The UK's top new restaurants reveal a little bit about how we're enjoying ourselves right now. In these annual awards, voted for by our esteemed foodie judging panel, restaurants are spotlighting punchy flavors from the Caribbean, Vietnam, Sierra Leone and Thailand by way of Japan, China and even Mongolia. In Manchester's Northern Quarter, diners slurp oysters to a late-night DJ soundtrack; in Glasgow, Basque cooking is taking center stage; in Leeds, a Victorian boozer is the best place to eat right now. There's a lot of love for the ingredients and recipes from our fair British Isles, too. In Edinburgh, an Irish chef is cooking recipes from her hometown; in London you'll find the best of British produce in a pub dining room; and in the Channel Islands, a starry chef is making a song and dance about seaweed. Dining out right now is about keeping things simple, unfussy and full of fun. These are the best new openings of the past year to add to your must-visit list in 2026.
2210 by NattyCanCook
Herne Hill, London
Dish to order: rasta pasta
It’s hard not to root for Peckham-born-and-raised Nathaniel Mortley, aka @NattyCanCook, before you’ve even tasted his shouted-about cooking. A sequence of poor decisions led to Natty serving two and a half years of a five-year sentence at HMP Brixton. It was during this time that he developed a love for cooking after working with pioneering cooking charity Clink. Upon his release from prison, he quickly made a name for himself with a residency at Peckham pub The Greyhound, which led us to naming him our One to Watch in The UK's Top New Restaurants 2024. A year later, he’s one step closer to his dream of earning a Michelin star for Caribbean cooking, opening 2210 in Herne Hill in October 2025.
There's a buzz as friends meet up for midweek dinners or couples take window seats. The menu is crowd-pleasing, elevated Caribbean food: a jerk chicken supreme with pickled plantain, a creamy lobster ‘rasta pasta’ and a roti with scotch bonnet butter that’s so good I’d never not order it. Everything is delicious—memorable, full of flavor—but it’s the enthusiasm of the team and excitement in the air that keeps diners coming back. Natty is living his dreams in full view, and what a pleasure it is for us to partake. —Abigail Malbon
Address: 2210 by NattyCanCook, 75 Norwood Rd, London SE24 9AA
Price: £££
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Bar Shrimp
Northern Quarter, Manchester
Dish to order: Cornish crab and ice-queen lettuce cocktail
Many of us have grown out of hitting the club on an empty stomach, enjoying a double vodka cranberry and screeching until our tonsils hurt. But that doesn’t mean we shed the desire to have fun, something that the team behind Higher Ground and Flawd in Manchester have come to know all too well, and serves as the inspiration for their latest destination: Bar Shrimp. Combining finely-tuned cocktails, grower Champagne and sublime seafood with DJs spinning records on a world-class sound system, the sultry, crimson-draped bar is conveniently nuzzled next door to the group's flagship restaurant. Here, there's a late license; clean, contemporary lines; and low atmospheric light that wouldn’t be out of place in David Lynch’s imagination. This is where Manchester’s most stylish grown-ups go for a drink, linger over dinner and dance until the lights come on.
On the menu, regional oysters sit alongside shimmering silver platters of fruits de mer, caviar served with house-cut crisps and sour cream, and hand-dived scallop tartare. Elsewhere, small plates like deviled eggs with brown crab and trout roe, generously stacked cuttlefish sandwiches, a crab-and-ice-queen-lettuce cocktail, and a Dexter beef burger can add up to a full-blown dinner. Noma alumnus Daniel Craig Martin’s drinks list swings from rare Charles Dufour Champagne to creative carbonated French highballs, a fiendish Death in the Afternoon (read: Absinthe and Champagne) and even cheeky Chartreuse shots. Needless to say, we’ll see you there. —Jo Taylor
Address: Bar Shrimp, 7 New York Street, Manchester M1 4JB
Price: £££
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Corner Shop
Yorkhill, Glasgow
Dish to order: grilled chorizo toast with Basque cider and sage sauce
Corner Shop borrows all the loveliest bits from Basque culinary culture and pieces them back together again a thousand miles or so north in Glasgow’s Yorkhill. The given is great produce, dealt with in an accomplished yet unfussy way, plus a stellar wine list, but the magic dust here is the team. They’re palpably enthusiastic about what they’re doing (which is something that feels unique in this part of town, if not the whole city) and strike a sweet spot between being friendly and efficient. The menu encourages flexible dining, whether you want bar snacks with excellent cocktails or fancy a full meal to lazily indulge in with a bottle of sommelier-chosen wine. Its sunny interiors are a mix of bright red tables and stainless steel countertops offset by muted green leather upholstery, completed by an optimistic run of seating outside for the rare sunny days Scotland profits from. Come rain or shine there’s ‘holiday food’ in abundance. Mainstays include oozy croqueta de jamon and glazed, jammy chorizo on toast, plus seasonal grilled flatbreads, while other, larger plates flex. These might include locally grown Lion's Mane mushrooms with burnt onion and wild garlic sauce or a hefty sirloin to share, grilled and served with bright chimichurri. Save room for dessert to try the iconic ice cream imported from nearby University Cafe, a west end institution. —Rosie Conroy
Address: 45 Old Dumbarton Rd, Glasgow G3 8RF
Price: ££
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Franc
Canterbury, Kent
Dish to order: guinea fowl with cream truffle sauce
Canterbury is a funny place: packed with people every weekend, but its town is still (mostly) lined with chain restaurants. Not that I’m against some peri-peri chicken or an American burger, but I’ve often felt that the uniqueness and history of the place aren’t fairly represented in its cuisine, even as a small handful of independent restaurants are attempting to bring some life and flavour to the city. Now, there's quiet hope that Franc's arrival could be the catalyst for change. Owners Dave Hart and Polly Pleasence might be known to some thanks to their previous venture, the Folkestone Wine Company, so the launch of Franc came with high expectations from existing fans. As you may have guessed by the name, Franc serves up unashamedly French cooking: a regularly-changing menu of fresh seafood, varied vegetables and perfectly cooked meats, with a special focus on a great—and affordable (£6-£7, or approximately $8, per glass)—selection of wines.
