgh Street, Soho, London W1F 7RF

Knockinaam Lodge

Portpatrick, Dumfries & Galloway £££

There's something deeply reassuring about this grand lodge in a remote but spectacular spot overlooking the Irish Sea. It’s probably all down to the traditional decor – the tartan armchairs, the floral swagged windows,… Read more

Portpatrick, Portpatrick, Dumfries & Galloway DG9 9AD

Lympstone Manor

Lympstone, Devon ££££

Michael Caines' classy Regency-style flagship overlooking the Exe estuary

Lympstone is an august, largely Georgian manor house in shimmering crème fraîche, once the ancestral residence of the Anglo-German banking dynasty, the Barings. With the addition of landscaped grounds, shaded verandas… Read more

Lympstone is an august, largely Georgian manor house in shimmering crème fraîche, once the ancestral residence of the Anglo-German banking dynasty, the Barings. With the addition of landscaped grounds, shaded verandas and a turret, the place became a Regency cynosure, and its acquisition a decade ago by Michael Caines MBE has seen it glide seamlessly into the country-hotel genre, with extensive vineyards centred on sparkling wine production and woodland huts overlooking the Exe estuary. The tranquillity of the setting makes it a cinch for a summer visit, the old-school silver-ish service in chandeliered dining rooms helping create an atmosphere of refined civility.

Representing Caines in the kitchen is Jordan Denning, who executes the finely wrought culinary style with immaculate attention to detail. If dishes appear a little country-house delicate on the menu, they put any such impression to flight on the plate. Robust, emphatic flavours boom out from the confit of Loch Duart salmon in its own ponzu-laced consommé with wasabi yoghurt, honey and soy vinaigrette and dab of oscietra caviar. Roasted quail is piled onto a tartlet with smoked bacon and onion confit, underpinned by the throb of black truffle.

Main courses are classically founded, each meat with its intensely reduced jus (Madeira for the Creedy Carver chicken; lamb stock and thyme for Powderham new season's lamb), while braised turbot comes with a chive butter sauce, white asparagus, peas and morels for a supple balance of fresh and earthy notes. Jivara mousse with blood-orange sorbet (a classic combination of chocolate and citrus) doesn't have to wait for Christmas to come on stream, while the time-hallowed temperature contrast of ice cream meeting hot soufflé (both of pistachio) is the last word in sensuality.

The stunning wine list recognises no frontiers to its ambitious reach, at mark-ups that will do nothing at all to surprise you. Recommendations by the small glass (from £12.50) are not the most thrilling, but the prestige selection (made available via a gas-control system) offers a peep into the cellar's glorious hinterland.

Courtlands Lane, Lympstone, Devon EX8 3NZ

Best Local Restaurant

CLOSED

Rubedo

Stoke Newington, London ££

* The owners have announced that they will be closing Rubedo for good later this month. Last service will be on 26 October 2024, when they will be having an all-day celebration with DJs, snacks and discounted wine.* Esoteric beve… Read more

35 Stoke Newington Church Street, Stoke Newington, London N16 0NX

Best Sunday Roast

Solo

Aughton, Lancashire £££

Brilliant local asset and serious gastronomic destination

Tim Allen moved some 250 miles from his former post at the Flitch of Bacon in Essex to set up Solo, his first independent venture. The erstwhile roadside pub is warmly welcoming and comfortable, tables are well spaced, chairs padd… Read more

17 Town Green Lane, Aughton, Lancashire L39 6SE

MEMBER PERK

Tharavadu

Leeds, West Yorkshire ££

Specialising in the culinary traditions of Kerala in southern India, Tharavadu generates a voluminous stream of plaudits from loyal customers. It has the kind of fanbase that not only returns regularly, but has acquired some knowl… Read more

7-8 Mill Hill, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS1 5DQ

The Angel

Abergavenny, Monmouthshire ££

Set in the green pastures of the bucolic Monmouthshire hills, Abergavenny is famous for its annual Food Festival but draws in foodies year-round thanks to the nearby Walnut Tree, which continues to hold pilgrimage status hereabout… Read more

