Fine food on a budget: restaurants awarded a Bib Gourmand
From a 'lip-smacking' Filipino food joint in central London to a 'bright and buzzing' seafood spot in the Lake District
For those who want to eat well without spending a fortune, here's a selection of restaurants newly awarded a Bib Gourmand (given to establishments offering excellent, good-value cooking) in the 2025 Michelin Guide. Prices are between £25pp and £50pp for three courses.
Little Hollows Pasta
A good pasta restaurant is "something to treasure"; how lucky, then, for the residents of Redland that they have this "terrific operation" on their doorstep. Run by a "charming and knowledgeable team", it specialises in "bright, flavour-packed dishes", many of which are veg-centric (but do look out for the "utterly delicious shellfish spaghetti"). The pasta is made fresh each morning, then "hung out in the window to dry".
26 Chandos Road, Bristol (0117 973 1254)
Pythouse Kitchen Garden
This "gorgeous" restaurant, housed in a "red-brick potting shed within a Victorian walled garden", is the only establishment in this year's Michelin Guide with both a Bib Gourmand and a Green Star (for sustainability). "You'll struggle to find a lovelier all-round experience" than having lunch here: the setting has "elegance and country charm to spare", and the food, much of it cooked over fire, "is a joy".
West Hatch, Tisbury, Wiltshire (01747 870444)
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Fish Shop
"Fabulous produce" powers the dishes at this likeable seafood restaurant near Balmoral and just east of the Cairngorms. The kitchen has the "good sense" not to interfere too much with the core ingredient: the fish and shellfish here are typically accompanied by just a few "well-judged" additions: you might be offered Shetland halibut served with slow-roasted tomatoes and salsa verde. As at all seafood restaurants, it's advisable to check the specials board.
3 Netherley Place, Ballater (01339 720250)
The Schelly
Named after a freshwater fish only found in a few nearby lakes, The Schelly is a "bright and buzzing" addition to the Lake District's dining scene. The menu focuses on local produce, from "lip-smacking Herdwick hogget shoulder" to a dish of "mushrooms found around the woods" nearby. With everything on the menu sounding equally appealing, "choosing what to order will be the hardest part of your visit".
Church Street, Ambleside, Cumbria (01539 432775)
Donia
Filipino food has rightly been "thrust into the spotlight" by this "hugely likeable" place off Carnaby Street. British produce underpins the menu, but it's the "lip-smacking sweet-and- sour combinations" of the Philippines that take centre stage in chef-owner Florence Mae Maglanoc's cooking. The crisp abodo mushroom croquetas "are a must", as is the lechon (suckling pig), served with a "lovely" liver and peppercorn sauce.
2.14 Top Floor, Kingly Court, London W1
The Peacock Inn
Set in a "pretty little village" in Suffolk, this timbered 14th century inn has everything you could want from a pub, including a "lovely garden" and friendly staff. The cooking is skilful – and ambitious. There's a £90 per person tasting menu; but "bargain hunters" are also catered for with the "brilliantly affordable set lunch". And for those who want to stay in the area, there are several "cosy bedrooms".
37 The Street, Chelsworth, Suffolk (01449 743952)
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