Looking for places to visit in Kerala for foodies? Want to know where to eat in Kerala? From the Kerala Backwaters to the Western Ghats, read about the best Kerala holidays.
Make your way around by car, tuk tuk or boat, stopping off at these foodie home stays and hotels…
Spice Village, Thekkady, Western Ghats
Wake up and smell the cardamom, cumin and fenugreek-laced coffee. Prise open the tin in your room and inhale deeply. The beans are grown in the Spice Village’s organic garden, then roasted and ground, and spices added for their health benefits: cardamom for coughs and breathing problems, cumin and fenugreek for digestion.
This small mountain resort in Thekkady, designed around a traditional village with elephant-grass-thatched cottages peppered along pathways threaded through verdant gardens, is in Kerala’s Western Ghats. The slender southern state snakes down 360 miles of palm-fringed coastline lapped by the sultry Arabian Sea. It’s a land of sun-soaked beaches and soporific backwaters, a network of languid rivers and canals plied by houseboats. Inland the mist-shrouded mountains of the Western Ghats, the southern section known as the Cardamom Hills, are swathed in coffee, tea and spice plantations. With its high hill stations and lush lowlands, it has a laidback charm and slower pace of life than the rest of India.
Unsurprisingly, fish features heavily on the menu, the region’s most famous dish a creamy coconut-laced fish curry. Kerala’s cuisine also reflects its long history as a cultural melting pot. From the 14th century the harbour in Cochin became an important port for the lucrative spice trade. The Arabs ruled here at one time, and Chinese settlers left their mark with their distinctive cantilevered fishing nets, while the Portuguese, Dutch and British also washed up on these shores and started trading.
At the Spice Village, food is one of the highlights and we pad along paths fringed with the raw ingredients to a cookery demonstration before dinner. “Black pepper is the king of spices, but you will also find cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, turmeric and curry leaves in the spice plantations here,” the chef tells us as he tips peppercorns into coconut oil in the uruli, a traditional brass pan. Adding chunks of chicken and fragrant masala spices, the meat sizzles aromatically. Handed spoons, we dig in. It’s a dry dish (add a splash of creamy coconut milk, if you like), and deliciously fiery.
Later, at dinner on the terrace of the Tamarind restaurant, we tuck into minced chicken with pungent spices wrapped in cinnamon leaves and seared. For dessert, a traditional Keralan dish – jackfruit koottu pradhaman (made with coconut milk and jaggery, it is unctuously sweet). Breakfast is a feast of fresh fruits and juices (melon, guava, pineapple and watermelon) and sweet cinnamon and coconut dosas from the spice griddle.
The resort is close to the Periyar Tiger Reserve and you can trek or go river-rafting through the park with forest rangers, scouring the undergrowth to catch a glimpse of the elusive tigers, wild elephants, sambar deer, bison, wild boars and giant malabar squirrels. Or take a tour of a local spice plantation.
We visit a small, family-owned 20-acre plot. Not tidy regimented rows but a tangle of trees and bushes. Meandering down a cardamom corridor, our guide tells us that the spice can be harvested every 45 days, whereas peppercorns need a full year to ripen. He points out the piper nigrum plant, explaining that green (good for marinating fish), red, white and black peppercorns all come from the same plant. Green is the young seed, red is ripe, white has had the skin removed and black is dried.
The plantation is a maze of clove, nutmeg and allspice trees, robusta and arabica coffee, cacao and chilli bushes. He plucks a leaf from a tree: cinnamon. The inner bark is used for the spice but even the leaves taste of cinnamon. In the earth, ginger and turmeric roots are growing. A vine climbing the trunk of a tree is laden with vanilla pods.
What you don’t find in the Cardamom Hills is coconuts – the palms need sandy soil. Winding back down to the hot, humid coast we board a houseboat in Alleppey to take us to my next stop, a homestay on an island in Lake Vembanad.
This is India’s longest lake, surrounded by a network of hundreds of miles of creeks. The houseboats, known as kettuvallam, are thatched with coconut fibre and were once used for transporting rice to market. Our boat looks like an up-turned armadillo, the water muddy like a masala chai. On either side are paddy fields. Lounge in a wicker chair, sipping fresh coconut juice, lunching on pearlspot (a local fish) with shredded cabbage and coconut as lake life drifts slowly by.
We dock at Philipkutty’s Farm, a 35-acre smallholding and homestay, built on an island reclaimed from the backwaters in the 1950s by Anu Mathew’s late husband’s grandfather. The cluster of traditional villas decked out with ornate dark wooden furniture face the palm-fringed waterfront.
In front of the house are mango and fig trees. The rice fields have been converted to a system of ridges and canals, and the main crops now are coconuts, bananas, nutmeg, cacao and peppers. They also grow their own vegetables, fruit (cherries, passion fruits, guavas) and spices, and farm a few cows, geese, ducks and hens. Most of the food here is grown on the farm. For breakfast there’s fresh mango juice, homemade pineapple and syrupy banana jams, yogurt and fresh fruit.
It is a wonderful spot to relax in for a few days. There is nothing to do but lounge on the veranda with a book, visit local villages or cruise the backwaters in the farm’s small boat. Along the banks the family has installed traditional Chinese fishing nets, and you can help to haul in the catch in the evening. Or take a cookery lesson with Anu’s mother-inlaw, Aniamma Philip.
The style of cooking in this region is Syrian Christian, many of the dishes focussing on fish with rice, and rice-based breads such as appam. Local specialities include avial (a coconut, curd and vegetable curry), karimeen pollichathu (fish wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in hot spices), piralen (a spicy stew) and fish molee. Rick Stein swung by on his romp around India, and Anu proudly shows us her recipe for prawn molee in his resulting cookbook.
Pull up a stool while Aniamma cooks a Keralan fish curry in a clay pot (the clay prevents the spices burning). She uses pearlspot fish and malabar tamarind, which gives the curry its traditionally sour taste. For dinner that night, Anu makes prawn molee and coconut curry, and we sit in the pavilion over the water chatting and listening to the sounds of the cicadas, the palm trees like sentries, dark and angular against the night sky. It’s a magical setting, the molee moreish, creamy and tinged with fire.
This contemporary boutique hotel in Fort Kochi boasts a tranquil courtyard garden and small pool. In this historic quarter the streets are lined with Dutch and Portuguese colonial architecture. You can dip into the centuries-old St Francis Church before swinging by the oldest active Jewish synagogue in the Commonwealth, and wandering along a waterfront lined with the cantilevered Chinese fishing nets.
Hopping onto a ferry from Cochin, cross to the island of Vypin and make your way to The Bungalow Heritage Homestay to meet Neema Veliyath for a cookery class in the house her grandfather built in 1930. The ground floor is colonial Portuguese, the first floor Dutch, a vision of dark, polished rosewood planks two inches thick. The two guestrooms, decorated with original heavy wooden furniture, are named after the flagships of two of the greatest explorers: São Gabriel was Vasco da Gama’s ship, Santa María was Christopher Columbus’s vessel. Neema spent 20 years sailing around the world with her daughter on her husband’s merchant ship. “Now,” she jokes, “the world comes to me.”
Before the class we head to Ernakulam Market. Wandering around the stalls, Neema points out bitter gourds, plantains and giant limes used to make pickles. “The difference between the cuisine of northern and southern India is that we eat more rice, they eat more wheat. And we add coconut, which reduces the heat, so our dishes are less spicy.”
Back in the kitchen we begin by marinating the chicken in a ginger and garlic paste. We’re whipping up chicken masala for lunch along with fried okra, prawn ularthiyathu and beetroot pachadi, a vivid dish with shallots, chilli, coconut and garlic. We watch closely as Neema starts to blend her garam masala – a mix of cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, green and black cloves, mace, cumin seeds, fennel and star anise. If there’s one thing we learnt in Kerala it’s that you have to make sure that the spice is right.
Cox & Kings’s 13-day escorted tour of Kerala costs from £2,425 per person, including flights, transfers, excursions and accommodation with breakfast and some other meals (coxandkings.co.uk). Jet Airways flies daily from Heathrow to Cochin via Mumbai or Delhi from £420 return (jetairways.com). Although Kerala was hit by severe flooding during the monsoon season, all the places mentioned in this guide continue to operate and welcome guests. For up-to-date travel advice, visit gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. More info: keralatourism.org. Follow Lucy on Instagram and Twitter @lucygillmore.
Looking for the best Black Friday hotel deals? Want to embark on a bargain foodie holiday? We’ve found the best discounts from boutique hotel experts Mr & Mrs Smith to host you in our favourite foodie cities, along with flight deals and luxury holiday bargains from our favourite hotel brands.
Foodie extra: A welcome glass of wine or cava and homemade cookies.
Why we love Barcelona: Home to Gaudi and cava, this cosmopolitan building is home to vibrant neighbourhoods where locals and tourists mingle in tiny tapas bars, beach-side coffee shops and natural wine bars. Click here for more reasons to visit Barcelona.
Why we love South Pigalle, Paris: Paris’s once overlooked SoPi neighbourhood is must-visit for its artisan patisseries, hip bistros and stellar cheese shops. Click here for more reasons to visit Paris.
Foodie extra: A bottle of local Santorini Assyrtiko white wine.
Why we love Santorini: Head to the sun-baked Cyclades islands and you’ll be rewarded with grilled mackerel, spit-roast pork and fresh octopus salads. Within the white-washed buildings of Santorini, expect beautiful modern versions of the Greek classics made with the island’s extraordinary local produce. Click here for more reasons to visit the Cyclades.
Extra: A set of the hotel’s own nourishing spa products.
Why we love Bristol: A quirky and undeniably Bristolian beat pulses through the city’s food and drink scene. Get stuck into it via fried cheese sandwiches and spiced chicken pincho skewers. Click here for more reasons to visit the city.
Extra: A bottle of Bramley bath product to take home.
Why we love the Cotswolds: The Cotswolds is all your chocolate-box fantasies rolled into one – honey-hued cottages, gardens brimming with hollyhocks huddled around duck-paddled ponds. This quaint corner of England is home to cosy hotels and some culinary surprises, among them artisan Israeli baking, hip burger vans and fragrant Asian broths. Click here for more reasons to visit the Cotswolds.
Foodie extra: A glass of wine each and a side of spiced nuts; guests also get 10 per cent off in-room spa treatments.
Why we love Porto: Medieval Porto’s red pantile rooftops and cobblestone streets are home to secret Portuguese supper clubs, tavernas serving roast pork sandwiches and wildly popular tapas bars. Plus, you can eat custard-filled donuts at sunset from an ocean-view terrace. Click here for more reasons to visit the city.
Foodie extra: A seasonal Adnams gin/beer gift bag.
Why we love The Swan: Now owned by Adnams, the family-run brewery and distillery, this revamped hotel sits on the sea front in Suffolk’s Southwold. The cheerful bedrooms are decked out with four poster beds and vintage mirrors, with complimentary bottles of gin to boot. There’s a cosy Tap Room full of locals downstairs and the Adnams distillery is next door. It’s an ideal seaside escape. Click here for more reasons to book.
Foodie extra: One bottle of sparkling wine delivered to your room, whenever you request it.
Why we love Reykjavik: Discover clean Nordic flavours in the Icelandic capital, from hot smoked catfish and freshly baked sourdough to waffles with rhubarb jam. Click here for our foodie guide to Reykjavik.
Why we love Firmdale Hotels: Expect bags of character from co-owner Kit Kemp’s bright and colourful interiors, with patterned textiles, unique finds such as reclaimed African prints and plenty of original artwork. Whacky twists on afternoon tea treats are served on personalised Wedgewood crockery – dancing mythical creatures from her favourite Indian fabric literally look like they have been stitched on to teacups and saucers.
Extra: A bottle of Champagne in your room on arrival.
Why we love Corinthia Hotel: Built in 1885, this decadent hotel hosted many a debutante’s ball in its time as the iconic Hotel Métropole before re-opening as a hotel in 2011. The Massimo Bar and Restaurant are particularly glamorous and romantic spaces, brought up to date by the David Collins Studio team, stalwarts of many a celebrated restaurant makeover.
Foodie extra: A bottle of Torrigiani wine and a Florence tea towel.
Why we love Florence: Florence may be home to some of Italy’s richest architectural treasures but its kitchens are just as rich. Gin sommeliers, sandwiches laced with truffle cream and black sesame seed gelato are shaking up the restaurant menus in Tuscany’s food hub. Click here for more reasons to visit Florence.
Why we love Rome: Rome is a fantastic city for food, filled with traditional cooking, creamy gelato and tempting markets. For superb pizza, rich beef rolls and braised artichokes, veer away from the hordes and base yourself at hip, charmingly unpolished Tastaccio. More reasons to visit Rome here.
Why we love Prague: From sugar-dusted doughnuts and clever cocktails, to organic sausages and beer ice cream, we name the best places to eat and drink in the Czech capital.More reasons to visit Prague here.
Why we love Marrakech: Raid Marrakech’s souks and restaurants for slow-cooked lamb and fluffy couscous, then it’s back for a glass of wine by the hotel pool. More reasons to visit Marrakech here.
Why we love Lima: Gone are the days when this coastal city, founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1535, was simply the jumping off point for Peru’s Inca sites. Today, it’s a magnet for foodies, the searing core of the novoandina gastronomic trail that blazes all the way from London’s Lima to New York’s Llama Inn via Tampu in Madrid and many more. More reasons to visit Lima here.
Looking for the best Christmas markets in 2018? We have travelled the UK to find the best german Christmas markets, Christmas fairs and festivals. There’ll be mulled wine, mince pies and Christmas gift ideas at the markets.
If you’re not a fan of mulled wine and jingling bells, you’re probably better off fleeing the country come December. Even those food festivals and farmers markets that don’t sell themselves as festive events tend to come draped with tinsel and trimmed with holly. Fortunately here at olive towers we love a bit of Christmas cheer. Here are our favourite food festivals and Christmas markets taking place across the UK in December.
Manchester Christmas Market
Spread across this dynamic city, Manchester’s Christmas Market is one of the country’s largest, with nearly 350 stallholders set out between nine distinctive locations. Soak up the festive spirit as you wind through the city centre’s brimming streets, buying from a tempting choice of food and drink producers from both the local region and across Europe.
Choose from traditional German bratwursts, great British hog roasts and an array of vegetarian options while fluffy Dutch mini pancakes and French profiteroles are sure to satisfy sweet cravings as you make your way around the wintry wonderland.
The streets of York will be turned into a festive playground for 39 days this winter. Wooden chalets will house food producers selling everything from spiced apple chutney (look for Pucketts Pickles) to pecan and amaretto brownies (Brown and Blond).
If you’re feeling chilly, cosy up by the fire inside Thor’s Tipi with a mulled wine and burgers cooked on a winter BBQ. Head to the Shambles Market food court for savoury galettes from the Krep Truck and arancini from Pizzaoli’. As well as the market, look out for festive wine and gin tastings and Christmas afternoon teas popping up throughout the month.
Bath boasts one of England’s prettiest Christmas markets, with over 180 chalets lining the streets around its floodlit abbey for 18 days (this year changes to the layout means those chalets are being extended right the way up twinkling Milsom Street too). While there will be homewares and art on offer, this festival is definitely one for the foodies. Start off with a hot toddy made with Somerset cider before trying a beer or two from Bradford-on-Avon microbrewery, Kettlesmith Brewery, and a chunk of Wyfe of Bath from Bath Soft Cheese.
If you’re on the lookout for gifts, Bath Botanical Gin Distillery will be selling their small batch spirits, or pick up a box of Hokey Pokey honeycomb from Somerset-based Chocolate Society. Over 60% of producers are from Bath and the local area so it’s a great place to track down really unique products and avoid the mass-produced trinkets that so often crop up at Christmas markets.
Unusually among all the bigger urban markets, Healeys Christmas Market is set on a working farm, in this case outside Perranporth in Cornwall. A weekend dedicated to festive food and drink, expect a range of Cornish produce on offer including jams, juices and chutneys, all made on the farm.
While you’re there you can pick up a freshly cut Christmas tree or enjoy a farm-style Sunday roast. And, as cyder is the farm’s main product, expect a superior standard of mulled cider to sip on while you shop.
King’s Cross’ independent food, drink and crafts market is celebrating the festive season with 17 days of masterclasses, workshops and tastings. Learn how to put together the perfect Christmas cheese board, make festive fresh pasta, sample English wines or try your hand at wreath making.
There’ll be mince pies from south-London’s Little Bread Pedlar to keep you fueled, as well as mugs of spiced cider and bean-to-bar hot chocolate to sip on.
St Albans has one of the oldest regular markets in the UK, dating back to the 9th century, so it seems only fitting that it also plays host to a traditional Christmas market each festive season. There will be a festive food quarter to graze your way around (head to the Meraki Christmas kitchen to find Neapolitan pizzas from Mozzarella Nation, traditional German bratwurst from The Real German Sausage Hut and street-food snacks from Indian 146).
Or, settle down in the market’s 3-tipis bar and sip on a hot toddy around the firepit while live music plays in the background.
Get into the Christmas spirit for the first three Wednesdays in December at the beautiful Cambridgeshire city of Ely. These festive “lates” take place from 4pm – 8.30pm and will be a chance to do some Christmas shopping to a backdrop of live music and local street-food. North Cambridgeshire micro roaster Silver Oak Coffee will be serving espresso martinis while local restaurant Habis will be dishing up bowls of paella.
Make a weekend of your foodie Christmas gift shopping by visiting Padstow Christmas Festival. This year’s event sees local chefs Rick Stein, Paul Ainsworth and Nathan Outlaw headlining the stage, along with guests Nieves Barragán Mohacho, Reza Mahammad and Angela Hartnett. Pick up some tips, then eat, drink and shop your way around the stalls along the town’s pretty harbour (among them Chough Bakery’s proper pasties and Louise’s Larder’s rhubarb, rose and cardamom jam).
New for this year is a wine theatre; look out for Camel Valley Vineyard’s Sam Lindo talking about matching fish and chips with wine.
Barn-like Bowhouse, just outside the small Fife town of Anstruther, hosts a series of indoor food markets throughout the year. The biggest of the lot, however, is the Christmas edition. Setting up stall for one weekend only (the second weekend of December), its range of artisan food and drink producers all come from the local area. Expect a dedicated street food section as well as food demonstrations and over 55 stalls.
Local shellfish will feature prominently, and paella made with hand-dived shellfish will be on offer in the street food section. Fustle will be selling farmhouse ales inspired by the East Neuk coastline while Scotland the Bread will be serving fresh loaves made from wheat grown on the Balcaskie Estate. Add in lashings of mulled wine and carols and you’re sure to get in the festive spirit.
Looking for places to eat in the Pelion peninsula? Here are our favourite restaurants, bars and bakeries in the Pelion peninsula, Greece. The best foodie spots include high-end restaurants, best cookery schools and best guesthouse breakfasts. Check out our ideas for eating and drinking in the Pelion peninsula, Greece, here.
Archondiko Karagiannopoulou, Vyzitsa – best guesthouse breakfast in Pelion
Relax in the guesthouse’s airy top-floor lounge, with its low cushioned benches, ornately painted ceiling and stained glass windows, and you could imagine yourself in the Middle East. The breakfast here, though, is properly Greek and spitiko (homemade) and, weather permitting, served on its peaceful garden-fringed terrace. Kick off with freshly pressed orange juice, then tuck into owner Mahi Karagiannopoulou’s homemade pies – which depending on the season could be filled with foraged greens, apples or curd cheese. Finish with yoghurt, bread, village honey and homemade quince jam.
Breakfast room at Karagiannopoulou guesthouse in Vyzitsa
Six Keys, Afyssos – best high-end restaurant in Pelion
High-end modern Greek cuisine might sound like a contradiction in terms, especially in rustic Pelion. But this boutique hotel restaurant, on a beach half way down the peninsula’s west coast, knocks the stereotypes for six. Dishes here, devised by Greece’s superchef Ioannis Baxevanis, showcase unusual local (often foraged) ingredients while providing creative twists on traditional Greek favourites. So you could get things going with sea urchin served with chives and a tarama mousse, then follow with seabass stuffed with wild greens and ouzo, washed down with organic white Xinomavro from the local Patistis winery. Beachside dining doesn’t get much more refined than this.
