Restaurants

Last year chef Debbie Lee debuted her long-awaited pocha in Highland Park: Yi Cha, one of L.A.’s best new bars, where Lee serves modern Korean bites that pair with artful cocktails and imported soju. Now she’s opened Mokja, a tandem cafe and market for Korean-leaning coffees, sandwiches, pastries and pantry goods. Enter Mokja through Yi Cha’s back alley and find sweet corn iced lattes, coffees topped with misugaru cold foam, and banana matcha lattes served alongside oxtail hand pies, Seoul-style breakfast plates, gochujang short rib onigiri, tomato-muchim pork belly BLTs, and a DIY ramyun station. In a hurry? Grab Lee’s premade bibimbap, mayak eggs, mandu, japchae and more from the refrigerators. If you’re shopping for your home, find coffee, mochi mixes, ice cream, hot sauce, black sesame spreads and other goods from local makers, plus imported Korean Oreos and chips, on the shelves around the cafe.

Named among the world’s five coolest neighbourhoods, it packs cafés, international food and welcoming pubs into a small pocket of a major city.

A £4.60 oat milk mocha might not be everyone’s idea of a bargain. But at Zennor in Govanhill, I’d argue it’s worth every penny – and the surrounding streets offer plenty of reasons to stay after the last sip.

The neighbourhood on Glasgow’s south side earned a place among the world’s five coolest neighbourhoods in Time Out’s annual list. Its appeal goes well beyond fashionable coffee shops, with a diverse mix of people, cultures and businesses shaping the area.

From Turkish börek to Pakistani street food, independent cafés to a pub named after a footballing legend, there’s plenty to explore. Some may say it’s all new coffee shops and no substance, but they couldn’t be more wrong.

A neighbourhood best explored on foot

Victoria Road is a natural starting point. Busy with dog walkers, friends catching up and people carrying takeaway coffees, it leads towards the green space of Queen’s Park.

Govanhill is one of Scotland’s most diverse neighbourhoods, reflected in its cafés, bakeries, takeaways and gift shops. You could easily spend hours browsing and stopping for something to eat.

Options include a flat white from a Transylvanian coffee shop or traditional Turkish börek from Pistachio. For me though, Zennor was the destination of choice.

On the corner of Langside Road and Dixon Avenue, Zennor’s second Glasgow location combines Scandi-inspired light wood and stainless steel décor with paper lanterns and the smell of freshly ground coffee.

Zennor’s seasonal specials are really where they excel, but I didn’t spot anything on there that caught my eye on this occasion, so I opted for a mocha. And you can’t pop in here without grabbing a sweet treat, such as their dark chocolate and sea salt cookie – utter bliss.

With oat milk, my coffee order totalled £4.60. It pains me to admit, but I don’t think that’s too steep these days, particularly when it’s this good. And it’s worth every penny in my opinion.

Where to head for a pint or a plate of pasta

Directly opposite Zennor is the Rose Reilly, my favourite pub in Govanhill. Named after the legendary footballer, it offers a welcoming atmosphere, a good choice of drinks and plenty of outdoor seating for sunny days.

For something more substantial, I recommend Pakistani Street Food for a samosa, Bar Vini for a generous serving of pasta and Errol’s Hot Pizza for the best pizza you’ll ever eat.

Together, these venues offer plenty of scope to turn a quick coffee visit into a longer afternoon or weekend exploring the neighbourhood.

More than a ‘coolest neighbourhood’ label

Govanhill’s fashionable reputation is only part of its story. The area faces challenges, and residents hold differing views about how it has changed, with gentrification a particularly contentious issue.

My view, however, is that its mix of people and cultures is what makes it such a lively and fascinating place to discover. The coffee may provide a reason to stop, but it is far from the only attraction.

There’s also libraries, craft spaces, workshops, community projects and events, and with great public transports links too, you’re never too far from other parts of the city. Other nearby neighbourhoods in Glasgow’s south side, like Pollokshields, Strathbungo and Mount Florida, are also full of fun things to do.

I RAISE my fork to my mouth and lock eyes with Stevie. My heart stops. He’s 6ft, super-muscly and has a cracking set of teeth.

He spends the next hour watching me eat by candlelight, and he’s there again at breakfast the next morning.

But far from being my husband or an admirer, Stevie is a blacktip reef shark simply enjoying his natural habitat at Oblu Xperience Ailafushi — a four-star resort on a tropical island in Male Atoll of the Maldives.

The country is known as the world’s most romantic honeymoon hotspot, but I was there to check out its wilder side,

Of course, this included dining at Only Blu, the largest underwater restaurant in Asia.

