Cornwall
Chosen by Jack Stein, chef-director of the Rick Stein group
Gypsy Kitchen, Baby Bay, New Polzeath (pictured above)
This is a van on the beach, so it has the best views of the sea. It’s street food done really well by really good chefs.
The Rocket Store, Boscastle
Boscastle is a beautiful town to visit, and this little place with a small bar is a bit like a San Sebastián pintxos joint. Amazing seafood – scallops on the half-shell cooked over fire.
The Gurnard’s Head, Zennor
There are great walks around this pub near St Ives. It sometimes has folk music, the brilliant food always delivers, and the atmosphere is so special, I always think I’d like to stay: it has rooms.
The Hidden Hut and The Standard Inn, Portscatho
The Hidden Hut is fantastic and a must-visit down that way, and now its chef-owner, Simon Stallard, has opened the Standard Inn. This place is a class act, and a bunch of chefs I know say the Sunday roast served there is the best in the county, so I’ll be heading back there for that soon.
Crocadon Farm, Saltash
This is Dan Cox’s place, somewhere he’s been wanting to open for years. It’s a fine-dining restaurant but, because the pandemic happened when he wanted to open, he actually became a farmer as well as a chef. What he’s done with the farm is amazing, and his food is stunning.
Hub Box, various
It has sites all over, but it started in Cornwall. It’s kind of dude food – burgers, fried chicken, hotdogs – done very well. The beers are good, ingredients are sourced well, it’s affordable – I really recommend it for families.
Kelly’s ice-cream vans, various
I’ll stop for any Kelly’s van; they are so cool and traditional. I’m a vanilla and Flake man.
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Devon & Dorset
Chosen by Merlin Labron-Johnson, chef-owner, Osip and The Old Pharmacy, both Bruton
The Bull Inn, Totnes
A great pub with accommodation, owned by Geetie Singh-Watson, that does very good, organic, modern European food that sits comfortably in a lovely atmosphere – and it’s reasonably priced.
The Seahorse, Dartmouth
There are some fantastic foodie places on the south coast, including Dartmouth, which has a beautiful seafront. This is a real holiday restaurant; really good, simply cooked seafood. It looks a little fancy, like an elegant trattoria, but the food is beautifully rustic – think fish cooked on a wood fire.
Hive Beach Cafe, Burton Bradstock, nr Bridport
Bridport has a lot of beautiful beaches nearby with nice restaurants. The Seaside Boarding House is elegant, and below it on the beach is this beautiful little cafe. You can eat in, or sit on the sand with good fish and chips or crab sandwiches.
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Yorkshire
Chosen by Tommy Banks, chef-owner, Roots, York, The Black Swan, Oldstead, and The Abbey Inn, Byland
Bantam, Helmsley
It’s fantastic here – it feels like a place where locals go, and it’s really family friendly. Small plates, very good cooking, great sourdough, and the tart of the day is quite special.
C&S Sourdough, York
It makes incredible sandwiches. There is a beautiful walk you can do along the river that runs through York, so get a sandwich and do that. Pretty perfect in summer – and not expensive.
The Homestead Kitchen, Goathland
A beautiful farmhouse, and a good one for walkers. It’s run by a really nice couple; he is a very good chef. It’s quite relaxed, but ambitious food.
Cresci Pizzeria, York
This is a good local’s tip. It’s authentic Neapolitan pizza – some of the best you’ll get anywhere.
I’ll always make a detour for …
The Ship Inn, Low Newton, Northumberland
It’s not in Yorkshire, but this traditional pub is by a beautiful white sandy beach. There’s a little green out the front where you can have a pint and a crab sandwich, and it’s a lovely place to be.
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Kent
Chosen by Daniel Smith, head chef and co-owner of The Fordwich Arms, Fordwich, and Bridge Arms, Bridge
Hide and Fox, Hythe
This exciting little restaurant has only been open a few years but gained a Michelin star pretty quickly. It does short and long tasting menus, and the food is really elegant.
