New UK restaurants 2024

For a rejuvenating overnight stay, discover the best UK spa hotels for food lovers, then find out the best female-owned restaurants in the U.K. For a more casual affair, find out our favourite informal dining spots.

New UK restaurants in 2024

Starling, Esher, Surrey

If you follow Tom Kerridge on TV, podcasts and Instagram you’ll be familiar with Nick Beardshaw who worked alongside him for years. Now @beardymanchef has gone it alone in this new neighbourhood bistro where elevated comfort food favourites include truffle cheese crumpets; honey-glazed chicken nugget with house hot sauce; pork loin with gherkin gravy; along with his winning, Banksy-inspired Balloon Girl dessert. A concise wine list, half of which is available by the glass, includes a Sussex sparkler. Bag one of four seats at the counter to chat with chefs as they cook for you. starlingbistro.co.uk

Mýse, Hovingham, North Yorkshire

Pronounced ‘meeze’ and named after the Anglo-Saxon word for ‘eating at the table’, this Michelin-starred, rural gem is a harmonious blend of heritage and modern. Chef Josh Overington claims to make “elevated granny food” which, frankly, does a disservice to his intelligent, technique-heavy approach. The tasting menu is served dinner party style in a bright, minimalist dining room with botanical finishes. There are 16 covers and dishes are brought to tables in unison by the calm, methodical kitchen team. There’s an emphasis on pickles, preserves and ferments, as well as traditional methods and a razor-sharp focus on provenance. There are memorable, talking-point dishes at every turn, including scallop in sea urchin butter and colostrum curd tart. This is cerebral, exacting, original cooking, demonstrating such ingenuity as jerusalem artichoke ice cream with crispy skins and birch syrup tapped from local trees – presented in a birchwood bowl hand-carved by the chef. The attention to detail is mirrored in the wine pairings, curated by sommelier Victoria Overington in collaboration with Noble Rot. One of the pairings is a cider pressed nearby into only 48 bottles. The team are warm, knowledgeable and personable, without being overly formal.

After enjoying 15 remarkable dishes, guests can drift a short distance to rooms above the restaurant, or through the village to the newly refurbished Mýse cottage. The accommodation is airy but cosy and full of natural materials – sensitively modernised old Yorkshire. The breakfast is a masterstroke. It’s presented elegantly on the table in delicate elements – pâté and potted fish, home-cured charcuterie, barley porridge and a Burford Brown boiled to serve. There’s a touch of magic about Mýse and, true to Josh’s mission, this is food you won’t find anywhere else. restaurantmyse.co.uk

Native, Worcestershire

Rustic charm meets modern refinement at Native, housed in an airy Crittall-glazed barn conversion on the Netherwood estate in Worcestershire. The kitchen gardens and surrounding hillsides provide a bounty of ingredients for chef Ivan Tisdall-Downes who puts sustainability at the heart of his menu. After driving by cornfields to arrive at your destination, the grilled corn is a fitting celebration of the crop; a whipped savoury custard with mellow sweetness that melds into the silkiness of confit egg yolk, capped with a delicate corn mash crisp. This features on the full 10-course tasting menu (£105pp), which opens with ‘A Taste From the Garden’; on this occasion, preserved tomatoes in barely-there pastry tartlets and char siu pork in a lip-licking damson glaze. Chinese, Japanese and Mexican influences abound. Chalk stream trout is served in a potent bisque made with crayfish shells and yuzu kosho, while the braised pork is frankly outshone by the accompanying tomatillo and anise-scented marigold. The clever use of unusual seasonings, herbs and edible flowers extends to dessert with geranium jelly providing a brilliant contrast to syrupy petals of pink apple. If you have room for the fudgy white chocolate and bone-marrow caramel (served Flintstones-style, in a bone), it’s available at a supplement, but be warned: it’s not for the fainthearted. nativerestaurant.co.uk