Downstairs is where you’ll find the wine bar serving a varied selection by the glass and bottle alongside snacks, while upstairs is a small, living room-style dining room – where a handful of white napkin-covered tables are packed in, overlooking the cobbled street below. The decor is simple – white walls and some abstract art, which makes sense for a restaurant with one premise: simple cooking, done well. We visited on a busy Saturday afternoon and were handed an undemanding set lunch menu consisting of two starters, two mains and three desserts. Easy, then, to order one of each for the first two courses: gently spiced mussels for me, leek and brown shrimp for my fellow diner. Guinea fowl with a cream truffle sauce for me, and pollock with fennel and blood orange for them. For dessert, we were pretty stuffed (portions are hearty) so shared a creamy and wonderful rice pudding with rhubarb. Kent benefits from some of the best produce in the UK, thanks to its warm temperatures and proximity to the coast, so you can expect dishes to be seasonal and ever-changing (meaning you’ll be tempted to visit again, and quickly, to see what else is coming up). It’s no wonder locals are giving in to the allure. —Abigail Malbon
Address: Franc, 49 Northgate, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 1BE
Price: ££
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Gina
Chingford, Essex
Dish to order: peach cobbler and clotted cream
There are enough doomy, gloomy headlines about the trials of opening a London restaurant in our cost-of-living-crisis times—so Gina, the ballsy, self-funded first venture from Ravneet Gill (St. JOHN, Zuma, Black Axe Mangal) and husband Mattie Taiano (Franks, Som Saa, The Camberwell Arms) was a welcome breath of fresh air when it landed in the unglamorous suburb of Chingford last summer. That’s not to say that the pair hid the realities of launching an independent restaurant away from the mainstream; Gill blogged about every step of the process in the build-up to opening, from hidden costs to quibbles over service charges. The result is a true neighborhood restaurant where everyone feels like an insider. Taiano oversees the mains: beetroot in pistachio pesto, whole lemon sole with samphire and brown butter, a hefty specials board of meat dishes like pork chop with honey mustard mayo, and a tomato spaghetti based on a recipe by Taiano’s late mother (the restaurant’s inspiration and namesake). Gill takes the reins on unmissable old-school desserts: rice pudding, chocolate sponge cake and peach cobbler. It’s all well worth hopping on the ginger line for – a vote for honest, heartfelt cooking with community at its core. —Olivia Squire
Address: Gina, 92 Station Road, London E4 7BA
Price: £££
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The Hart
Marylebone, London
Dish to order: raw beef and crisps
The Hart, Public House’s much-anticipated Marylebone opening, strikes the kind of balance between bustling and intimate you’d expect from the kind of London pub that’s been around forever. Narrow staircases, deep woods, flickering candles and partition screens frame banquettes bordered by stained-glass windows, where waiters lay down hot plates of old-school dishes like kedgeree, crab cakes, and bubble and squeak, your table neighbors won’t stop eyeing. While the downstairs pub is where the action (and music) is at, the upstairs dining room—accessible via a creaky, rabbit-hole stairway—is as perfect for a date as it is a close-knit gathering. The waiters know their food and know their wines, and if they recommend something, trust them. ‘Raw beef’ wasn’t part of my initial order, yet it’s now my favorite dish on the menu. Preceded with an apple and Lincolnshire poacher salad, paired with a robust red and followed by the banoffee pie (a dessert alone worth a reservation), you’ve got yourself a perfect evening. —Tamara Southward
Address: The Hart, 56 Blandford Street, London, W1U 7JA
Price: £££
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The Highland Laddie
Burley, Leeds
A gloriously nostalgic Victorian pub that still has all its former red-brick public house charms, and a kitchen serving classics with panache, some joyfully reimagined. It’s a democratic pub-with-food experience and is a cornerstone of the community; it’s that pub you go to for just one and end up staying all night.
