It’s been a tough couple of years for the hospitality industry but these trailblazing restaurants prove that the spark hasn’t gone from the British culinary scene. We’ve scoured OpenTable’s latest Top 100 UK Restaurants rankings to bring you the overall winners for each major region or city included on the list. From Michelin-starred fine dining to sizzling steakhouses and fusion cuisine, these are the best places to eat across the UK based on diner reviews. Due to COVID-19, check individual restaurants’ websites before visiting.
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Birmingham: Chakana
The most highly-rated restaurant in Birmingham is Chakana, a Peruvian restaurant housed in a stunning old bank building in Molesey. Michelin-starred head chef Robert Ortiz grew up in the Peruvian Amazon and has worked at top restaurants in Peru and London, including Fitzrovia’s Lima. Expect a colourful and intriguing menu with several variations of ceviche, causa (cold potato casserole) and tiradito (a kind of Peruvian sashimi). Or, if you’re baffled by all the choice, there’s also a tantalising tasting menu.
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Buckinghamshire: The Greyhound Pub & Dining, Beaconsfield
Despite opening just months before the pandemic struck, The Greyhound Pub & Dining in the quaint market town of Beaconsfield has quickly hit foodies’ radars. Serving modern British cuisine in a 17th-century former coaching house, the restaurant is owned by husband-and-wife duo Daniel Crump and Margriet Vandezande-Crump, both former front-of-house staff at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants.
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Cheshire: Sticky Walnut, Chester
Describing itself as a local bistro offering “humble dishes using the best possible ingredients”, Sticky Walnut was opened in 2011 by Gary Usher. It was the first of several restaurant ventures by the chef, who developed a maverick reputation after taking to TripAdvisor to post his own, honest responses to negative reviews. Despite the online attention, it’s the elegant plates of food – such as this gin and beetroot-cured salmon with horseradish, apple and avruga caviar – that really make the restaurant stand out.
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Cumbria: Number 11 Market Place, Whitehaven
A fusion of Texan BBQ, Mexican and British fare can be found on the colourful plates that come out of the kitchen at Number 11 Market Place on the edge of the Lake District. As well as wowing customers with its big flavours, the Whitehaven restaurant has become a favourite with diners thanks to its outstanding service, delicious cocktails and great value. The industrial chic decor, with exposed brickwork, low lighting and rustic wooden tables, adds to the laid-back vibe.
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Derbyshire: Stones Restaurant, Matlock
Elegance and simplicity shine through at Stones Restaurant, a Michelin-starred restaurant in the town of Matlock on the edge of the Peak District National Park. Taking its name from head chef Kevin Stone, in its sleek dining room you’ll find modern British cuisine with Mediterranean flourishes. Dishes currently on the seasonally-changing menu include saffron risotto, salt-baked celeriac and 24-hour pork collar.
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Devon: Harry’s Restaurant, Exeter
Named after British sculptor and architect Harry Hems, who once used the restaurant’s Neo-Gothic red-brick building as his workshop, Harry’s was opened by the Pounds family in 1993 and has stayed under their ownership ever since. Expect all-day dining with a focus on local produce: steaks are sourced from nearby Darts Farm while eggs come from Cornwall-based producer St. Ewe.
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Devon: The Elephant Restaurant, Torquay
The second of two overall winners in the regional category for Devon, The Elephant sits in a prime spot overlooking Torquay Harbour. Opened by award-winning chef Simon Hulstone and his wife Katy in 2004, it gained a Michelin star shortly afterwards and has held onto it ever since. Today it’s best known for unusual flavour combinations, freshly-caught seafood and seasonal ingredients – many of which come from its dedicated 96-acre farm in south Devon. Guests have praised the excellent tasting menu and wine selection.
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Edinburgh: Skyline Restaurant
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Essex: Mad Dogs & Englishmen, Leigh-on-Sea
Unlike most of the restaurants on the list, Mad Dogs & Englishmen is best known for its afternoon tea. And what an afternoon tea it is. Delicate finger sandwiches, savoury muffins and pastel-coloured patisserie are piled high on fine china cake stands. And the botanical-themed, over-the-top decor only adds to the joyful sense of English eccentricity. The restaurant is extremely accommodating too, with menus to suit vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free diets.
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Glasgow: Bucks Bar
Sometimes, you just want really good fast food – and Glasgow’s Bucks Bar certainly delivers. The American-style diner has racked up rave reviews thanks to its delicious and generously-sized burgers, chicken wings and buttermilk fried chicken. There’s also a range of craft ales and bourbon to accompany the food, as well as live music most weekends.