Amanita guesthouse, Tsagarada – best mushroom foraging in Pelion
As the Amanita’s name suggests, this guesthouse’s owner is mad about mushrooms (Amanita is a large mushroom family) and you’ll spot ceramic versions throughout the stone-walled house. In season, Filaretos Psimmenos will take you through the local beech and chestnut forests to forage penny bun, black porcini, parasol and Caesar (known locally as neratzoula – meaning ‘little bitter orange’ – for its orange-like shape and hue.) Fill your baskets then return to the guesthouse to enjoy your pickings with a glass of local wine or tsipouro (the local firewater). Mushrooms cooked every which way also star on the breakfast table, along with homemade breads, apple pie, preserves from garden fruits, and local cheeses.
Lost Unicorn hotel, Tsagarada – best Anglo-Greek cooking in Pelion
The chandeliered dining room in this wonderfully quirky eight-bedroom hotel, housed in a 19th-century neo-classical mansion on the edge of Tsagarada’s Agia Paraskevi square, could be in a British gentleman’s club. It’s stuffed with antiques (including a baby grand piano and numerous ‘unicorns’) and eccentric charm. The hotel is run by English ex-professional dancer Clare and her Greek husband Christos, who trained as a chef in London, so it’s no surprise that its restaurant dishes also fuse Greek and English. Mains might include slow-cooked lamb with rosemary and garlic, or chicken breast with sun-dried tomatoes and ouzo sauce. In summer, you can choose al fresco dining on the terrace and watch the action on the village square, which boasts the country’s oldest plane tree.
Aleka’s House, Tsagarada – best restaurant with rooms in Pelion
Yes, the usuals (stuffed peppers, giant beans…) are there. But at every turn the dishes, cooked by Theodoras Tzembetzis who runs this friendly place with his wife Eleni, are given an extra twist, whether it’s a secret spice or a garnish of pickled, locally foraged rock samphire. And the decor, from the cosy modern dining room (with a fire in winter) to the vine-draped courtyard, is several notches above your average Greek village restaurant too. In autumn, standout plates are veal with locally foraged chestnuts or stuffed mushrooms, while year-round pleasers include chicken with homemade pasta and tirobourekakia (fried cheese pies). There’s a cafe next door, and six simple rooms upstairs, too.
Kritsa hotel-restaurant, overlooking Portaria’s village square, is renowned among Greek foodies for its gutsy cooking and convivial atmosphere. If you’re wowed by the dishes (and you will be) the good news is that you can learn how to make them by enrolling at Kritsa’s cookery school, based on its organic farm (which also supplies the restaurant). Pick your ingredients before having a stab at making pumpkin pie or spetzofai (Pelion’s famous casserole of local sausage, green peppers and grated tomatoes). Or try your hand at easier classics like strapatsada (scrambled eggs with tomatoes and olive oil) or greens with eggs.
Aggelika, Mylopotamo – best fish restaurant in Pelion
Perched above the turquoise waters of Mylopotamos beach, on Pelion’s rocky east coast, this restaurant was set up by a fisherman and named after his daughter. Aggelika now runs it, but her father still provides the fish, so you eat whatever he’s landed that day. Grab a table on the terrace and drool over the views of neighbouring Skiathos and Alonissos as you try stuffed calamari, grilled bream, or the hearty fish soup. Starters are equally good – standouts are the home-cured anchovies and the grilled aubergine with tomatoes, feta and parsley.
aggelikapelion.gr(note, website still under construction but they say it will be live soon)
Mylopotamo beach – Aggelika restaurant which overlooks it
Taverna Meintani, Zagora – best home cooking in Pelion
The locals know this no-frills street-side taverna as Niki’s, a reference to its affable owner who has been cooking in this sizeable village on the northeast slopes of Pelion (famed for its apples) for over two decades. Eating here is like being invited into her private home. Niki grows pretty much all of her fruit and vegetables, before stuffing, stewing or preserving them in sugar syrup. Visit in summer for stuffed courgette flowers or vine leaves. In autumn, check out Niki’s pork neck with apples, quince and chestnuts, or stuffed cabbage leaves. Watch her making the latter at breakneck speed – 200 in under 40 minutes, which must surely be a record, even by Greek standards.
Sea view from the balcony of Meintani (Niki) in Zagora
Apolafsi, Makrinitsa – best restaurant with a view in Pelion
Makrinitsa, whose stone houses and churches tumble down the steep mountainside above Volos, is one of Pelion’s prettiest villages and, as in all of them, the square is the place to sit and watch the local goings on. So Apolafsi’s location on the edge of the square, under the shade of its obligatory plane tree, is hard to beat. Come here for a hearty rendition of Pelion’s classic, spetzofai, made with olive oil and tomatoes produced by owner Kostas Chatzigiannis and his wife Maria who does the cooking. Or in autumn, try Maria’s Home-reared boar with honey, mustard and chestnut puree.
Archipelagos, Volos – best small plates taverna in Pelion
Fed up with the stress of deciding what to choose when you eat out? Then a tsipouradiko (taverna specialising in tsipouro) like this one on the harbour front in Pelion’s port city of Volos, is your place. For every 50ml bottle of tsipouro (choose with or without aniseed) you order, you get a tasty meze of whatever the local fishermen have caught that day. What the dishes are is left to the discretion of the chef – so it could be anything from mussel risotto to grilled octopus, deep-fried prawns, whitebait or sea anemone.
Theofilos cafe, Makrinitsa – best historic bar in Pelion
Pelion’s best known painter, Theofilos, famed for his naive frescoes and eccentric dress, was often strapped for cash so painted in return for meals. This tiny kafeneion off the village square was one of the places whose walls he painted to keep the wolf from the door. So as you perk yourself up with a tsipouro or coffee, you can admire scenes depicting Greek independence leader Katsandonis with his soldiers as invading Turks loom on the horizon. It’s a little worse for wear, so savour this precious remnant of Pelion’s cultural history while you can.
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Theofilos painting and table in kafeneion in Makrinitsa
Women’s Agritourism Cooperative in Vyzitsa – best place to buy jams and preserved fruits in Pelion
Visit any Greek home and you’ll be offered a ‘spoon sweet’ – fruit preserved in a sugar syrup – a tradition thought to have been started by the highborn ladies of Constantinople. Over recent decades, Pelion’s women have formed cooperatives making spoon sweets and jams, and visitors can buy them, while also watching how they’re made. At this cooperative in the historic village of Vyzitsa, on Pelion’s west coast, the speciality is a preserve made from the firiki, a small apple unique to the area.
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Firiki apples being turned into spoon sweets at Vyzitsa
Korbas, Milies – best bakery in Pelion
Think you’ve tasted some great olive foccaccias? You haven’t tasted the best until you’ve tried the eliopsomo (olive bread) at this bakery, run by the same family for three generations. Squidgy and solid yet light, people come from all over Pelion to buy this meal-in-the-hand, along with the bakery’s cheese bread, biscuits, pies, trahana (cracked wheat) and homemade pasta. A definite must-try.
Greek poet Hesiod dubbed Pelion “rich in herbs” and today medicinal and culinary herbs still abound on its lush, wooded hillsides. Buy teas, herbs and spices – sourced from Pelion, small Greek suppliers in the rest of Greece – and abroad, from this well-stocked shop in Portaria.
Anna na Ena Milo, Milies – best bar/cafe in Pelion
The name of this cosy cafe/bar on the main street of Milies, on Pelion’s west coast, means “Anna, there’s an apple.” It’s a phrase taught to Greek primary school kids to teach them their alphabet, but it could also be a fruity reference to the village’s many orchards (Milies means ‘apple trees.’) With its art-plastered walls, single-origin coffee, and sixties music, it’s the closest you’ll get to a hipster cafe in Pelion. Cakes and pies are also a draw – try the grated-apple pie, the lemon mousse or the cheesecake. Sit in the glass-roofed verandah for a spot of people-watching.
With eight unique bedrooms and eight seasonal dishes on the menu, it’s a neat premise. Just a few cobbled steps away from big-hitting local attractions such as Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths, the hotel’s two beautiful bow windows give passers-by a glimpse into this recently revamped and restored townhouse on North Parade Passage.
The site was formerly home to Tilley’s Bistro and Tilley’s owners, Priya and Ajay Chathley, are now part-owners of Eight In Bath, along with partners in life and business, Nathalie Brown and Fred Lavault, it’s the latter who run the operation day-to-day. Having earned their stripes running restaurants in London and Aix-en-Provence before moving to Bath in 2016, Fred was brought in as head chef of Tilley’s before project managing the Eight build while Nathalie designed the interiors.
And the vibe?
On the night we visit, Eight plays host to a largely young, glamorous and international crowd. Decorated in timeless blue-greys and neutrals, with aged-effect pale green V&A wallpaper, emblazoned with flowering shrubs and trees, and a feature wall of decorative books – a nod to the building’s past as the refectory for the monks of Bath Abbey – the hotel definitely feels like a sophisticated place for grown-ups. The only thing at odds with the cool vibe is the slightly samey jazz soundtrack.
Which room should I book?
Rooms are decked out in a palette of chic, neutral greys with colour pop accents – burnt orange in our superior double – on velvet furnishings and thoughtful illustrative artwork. There are a variety of tea and coffee pods for the Magimix drinks machines, as well as homemade shortbread in a Kilner jar for dunking (though UHT milk is a disappointing surprise; there are no in-room fridges). The carpet, however, is super soft, the beds huge and supremely comfy, and bathrooms are compact but well equipped with huge rain showers, full-sized White Company products and motion sensors that trigger low-level lighting if you’re trying to navigate your way to the loo in the middle of the night.
The best room in house is the super-spacious deluxe double, with a focal-point free-standing bath that enjoys views out over cobbled streets and a smart TV built into the foot of the bed.
What’s good to drink?
There’s an unexpectedly cool bar below the hotel. It makes the most of its medieval structure, with cavernous original fireplaces and stone stairways to nowhere. Decked out in shades of opulent dark blue and emerald, set off with the odd metallic shimmer from gently flickering lanterns and collections of statement mirrors, it feels like the perfect ‘secret’ spot to make a beeline for after dark. Drinks take the form of a thoughtfully curated wine list – France and Italy feature highly and there’s a good selection by the glass – as well as classic cocktails and a variety of bottled beers, ales, ciders and spirits. We pop down for a nightcap – Jura single malt and amaretto on the rocks – but it’s easily the sort of place you could spend a few hours; you can eat down there too, if you prefer.
And to eat?
Under head chef Fred, modern French/Italian menus reflect the team’s international heritage. Menus change with the seasons and are surprisingly accessible, with seven of the eight dishes being gluten-free, two vegan and two vegetarian. The ‘short eats’ bar menu – think chipotle and rosemary warm mixed nuts and deep-fried scampi – is similarly inclined too.
We are advised to order two of the medium-sized plates per person, which is probably quite generous if, like us, you eschew advice and start by nibbling on a trio of giant cheese straws with a broad bean and pea dip and go for one of the heavier dishes to start. Stand-outs include a comforting butternut squash risotto, which comes spiked with Bath Blue cheese. Soupy yet with bite, it is dotted with edible flowers and balls of squash, and full of different textures such as crispy sage, pumpkin seeds and crunchy walnuts.
Both the confit pork belly and a de-boned short rib of beef come in towers that collapse pleasingly with the smallest nudge of a fork. The beef, melting and tender, is paired with pickled shallots, creamy parsnip purée, oyster mushrooms, sugar snaps, broad beans, a rich red wine jus and a dusting of horseradish snow. One of the more ingredient-heavy dishes, it showcases Fred’s innate skill in balancing flavour and texture.
Puddings – from a cloud-like trifle full of surprises (think coconut Chantilly and crystallised parma violets) to a creamy mango sorbet with a chilli kick – are definitely not needed but provoke ear-to-ear grins.
What’s the breakfast like?
Served in the light, bright restaurant space, the buffet isn’t huge but covers all the essentials: fruits, yoghurts, homemade granola, cereals, juices, banana bread and cheese. Fred’s in the kitchen at breakfast too, so our full veggie breakfasts with silky scrambled eggs, homemade potato cakes, herb-laden tomatoes, gently sautéed oyster and chestnut mushrooms and wilted spinach, is freshly cooked to order and really impressive. The extensive tea and coffee menu, too, is a nice touch.
Any other food experiences I shouldn’t miss?
Wine tasting evenings, we’re told, are coming soon and, judging by the quality of the wine on offer at dinner (there are a couple of pairing suggestions with each course – the peppery Mandrarossa syrah with the beef was a particular hit), they will definitely be worth popping along to.
What can I do in the local area?
For those who want to gen up on their culinary skills, alongside seeing the city’s World Heritage-status sights, there are plenty of cookery schools in the vicinity. Join a plant-based course just around the corner at Demuths, learn about the culture and customs of Azerbaijan at Simi’s Kitchen or discover how to make Viennoiserie like a pro, with baker Richard Bertinet.
olive says…
Don’t turn your nose up at the small rooms at the top of the house, as they’re also in possession of the best views out across neighbouring Bath Abbey. However, for those sensitive to noise, it’s worth bearing in mind that weekly bell-ringing practice takes place between 7.30-9pm on a Monday night.
A standard double at Eight starts from £105, with breakfast included.
Looking for Reykjavik restaurants? Want to find best cheap eats in Reykjavik? We visited Reykjavik with Icelandic chef Aggi Sverrisson, owner of Michelin-starred restaurant Texture in London, to get a local foodie’s insider tips.
Enjoy ice cream by the quirky Hallgrímskirkja church, or tuck into a hotdog by the harbour, with a backdrop of the fish-like Harpa opera house and snow-capped mountains.
Best local cafe in Reykjavik – Café Loki
This cute cafe serves cheap and authentic Icelandic food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In Hallgrímskirkja’s dramatic shadow, this popular local spot is a great place to stop for rye pancakes or hearty Icelandic stew, followed by a pot of homemade ice cream studded with treacly flecks of rye bread topped with sweet squirty cream.
Best traditional Icelandic restaurant in Reykjavik –Frakkar
If you want to try weird and wonderful Icelandic specialities (ie fermented shark), this is the place to come. Top local chefs, including Aggi Sverrisson, would frequently visit with their families when growing up.
Frakkar has managed to keep in shape while sticking to its roots – dainty lace curtains, dark green paper tablecloths and an original wooden bar create a cosy space.
Frakkar was the first restaurant to serve ‘grandma’s fish hash’ outside the family home, a Friday tradition in Icelandic households, designed to use up leftover fish from the week. This is a must-try, served with dark, treacly Iceland black rye bread. Wash done a cube or two of frozen rotten shark meat with a shot of Icelandic Brennivín, an aniseedy spirit known by locals as ‘Black Death’.
This food truck takes a while to track down, due to its moveable pitch, but it’s worth it for the best value lobster you’ll try. Most evenings you’ll find this fuss-free truck parked up in Laekjartorg square. Order a lobster roll filled with plenty of fresh lobster, salad, creamy sauce and tortilla chip pieces for added crunch. Locals come here for post night-out food that’s a step up from a kebab or cheesy chips!
Laekjartorg Square
Best traditional café in Reykjavik –Mokka
Shelter from the cold in this cosy, wood-paneled café, and you’ll immediately notice the specialty – every other table will be tucking into door-stopper waffles, served cream tea-style with ramekins of fresh whipped cream and strawberry jam. A great-value afternoon snack.
The same wooden tables have been attached to the same old-school red carpet for decades, and you can tell the regulars have been coming since they were kids. There’s an atmospheric hum about the place, with the espresso machine buzzing, groups of men laughing and breaking into ditties in Icelandic and broken English, and a lady wrapped up in a fur coat and hat working on her calligraphy in the maroon leather window seat.
If Gusti’s graffiti-covered bakery isn’t enough reason to stop you in your tracks on the gradual climb up to Hallgrímskirkja church, then the spiced aroma of freshly baked rolls is sure to pull you in.
There’s plenty to keep you entertained while queuing for your bread, from the colourful mural on the outside, past the glass-fronted preparation station inside, to a huge oven, churning out humungous cinnamon rolls, loaves of caramelized rye and flaky pastries. The spiced rolls are the hero bake here, but blueberry and liquorice swirls and vanilla buns are also excellent. Stock up on all three; it’s worth it.
Best food hall in Reykjavik – Skal at Hlemmur Matholl
A great option for a cheaper dinner in Reykjavik… Hlemmur food hall may be compact but it’s full of restaurants and bars offering seasonal Icelandic dishes and ingredients. Grab one of Braud & Co’s legendary buns, sip on French wines at Kröst, or pick up a wholesome juice from Rabbar Barinn, packed with fruit and veg grown in Iceland’s volcanic soil.
Sit at the counter at Skal for vegan smoked carrot and avocado toast with refreshing daily cocktails. On our visit we tried a refreshing martini with Reykjavik Distillery’s rhubarb liqueur, fresh lemon juice and vodka, with rhubarb arctic salt to zest up the rim.
This basement bar was the first microbrewery in Reykjavik, and holds a fine selection of Icelandic brews. Carry out your own little tasting session with the sampler sets of five or ten beers, served with a little score card so proper beer geeks can take notes (read our guide to craft beer here).
Pick up strong malty flavours and dulse seaweed notes from The Brother’s Brewery Eldfell Volcano red ale, try Belgian-style Witbier from Southern Iceland brewery, Olvisholt, or suss out dark, smooth stouts and rye IPAs from Gaedingur, the microbrewery in the North of Iceland that set up Microbar. Chat to the guy behind the bar, and test him on the pronunciation of the 64-letter longest Icelandic word. You never know when you may need that information!
Icelandic rock blares out of the windows of this first-floor whisky joint on Reykjavik’s main street. Climb the concrete steps at the side of the building, and enter a sticky whisky den. Icelandic rock bands add to the grungy vibe of this wood-paneled bar.
With 100-or-so whiskies to choose from, covering scotch, to Irish to bourbon, ordering can be overwhelming to a whisky novice. We recommend the local Floki whisky, single malt whisky made with Icelandic barley. For something unique, Floki also has a sheep dung smoked reserve, using traditional Icelandic methods of smoking using sheep dung to add sweet smoky notes.
This swish bakery is bigger than it looks. Grab a ticket and wait your turn at the marble counter for sea salt and caramel truffles or passion fruit ganache covered in crisp feuilletine pieces.
If you’d prefer to sit in and shelter from the cold, there’s a smart seating area where you can cuddle up over hot coffee and a perfectly glazed brown butter bun. More substantial sandwiches on squidgy sourdough (make your own here) are available for much-needed lunchtime fuel.
Laugavegur 36, Sandholt.is
Best hotdog in Reykjavik – Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur
Walk towards town from the harbour, and you’ll most likely stumble across the inevitable queue for this simple red and white shack set up in what looks like an old car park.
This hot dog stand was set up in 1937, and has become a much-loved local institution. Order “one with everything” or “the works” and the vendors will laden your hot dog with sweet mustard, ketchup and remolaòi mayonnaise sauce, along with raw and crispy fried onions. Scooch up on the picnic bench next to locals and tourists and tuck in to this fuss-free street food snack.
Tucked away in a little courtyard off a side street in Reykjavik centre, this smart wine bar is the ideal hideout for a pre-dinner drink. Over 400 bottles are stored in the wine cellar, many of which owner Gunnar serves by the glass. More are showcased on the floor-to-ceiling shelves behind the bar.
Taste your way through wines from France and Lebanon, Chile and New Zealand, in a stylish room filled with velvet chairs and flickering green tea lights. There are appetizers to nibble on, including Icelandic smoked salmon, baked goat’s cheese with fig jam, and salt-cod salads with sun-dried tomatoes.
Take a trip out of Reykjavik city centre to The Blue Lagoon for an afternoon spent sipping on skyr smoothies, bathing in healing geothermal waters, slathering your skin with a face mask packed with volcanic minerals or relaxing with an in-water massage.
