Whatever the clichés about British food, there are some cracking places to eat all around the UK. Ranging from the sensory intensity of a chef’s table to the social bustle of a neighbourhood bistro, all of these stunning restaurants dish up some of the most palate-wowing dishes in the country.
Belly, London
Small and buzzy, Belly (pictured above) in London’s Kentish Town has all the warmth of a neighbourhood bistro – with a frisson of Filipino flair, writes The Week’s Helen Brown. The brainchild of restaurateur Omar Shah (Ramo Ramen, Hoodwood, Mamasons), it serves up bold dishes that blend European and Filipino flavours. Scallops, for example, come cured in a chilli, annatto and coconut cream, and tiramisu turns an Instagrammable shade of violet with blueberries and purple yam. The smoked trout kinilaw, with its citrus, cane vinegar, coconut milk and shiso leaf dressing, is a top-notch starter if you arrive too late to bag the super-popular but limited tempura cod pandesal: a shareable slider of warm, flaky cod in a soft fluffy Filipino breakfast roll, with American cheese and salmon roe – like a clever, tangy take on Filet-O-Fish. For mains, there’s a paprika-spiked seafood caldereta, with clams, mussels, squid, roasted tomato, red pepper and prawn-head emulsion, wagyu bistek with braised shallot and charred lemon and woodland mushroom arroz caldo with soy-cured egg yolk. But the stand-out dish is the oak-smoked tinola herb chicken in a buttery, herby, ginger, caper and coriander sauce. Order it with the beef-fat fries and dunk deliciously away. There’s an esoterically good wine list, including a Lebanese Grenache, and a small but wickedly inventive selection of cocktails: the watermelon and calamansi margarita is definitely worth a try.
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STK Strand, London
It’s forged its reputation as a place for hosting people heading out on the town, but the real secret of STK Strand steakhouse is catching a midweek, pre-theatre menu, writes The Week’s Rebekah Evans.
Start with the truffle arancini, a personal favourite, which are golden, delicate and crisp. The rich and earthy filling is soft and well complemented by a silky Parmesan mayo. The buttermilk chicken sliders are also delicious; the honey mustard glaze and mini brioche-style bun striking a perfect sweet-savoury chord. The steak is obviously a must-try, especially given that a wagyu option is available. Devise your own dish from steaks in eight sizes from filet to tomahawk, and six sauces.
The desserts, too, arrive with flair and panache. New York cheesecake is a classic, offering the perfect biscuit-to-cream ratio, while the chocolate fudge cake is a rich and decadent treat with ganache and cocoa crumble. But The Cloud, a golden butter cake with sprinkles and airy candy floss, is the sweet show-stealer. Whimsical and fun, it will immediately transport you back to days spent by the seaside, all from the comfort of a glitzy London steakhouse.
The General Tarleton, North Yorkshire
The chef Tommy Banks owns a number of establishments in Yorkshire, as well as a brand of tinned wines, said William Sitwell in The Telegraph. Now, with his business partners, he has renovated The General Tarleton, an eight-bedroomed pub not far from Harrogate, which first opened in 1762. It’s clear right away that he “knows what he is doing”: the refit is “sympathetic”, and “there’s a distinct feel of professionalism among the staff”. And when I start “gleefully” raiding the menu, my delight only grows. Ham and chopped carrots prove an “appetising joy” – a dish of Yorkshire coppa and delicious brined vegetables. It’s followed by a “well-orchestrated” cheddar-cheese soufflé and “unimprovable” slow-cooked lamb shoulder, which sits on a circle of soft polenta “emboldened by gravy at the base” and tenderstem broccoli on top. For pudding, there’s “magnificent” treacle tart, its filling a “sublime and rich mix of citrus, ginger and syrup”. Banks and co. have worked wonders, turning an old boozer into a “gastronomic pleasuredome”.
generaltarletonferrensby.co.uk
Sushisamba, London
It's early evening midweek but there’s already a queue of people trying to get a table at Sushisamba, writes The Week’s Irenie Forshaw. Set in the Opera Terrace on the top floor of Covent Garden’s historic Market Building, the buzzy restaurant is thrumming with life. Lush greenery springs from every corner and a team of chefs are hard at work behind the counter in the sleek open kitchen. The menu is filled with unexpected delights: inventive dishes that fuse elements of Japanese, Peruvian and Brazilian cuisine. Plantain chips, served with a spicy aji amarillo dipping sauce, and salted edamame beans set the tone of the signature tasting menu. The salmon ceviche doused in a rich sesame dressing and topped with crispy slices of sweet potato and toasted sugared macadamia nuts was the highlight of the evening. Other twists came in the form of California rolls (drizzled with truffle oil) and yellowtail tuna (diced and served in mini taco shells). Be sure to save room for the chocolate banana cake, and wash everything down with a cocktail or two. The fiery Tom Yam – a heady mix of gin, coriander, chilli, ginger and lime – is a must.
Ragù, Bristol
Bristol’s Wapping Wharf, with its many shops and restaurants, has become a “true independent food destination”, said Grace Dent in The Guardian. Ragù is a “cool, minimal, romantic ode to Italian cooking” housed in a converted shipping container. Owned by Mark and Karen Chapman (who also run nearby Cor), it offers what could be “some of the most skilful cooking anywhere in Britain right now”. Our meal began with crisp, lightly battered artichoke fritters, served with “punchy aïoli”. Of the mains, the “star of the show” was Ashton Court venison, “cooked rare but as soft as butter”, accompanied by “pungent gorgonzola with bone marrow butter”. Diners “wanting something lighter” could go for the tagliolini with Devon crab. The puds here are excellent too – like the chocolate budino with sour cherries: an “almost-too-much truffle-type cake” – and service is “fantastically prompt”.