The Small Holding, Cranbrook
Will Devlin and his brother run this farm-to-table restaurant – they have an actual smallholding, and you can walk around the garden before you eat. The service is great, the food is interesting and lots of it is grown right there.
The Whitstable Oyster Company, Whitstable
We love it here, a real family favourite. One reason is because it is open on Mondays – good for chefs.
Angela’s and Dory’s, Margate
Two small restaurants owned by Rob Cooper, using local seafood. It’s all simply done but the quality is very good – super fresh. Dory’s is walk-in only.
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Cumbria & the Lake District
Chosen by Nina Matsunaga, head chef and co-owner, The Black Bull, Sedbergh
The Lingholm Kitchen, Keswick
This is in a lovely area – not too steep for walking, perhaps for a relaxing Sunday. It’s the whole package: go for a nice walk, then come here for cakes and coffee or a light lunch, then get some nice bits to take home.
The Chesters by the River, Ambleside
It has a bakery, a gallery and a vegetarian/vegan kitchen. The coffee and pastries are good, as are the lunches – flatbreads and salads. We take our kids and sit by the river.
Levens Kitchen, Kendal
We like it here because it’s open on Monday and Tuesday. It’s attached to gardens - you can pay and see the entire gardens; or go to the deer park, then pop in here and have lunch. The kitchen team is strong. There’s salads, burgers, three or four mains – flavours are good and it’s always fairly fast. In the summer months, it has a takeaway van called The Goat Shed, and sells ice-creams based on its goat’s milk. Plus, it’s easy to get to, and has a carpark with plenty of space.
The Sawmill Cafe & Farm Shop, Nether Wasdale, Seascale
Wasdale is good for walking, so this place is worth a mention for good coffee and light bites.
Harry’s Cafe, Yew Tree Barn, WRS Architectural Antiques, Grange-over-Sands
This is a cafe in an antiques place, but it now has an ex-Michelin-starred chef, and he does Sunday lunches and Friday dinners about once a month. During the day, the menu has a South African-European twist. A wander in the shop and a cafe visit is a nice option, especially when it’s raining.
The Brown Horse Inn, Winster
Solid pub food, but slightly more elevated.
Heft, High Newtown, Grange-over-Sands
This used to be a pub and on Wednesday nights it does pizzas with guest chefs. The rest of the time is its own food, which won a Michelin star this year.
Lake Road Kitchen, Ambleside
In this area, there’s not much else to do apart from walking and eating. There are a lot of Michelin-starred places – obviously L’Enclume – and eating is just what people do when they visit. Lake Road Kitchen is only open four nights a week but I think it’s one of the best places around if you want a fancy night out.
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Northern Ireland’s north coast
Chosen by Steáfan McCarry, head chef and co-owner, Lir and Native Seafood, Coleraine
Vittle Bakeshop, Portstewart
A tiny bakery where David Loughran and Sarah Dale use local produce in incredible laminated pastries and sausage rolls with their own kimchi. They make their own marshmallows for hot chocolate. When we get days off, the kids demand we go here.
Ursa Minor Bakehouse, Ballycastle
Another couple putting their heart and soul into what they do. Their sandwiches seem simple, but the quality is fantastic. Before, round here, there would have been scones the size of your fist, but they’re doing beautiful, seasonal pastries – little tartlets or paris brests – and people love it. Really special.
Maegdan, Bushmills
Originally, it was right on the Giant’s Causeway making cheese toasties in a caravan. Now it is in a shop, and it’s like our own tiny Fortnum & Mason, with nearly all Irish producers. If you’re self catering, or looking for a souvenir, it’s nice to get a cheese that’s made 30 minutes away. It is really pushing the local food scene. And it still does insane toasties.
Broughgammon Farm, Bushmills
This couple started with goat meat, and then opened a little deli with their own and other Irish products. From Friday to Sunday you can visit the cafe and deli, then wander round the farm.