The price point is also refreshingly varied: come for a quick drink and delicious bite or test out the menu. It’s no surprise that it’s helmed by the dream team Sam Pullan and Nicole Deighton, of the much-loved Empire Cafe, and that even though it only opened its doors in April 2025, it came top The atmosphere is sufficiently fizzy, just as every good pub should be; it’s a place for the people, where all are welcome. The true epitome of a public house. Don’t hold back here, though; the food is outstanding as expected. Order half a dozen oysters with a crisp white or silky Guinness, the crispy pork schnitzel with caper butter or sliced ham from the fire with a pillowy dinner roll – then there’s the thrill of the mustard menu, it’s all in the details. The latest butter chicken brioche is a riff on a curry puff, and the 80s-fueled Arctic roll serves a flashback to Yorkshire birthday parties as a child. Or just go for a pint of local pale ale—Ossett Brewery's White Rat Nitro is served throughout March—and settle in for some brilliant northern banter. Either way, you’ll be so glad you came. Book well ahead. —Rachel Everett
Address: The Highland Laddie, 38 Cavendish St, Leeds LS3 1LY
Price: £
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Kynd
Hampton-in-Arden, Solihull
Dish to order: ex-dairy flat iron with black garlic & onion miso butter and rainbow chard
The casual sibling to Hampton Manor’s Michelin-starred Grace & Savour, Kynd boasts the same farm-to-table philosophy, albeit in a less formal setting. Located in the old furnace house of the walled garden, there’s a sexy, moody atmosphere, with low-level lighting and dark interiors, though in the summer you can sit in the glasshouse too. Head chef David Taylor’s menu always reflects the best of what’s in season, prioritizing local produce, and putting a modern spin on classic British fare—cooking dishes over the coals (this is the furnace house, after all). Think Hebridean hand-dived scallops with smoked carrot, Packington Estate venison with BBQ celeriac and black truffle, and Cornish cod with muscles and BBQ leak. A special mention must go to the potato fondant, which accompanies all mains—it’s deliciously unctuous. Unsurprisingly, considering the on-site bakery (queues form early on the weekend for its croissants), the pastry on the dessert menu is exquisite too, with the Bramley apple choux-bun with roasted apple ice cream a particular favorite. The wine list is informed by the hotel’s organic principles, prioritizing low-intervention bottles and cocktails garnished from the garden. —Rebecca Cope
Address: Hampton Manor, Shadowbrook Lane, Hampton-In-Arden, B92 0EN
Price: £££
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Lai Rai
Peckham, London
Dish to order: xiên heo nuóng mè
A recent Bib Gourmand award may have drawn more attention to this small Vietnamese restaurant, but residents of South East London have been booking tables out since the spot opened in summer 2025. Rye Lane is a treasure trove of eateries, with cuisine from all over the world available to hungry locals, so it takes a lot to stand out. The factor that always works? Fun. And Lai Rai offers frivolity in spades, from the red-and-white-striped awning on the exterior to the yellow walls and red LED strip lighting inside. Stepping inside feels a little like stepping into a film set, or a different world (it makes complete sense that the restaurant’s neighbor is Four Quarters, an arcade bar open until the early hours) and guests will be led to one of a handful of small tables on the ground floor or upstairs, before being presented with a selection of menus featuring cocktails, small plates and large plates. The first thing you’ll notice about the food is that it’s not typical of what you might find in most Vietnamese restaurants in London, despite being run by the same team as nearby Bánh Bánh; you won’t find hearty bowls of pho, for example. Instead, expect choạ cổm—prawn lollipops with a sugarcane stick made for chewing on before your next dish arrives—or xiên heo nuóng mè—grilled pork neck skewer with lemongrass, perfectly charred for a bite that’s succulent and sweet. In all honesty, we could have made a meal purely from starters, but I’m glad we didn’t miss out on the hefty bowl of mussels in a creamy coconut broth or the fried coconut-and-mung-bean rice parcels, which were as unique and glutinous as they sound.
Special mention should go to the cocktail list, which is too good to resist, even on a weeknight. The cà phê martini brings a strong hit of Vietnamese coffee—ideal after a long day, actually—but the bui dòi was made for those who love a savory sip, with olive leaf gin, shio koji, fino sherry, basil eau de vie, dry vermouth and fried rice paper. Visit during the day, and you’ll find that the restaurant takes on more of a cafe vibe. There is, of course, great Vietnamese coffee, plus bánh mì made with freshly baked bread. For locals, it’s a delicious new spot to pop in and out of, but it’s worth traveling (yes, even from the other side of London) to experience this bright and bold new restaurant that’s captured Peckham’s spirit. —Abigail Malbon
Address: Lai Rai, 81 Rye Lane, London SE15 4TP
Price: ££
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Legado
Shoreditch, London
Dish to order: Cantabrian anchovy, smoked cheese, brioche
Men and women about town have been well aware of Nieves Barragán Mohacho, the Basque-born cook, since her days as executive head chef at tapas joint Barrafina, which earned a Michelin star during her tenure. Her first solo venture, the 2017-opened Sabor—with its long communal counter and blue-and-white tiles—was an instant hit in Mayfair, and was awarded a Michelin star of its own a year after opening. So it tracks that, nearly a decade later, all eyes are on Nieves's second London opening. This time she's set up out East, in buzzy Montacute Yards (right next door to another hot-commodity opening, Singburi). The one-floor restaurant feels vast as I slip through the door one Thursday evening, a few days after opening. Every table is full, and punters are shuffled into the bar that curves around the open kitchen, watching the team—including Nieves—cook. I settle into a corner booth with my sister, who is working on a 3-Sip Serve: tiny tipples designed to be enjoyed while we browse the menu. I order a rhubarb and bonanto cocktail while we make quick work of nailing down which dishes we'd like to share: arroz de cangrejo (crab rice), silky Cantabrian anchovy on a slab of brioche smothered in smoked cheese, and light and crispy monkfish tempura. We follow up with perfectly cooked octopus and one of the hero dishes here, lamb cutlets Milanesa. For pudding, we share saffron ice cream with white chocolate mousse and olive oil, which scratches a salty-sweet part of my brain. Just a few months after opening, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star—leaving you feeling like you're in safe hands from the moment you order that 3-Sip Serve. —Sarah James
