London
Rainbo Food, Shoreditch
Their name is no joke – bright, colourful veg is the signature of their snacks, salads, katsu and gyoza.
Boxpark Shoreditch, 20 Bethnal Green Rd, E1 6GY; rainbofood.com
The Lounge Cafe, Wembley
How to turn a community centre caff into one of the capital’s most loved restaurants: greet everyone like family; cook delicious food; sell it at an affordable price.
113 Chalkhill Rd, HA9 9FX; 07990 506609; facebook.com
De Beauvoir Deli, Hackney
There’s a village deli vibe and friendly greeting for the inner-city regulars. Filled croissants and bagels kill brunch pangs; at lunch salad is sold by the weight; plus patisseries from the surrounding area’s star bakeries.
98 Southgate Rd, N1 3JD; 020 7249 4321; thedebeauvoirdeli.co.uk
East
Amélie Flam-Kuche, Cambridge
They do sell other food but really it’s all about the flammekueche – an Alsatian-style crisp unleavened dough base, spread with creme fraiche and topped here with, say, onions, bacon and gruyere (traditional), or spicy chicken and yakitori sauce (less so).
The Grafton Centre, CB1 1PS; 01223 778898; amelierestaurants.co.uk
Lucca Ennoteca, Manningtree
Order almost any of the pastas or Neopolitan style pizzas at this fun trattoria and you’ll have enough change from £15 to buy a glass of house wine. Buon appetito.
39-43 High St, CO11 1AH; 01206 390044; luccafoods.co.uk
Eric’s Fish and Chips, Thornham
Not much inspires devotion among loyal customers as a good chippy, especially one started by a fine-dining chef smart enough to include black pudding nuggets, fish burgers and halloumi aranicini on the menu.
Drove Orchards, Thornham Rd, PE36 6LS; 01485 525886; ericsfishandchips.com
Midlands
Burger Shop, Worcester
Too good to keep in Hereford alone, Rule of Tum’s Burger Shop has expanded. They still use farmer Tom Jones’s in-demand beef – try it now paired with a Worcester blue cheese. Other winning options include the merguez lamb burger and jackfruit loaded fries.
Arch 46, Cherry Tree Walk, WR1 3BH; 01905613498; aruleoftum.com
Original Patty Men, Birmingham
The burgers are good, of course, but their wings are so popular they may have to consider a name change. Expect queues, old-school hip hop and cheesy puns (and cheesy fries).
9 Shaw’s Passage, Digbeth, B5 5JG; 0121 643 2546; originalpattymen.com
Bonehead, Birmingham
Liquor, waffle fries and chicken. Lots of chicken. Wings, strips, pieces and burgers – try the buffalo soldier, with thigh fillet, hot and blue cheese sauces, gherkins and lettuce.
8 Lower Severn St, B1 1PU; 0121 439 5757; facebook.com
North
Ambulo, Sheffield
They believe that food shouldn’t be over-complicated, but that doesn’t mean the Ambulo crew are short of creativity. At breakfast, choose the “kedgeree soldiers” of soft-boiled eggs and curry mayo, or the crumpet with Korean-style fried chicken, Korean BBQ and hot sauces, spring onion and sesame.
Millennium Gallery, 48 Arundel Gate, S1 2PP; 0114 278 2634; weareambulo.com
Owt, Leeds Kirkgate Market
Each week the menu at this small diner changes, depending on what’s good from their fellow traders. Vegans are well catered for with sausage rolls and a range of cakes, and there’s usually a fish dish, too.
Unit Bs4b, Row 1, Hall 1875, LS2 7HN; 07597 854090; owtleeds.com
Steam Yard, Sheffield
They do a mean grilled cheese but what really brings them all to the very pleasant courtyard is the OTT s’mores doughnut. You’ll definitely need to even out that sugar rush with a cup of some of the best coffee in Sheffield.
Unit 1-2, Aberdeen Court, 95-101 Division St, S1 4GE; 0114 327 1270; facebook.com
South
Befries, Brighton
Get the Belgian-style fries with mayo (Dutch, basil, jerk) or a range of sauces (sambal, ketchups, BBQ). For a large with a beer, you’ll get change from a tenner, and you can eat in or take away and battle the seagulls.
46 West St, BN1 2RA; 01273 253570; facebook.com
Malt Cafe, Worthing
A year old, Malt Cafe’s popularity is down to the brunchtime chorizo hash, evening sharing platters, and by being dog friendly, baby friendly, vegetarian friendly – overall, pretty friendly.