Hansom, Bedale, North Yorkshire

Talented young chef and Great British Chefs alumnus Ruth Hansom worked her way up through some of London’s top kitchens, including a five-year stint at The Ritz. She’s now relocated to her native north-east and opened her eponymous debut restaurant in the North Yorkshire village of Bedale. The focus is small plates, Sunday lunch and tasting menus, all made using hyper-seasonal ingredients and a produce-led approach. Local suppliers like Spilmans and Longley Farm are namechecked on menus, while ingredients are sourced from across Yorkshire – the October seasonal tasting menu featured Whitby crab and Swaledale mallard. The simply named dishes on the tasting menu play down the complex cookery. There are touches of flamboyance, like ravioli served in a huge crab shell, and dishes like savoury mushroom custard have a slight eccentricity. Savoury bread and butter pudding, cut through with sour wensleydale and sharp apple, is a playful opening dish. There are inventive pairings, surprising servings and unusual ingredients like woodruff, a plant that has cinnamon and vanilla notes, but the common theme is letting the ingredients do the talking. It’s an intelligent and precocious first solo venture worth making the journey for. hansomrestaurant.co.uk

TERRA at Rockliffe Hall, Darlington

Self-taught chef James Close spends any spare time he has travelling the world for food inspiration. Looking for a new challenge he joined Rockliffe Hall as culinary director and opened pop-up Terra, while the hotel builds a new restaurant space. Although billed as a modern bistro, the level of skill and detail in dishes such as prawn and crab toast; burnt lime hamachi ceviche; wagyu tournedos rossini speak to his Michelin star background (two stars at his previous home The Raby Hunt) while gratinated gnocchi and tropical baked alaska hit the comfort food bullseye. The pop-up runs until the end of the year with the new space opening in 2025. rockliffehall.com

Horrell & Horrell, Somerset

olive favourite Horrell & Horrell throws Friday and Saturday dinners for up to 40 guests at its Sparkford smallholding. Now guests are invited for Sunday lunch, served in a converted barn on one long communal table, beautifully adorned with cosy blankets, sheepskins and candles. Lunch kicks off with a bloody mary piled with homegrown veg. Meat, including rump of beef cooked in the brick oven, cheese and dairy are from H&H’s network of local, sustainability conscious suppliers. horrellandhorrell.co.uk

Dongnae, Bristol

Meaning ‘neighbourhood’ in Korean, Kyu Jeong Jeon and Duncan Robertson’s new venture offers elevated Korean cooking in a variety of menus. The £24 set lunch includes rice, soup, sides and kimchi and at the other end of the scale, Hanjungshik (£55) features chef-selected dishes such as beef tartare, wild mushroom dolsotbap, whelk and perilla muchim, or grilled pork jowl with house-made condiments like fresh wasabi, and fermented clam. Korean fermentation and BBQ techniques underpin all menus. As with sister restaurant Bokman, the drinks list majors on low-intervention wines. Sit at the counter overlooking the kitchen or at the large bay windows, which flood the restaurant with light. dongnae.co.uk

Medlock Canteen, Manchester

Described as a democratic, all-day cross between an American diner and a Parisian bistro, Medlock Canteen is the latest North-west venue from chef Sam Grainger and his fellow co-owners of Liverpool’s Belzan and Mexican restaurant Madre, the latter a collaboration with the founders of Breddos Tacos. Located on Deansgate Square, to the south of Manchester city centre, Medlock Canteen opens at 8am, serving eggs royale or confit duck hash. Evening starters include Alpine cheddar and black truffle croquettes or a roast chicken caesar salad. Mains range from rotisserie lamb to cod with smoked oysters and ajo blanco. medlockcanteen.com

OSIP, Bruton

In a new location, this tiny farm-to-table restaurant showcasing hyper-local producers is a community affair. Two nearby farms and an orchard grow the majority of Osip’s ingredients, others provide surplus fruit and foraged ingredients. There is no formal menu – what’s served depends on what’s available and good each day, starting with snacks and raw or preserved vegetables, breads and broth, then series of larger plates – examples might be scallop with roe satay sauce and thai basil; and spider crab with courgette, gooseberry and meadowsweet – and desserts. osiprestaurant.com

Elements, Bearsden

Scottish ingredients, some foraged from Loch Lomond, feature in chef Gary Townsend’s new Glasgow venture, along with more global influences. Its dark wood and navy décor creates a warm vibe, a welcoming backdrop to dishes like North Sea cod loin poached in butter and served with cockles, cod dumpling buttermilk and miso; Scottish lamb saddle featuring shoulder, sweetbread, BBQ Gem lettuce, smoked aubergine and chimichurri; and Amalfi lemon and yuzu with Perthshire strawberries, preserved elderflower and basil. elementsgla.com

The Counter, Tunbridge Wells

The Counter is the debut restaurant of chef Robin Read, who's previously worked with the Roux brothers and at the Firmdale Hotels group. Choose from a five-, eight- or 10-course tasting menu (starting at a reasonable £60 for the five-course option). The 10-course menu is served exclusively at the counter itself, overlooking the kitchen, so you can watch Robin and his small team of chefs at work. Go for the three or five wine pairing option to try well-chosen glasses alongside the meal.