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Hertfordshire: El Bar de Tapas, Stevenage
Bringing a slice of Spanish sunshine to Stevenage, El Bar de Tapas has long been a hit with locals and visitors alike. Describing itself as an “authentic tapas bar”, the reasonably-priced menu includes classics such as calamari, Spanish tortilla and patatas bravas, as well as new takes on traditional dishes. The interiors are just as vibrant as the plates of food thanks to colourful paintwork and patterned tiles.
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Inverness: Cafe 1
The focus is on local produce at Cafe 1 in Inverness. Highland cattle, sheep and rare pigs are reared at the owner’s family farm just 12 miles (19km) away, while local and independent suppliers are used, where possible, for all other ingredients. The menu is a testament to this, featuring specialities such as cured Scottish salmon (pictured), Highland lamb and Scottish Blue Murder cheese.
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Inverness: The Fig & Thistle
Offering upscale Scottish cuisine in the heart of Inverness, Fig & Thistle has become a favourite with reviewers thanks to its friendly staff, welcoming ambience and a menu that showcases local produce. What’s more, it’s very reasonably-priced too.
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Kent: Sotirio’s Bar and Restaurant, Folkestone
Family-run Sotirio’s has been bringing bright and fresh Mediterranean flavours to Folkestone for more than 30 years. Think mezze-style salads bursting with colour, stuffed vine leaves and moussaka alongside lesser-known Greek and Cypriot dishes. As well as raving about the food, plenty of recent reviewers have praised the excellent service and ambience.
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Kent: The Poet at Matfield, Matfield
Owing its name to wartime poet Siegfried Sassoon, who was born and lived in Matfield, The Poet offers “informal yet refined” cuisine in the heart of Kent. Head chef Petrus Madutlela has created a reasonably-priced menu that’s a mix of modern European and international influences. Expect buzzy ingredients such as yuzu (a citrus fruit) and kimchi alongside elevated versions of pub classics, served in a quaint 16th-century building.
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Lancashire: Michael Wan’s Mandarin, Blackpool
Cantonese restaurant Michael Wan’s Mandarin has been a Blackpool favourite for more than 55 years and its shine certainly hasn’t dimmed. Here you’ll find new takes on well-loved flavours, including limoncello-infused chicken, spiced kung pao chicken and potsticker dumplings made to Mrs Wan’s closely-guarded recipe. As well as the top-notch food, online reviewers have praised the hospitable service and lively atmosphere.
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Lancashire: Michael Wan’s Wok Inn, Blackpool
The sibling restaurant to Michael Wan’s Mandarin – run by the younger generation of the same family – Michael Wan’s Wok Inn offers a modern take on Pan-Asian cuisine. The menu is as varied as you’d expect, with bao burgers and pad Thai sitting alongside ramen and sticky BBQ ribs. Taking the theme of fusion as far as it will stretch, the restaurant has a bright and eclectic decor, said to be a mix of Budapest’s ruin bars and Penang’s hawker market.
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Liverpool: Burnt Truffle, Heswall
The younger sibling of Gary Usher’s Chester-based Sticky Walnut, Burnt Truffle opened in 2015 after a round of crowdfunding by its head chef. Situated in the town of Heswall on the Wirral, this neighbourhood bistro has a pared-back interior that lets the food do the talking. Menu options include roast chicken with hasselback potato, field mushroom and raisin tapenade (pictured) and a salmon fillet with braised leeks, crispy potato puffs, Jerusalem artichoke and pink peppercorn sauce.
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Liverpool: Churrasco Steak House
Another of Liverpool’s four overall winners is Brazilian steakhouse Churrasco. The original restaurant is located along Aigburth Road (a second location recently opened next to Liverpool ONE) and it takes pride in offering 100% British meat. If it’s steak you’re here for, select from flat iron, rib-eye, fillet or tomahawk, each served with a choice of delicious sides (salad, or chunky, skinny or sweet potato fries) and sauces (peppercorn, chimichurri, chestnut mushroom or Malbec).
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Liverpool: Pinion, Prescot
Thankfully, those from the east side of Liverpool don’t need to trek over the River Mersey to get a taste of Gary Usher’s award-winning food. From the team behind Sticky Walnut, Burnt Truffle, Hispi, Wreckfish and Kala, Pinion opened in the town of Prescot in 2018. It has a tried-and-tested formula of elevated, bistro-style food at reasonable prices – rave reviews suggest people can’t get enough of the place.