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Scotland
Chosen by James Ferguson, chef and co-owner, Kinneuchar Inn, Kilconquhar
Inver, Cairndow
The views are spectacular, as are the walks around the area. Even if the food wasn’t as good as it is, it would be a great place. It uses local ingredients to excellent effect; lunch is a simple seafood menu, and dinner is a set menuIt’s very special. .
Nories, Oban
This chip shop is quite traditional, quite bare inside, but does delicious fish and chips.
The Taybank, Dunkeld Smokehouse, Dunkeld Fish Bar and Aran, all Dunkeld
There’s lots of foraging to be done around here, and it’s nice for walks. There’s a famous smokery, Dunkeld Smokehouse, for hot- and cold-smoked salmon or sea trout. Dunkeld Fish Bar is a cool little fish shop. Aran is a sweet bakery with good lunches. The Taybank is a beautiful restaurant on the river for pared-back dining with lovely local produce, and it has rooms.
The Cellar, Anstruther
Michelin-starred fine dining – Billy Boyter’s food is amazing. There’s a tasting menu and only about 16 seats, so you need to book. Also in Anstruther, David Lowrie is one of the best fish shops I’ve been to. If you’re self-catering, it’s great – it sells little deli bits too.
East Pier Smokehouse, St Monans
Simple food, done well, right on the sea. In the summer it gets packed, so be prepared to wait. You can get a half lobster and chips, a nice glass of rosé. It’s just a lovely place to be.
Cambo Gardens, Kingsbarns
There’s a great vegetarian cafe here. Sit in or out, then explore the gardens. There’s a pretty walk through the woods and a beautiful beach, so you could get some stuff here and wander down. There’s a collection of pigs – I love watching pigs.
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Norfolk
Chosen by Richard Bainbridge, chef-patron, Benedicts, Norwich
Fat Cow, Fakenham
This is a bit inland but great for Fakenham, Hunstanton, Blakeney, Wells-next-the-Sea – all the places people go on holiday. It’s a great place to go with a family. It does brilliant smash burgers – local beef, grass fed and dry aged – and soft-serve ice-cream, plus lovely local beers. What makes it special is that it’s in a wildflower meadow. It’s just the most amazing place at about four or five o’clock in the afternoon when the sun has died down a little; your children can run around, and you can sit and have a burger, then go on to wherever you’re staying. Idyllic.
Bread Source, various locations, Norwich
A bakery with a few cafe-shops, including a spot on the market. It mills its own flour and uses local grain as much as possible. The bread is phenomenal, and its sourdough is second to none, plus the doughnuts and cinnamon buns are great. I’d definitely start my day here with a coffee and pastry, and buy some of the local products it stocks to get a real taste of Norfolk.
Meadowsweet, Holt
This is somewhere you may want to plan your holiday around getting a table. It’s a tiny Michelin-starred restaurant that only does about 18 covers a night. I think that you should be able to go to a restaurant, know what county you’re in, what season you’re in, and what the chef is trying to tell you – Greg Anderson does that really well. Also in Holt is an old-fashioned department store, Bakers & Larners, and if you want to gather a load of local produce, its food hall is a great place to start.
Stubby’s Pizza, Sheringham
Sheringham is a classic seaside town. If you get the tide right, the sandy beaches are shallow for a long time, and great for children. That there is pizza this delicious tucked away in north Norfolk is almost bizarre. The soundtrack is amazing, the guys here are really cool, everything is made with local stuff. And they’re quite adventurous with their flavours, without being try-hard. You can sit in or take out down to the beach with a beer.
The Bell, Brisley
This is in a beautiful setting, down marvellous country lanes, with sheep grazing on a common in front of the pub. It’s very traditional – lots of leather, dark wood, art. The food is fantastic, the staff are super friendly and full of Norfolk information. If you’re going for Sunday lunch, I’d suggest about 3.30pm, when it’s a bit less busy and you can sit outside. I’d book.