The menus change each month, championing local and seasonal produce and supporting independent producers. Sustainability is front of mind, and every part of an ingredient is used. This is demonstrated by the malt sourdough, served with 'waste' vegetable broth – a deeply flavoured broth made using the trimmings from other courses. The focus is on classic cookery, shining a spotlight on British ingredients with elegant techniques. Other highlights on our midsummer visit included delicate wild line-caught seabass with a courgette purée, and a 'strawberries and cream' dessert with compressed strawberries, sorbet, frangipane and crème diplomat. Save room for the fun 'Sweet Treat Tower' of chocolates and pâte de fruit to finish the meal. Service is impeccably knowledgeable and friendly throughout, and the small, welcoming dining room is sure to become a new neighbourhood gem. thecountertw.com

Cardinal, Edinburgh

Chef Tomás Gormley has accumulated experience at some of the Scottish capital’s finest restaurants (Michelin- starred Heron and Skua) to launch his first solo venture. The 13-course tasting menu showcases Scottish produce, focusing on fermentation (think ibérico pork cheek with fermented girolles and hen-of- the-woods) and cooking on the wood-fired BBQ (such as smoked Belhaven lobster with pink fir potatoes and chives). cardinal.scot

The Blue Pelican, Deal

The team behind boutique hotel and restaurant The Rose has converted a townhouse into a Japanese-inspired restaurant and natural wine bar. Chef Luke Green met his wife, Miaki, in Tokyo, and the couple have been living in Deal since 2019. The sea provides fish for dishes such as dry-aged sea bass, line-caught mackerel sushi and grilled john dory with leeks and white miso. thebluepelican.co.uk

Rind, North Yorkshire

London’s The Cheese Bar swaps the big city for the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales. Primely positioned with a view of Ingleborough mountain and next to one of the best cheese shops in the country, The Courtyard Dairy, the restaurant integrates the finest artisan cheeses into its menu of wood-fired pizzas, British cheeseboards and matching wines. thecheesebar.com/rind

York Minster Refectory, York

Best known for his Michelin-starred Yorkshire pub The Star Inn at Harome, chef Andrew Pern also operates two York restaurants: The Star Inn the City on the River Ouse, and York Minster Refectory. Opened this summer in a Grade II listed former school neighbouring the Minster, Refectory sees Andrew and executive chef Joshua Brimmell exploring their love of classically influenced, modern British cookery. Dishes might include beetroot-cured monkfish with shaved fennel, lovage and sherry vinegar; Yorkshire game haslet with duck fat parkin; or roast butternut squash and sage pithivier. yorkminsterrefectory.co.uk

Madre, Manchester

A collaborative homage to Mexico, Madre opened in Liverpool in 2019, where its Albert Dock site includes a large summer terrace with DJs. In June, a second Madre opened in Manchester at canalside development, Kampus. Created by chefs Nud Dudhia and Sam Grainger, the Manchester site’s evolving menu has retained Madre’s trademark tacos and snacks, including sweetcorn with chipotle mayo and queso fresco, while expanding to include ceviche, oysters and wood-fired grill dishes, such as Sinaloan-style prawns, adobo mayo and salsa diablo, or beef wing rib, grilled jalapeños, masa onion rings and potatoes. thisismadre.co.uk