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London: CORE by Clare Smyth
The legendary Clare Smyth is Britain’s only female chef to hold three Michelin stars, all of which are at her Notting Hill restaurant, CORE. It’s all the more impressive considering it only opened in 2017. Diners can choose between the seasonal and classic tasting menus, served in a sleek and minimally-decorated space. Expect refined techniques, modern flavours and ingredients such as Isle of Harris scallops, Cornish sea bass and Highland Wagyu beef.
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London: The French Table, Surbiton
The second of London’s two overall winners is The French Table. Tucked in the southwest suburb of Surbiton, the restaurant’s winning combination of French and Mediterranean cooking has won it plenty of rave reviews – as well as a smattering of industry awards. Options currently on the menu (which changes seasonally) include pan-fried stone bass with lobster risotto, wood pigeon glazed in date caramel and smoked parsnip velouté with poached pear.
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Northern Ireland: Berts Jazz Bar, Belfast
Usually hosting live jazz performances every night of the week, Berts Jazz Bar at The Merchant Hotel has the ambience sorted. But it’s not just about the music. The restaurant serves a range of French dishes including moules marinière, beef bourguignon and whole baked Camembert, while Art Deco-style interiors and luxurious cocktails add to the Jazz Age vibe. The overall effect is to make diners feel as if they’ve been transported to 1930s Paris. The only Northern Ireland spot to make OpenTable’s top 100 list, Berts was rated top for service.
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Manchester: Hispi
There’s no denying the meteoric success of Gary Usher’s restaurant group, Elite Bistros, which also includes Manchester newcomer Hispi. Located in the leafy neighbourhood of Didsbury, the smart, forest-green-fronted restaurant is unexpectedly light and airy inside. Dishes are simple yet elegant, from braised featherblade of beef to pan-roasted cauliflower and lamb fat potato terrine.
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Newcastle: Peace and Loaf
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Newcastle: Saltwater Fish Company
Located in Newcastle’s Fenwick Food Hall, Saltwater Fish Company is a fishmonger with a difference: it’s run by chefs. That and the fact it’s equipped with stylish bar seating, so punters can stop and enjoy the finest fish and seafood dishes. The Fish Bar has daily specials rather than a set menu – recent options have included fillet of hake with romesco sauce and soft shell crab with Parmesan batter and fennel salad – or you can enjoy the simple pleasure of fresh oysters.
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Newcastle: Sohe
Pan-Asian restaurant Sohe brings together Japanese, Thai, Malaysian and Korean cuisines in the heart of Jesmond, one of Newcastle’s foodie hot spots. The menu is a testament to this delicious fusion of flavours: katsu curry sits alongside Korean fried chicken, massaman curry and baked miso cod, while there’s a range of tropical cocktails to accompany your food. The decor is suitably decadent, with a maximalist combination of metallics, geometric prints and moody colours.
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Newcastle: The Broad Chare
Calling itself “a proper pub” which serves “honest, home-cooked food”, The Broad Chare on Newcastle’s Quayside serves refined takes on pub classics. Think hand-raised pork pies, bubble and squeak with fried duck eggs, and suet-crusted lamb and bacon pie. This unfussy attitude continues throughout the space, with pared-back decor and a solid selection of local and seasonally-changing beers.
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Norfolk: Zaks Mousehold Diner, Norwich
Zaks started life in 1976, when a local musician who’d spent time in the States started selling American-style chargrilled burgers out of an old caravan in Norwich. While the original caravan is gone, the burgers are still made to the same recipe. There are three locations in total but it was the Mousehold joint which scooped top spot. It offers 19 varieties of its famous burgers, some of which are pretty wacky, including The PB, topped with peanut butter, maple and bacon, and the Zak ‘n’ Cheese, topped with mac ‘n’ cheese. There’s also a large selection of vegetarian and vegan burgers.
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Oxford: 215 Kitchen & Drinks
Formerly known as The Oxford Kitchen, under which name it held a Michelin star, this stylish and contemporary restaurant in the Oxford suburb of Summertown reopened as 215 Kitchen & Drinks in 2020. Headed up by Paul Welburn, who’s worked at some of London’s top restaurants and appeared on Great British Menu, it’s best known for a dynamic menu which showcases seasonal produce. While it’s currently undergoing another big change, with Welburn leaving the ranks, the esteemed restaurant promises to remain a “foodie paradise” and is scheduled to reopen in February 2022.
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Yorkshire: Minster Inn, York
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Yorkshire: The Westwood, Beverley
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