Sculthorpe Mill, Fakenham
Voted by OFM readers as one of the best places to drink in the UK, this is a real family pub – it has little nets for your children to go fishing for tadpoles in the river – but the food is really serious and focuses on local ingredients. I hear it has a great quiz night, but I’m always working. Sometimes it has a fantastic knickerbocker glory, one of my favourite things – we often go for a dessert and coffee on a Sunday.
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Newcastle & Tyneside
Chosen by Rory Welch, head chef, Träkol, Gateshead
Riley’s Fish Shack, Tynemouth
Right on the beach, with stunning views, and it’s all so fresh. You can sit on the deck or on the beach with fish and chips, or something a bit different. “Shack” makes it sound basic; while it’s quite simple, it’s also perfect.
Pine, East Wallhouses
For something more fancy, the tasting menu at Pine is a good shout. It has a Michelin star, and a green Michelin star for its sustainability, which it is very big on. Its menu is really seasonal, from its own garden, and it’s very, very nice.
Khai Khai, Newcastle upon Tyne
People laugh at me because I always recommend this place, but it is so cool. What we do at Träkol is cook over charcoal, and it does that here, just over the Tyne and with contemporary Indian food. I love the chargrilled broccoli.
The Broad Chare, Newcastle upon Tyne
This is a traditional gastropub – I used to work there when I was younger, and it’s always been consistently brilliant. It’s a city pub, with a sunny courtyard for a drink and a pork pie.
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Wales
Chosen by Sam Evans and Shauna Guinn, chefs, appearing at festivals this summer
Bar 44, Mint and Mustard, Fauvette, all Penarth
Penarth is a lovely place for a day trip – there’s a pretty marina and old pier. Bar 44, great for tapas and sherry, is one of the best restaurants in south Wales. Mint and Mustard does modern Indian cuisine. And at Fauvette you can have cheese and wine at the bar, or pick some up to take away for a picnic.
Cafe Môr and The Old Point House, Angle, Pembrokeshire
A solar-powered, mobile boat-kitchen, Cafe Môr really put Welsh street food on the map – local seafood to go and an incredible range of seaweed produce. The Old Point House pub is its new venture for showcasing Welsh ingredients – beef and seaweed burgers, seafood mezes and lobster rolls.
Y Polyn, Capel Dewi
Definitely worth a detour for a cracking lunch or dinner if you’re heading west. Honest, quality local ingredients in beautiful food; unfussy but slick service. Unbeatable.
SY23 Restaurant, Aberystwyth
This is a cracking restaurant and Nathan Davies is a brilliant fire cook. You’ll need to book – if you can’t get a table, console yourself with fish and chips and a walk along the long seafront.
Ynyshir, Machynlleth
The mighty, two-Michelin-starred Ynyshir. We’re all incredibly proud of what Gareth Ward and his team have done for Welsh fine dining. It’s worth securing a booking and planning your holiday around it.
The Celtic Cabin, Barmouth
A log cabin by the beach but close to Snowdonia, so a great spot to pick up lunch if you’re hiking or swimming. The cooking is really good, from local lamb curry to vegan wraps – it’s unusual to see lots of vegan food in this area.
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Herefordshire & Worcestershire
Chosen by Chris Simpson, head chef, Pensons, Tenbury Wells
The Baiting House, Upper Sapey
This is a very good pub, which is sort of like our local. It’s not on the tourist trail, but it’s a lovely place, with a decent pint, and you can sit on the deck and enjoy some vitamin D – and the double-baked souffle. Great value, with hearty cooking.
The Bull’s Head, Craswell
This pub is on the Welsh border. It’s a traditional inn, unpretentious, with clever food and good vibes.
I’ll always make a detour for …
Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen, Port Isaac, Cornwall
I used to work for Nathan Outlaw, so I’m choosing this even though it’s not in my area. I still go back for the best, freshest fish – Port Isaac is a crab and lobster fishing town.
• Compiled by Holly O’Neill