Sitting 22ft below sea level, it’s a way to enjoy the diverse ocean life, without getting your feet (or hair) wet.

It’s not included in Ailafushi’s all-inclusive “Fushi” plan, but it’s well worth splashing out on (prices start from £95 per person).

I was just inches away from blue powder surgeonfish, humbug damselfish and dozens of parrotfish as I tucked into my decadent five-course meal — though I did feel slightly guilty as I stuffed forkfuls of the “reef catch of the day” into my mouth. I hoped I wasn’t eating any of their brothers or sisters!

As several sharks swam by, including the one I nicknamed Stevie, “oohs” and “aahs” spread like a Mexican wave.

This kind of restaurant could be gimmicky. But the food — which included pistachio scallops, tuna poke bowls and decadent chocolate desserts — was genuinely delicious.

Just a 20-minute complimentary speedboat ride from Male airport, Ailafushi is a more affordable choice than many Maldives resorts, with all-inclusive packages starting at £160 per person per night.

But for the comparatively bargain price (most four-star resorts average at £300), you don’t miss out on the luxury.

My over-water villa was stunning — exactly what you picture when you think of a Maldivian suite, with an outdoor shower, private sundeck and stairs that drop you straight into the pale blue Indian Ocean.

Each night, I drifted off to the soothing sound of the waves beneath my floorboards. And every morning, I threw off my pyjamas and jumped directly into them.

It was the same at Ailafushi’s more upmarket five-star sister hotel, Oblu Select at Sangeli, where there’s even a window in the floor for 24-hour ocean life viewing.

But if the idea of sleeping and showering above sharks and stingrays gives you the creeps, both resorts offer beach houses and family suites far enough from the shore to put your mind at ease.

You should get out on the water, though, if your fears allow. Especially as guests can pick up a snorkel and fins to use for free throughout their stay.

I’ve never seen such amazing sea life, with reef sharks, unicorn fish, eagle rays and turtles just feet away.

Like many reefs around the world, the coral is sadly bleached. But there were so many fish displaying vivid colours, it was like being inside a Windows screensaver.

If you’d rather stay above the waves, though, there’s still plenty to see and do on dry land and boat.

Guests can book local island excursions, fishing trips and moonlight cruises.

My favourite was the sunset dolphin cruise. They might be wild animals, but they certainly put on a show, leaping in the air and gliding along the side of the boat.

At one stage, there were so many gasps and pointed fingers, it felt like I was watching a fireworks display. Guests also have access to free pedalos, kayaks and stand-up paddle boards.

And both resorts also have their own spas, ELE|NA Ayur — perfect for while your partner, kids or hungover pals are napping.

At Sangeli, where guests get a free 45-minute treatment for every four nights they stay, a stress-buster massage melted away the tension I built up during the 14-hour journey to get there from London Heathrow via Dubai.

Equally dreamy was the full-body Balinese treatment at Ailafushi, where prices start at $50.

Life is equally indulgent at the more peaceful Sangeli.

Alongside couples’ massages and intimate dinners, there’s a phenomenal free kids’ club with puppet making, cupcake decorating, palm leaf crafts and scavenger hunts.

There’s also a slide that plops you directly into the sea — fun for all ages. I howled with laughter as I sped round the tight bends before crashing into the gentle waves at the bottom.

If you’re feeling energetic — or simply want to work up an appetite for your next meal at one of each resort’s four restaurants — try the over-water gym with one of the best views in the world.

You could also attempt a sunrise yoga class, if you haven’t had too many of the hotel’s unlimited cocktails the night before.

By this point, you’ve probably seen plenty of fish from your villa, perhaps snorkelled with several and spotted them during a boat trip. So why not try catching a couple on a sunset line-fishing trip?

Whether you’re a seasoned fisherman or, like me, have never picked up a rod in your life, it’s the perfect way to spend an early evening.

And you might surprise yourself. I went in thinking I’d have no luck at all, but ten minutes before our time was up, I felt a hard tug on my line and eventually reeled in a giant remora.

I squealed with delight (and perhaps a little fear) as it flapped about in front of my face. But I quickly threw him back into the shimmering water.

Despite being a Muslim country where alcohol is all but banned, booze is freely available at all tourist resorts.

They also take international holidays incredibly seriously.

I’m told Christmas is an extravagant affair with Santa Claus arriving on a flyboard or parasail before descending to the beach with gifts.

I was there for Halloween and they did not hold back — think eyeball cupcakes, a terrifying haunted house, and dark red cocktails served in blood bags.

Four waiters dressed as zombies even carried a “body” in a coffin through the restaurant at dinner.