167 Montague St, BN11 3BZ; facebook.com
The Gorilla Kitchen, Brighton
Brighton’s smallest pizzeria parks up at the station on Thursday nights, spinning dough for a menu that will please purists, including the eponymous pizza topped simply with herbs and spices from Calabria. Found at other times in Steyning and Worthing Beach.
London Road Station, BN1 4QS; 07415 060498; thegorillakitchen.com
West
Fisherton Mill Cafe, Salisbury
Good for scones and fruitbread in the morning, small plates, soups, sandwiches, hazelnut meringue, lemon curd and raspberries, afternoon tea too.
108 Fisherton St, SP2 7QY; fishertonmill.co.uk
Temple, Bude
A perfect stop in the day for a grazing lunch or substantial snack. The changing salad bowls are worth investigating, as is everything bread-related (feta dip on corn bread; pork belly on toast; and grilled chocolate, banana and halva bread).
10 Granville Terrace, Bude EX23 8JZ; 01288 354739; templecornwall.com
Bank Tavern, Bristol
It’s a repeat offender in the Best Sunday Lunch list – and has taken the title this year – but there’s much love in the week for their keen prices and the ham, egg n’ chips, hefty sandwiches, hot pot, and buttermilk chicken burger.
8 John St, BS1 2HR; 0117 930 4691; banktavern.com
Scotland
Comet Pieces, Glasgow
They do great breakfasts (omelettes; smashed avocado) but the signature lunch rolls are where it’s at. Haggis, hash brown, fried egg and whisky sauce (veg and non-veg versions available); shredded chicken, black pudding, spring onions and sriracha; potato scone, cheesy scambled eggs and sriracha mayo… Bring an appetite.
150 Queen Margaret Dr, G20 8NY; 0141 945 2135; cometpieces.co.uk
Cafe Strange Brew, Glasgow
Forget quotidian fry ups. Here, fried eggs come with ham hock, and pea and thyme veloute, or go Iraqi-inspired with lamb mince and garlicky yogurt. Vegans (and everyone else) will delight in breakfast coconut panna cotta with granola.
1082 Pollokshaws Rd, G41 3XA; 0141 440 7290; facebook.com
Accento Cafe, Glasgow
The chicken Milanese panini and Italian pastries practically sell themselves at this casual daytime cafe run by a family with Sardinian heritage.
6 Claremont St, G3 7HA; 0141 258 3830; facebook.com
Wales
Plum Vanilla Cafe, Narberth
Not devoted to any one style, sisters Plum and Vanilla serve home-cooked food made from locally sourced ingredients, with their cakes and salads (tofu, herb, nut; hot potato and bacon) in particular winning devotees in Pembrokeshire and beyond.
2A St James St, SA67 7DB; 01834 862762; facebook.com
Paternoster Farm, Pembrokeshire
Taking a spot for their approach to big flavours and local produce. Their beach hut at Broadhaven South is probably the only place in the country you can have pad krapow and beef wellington, served on the same day, overlooking the sea. At their concession in the Y Gegin food hall in Pembroke Dock, options include veg thali, or (in season) a puffball steak and truffle mayo.
paternosterfarm.co.uk
The Warren, Carmarthen
This family-run cafe with a sustainable focus cooks hearty and satisfying fare like roast celeriac soup, or local pork in a roll with pickled cabbage and nettle cheese.
11 Mansel St, SA31 1PX; 01267 236079; warrenmanselst.co.uk
Northern Ireland
Ocho Tapas, Portrush
At lunchtime, £11 gets you a choice of three classic tapas, and in the evenings, graze with a glass of sherry and £2.95 pintxos, perhaps black pudding and quail’s egg, or hot smoked trout and langoustine with saffron mayo on toast.
92-94 Main St, BT56 8BN; 028 7082 4110; ochotapas.com
Kiwis Brew Bar, Portrush
Home of the intriguing, slightly alarmingly named “psycho wings”. On Wing Wednesday, £7.50 gets you 12 wings and a beer.
47 Main St, BT56 8BN; 028 7082 2402; kiwisbrewbar.com
Ursa Minor Bakehouse, Ballycastle
A small town cafe that delivers big flavours: poached eggs with chilli oil and yogurt; roasted tomato salad and white bean hummus; an open sandwich of nectarine, feta and runner bean.
45 Ann St, BT54 6AA; ursaminorbakehouse.com