Address: Legado, Unit 1C Montacute Yards, London E1 6HU
Price: £££
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Lilibet's
Mayfair, London
**Lilibet's has our Best New Dish of 2026—read more here. **
Dish to order: Lilibet’s mash with shellfish bisque and lobster
Taking its name from HRH Elizabeth II, who was born at the Bruton Street address, Lilibet’s Mayfair is the creation of Ross Shonhan (Nobu, Zuma, Bone Daddies), who, peculiarly, wanted to imagine what life would have been like for Lilibet, had she never become queen. The setting is indeed princess-worthy—a dizzying array of chintz, silk and velvets, with staff in sharp chocolate suits wheeling old-fashioned wooden trolleys with soup tureens and carrying teapots on silver trays. Just to witness it all with average food would be enough, but nay, the actual feast is equally as joyful. The menu is an unexpected, hold-onto-your-hat, seafood adventure. Anchovies on eclairs, oysters dressed, fire roasted and fried, and an ‘unsung heroes’ section featuring sea urchin, garfish and sea cucumber. Don’t scrimp on the vegetable sides—the sprouting broccolini and the mashed potato are star dishes in their own right. For pudding, there’s a rogue Prego steak sandwich (a post-seafood dessert alternative borrowed from Portugal), as well as decadent portions of chocolate mousse and choux à la creme, plopped into twee art deco bowls to complete the royal fantasy. —Lauren Burvill
Address: Lilibet’s, 17 Bruton Street, Mayfair, London, W1J 6QB
Price: ££££
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Maré by Rafael Cagali
Hove, Sussex
Dish to order: fried oysters
The last time Brighton & Hove had a Michelin star, prawn cocktails were in vogue the first time around and Fanny Craddock was telling us how to make choux-pastry swans, and blue-dyed eggs. The British appetite has changed immeasurably since then, of course, and so has Hove, which is increasingly eclipsing big sister Brighton when it comes to food. Maré, which won its star earlier in 2026, didn’t wash up on the shore out of nowhere, though: it’s the third opening from Rafael Cagali, the Brazilian-Italian chef/owner behind Da Terra (which has two stars) and the more relaxed Elis, both in London’s Bethnal Green. That heritage may conjure a sort of caipirinha-meets-porchetta Mediterranean tropicalia, but the influences here don’t —a fishy moqueca sauce accompanies rich-red prawns, cassava chips are stacked jenga-style, and lobster rice (a stand-out dish) with oxtail is pure comfort food, while agretti greens and mussels are given a puttanesca sauce. But Cagali—and head chef Ewan Waller—also cast elsewhere for recipes, with pil pil sauce on well-seared brill and a fun, build-it-yourself dish of pulled lamb and tacos, customized with two dipping sauces. All the ‘one-bite maybe two’ dishes are tempting, particularly the fried oysters, and the crab crumpets with a crunch of radish. (Those wanting a little more Brazilian flavor can peruse the cachaca menu—surely the only one in the UK.) British seaside restaurants usually have something of the ‘Kiss me quick attitude about them, content with a glass of Chablis and posh fish and chips, but Mare aims much higher—what it may lack in sea views it make up in polished, urban professionalism and well-rehearsed service that pirouettes around the zinc bar counter. As for dessert, go for the trifle-like choux bun with almost savory fig leaf ice cream and a dash of Pedro Ximenez—after all, it’s not the seaside without an ice cream in hand, is it? —Rick Jordan
Address: 60 Church Rd, Brighton and Hove, Hove BN3 2FP
Price: ££££
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Martino's
Sloane Square, London
Dish to order: lasagna verde alla bolognese
When Martin Kuczmarski opened The Dover in late 2023, it didn’t take long for it to become one of the hottest tickets in town. Two years later, Kuczmarski has quietly (and I mean quietly—not so much as a press release graced inboxes!) expanded with Martino’s and Dover Street Counter, arriving just a week apart. Eager to see if Kuczmarski can recreate The Dover’s magic, I arrive at Martino’s—nine days after the doors first opened—to find what feels like a restaurant that’s been here for decades. The welcome is seamless with a healthy dose of Italian charm: coats spirited away, names cheerily checked off, and ushered into a softly lit room of glossy walnut and candlelit white tablecloths. Waiters, snappily dressed in white jackets and black bow ties, glide from table to table balancing martinis on silver trays and handing out giant, one-sheet menus. There’s a distinct lack of fuss, just simple, delicious classics done well. We tuck into a towering plate of shoestring zucchini fritti while sipping Manhattans, before the mains arrive: rich and reassuringly comforting lasagna verde alla bolognese for me, a perfectly crisp pizza for my dining pal. Dessert hasn't even arrived (a silky tiramisu, in case you’re wondering) and I can already tell that Martino's will be a fixture on my all-time favorite restaurants in London list. —Sarah Allard
Address: Martino's, 37 Sloane Square, London SW1W 8AN
Price: £££
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Moss
Stockbridge, Edinburgh
Dish to order: the highlight of the nine-course set menu is Orkney bere
Moss is serving up a different type of farm-to-table, and instead of bringing diners to the land, it brings the land into the heart of Stockbridge, Edinburgh's coolest pocket. Inside, the interiors are as considered as the cooking, blending Japanese and Nordic minimalism aesthetics inspired by owner Henry Dobson's time working in Japan and Akiko Matsuda (Hobsons' wife) whose ceramics supplies the restaurant, with its deeply rooted Scottish sense of identity.
