Best Restaurants in England 2026

Brat

Chef Tomos Parry's wood-fire cooking restaurant in Shoreditch channels the open-fire traditions of the Basque Country using exceptional British produce. The whole turbot cooked over charcoal is one of London's great dishes. The menu changes daily based on what is best that day.

The Ivy

The Ivy has been a London institution since 1917, frequented by actors and performers from the nearby West End theatres. The stained-glass windows, dark wood panelling, and celebrity-spotting opportunities make it a quintessentially London experience. The Shepherd's Pie and Eggs Benedict are reliable classics.

1-5 West Street, London WC2H 9NQ

The Sportsman

A ramshackle pub on the windswept marshes of Kent's north coast that also happens to be one of England's most remarkable restaurants. Stephen Harris churns his own butter, smokes his own fish, and sources almost everything locally. The slip sole in seaweed butter and the Whitstable oysters are revelatory. A pilgrimage spot for serious food lovers.

Manchester House

A stylish Manchester restaurant with stunning views over the city from the 12th floor. The menu celebrates northern England's exceptional produce, from Lancashire cheese to Yorkshire game. The cocktail bar is one of the city's finest. A great option for a special occasion in Manchester.

The Pig Hotel Restaurants

The Pig restaurant group operates from a collection of country house hotels across southern England. Each restaurant focuses hyper-locally, sourcing from its own kitchen garden and within a 25-mile radius. The menus change daily based on seasonal availability. The relaxed country house atmosphere and extraordinary produce make these consistently outstanding.

Sketch

One of London's most extraordinary restaurant experiences, Sketch comprises multiple dining spaces including the Gallery (hot-pink velvet chairs under David Shrigley artworks), the Michelin-starred Lecture Room, and the futuristic egg-pod toilets that are themselves a visitor attraction. Afternoon tea in the Gallery is one of London's most Instagrammable experiences.

9 Conduit Street, Mayfair, London W1S 2XG

The Walnut Tree

Shaun Hill's Michelin-starred country restaurant near Abergavenny in Wales is one of the British Isles' great eating places. Just over the English border, it's worth the journey. The Italian-influenced modern European cooking is unpretentious and precise. A deeply loved restaurant for a generation of British food lovers.

The Walnut Tree

Shaun Hill's Michelin-starred country restaurant just over the English border near Abergavenny is one of the finest eating places in the British Isles. The Italian-influenced cooking uses the finest Welsh and border region produce. A deeply loved restaurant for those who value quality without pretension.

Rick Stein's

Rick Stein's flagship restaurant in Padstow, Cornwall has been one of England's best seafood destinations since the 1970s. The Seafood Restaurant champions Cornish fish caught by local day boats, prepared simply but expertly. Oysters, lobster, and the legendary turbot are highlights. Padstow itself has become a food destination largely thanks to Stein's influence.

Nathan Outlaw

Nathan Outlaw's two-Michelin-starred restaurant in the tiny fishing village of Port Isaac is a pilgrimage for seafood lovers. The tasting menu is entirely based around Cornish fish and shellfish, served in their finest possible form. The views over the Atlantic from the dining room are spectacular.

6 New Road, Port Isaac, Cornwall PL29 3SB

The Jolly Fisherman

A classic Northumberland pub with extraordinary views over the North Sea and Dunstanburgh Castle ruins, the Jolly Fisherman is famous for its crab sandwiches and locally smoked kippers from Robson's smokehouse in the village below. A perfect pub lunch with fresh, honest seafood.

Hawksmoor

Widely regarded as England's best steakhouse, Hawksmoor sources exceptional British breed beef (Longhorn, Dexter) and cooks it to perfection over charcoal. The cocktail bar is superb and the Sunday roasts are legendary. Locations include Spitalfields, Borough, Covent Garden, Air Street, and Wood Wharf.

Multiple locations

Hawksmoor Borough

The Borough branch of Hawksmoor is particularly atmospheric, housed in a former power station with exposed brick and dramatic high ceilings. The Sunday roast here is considered among London's very best, with a whole rump of beef carved at the table.

Flat Iron

An exceptional value steakhouse concept where the flat iron steak (a secondary cut that is uncommonly tender when properly butchered) is served for around £13 per person. The beef is excellent quality British-reared beef, the chips are triple-cooked, and the creamed spinach and salted caramel ice cream are outstanding.

Cafe in the Crypt

A wonderfully atmospheric cafe in the medieval crypt beneath St Martin-in-the-Fields church, steps from Trafalgar Square. Self-service hot meals, sandwiches, cakes, and excellent coffee among the tombstones. Genuinely good food at very fair prices in one of central London's most atmospheric spaces.

Cafe at the V&A

The V&A's cafe occupies the world's first purpose-built museum restaurant, featuring extraordinary Morris, Gamble and Poynter Rooms with stunning Victorian tile-work and painted ceilings. The food is genuinely good and reasonably priced. High tea in the Poynter Room is a great value alternative to the expensive dedicated afternoon tea spots.