Yes, it costs more to get there (return flights start at £785 with Emirates) than Ibiza and your hotel will be a little more expensive, but you’ll barely spend a thing once your feet hit the white sands. And truly, it’s worth it.

Forget the White Isle — make the Maldives your next trip.

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The Tempus

Doxford, Northumberland

From the chequerboard restaurant chairs to the disco ball-glittered bar and leopard print-cushioned bedrooms, this 41-bedroom hotel has more than a hint of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland about it. The 2026 winner of Visit England’s gold award for best small hotel, the Tempus recently opened eight wooden cabins overlooking the estate’s lake, and runs stargazing breaks in partnership with nearby Kielder Observatory. This month sees the launch of wellness experiences, combining gentle yoga and sound baths, while foraging workshops celebrate the estate’s wild bounty. Alnwick, Bamburgh and kipper-smoking Craster are close by.
Doubles from £121 B&B, thetempus.co.uk

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The Old Bridge Inn

Aviemore, the Cairngorms

You can walk, cycle, swim or kayak straight from the door of this pub and bunkhouse on the banks of the River Spey in outdoorsy Aviemore. This mellow gastropub serves smoked haddock chowder and Caribbean lamb curry pies along with Cairngorm Brewery’s ales – and you’re likely to catch some live folk music too. Fresh from a recent revamp, its seven vintage-inspired bedrooms are decorated in autumnal shades of gold, green, rust and teal. Ranging from simple dorms to en suite doubles and family rooms, they come with access to a shared kitchen and dining room for DIY dinners and breakfasts.
Family rooms for up to five from £80 room-only, oldbridgeinn.co.uk

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The Black Horse

Amberley, Sussex

Food is the big draw at this new pub with rooms in the South Downs. Run by farm-to-fork restaurateurs the Gladwin brothers, the 12-bedroom inn is their first venture outside London, and their first with accommodation. One thing they are deeply familiar with is local producers – not least their own family. Beef comes from their farm, wines from their vineyard, Nutbourne, and some of the pub’s artwork has been painted by family matriarch Bridget. Stay over and you can wake to breakfasts of homemade brioche with just-laid eggs, farmhouse sausages or trout gravadlax. Stroll around the village, with its castle hotel and pottery, or hike over to Arundel then catch a train back to Amberley.
Doubles from £125 B&B, blackhorse-pub.com

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The Abergwaun

Fishguard, Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire is home to spectacular beaches, but if an autumn storm blows in, it’s great to have galleries, cafes, pubs and cinemas where you can take cover. That’s where Fishguard comes in. This small harbour town has quietly blossomed over the last couple of years. The latest opening is the Abergwaun, a bistro with rooms launched in July by the folk behind the nearby Red Onion cafe. Feast on locally line-caught seabass with kelp beurre blanc, then drift off to sleep in one of five smart, latte-coloured bedrooms. The next day, take in a pottery workshop at Tŷ Clai, hike along the Pembrokeshire coast path for a Sunday roast at the Sailor’s Safety, or catch a gig at Ffwrn.
Doubles from £140 B&B, theabergwaun.co.uk

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The Lister Arms

Malham, Yorkshire Dales

Malham is one of the Yorkshire Dales’ great hiking hubs, with Malham Tarn, the amphitheatrical cliffs of Malham Cove, and Janet’s Foss and Gordale Scar waterfalls within easy reach – and staying in the village became a little easier this summer with the opening of Lister Farmhouse. Its 13 bedrooms pair smart taupe, olive and blueberry fabrics with warm wood and leather. Part of the expanded Lister Arms, which includes rooms at the inn itself and at a nearby barn conversion, the new farmhouse bedrooms are two minutes’ walk away, beside sister pub the Buck Inn. For breakfast, stroll across a packhorse bridge to the pub.
Doubles from £135 B&B, listerarms.co.uk

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The Great Decoy

Hurstbourne Tarrant, Hampshire

Formerly the George & Dragon, when this Test valley pub with rooms opened in June, its name was changed to the Great Decoy in a nod to the area’s second world war history, when the surrounding countryside was used as part of a network of decoy sites to draw enemy bombers away from strategic targets. These days, a tempting mix of pub bangers (venison steak frites, wood-fired pizzas), plump-pillowed bedrooms and affordable rates is luring a more peaceful crowd. The pub is a low-beamed, candlelit haven and its eight bedrooms mix antiques with bright modern art and jauntily striped, scalloped headboards.
Doubles from £90 B&B, thegreatdecoy.co.uk