The menu is uncompromisingly Scottish and much of it is drawn from Dobson’s organic family farm in Angus. Each of the set menus' nine courses maps a location, and so important is this that ingredients are listed after it, with the likes of Western Isles oyster, lightly tempura-fried with aioli and pickled shallot, or Highland wild boar paired with quince and kale. In the kitchen, head chef Dylan Pinder (formerly of The Ledbury, Heron) leans into fermentation and preservation to stretch the Scottish larder across the seasons. He's also reviving ancient grains such as Orkney bere, where its nutty chew lends itself to Moss' signature risotto dish that might be topped with wild mushrooms and Orkney cheddar. Moss is built on its own small ecosystem, yet still feels entirely at ease in the city. —Emma Henderson
Address: 112 Saint Stephen Street, Edinburgh, EH3 5AD
Price: £££
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Motorino
Fitzrovia, London
Dish to order: Gigli al Gin
Launching a restaurant with hype around it is all well and good, but creating something that makes people want to return time after time is the real challenge. Motorino, from ex-Lita chef Luke Ahearne and chef-owner of Town Stevie Parle, is certainly shooting its shot—a bold, sultry, and surprisingly large space that promises “modern London-Italian” cooking, foodies across the city are already starting to shout about the fresh ingredients and first-class service.
Grilled sardines sitting on pretty disks of red, yellow and green tomatoes were an early favorite: fresh, salty and with a tangy vinegar dressing—but it was the primi plate, Gigli al Gin with fennel sausage, tomato & Ford's gin, that really wowed me. The hedonistic, low-lit decor—all pine wood and green furnishings—and the staff's openness make it easy to hole up here for hours, meaning you will undoubtedly find yourself ordering dessert. I’m a tiramisu aficionado, but I’d actually recommend the lemon meringue here—the hint of fennel added a new depth of flavor, and it was easy to stomach, even after the many courses on the menu. I’d come here again for date night, or on a weekend with a group of friends to order endless plates of pasta and indulge in cocktails and gossip. —Abigail Malbon
Address: Motorino, 1 Pearson Square, London W1T 3BF
Price: £££
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Nishiki
Tollcross, Edinburgh
Dish to order: agedashi tofu
Suitably chic, Niskiki’s pared-back interiors of white walls, communal wooden tables and clustered globe lighting speak of Japanese minimalism, which appeals to Edinburgh’s fashionable set who keep it full and feeling buzzy any night of the week. While the furnishings might be simple, the menu is a masterclass in the complex art of allowing simplicity space to shine. There’s a tightly curated list, but each item on the neat menu is a sure-fire crowd-pleaser made with standout ingredients. From steaming bowls of ramen to bright cuts of sashimi, Nishiki takes its cues from its popular sister sites, Yamato and Kanpai, serving a winning combination of plates. Some have been tried and tested over time at the other locations—like the agedashi tofu with its umami mirin liquor and crisp cornflour batter—while others are new and inject intrigue and appeal for anyone who’s already ticked off 2/3 of the group’s restaurants. New stand-outs include pork rice, with sticky, sweet chashu belly pieces finely chopped for perfect distribution throughout the seasoned white rice, and generously sized hand rolls stuffed with spicy tuna, crisp tempura scraps, and spring onion. The team is young and feels like they’re yet to get into their groove, but with such pleasant dispositions, any lag in service is easily forgiven. —Rosie Conroy
Address: Nishiki, 151-155 Morrison Street, Edinburgh EH3 8AG
Price: ££
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Norah
Newhaven, Edinburgh
**Chef Claire Hanrahan of Norah is our One to Watch—read more here. **
Dish to order: tartiflette with salad and pickles
Painted buttercup yellow with a sweet little porthole window and views of Newhaven’s lighthouse, Norah is the picture of seaside charm. With a lunch-only service, owners Claire Hanrahan and Andrew Ainsley opened their doors in August and have welcomed a steady stream of guests ever since. This crowd are unusually willing to swap dinner reservations for a midday meal thanks to an indisputably brilliant menu. Those who feel dazed by sharing plate concepts and unpronounceable ingredients can breathe a sigh of relief. The offering is refreshingly simple, letting beautiful ingredients carry themselves with the clout they deserve, without too much interference before they play their part on the plate. Decision paralysis is almost entirely negated thanks to the confident listing that has no room for dead weight. One of everything from the snacks is the ideal way to start: homemade pickles and slices of a tangy Irish cheese, crumbly soda bread and soft, salty butter, and a generous scoop of green olives. For mains, there’s a sausage, egg and chips that the team say they “couldn’t take off the menu” as it's garnered so many fans, but there are also steaming bowls of fish stew with punchy aioli and bubbling oven dishes, spilling over with layers of gooey tartiflette accompanied by a sharply dressed green salad and a handful of cornichons. With a proficient bakery on site to boot, desserts offer up bread-and-butter pudding, perfectly drowned in custard, and melty chocolate chip cookies that make sharing impossible. Being slightly off the beaten track, Norah benefits from feeling like a hidden gem, but the queue of punters waiting for a table on any given day quickly dispels that myth. And don’t be surprised if you see a familiar face or two, it’s quickly become the go-to for Edinburgh’s veteran restaurateurs who have understandably warmed to its cheery hospitality and brilliant execution of classic dishes. —Rosie Conroy