The Harwood Arms

London's only Michelin-starred pub (in the traditional pub sense), the Harwood Arms serves exceptional wild game and British produce in a relaxed public house setting. The Scotch egg has become legendary, and the venison and grouse dishes in season are outstanding. Beer on tap, roaring fire, unpretentious service.

The Hand & Flowers

Tom Kerridge's two-Michelin-starred pub in Marlow holds a unique distinction as the only pub in the world with two Michelin stars. The cooking is unashamedly hearty and British - braised trotter, duck fat chips, and exceptional beef are the order of the day. A genius combination of Michelin precision with genuine pubby warmth.

Simpsons in the Strand

A London institution since 1828, Simpsons in the Strand is the quintessential traditional English dining room, famous for its roasted meats carved tableside from silver-domed trolleys. Roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, game pies, and kippers at breakfast have been serving London's establishment for nearly 200 years.

Simpsons in the Strand

A London institution since 1828, Simpsons in the Strand is the quintessential traditional English dining room, famous for its roasted meats carved tableside from silver-domed trolleys. Roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, game pies, and kippers at breakfast have been serving London's establishment for nearly 200 years.

Greggs

No guide to England's food culture is complete without Greggs, the nation's beloved bakery chain. The sausage roll (36 million sold per year) and the vegan sausage roll are cultural icons. The steak bake, cheese and onion pasty, and yum yums complete the experience. A genuinely important piece of contemporary English food culture.

Magpie Cafe

Widely considered one of England's finest fish and chip restaurants, the Magpie Cafe in Whitby has been serving award-winning seafood since 1937. The fish is landed at Whitby harbour, the chips are proper and the batter is crisp and grease-free. Queues are long but move relatively quickly and are entirely worth it.

Balthazar

The London sister of the beloved New York brasserie, Balthazar Covent Garden captures the grand Parisian brasserie experience perfectly. The Art Nouveau decor (red banquettes, marble, ornate mirrors), brunch offerings, plateau de fruits de mer, and steak frites make this one of the West End's most reliably excellent all-day restaurants.

Bundobust

Bundobust combines Indian street food with craft beer in a casual, canteen-style setting. The vegetarian menu features outstanding okra fries, dhal puri, and chole bhature. The craft beer selection from northern breweries is thoughtfully curated. A northern England phenomenon with branches in Manchester, Leeds, and Liverpool.

Padella

A tiny pasta restaurant at Borough Market serving handmade fresh pasta at extraordinary value. The pici all'aglione (fat hand-rolled spaghetti with a slow-cooked garlic and tomato sauce) costs around £10 and is one of London's best-value dishes. No bookings; arrive early and join the queue.

6 Southwark Street, London SE1 1TQ

Ynyshir

Though technically in Wales, Ynyshir under Gareth Ward is so remarkable it warrants inclusion for those exploring England's border regions. The carnivore-focused, fire-based tasting menu blends Japanese technique with the finest Welsh produce. The restaurant-with-rooms concept means you can fully commit to the extraordinary dining experience.

Ottolenghi

Yotam Ottolenghi's flagship deli-restaurant in Islington helped transform how England eats vegetables. The front display of piled-high salads and cakes is always spectacular. The sharing plate approach to vegetable-forward Mediterranean cooking has influenced a generation of British chefs and home cooks.

Multiple London locations

The Sportsman at Seasalter

A legendary pub on the wild Kent marshes serving exceptional Michelin-starred food in deliberately unflashy surroundings. Stephen Harris grows, forages, smokes, and cures much of what ends up on the plate. The slip sole in seaweed butter has been on the menu for 20 years and still amazes every time.

Mana

Simon Martin's Michelin-starred restaurant in Ancoats, Manchester brought a new level of fine dining ambition to the north of England. The Nordic-influenced tasting menu uses exceptional produce from northern England and beyond, with extraordinary technical precision. A must for serious food travellers visiting Manchester.

Rudy's Pizza

Arguably the best Neapolitan pizza outside of Italy, Rudy's is a Manchester institution that has expanded across northern England. The 60-second wood-fired dough is chewy, blistered, and exceptional. Simple toppings done perfectly. Other locations in Liverpool, Leeds, and London.

Moro

Sam and Sam Clark's Spanish-Moorish restaurant on Exmouth Market has been one of London's most influential restaurants since 1997. The wood-fired oven defines the cooking, which draws from Spain, Morocco, and the Middle East. The yoghurt cake and grilled fish are consistently excellent.

Bettys Tearoom

Founded in 1919 by a Swiss confectioner, Bettys in York is northern England's most beloved tearoom. The Fat Rascal (a large fruited scone), the Yorkshire Curd Tart, and the traditional Yorkshire afternoon tea are exceptional. The St Helen's Square tearoom has been a York institution for over 100 years and retains its original Art Deco interior.