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The Riverside Inn

Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire

It was in Ross-on-Wye in the late 18th century that the artist and writer Rev William Gilpin set the blueprint for British tourism. Popularising the picturesque, he encouraged travellers to explore the local landscape for pleasure, helping to establish the idea of the British scenic escape (albeit infamously suggesting that “a mallet judiciously used” might improve the ruined charm of Tintern Abbey). More than two centuries later, five elegant new bedrooms have just opened at the Riverside Inn, giving modern-day visitors a suitably comfortable base from which to explore the area’s antiques and salvage shops, and stroll the leafy riverside pathways around Symonds Yat. Named after Charlie Mackesy characters, the rooms are decorated with finds from Baileys Home Store and other local businesses.
Doubles from £180 B&B, riversideinn-wyestreet.com

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The William Cecil

Stamford, Lincolnshire

On the edge of the Burghley estate, along one of Stamford’s cute-as-a-bonnet Georgian streets, this treasured hotel underwent a major renovation two years ago. Named after Lord William Cecil, chief advisor to Elizabeth I, the 18th-century building is home to 26 bedrooms decorated in Bridgerton-meets-Babington chic, all chalky pink and sage green stripes, ginghams, velvets and chintz. The latest addition is Wild Floral, a botanical-inspired room launched this summer in collaboration with Lincolnshire designer Sophie Allport. Head out to explore the copper-flecked parkland of Burghley House, then return for pheasant kiev and blackberry tart at Milly’s, the in-house bistro.
Doubles from £155 B&B, thewilliamcecil.co.uk

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Corsham House

Corsham, Wiltshire

It was no surprise that Corsham was chosen as a backdrop for the recent TV dramatisation of Jilly Cooper’s Rivals – the market town is a primetime destination. Wild peacocks roam its Georgian streets, a “secret” garden unwinds behind stately Corsham Court – home to one of Wiltshire’s finest private art collections – and independent shops and cafes rule. In the centre of it all is Corsham House, a new brasserie and bottle shop with rooms that opened in July. Once a bank, it’s now profiting from the town’s “Bath in miniature” credentials, serving its signature Corsham chips with chicken salt alongside fat rump cap steaks, and putting guests up in 11 small but daintily designed bedrooms painted in shades of rose, damson and beech.
Doubles from £111 room-only, corshamhouse.com

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The Copley Arms

Hessenford, Cornwall

Just off the A387, between Plymouth and Looe, this riverside pub with rooms is worth detouring off the beaten Cornish track for. Recently taken over by the couple behind Lydford’s award-winning Castle Inn, its 17th-century core has been elegantly refurbished. Fill up on fish tacos or the catch of the day, then head upstairs, or into the cottage just behind the inn, to slumber in one of eight earthily coloured, softly lit bedrooms (the cottage rooms are the quietest). The following morning, wake to a full Cornish before hiking a loop through the woods of the Seaton Valley or strolling a section of the South West coast path over to Looe.
Doubles from £100 B&B (two nights for £160 from Sept-April), copleyarms.co.uk

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The Swallow Falls Inn

Betws-y-Coed, Eryri (Snowdonia)

Just across the road from its namesake waterfall, this former coaching inn reopened last year after a major overhaul, offering visitors a comfortable and affordable base for exploring Eryri national park. Its 38 bedrooms are painted in warm, muted shades and bookended by floral wallpapers, tongue-and-groove panelling and bright, metro-tiled bathrooms. Family rooms come with sturdy wooden bunk beds and, downstairs, you can order lasagne or sausage and mash in a space framed by fringed lampshades, floral curtains and mossy green paintwork. From the inn, you can follow a riverside trail into the village of Betws-y-Coed or soak up the autumn colours on one of the waymarked paths in the nearby Gwydir forest park.
Doubles from £76 B&B, inncollectiongroup.com

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The Crown

Bildeston, Suffolk

Estate-to-plate dining is the cornerstone of this sunshine-hued Tudor inn between Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich. One of several Suffolk pubs and hotels owned by the Nedging Hall estate, who completed a sympathetic makeover this spring, it has 13 smartly understated new bedrooms. It’s fully plugged into the estate’s homegrown supply chain; the owners also operate a butchery, kitchen garden and East Anglia’s oldest brewery, Mauldons (for which they grow malt barley). Head out on a gentle three-mile loop walk to neighbouring Chelsworth, then take a seat by the dining room’s open fire to feast on treacle-cured pork ribeye with garlic croquettes, and deliciously wibbly Basque cheesecake.
Doubles from £195 B&B, thebildestoncrown.com