Address: 3 Pier Place, Edinburgh EH6 4LP
Price: ££
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Ogof
Pontcanna, Cardiff
Dish order: apple and hazelnut custard slice
I just about managed to sneak in Ogof before the year slipped away. The vegetable-forward restaurant and natural wine shop opened a week before Christmas, landing in Pontcanna, Cardiff’s cluster of very good places to eat. It already feels settled, as if it has always been there. Ogof is led by chef-owner Alex Vines, who spent more than a decade cooking in some of London’s best kitchens, including 40 Maltby Street, Rochelle Canteen and Sardine. He is joined by Siôn Iorwerth, a Carmarthenshire-born wine specialist who once ran one of Vancouver’s first natural wine bars, and Zanna Clarke, whose background in the arts and charity sector shows in the room’s calm, assured hospitality. Lunch is pared back and flexible, built around daily specials and a short run of sandwiches made with bread baked on site. In the evening, a chalkboard menu takes over, moving from small snacks to shareable plates shaped by what has arrived that day. Vegetables lead the way, often organic and locally grown from Paul’s Organic Veg, Viridens Gardening or straight from Vines’s garden. Welsh meat, fish and cheese are treated with equal care. Dishes include swede rarebit croquettes with brown sauce, stuffed cabbage leaves with celeriac, cep and buckwheat, or steamed hake with purple sprouting broccoli and elderflower hollandaise. Whatever you do, save space for the desserts. Vines’s cooking sings when it comes to the sweet stuff. One bite of the apple and hazelnut custard slice or chocolate mousse with olive oil and poached quince, and you’ll hear angels singing. The wine list from Wrights Wines is short, natural-leaning and well chosen. — Angela Hui
Address: Ogof, 11 Kings Road, Cardiff CF11 9BZ
Price: ££
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One Club Row
Shoreditch, London
Dish to order: roasted cod, brown shrimp, lemon & capers
I’d be surprised to hear any Londoner who eats tell me they’d not seen or heard about One Club Row in Shoreditch. It was arguably one of 2025’s most talked-about new restaurant openings, and for good reason. Found on a cobbled, graffiti-lined street in Shoreditch with a royal-blue awning above the door but little else to announce its position, it is—for want of a better term—a vibe. Up the somewhat precarious wooden staircase and behind a velvet curtain sit white-clothed tables loaded with bowls of skinny frites, and bar stools propping up the city’s cool crowd who sip glassy Manhattans. It’s a fitting tipple of choice, considering the theme of the menu: New York by way of London. We share small plates of scallops served in their shells, doorstep sourdough with salted butter, and tuna crudo before moving on to fillets of roasted cod and pork schnitzel with rich, creamy gorgonzola. It feels rude not to have a nightcap, and I order a signature martini that’s sweet, sophisticated and dangerously moreish. Until next time… —Sarah Leigh Bannerman
Address: One Club Row, 1 Club Row, London E1 6JX
Price: £££
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Poon's at Somerset House
Strand, London
Dish to order: Ode to Fuchsia
Nourishment is a preoccupation of Poon’s in Somerset House. In the culinary sense, it’s about bringing the harmony and variety of Chinese home cooking to Londoners, from perfectly presented poussins and century-egg-scattered tofu slices to wind-dried pork sausage rolls and braised glass noodles that shimmy around pieces of pumpkin. With these dishes, Amy Poon has ensured that her menu serves as a set of old-fashioned scales, with every texture and flavor complementing or offsetting another, bringing the diner back to perfect equilibrium. The other sort of nourishment at play here is the familial kind. Old photos on the walls make it clear that those who have come before—in this case, Amy’s parents, Bill and Cecilia, who retired from running their own, well-loved London restaurants in the early noughties—are the energy and inspiration behind this delicious present. As a result, you’ll leave feeling full of not just food and wine, but affection. —Suzie McCracken
Address: Poon’s, Somerset House, Lancaster Place, London WC2R 1LA
Price: ££
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The Rectory
Ugborough, Devon
Dish to order: the highlight of the four-course set menu is the Shorthorn beef
Deep in the South Devon Hams, the rejuvenated Fowlescombe Farm is a countryside retreat where the line between working farm and restaurant blurs beautifully. The 450-acre estate hums with life: Longhorn cattle grazing between hedgerows, Manx Loaghtan sheep roaming the hills, Tamworth pigs nosing through woodlands, and beehives beside rows of heritage apple trees that are used in the homemade cider. Set against the romantic ruins of a 16th-century estate, it calls itself a hotel in the loosest sense, doing away with most conventions and instead is far more farm with rooms.