If that makes you feel hungry, there’s good news: Moss Restaurant has just opened on-site, with Aggi Sverrisson as consultant chef. Spruce up after your spa day and book a table to watch the sun set over the other-worldly surrounding landscape with a glass of champagne or wine from the restaurant’s special cellar, buried deep into the lava.
The restaurant’s clean, contemporary furnishings let the scenery and food take centre stage. Moss has an open kitchen, immersing diners in a seven-course tasting menu which presents a modern take on Iceland’s ingredients and heritage.
Whipped skyr butter seasoned with Icelandic seaweed leads the way, before dishes such as pan-fried langoustine served with cauliflower ‘textures’ (raw slices, seeds and a springy couscous), pan-fried cod neck and confit arctic char with char caviar, sorrel sauce and crispy rye bread. Icelandic lamb is particularly gamey due to a diet of blueberries and arctic herbs, and here Aggi serves it with a side of traditional ‘mother’s broth’ (braised lamb with barley, rosemary, thyme and dill).
Vibrant green lovage granita with celery consommé makes a refreshing palate cleanser before dessert. Then finish with a show-stopping selection of petits fours (fragrant pistachio madeleines, mini macarons, liquorice toffees and melt-in-the-mouth chocolate caramels).
For more Reykjavik tips and cheap eats, search for #oliveeatsreykjavik on social media.
More Reykjavik tips here, from local Eirny Sigurdardotti:
Coocoo’s Nest
In the city’s old harbour area Coocoo’s Nest is a quirky bistro owned by photographer Íris Ann and artist/chef Lucas Keller. The menu leans towards Italy and California and everything is made from scratch including sourdough, pasta and ricotta. There’s also a great weekend brunch menu.
Chef Gisli Matthias Auðunsson is making his mark on the local culinary scene, adding innovative twists to traditional Icelandic cooking. His restaurant, Matur og Drykkur (Food and Drink), is a cosy space with friendly, committed staff. Go for lunch and order steamed cabbage and lamb parcels with onion butter sauce, or book for dinner and try the whole roast cod’s head.
An Italian-inspired fine-dining restaurant at the top of Harpa music and conference hall, Kolabrautin promises food as impressive as the views across Reykjavik harbour (house-made burrata with pickled tomatoes and basil). If you can’t stretch to dinner, splash out on a glass of franciacorta at the bar instead.
Omnom chocolate
Award-winning Icelandic chocolatier Omnom is opening its eagerly awaited new factory premises and store this month. Any self-respecting chocaholic should sign up for one of the company’s tours, exploring the production process before ending with a tasting of its range; the liquorice and sea salt version is amazing.
Aalto restaurant
Set in the Nordic House, a space designed by famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto, the Aalto restaurant is owned by chef Sveinn Kjartansson. A popular TV chef and food writer in Iceland, Kjartansson is known for innovative seafood cooking. Try the hot-smoked catfish with citrus.
Photographs: Alamy, Ragnor Visage/Andre Visage
How to get to Iceland
Return flights from Gatwick, Stansted or Edinburgh to Reykjavik cost from £60 return (wowair.co.uk)
Looking for restaurants in Seville? Want to know where to eat in the southern Spanish city? Local food writer Shawn Hennessey and travel writer Aoife O’Riordainshare their insider tips for the best restaurants in Seville, along with where to find the best tapas, vermouth and paella.
Best tapas restaurants in Seville
The spiritual home of flamenco, Seville is also the birthplace of tapas. One of the best ways to experience Seville’s fabulous gourmet scene is to engage in your own little ‘tapeo’ – a relaxed wander around some of its many bars. You can also ask for a media ración or ración, which are larger than a tapa.
Eslava
Sixto Tovar’s Eslava baris at the forefront of innovative tapas in Seville. Park yourself at the counter for must-try honey pork ribs and award-winning huevo tapa, along with a recommended wine. There are plenty of traditional pork and fish dishes, too, and manchego ice cream to finish.
Casa Morales
Founded in 1850, and into its fourth generation, the historic charm of Casa Morales is hard to beat. There are front and back sections, with the latter featuring massive terracotta wine urns. Enjoy some salt cod with salmorejo, tortilla de patatas or lomo en manteca, with vermouth, sherry or house wine alongside them. It’s the perfect place to start a “tapeo” tour in Seville.
Calle Garcia de Vinuesa 11
Bodeguita Romero
This family-run bar is always busy and friendly and serves some of the best traditional tapas in town. Don’t miss the pringá (hot toasted pork bun), the braised pork cheeks or the spinach with chickpeas. Pedro and Angeles are in charge of the bar and kitchen, while son Alejandro is responsible for their extensive wine list, including some top quality sherries.
A modern restaurant specialising in top quality fish and seafood, Cañabota also has an eclectic wine list that includes international wines (unusual for Spain), and a wine-by-the-glass menu that changes monthly. Food-wise, expect seasonal menus with daily specials based on what’s good and fresh at the market; recent hits have included swordfish toasts with garlic and truffle, and razor clams with pancetta and warm salsa verde.
Calle José Gestoso 19
Enrique Becerra
Cross into El Arenal to find this third-generation family-run bar and sample some of the house specialities: albóndingas (lamb meatballs with mint sauce), salt cod in filo pastry parcels, or bacon wrapped langostines in sherry sauce. Many of the dishes also appear in the restaurant’s cookbooks.
Tucked around a corner from Seville’s Cathedral is the sophisticated tapas restaurant, celebrated for its prawns in garlic, whisky tortilla and potato salad tapas.
Stop for a drink at this atmospheric bar in the buzzing barrio Santa Cruz. Order a Cruzcampo beer or a glass of fino and a plate of expertly sliced jamón ibérico de bellota, cured ham from free-range, acorn-fed “pata negra” pigs.
Santa Teresa 2; 00 34 954 213069
Best bars in Seville
Premier Sherry & Cocktail Bar
Sherry is Andalucía’s most iconic wine, yet is often misunderstood. Versatile and fascinating, there’s a sherry – or sherry cocktail – for everyone. Let José and his expert team at the Premier Sherry & Cocktail Barhelp you discover yours.
Vermutería Yo Soy Tu Padre
Pre-lunch is the traditional time for vermouth, and at Vermutería Yo Soy Tu Padre it’s made in-house by owner Estebán, using a sherry wine base and his own secret herb recipe. Try it served over ice with a snack of jamón.
70 Gravina, 00 34 619 470 784
Lama La Uva
Boutique wine shop Lama La Uva has an excellent selection of regional wines to sample or take away, and English-speaking owner Ana Linares is happy to arrange small, casual tastings. She also sells artisanal olive oils and preserves, and can slice and vacuum-pack top-quality hams and cheeses for you to take home.
Best cafés and breakfast spots in Seville
Bar Europa
A quick coffee, a glass of freshly pressed orange juice, and a slice of olive oil-rubbed toast is the classic Sevillano breakfast. This narrow bar with pretty tiles and local punters is the ideal spot.
Take a break from sightseeing with merienda, the Spanish equivalent of afternoon tea, at Suitcake, a quality café and pastry shop that makes everything on the premises. Try the chocolate truffle cake with orange, or a lemon curd palmera.
Confiteria la Campana
Stop for a coffee at this renowned pastry shop and choose between its delectable array of handmade sweets and cakes.
At Fargo Restaurante, in Seville’s trendy Soho Benita neighbourhood, you’ll find locally sourced organic meat and fish, and a terrific selection of regional wines. The menu changes weekly, so check with owner Yann for what’s fresh from the market.
La Moneda
Tapas are not the only way to eat out in Seville. This classic old-school restaurant specialises in seafood from nearby coastal towns like Huelva. Don’t miss the coquinas – fingernail-sized clams sautéed in garlic and olive oil.
Almirantazgo 4, 00 954 223642
Sahumo
Sahumo means to perfume with smoke in Spanish, which classically-trained owner/chef Dario Dominguez does to perfection with his wood-fired grill. The small but varied menu includes smoked salmon from the Canaries, grilled aged Galician beef with bearnaise sauce and tender grilled whole squid.
Zaragoza 18
Best food markets and shops in Seville
Feria
Seville’s oldest market, Feria, is the preferred option for local chefs. Try tapas in the new food court, set in a magnificent fish hall, or eat delicious seafood at La Cantina, which boasts a 13th-century church wall as part of its terrace.
Plaza Calderón de la Barca
Salsamento
A modern version of the traditional abacería (food shop with a small bar), at Salsamento you can relax with a drink and some chicharrones de Cádiz (like pork scratchings) while deciding what to take away with you from a range of quality charcuterie and seafood preserves.
Triana and Taller Andaluz de Cocina
A two-in-one experience, at Taller Andaluz de Cocina you can combine a Triana market tour with a hands-on cooking class with chef Victor and his team. Learn how to cook dishes such as spinach with garbanzos, or authentic paella, with ingredients fresh from the market, then enjoy the fruits of your labours.
Metropol Parasol food market
Nicknamed ‘the mushrooms’ Metropol Parasol dominates the Plaza de la Encarnación with its futuristic-looking wooden structure. Underground is a museum displaying some of the city’s Roman walls and artefacts while above it is one of Seville’s best daily food markets. Make sure you visit the stalls selling jamón de ibérico bellota; it can be vacuum packed to take home (from €60-120 per kg). On the upper levels there is a 30-metre high walkway with panoramic views which you can access through the Antequarium below.
Ex-Londoner Peter Tatford has called Seville home for the past 15 years. He combines a love of history and local culture with his knowledge of food and wine, offering a variety of informative walking and tapas tours that will get you started the way you mean to go on.
Doubles at the Corner House, in the buzzy Alameda de Hércules (one of Seville’s most iconic squares), are very affordable. There’s also an in-house restaurant/bar, El Disparate, serving a selection of traditional and innovative dishes; if you’re lucky grab one of the tables on its spacious terrace, overlooking the square.
This four-star boutique hotel is set in a baroque palace just off the Alameda, near the city centre. Lovingly restored by a local interior design firm it looks fresh and modern while retaining original arched columns in the courtyards and timbered ceilings in some of the rooms. The excellent in-house restaurant, Origen, is run by chef Javier Abascal.
The HOSPES CASAS DEL REY DE BAEZA (Santiago 2, Plaza Jesús de la Rendención, hospes.es. Above) is a charming hotel housed in a beautiful 18th-century ‘corral de vecino’ (characteristic of the city, these are apartments built round a courtyard) in the barrio Santa Cruz. Doubles from €135, room-only.
Dating from 1929, this neo-Mudéjar-style building is Seville’s grandest hotel. Its restored art deco American Bar is the perfect backdrop for a sophisticated sip before dinner; try a Mimosa – a blend of champagne and orange blossom.
Seville’s historic centre is dotted with architectural treasures but the Unesco World Heritage-listed CATHEDRAL is the real showstopper. It was built on the site of an earlier mosque and its iconic bell tower, the Giralda, is one of its predecessor’s only remnants. Around the corner, the stunning Royal Palace, the ALCAZAR, spans Islamic, Renaissance and Baroque periods through its dazzling azulejo-tiled interior and fabulous gardens fragrant with jasmine and orange blossom.
Stroll down towards the riverbank to the majestic ochre and white PLAZA DE TOROS DE LA MAESTRANZA or bullring, the setting for Bizet’s opera, Carmen. Afterwards head to Calle Sierpes, the city’s main shopping thoroughfare, where the shops reopen in the late afternoon.
Monasterio de Santa Maria Del Socorro
Many of Seville’s convents are known for their handmade pastries and sweets – dulces and yemas – and this is no exception.
Return flights from a range of UK airports to Seville start from £50 (ryanair.com).
TRUST OLIVE
Shawn Hennessey has lived in Seville since 1993 and is a certified sherry educator. She is also the founder of Azahar Sevilla, and offers unique food and wine experiences in her adopted city (sevillatapastours.com).
Photography: lonely planet magazine/yadid levy, alamy, ken scicluna/Awbi-images
Looking for restaurants, hotels or places to stay in Abergavenny, Wales? Want to know where to eat in the Abergavenny? Read our expert hotel review of The Angel Hotel in Abergavenny for afternoon tea and more…
What is The Angel Hotel’s USP?
This former coaching inn, now a characterful hotel, stands proudly in the historic Monmouthshire market town of Abergavenny, on the edge of the Brecon Beacons. Its 34 bedrooms, four of which are in separate cottages, are contemporary in design but complement the hotel’s main 18th century architecture. Settle in for a stay and you can drink in a choice of two bars, eat in a modern, seasonal restaurant or head to the dining room for afternoon tea (discover our best afternoon teas across the UK here). Fans of fine dining can also book a table at Michelin-starred sister restaurant, the Walnut Tree, five minutes’ drive away.
And the general vibe?
Whether you’re staying as a guest or just visiting for dinner and drinks, staff are attentive and the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed; walls are hung with art by local artists and soft lighting encourages a laid-back mood. Cosy up on a leather Chesterfield sofa by the open fire in the main (Foxhunter) bar for drinks and more casual food or head to the Oak Room restaurant for more formal dining (you will be serenaded by a pianist on Friday and Saturday nights).
Tea Room
Which room should I book at The Angel Hotel?
This is a hotel with its own, slightly offbeat, style and all the bedrooms have their own distinct feel – choices range from superior, deluxe and super deluxe rooms to the lodge (a Victorian house) and four contemporary cottages adjacent to the hotel – but try and book the mews (a former stables), set just off from the hotel for ultimate quiet and comfort in a simplistic modern styled room. Personal touches are everywhere, from the hotel’s own ground coffee produced by Round Hill Roastery in Bath provided with in-room tea trays to relaxing classical music played through vintage-style radios to the large walk-in showers and his ‘n’ her bath robes.
Deluxe Suite
What’s good to drink?
Classic cocktails include an Angel Amaretto sour with lemon juice, gomme syrup and orange while house cocktails include the likes of a Foxhunter fizz, made with Chase elderflower liqueur and prosecco. There’s also an extensive wine and champagne list, or choose from local beers and ciders. Don’t miss the Wye Valley Brewery Ale, brewed in Hereford and Apple County Cider Co. brewed just 15 miles away. Look out, too, for local Ancre Hill Vineyard wines.
Foxhunter bar
And to eat?
Have a drink in the hotel’s glamorous cocktail bar (the gin list is particularly impressive – try an Elegant 48 gin and tonic with Chase gin while you wait to be seated at The Oak Room). Choose from a varied and seasonal menu; locally sourced dry-aged Welsh beef ribeye with creamy béarnaise sauce, a crunchy winter salad with chicory, walnuts and creamy blue cheese dressing or freshly hand-picked Cornish crab. Alternatively if you’d rather eat in a more casual environment, there’s a bar menu full of simple, comforting options like fish and chips, locally caught Llanarth pheasant or a Foxhunter cheese board, with The Angel malted milk ice cream to finish.
What’s the breakfast like?
Breakfast is served in the main dining room – choose from local sausages, thick-cut bacon and creamy scrambled eggs or, for something lighter, homemade granola with yogurt, fruit and a moreish berry compote. The main event here, however, is the baked goods. The hotel also runs an artisan bakery, just across the lane, and this supplies them with delicious pastries and breads (including buttery pain au chocolates, stolen mince pies, freshly baked candied grapefruit brioche, gooey Valrhona chocolate and hazelnut brownies and freshly baked potato bread).
It’s also well worth stopping in at the The Angel Bakery before you leave to stock up on fresh sourdough and pastries. In the summer it sells a range of homemade, soft-serve ice creams too.
What other food experiences are there?
Afternoon tea is another must-eat at the Angel Hotel. It’s served in the Wedgewood Room, a smart, contemporary, low-lit dining room brightened by tall green plants, large mirrors, big windows and parquet flooring and tea, on floral bone china, is laid out on starched white tablecloths. Kick off with a glass of Bollinger before indulging in warm savoury pastries (crisp sausage rolls, flaky duck-filled filo), homemade sandwiches (thick-cut ham and mustard, sweet coronation chicken) and moreish sweet treats (raspberry meringues, soft coffee profiteroles, mini lemon and poppy seed fairy cakes).
The hotel also runs a series of interesting foodie weekends; keep an eye on the website for current breaks but recent events have included Foraging Fun weekends led by local expert Adele Nozedar.
Afternoon tea
What else is there to do in the local area?
The Kitchen At The Chapel, also in Abergavenny, is well worth seeking out for brunch or lunch. Set in a 19th-century chapel, tucked behind the town’s market, there’s an imaginatively curated gift shop (check out the beautiful ceramics and other carefully crafted kitchenware and cookbooks) on site but it’s the café that draws the crowds for its no-fuss, locally sourced food (try the Westcome cheddar, potato and pickled onion toastie or the roast parsnip, grilled chicory and Westcombe ricotta salad).
Also in town is the Marches deli for charcuterie from Trealy Farm, award winning ‘Mouldy Mabel’ blue cheese produced in nearby Carmarthenshire and aromatic honey from Coedcanlas on the Pembrokeshire coast. The Hardwick restaurant with rooms is less than 10 minutes’ drive away, too.
Lunch at The Kitchen At The Chapel
olive says…
If you can, time your visit to tie in with Abergavenny Food Festival, which has been going for over 20 years and takes place in September (some years there’s a Christmas Food Festival too). Expect chefs from across the UK plus local farmers, chefs and producers, and activities for the whole family; recent festivals have included Cabrito founder, James Whetlor, cooking goat meat over fire, Zoe Adjonyoh showing the crowds how to make simple vegan dishes, Nargisse Benkabbou rustling up a Moroccan supper and and Skye Mcalpine showing how to make the perfect pasta dough.
Looking for restaurants, hotels or places to stay in Lancashire? Want to know where to eat in Lancashire? Read our expert restaurant review of the Northcote hotel…
Northcote in a nutshell: Home to the world-famous gastronomic festival, Obsession, Lancashire’s classy Northcote is worth visiting year round for its inclusive, sophisticated and seasonal celebration of its surrounds.
Who’s cooking?
Lisa Allen, who’ll be a familiar face for fans of Great British Menu and MasterChef: The Professionals, has been at Northcote since 2001. Starting as chef de partie, Lisa quickly worked her way up the ranks to be named executive chef, and took over the reins from top dog Nigel Haworth in 2017.
Northcote working gardens
What’s the vibe?
Set on the edge of the Ribble Valley, the 19th-century former manor house has had a thoroughly modern makeover for its discerning, foodie guests. Plush fabrics – including a leopard-print armchair in the bar, no less – dramatically dark walls in the dining room and crisp white tablecloths provide the backdrop for dinner. Classic training exudes from the menus and is matched by old-school service.
Northcote Restaurant
What’s the food like?
In full view of the dining room there’s a comprehensive kitchen garden, as well as a small orchard, providing some 90 varieties of fruit and veg for the chefs to play with. Seasonal menus change every six to eight weeks, and there’s a choice between a four- and six-course tasting menu, and a plant-based counterpart. We opt for both.
The first to arrive, after some small but mighty canapés, are tartares – aged, hand-cut beef for the omnivore, and diced, roasted celeriac for the plant-based. Both are draped in a disc of more buttery celeriac and are served with a finger of toast, smoked marrowbone on one, smoked butter on the other. Same same but different. We like.
Aged Hand Cut Beef, Roasted Celeriac, Smoked Marrowbone
Next a round of heritage potatoes arrives, to mimic the scallop on the opposite side of table. While the potato’s chowder is lifted with lemon and chervil, the soft, golden-crusted scallop comes with an intense clam chowder with bacon. It’s hard to beat, as is the bright, white Cottanera, from Etna, that it’s served with.
West Cost Scallop, Clam Chowder, Bacon, Chervil
The plates continue apace, with some interesting drink pairings – a surprise Dry Sack amontillado sherry to match the nutty sweetness of jerusalem artichokes and wafers of earthy truffle – but it’s the main proper that wins it for us. Red-leged partridge, a supreme served alongside a leg ‘bolognese’; and hen of the woods mushroom, on the plant-based menu, delicately battered and fried until crisp and gnarled on the outside, and juicy and meaty on the inside, with mushroom ‘bolognese’. Both are majestic, so satisfying in their savouriness. A deconstructed eccles cake – with muscat grapes, caramelised pastry and tea – draws a close to this ode to the north.