Embers, Brighton

Tucked away deep within the maze-like Lanes, this joint venture from two well established Brighton chefs, Isaac Bartlett-Copeland (Isaac At) and Dave Marrow (Terre à Terre), sees the pair cooking every dish on the menu on a Medieval-style fire cage over kiln-dried ash and birch wood. The vibe in this intimate venue is buzzy and informal, the interiors themed around charcoal walls, grey rock plates and smoke-effect cutlery, and quirky features including wall-mounted charred cross sections of tree trunk, stacks of firewood and a long industrial-style banquette backed with gridiron. A gentle smokiness fills the air, and diners have the option to eat at the kitchen counter overlooking all the open-fire theatrics. The seasonal menu is primarily made up of smaller sharing plates plus larger centrepiece dishes (with the likes of aged pork tomahawk). Once you’ve ordered, the dishes arrive at breakneck speed, and standouts included soused mackerel with little cubes of sharp Bramley apple, earthy beetroot sauerkraut and thick dollops of labneh; beautifully charred, tender chicken leg with smoky ’nduja-infused aioli; and flaky, scorched sea bream matched with sweet smacked cucumber and nutty, chewy grains. The cocktails are good, too – we enjoyed the smooth, refreshing lychee martini – and save space for a gorgeously creamy retro banana split with toffee sauce and fragrant rosemary and parsnip ice cream. embersbrighton.co.uk

Higher Ground, Manchester

Created by the team behind acclaimed natural wine bar, Flawd, Higher Ground restaurant is a bigger showcase for chef Joseph Otway’s creative use of British, seasonal, sustainable produce. Opened in February at Faulkner House, this hip restaurant is buying in whole animals from small rare-breed producers and using flavour-forward local, heritage ingredients, many from its Nantwich partner farm, Cinderwood Market Garden. Expect to see this superlative produce deployed in dishes such as home-smoked beetroot and brill roe, salt-baked celeriac, bay leaf and preserved blueberries, bonein pork chop with nasturtium dressing, or burnt Manchester honey tart. highergroundmcr.co.uk

Fort Road, Margate

One of Margate’s iconic seafront buildings restored to its former life as a hotel. The cosy ground- floor restaurant serves Kentish wine, local gin and the likes of silky trout lifted with Hinxden Farm Dairy crème fraîche and crostini topped with creamy cannellini beans, and pork sautéed in parsley mustard sauce. Breakfast is a real treat, too. fortroadhotel.com

Climat, Manchester

Manchester’s Climat, the second venue from Chester’s Covino team, is a wine-led rooftop restaurant, where the 300-bottle list ranges from classic grand crus (in Burgundy, a climat is a unique, prized vineyard plot), to hip orange, pét-nat or small-producer wines from less-celebrated areas. Executive chef Luke Richardson’s love of the new wave of informal, internationalist Parisian bistros informs Climat’s menu, created with head chef Simon Ulph. Signature vol-au-vents sit alongside sharing plates of, for example, sardines, salsa verde, lemon and pine nuts; tandoori quail, chilli carrot salad and lime pickle; or duck with clementine and radicchio. restaurantclimat.co.uk

The White Horse, Cheshire

The seventh opening from Gary Usher’s Elite Bistros is a first for the acclaimed north-west restaurant group: a village pub. Suitably for a building at the heart of the local community, Churton’s White Horse reopened amid much public goodwill. A crowdfunding campaign, mainly based around pre-selling meals at Elite Bistros restaurants, smashed its target, hitting £223,748 in 24 hours. Chef Josh Robbins’ menu mixes modish influences (buttermilk fried chicken, a salt ’n’ pepper-style crispy seitan salad) with more trad pub dishes such as curried lamb pie, an 18oz dry-aged sharing steak and Elite Bistros’ legendary truffled parmesan chips. thewhitehorsechurton.co.uk

Exhibition, Manchester

Exhibition is a novel concept: a restaurant where you can order simultaneously from three independent kitchens. These include the acclaimed Basque-inspired Baratxuri, Scandi-influenced OSMA and, at the time of writing, Osmatxuri – a collab in the former Sao Paulo Bistro kitchen, ahead of a new operator taking that space. Snack informally on pintxos and plates of crispy chicken thigh with teriyaki mayo or smoked cod’s roe, or go big with baked lobster in herb butter or Baratxuri’s sharing txuleton steak of Galician ex-dairy beef. The open-plan space includes a large bar, with DJs until 1am at the weekend. exhibitionmcr.co.uk

Furna, Brighton

Furna is chef Dave Mothersill’s first solo venture, having earned his chops on the Brighton scene at the likes of perennial favourites The Salt Room and The Gingerman. The understated venue, opposite the Pavilion, features leather banquettes, elegant small dining tables and a counter at close quarters to the open kitchen where guest can dine while watching the chefs at work.