At its heart sits The Refectory, an intimate dining space that opened to non-guests in the summer. With unfussy, rustic design in terracotta tones, a raised 10-seater communal table forms the kitchen’s front row. It's more 'dining room in a kitchen' than an open kitchen, allowing guests to chat easily with chefs as plates are finished. Head chef Elly Wentworth, previously of The Angel in Dartmouth, works in step with head gardener Shelley Hutcheon, shaping a menu measured in food meters, not miles, from whatever's ripe and ready outside, which will likely be different to the previous day's menu. To keep things simple, it's a four-course set menu which might include silky roasted scallops with smoked eel and crisp apple; sirloin of Shorthorn beef with cavolo nero and a deep, glossy jus; or apricots folded into honeyed cremeux. Regardless of whether you're staying, it's a restorative, quietly exceptional escape. —Emma Henderson
Address: Fowlescombe Farm, Ugborough, Ivybridge PL21 0HW
Price: £££
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Shanghai Me
Mayfair, London
Shanghai Me is the Best Hotel Restaurant of 2026.
Dish to order: roast duck salad
Ever since Shanghai Me first launched in Dubai and Doha, we’ve been drumming our laps in anticipation of this London opening. Its latest iteration, which replaces the longstanding Galvin at Windows at the rooftop of the London Hilton on Park Lane, may not channel the Shanghai 1930s Art Deco aesthetic quite as markedly as its Middle Eastern branches, but who cares when you’ve got resplendent red velvet seating, wraparound window panoramas, and some of the best Pan-Asian cuisine in town. British-Nigerian chef Izu Ani’s devised concept takes us to China and Japan with a brief layover in Mongolia. Farm-to-table freshness infuses every item, from the crispy calamari starter to the duck dishes, and it does so well. Quack addicts will adore the signature roast duck salad starter with pine nuts and tasty fruit chunks, as well as the magnificent, crispy-skinned roast duck and foie gras dolloped with caviar—a revelatory combo.
The mains were full of deviations that might have purists recoiling, but worked very well: the pancakes and hoisin sauce came with thinly sliced, medium-rare Cantonese-style roast duck instead of the shredded crispy aromatic kind, while the egg fried rice, though unusually short-grained, was pillow-soft and captured that smoky ‘wok hei’ flavor. There was a tender bounce to the Mongolian lamb chops, and the silver cod with miso melted in the mouth, as did the Kowloon shrimp tempura. Everything paired nicely with a warmed-up Dewazakura sake. The desserts maintained standards, especially the Japanese cheesecake with mixed berry compote, vanilla sauce and crème caramel sauce. Our neighboring table treated themselves to the signature giant fortune cookie, a six-inch pyramid smothered in chocolate and filled with matcha mousse. The message inside might very well have read: “This establishment will please many stomachs for years to come.” And we would concur. —Noo Saro-Wiwa
Address: Shanghai Me, 28th Floor, London Hilton on Park Lane, 22 Park Lane, Mayfair, London W1K 1BE
Price: ££££
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Shwen Shwen
Sevenoaks, Kent
**Chef Maria Bradford of Shwen Shwen is our Best New Chef of 2026—read more here. **
Dish to order: spatchcock poussin with palm butter
Chef-owner Maria Bradford brings a confident, contemporary lens to Sierra Leonean cooking, shaped by her childhood in Freetown and formal training at Leith’s. In doing so, she places Sierra Leone firmly and proudly on the culinary map of Sevenoaks, a Kent commuter town not usually associated with West African food. Tucked behind a courtyard terrace and a sweeping maple tree, the restaurant feels like a destination in miniature. Interiors by 20.20 draw on materials from Dar Leone, the design studio of Sierra Leonean-American artist Isatu Funna, to root the space in a strong sense of place. Multicoloured kpokpo fabrics, tropical botanical prints, and a palette of terracotta, mustard and orange-red lend warmth and character across two calm, well-proportioned floors.