15 Cross Street, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire NP7 5EN

Best Sunday Roast

The Cat Inn

West Hoathly, West Sussex ££

Well-tended hilltop inn with food that's a cut above

At the hub of a Sussex hilltop village, with a sunny terrace overlooking the local church, this reimagined 16th-century inn has all the nooks, crannies, inglenooks, oak beams and floral displays that you could wish for. Efficient,… Read more

North Lane, West Hoathly, West Sussex RH19 4PP

The Charlton Arms

Ludlow, Shropshire ££

Just on the other side of the ancient bridge over the river Teme, this busy inn has been a stopping point for travellers for centuries. Try to secure a table by the window – the view of the river, with its attendant ducks an… Read more

Ludford Bridge, Ludlow, Shropshire SY8 1PJ

The Crown

Burchett's Green, Berkshire ££

Dominic and Helena Chapman bought and reopened this smart country pub in 2022. A spruce-up has resulted in pastel-hued art on white walls, with the odd beam, bare floorboards and a wood-burning stove adding character – as do… Read more

Burchett's Green Lane, Burchett's Green, Berkshire SL6 6QZ

New Review

MEMBER PERK

The Crown at Bray

Bray, Berkshire £££

Unpretentious pub offering good value for the area

* Simon Bonwick is taking over as chef-patron of the Crown at the end of March 2025, but will continue to run the Troublesome Lodger in Marlow as normal. * It’s easy to feel sorry for the villagers of Bray (no, really). The… Read more

High Street, Bray, Berkshire SL6 2AH

The Jolly Sailors

Brancaster Staithe, Norfolk £

With its simple whitewashed interiors, this unpretentious roadside hostelry is a relief from the many designer-led pubs hereabouts. There are no airs or graces, just a warm welcome from the staff and all the ingredients for a… Read more

Main Road, Brancaster Staithe, Norfolk PE31 8BJ

The Loch & the Tyne

Old Windsor, Berkshire £££

There are lots of hints that this semi-rural pub in the upmarket residential village of Old Windsor is part of Scottish-born chef Adam Handling’s mini empire. With its stylish tartan tub chairs and walls bedecked with d… Read more

10 Crimp Hill, Old Windsor, Berkshire SL4 2QY

The Ritz

Mayfair, London ££££

Glitz and all-round excellence in London's most handsome dining room

As with bungee-jumping or a trip to Venice, dinner at The Ritz is one of those experiences that every life should ideally embrace at least once. There is nothing in either hemisphere that looks like the hotel's dining room on a ba… Read more

As with bungee-jumping or a trip to Venice, dinner at The Ritz is one of those experiences that every life should ideally embrace at least once. There is nothing in either hemisphere that looks like the hotel's dining room on a balmy day, with the sun pouring in off Green Park – unless it be the evening scene, when gilded Poseidon lolls on his pedestal, sparkling chandeliers twinkle and the silverware gleams like honesty in a sinful world.

In the distant past, the cooking idled amid pedestrian Anglo-French cliché, but under John Williams MBE, it began a steady ascent toward global greatness. Needless to say, the style of service is an exercise in arts that have been cheerfully abandoned elsewhere, and yet there is genuine warmth within the impeccable propriety. Prime materials from the home nations – organic Cornish beef, Lakeland lamb, Scottish lobster – furnish a menu that is supple enough to be parlayed into five- or seven-course ‘epicurean experiences’ for those reluctant to tear themselves away.

To start, there's Dorset crab dressed in crème fraîche and adorned with Imperial caviar, or you might plump for roast quail cooked in verjus and crunchy with hazelnuts. The delicacy of timing is exemplary throughout, from wild sea bass with artichoke and lemon to truffled veal fillet with chestnuts, but equally sharp judgement distinguishes the miraculously tender roe deer and its aromatic garnitures of smoked beetroot and juniper.

Tableside service was what there was before open kitchens, a chance to see the finishing touches being applied to dîner à deux servings of Dover sole or beef Wellington, followed perhaps by crêpes Suzette – an Edwardian culinary bloop that stuck. Otherwise, look to chocolate soufflé with vanilla Chantilly, chestnut Mont Blanc or the distinctly daring port-roasted figs in orange and olive oil.

If you're after a spot of wine as well, the Ritz can oblige. Perhaps start with a larger-than-average glass of the ‘Champagne of the month’, before setting about the main list. French and Italian classics form the solid, lottery-win foundation, but there are excellent selections from South America and Australasia too.