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The Customs House

Bowling, West Dunbartonshire

A hop, skip and jump (or 30-minute train ride) north-west of Glasgow, this stylish new hotel sits at the western end of the Forth and Clyde canal. Well-placed for towpath walks and cycles, it’s a grand reimagining of what was built in 1790 as the customs house for Bowling harbour. There are seven tweed-hued bedrooms in the main building, each with a view of the water and each named after a different cargo, and a floating lodge suite was added this summer, along with a sauna and cold plunge. When the restaurant opens in a neighbouring building next year, it will operate as a full-service hotel but, for now, staff are only on site during the day; evening arrivals are self check-in and continental breakfasts self-serve.
Doubles from £120 B&B, thecustomshousebowling.co.uk

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Le Strange Arms

Old Hunstanton, Norfolk

Close to the RSPB reserve at Snettisham and the nature reserve at Holme Dunes, this stretch of north Norfolk coastline is a prime destination for spotting waders and waterfowl as they stop to rest on their way south, and is similarly restorative for humans. Follow a day of beach walks and sky-gazing with dinner at newly renovated gastropub the Ancient Mariner – menu highlights include Barsham’s beer-battered fish and chips, and cheeseboards ripe with local favourites Norfolk Dapple and Binham Blue – before walking across to sister hotel Le Strange Arms to sleep. Its more affordable standard rooms have yet to be updated, but recently renovated self-catering lodges and apartments put a modish mustard and navy spin on seaside chic.
Doubles from £91 room-only, lestrangearms.co.uk

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Wild Duck

Ewen, the Cotswolds

Open fires? A scene-stealing, carved wood bar? Plates of buttery chicken and chips? Double Diamond ale on tap? If you were Pinterest-boarding the fantasy Cotswolds pub after a yomp through the fields (or along the river – the Thames Path starts 10 minutes’ drive away), it would be something like the Wild Duck. Just south of Cirencester, this 16th-century gardeners’ cottage turned coaching inn has been stylishly overhauled by local hospitality luminaries Sam and Georgie Pearman. Reopened in March, it now has five bedrooms above the pub and 14 others in a new wing, each decorated with heritage wallpapers, Edward Bulmer paints, antique finds and custom-designed rugs.
Doubles from £150 B&B, countrycreatures.com

Prices are for October-November and were correct at time of publication

AN ICONIC London tower is being carved into a £1billion “Swiss Cheese” hotel as plans are unveiled for major refurbishment.

New terraces, restaurants, office spaces and panoramic views of the city are all part of the plans.

The HSBC Tower, located in London’s Canary Wharf, is set to undergo a major refurbishment next year, as its current occupants relocate to the city.

Plans for the refurbishment of the 45-storey tower have been submitted to Tower Hamlets Council by Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and Canary Wharf Group (CWG).

The revamp will be led by architects Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) and reports indicate it is set to cost between £800,000,000 and £1,000,000,000.

Proposals for the building will see sections of the tower’s higher floors cut away to create a series of terraces, creating the appearance of holes which have landed the building with the Swiss cheese comparison.

Designs for the tower will also see it move from a single-occupant space, instead paving the way for multiple uses throughout the building.

Starting from the bottom, the lower and ground floors will be transformed into an 181-room hotel and leisure facilities.

It will also see the addition of a brand new public walkway that crosses through the ground floor to link the Elizabeth Line Station with nearby Canada Square Park.

Middle floors will be reserved for office spaces, designed to house multiple corporate tenants, with asset management company BlackRock reportedly eyeing the space, according to The Banker.

Staggered terraces will be a main feature of the top floor, as well as a huge glass box called “The Cloud”, functioning as an entertainment space with restaurants and bars and boasting panoramic views of the city.

In a statement posted to the CWG website, CEO Shobi Khan said: “We look forward to working with QIA on 8 Canada Square to deliver a building of outstanding design, engineering and sustainability standards.

“This redevelopment is another step in Canary Wharf’s evolution into a vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood offering workspace, retail, homes, leisure and amenities all in one location – a true 15-minute city.”

Elie Gamburg from Kohn Pedersen Fox said: “We are extremely excited to collaborate with QIA and CWG to reimagine the single-use office building as a blueprint for the highly sustainable, mixed-use building of the future.

“This transformation embodies the ethos behind much of our work, we see it as an integral part of the evolution of today’s single-use neighbourhoods into vibrant mixed-use neighbourhoods of tomorrow – an evolution of which CWG is already leading the way.”

A MEMBERS club loved by the Royals is opening a new location in a historic English town.

It will feature restaurants, bars, a 25-metre pool, racquet courts and even direct access to the River Thames.

A new “reimagined” country club from the Soho House brand is set to come to Windsor, situated directly along the River Thames from next year.