Flavour of Eccles cake, muscat grapes, caramelised pastry, tea
And the drinks?
Beware of the dangerously delicious wine list, that will easily get you merry should you opt for the tasting flight. Selected by Northcote’s highly decorated MD, Craig Bancroft MI (who has also been at the hotel since 1983), along with five sommeliers who work at the hotel, every glass works as hard as the food.
How about the rooms?
There are 26 rooms across the main house and slightly quieter Garden Lodge, which comes with its own pantry kitchen, boot and drying rooms, which are welcome after a long hike up nearby Pendle Hill. Each are individually decorated, often with bold splashes of colour and obligatory sink-into baths.
Northcote garden lodge – Master suite
And what about breakfast?
White-clothed table service continues through to breakfast. You can choose from the likes of freshly blitzed smoothies and traditionally made organic oatmeal porridge with wildflower honey and hot, frothy milk, to a full English with all the usual suspects – sourced locally, cooked exceptionally – with homemade sourdough fried in bacon fat, and soft and spicy black pudding. Not to be ignored though, is a surprise contender – Mrs Kirkham’s melting lancashire cheese soufflé, soft and wobbly, full of flavour, and cut through with sharp and sweet grilled local tomatoes.
olive tip: If you’re as big a food geek as us, ask for a tour around the impressive kitchen – it’s one of the biggest we’ve ever seen, and run with military precision by the super-cool Lisa. (The cookery school is actually set within the kitchen, too – so perfect for chef watching, if you’ve time for a class.) And be sure to leave room for the cheeseboard – a sterling collection, served just ripe and at the perfect, oozing temperature, by the jolly staff.
Looking for Edinburgh restaurants? We have found the best places to eat in Edinburgh. From the top restaurants in Edinburgh to places for brunch, cafés and bars, we have all of the local favourites here…
Best restaurants in Edinburgh for wow factor…
The Lookout by Gardener’s Cottage
The latest restaurant from chef Dale Mailley – whose rustic-chic, communal dining field-to-fork favourite, Gardener’s Cottage, was joined in 2017 by a Leith-based bakery, Quay Commons – has hungry diners running up the hill (thelookoutedinburgh.co).
All clean, pared back lines inside a glass box built on a cantilever and part-suspended over the north-west slope of Calton Hill it’s part of the new City Observatory complex, redeveloped by The Collective as a contemporary art venue. Think sweeping views of the city skyline and out over the Firth of Forth as the backdrop for Mailley’s ever-inventive menu of seasonal dishes such as cured sea trout with scurvy grass, malted rabbit and hare yakitori.
Scott Smith wowed Edinburgh diners with his first restaurant, Norn, in Leith. Having bagged Edinburgh Restaurant of the Year, the announcement of its sudden closure sent shockwaves across the city. Fans didn’t have to wait long to taste his cooking again, however; his follow-up project, Fhior (Gaelic for true), opened on Broughton Street in summer 2018.
Set above hipster basement bar, Kin, in a string of small Scandi-chic rooms, the restaurant serves four- and seven-course tasting menus with a playful element that lets seasonal ingredients sing. Eye-poppingly creative dishes live up to the hype: ‘baby gem lettuce, hogget, pea, goats’ curd’, for instance, entails warm braised lettuce, tender, torn lamb, sweet peas and puree offset by a tart, tangy goat’s curd.
Listen to our podcast interview with Scott Smith about his favourite Scottish ingredients and more…
Best restaurants in Edinburgh for casual dining…
Southside Scran
Tom Kitchin is on a roll. Not only has he recently launched his first pub with rooms, The Bonnie Badger in East Lothian (bonniebadger.com) but he quickly followed that by opening a second gastropub in the Scottish capital, the Southside Scran. Slightly south of the city centre, in Bruntsfield, menus here feature belt-busting hearty dishes based around seasonal Scottish produce but with a nod towards France.
Typical starters include Clash Farm pig’s head terrine and celeriac remoulade, West Coast shellfish ravioli and shellfish bisque and Borders Game pithivier and quince. In the dining room the rotisserie grill sizzles with whole roast Gartmorn Farm chicken and confit garlic and grass-fed Highlands Wagyu tail, shallots and parsley, while ‘Southside Comforts’ are just that: wagyu burger with red onion relish and Isle of Mull cheddar alongside re-imagined old-school desserts: rotisserie pineapple and rum sauce and rice pudding with pumpkin, orange and salted caramel sauce.
Chef Roberta Hall-McCarron’s starry credentials include stints at The Kitchin and Castle Terrace. Now heading up her own restaurant, off still edgily down-at-heel Leith Walk, she was awarded Young British Foodies Chef of the Year in 2018.
The bijoux little joint (just 16 diners at the bar and smattering of tables) features dishes such as earthy game broth with a plump doughy duck bun followed by venison selection, brussel sprouts, salt-baked celeriac and chestnut. Then, to finish, darkly hearty malt loaf smeared with Vacherin cheese, plus mead and hazelnuts.
You can’t beat ‘a buck a shuck’, and Oyster Happy Hour runs from 4-6pm Monday to Thursday at the White Horse Oyster and Seafood Bar at the bottom of the Royal Mile. This sleek seafood restaurant, in what was once an 18th-century inn, has a bespoke green marble bar, custom-designed oyster tank, leather banquettes and exposed stonework, and dishes up a smorgasbord of seafood.
The smattering of exquisite small plates designed for sharing includes tender octopus with pine nut, mint and basil, moreish monkfish satay, chargrilled mackerel with pickled beetroot and horseradish and crab and crayfish toast with chilli, orange and avocado, as well as traditional seafood platters.
Ground-breaking restaurant and research hub Edinburgh Food Studio continues to evolve organically. Founded by Ben Reade, once head of research at the Nordic Food Lab in Copenhagen, and his partner, Canadian chef and anthropologist Sashana Souza Zanella – with a little help from their crowdfunding friends – the sleek ‘food studio’ takes a wide-angled view of the restaurant concept. It’s more supper club in character, with a string of guest chefs and foragers.
Diners cluster round communal tables for a set seven-course tasting menu. Originally open just three nights a week, you can now book dinner Wednesday to Saturday, lunch Thursday to Saturday and brunch on Sunday. There’s a new head chef, James Murray (who’s worked at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons and Lyle’s in London) and the business now sells bread – from its other project the Company Bakery (companybakery.com). It’s a whole new chapter.
Leith’s vibrant waterfront has long been a foodie hub with its jostling of Michelin-starred restaurants and quirky gastropubs. Toast, a cool jazz-filled wine café in an old art gallery on The Shore is a buzzing place for brunch. Think exposed brickwork, a mix of high tables and turquoise velvet banquettes and tables spilling out onto the pavement.
Tuck into a creamy bowl of porridge with roasted pistachios, coconut and honey, Mexican inspired huevos rancheros, chilli and lime-infused smashed avocado with sun-blushed tomatoes on sourdough toast or shakshuka, that rich tomato, roast pepper, chilli, onion and aubergine stew baked with two eggs. The wine list is the other draw, of course. Wines by the glass are changed weekly to keep the locals on their toes and around a third of the 100 or so wines on the list are organic, natural or biodynamic.
Lowdown Coffee is a cool café in the bright basement of a grand Georgian terrace on George Street. Owner Paul Anderson sources his beans from Swedish coffee roaster Koppi, founded by champion baristas Anne Lunell and Charles Nystrand – who also occasionally hold workshops and tastings at Lowdown.
The inspiration for the clean, minimalist design was Japanese not Scandinavian, however. Anderson studied furniture designer and his father was an architect and the space feels more like a friend’s flat than a café with its kitchen counter-layout. The whole place is designed to encourage social interaction – yes cosy chats over coffee and cake.
The capital is sprinkled, cappuccino chocolate shaker-style, with independent coffee shops and micro-roasteries and Cairngorm Coffee is one of the best. Owner Robi Lambie veered down different design routes for his two branches, setting them apart from the mainstream chains.
The Frederick Street basement café with its rustic, rough-hewn wood groove is mountain hut chic. You could hole up here nursing a latte for days amongst the coffee bean sacks. Melville Place, however, is a sleeker, more contemporary option. Think high tables (a bar of wood sandwiched between copper) along with copper angled iPad holder tables and state-of-the-art equipment: the first Sanremo Opera espresso machine in Scotland. And the coffee? Roasted in the Cairngorms, of course.
From dough to doughnuts: Twelve Triangles’ story began back in 2015 with a spot of experimentation – slow ferment, cold-prove doughs. Now, this tiny bakery just of Leith Walk sells a range of breads – including a dark and devilish charcoal loaf, gourmet doughnuts and pastries. It’s also since expanded to a second branch in Portobello and the Twelve Triangles Kitchen Table, a café, gathering place and the venue for regular fermentation workshops.
Rowan Taylor is the Bearded Baker – or bagel man. At this cute little joint in Canonmills you can choose from a range of combinations running from your classic smoked salmon, cream cheese, pickled cucumber and dill to the P.B.B – smooth peanut butter and sliced banana with an optional drizzle of honey. He also makes a mean doughnut, plump and doughy, caked in sugar and oozing fillings from white chocolate and pecan to lemon meringue.
Whether you want to sink a pint or nurse a peaty dram Edinburgh has more than its share of hipster hangouts, sleek whisky bars, old-world pubs and late night drinking dens. Smith and Gertrude, in perkily pretty Stockbridge with its delis, patisseries, cheesemongers, butchers and bakeries, is a new departure, however, a retro-chic wine bar that’s all reclaimed wood flooring, vintage radiators and a simple concept: wine, cheese, company.
The carefully curated wine list features natural, organic and biodynamic bottles, as well as orange wines. It serves daily changing wines by the glass, weekly wine flights and regular tastings. And then there’s the cheese – from Ubriaco, an Italian cow’s cheese served with aged Balsamic to an Irish Killeen with quince – along with charcuterie platters.
Dunstane Houses is a cosy bolthole in Edinburgh’s West End – and two hotels in one: Dunstane House, a William Playfair-designed Victorian mansion and the (about to be revamped) Hampton House across the road. Orkney-born owners Shirley and Derek Mowat have stamped their character and Orkney roots on the rambling Dunstane House. Think oversized tweed headboards and framed black and white photos of island life. There’s no traditional hotel restaurant, but relaxed all-day dining (12-9.30pm) in the eclectic lounge with its low-slung velvet sofas and scattering of tables and the darker more dramatic Ba’ Bar.
The cooking style is Modern Scottish with a nod to the Orkneys, the produce local, seasonal farm, field and fishing boat, the menu split into wee and bigger bites. For ‘a wee taste of Orkney’ tuck into hand-cut smoked salmon and smoked peppered mackerel pate from Grimbster or a platter of mature Orkney cheddar with homemade apple and plum chutney and oatcakes. Scottish favourites include creamy Cullen Skink with artisan bread, hand-dived Orkney scallops with chorizo, chilli and spring onion and crispy Campbells haggis bonbons with Glenkinchie single malt whisky and Arran mustard mayo. To finish Dunstane Cranachan: wickedly decadent whisky, whipped cream, toasted oats, honey and orange.
Looking for places to stay in Kingham? Want a pub with rooms in the Cotswolds? Read our review of The Wild Rabbit in Kingham.
What is The Wild Rabbit’s USP?
In the heart of the Cotswolds (check out more places to stay in the Cotswolds here), on the Daylesford estate, The Wild Rabbit is a modern British inn serving seasonal, hyper-local food and offering 12 bedrooms (all, like the inn itself, named after creatures found in the English countryside). There are also two cosy cottages just a short walk away and, as of late 2018, three more opposite the inn.
Exteriors of The Wild Rabbit
And the general vibe?
While it attracts an out-of-town crowd, at its heart The Wild Rabbit is a country pub, albeit one with Hugo Guinness block prints on the walls and tea lights flickering on farmhouse-style tables. It acts as a kind of sociable living room for the locals (the notice board was calling out for village bakers on our visit), with squidgy leather sofas taken up by blush-faced walkers escaping the cold, shaggy dogs lounging in front of the crackling fire and families wrapping their hands around mugs of hot chocolate and hot buttered rum.
The restaurant has a fresher vibe with an open-pass kitchen, big windows and lots of bunny-themed references, from drawings on the plates to topiary hares at the entrance.
The pub area at The Wild Rabbit
Which room should I book at The Wild Rabbit?
Choose between 12 calm, airy bedrooms above the pub, or, for larger groups, take your pick of the cottages, scattered in the surrounding village of Kingham. All showcase Daylesford’s signature pared-backed country style (think exposed beams, sash windows, duck-egg blue stable doors and lots of muted shades of cream, taupe and stone) but peppered with luxuries; if you’re taken with the decor you can buy everything from the egg cups, chopping boards, throws and toiletries at the Daylesford shop in Kingham (and online, here).
Living room of Little Owl cottage
We liked The Bunny cottage, which comes with its own secluded garden for the warmer months and is heated by an Aga in the winter. Perch at its rustic kitchen table and admire shelves stocked with Daylesford’s sleek crockery. Or, sink into plush, dusty grey armchairs, wrap yourself in stylish blankets and throw another log onto the fire before indulging in a game of Trivial Pursuit from the collection of board games.
One bedroom in the Bunny cottage
What’s good to drink?
At dinner, make the most of an organic wine menu (it features bottles from The Wild Rabbit cellar plus sister estate Château Léoube). The Léoube rose is crisp, clean and slightly fruity, making it easy drinking all year round.
Hunker down in the pub and sip on dry ciders, made using leftover apples from the estate, or warm up with a quince liqueur on the rocks – sweet, with notes of honey and figs.
And to eat?
Chef-patron Alyn Williams is at the helm, having previously headed up the kitchen at Marcus Wearing’s two-Michelin star restaurant, The Berkeley, before opening Alyn Williams at The Westbury.
Together with head chef Nathan Eades (one of the most passionate and grounded chefs we’ve met), Williams has designed a carefully curated menu that sings the praises of the Daylesford Farm produce. French classics that celebrate the seasons are the order of the day, with an unofficial motto of “butter makes everything taste better”.
Chefs Alyn Williams and Nathan Eades
Each morning the chefs make the muddy walk up to the farm, where Jez – head of the market garden and a man who knows everything there is to know about beetroot and brussels sprouts – runs through the produce available to use that day, meaning the menu changes every 24 hours.
Grilled squid, radish, cucumber, mint and lemon dressing
On our visit, we started with peppery chunks of black radish, fennel and white broccoli served with an earthy heritage beetroot hummus. The freshness sings, with the veg needing just a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of salt to shine through.
A flaky fillet of Cornish plaice came with a quenelle of creamy broccoli purée, smoky, al dente stems and a rich clementine béarnaise sauce. Chunks of zesty clementine added a freshness that sliced through the butter. Venison (from the Wootton Estate in Staffordshire) was perfectly pink with pungent truffle puy lentils and juicy pomegranate seeds for a hearty main.
It’s worth saving room for dessert, with comforting puddings king. A towering pumpkin pie soufflé came with little nuggets of crunchy pumpkin crumble that melted on the tongue, while crème fraiche ice cream created a puddle of sweetness that was worth drinking from the spoon.
If you’re after something more informal, head to the bar and order scotch eggs served with pickled walnuts, fish goujons with crispy capers or a ribeye steak (the meat comes from cows bred in South Devon) with triple-cooked chips.
Toasted bread with sardines from the pub menu
What’s the breakfast like?
A banquet table is lavishly spread with cheeses from Daylesford dairy, warm croissants, slithers of charcuterie (click here to learn how to make your own charcuterie) and bowls filled with seasonal compotes, muesli and creamy yogurt. If you’ve got a day of walking ahead of you, fill up on silky smoked salmon served with chive scrambled eggs, or creamy porridge sprinkled with brown sugar.
Is The Wild Rabbit family-friendly?
The Hedgehog bedroom above the pub comes with an extra single bed topped with teddies (for larger families, it’s best to book one of the cottages) plus a cosy little nook piled with bedtime storybooks. A babysitting service is also available on request if you fancy a child-free supper. A menu is also available for children, think fish goujons, pasta with homemade tomato sauce as well as bangers and mash.
What can I do in the local area?
From long strolls through charming villages stopping off for pints at country pubs, to cookery classes at Daylesford itself, the Cotswolds is a foodie paradise. Sign up for Artisan Bread Making, Nose-to-Tail Butchery or Sustainable Seafood courses at Daylesford’s Cooking School, or, hop in the car and drive 30 minutes’ south for a hearty lunch at Mr Hanbury’s Masons Arms (read our full review here).
The concierge says…
On a Sunday, borrow a pair of wellies (or hire bicycles) and go for a ramble, returning to the pub where bowls of roasties will be waiting on the counter, ready to be dug into.
olive says…
The Chicken Shed (the restaurant’s private dining room) is the perfect space for parties. Gather in the picturesquely rustic space to enjoy a formal tasting menu, or keep it more casual with wood-fired pizzas. Bespoke wine tastings are also available in the inn’s wine cellar, while tailored workshops are also bookable, whether you want to learn to forage or make liqueurs with the chefs.
Looking for restaurants in St Martin de Belleville? Want to know places to eat in the French Alps? Check out our ideas for eating and drinking in the area…
The best restaurants around St Martin for finer dining…
La Bouitte
At this three-Michelin star restaurant in the neighbouring hamlet of St Marcel (take a taxi or walk there in around 20 minutes from St Martin de Belleville along a pretty mountain path), chef-owners Rene and Maxime Meilleur take local culinary traditions up dizzying notches.
The ultimate in alpine chic, the décor is Savoyard charm at its most indulgent, with vintage cowbells strung from chunky timber rafters, stunning custom-designed green and gold pottery from La Poterie du Lac in nearby Annency, wide wooden floorboards and little milking stools to rest your bag on (or ski gloves – many guests come for lunch, straight from the slopes).
Our meal started with three amuse-bouches: an oyster with lemon yuzu and sea water, an exquisite waffle disc topped with Beaufort cheese and specks of salty, cured Savoie ham and a tiny, bitesized tartelette filled with Chambery vermouth and topped with a mackerel-like pâté of pike fish with lime zest. Next came the bread trolley (go for the potato version, dense and soft with a hint of baked spud) with three different butters (one a cooked butter made with milk from La Trantsa – see below). Then, in an ironic nod to the restaurant’s beginnings as a raclette and fondue restaurant, 40-odd years ago, a souffle-like puff of warm, creamy cheese and onion ‘raclette’ topped by bacon nuggets.
Don’t fill up too early, though. You’ll want to save space for mains such as fera, a local white fish, sandwiched between slivers of salty, softly crunchy ‘batter’ and served with shaved, chicory-like puntarelle, its crisp, bitter freshness the perfect foil for the soft, subtly flavoured fish and the richness of an accompanying Rousette butter foam.
Also for what is, arguably, the star of La Bouitte’s show – not just a cheese trolley but a four-story cheese “chariot”, its 40 cheeses all from the Savoie or Haute Savoie regions and including six different types of tomme alone. Served with a tiny, perfectly steamed potato, choices might include a creamy goats’ tomme, a Reblochon-like Tamie, made by monks, and Bleu de Termignon, an inkily dark blue cheese with that tell-tale sweetness that’s made by hand from the milk of just 18 cows.
Post-cheese comes a pre-dessert of gentian and carrot juice with a little cup of sweet carrot crisps sprouting from chocolate soil. Dessert itself is just as show-stopping; a signature pudding called “Le Lait” that uses cow and sheep milk from the Belleville valley in five different ways: meringue, ice cream, a frozen disc, biscuit and mousse. There’s also a sixth way: a dulce de leche-style warm sauce. It’s delicious – just how a cloud of snow should taste in a fairytale.
If you have space for an espresso, order it. Among the vast array of petit fours it will come with is the house speciality: a trio of “biscuirons” served in a little wooden treasure chest. They look like macarons but they’re something the kitchen has invented – tiny meringues sandwiching delicately flavoured creams such as orange blossom.
The most photogenic of the village’s more formal restaurants, family-owned Le Montagnard looks every inch the well-kept farm dining room (appropriately so since, when the restaurant is closed, front of house Valentin goes back to the family farm to make tomme). Whitewashed stone walls and traditional timber floors are cosied up with rustic wooden tables, little brass lamps and walls hung with antique skis.