150 Piccadilly, Mayfair, London W1J 9BR

MEMBER PERK

The Riverside at Aymestrey

Aymestrey, Herefordshire ££

Off the beaten track, and not an easy place to find, this 16th-century half-timbered building stands on the banks of the river Lugg, positioned by an old stone bridge on the Mortimer Trail (a 30-mile walking route from Ludlow to K… Read more

Aymestrey, Herefordshire HR6 9ST

Best Sunday Roast

The White Hart

Fyfield, Oxfordshire ££

Assured, seasonally attuned cooking in historic surroundings

‘It’s the whole package’ affirms one of the White Hart’s many advocates. The setting is a sprawling 15th-century pub a short drive from Oxford featuring a stunning dining hall with a soaring beamed ceiling,… Read more

Main Road, Fyfield, Oxfordshire OX13 5LW

MEMBER PERK

The White Horse

Brancaster Staithe, Norfolk ££

With its exquisite views over marshland on the north Norfolk coast, the White Horse is quite a grand place for what is essentially a country pub. Visitors will find a positive cornucopia of dining options, with a sun terrace, cour… Read more

Main Road, Brancaster Staithe, Norfolk PE31 8BY

The White Horse

Churton, Cheshire ££

Located in a pretty village near Chester, this offering from the Elite Bistro group looks like a blueprint for the future. The amalgamation of bistro and pub is not altogether original but Gary Usher has done it with ease and conf… Read more

Located in a pretty village near Chester, this offering from the Elite Bistro group looks like a blueprint for the future. The amalgamation of bistro and pub is not altogether original but Gary Usher has done it with ease and confidence. Success is based on a sensitive renovation of a fine, free-standing old hostelry, an intelligent approach to menu construction, astute sourcing and an admirable degree of support from the local community. It's a pleasing spot, spacious and comfortable, the soft colours enlivened by colourful food paintings and sparkling light fittings, with a large conservatory opening up the traditional dining area and a garden for fine-weather eating and drinking. The sensibly short menu holds few surprises but has enough voguish items and traditional favourites to please everyone. The main question everyone asks is: 'What the heck are beer-battered frickles?' To their credit, the charming, well-trained staff are always enthusiastic when describing these deep-fried gherkins, perhaps the most popular bar snack. Things on toast have their own listing (mackerel pâté with pickled radishes), while small plates might include excellent soy- and gochujang-glazed chicken wings, meaty and tender with lively but unobtrusive spicing and just enough pickled ginger, chilli and spring onion to perk up the taste buds. Main courses range from chargrill choices such as piri-piri chicken with baby gem, sour cream and skinny fries to plaice fillet with creamy peas and lettuce, smoked pancetta, ratte potatoes and spinach. Our curried lamb pie (served with sticky cumin carrot, green tomato and broad bean chutney and triple-cooked chips) had good crisp pastry and an intriguing filling of pulled lamb, chickpeas and green leaves. Puddings satisfy: a sticky banana loaf with butterscotch sauce, perhaps, or honeycomb ice cream with dark chocolate sauce and a wedge of honeycomb – a grown-up interpretation of a Crunchie bar. Sunday lunches are praised, and there are reasonably priced wines, cask ales and cocktails too.

Chester Road, Churton, Cheshire CH3 6LA

MEMBER PERK

Tillingham

Peasmarsh, East Sussex ££

Good wine and food in a verdant patch of Sussex countryside

Primarily a vineyard producing natural and biodynamic wines, Tillingham is recommended for those who are interested to see what's going on at the cutting edge of UK viticulture while enjoying something pleasant to eat. The locatio… Read more

Dew Farm, Dew Lane, Peasmarsh, East Sussex TN31 6XD

MEMBER PERK

Vaasu by Atul Kochhar

Marlow, Buckinghamshire £££

Atul Kochhar's elevated take on Indian cooking

Atul Kochhar was among the first generation of chefs to reinvent Indian cooking for the modern age. At his second Marlow address (he also runs Sindhu by the riverside), a gentle atmosphere is created by means of muted woodlan… Read more

2 Chapel Street, Marlow, Buckinghamshire SL7 1DD

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