Located less than 45 minutes from central London, Soho River House will also be home to a Health Club, riverside restaurant and Vinyl Bar.

The main house, a Victorian mansion within 35 acres of land, will feature 93 bedrooms designed for members who wish to extend their stay overnight.

The Health Club comes with a gym dedicated to all members’ fitness needs as well as a novel Lazy River feature, which offers cold plunges designed for muscle recovery.

The location will also hold the first Soho House Racquet & Rowing Club with padel, tennis and pickleball courts.

For those wishing to try their hand at rowing, the site will come with boat storage, a dedicated staging area, and direct access to the river through a launching ramp.

The Lazy Lawn overlooking the Thames also provides the perfect lounging spot to catch some much-needed sunrays.

Every week, the club is set to host a number of events for members – including live performances and “One Night Only” dinners with well-known chefs.

Expected to arrive in 2027, those interested are able to register their interest online to keep an eye out for upcoming applications.

Soho House has 14 other locations in the UK, including sites in Manchester, Somerset and East Sussex.

The brand is loved by both Royals and celebrities, with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry having their first date at 76 Dean Street, a Soho House location in London back in 2016.

SEVERAL UK eateries have been named among the best in the world – from a mash bar to a £100 gothic feast.

Tripadvisor has revealed its 2026 Travellers‘ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Restaurants and 12 of the top spots in the world are in the UK.

All the spots featured were decided on by millions of reviews for the past year.

Here is a rundown of the top places to head for a bite in the UK:

Coming out eighth in the world in the Casual Dining category was Casa Brazilian Rodizio in York.

The family-run Brazilian steakhouse – also named the top spot in the UK in the category for a second year in a row – is more of a dining experience than your usual sit-down-and-eat restaurant.

Diners have to flip a card on their table to green if they want the chef, who is doing loops of the room, to carve spit-roasted meats at the table.

For a breather, visitors must turn the card to red.

Dinner costs £36.95 per person and is available every evening from 4pm and includes premium cuts such as flank steak and chilli beef.

Next up, longtime Travellers’ Choice favourite Makars Gourmet Mash Bar, Edinburgh was named twelfth in the world on the same list.

Diners are meant to pick a meat or plant-based alternative, with one of nine mash options including Scottish cheese and black pudding.

When it came to the Hidden Gems list, Hampstead-based spot Bonoo Indian Tapas which serves Indian small plates was named 13th in the world.

Prices range between £20 and £40 per person.

A few UK destinations were named on the best Date Nights spots in the world, as well.

London Steakhouse Co., which was opened by chef Marco Pierre White in 2008 and typically ranges from £40 to £100 per person, secured fourth place.

Another steak spot – The Herd Steak Restaurant in Bath – was then named in eleventh place.

And finally, modern family-run British bistro 1863 Restaurant in the picturesque village of Pooley Bridge in the Lake District came in at 19th.

Up in Glasgow, Indian spot Green Gates Merchant City made the world list for the first time, ranking sixth in Vegan & Vegetarian restaurants category.

When it comes to immersive food and drink experiences, the Royal Historic Pubs Walking Guided Tour in London, costing from £32 per person, was named tenth in the world on the World Wine & Beer Experiences list.

The tour usually includes heading to different historic pubs and learning about their history and famous visitors including former Prime Minister Winston Churchill, King Charles II and pop icon Ed Sheeran.

Dishoom was first on the Viral Right Now list, with London hotspots Mad Hatter’s Tea at Sanderson’s following in third and Borough Market Food Tour London named twelfth.

If you don’t mind splashing the cash, in Edinburgh, Scotland, The Witchery was named fourth in the World in the Fine Dining category.

The Witchery also claimed the top spot in Europe and the UK, for Fine Dining.

The well-known restaurant is a Gothic-style luxury restaurant which originally opened back in 1979 and can be found inside a historic building dating back to the 16th century.

Inside, diners can expect candlelight and oak panels with meals usually costing over £100 per person.

The line at Holbox during the midweek lunch hour has become a cultural sensation, a queue of locals and visitors trailing past the automatic doors and around the parking lot like devotees angling for the latest iPhone series or limited-release sneakers. Believe the lauds, including ours when we named Holbox as The Times’ 2023 Restaurant of the Year. Gilberto Cetina’s command of mariscos is unmatched in Southern California — his ceviches, aguachiles and tostadas revolutionary in their freshness and jigsaw-intricate flavors. The smoked kanpachi taco alone — clinched with queso Chihuahua and finished with salsa cruda, avocado and drizzles of peanut salsa macha — is one of the most sophisticated things to eat in Los Angeles.