The food is in keeping with the rustic setting, albeit far more sophisticated than your average farmhouse lunch or dinner. Typical meals might start with an amuse bouche of smooth cauliflower and dill soup before moving on to a ‘perfect egg’: creamy spinach with a 64-degree egg, a crunchy cracker with a hint of white truffle, and chunks of Savoie ham and cheese.
The standout dish, however, is the local pork, served just pink with a sliver of crisp, smoked bacon, little nuggets of sharp Granny Smith apple and Pont Neuf chip-like towers of polenta, crunchy on the outside but soft and nutty within.
Finish with a scoop or two of homemade ice cream – genepi, perhaps, or myrtille sorbet. The wine list is worth delving into, too; if it’s on the list try the Altesse, a creamy Savoyard white.
Smart and sleek, with pale, caramel-coloured leather seats, a mezzanine dining area and a dramatic 360-degree fireplace in centre stage, L’Etoile serves a refined take on traditional French cooking (if you’re after snails, frogs legs or coquilles St Jacques, this is the place to find them in St Martin de Belleville).
Presentation is classy without being fussy and, while fish eaters are catered for with local trout in a white wine sauce, it’s the meat dishes that shine. Choose from slow-cooked rack of lamb with thyme, pan-fried quail with port gravy, beef fillet cooked with morels or the house speciality, calf’s liver with garlic butter.
Best slopeside restaurants in St Martin de Belleville…
Le Corbeleys
Open daily during the ski season (daytime only), Le Corbeleys is accessed via the top of the gondola that sweeps up from St Martin de Belleville. Sit inside the pretty stone and timber chalet, jostling for space among hungry skiers, or if it’s sunny, grab a table out on the terrace to enjoy snow-speckled mountain views while you eat.
One of the most established piste-side restaurants, Le Corbeleys was founded by the current owners’ grandparents and it’s still a family enterprise. If you fancy a burger you can get one here but the focus is on home-cooked Savoyard favourites; think croziflette (tartiflette where the potato has been substituted for crozet, a kind of French buckwheat pasta), goats cheese quiches and charcuterie plates.
Desserts are a highlight. If you can’t decide what to have the Gourmandises du Pepe Tantin offers a bit of everything from farçon (an eggy pudding laced with raisins, rum, milk and saffron) to rissoles (hot sugared pastries) and mini blueberry tarts. Best of all is the simplest offering: a dessert of creamy La Trantsa sheep yoghurt drizzled with honey or blueberry coulis.
Best farm-to-fork experiences in St Martin de Belleville…
La Ferme de la Choumette
You can ski straight in to this traditional slopeside restaurant, set on a working farm just above St Martin de Belleville. Known for its wood-fired cooking (simply seared steaks and lamb are what everyone comes for, along with farmhouse cheese platters), it’s especially good for family groups, with a dedicated children’s menu and tables beside big windows that look straight into a real-life nativity setting: a hay-strewn stable in which some of the farm’s cows, sheep and goats are kept.
With its intimate cheese knowledge (milk from those cows goes into a deliciously nutty tomme de savoie made – and sold – on site plus a local, co-operatively made Beaufort cheese), it’s little surprise that La Ferme de la Choumette serves a superior fondue. The house speciality, tommiflette, also makes the most of the hyper-local produce (think tartiflette only made with tomme rather than reblochon).
With a sunny terrace overlooking Le Cochet mountain and the ski slopes that wind back into St Martin de Belleville, the farm is a popular spot for an afternoon vin chaud but it’s open at lunch and in the evening, too, for hearty farm-to-table dinners (if you like the sound of that look out for L’ Auberge Le Chantacoucou, in neighbouring Le Châtelard, also; a homely little spot farmer Bernard Souchal serves his own meat as well as cheeses).
Also in the hamlet of Le Châtelard, local farmer Serge Jay and his British wife Suzanne keep a herd of 65 sheep from whose milk they make a tomme-style cheese much loved by local chefs (La Bouitte’s Meilleurs among them). Join them for a tour and tasting (it’s possible to add on a spot of snowshoeing in the mountains first if you want to earn your lunch, or book in for an overnight stay at their cosy Alpine-style B&B) and you can try various versions of the finished product, from a soft, mild, creamy three-week cheese to one that has been aged for three months and is harder, saltier and deliciously nuttier.
The couple also make serac on request. A local delicacy, and one that conjures much nostalgia, it was eaten years ago in the summer months when people were up in the high pastures with their sheep. Made from the whey that’s left over from cheese-making, it’s bit like ricotta or scrambled egg in consistency and flavour and is eaten warm with chunks of bread broken up and mixed into it. You can then add salt or honey depending on whether you want to steer it towards something more sweet or savoury.
If you’re self-catering ask Suzanne if you can buy some of their yoghurt to take back to your chalet. It’s the best you’ll have tasted, thick as a midwinter snowdrift but creamy and with just the right hint of sharpness.
For sit-down pizzas there’s cosy La Voute, on the village’s main square. Its pizzas aren’t as good as the ones at this little take-away joint close to the village bakery, though (which also stretches to a couple of diner-style tables if you want to eat in).
Order a Bellevilloise and you can enjoy the closest you’ll come to raclette in pizza form, with tomato sauce, cheese, onions, bacon, potatoes, cream, Reblochon and oregano bubbling away lusciously on a perfectly blistered base.
Under the same efficient management as Chalet Marguerite (see below), under which it is set (don’t worry, careful soundproofing means there’s no noise disturbance), this vaulted basement bar puts a contemporary spin on Alpine apres-ski, with a pared-back but cosy space that’s dominated by a striking glass boxed fire.
A chic, all-ages crowd comes for craft beers, artisan gins, hot chocolates and vin chauds and there’s a regular rota of live music. It also has a small but expertly curated wine list, focusing on French wines (order a bottle of the Quenard Chignin Savoie if you’re after a local tipple).
Hidden away in Les Menuires, a neighbouring ski resort linked to St Martin de Belleville by runs and chairlifts, Lou-Bar is worth seeking out. Tucked in a basement at the back of the buildings that run along La Croisette, the main drag in Les Menuires, you’ll find Savoyard craft beers behind the bar and five shining copper canteens stocked with a range of mulled wines – take your pick from red, white, rosé, cider and zante (mulled, non-alcoholic, apple juice).
Go early to get your morning baguette and croissant fix at the village bakery, in Immeuble Le Biolley, before it sells out. While you’re there browse the local sweet specialities too; morning choices include croix de savoie (custard filled, cross-shaped pastries) and brioches studded with little pink nuggets of praline rose.
For foodie souvenirs you can’t go far wrong at this deli, set handily just alongside the village bakery. Most typical Savoyard products are in stock here, from local cheeses, charcuterie and wines to artisan ices and sorbets, handmade chocolates, jams and myrtille liqueur (great swapped for cassis in a kir).
A little further along the street that houses the village’s small 8 à 8 supermarket, this well-stocked butchers sells a wide range of local meats, charcuterie, cheese, honeys, wines and a small selection of homemade ready meals. If you buy the ingredients from them they’ll also loan you a raclette or fondue set free of charge.
For the full alpine experience, rent a chalet in one of St Martin de Belleville’s pretty stone buildings. One of the most central is Chalet Marguerite, a two-bedroom first-floor apartment in a complex called Alice Velut, just behind the village church and beside the local history museum (well worth a visit for anyone wanting to find out more about life in the village generations ago, or to get a picture of how so many villages in the Alps have transformed themselves from small farming communities into modern ski resorts).
Chalet Marguerite is one of several properties managed by specialist local operator Self Catered St Martin and, while other apartments in the company’s stable are more all-out stylish, compact Marguerite is just right for a small family or couple. With two bedrooms, an alcove kitchen, a little bath and shower room and a separate toilet it has all the basics comfortably covered, while wall hooks and drawers in the living room sideboard provide useful extra storage for all that bulky ski gear.
Carved wooden doors, timber ceilings and vintage ski posters give the apartment a smattering of Savoyard charm while a beautiful glass-windowed fire in the chalet’s sitting room makes it a great place to unwind after a day on the slopes. The central location is also a great plus point when it comes to eating out in the evening (free car parks on the edge of the village mean you don’t have to drive unless you want to).
Guests are welcomed with carefully chosen wine and chocolate but it’s worth doing a quick stop at the Carrefour in nearby Moutiers on your way from the airport for some basic groceries as these aren’t supplied and the village shop closes early. If want to take a break from cooking, the chalet company can liaise with local readymeal company, Huski (many of whose dishes are made by COOK), to ready-stock your freezer with dishes such as beef bourguignon and tartiflette (vegan, veggie and gluten-free menus are also possible). It also offers a welcome hamper that covers a full meal on your first night and everything you’d need for breakfast the following morning.
We also recommend speaking to Self Catered St Martin about ski hire, lift passes and ski lessons as the company can pre-book these for guests, some at a substantial discount.
Munich-based affordable hotel brand Ruby Hotels is touching down in London this year, launching its first UK venture after successes in Vienna, Dusseldorf and Hamburg. Opening in the autumn on the Southbank, the hotel aims to offer ‘lean luxury’. Swapping traditional features for more up-to-date offerings, there’ll be no in-house restaurant, minibars or gyms but communal spaces serving organic breakfasts, movie loungers and rooftop chill-out spaces instead.
Bedrooms will come with walk-in showers and high-quality linen while hallway vending machines will dish out craft beers and snacks from local producers. Each bedroom will also contain a carefully curated London city guide, including the best local restaurants and bars to check out during your visit.
Bar area of Ruby Hotels in Hamburg
Also in London, long-standing Clerkenwell boozer turned gastropub, The Coach, has just unveiled four smart bedrooms. Overlooking East London’s cobbled streets, the rooms have been designed by Liana Goatman (of the Museum of Everything) and are peppered with mid-century furniture, copper bedside lamps and velvet headboards. Hot on the heels of Paddington’s recently opened Pilgrm Hotel, the rooms are comfortably formed (good beds and bedding, immaculately chosen furnishings, decent showers, nice smellies) but on the smaller side, and stripped of all unnecessary frills.
The downstairs kitchen is the big draw here: a collaboration between Henry Harris and James McCulloch it brings together French and British classics. Tuck into steak tartare, grilled rabbit with mustard sauce or a traditional Sunday roast, or just perch at the bar and order a next-level sausage roll made with pork and merguez.
The Coach in Clerkenwell
Another starry London launch to circle on the calendar is Belmond’s Cadogan Hotel, opening in Knightsbridge in February. Executive chef Adam Handling’s new flagship restaurant will showcase menus created around his commitment to seasonal and sustainable ingredients with dishes that re-invent British regional classics. (If you can’t bag a table try the Frog by Adam Handling in Covent Garden or The Frog Hoxton).
And, while The Goring is in no way new (royalists will remember it as the hotel where Kate Middleton spent her final night as a single woman), spring will see the Belgravia hotel add a new Nathan Outlaw restaurant, a smidge more casual than its Michelin-starred Dining Room, and specialising in Cornish seafood.
Heading north, in Manchester, Hoteliers Native, the restaurateurs behind Bistrotheque and boutique fitness brand BLOK are joining forces to create the London Warehouse, a new space for people to sleep, dine, drink, work and meet in the city’s Northern Quarter. Opening in Spring 2019, the building will house 166 suites, an outdoor terrace and a multi-functional ground floor space with a restaurant, bar, lounge and coffee counter. Further details are thin on the ground at the moment but watch this space…
The Hoxton, with its hipster-ready ‘open-house’ hotels inspired by the vibrant neighbourhoods that surround them (the first hotel launched in Shoreditch in 2006, followed by Holborn, Amsterdam, Paris, last year Williamsburg and, in November, Portland), also has a clutch of new openings to keep an eye on over the coming year. A Chicago hotel is set to open its doors in the spring, followed by LA and Southwark. The Chicago branch, especially, is one to watch for foodies. Stroll out of the 182-room hotel, with its floor-to-ceiling windows, mid-century-inspired furniture and bespoke wallpaper, and you’re in the city’s foodie West Loop district with its cocktails bars and ‘Restaurant Row’.
Credit: Britney Gill Photography
Island retreats
Liam and Ellis Barrie, founders of The Marram Grass on Anglesey, are opening a cookery school in the grounds of the restaurant later this year, following a successful crowdfunding campaign. There will be lessons for local children as well as cookery classes for restaurant guests and masterclasses from chefs including Cornerstone’s Tom Brown and Paul Askew of Liverpool’s Art School.
It’s a big year for the Barrie brothers; in March they’ll be opening their second restaurant in Liverpool’s historic Albert Dock – and there are the pigs to look after (they also rear and sell their own pork through the restaurant and local butchers). And look out for a guesthouse coming soon, too.
On Vanessa Branson’s private Scottish island retreat, Eilean Shona, off the country’s wild-edged west coast, you can bed down in the big house (sleeps 20) or in one of eight cottages scattered across its craggy wooded wilderness. Shepherd’s Cottage, a bijoux bolthole for two with tongue and groove walls, a romantic roll-top bathtub and gas lighting, was revamped last year and is open for bookings in 2019. Reached via a 45-minute tramp along a coastal path from the island’s jetty, it’s romantically secluded and off-grid (there’s no electricity but the hot water and heating are supplied by a stove in the living room). Also new this coming year will be welcome hampers stocked with local honey and handmade shortbread biscuits (though don’t forget to pick up bags of mussels, along with local venison stew and fish pie, in the ‘Wee Shop’ by the pier).
Living room at Shepherd’s Cottage, Eilean Shona
Further south, another private island retreat opens downriver of Berkshire foodie hotspot, Bray (home, of course, of two of the UK’s three-Michelin-starred restaurants: Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck and the Roux brother’s Waterside Inn), in February. Seven-acre Monkey Island sits in the River Thames, accessible only by footbridge, and will boast a 41-bedroom boutique hotel, a brasserie with an open-kitchen serving modern British classics, a whisky snug and a floating spa.
Foodie wellness concepts
Stressful transport connections, poor airline food and navigating new terrain means that travel isn’t always as good for the soul as we imagine but a new hotel concept winging its way to London this summer hopes to change that. Inhabit Hotels’ new 90-bedroom property, housed in six Georgian townhouses in a leafy Paddington mews, takes a holistic approach. Cool Scandinavian design is combined with British heritage to produce relaxing, de-cluttering spaces while a ‘mind-improving’ library and sumptuous ‘clean’ skincare products by REN encourage self-care.
The atrium at the heart of the hotel will host fitness, meditation and yoga classes, while guided morning runs will be offered around Hyde Park. A cafe (free of single-use plastic) will serve cold-pressed juices and a nourishing all-day menu while a 24-hour pantry for on-the-go organic grazing will be stocked with healthy snacks from local suppliers.
In New York, gym giant Equinox is opening its first hotel in the city’s new Hudson Yards development in 2019. With a tag line of ‘where the science of fitness meets the art of travel’ expect a hotel experience tailored to health-conscious travellers, with bedrooms and wellness dining services an add-on to pilates and spin classes (your traditional poky hotel gym, squirreled away in an unloved basement corner of a hotel, is about to get its moment in the limelight).
Also in the US, a wellness-focused sister property to Tennessee’s cult foodie resort Blackberry Farm, Blackberry Mountain opens seven miles from its big sister in February. Fitness here will be all about the outdoors, whether that’s taking an aerial yoga class or going for a hike. A flagship restaurant, Three Sisters, will focus on plancha-cooked dishes such as pumpkin with black walnut butter and berry glaze, with a more casual restaurant, Firetower, serving breakfast egg bowls with sweet potato hash and, for lunch, curried rice bowls with cashews.
Field to fork escapes
Two new piglets will join the growing litter of Pig Hotels this year. The first to open will be The Pig at Bridge Place in the bucolic Nailbourne Valley, Kent, in May. This redbrick Jacobean pile (the scene of raucous rock ‘n’ roll parties and gigs in the 1970s) is a warren of cosy nooks and crannies, peppered with ornate fireplaces, secret stairways and wood-panelled rooms. There will be seven bedrooms in the main house, 12 in an adjoining coach house and two more in the restored gate lodge while glamping fans can bag one of seven Hop Pickers’ Huts dotted throughout the grounds (and kitted out with double beds, cosy bathrooms and wood-burning stoves). Keeping to the Pig ethos, all food not grown in the kitchen garden will be sourced from local farmers and producers within a 25-mile radius.
Next up, in winter 2019, the first Pig in Poldark country will be launched, Grade II-listed Harlyn House, near Padstow (keep an eye out, too, for the Grade II-listed Pig at Madehurst Lodge, set to open in the South Downs in early 2020).
In Somerset, all eyes are on Hadspen House, near Castle Cary. Owned by the people behind South Africa’s kitchen-centred Babylonstoren, the 17th century manor house is currently being transformed into a boutique hotel. Details are currently so sketchy that it may well be 2020 before it starts welcoming guests but Andrew Foulkes (formerly of Bath’s Abbey Hotel) has been confirmed as GM and plans are afoot for 30 bedrooms, a restaurant, kitchen garden and cider mill. Food is likely to be a cornerstone of the development but with an Arts and Crafts garden designed by Penelope Hobhouse set to re-open and whispers of an adjacent Roman villa attraction, it’s definitely one to watch.
Kitchen garden at Babylonstoren
Further afield, in January, Pavilions Hotels will open Nepal’s first luxury tented eco villas. Guests will cross Lake Phewa by paddleboat to reach the eight villas, surrounded by shimmering rice fields and the magnificent Annapurnas. The villas have been constructed using local materials and are peppered with handcrafted furniture, while floor-to-ceiling windows will frame stunning views of the lush landscape. Traditional Nepalese cuisine is on the menu, of course – think spicy salads, curries and fish fresh from the lake with many of the ingredients grown in an on-site organic farm.
Landmark hotel re-openings
Singapore celebrates its bicentenary in 2019: it is 200 years since Sir Stamford Raffles washed up there. The legendary Raffles Hotel, meanwhile, is currently being restored and refurbished and is scheduled to re-open in the summer. Dating back to 1887 this elegant colonial gem will retain its air of old-world glamour, all teak floors and verandas surrounded by lush gardens – and will boast five restaurants and six bars. The historic Long Bar, home to the Singapore Sling, is being spruced up while, in the BBR (Bar and Billiard Room), Alain Ducasse will be unveiling a Mediterranean sharing and grill concept. La Dame de Pic will be an elegant restaurant headed up by stellar French chef Anne-Sophie Pic, Yi by Jereme Leung will showcase provincial Chinese cuisine while in the Raffles Arcade there will be a high-end steakhouse, Butcher’s Block. The signature Raffles’ dining experiences will also return: guests can tuck into authentic North Indian dishes in the Tiffin Room or take afternoon tea in the lobby.
The restoration of New York’s iconic Chelsea Hotel has been plagued by controversy and delays, but is likely to re-open this year. Dating back to the 1880s, ‘the Chelsea’ as it was known was a bohemian enclave where artists, writers and musicians famously bedded down in the middle of the last century to party – think Jack Kerouac, Arthur Miller, Andy Warhol, Janis Joplin, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix and Leonard Cohen to name a few. The revamped hotel will feature 130 glamorous hotel rooms, a first-floor restaurant, lobby lounge, greenhouse and private event space as well as a basement restaurant.
In France, meanwhile, the Art Deco Maison Albar hotel, in the historic heart of Nimes, is also scheduled to re-open in summer 2019, following an extensive refurbishment. In its time it has played host to guests including Ernest Hemingway and Ava Gardner and the painstaking restoration has preserved historic features such as the grand staircase and original elevator. The Provençal gem, with its embellished stone arches and intricate ironwork, will feature 54 bedrooms and six villas, a pool, spa and a ‘bistronomic’ restaurant.
Food culture
Unesco recognised the importance of French food on its cultural heritage list back in 2010 and, in 2013, Lyon was chosen as one of four international cities of gastronomy across France (Tours, Dijon and Paris-Rungis were the others). This year Lyon plays host to the Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie, in the newly renovated Grand Hôtel Dieu, showcasing a range of temporary and permanent exhibition spaces, including restaurants and a sensory food museum across four floors. With the aim of celebrating French cuisine, there will be interactive workshops, demonstrations and tasting sessions.