On offer is a regularly changing menu of small sharing plates. Dishes are bold and the flavour combinations unusual, but the results are spectacular – standouts included a honey and thyme Parker House roll with umami-rich roasted yeast butter and creamy smoked cod’s roe with a slick of grassy parsley oil to slather over; buttery soft milk-brined veal sweetbread with a crunchy roasted rice coating, subtly sweet Delica pumpkin and a meaty chicken reduction; and an al dente mushroom pappardelle ripiene singing with intense black garlic and tangy aged parmesan.

The paired wines are just as audacious as the food – including intriguing bottles from Greece, Japan and the South Downs. Inventive cocktails are worth exploring, too, each focussed on a single ingredient, such as tangy, smoky stem ginger and an earthy beetroot number with a welcome boozy kick. furnarestaurant.co.uk

Tutto, Brighton

The Black Rock Group has a sound reputation in Brighton, with its roster of restaurants, including The Salt Room, Burnt Orange and The Coal Shed, already firm favourites with local diners. Tutto is the latest offering, an Italian restaurant set in a former banking hall on the outskirts of the North Laine.

The high-ceilinged interior, with its grand arched windows overlooking a small alfresco seating area out front, has stylish art deco touches and large, colourful, graphic art adorning the walls. The vibe around the small bistro-style tables is intimate and relaxed, with low lighting and mellow background music.

The menu follows the classic Italian format of cicchetti, antipasti, primi and secondi, and there’s also a set menu if you’d prefer to delegate your choices. Opening options include buttery bone marrow with parmesan and gremolata on crisp toasts, and long-stemmed broccoli fritto with ‘nduja aïoli. The standout dish is the tagliatelle cacio e pepe with black truffle, the pasta cooked perilously close but just the right side of al dente, and the irresistibly silky sauce suffused with a perfectly judged hit of pepper. The roasted sea bass in an autumnal wild mushroom, shallot and confit garlic sauce was also excellent, the fish beautifully succulent, complemented nicely with a side of chilli-spiked brassicas.

The drinks menu is almost exclusively Italian, featuring red and white wines grouped by region, the common characteristics of each area helpfully explained. The cocktails remain faithful to the country, too, with four varieties of negroni on offer, and a stunning slushie-like sgroppino our favourite on the night. tutto-restaurant.co.uk

Sète, Margate

The duo behind cult spot Barletta has opened a cosy wine bar in seaside town Margate. Taking inspiration from French neighbourhood tabacs, sharing snacks include pâté en croute with pickled gherkins, potted smoked prawns and French onion tart. The eclectic, revolving wine list puts the spotlight on female winemakers, Eastern European vineyards and Kentish growers. setemargate.com

Boys Hall, Ashford

Boys Hall near Ashford, Kent, is a pub and restaurant with rooms in a beautifully converted 17th-century house. There is an ambitious menu overseen by MasterChef: The Professionals’ Robbie Lorraine featuring lobster doughnuts, house-cured salmon with balsamic pearls, Marmite-glazed celeriac steak, and local wines including a decent fizz by Simpsons. Lunch at £25 for two courses is a good deal. boys-hall.com

Catch at the Old Fish Market, Weymouth

Upstairs at the Old Fish Market, Catch has a vaulted timber roof and harbour views. The menu is crafted around the fish landed just outside the restaurant. 'Local' and 'sustainable' are top of mind for the rest of the menu too, with meat and game from the Dorset countryside and tomatoes from the Isle of Wight. You can also enjoy a mix of celebrated and lesser-known wines from Dorset, Hampshire and further afield.

The simplicity of the restaurant's interior is echoed in the menu, with just a handful of dishes to choose from for each course. This translates to elegant plating – it's no surprise that executive chef Mike Naidoo has names like Pollen St Social on his CV. As you’d expect with a sustainability-focused menu, it changes daily. We devoured a starter of crab with crab toastie and lobster agnolotti. Cod with wild garlic, cauliflower and cockles was delicate and delicious. We also took the waiter’s suggestion of crab potatoes to share – a bowl of crushed new potatoes mixed with crabmeat hidden under crab bisque. The tarte tatin was a well-executed finish. The restaurant was busy when we visited on in March, so book early in summer when crowds descend. catchattheoldfishmarket.com