Bradford’s food carries the same clarity of purpose and is considered. Bar snacks range from crisp yam croquettes with pancetta and leek to richly savory lamb belly with shito and red palm oil. Small plates include flame-grilled octopus with smoky kankankan, while sharers lean generous and comforting, from beef short rib in coconut and groundnut sauce to the show-stopping peppery spatchcock poussin with palm butter. Choice paralysis? Try the £60 chef’s selection, which gives diners an easy route through the menu, with thoughtful vegan and wine-paired options. —Angela Hui
Address: Shwen Shwen, 1-2 Well Court, Bank Street, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 1UN
Price: ££
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Singburi
Shoreditch, London
Dish to order: tiger prawn curry
The original Singburi was quite possibly the most influential London restaurant that hardly any food critics managed to eat at. ‘All’ the way up in Leytonestone, it opened in 1999 in a former chippie—a mom-and-pop outfit run by Tony and Thelma Kularbwong that plated up authentic Thai dishes on plain wooden tables and won a loyal local following. Right next to Shoreditch High Street station, Singburi 2.0 is a far shinier, more polished affair—and while it may have jettisoned the rootsy charm of the original, it has gained a new level of theatrical excitement thanks to the long counter for ringside views of the smoking grill and traditional clay pot cooking. It’s now steered by son Siri, working with Nick Molyviaitas (former head chef at Kiln) and Alex Gkikas (owner of Catalyst café), who have added low-intervention wines and creative cocktails to the mix (the pineapple daiquiri is recommended to temper the chili heat). But these are still authentic family recipes cooked with passion and plated up without too much finesse on pink formica plates. A fiery raw beef larb, with cabbage leaves and cooling cucumber; chicken thighs marinaded in ginger then seared on the grill, and a tiger prawn curry, the shellfish still on the shell but easily parted. Singburi is all grown up, but still down to earth. —Rick Jordan
Address: Singburi, Unit 7, Montacute Yards, 185-186 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6HU
Price: ££
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Vinette
New Town, Edinburgh
Dish to order: Vignette burger with bacon jam and Mornay sauce
Despite having owned and run successful restaurants in Edinburgh for over a decade, Stuart Ralston seems to have accelerated rapidly over the past three years. This sharp upward curve has earmarked him as somewhat unstoppable, with everything he touches seeming to turn to gold. The shift followed the opening of his flagship venture, Lyla, which felt like the expression of a lifetime’s work, and its success seems to have renewed his sense of confidence in his group’s overall direction. He and business partner Jade Johnston have a knack for spotting gaps in the city’s food scene, managing to plug them with brands that soar from the off. Vinette is no different to Noto, Tipo or Lyla, its sister sites, in terms of its cool curb appeal. The plaster-washed, low-lit dining room feels very of the moment, and the contemporary French-leaning menu brought to life with Scottish ingredients is unlike anything else you’ll find in the city. It’s a bold brasserie-style offering that’s grounded in great hospitality and slick service. Here, classics are given the clout they so deserve, with velvety chicken liver, foie gras parfait, and steak tartare sitting proudly on the starter section, and the mains include a quiche, a pork collar, and a now-famous burger. The latter is the restaurant’s surprising showpiece, with a squashy brioche bun, a sweet bacon jam, and the standard hum of cheese, delivered via an unexpected (but very welcome) rich Mornay sauce. Drinks are taken as seriously as the food here, so look to the team to stir you up a classic cocktail, pick you out a stellar bottle, or guide you toward some very good softs. Rosie Conroy
Address: Vinette, 36 Broughton Street, Edinburgh EH1 3SB
Price: £££
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Vraic
Guernsey, Channel Islands
Dish to order: the highlight of the 12-course is the seaweed broth
Naming a restaurant after a single ingredient is nothing short of a bold move. But it’s a jump that chef Nathan Davies took with both feet with Vraic in an unforgettable setting on the salt-licked shores of Chouet Bay, on the Isle of Guernsey. It’s been one of the most anticipated openings of the year, following his hugely successful Michelin-starred SY23 restaurant and as former head chef of three-Michelin-star Ynshir, both in his native west Wales.
Vraic is the Guernésiais word for seaweed, which is harvested just 100 yards from the door. It appears not as garnish but as the backbone of the menu: shaken into mineral martinis; folded through an umami-rich rock pool-inspired broth steeped with dulse, bladderwrack, spirulina and kombu (and more), each softened with soy pickle. Dried, it lends a savory punch to the lobster bao snack—a little lobster-stuffed you’ll wish came by the dozen. Davies doubles down on hyper-local sourcing, as his aim is for diners to leave feeling as if they've eaten at a very specific spot, and he weaves in the rest of the island’s bounty from its rich and creamy dairy, just-landed seafood and lamb from neighboring Sark. It’s no surprise it’s quickly earned its place in the Michelin guide just months after opening. —Emma Henderson
Address: Mont Cuet Road, Vale, Isle of Guernsey GY3 5AT
Price: ££££
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Winsome
City Centre, Manchester
Dish to order: Mrs Kirkham’s deep-fried Lancashire Cheese Curds
We’re not short of ostentatious, imaginative restaurants dreamt up to inspire awe and escapism – yet, there’s always something uniquely captivating about a simply decorated, white-washed space. Not to be confused with plain or boring, these are destinations carefully crafted without frills and distractions, where, crucially, the food has nowhere to hide. First harnessed by Fergus Henderson and Trevor Gulliver at St. John Smithfield more than 31 years ago, it remains a brave, bold statement—and it’s one that chef Shaun Moffat isn’t afraid to make at Winsome on the edge of Manchester’s Gay Village.
If this makes the restaurant sound cold or austere, the reality is anything but. An ode to elegantly executed British fare and the north’s trademark brand of warm, generous hospitality, Winsome is all romance. And like all great encounters that sweep you off your feet, the menu deals in pleasure, not pomp. Concocted with seasonal ingredients plucked from across the British Isles, the menu changes with the seasons, yet steaming suet-crust pies, oysters casino, and juicy Middlewhite pork chops promise the utmost indulgence regularly. Nostalgia beckons with delightfully moppable (savory) pease pudding and contemporary twists on the classic Bakewell tart, while former Schofield’s bartender, Tom Fastiggi, steers the drinks list from textbook martinis and French 75s to clever, booze-free concoctions such as a buckwheat cream soda. In short? There’s little—if anything at all—not to love. Well, besides the fact that they will notice if one of their kitsch, cow-shaped gravy boats falls into your handbag… —Jo Taylor
Address: Winsome, 74 Princess Street, Manchester M1 6JD
Price: £££
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A version of this story originally appeared on Condé Nast Traveller UK.