In 2014, Time Out’s Portuguese magazine editors spearheaded the conversion of the historic market hall in Lisbon into the first Time Out Market, to showcase Portuguese food and culture. Today, under one roof, there are over 30 restaurants, bars, cafes and a cookery academy. The market attracts over three million tourists each year and has revitalised the area. So successful was the concept that others followed and, in 2019, Time Out is gearing up to roll out markets in Miami, New York, Chicago, Boston and Montreal. The New York market will open in the spring on the waterfront in Brooklyn’s Dumbo neighbourhood, with spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline and a range of curated cultural activities while the Boston market will be housed in the former Landmark Centre, an Art Deco building dating back to 1929. In its new incarnation there will be 15 food traders, two bars and a cookery school.
In Denmark, on the East Jutland coast, a 19th-century malt factory is being transformed into a museum, micro-brewery, centre for culture and creative industries, the arts and gastronomy; the Ny Malt is due to open in 2019. In Copenhagen, meanwhile, the former head chef of Noma, Matt Orlando, will open Broaden and Build in the new year, an organic brewery and eating house that aims to explore the creative collaboration between chefs and brewers.
Hot destination
Name-checked as the place to visit in 2019 by Lonely Planet, not least for its vibrant food culture, Sri Lanka is also due to welcome a clutch of new hotel openings. Teardrop Hotels, a curated collection of boutique hotels across the country, includes recently opened Goatfell, a tea plantation bungalow with just four bedrooms in the hills above Kandapola, and Nine Skies, a colonial era gem surrounded by tea-clad hills that’s also just launched outside Ella (it has five bedrooms, private gardens, a croquet lawn and swimming pool). In 2019 the group will open Pekoe House, in Kandy. Food is a focal point at each Teardrop property (much of the herbs, fruit and veg it serves are grown in large kitchen gardens at each site) and Sri Lankan specialities (hoppers, black pork curries and superior afternoon teas) are not to be missed.
Credit: Teardrop Hotels
Also opening in the autumn is The Harding, a luxury hotel with just six suites overlooking a sweep of white sand and surrounded by dense coconut groves at Ahangama, on the south coast. Around thirty minutes’ drive south of Galle, the pared-back interiors and architecture have been inspired by Sri Lanka’s modernist movement; owner Paul Harding’s great uncle opened the first Geoffrey Bawa hotel on the island, The Blue Lagoon. All-day dining will be available at a poolside restaurant and lounge but breakfast on the rooftop will set the tone for a show-stopping foodie trip.
Looking for restaurants in Belize? Want to know where to eat in Placencia? Head on a foodie road trip through Belize, stopping off at roadside restaurants, Placencia tacos shacks and San Ignacio cafes
Some call Belize a melting pot of cuisines, but those who live there prefer to call it a fruit bowl, choosing the best bits of each to create their own. Nudged between Mexico and Guatemala, and influenced by significant immigration from seven different cultures – among them China, Taiwan, India and Indonesia – it’s no surprise that the food landscape in Belize is as varied as its geographical terrain. There are no food franchises in the country (fried chicken is the closest you’ll come to fast-food) so locals steer themselves instead to roadside shacks in hues of bubble-gum pink, burnt orange and deep turquoise serving made-to-order tamales and salbutes.
A two-hour flight from Miami, this laid-back country has the down-to-earth charm of a place that’s yet to be overly commercialised, with jungles, coastline, cities (albeit two) and farmsteads all within a short drive of each other. Rice and beans, corn tortillas, fried Jacks (a bit like a puffy savoury doughnut) and ceviche are staple dishes you’ll find across the country, and, as Belizeans like to point out, everything’s made better with a dash of rum.
Where to eat, drink and sleep in San Ignacio…
Pop’s Restaurant
Tucked away in downtown San Ignacio, this all-day breakfast spot serves American classics (waffles, pancakes and omelettes) but it’s the fried Jacks that people stay for. Grab a cosy green-leather booth and order a plate piled high with the moreish snack – tortilla dough that’s been deep-fried to create a light, puffy savoury doughnut, with a slight chew to it. If you’re after something hearty, order the chaya pockets, where fried Jacks come filled with scrambled eggs and earthy tree spinach (and a generous side of creamy refried beans). Or, keep it sweet by tearing open the hot puffs and drizzling them generously with maple syrup. On a Sunday, the locals pile in after church, ordering plates of them alongside black coffee topped with condensed milk.
On most tables in Belize, the only condiment you’ll find is a bottle of Marie Sharp’s habanero pepper sauce. There are 16 in the range (choose between sweet mango, original fiery, or, for the brave hearted, Belizean heat), each made with a carrot base, and the iconic sauce is added to soups, stir fries or into boiling water when cooking rice.
While the main sauce shop is in Stann Creek, San Igancio is home to the Marie Sharp cookery school. Sign up for a class and Will, the chef, will take you down to the local farmer’s market in search of pineapples and plantains to add to the class menu of rice and beans, stew chicken and tortillas. Along the way there’ll be snifters of cashew, sorrel and jackfruit wine – a type of fermented vinegar. When it comes to cooking you’ll pick up tips on recreating the dishes at home, like using coconut milk to flavour rice and beans, rubbing your tortilla balls in butter to stop them from drying out, and, most importantly, using annatto seasoning in the stew chicken to give it that distinct red colour and sweet yet smoky flavour.
This turquoise wooden-panelled hut, suspended on stilts, is just a short stroll from downtown San Ignacio. The focus here is farm-to-table dining, with fruit and vegetables coming from Chaa Creek’s 30-acre organic Maya farm. Expect an eclectic mixture of dishes, from quesadillas to ceviche, Thai lettuce wraps and Middle-Eastern platters.
Opened in 1981 by Lucy and Mick Fleming – two backpackers who came to Belize and settled in the west – Chaa Creek offers eco-living in the jungle (describing itself as “wildly civilised” it mixes nature with man-made luxuries). With a camp for backpackers, individual thatched roof lodges and luxury treehouses, there’s accommodation for all budgets, scattered among winding gravel paths overlooking the lush rainforest, and 10% of all accommodation revenue goes back to partner community projects each year. All bedrooms come with reusable aluminium water bottles, while metal straws and fabric napkins are used in the restaurant.
Be sure to head to the bar, which is lined with Kilner jars filled with house-infused rums, from ginger, allspice and cinnamon to lemongrass basil. Try them mixed into mojitos and margaritas for a pre-dinner tipple. Fruit and vegetables (everything from avocados and kale to sorrel and limes) come from the hotel’s 30-acre Maya organic farm, which you can take a tour around. Other activities include sunset canoes on the adjacent river and early-morning dips in a serene infinity pool looking out onto coconut trees.
For breakfast indulge in bowls of creamy coconut yogurt, chunks of fresh watermelon, pineapple and melon, and sweet sorrel (hibiscus flower) tea.
Where to eat, drink and foodie things to do in Placencia…
John the Bakerman
A must-visit in Placencia, the waft of freshly baked bread from its ovens will be enough to direct you to this little blue wooden shack. Its stock-in-trade is loaves of bread and warm cinnamon buns. It might look closed when you arrive, but hang around long enough and John will stroll out and show you around, opening cast-iron ovens for you to peek inside and talking you through the baked goods.
Antique scales are piled high with flour, while tins on the work surface are filled with buns, slowly proving away in the warm air. Arrive early to try one of his cinnamon versions (a few are kept for those who turn up later in the day) – squidgy layers spiked with warm cinnamon sugar, currants and a sweet, sticky icing.
For the best gelato in town, visit Tuttifrutti, a little white-washed parlour with green shutters just down the road from John the Bakerman. This 15-year old institution churns out creamy gelato from 9am-9pm, six days a week. With a daily-changing menu of 18 flavours, you won’t be stuck for choice. If it’s on that day, order the fresh coconut, spiked with sweet desiccated flecks of the stuff, or the rich pistachio. Perch outside, or enjoy your scoop on the neighbouring sandy beach.
Maya Beach Bistro
For fresh fish with stunning beach views, Maya Beach Bistro is the place to book a table. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, this open-sided, mahogany-panelled hut is strung prettily with lightbulbs and looks out, beyond palm trees, onto the Caribbean Sea. Lobster is where it’s at, so start with the lobster bread pudding, where squidgy brioche rolls come soaked in a sweet vanilla brandy bisque with chunks of lobster tail. For mains, order the indulgent lobster grilled cheese; chunky slices of toasted whole-wheat bread sandwiches pieces of meaty lobster, swimming in an oozing cheddar and brie sauce.
Perched on the side of the road, this rustic hut with vibrant green signage is the place to go for tacos. Early morning queues grow quickly when people pick up hot chicken tamales from the help-yourself box on the counter before work, but the tacos are an equally appealing breakfast option.
With only a couple of women working in the tiny kitchen, take a seat on a stool while you watch them being made. Smoky nuggets of juicy pork come topped with punchy pico de gallo, sharp onion slithers and a dollop (or two) of hot sauce; turn you head to one side as you eat to save yourself from losing all those sweet meat juices.
Where to eat, drink and foodie things to do in San Pedro…
Elvi’s Kitchen
What started as a hole-in-the-wall burger joint over 40 years ago is now one of Ambergris Caye’s most popular seafood restaurants. Still owned by Elvia Staines, daughter Jennie is now at the helm of the kitchen. The colourful roadside restaurant, complete with sand flooring, is decked out with mahogany panels, vibrant canvases by local artists and brightly patterned tablecloths. Each night there’s a special, with Wednesdays focusing on crab and Fridays playing host to the Grand Maya buffet with live music playing in the background.
The coconut shrimp curry is what people go for – a yellow curry sauce flavoured with rich coconut, tomatoes and sweet shrimps served with fragrant coconut rice and sweet slices of plantain. If it’s on the menu, order the crab claws filled with flaky crab meat and a side of rice and beans. Wash it down with a margarita, the signature cocktail; keep it classic with lime, or order a warming ginger, sweet pineapple or punchy jalapeño version.
San Pedro has a non-stop hustle and bustle that you don’t find across other parts of Belize, but there’s still a laid-back vibe across its three main streets (referred to as first, middle and back) and their vibrant buildings. Head to middle street to make a pit-stop at DandE’s, a frozen custard shop run by Americans Dan and Eileen Jamison.
Inspired by the Coney Island treat, the frozen custard (made from whole milk, sugar and egg) has a thick, creamier texture than other ices after being churned. Step inside the ramshackle shop, where walls are lined with drawings from customers, and take your pick from a whiteboard filled with flavours. Expect everything from pumpkin pie to maple pecan and be sure to finish your cone with a sprinkle of chopped nuts for that extra crunch.
To get a real taste of the local cuisine, sign up for a walking food tour from San Pedro Central Park and you’ll get to sample dishes from seven different restaurants and bars in the old town. Run by Felipe and his sister Dora (who both grew up on the island) the aim was to preserve the local heritage so along the route you’ll learn about the cultural and culinary history of the area and its restaurants.
Tours start at Elvi’s Kitchen before moving onto Briana’s Food Palace – a no-frills place serving plates of garnaches (a dish made of fried corn tortillas topped with refried beans, shredded cabbage and cheese), empanadas, salbutes (a moreish, deep-fried corn tortilla) and fried Jacks. Save room for the fresh boiled shrimp ceviche at Lily’s Treasure Chest, though. Conch fritters continue the seafood theme at El Fogon before dessert by the beach at The Holiday Hotel, San Pedro’s first hotel.
For breakfast by the beach head to Estel’s Dine by the Sea. The vivid turquoise building, complete with vibrant signs and bright murals, serves up a hearty Belizean breakfast with the salty sea whooshing in and out in the background. Take your pick between picnic-style tables shaded under the roof, or go barefoot and enjoy the sand under your feet on the beach itself. Take your pick from a blackboard daubed with choices in colourful chalk, from huevos rancheros to Mayan eggs.
Creamy shrimp omelettes come filled with a mixture of slow-cooked onions, peppers and tomatoes, with generously-sized fried Jacks on the side. You can build you own, with a choice of eggs, meats and breads, but the sides really come into their own. Opt for crispy fried potatoes, creamy refried beans, cinnamon rolls or tortillas.
Tortilla making at San Antonio Women’s Co-operative
Learn how to make corn tortillas with San Antonio Women’s Co-operative, a group of Yugatec Maya women trying to bring back traditional cookery techniques. Watch (and try your hand) at mixing corn dough, made simply from dried corn and water then cooking it over open-fire on a clay pot before drizzling the resulting puffs with coconut oil and a sprinkle of salt. Indulge in a lunch of tamale – a light, soft corn dough (imagine a kind of Belizean version of cannelloni) filled with stew chicken before being wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in a pot over flames.
Ask to try the corn coffee, too. It’s a simple concoction of corn that’s been blackened in a clay pot over open flames and ground before being mixed with boiling water. It has the same punchy bitterness of an espresso, only with zero caffeine.
How to get to Belize
Return flights from London to Belize with delta.com. Chaa Creek bungalows sleep up to three people, b&b (chaacreek.com). Villas at Chabil Mar for two, room-only (chabilmarvillas.com). For more information visit travelbelize.org, or search for #oliveeatsBelize
Looking for vegan restaurants in Vancouver? Want to know where to eat in Vancouver? Local food writer Elizabeth Emery shares her insider tips for the best restaurants in Vancouver, along with where to find the best vegan pizza, vegan ice cream and vegan comfort food.
The Acorn – best vegetarian fine dining in Vancouver
Head to The Acorn for vegetarian fine dining. Go early to get a table, then order a round of craft cocktails and dishes such as kelp salt-roasted king oyster mushrooms. If you can’t get in, try The Arbor, its younger, more casual spin-off a few doors down.
Umaluma Gelato – best vegan ice cream in Vancouver
The organic coconut-milk-based ices at Umaluma Gelato are a must. Try Drunken Cherry, with bourbon-soaked Sicilian cherries and pecans roasted in black pepper and lemon zest; or Panda, a moreish mix of vanilla, chocolate ganache and activated charcoal.
Fast, delicious and affordable are the operative words at Virtuous Pie, a vegan pizza joint with two outlets in the city. Order the Ultraviolet Pizza, with walnuts, arugula pesto, cashew mozzarella, oven-dried tomatoes, kale, caramelised onions and pine nuts, or look out for specials on pizza and beer.
Heirloom – best for contemporary vegetarian and vegan dining
After a morning hike, soaking up Pacific mountain scenery and sea air, refuel at Heirloom with mimosas and the signature Heirloom Hash, an energising mix of courgette, heirloom tomatoes, red onion, almond and coriander purée, hash browns and either poached eggs or tofu.
Chef Karen McAthy is an authority on plant-based cheese-making and runs courses on it. If you just want to buy the stuff, head to her shop, Blue Heron Creamery (open Saturdays only), for 100% vegan cheeses. Smoke ’n’ Spice and almond ricotta are favourites.
Nuba – best for vegetarian and vegan Lebanese cuisine
A well-loved Vancouver chain with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, Nuba serves colourful Lebanese dishes in a relaxed but trendy setting. The signature dish is Najib’s Special (crispy cauliflower tossed with lemon and sea salt, and accompanied by a dollop of tahini) but it also does well priced meze-style plates.
The three branches of Meet now put vegan twists on comfort food staples: try a double-double burger (with vegan cheese and coconut bacon), or the mac ’n’ cheez bowl (macaroni with cashew ‘cheez’ sauce, ‘rawmesan’, spring onions and a sprinkle of smoked salt).
Seek out Vegan Pudding & Co’s little hole-in-the-wall storefront to try one of its signature Japanese-style ‘custard’ puddings. Made from kabocha squash and coconut sugar, they’re deliciously creamy and sweet but dairy-free. Flavours include black sesame, matcha and chocolate, but the original vanilla version is the most popular.
Family-run Chau Veggie Express focusses on fresh, colourful, plant-based dishes at both its branches. Try the Diving for Pearls Broth (with rice noodles, lychee-date broth, organic tofu and kale), or the dairy-free coconut pandan leaf and kale ice cream.
Bandidas Taqueria – best for Mexican-inspired dishes
A much-loved Mexican-inspired vegetarian restaurant, Bandidas Taqueria makes everything from scratch (including its tortillas). Try Dave’s Enchilada, with smoky-sweet chipotle tofu, and a hibiscus tequila lemonade.
Doubles at the Listel Hotel (which offers vegan breakfasts, including steel-cut oats with quinoa, flax and cinnamon cashew froth) start at £99, room only (thelistelhotel.com).
Looking for Braemar restaurants? Want to know where to eat in Ballater? Head on a foodie road trip through Royal Deeside, stopping off at roadside restaurants, Scottish villages and whisky distilleries.
The Fife Arms, Braemar
The dramatic restoration and reinvention of The Fife Arms has been causing ripples across the country. The visionary redesign of this Victorian hotel is the most exciting thing to happen here since Queen Victoria breezed in, searching for a Highland holiday home. She bagged Balmoral Castle and kickstarted tourism in the region. Proud locals added ‘Royal’ to Deeside as an early marketing ploy.
At the time, The Fife Arms was a small coaching inn, but it soon grew into a grand hotel catering to those tourists flocking to the region. Now owners Iwan and Manuela Wirth have given the grey granite building a new lease of life. The couple are behind Durslade Farmhouse and Roth Bar & Grill in Somerset, along with gallery Hauser & Wirth; contemporary art, as well as culinary creativity, is at the hotel’s heart. Works have been commissioned from artists including Zhang Enli and James Prosek.
Braemar, famous for its Highland Games, is close to the centre of the Cairngorms National Park, and each of the hotel’s 46 sleek bedrooms has been designed to reflect its Highland heritage, named after local characters (the crofter, the stalker, the mountaineer) or figures associated with the region, such as Robert Louis Stevenson (who penned Treasure Island in Braemar) and Lord Byron (whose poem Dark Lochnagar was inspired by his time there).
The Wirths have drafted in a talented team headed by Federica Bertolini, fresh from Olga Polizzi’s Cornish gem, Hotel Tresanton. Executive head chef Robert Cameron’s career has taken him from his native Glasgow (where he worked for Nick Nairn in the 90s) to the Dubai royal family’s yacht. Along the way he’s cooked for the Scottish Parliament and the Queen for her 80th birthday bash at Highgrove.
Now back on home turf, Robert is playing with fire – literally. The centrepiece of the hotel’s fine dining restaurant, The Clunie, is a wood-fired barbecue designed by Swedish chef and master of fire, Niklas Ekstedt. The menu showcases the fruits of the Caledonian forest, along with wild venison, grouse and hare from nearby estates, organic lamb (Hebridean) and grass-fed beef (Belted Galloway) from Wark Farm (warkfarm.co.uk) and rare-breed Berkshire pork from Balnault Farm.
Robert has also brought in Natasha Lloyd, a local forager and herbalist specialising in wild nutrition, as a botanical consultant, working with the kitchen to create a range of natural condiments, as well as bespoke balms for the spa (@plant_ideas).
At the hotel, Natasha produces a Little Red Riding Hood basket of bottles and a tub of nettle seed, sea salt and sesame seed gomasio (a Japanese-style dry condiment). She pours me a spoonful of rowan syrup. Its bold berry bitterness catches the back of my throat. A lime flower syrup has the fragrance of earl grey tea. “Perfect with poached prunes at breakfast,” says Robert. Yarrow syrup is aromatic and delicate – the flavour lingers. “It might work as a sorbet.
“We’re also going to try some ferments,” he explains, as Natasha opens a pungent pot. “The kimchi is for a vegetable platter in the bar.” Wild garlic seed oil is subtle, not overpowering, green leaves coming through; while chunky hawthorn ketchup packs a spiky punch.
