Michelin Restaurants in the UK 2018
While London often steals the gastronomic limelight, there are many foodie treasures found elsewhere in the country. We’ve created a map of Michelin star restaurants around the UK, so you can see exactly where to find six of the best. All of the Michelin star restaurants on the map are easy to get to on our trains, so why not check out our Advance Tickets page or mobile app? Plus, if you want to truly spoil yourself, why not stay the night so you can eat and drink to your heart’s content?
The fine dining gurus who bestow the Michelin stars to worthy eateries are notoriously secretive about their grading strategy. Ranked between one to three stars, they are prestigious accolades that only a handful are lucky enough to receive.
Driftwood, Truro
Address: Rosevine, Portscatho, Cornwall, TR2 5EW
Tel: 01872 580644
Website: www.driftwoodhotel.co.uk
Michelin rating: 1 Star
Type of Food: Seafood, Classic English Fare
Where to Stay: The Rosevine is an elegant hotel with sea views, an indoor pool and private apartments
Overview: Prestigious Head Chef Chris Eden takes the lead in retaining the eatery’s Michelin star rating each year. His passion for utilising fresh Cornish ingredients and produce ensures only the very finest makes it to his plates. With a striking coastal setting, the grounds comprise of sprawling lawns, spectacular sea views, a sun deck and a crisp, modern dining room. Driftwood remains unpretentious despite its enviable accolade. After your meal, sip on a smooth Cognac while relaxing under the soft light of a hurricane lamp in one of their luxury rooms to complete the Driftwood experience.
Menu Highlights: West Country meats such as the succulent ruby red beef or the freshly-steamed cod are in-house favourites. The afternoon tea is also well worth a look, and if you fancy a picnic on the beach, the team will even put a tasty hamper together for you!
How to get there: Take a 25-minute taxi ride south from Truro Train Station. Book Advance tickets to Truro.
Paco Tapas, Bristol
Address: 3a Lower Guinea Street, Bristol BS1 6FU
Tel: 0117 925 7021
Website: www.pacotapas.co.uk
Michelin rating: 1 Star
Type of Food: Spanish Tapas
Where to Stay: The Mercure Bristol Holland House Hotel & Spa both has a convenient central location and on-site amenities
Overview: Bringing a taste of Andalusian cuisine to Bristol, Michelin starred chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias is making huge waves in the food industry with his bold plates of tasty tapas. When you enter the restaurant, you’re greeted with friendly chatter and subtle music which create a warm welcome. The intimate interior is filled with modern, grey, faux-brick walls, flush with wooden tables and stools, while a scattering of spotlights provides bright spheres of lighting throughout. It offers the perfect amount of style without being ostentatious, making it a tempting spot to wine and dine in. Or, perhaps more aptly - to sherry and dine in!
Menu Highlights: Don’t leave without tasting the delicious Carabinero prawns, juicy Galician beef, or the beautifully roasted padrón peppers, which you can watch being browned on the open fire. Plus, the special sherry menu can be enjoyed by the glass, by the bottle or shaken into a cocktail!
How to get there: From Bristol Temple Meads Station, jump in a taxi for the 1-mile journey, which will take about 8 minutes. Book Advance tickets to Bristol.
The Elephant, Torquay
Address: 3 & 4 Breacon Terrace, Torquay, Devon, TQ1 2BH
Tel: 01803 200044
Website: www.elephantrestaurant.co.uk
Michelin rating: 1 Star
Type of Food: English fare, Seafood
Where to Stay: Meadfoot Bay is recommended by The Elephant as a good place to stay nearby
Overview: There’s an unmistakable passion for food in every dish served by Head Chef and owner Simon Hulstone and his team at The Elephant. Garden-fresh ingredients are sourced from the restaurant’s farm in Brixham. Seasonal produce hits the ever-changing menu throughout the year, ensuring deliciously fresh food. And, if all that wasn’t enough, the pricing is thoroughly humble and is, perhaps, the best-value Michelin starred eatery in the country.
Menu Highlights: A tender starter of braised pig cheeks, followed by a tasty Brixham hake or the roasted pumpkin lasagne are all recommended. But, don’t forget to leave space for the gooey goodness of the bitter chocolate fondant, which melts in your mouth with its molten centre.
How to get there: From Torquay Train Station, The Elephant is just 1.2 miles away and is easy to reach via a 20-minute walk or a 5-minute taxi journey. You can also hop onto a bus from Strand Harbourside, which leaves every 5 minutes. Book Advance tickets to Torquay.