Dulse, Edinburgh

Chef Dean Banks puts the spotlight on Scottish seafood at his first-floor neighbourhood restaurant in Edinburgh’s West End. International twists liven up the fish that’s straight off the boats, including lobster crumpet with yuzu brown butter, seared hake with kimchi hollandaise and baked North Sea cod in Goan curry. The wine and cocktail bar downstairs is great for a pre-dinner aperitif, such as the signature pepper dulse and Lunun Gin martini. dulse.co.uk

Yellowhammer, Stockport

Where the Light Gets In chef Sam Buckley is joining forces with sourdough baker Rosie Wilkes and potter Joe Hartley to open a bakery, deli and pottery in Stockport in early 2022. There will be freshly-baked loaves, swirly buns, sweet bakes and sandwiches during the day, with sourdough pizza and natural wine events on select evenings. instagram.com/yellowhammer_stockport

2021's best UK restaurant openings

Pine, Northumberland

Cal Byerley (ex Forest Side, Rogan & Co and Jesmond Dene House) and his partner Sîan Buchan have created a unique ode to their home county at Vallum Farm. The converted cow barn boasts views over Northumberland landscapes, from which many ingredients for the tasting menu and afternoon tea are plucked. Dry-aged carrots and lovage dress Berwick Edge cheese, and artichoke and blackened pear rotate seasonally beside langoustine. restaurantpine.co.uk

Linden Stores, Cheshire

Wine expert Laura Christie (co-founder of Oklava) and husband Chris Boustead have reopened their Islington wine bar and bistro in the canalside village of Audlem. Scarborough-born chef Chris takes inspiration from hearty Yorkshire cooking to create seasonal twists such as bubble and squeak croquettes with Bovril mayo, braised short rib with celeriac purée and Yorkshire parkin. Laura has curated a list of unique, great-value wines to drink on site or at home. lindenstores.co.uk

The Palmerston, Edinburgh

Bakery and coffee shop by day, cosy neighbourhood restaurant by night

The Palmerston inhabits a former bank in Edinburgh’s West End, a history that is reflected in the room’s grand dimensions, although dark green painted walls, warm wooden floors and tables and paintings by local artists give the space a more casual neighbourhood bistro vibe. Owners James Snowdon and Lloyd Morse keep things ticking from 9am with a morning menu of fresh pastries and coffee but come lunch and dinnertime it moves into more serious cooking territory. The concise menu changes daily depending on what’s available from local suppliers and cooking is confident and hearty with a focus on nose-to-tail eating. A generous slab of Mangalitsa and rabbit terrine is dense, peppery, porky and mildly gamey served with cornichons and warm grilled sourdough. Courgette salad comes with a piquant lemony, herby dressing and little bursts of crunch and creaminess from toasted walnuts and goat’s curd. Fish cooking is on point – a perfectly pan-fried chunk of monkfish is served on a bed of pretty rainbow chard and charlotte potatotoes, then topped with a salty, umami black olive dressing. We manage to fit in a slice of Victoria plum and hazelnut tart at the insistence of our server and it’s a delight – crisp pastry, dense warm frangipane and sweet plums – a memorable end to a faultless meal. thepalmerstonedinburgh.co.uk

Lilac, Lyme Regis, Dorset

Harriet Mansell’s restaurant and wine bar is a thing of local and seasonal beauty

Lilac breathes new life into a 400-year-old cellar, with flagged floors and exposed stone walls complemented by muted colours and simple furnishings.

The menu is a neat offering of small plates with a focus on vegetables and sustainability. Wine and food are on equal footing – pick from the artful and delicious small plates, like fennel seed focaccia with carrot top pesto, pickles, green tahini and dukkah, or a cheese plate, while you navigate the wine list. Choose sparkling, white or red on tap, or delve into the extensive list of low-intervention wines. We had a glass of the local Langham Zig Zag – crisp, refreshing, everything we wanted – and the soft option, a seasonal fruit spritz made with local berries and a delicate touch of rosemary.