Holbox could be considered for the top ranking on its own strength. But in a year when disasters tore at our city, honoring the power of community feels more urgent than ever. Cetina’s seafood counter doesn’t thrive in a vacuum. Holbox resides inside the Mercado La Paloma in South L.A. The mercado is the economic-development arm of the Esperanza Community Housing Corp., a nonprofit organization founded in 1989 that counts affordable housing and equitable healthcare among its core missions. When the mercado was in the incubation stage, Esperanza’s executive director Nancy Ibrahim interviewed would-be restaurateurs about their challenges and hopes in starting a business. Among the candidates was Cetina’s father, Gilberto Sr., who proposed a stall serving his family’s regionally specific dishes from the Yucatán. Their venture, Chichén Itzá, was among the eight startups when the mercado opened in a former garment factory nearly 25 years ago, in February 2001.

Step into the 35,000-square-foot market today, and the smell of corn warms the senses. Fátima Juárez chose masa as her medium when she began working with Cetina at Holbox in 2017. Komal, the venue she opened last year with her husband, Conrado Rivera, is the only molino in L.A. grinding and nixtamalizing heirloom corn varieties daily. Among her deceptively spare menu of mostly quesadillas and tacos, start with the extraordinary quesadilla de flor de calabaza, a creased blue corn tortilla, bound by melted quesillo, arrayed with squash blossoms radiating like sunbeams.

Wander farther, past the communal sea of tiled tables between Holbox and Komal, to find jewels that first-timers or even regular visitors might overlook.

Taqueria Vista Hermosa, run by Raul Morales and his family, is the other remaining original tenant. Order an al pastor taco, or Morales’ specialty of Michoacan-style fish empapelado smothered in vegetables and wrapped in banana leaf. The lush, orange-scented cochinita pibil is the obvious choice next door at still-flourishing Chichén Itzá, but don’t overlook crackling kibi and the brunchy huevos motuleños over ham and black bean puree. The weekends-only tacos de barbacoa de chivo are our favorites at the stand called Oaxacalifornia, though we swing through any time for the piloncillo-sweetened café de olla and a scoop of smoked milk ice cream from its sibling juice and snack bar in the market’s center. Looking for the comfort of noodles? Try the pad see ew at Thai Corner Food Express in the far back.

The everyday and the exquisite; the fast and the formal (just try to score a reservation for Holbox’s twice-a-week tasting menu); a food hall and sanctuary for us all. Mercado La Paloma embodies the Los Angeles we love.

The city has been highlighted by Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Restaurants for 2026, which is based on first-hand reviews from millions of travellers over the last year

A charming UK city with medieval streets and a towering minster is also home to the country’s best restaurants.

While the silver-spoon-holding residents of foodie capitals London, Manchester, and Edinburgh may consider themselves to live in the UK’s culinary epicentre, they’re wrong.

The newly released Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Restaurants for 2026, which is based on first-hand reviews from millions of travellers over the last year, shows there is one UK city with a far higher concentration of great eateries than anywhere else, despite having a population almost 50 times smaller than London.

The standout is York in North Yorkshire.

The city of 200,000 had the highest-ranked restaurants of anywhere in the UK, with Brazilian joint Casa Brazilian Rodizio ranking eighth worldwide. The family-run, authentic Brazilian rodizio-style restaurant aims to “provide an unforgettable authentic taste, service and experience for an unbeatable set price!” By all accounts, it has succeeded.

“Went out for a family meal yesterday, the food was absolutely amazing, the place was astonishing. The meat tasted rich, and the buffet had so many amazing options,” wrote one of Casa Brazilian Rodizio’s reviewers among the thousands awarding it 4.9/5 stars.

Other York restaurants performed really well in the UK rankings, with Buongiorno, Enoteca By L’uva and Damastique making the top 25 in the ‘best casual dining’ list. Legacy At The Grand also found itself at number seven in a rundown of the UK’s best date-night restaurants, and Melton’s reached the same spot on the ‘best fine dining’ rundown. And finally, the family-run Turkish outfit Kapadokya 50 was named one of the UK’s best hidden gems.

York’s rise to become the country’s premier gastronomy spot is an interesting one. The medieval city has always tempted in history buffs with its minster, Jorvik Centre and Quilt Museum, and it’s long boasted of having more pubs than days of the year to drink in them, a fact that seemed suspect when I lived there a decade ago and is almost certainly not true now. But the foodie revolution that’s taken place there is a more recent and quiet phenomenon.

A new crop of young chefs has been putting the city’s food in the spotlight, in backstreets from Micklegate to The Shambles. Among the gang is Tommy Banks, one of the youngest chefs in the UK to win a Michelin star, who leads Roots York in the city centre. His cooking relies heavily on homegrown produce, farm-to-table tasting menus, and unique preservation techniques.