Luna Omakase, London
Tucked away in a private room inside Los Mochis London City, Luna Omakase is a sensory Japanese dining experience for those with adventurous palates, writes The Week’s Deeya Sonalkar. Its chef-selected nut- and gluten-free menu has 12 courses inspired by the rhythm of the moon, and changes as the lunar cycle shifts. The 12-seat counter is designed to allow diners to immerse themselves in the preparation of the dishes and learn about the ingredients selected for the day. The venue has low lighting, to mimic moonlight, and the courses are served on wood or stone plates. Each course is intricately crafted, and every ingredient plays a crucial role. The chef’s take on the onigiri was one of the best courses, with a single bite offering a world of flavour. A good number of dishes featured caviar, an ingredient that can sometimes overpower others. The taco maki, a Japanese-Mexican fusion of tacos and maki sushi, with avocado, jalapeño salsa and coriander, was simple, fresh and unique. Every dish offered something new, and if you love traditional Japanese cuisine but want to enjoy an experimental menu, this is a must-visit.
Pyro, London
With its open-fire chef’s station, rustic wooden interior and huge outdoor terrace, Pyro, in London’s Borough, combines the warmth of a taverna with a super-elevated take on traditional Greek food, writes The Week’s Helen Brown. It’s the debut restaurant of Athens-native Yiannis Mexis, formerly of Hide, The Ledbury and Petrus, and radiates energy, refinement and excellently inventive cocktails. Most of the plates – from the small potato pittas to a showstopper slab of Dorset lamb – are made for sharing, and bear the charred, smoky marks of the flame. Classic Greek meze, like tzatziki and melitzanosalata, are uplifted to top-quality taste and texture experiences; spanakopita, made with barrel-aged feta, is served as dainty tartlets, and ember-cooked pork souvlaki skewers reach a whole new level with prunes, radicchio and sour apple. Stand-out dishes include a sea bream crudo, with green olives and caper leaves, crispy-topped, fluffily layered potatoes with skordalia, and that hunk of alder wood-cooked Dorset lamb, served with a smoked anchovy yoghurt and a fabulous bitter-leaf salad. Food to fill the stomach, and fire the soul.
Sachi, London
Discreetly hidden on the second floor of the Pantechnicon building, Sachi is one of Belgravia’s swankiest sushi spots, writes The Week’s Irenie Forshaw. The kappo-style (cut and cook) Japanese restaurant reopened in November after an extensive revamp, adding a moodily lit rooftop bar. Expect minimalist interiors with flowing cream-coloured drapes, plenty of teak and potted plants positioned in every corner. For a buzzy atmosphere, book a table upstairs in the bar or escape the after-work crowd by requesting a quieter spot downstairs.
The pared-back menu features an assortment of dishes from tempura and sashimi to decadent sushi platters and oscietra caviar. Everything is simply yet elegantly plated allowing the quality ingredients to shine. The wagyu, eringi mushroom and yuzu maki rolls are perhaps the most inventive dish; topped with a sliver of marbled Japanese beef, each morsel tastes like a bite-size burger. But the real highlight is the bluefin tuna: both the truffle-dusted carpaccio and the maki rolls are delicious. There’s also a drinks list filled with Japanese whiskies and enticing cocktails, as well as a collection of sakes. Be sure to enlist the help of the knowledgeable sake sommelier for perfect pairings with every dish.
The Peacock Inn, Suffolk
The Peacock, in the ancient Suffolk village of Chelsworth, is a 14th-century timber-framed inn that was recently “rescued from oblivion” and given a loving restoration, said William Sitwell in The Telegraph. It seems fitting that such a place should “name a pie after the local squire”. And so it was that the “magnificent centrepiece” of my meal was “Sir Gerald’s pie” – Herefordshire beef stewed in ale, housed in a “beef fat pastry”, and served with Bordelaise sauce and pomme purée. It was “staggeringly good, literally the finest pie I can remember eating”. But it was just one of the excellent dishes that came out of Sam Clover’s kitchen. Other highlights of our meal included a “beautifully presented” sea bream ceviche – the “roundel” of fish hiding under a linseed cracker “cleverly” made to look like fish skin – and a perfectly cooked mushroom and truffle raviolo. At times, Clover’s cooking verged on the overly cheffy – and he could “hold back on the flouncy menu writing” – but overall, The Peacock is “joyous”.
Patri, London
You might miss Patri on the street outside, but once you step inside, it is like being transported to a train in New Delhi, writes The Week’s Rebekah Evans. With its shutters, dark wood interiors and multicoloured hanging light bulbs, you’ll be cocooned in this intimate setting. But once the food starts to arrive the last thing diners will be thinking about is their surroundings. Patri offers The Grand Thali, a unique experience allowing a group to sample two starters alongside 26 authentic Indian street-food dishes, with rice and garlic naan. Patience is a virtue, and you should be prepared for a wait, but it’s certainly worthwhile. With so much to choose from, it’s difficult to pick a stand-out dish. Surprisingly, the vegan chatpati aloo tikki chaat starter is perhaps one of the best – comprising fragrant spicy potato patties and chickpeas, tossed in a chutney bursting with flavour. In the Grand Thali, the dishes that really sing are those you can tell are truly cooked with soul. The butter chicken has a rich, creamy, and so moreish, sauce, while the paneer curry is soft and delicious. Be sure to wear trousers with an expandable waist. You’ll certainly need them.
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