The menu changes daily depending on seasonality, with meticulous cooking bringing out the flavours of carefully sourced ingredients. Heritage beetroot is served with a cream of its own leaves and pangrattato, and griddled flat beans come with smoked anchovies and local goat's cheese. Pork belly with slaw and zingy rhubarb ketchup was the only meat on offer on our visit, but with vegetable brilliance in the form of moreish stilton & ricotta-stuffed courgette flowers with honey and hazelnuts, you won’t miss it. lilacwine.co.uk

Holm, Somerset

The team behind London’s trio of neighbourhood bistros, Salon, Levan and Larry’s, has taken its sustainable forward empire rural, to a former bank in South Petherton. Chef Nicholas Balfe has relocated to run the restaurant, which offers counter dining at the open kitchen and an outdoor grill beside the kitchen garden. Look out for Somerset ex-dairy beef tartare, grilled celeriac with broccoli tops and seaweed béarnaise, and caramelised apple crumble. holmsomerset.co.uk

Heron, Leith, Edinburgh

Stylish shorefront restaurant with local ingredient focus

This anticipated new opening from Tomas Gormley and Sam Yorke comes after their successful Bad Seeds fine dining at home pop-up during lockdown. The room is calm and airy with double-height ceilings, white wood panelled walls and clean contemporary lines. The large windows look out on to Leith Shore where, if you’re lucky, you might see the feathered visitor the restaurant was named after. There are two menus available at lunch, the à la carte and a two- or three-course set menu (which we were advised was a lighter option). The cooking is delicate, precise and visually stunning with a real respect for the carefully sourced local ingredients. A starter of lobster claw comes on a buttery crushed potato terrine tower with a rich tomato and saffron sauce poured tableside for drama. Creamy cod brandade is served in a bowl studded with plump mussels and clams, and bursts of salty samphire and a chunk of focaccia alongside for dipping. Mains include perfectly pink lamb loin with piperade and a vivid green salsa verde, and a chunk of pearly flaked pan-fried cod with tiny cubed potatoes and sea vegetables in a creamy sauce split with fig oil. Service is friendly, warm and attentive, and there’s a lovely pace to the dishes coming out. A perfect place to while away a leisurely afternoon. heron.scot

The Old Pharmacy, Bruton

Head to Merlin Labron-Johnson’s low-food mileage restaurant in an old ironmongers shop in rural Somerset, and bookend your lunch at the chef’s newly-opened, all-day wine bar and épicerie, The Old Pharmacy. Merlin grows produce on his own veg plot Dreamers Farm, which/that customers will have the opportunity to enjoy in pretty small plates and toasties or to take home, along with treats such as Tamworth charcuterie and Osip’s home-fermented cider. oldpharmacybruton.com

Burnt Orange, Brighton

Brighton’s hip hang-out for cocktails and sharing plates

Burnt Orange is a restaurant and cocktail bar from the team behind popular Brighton foodie haunts The Salt Room and The Coal Shed. Dubbed as a hip new hang-out for adults, it has a buzzy, bar-like atmosphere and extensive cocktail list - we loved the zingy, grapefruit-based Dizzy Berry, but those who like a harder drink will enjoy the Burnt Orange martini. Designed to be shared, the food focusses on seasonal ingredients, mostly cooked over fire. Start with hot, pillowy, wood-fired flatbread slathered in sesame brown butter, and cumin-heavy hummus with crunchy hazelnuts for dunking. Dishes change with the seasons but expect starters such as hot polenta chips topped with tartare-style raw beef with gherkins and a hint of truffle, finished with grated sheep’s cheese, and perfectly salted, spiced calamari with silky, preserved lemon aïoli. Larger dishes include meltingly soft miso aubergine with soured cream, crispy onions and refreshing pops of pomegranate; tender Galician octopus swimming in a rich, spicy harissa butter sauce with roasted peppers and potatoes; and giant, juicy prawns with punchy zhoug dressing. Extra hungry? Order a side of the crispy, skillet-baked potatoes coated in a garlic and herb cream and topped with cheese - you won’t regret it. Burnt-orange.co.uk

Pensons, Herefordshire

Michelin-starred restaurant, Pensons, nestled in Netherwood Estate on the Herefordshire/Worcestershire border, has added two rooms to its courtyard garden, available to book as part of a dinner, bed and breakfast package. Head chef Chris Simpson farms, forages and grows his own ingredients on the estate to create a seasonal, five-course tasting menu that includes dishes such as cured salmon with sorrel sauce, lamb and Little Gem, and plaice with crab butter sauce. pensons.co.uk

Reviews by Alex Crossley, Georgina Kiely, Anna Lawson, Dominic Martin, Ben Curtis

Photography Credits: Stephen Lister (Cardinal)