The final bottle is the most precious: silver birch syrup, Royal Deeside’s culinary jewel in the crown. The area is famous for its silver birch trees and, while it takes 40 litres of maple sap to create one litre of maple syrup, for silver birch the ratio is 100 to one. It’s sweet and clear but earthily grounded. It reminds me of something: “Syrup of figs…”
The Fife Arms bar was once the heart of the village and has become so once again. On its menu you’ll find all the things that Robert believes should be on a Scottish pub menu, from game pie, homemade haggis, neeps and tatties to clootie dumpling (a fruity steamed pudding). The Highlands has been crying out for a hotel of this calibre – one whose culinary credentials might also include the best afternoon tea north of Hadrian’s Wall. An exaggerated claim? Not when you learn that Robert also managed to squeeze in a stint at Fortnum & Mason.
Tea is taken in an elegant drawing room overlooking the tumbling waters of Clunie Water, the walls clad in bespoke tartan designed by Araminta Campbell (who also created the hotel’s tartan), the ceiling transformed into a swirling work of art. It’s a very Scottish afternoon tea – the clotted cream isn’t from Devon but from the Borders. Brenda Leddy, of Stichill Jerseys near Kelso, is Scotland’s only clotted cream producer.
Other passionate producers that have caught Robert’s eye include Lost Loch Spirits, near Aboyne, where Peter Dignan and Richard Pierce create a clutch of quirky spirits including whisky-based Haroosh, infused with blackberries and local honey, and Murmichan, the first Scottish absinthe. Then there’s Piggery-Smokery, self-styled “baconeers”, Mark and Su Reynolds, smoke the bacon in their back garden. Their Pepperback Finn is smoked with peppercorns and juniper to give it a warm, homestead-fire style, while Dark Dubhloch’s flavour comes from treacle and ale.
Royal Lochnagar Distillery, Braemar
The bijou Royal Lochnagar Distillery, on the edge of the Balmoral Estate just a caber’s throw from Braemar was founded in 1826 by James Robertson. In the shadow of Lochnagar mountain, it is impossibly picturesque. The 12-year-old whisky has a green, grassy character, with apple pie and brown sugar on the nose. “Queen Victoria visited in 1848. She liked the whisky mixed with claret,” manager Claire Fraser smiles.
Esker Spirits, Aboyne
A scenic hour’s drive east from Braemar, the Kincardine Estate is home to the Esker gin distillery. Steven and Lynne Duthie first started experimenting with a one-litre copper still in their kitchen, then, in 2017, expanded into a steading on the estate. The couple wanted to create a classic gin, complemented by the tonic and garnish rather than defined by them. To do that they use more than a dozen botanicals, including rosehips, heather flowers and pink peppercorns, though the gin’s key botanical is silver birch sap from trees on the Kincardine Estate. “There’s a four-week window in the spring when the sap is rising and you can tap the trees.” Steven pours a splash into a glass and we nose the gin. First there’s the juniper hit, then citrus and spice, and, finally, the birch sap’s telltale sweetness. They suggest serving it with a twist of orange zest.
Platform 22, Torphins
In the village of Torphins is Platform 22, a quirky cafe run by artist and potter Emma Pattullo. The soup is sold out on my visit, so I plump for the homemade hummus and sweet, nutty dukkah platter with flatbreads. While I eat Emma tells me they hold an outdoor market every Wednesday and, on Thursdays, they host pizza nights with Lily’s Dough, cooking from a wood oven in an old horsebox parked in the yard. The café also stocks artisan loaves from the Highlanders Bakehouse; before leaving I buy one of its black breads, laden with caraway seeds, treacle and dark chocolate. Its deep, dark earthiness has such richness. If you want to buy direct, look for the outside stall and honesty box in nearby Crathie.
The Seed Box, Ballogie
Another inspiring local story belongs to one-time shepherdess, Belinda Rowlands. Five years ago she set up a social enterprise in the walled garden on Ballogie Estate to provide outdoor therapy and horticultural training for adults with additional needs. Back then, the garden was abandoned, untouched for years. Today, however, the beds at The Seed Box are brimming with vegetables. The organisation’s veg box scheme uses Platform 22 (see above) as a collection point for customers, and sells fruit, veg and eggs at local farmers’ markets. On my visit I discover a greenhouse full of apples. “We’re about to make juice to sell at the markets,” explains Belinda.
Roaring Stag, Ballater
In Ballater, an elegant Victorian resort with wide leafy streets lined with delis and cafés, you’ll find local coffee roaster Roaring Stag. I buy a bag of Dark Lochnagar – full-bodied beans with notes of red berries and chocolate.
Shorty’s Ice Cream Parlour, Ballater
Retro Shorty’s Ice Cream Parlour heaves both in summer and winter. In the colder months tocals queue for decadent ice cream sundaes, frothing with whipped cream and hot chocolate sauce. Owner Cheryl Littlewood’s many flavours include Ballater cream, raspberry cranachan and Irn-Bru sorbet, but don’t miss the Scottish tablet with its pure, creamy fudge flavour.
More information about Royal Deeside
Doubles at The Fife Arms start from £250, b&b. For more info: visitabdn.com.
Check out our travel expert’s guide to Bath’s best independent places to eat and drink in 2019. You will find everything from the top places to get your artisan coffee fix and gluten free cakes, to some of the best places to eat and drink the night away.
Looking for restaurants in Bath? Want to know where to eat in the historical spa town? Our travel expert and Bath local Rhiannon Batten shares her insider tips for the best restaurants in Bath, along with where to find the best coffee, bakeries and gin bars.
Best simple contemporary restaurants in Bath
There are grander places to eat in Bath (Menu Gordon Jones, The Olive Tree and The Bath Priory among them) but for a no-fuss supper, try these great restaurants
This Basque-style tapas bar with a pretty garden and a dedicated sherry menu is tucked away in Bath’s theatre district. Order sharing plates of pan con tomate y jamón along with tinned sardines served with bread and aioli before moving onto albóndigas (meatballs in a spicy tomato sauce), gambas al ajillo and fried padrón peppers. A succinct dessert menu offers warm chocolate and almond cake as well as vanilla ice cream, both of which can be ordered individually or together, with a shot of Pedro Ximenez sherry on the side.
Choose your sherry of choice from the dedicated menu and make the most of any sunshine in the leafy sherry garden out back.
After moving from Vietnam to England at a young age with her family, Noya Pawlyn has become one of the most loved foodies in Bath and has recently transformed her popular Vietnamese supper club into a restaurant.
As well as serving informal but hearty sharing dinners in the evening, Noya’s Kitchen also opens for lunch, Tuesday to Saturday, offering a thali-style menu, presented as a tray os small dishes that diners eat clockwise, starting with an appetiser such as fresh summer rolls with punchy dipping sauce or a squidgy pork bun, followed by small portions of Noya’s favourite Vietnamese stews and broths, and finally a miniature dessert.
The place to satisfy carnivorous cravings is The Chequers. Owned by the team behind two other well regarded Bath pubs, the Marlborough Tavern and the Hare & Hounds, this double AA-roseette-winning gastropub offers popular Sunday roasts, 35-day dry-aged rib-eye steaks and superb burgers. It’s also a convivial place to sit and enjoy a pint of Bath Gem ale (50 Rivers Street).
Food at The Hare and Hounds, owned by the same company, comes with some of the best views in the city (that crown looks set to be challenged by the recently opened Packhorse Inn, a community-run pub on the southern slopes of the city with a fabulously set beer garden and a menu overseen by Rob Clayton, of the city’s popular Clayton’s Kitchen restaurant).
Henry’s
For a more decadent dinner, book a table at Henry’s and try dishes such as flat-iron steak with polenta, grilled leeks and pickled shallot or blood orange parfait with poached pear and toasted brioche (there’s also a full vegan menu).
Jars Meze
Try this light and bright contemporary restaurant for simple, home-cooked Greek food, served from the soul.
A tiny, corner tapas bar with charming, Spanish staff, Olé is tucked in above above Paxton & Whitfield cheesemongers in Bath (a larger restaurant has also opened round the corner).
Settle in with a tabla mixta – jamon de bellota, spicy chorizo rounds, soft salami, pink slices of tender cured pork loin, triangles of manchego and goats’ cheese, the obligatory quince paste and bread sticks. Then turn it up a notch with fiery paprika-dusted slices of pulpo a la gallega (Galician octopus), tempura-battered, deep-fried aubergine sticks drizzled with dark honey from Malaga, and ensalada de tomato (the ripest raf tomatoes with aggressive minced raw garlic, earthy dried oregano, and the best Spanish olive oil).
Don’t forget drinks as the booze is just as well considered: think dry manzanilla sherries, white tempranillo riojas and Spanish craft beers (try El Boqueron, made from seawater). Book a table or turn up late (it’s one of the few places in Bath where you can grab a table after 9pm) and eat and drink until you (nearly) fall off the barstools.
You’re not going to go short of a caffeine kick in Bath. This pint-sized city is generously served by artisan coffee shops, the best of them including Society Café’s two local outlets, Colonna & Smalls and tiny Mokoko.
Colonna and Small’s
Head to Colonna & Small’s for a serious espresso. The brews, all double shots, change weekly, there are tasting notes for each one (including how the flavour changes when adding milk), and the in-house baristas are all experts (6 Chapel Row).
Which coffee to order: The Gigesa Grade 1 Washed, an Ethiopian coffee with promise of peachy sweetness, hints of melon and bergamot.
Mokoko
With two branches in Bath (a smaller one opposite the bus and rail stations mainly used by take-out customers, and a larger one beside the Abbey that also serves salad and quiche-style lunches) and a bakery cum coffee shop that also does breakfast bowls and lunches at Bristol’s Wapping Wharf.
There are two elements that set Mokoko apart. One is the coffee, which is all single origin and roasted in-house (as well as the usual flat whites and cappuccinos you can choose between aeropress, chemex and syphon filter coffees). The other is its cakes, which are freshly baked at the Bristol bakery, change regularly and usually include a vegan choice or two. Current picks include the cherry cheesecake cruffin and banana and peanut butter cake.
If tea is more your, er, cup of tea, you’re also well catered for in Bath. The Tea House Emporium is great for stocking up on loose-leaf teas, as well as pots, tins and infusers, while Comins Tea House is a serene spot to while away an hour or two making your way through its extensive menu of single estate teas or to fill up on cleverly paired food (Sri Lankan hoppers, matcha granola or gyoza anyone?). It also runs regular tea-themed suppers and tastings (read our full reviewof Comins Tea House here).
Comins Tea House, Bath
Best bakeries in Bath
Best afternoon tea in Bath – Bath Priory Hotel
For a sit-down afternoon tea with all the trimmings, our top pick in the city is the decadent Bath Priory Hotel, especially in the summer when you can sit out on the terrace enjoying smoked salmon finger sandwiches, lemon drizzle cakes and raspberry tarts overlooking one of the best gardens in Bath.
Didii Cakes
If your budget doesn’t stretch that far, head along Walcot Street to Didi Cakes and pick up something from its vast range of cupcakes (peanut butter, Black Forest and passionfruit cheesecake among them), a slice of vegan banana bread or a pear and almond tart to take away and eat in nearby Hedgemead Park.
Bertinet Bakery
For more conventional baked goods, Bath’s most famous bakeries are arguably the city’s two Bertinet Bakery sites (a third outlet is also attached to the Bertinet Kitchen cookery school in Bath). They’re known for their traditionally made breads – sourdoughs, ciabattas, baguettes and foccacias – but if you want a sugar hit look out for their superior twist on a Bath bun, essentially a sugar-topped sweet roll.
The Thoughtful Bread Company
Also good for a posh Bath bun, as well as all manner of other baked goods, is The Thoughtful Bread Company, a sustainably minded bakery and bakery school that focuses on seasonal, hand-crafted breads and cakes. It has been known to barter its bread for homegrown or locally foraged ingredients brought in by regulars and is brilliantly imaginative (one of its signature inventions is a little egg box filled with tiny flavoured breads and dipping oils flavoured with wild garlic and the like).
The Thoughtful Bread Company, Bath
Best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Bath
Near-neighbour Bristol has long been prime territory for veggie eats but Bath is catching up. If meat isn’t your bag, head to Beyond The Kale for juices, salads, smoothie bowls, beet burgers and Bath Culture House kombucha, The Green Rocket Café for cashew and coconut curries, chickpea and cider stews and salads, Chapel Arts Centre Café for flatbread and salad platters or Chai Walla for veggie Indian street food served from a hole-in-the-wall.
There are also plenty of meat-free options for eating out in the evening, including Sol Kitchen Supperclub. In Larkhall, a 20-minute walk from the city centre, out along London Road (or take a scenic, off-road detour along the canal towpath), there’s a dedicated vegan restaurant, Nourish.
Acorn Vegetarian Kitchen
A real highlight for local veggies, however, is Acorn Vegetarian Kitchen, which serves high-end menus in a sleek, modern space; if the agnoletti with smoked Winchester cheese, king oyster mushroom and layered celeriac and monksbeard is listed, order it. We’ve also had one of our all-time top three desserts here – forced rhubarb with almond amaretto cream, fennel sorbet and almond crumb. The house cocktails are always imaginative, too. Rhubarb vanilla martini, anyone?
And if you want to learn how to cook your own dinner, sign up for a course at Demuths, a specialist vegetarian and vegan cookery school just around the corner.
We’re not fans of children’s food shaped into faces but Doughmanages to side-step the silliness while adding just the right amount of cute by shaping subtle bunny ears onto its (otherwise simple margherita) children’s pizzas (read our full review of Dough here).
Other places worth checking out with children include The Scallop Shell (see below) and Yak Yeti Yak, the city’s long-standing Nepalese restaurant, with its cushioned seating area, benign staff and mildy spiced, fun-to-dip momos. The latter has also set up a street food twist on Nepalese food, Phat Yaks, serving hot pots, pakoras, salads, curries and wraps.
Or head out to Hartley Farm, between Bath and Bradford on Avon, and fill up on eggs benedict, pulled lamb flatbreads or a Sunday roast before browsing the shelves of its farm shop – or letting the children loose in the play area.
Ice cream, of course, is another classic route to keeping the kids happy. Swoon Gelatoopened in Bristol last year and its seasonal gelatos and Swoon on a Sticks (think artisan Magnum) have gone down so well that it’s just opened a second branch in Bath. Current guest flavours include cremino, a heady whirl of vanilla, chocolate and coffee but regular varieties include that children’s holy trinity of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla.
Dough pizza, Bath
Swoon Gelato, Bath
Best bars in Bath
Bath has no shortage of bars. From quintessential dining pubs like The King William and The Chequers to real ale pubs like The Raven and The Bell, microbrewery The Bath Brew House, The Electric Bear Brewing’s tap room, and The Dark Horse craft cocktail bar, whatever your poison you’ll find it in Bath. Don’t miss Pintxo, a Basque-style tapas bar with a pretty garden and a dedicated sherry menu. Three new(ish) spots deserve special mention, however, as they’re offering something genuinely different.
The Canary Gin Bar
Don’t miss this dedicated gin bar, which offers up to 200 gins to choose from. Try the new Bath Gin (£7) – it’s flavoured with 10 botanicals including burnt orange peel and cardamom, and Thornbury’s 6 O’Clock, mixers included.
A wine bar and bottle shop – now with two locations in the city – that sells some extraordinary wines by the glass and serves imaginative small plates alongside them (its marinated octopus with smoky, lemon-infused hummus is legendary). It also does pre-bookable wine events and guest chef nights.
An indie-owned pub that’s stripped back and slightly out of town but has a welcoming fireside, board games, a range of handmade Scotch eggs and an ever-changing choice of craft bees (it also hosts tap takeovers in partnership with breweries like Kettlesmith, from nearby Bradford on Avon).
Tucked away in Milsom Place, this chic wine bar is a colourful spot to gen up on your grape knowledge. Make the most of eight state-of-the-art Enomatic wine machines, home to 32 changing wines available by the taster, glass or bottle.
With empty bottle lights dangling above your head, it’s the ideal place to sip through your favourite vinous regions. A Sex, Drugs & Rock ’n’ Roll riesling didn’t disappoint with its famously dry mineral finish, while a salty Azorean white had us challenged and delighted in equal measure.
There’s plenty of local gin, craft beer and cider, too – and the staff are super-knowledgeable. There’s also tasty tapas to help soak up the booze, the highlight of which was the toasted Bertinet sourdough topped with 15-month- aged comté, warm honey, apricots and pistachios.
There’s an unexpectedly cool bar below the Eight hotel. It makes the most of its medieval structure, with cavernous original fireplaces and stone stairways to nowhere. Decked out in shades of opulent dark blue and emerald, set off with the odd metallic shimmer from gently flickering lanterns and collections of statement mirrors, it feels like the perfect ‘secret’ spot to make a beeline for after dark. Drinks take the form of a thoughtfully curated wine list – France and Italy feature highly and there’s a good selection by the glass – as well as classic cocktails and a variety of bottled beers, ales, ciders and spirits. We pop down for a nightcap – Jura single malt and amaretto on the rocks – but it’s easily the sort of place you could spend a few hours; you can eat down there too, if you prefer.
The Dark Horse
A local and seasonal ethos is the central tenet of cult Bath bar The Dark Horse. It draws a grown-up crowd with its dark basement setting, traditional styling (brawny wooden furniture, button-back sofas and rioja-coloured walls), table service and ultra-local drinks list.
Alongside beers and ciders from the Southwest, and English wines and liqueurs are cocktails made with juices pressed to order and homemade syrups, cordials and bitters (often made not just with seasonal ingredients, but locally foraged ones).
This experimental approach means there are a few misses – we weren’t wild about our Twelfth Night (Tullamore Dew whiskey, Cocchi Torino, Somerset Pomona and coffee) – but the gamble usually pays off. Dear Prudence (Sipsmith gin with strawberry and lavender syrup, fresh lime and orange bitters) was a triumph.
If you’re in search of a crate of local food and drink to take home, the easy way to do it is to get one delivered from Taste of Bath. Or, for non-perishable foodie souvenirs, make your way to Mr B’s Emporium and Topping & Co. for cookbooks, Magalleriafor obscure indie food magazines, and Rossiters and Kitchens Cookshop for cookware.
If you’re self-catering in Bath, let someone else do the shopping for you and pre-order a delivery of Bertinet bread, Easy Jose coffee, Ivy House Farm milk and more from Three Bags Full. Or, make a beeline for some of Bath’s best independent food and drink stores – among them The Fine Cheese Co.and Paxton & Whitfield for cheese, and Wolf Wine, The Tasting Room and Independent Spirit for booze.
Bath is also home to various markets, including Bath Farmers Market, which takes place at Green Park Station every Saturday morning and draws some of the region’s best small produce traders. You can pick up a wedge of Westcombe Dairy’s tangy Somerset Cheddar or try a pint of Dick Willows’ proper West Country cider (Green Park Station).
On the third Sunday of the month between March and October there’s also the Independent Bath Market for high quality baked goods, cheeses, charcuterie, preserves and pickles.
Three Bags Full, Bath
Paxton & Whitfield, Bath
Best place to stay in Bath for foodies
Berdoulat & Breakfast
Berdoulat & Breakfast is a smart, two-bedroom b&b, set in a Georgian townhouse, and a definite step up in the style stakes. Not only have its photographer-architect owners, Neri and Patrick, revamped the building (originally designed in 1748 by John Wood the Elder, architect of Bath’s grand Circus crescent among other honey stone beauties), they’ve also remodelled the traditional guesthouse breakfast.
Neri was born in Istanbul so, alongside granola or bacon and eggs, you can opt for a Turkish breakfast of orange juice, coffee, pomegranate salad, flaky cheese pastries, figs, honey-drizzled ewe’s cheese and baked eggs with sage.
Eight
With eight unique bedrooms and eight seasonal dishes on the menu, it’s a neat premise. Just a few cobbled steps away from big-hitting local attractions such as Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths, the hotel’s two beautiful bow windows give passers-by a glimpse into this recently revamped and restored townhouse on North Parade Passage.
Rooms are decked out in a palette of chic, neutral greys with colour pop accents – burnt orange in our superior double – on velvet furnishings and thoughtful illustrative artwork. There are a variety of tea and coffee pods for the Magimix drinks machines, as well as homemade shortbread in a Kilner jar for dunking (though UHT milk is a disappointing surprise; there are no in-room fridges). The carpet, however, is super soft, the beds huge and supremely comfy, and bathrooms are compact but well equipped with huge rain showers, full-sized White Company products and motion sensors that trigger low-level lighting if you’re trying to navigate your way to the loo in the middle of the night.