Another is Ahmed Abdalla, head chef at Legacy inside The Grand hotel, who creates modern British tasting menus with classic Yorkshire ingredients. And Joshua and Victoria Overington run Restaurant Mýse, a place that specialises in local Anglo-Saxon culinary heritage.

The Michelin Guide lists 16 restaurants in York and its surroundings, three with stars and a Michelin Green Star, including Roots and Mýse.

Eduardo Caetano, owner of Casa Brazilian Rodizio, opened the restaurant 11 years ago. “The philosophy of the restaurant is casa, which means home. When you come in, you come into our home. You are my guest. If the food is not good enough for me, it’s not good enough for me,” he told the Mirror.

“The offering in York is an extremely competitive market, there are loads of places to eat. I love that there are so many family businesses here. For me, York is the only place in the world that feels like home.”

In terms of places in York he loves to eat, Eduardo recommended Delrio’s Italian Restaurant. “I love going there,” he added.

It’s not just in high-end restaurants that York is excelling; its casual dining scene is also strong. Recent additions doing well locally include authentic Neapolitan pizzeria Cresci Pizzeria, which has become a citywide favourite, while the gut-busting sandwiches of Browns in Heslington remain a cheap, filling option.

This all sits against a backdrop of the Shambles Market, York’s main daily open-air market, located at Silver Street in the heart of the city. Come early November, it is joined by the Christmas Market, with Alpine chalets filling up Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square. Whether you find festive fare charming or a logistical impediment, stallholders not only bring a real buzz to the city, but plenty of gastro-delights.

You can get loaded on artisanal hot cocoa, locally made gin, scratchings, high-end crumble and much more.

Similarly, the long-term culinary heritage of York is evident in its fantastic pubs, many of which also serve up delicious food. The House of Trembling Madness is a wonderfully wonky pub that pairs cheese boards and yards of ale, while Valhalla York on Patrick Pool is a Viking-themed ale house serving hearty meat and cheese boards alongside local mead and ales.

The success of York as a food city is no accident. The city has actively invested in growing this reputation through events such as York Restaurant Week, now one of the UK’s biggest events of its kind since its 2019 launch, with the most recent edition doubling to two weeks and featuring over 100 participating venues. The previous October’s event saw over 22,000 vouchers downloaded, bringing in nearly £400,000 for local businesses, a 70% jump from the year before.

DUBAI: A late-night craving for dessert led Hasan Sarwar to leave investment banking and build Peekabox, a Dubai-founded app that sells fresh unsold food from cafes, bakeries and grocery stores at discounts of 50 to 70 percent.

Sarwar was in a Dubai cafe at about 11 p.m. when he noticed the pastry shelves were still full.

“I simply asked them, I said: ‘What do you guys actually do with these items?’ And they said, ‘We make it in the morning, and then throw it the same day,’” he told Arab News. “All of these sort of very high-end pastries are getting thrown every single day.”

He went on to develop the idea, comparing it to Too Good To Go, a model he had used while at university in the UK. “We’ve grown up in Dubai. We know the UAE. We know the F&B space,” he recalled telling his parents.

He started alone. Three months in, he asked his brother Omair to join him as co-founder. “It was way too much work for one person,” Sarwar said.

The first brand to sign was Tim Hortons, part of Dubai’s Apparel Group, after a pitch that ran three months with no app and no demo. “I didn’t leave them alone for three months,” he said. Once the contract was signed, he used the name to bring other brands on, and boxes now come from coffee chains, bakeries, restaurants, grocery stores and hotel buffets.

Customers do not choose what they get. “If you say I have this exact item that you want, people are never going to buy full price,” Sarwar said, describing the surprise box as a way to gamify the purchase without cannibalizing full-price sales. His own highlight came from The Grey, an independent Dubai cafe — a strawberry tart, his favorite dessert, with croissants and pain au chocolat.

Getting there meant fighting the same objection on two fronts. Premium brands worried that discounting would dilute their brand equity, so he pointed them to luxury department store Harrods in London, which runs similar schemes, while customers had to be persuaded the food was fresh rather than left over. Both concerns were successfully countered, he said, pointing to the app’s 45 percent repeat order rate.

Peekabox is now in talks with Ne’ma, the UAE’s national food loss and waste initiative, under the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.

It plans to open in Riyadh and Jeddah next year with franchise partners that have already committed to the launch. “In terms of Saudi (Arabia) as a market, people are more price sensitive for sure, and also the density of stores is greater,” he said.