London
Moro
34-36 Exmouth Market, EC1, 020 7833 8336, www.moro.co.uk
Bustling Spanish restaurant with modern tapas and marvellous waiters.
St John Bread and Wine
94-96 Commercial St, E1, 020 7247 8924, www.stjohnbreadandwine.com
The little sister of Clerkenwell's St John, with minimalist decor and a meaty but mighty menu.
Chez Bruce
2 Bellevue Road, SW17, 020 8672 0114, www.chezbruce.co.uk
OFM readers love the Michelin-starred French food here.
Hawksmoor
157 Commercial St, E1, 020 7247 7392, www.thehawksmoor.co.uk
This American-French restaurant has some of the best steak in London.
Village East
171-173 Bermondsey St, SE1, 020 7357 6082, www.villageeast.co.uk
Stylish decor along with a plate of suckling pig and a blond beer.
Magdalen
152 Tooley St, SE1, 020 7403 1342, www.magdalenrestaurant.co.uk
Brilliant, gutsy food that draws on France and Spain for inspiration.
Wild Honey
12 St George St, W1, 020 7758 9160, www.wildhoneyrestaurant.co.uk
Sleek, stylish with an unparalleled cheese board and a recent Michelin star.
Southern England
Dean Timpson
Marlow, Buckinghamshire, 01628 405 405, www.deantimpson.co.uk
Imaginative French cooking in a Wind in the Willows setting.
Fat Duck
High Street, Bray, Berkshire, 01628 580 333, www.fatduck.co.uk
Clear the afternoon and order the tasting menu .
The Royal Oak
Paley Street, Maidenhead, Berkshire, 01628 620 541, www.theroyaloakpaleystreet.com
Grand gastropub with a solid menu of roast partridge and home-made Scotch eggs.
The Gingerman
21a Norfolk Sq, Brighton, 01273 326 688, www.gingermanrestaurants.com
Cosy basement with a largely organic menu and quibble-free service.
Bell's Diner
1-3 York Road, Bristol, 0117 924 0357, www.bellsdiner.com
Latest restaurant to jump on the molecular-gastronomy wagon. Expect Gallic foams and espumas.
Tanners
Finewell St, Plymouth, 01752 252 001, www.tannersrestaurant.com
A portside restaurant housed in one of Plymouth's oldest buildings. Think fresh fish and exposed brick.
Nathan Outlaw
Marina Villa Hotel, Fowey, Cornwall, 01726 833 315, www.themarinahotel.co.uk
Perched right on the edge of the river, this light, pretty dining room serves locally sourced food from a Michelin-starred, Stein-trained chef.
Midlands
Chino Latino
41 Maid Marian Way, Nottingham, 0115 947 7444, www.chinolatino.co.uk
Pan-Asian cooking. Try the excellent black cod in miso.
Simpsons
20 Highfield Road, Edgbaston, 0121 454 3434, www.simpsonsrestaurant.co.uk
Light, formal dining room, good-value pounds 25 set-lunch menu and pretty private dining room.
World Service
Newdigate House, Castlegate, Nottingham, 0115 847 5587, www.worldservicerestaurant.com
Former Nobu sous chef Anthony De Sousa does a light Japanese menu.
Mr Underhill's
Dinham Weir, Ludlow, Shropshire, 01584 874 431, www.mr-underhills.co.uk
A huge name in the slow-food movement: starve yourself and go for the seven-course tasting menu using locally sourced food.
Hambleton Hall
Hambleton, Oakham, Rutland, 01572 756 991, www.hambletonhall.com
Perfect stately-home setting for eating roast venison in front of an open fire.
The Walls
Welsh Walls, Oswestry, Shropshire, 01691 670 970, www.the-walls.co.uk
Former schoolhouse that serves real ales and a hunter's menu. The twice-cooked duck is particularly special.
Wales
Didier and Stephanie
56 St Helens Rd, Swansea, West Glamorgan, 01792 655 603
French country food like rabbit casserole with prunes and well-priced wine in a pared-down venue.
Armless Dragon
7 Wyeverne Road, Cathays, Cardiff, 029 2038 2357, www.armlessdragon.co.uk
Welsh dishes with a modern twist using mostly organic, local produce. Try the smoked Monmouthshire chicken with avocado.
Cnapan
East Street, Newport, 01239 820 575, www.cnapan.co.uk
A family-run inn and dining room, just north of the Preseli mountains Try their Welsh black beef.
Northern England
Cafe No 8
8 Gillygate, York, 01904 653 074, www.cafe8.co.uk
Bustling cafe with pretty garden and well-priced food. Try the Yorkshire-reared meat.
The Waiting Room
9 Station Road, Eaglescliffe, Stockton on Tees, 01642 780 465, www.the-waiting-room.co.uk
Excellent veggie food. Everything is home-made and there's live music on Sundays.
Anthony's
19 Boar Lane, Leeds, 0113 245 5922, www.anthonysrestaurant.co.uk
Their El Bulli training is apparent in the brilliantly innovative cooking here.
Star Inn
Harome, Helmsley, North Yorkshire, 01439 770 397, www.thestaratharome.co.uk
A fantastic herb garden, seasonal menu and an exciting range of British staples.
Lucy's
Church Street, Ambleside, 0871 811 4634, www.lucysofambleside.co.uk
What started as a local deli has blossomed into a fully fledged restaurant. There are over 30 puddings on the menu and they have 'Up the Duff' pudding evenings.
The Lime Tree
8 Lapwing Lane, West Didsbury, Manchester, 0161 445 1217, www.thelimetreerestaurant.co.uk
Loved for its suburban location and unfussy British menu with a French lilt.
Nonna's
537-541 Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, 0114 268 6166, www.nonnas.co.uk
Staggeringly authentic Italian with regional-specific menus and over 100 wines.
Scotland
Stravaigin
28-30 Gibson Street, West End, Glasgow, 0141 334 2665, www.stravaigin.com
Basement restaurant with a nautical theme. Peerless haggis.
Martin Wishart
54 The Shore, Edinburgh, 0131 553 3557, www. martin-wishart.co.uk
Astonishingly good cooking at this sleek venue perched on the waterfront. Try the local halibut and glazed pig trotters.
David Bann
56-58 St Mary's Street, Edinburgh, 0131 556 5888, www.davidbann.com
Newfangled take on traditional Scottish vegetarian food. The Scottish-cheese plate is a joy.
The Witchery
352 Castlehill, Edinburgh, 0131 225 5613, www.thewitchery.com
This dramatically located restaurant specialises in decadent game dishes such as rabbit and roe deer.
Abstract
33-35 Castle Terrace, Edinburgh, 0131 229 1222, www.abstractrestaurant.com
Sleek, cheery and super-modern, Abstract serves fantastic French food.
Cafe Gandolfi
64 Albion Street, Glasgow, 0141 552 6813, www.cafegandolfi.com
An inspired deli-restaurant that sits on the site of an old cheesemarket in Glasgow's hip Merchant district.
Northern Ireland
Cayenne
7 Ascot House, Shaftesbury Square, Belfast, 028 9033 1532, www.rankingroup.co.uk
Hip, glossy and unconventional. Try the Thai-style fish and chips.
Bucks Head
7 Main Street, Dundrum, 028 4375 1868
Super-traditional gastropub for locals, specialising in fresh fish from the bay.