Under head chef Fred, modern French/Italian menus reflect the team’s international heritage. Menus change with the seasons and are surprisingly accessible, with seven of the eight dishes being gluten-free, two vegan and two vegetarian. Dishes include butternut squash risotto with bath blue cheese, confit pork belly and de-boned short rib of beef. The ‘short eats’ bar menu – think chipotle and rosemary warm mixed nuts and deep-fried scampi – is similarly inclined too.
The duo behind Bath’s latest hotel restaurant need little introduction but here’s a foodie refresher. Pierre Koffmann has been on the British restaurant scene for the best part of 40 years. It was at Chelsea-based La Tante Claire that he reached the heady heights of three Michelin stars, a feat his former employee, Marco Pierre White, was to later repeat at his own eponymous restaurant in Hyde Park. Now the much-lauded chefs have rekindled their professional relationship, this time as restaurateurs, in Koffmann & Mr White’s, a pared-back French-English brasserie inside the Abbey Hotel.
Minutes from the city’s train station, the restaurant has a menu of French and English classics, from shepherd’s pie and steak au poivre to sherry trifle and pain perdu. There’s other familiar names to look out for, too – from Bath-based baker Richard Bertinet’s sourdough, to Cotswold adoptee and former Blur bassist Alex James’s cheeseboard. Head to the hotel’s ArtBar for after-dinner drinks.
The Bunch of Grapes deserves a heads-up here. Although it’s not in Bath but in Bradford-on-Avon, 20 minutes’ drive away (or a 13-minute hop by train) it’s travel editor Rhiannon’s top pick in the area at the moment for a date-night dinner or lunch, drawing an unusually dashing line between decadent and unfussy.
A bar, café and restaurant with a pretty oriel window, an unusual ceramic fireplace and an impressive collection of vintage cocktail glasses, its owners lived in southwest France for several years and they’ve brought with them an expert knowledge of handcrafted wines and wood-oven cooked pissaladieres alongside a small plates menu (think roast aubergine tartine with sweet red pepper and goat curd) and French-influenced Sunday lunches. Check the website for steak nights, guest chef dinners and special seasonal menus.
Bunch of Grapes, Bradford upon Avon. Credit: Mark Bolton
It’s worth seeking out the former summer palace of King Oscar II, a couple of kilometres north of Helsingborg. Here, a beautiful park and gardens form a magical backdrop to one of Sweden’s finest restaurants, where you can dine like royalty among chandeliers, starched white tablecloths and candlelight.
If a full five- or seven-course gourmet dinner is not your thing, you can always drop by for a more wallet- and waistline-friendly lunch. A dish of the day – perhaps guinea fowl with red-wine baked pears, puréed potatoes and pointed cabbage – won’t break the bank but will give you the chance to sample the restaurant’s masterful cooking.
This sleek, glass-walled building, directly on Helsingborg’s waterfront, houses the best fish restaurant in town. Push the boat out with a seafood platter and a bottle of Krug, or choose more modestly from a menu that includes tartare of char from Umeå with wasabi mayonnaise, roast sesame seeds, spring onion, crispy tapioca, sliced black radish and shiso.
Carnivores won’t go hungry either, with dishes like slow-baked Skåne veal knuckle with cabbage, smoked bacon, jerusalem artichoke, crispy potatoes, apple vinegar and veal gravy. Round off with an espresso martini as you watch the sun go down over the Öresund.
Enjoy a seaside lunch by the water at Sillen & Makrillen
Barski
Helsingborg lost a gem of a café last year when master coffee makers Koppi closed to focus on the coffee-roasting side of business. Luckily for coffee aficionados, beer lovers and ramen fans, however, this new high-end bar/restaurant by local microbrewers Brewski, on the café’s old premises, satisfies all three cravings in one.
With some 20 of their own and other guest beers served on tap, Koppi coffee expertly made by a former Koppi barista and ramen by stellar chef Mike Field, ambitions and standards are high.
Only open in the evenings, D35 is the place to go in Helsingborg for a buzzy, sociable dinner; the focus is on sharing plates of unpretentious, big-flavoured food around a long communal table.
Ingredients are mainly local and seasonal but there’s input from across the world – start with a few Grebbestad oysters before sampling cod with hollandaise and cauliflower, and sweetbreads with chanterelles and fermented garlic, and don’t forget to order some truffled fries for the table. Keep an eye on the restaurant’s Facebook page as Drottninggatan 35 also opens occasionally for lunches, and for cracking Sunday brunches with a party atmosphere and classic pick-me-ups like mimosas and bloody marys.
In the industrial area of Höganäs you’ll find a little corner of the American south, a restaurant serving authentic soul food to both bikers and anyone else who appreciates a world-class burger (many aficionados count them among the best in Sweden).
Those famous burgers are joined on the menu by TexMex favourites such as tacos, red chilli and buffalo wings, all washed down with beer from the owners’ micro-brewery, Höganäs Bryggeri, and accompanied by live music with a hard rock edge.
Burgers and beers at Garage. Photograph by Mickael Tannus
Höganäs Saluhall
In the former pottery buildings for which Höganäs is famous (conveniently located right next door to Garage), you’ll find an atmospheric indoor food market/restaurant built around the old kilns. Numerous counters sell the very best produce the area has to offer, including cheeses from Vilhemsdal dairy, pork chops from Olinge gård and the company’s own breads and other delicacies.
Take your food finds outside for a picnic, or head upstairs to the restaurant for a hearty lunch made from the same top-notch ingredients that are on sale downstairs. The restaurant is also open in the evenings during the summer months.
If you’re looking for fine dining and fancy service, you’ve come to the wrong place. If, however, you want to try some of the best barbecued meat you’ve ever eaten, steer a course to this BB shack out in Bräcke, in the heart of the beautiful Kullabygden region.
Buy a tray of sides and then choose from between six and 10 barbecued meat options. Pork and chicken are locally sourced while prime Black Angus beef comes from Arkansas; brisket is smoked for up to 24 hours while short ribs get around eight hours in subtle oak smoke. The shack is only open during the summer season but keep your eye on the company’s social media accounts for special events like cooking classes and occasional festive openings.
A typical meat-focused platter at Holy Smoke. Photograph by Mickael Tannus
Mölle Krukmakeri
This pottery, run by renowned local potter Lisa Wohlfahrt, occupies a charming spot near the harbour in Mölle and has been joined over the years by a garden café and an evening restaurant serving authentic Neapolitan pizzas.
Open all year round, you can sit outside among apple trees or in a vine-covered orangery and eat pizzas that are slowly fermented, fast baked and topped with simple but top-quality ingredients such as buffalo mozzarella, Ligurian olives and green pepper salami from Skåne.
Thanks to the region’s fertile soil and relatively mild winters, Skåne has, over the past two decades, become one of Europe’s most northerly wine-growing regions. As well as offering wine tours and tastings, and cosy accommodation, this family-run winery has a restaurant serving traditional country cooking that pairs well with their own reds, whites and rosés, as well as cocktails made with their own gin.
Simple, well-cooked dishes include the likes of fried mackerel, sourced from local fishermen, with boiled potatoes and a mustard and dill sauce, or local brisket with potato cakes and coleslaw.
Amble among the vines before lunch at Alrids Vingård. Photograph by Apelöga
Erikstorps Kungsgård
There may be a famous golf course, the Landskrona, beside this restaurant but don’t expect your average club sandwich. The kitchen at Erikstorp is run in collaboration with Skåne’s most celebrated chef, Daniel Berlin, and standards are high.
Sit in the pared-back bistro and choose charcuterie from locally reared, free-range animals, local artisan cheeses or pizzas made from Ven durum wheat. Or, order a four- or eight-course tasting menu in the building’s Food Academy restaurant. Innovative dishes here might include lamb tartare with jerusalem artichoke with preserved wild garlic and currants, or brill baked in goose fat with grilled cucumber, mushroom and butter emulsion.
Looking for the best foodie hotels in Sweden? Here are the best hotels for food lovers in Sweden’s southern region, Skåne, from seaside shacks to countryside retreats and city pads…
Mellby Klockargård
Mellby is what Swedes call a smultronställe (wild strawberry place) – a little gem that you would really rather keep to yourself. Newly renovated in a romantic and charmingly bohemian way, this b&b opens its seven individually decorated rooms (think painted wooden floorboards, splashes of colour and pattern and fleamarket finds) only in the summer months.
Guests can also enjoy Mellby’s magical garden, full of secret spots for drinking freshly brewed espresso and day dreaming. Breakfasts are simple and delicious (and largely organic and local), with many of the fruit, vegetables and herbs served grown in the garden.
Breakfast in the conservatory at Mellby Klockargård. Photograph by Carolina Romare
Karlaby Kro
Karlaby Kro ticks all the right boxes when it comes to a luxurious country hotel experience: rows of green wellies available to borrow, spoiling spa treatments, clogs and fluffy bathrobes in the romantic bedrooms, roaring fires, and top-notch food. Seasonal produce leads the way with a typical three-course set menu (there are also five-course and à la carte options) including 64-degree egg with parsley and trout roe, wild duck with artichoke and elderberries and hazelnut fromage with apple and watercress.
The breakfast buffet – a mix of traditional favourites and hipster options (smashed avocado toast, algae drinks…) is well worth getting up for. Borrow a bike and visit nearby Mandelmanns Trädgårdar organic gardens or Kinbageri for freshly baked sourdough.
The cosy living room at Karlaby Kro. Photograph by Lobster and Swan
Blåsingsborgs Gårdshotell
Blåsingsborg is just outside Kivik, a small town famous for its apple orchards, and the hotel can arrange juice- and cider-tasting trips to local producer Kiviks Musteri as well as whisky tastings on site, should you fancy something stronger. Housed in a classic skånegård (a four-sided farmhouse built around a cobbled inner courtyard), the hotel is friendly and family owned. Stylish bedrooms retain their rustic farmhouse feel with exposed beams and tiled floors.
Owners Karin and Henrik cook and serve a three-course set dinner that changes daily and is based around the best ingredients available – a starter of own-cured monkfish with cauliflower purée, for example, followed by local beef fillet with beetroot – and a vegetarian option is always available.
This family-owned castle and estate is famous for the world-class sculpture park in its grounds, and the boutique hotel it opened in former cowsheds in 2017 maintains the same exacting standards. Work up an appetite wandering in the adjacent forest and exploring the cutting-edge art installations before settling down in front of a fire with a pre-dinner cocktail.
The 11 bedrooms are luxurious, in an elegant and restrained Nordic style, and much of the food served comes from the estate’s own organic farm and surrounding forests. Try Wanås tartare if it’s on the menu – raw Wanås dry-aged beef with pickled artichokes, cheese, wild garlic cream, fried nettles and roasted rye.
All hands on deck in the Wanås kitchen. Photograph by Mickael Tannus
Idala Gård
This mid-19th century whitewashed farmhouse has been converted into a stylish b&b with elegant bedrooms and fantastic food; menus have a modern edge and international influences (head chef Matan Levy is Chicago-born and Israeli-raised).
Owners Charlotte and Kristofer are Italophiles and run their own wine import business as well as organising wine tastings for guests. Wines are exclusively Italian and are knowledgeably matched with the kitchen’s seasonal menus. A five-course autumn dinner might kick off with some farm cheese, charcuterie, boquerones, homemade pickles, cultured butter and sourdough bread, and finish with a dessert of chocolate, pear, hazelnuts, toffee and black pepper.
Österlen, with its gently rolling countryside and unique light, is often referred to as the Tuscany of Sweden, so it’s not surprising that many of the area’s restaurants include Italian influences. At Talldungen the four-course evening set menu might include rustic crowdpleasers such as porchetta with local Fagraslätt lentils and salsa verde or cod with beans and aïoli, while wines come mainly from France and are all organic or biodynamic.
The hotel has its own micro-brewery on site (handily producing yeast for the delicious homemade bread served at breakfast) and bedrooms are as comforting as the food.
The indulgent breakfast buffet at Talldungen Gårdshotell. Photograph by Carolina Romare
En Gaffel Kort På Maritim
When the fish restaurant En Gaffel Kort moved into Hotel Maritim’s distinctive blue building a few years ago it became a must-visit restaurant-with-rooms. What better place to eat seafood than on the terrace overlooking Simrishamn’s idyllic harbour on a long summer evening?
Food is unpretentious, hearty and delicious – fish dishes such as whole grilled plaice with beetroot, capers and horseradish, or red snapper with salt-baked jerusalem artichokes, mussel broth and crispy cabbage are what many come for but the kitchen also does a mean slow-aged beef with trimmings for two. Walk off pudding (milk chocolate cream with dried strawberries and rhubarb and basil sorbet, anyone?) with a stroll along the harbour before rolling into one the hotel’s 14 bedrooms, many of them with sea views.
Just 20 minutes from Malmö but in peaceful country surroundings, Ängavallen is an uncompromisingly organic oasis (even bedlinen in the cosy bedrooms is organic). Almost all the food Ängavallen serves is grown on site, from ethically reared cows, sheep and pigs to organically cultivated vegetables and herbs. An on-site dairy, bakery and farm shop means you can pick up a round of Vita (a brie-like cheese) or some charcuterie to take home with you.
If you happen to be staying in November, this is the place to enjoy Sweden’s only 100% organic gåsamiddag – a Scånian gut-busting goose feast which uses all parts of the goose and kicks off with svartsoppa, a sweet-and-sour black soup made from bird blood and broth.
Hotellet & Co is a charming boutique hotel on the harbour of Höganäs. If you can drag yourself away from your chic, sea-view room, work up an appetite exploring the beautiful Kullaberg peninsula, or enjoy a bracing swim in the Öresund, followed by a sauna in the open-air bathhouse.
The hotel serves traditional Scånian and Swedish home-cooking at lunchtimes (try the skånsk äggakaka – a local twist on tortilla), before converting to Osteria il Gusto in the evenings. Dinner menus include classic Italian dishes such as vitello tonnato and ossobuco alla milanese, accompanied by northern Italian wines, grappa and prosecco.
The hotel is also perfectly placed for visiting two of the area’s most exciting foodie destinations – Holy Smoke BBQ, a barbecue shack serving finger-licking brisket, short ribs and pulled pork, and Garage, a biker bar with live music and classic American comfort food, including what many aficionados deem to be Sweden’s best burgers.
Here are five of the best field-to-fork restaurants in Sweden’s southern region, Skåne…
Daniel Berlin, Skåne Tranås
Foodies flock to Daniel Berlin’s yellow-brick restaurant in Skåne Tranås. There are only 15 seats at this intimate restaurant, and tables are often booked months in advance, but it’s worth timing your trip around a slot at this remarkable little spot.
The eponymous chef serves mainly vegetable dishes, elevating the region’s bountiful produce to Noma-like levels of sophistication. Contemporary plates include lobster propped neatly on garden turnip and lovage, fire-cooked celeriac served in a celeriac broth with celery oil and Västerbotten cheese, and a little cylinder of roe nestled in a plate of quail’s eggs. Although Daniel centres his dishes around vegetables picked from his own garden, there’s also plenty of game on the menu during the hunting season; from wild boar to deer shot by Daniel himself.
Dishes at Daniel Berlin centre on vegetables picked from Berlin’s own garden. Photograph by Miriam Preis
Lyran, Malmö
At this neighbourhood restaurant, on a leafy corner of Folkets Park in Malmö, the chefs work with ingredients from Skåne’s impressive natural larder such as ‘funny’ cucumbers, pickled elderflower, smoky birch sap, beach roses and Swedish cantaloupe melons to create a clever succession of dishes.
“Now we’re going to embrace you with the forest of Sweden”, says owner and head chef, Jörgen, as he steps out of his open kitchen and sets down a plate of white mushrooms in mushroom dashi with fermented elderflower and chewy pine nuts. He describes another dish as “fire” – rainbow trout roe that pops in the mouth with dried black olives, homegrown tomatoes and orange marigold petals.
For dessert, sea buckthorn is whizzed into a sharp, citrussy sorbet and topped with roasted white chocolate crumb and mascarpone from La Treccia, a Danish dairy across the Oresund bridge in Copenhagen.
Even the aperitifs are field-to-glass here – Jörgen’s wife puts a Scånian twist on her negronis with Lyran’s crowberry liqueur. This intense liquid is mixed with Campari and gin then pre-bottled and served by the centilitre. We suggest ordering the full 4cl, served in a pretty tea glass.
The food at Lyran is designed to give diners a taste of Swedish forest. Photograph by Carolina Romare
Hörte Brygga, Skivarp
It doesn’t get much more field-to-fork than this cute seaside restaurant on Skåne’s wild southern coast. Chef Robert Hägg creates dishes from whatever the area’s farmers drop off that day. This could be duck with fermented strawberries and smoky birch sap reduced on an open flame, cured pike perch with smoked potato purée and liquoricey bronze fennel flowers, or rosehip sorbet with salt-roasted almonds covered in snowy shavings of frozen caramel and roquefort. Bag one of 10 seats around the kitchen table and join farmers and local producers, who bring whatever they’ve been growing to a pot luck-style dinner.
In an adjoining smokehouse, Robert cooks the whole animal and works his way through the cuts for the lunchtime “basket special” – depending on where you are in the queue you could get beef fillet or lamb shoulder, pork belly or goat leg, all served (as the name suggests) in a basket, packed up with salad leaves, bread from micro-bakery Söderberg and Sara, and plenty of pickles.
Horte Brygga is also big on pickling and fermenting, making the most of the Scånian larder to craft drinking vinegars, gherkins and colourful teas (think elderflower and rosehip or nettle, pineapple weed and woodruff).
This 175-hectare, organic farm and hotel prides itself on its long-established farm-to-fork ethos (check out more foodie hotels in Skåne here). For farmer Rolf Axel Nordström this means largely letting his 80 pigs, 100 sheep and 80 cattle do as they please. As he says, “wouldn’t it be nice to be a cow listening to the bumble bees and eating handpicked hay from the pastures?”
See his contented animals for yourself on Ängavallen’s farm safari before eating in the estate’s smart restaurant. Vibrant green leeks are sautéed in brown butter and served with white currants and pickled jalapeños. Slow-cooked veal knuckle is served with mushroom, courgette and hispi cabbage with a reduced red wine sauce, fennel and dill. Apples are cooked in butter with cinnamon and served with brown butter ice cream, candied pine nuts and liquoricey pickled chervil seeds.
It’s a large operation. The farm makes its own charcuterie as well as boasting a dairy and bakery (in the latter it turns ancient grains into rustic loaves). You can buy a picnic from the farm shop to eat in the neat on-site park – baguettes, cheeses, cold dishes and juice freshly squeezed from the kitchen garden’s fruit.
Leeks in brown butter with white currants and pickled jalapeños. Photograph by Alex Crossley
Erikstorps Kungsgård, Landskrona
A leafy campsite may seem an unlikely spot for a destination restaurant, but the surrounding landscape makes this an easy win for its terroir-focussed chefs. Dion Liljegren and Ludvig Odeholm don’t use the word ‘local’ to describe their ingredients (they feel this is a given nowadays) but they do have a genuine passion for produce. A whole forest of herbs, berries and mushrooms is there for the taking right on the doorstep, while an amble down to the closest harbour provides cod and lumpfish roe, and the neighbouring beach comes up with ingredients such as sea buckthorn and beach roses.
Pizzas are popular at the restaurant, made using wheat flour milled a few miles away in Tågarp, and topped with ingredients from the surroundings, in true field-to-fork style. The restaurant’s lambs, roaming the hills of Irena’s Slott castle, have “the best view in the world’ according to Liljegren and Odeholm, while up in Nyhamsläge, Alex Charkuteri supplies coppa-style cured ham and sausages.
The restaurant’s beer selection demonstrates Skåne’s innovative approach to small-batch production – there are three breweries in Landskrona alone. Try the Lucifer sour ale with passion fruit and saffron or the Pink Passion, fermented with hibiscus – both from the town’s Brekeriet brewery. Check out more microbreweries in Skåne here…