Number One, Edinburgh
Address: The Balmoral, 1 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2EQ
Tel: 0131 5576727
Website: www.roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/the-balmoral-hotel/restaurants-and-bars/number-one/
Michelin rating: 1 Star
Type of Food: Seafood & Vegetarian
Where to Stay: The Balmoral Hotel where the Number One Restaurant is located offers grand accommodation
Overview: Fine dining in Scotland doesn’t get any finer than the culinary landmark that is Number One. Aptly named, this restaurant has retained its Michelin star for 14 years. With Executive Chef Jeff Bland and Head Chef Brian Grigor at the helm, only the freshest, finest, Scottish ingredients are used. The walls have been painted an intense red, giving the dining room a luxurious look, and it’s easy to sink yourself into the handsome banquettes before your meal. And, to top it off, the chic cocktail bar exemplifies the opulence throughout.
Menu Highlights: A perfectly-grilled John Dory, the succulent East Lothian lobster served with charred watermelon and the tomato essence risotto all showcase how Number One places its key focus on fresh Scottish ingredients.
How to get there: Head north out of Edinburgh Waverley and Number One is just a 2-minute walk away. Book Advance tickets to Edinburgh.
Adam’s, Birmingham
Address: New Oxford House, 16 Waterloo Street, Birmingham, B2 5UG
Tel: 0121 643 3745
Website: www.adamsrestaurant.co.uk
Michelin rating: 1 Star
Type of Food: British fine dining
Where to Stay: The Clayton Hotel offers guests 4.5-star accommodation just a short distance from Adam’s and the train station
Overview: Owner and Head Chef Adam Stokes offers fine dining in the heart of Birmingham. Whether visiting for pleasure or business, the formal dining room is the ideal setting. The soft lighting is accompanied by elegant furnishings and everything is served to an extremely high standard. The extensive wine cellar is a maze of bottles that will excite any wine enthusiast and, needless to say, servers are pleased to offer diners delectable wine pairing suggestions.
Menu Highlights: The Monkfish served with mussels, the Hertfordshire beef short rib that falls off the bone and the flavour-packed Masala sea trout are all mouth-watering treats on this menu.
How to get there: Just a 4-minute walk from Birmingham New Street Station, simply head north-west on Pinfold Street before going straight up to Waterloo Street. Book Advance tickets to Birmingham.
The Man Behind the Curtain, Leeds
Address: 68-78 Vicar Lane, Lower Ground Floor Flannels, Leeds LS1 7JH
Tel: 0113 2432376
Website: www.themanbehindthecurtain.co.uk
Michelin rating: 1 Star
Type of Food: A mixture of foods, many served in Spanish Tapas style
Where to Stay: Wood Hall Hotel & Spa is a luxury stay about 10 miles north of the city
Overview: Once magnificently described by The Guardian as ‘bonkers, but engagingly so.’ this is a weirdly wonderful dining experience presented by Head Chef extraordinaire Michael O’Hare. Cutting edge cuisine and state-of-the-art furnishings await and be prepared for just the right amount of crazy! Even the website for this innovative eatery is avant-garde with its black and white images of plankton pomade dishes. Known for its artistic presentation of what many may call rather unusual foods, dishes have remarkable names that entice diners to sample things they didn’t know were possible!
They disobey logical combinations. Take the smoked mackerel parfait for example - dusted with a roasted chocolatey coffee powder, shaped into bonbons and presented in a cup filled to the brim with fresh coffee beans. And when this food is awarded a Michelin star, why not indeed?
Menu Highlights: Olives wrapped in an edible cellophane, ox cheek flavoured with salt and vinegar and the perfectly-tangy raspberry macaroon with fizzy tarragon are all must-haves.
How to get there: Just 0.5 miles from Leeds Train Station, the restaurant is easy to walk to in less than 10 minutes by heading north-east out of the station towards Vicar Lane. Book Advance tickets to Leeds.
These are just some of the top Michelin star restaurants in the UK but there are many more constantly vying for the desirable award.
We’ve included a few of the other privileged eateries in the country that you can sample for yourself below:
- Oxford: Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
- Nottingham: Sat Bains
- Edinburgh: The Kitchin
- Reading: L'Ortolan
Don’t forget that you can book Advance tickets with zero booking fees with CrossCountry, up to 15 minutes before departure, even if you aren’t travelling with us. Book online or via our Train Tickets app and enjoy fine dining without the hassle of driving and parking.
Written by Abby