The best restaurants in United Kingdom serving British food

We hired the smaller private room for a family tea to celebrate a special birthday. There were 15 of us, grandparents, parents and children. From the start of our relationship with Mabel's administrator, Martine, discussions flowed easily - price, one glutenfree guest, one vegetarian, lots of details - nothing was too much trouble. On the day there was plenty to eat - sandwiches, scones, cakes and a drinks bar with prosecco. Sara, our waitress, was a star, making sure everyone had everything we wanted including extra cups of tea or coffee. Everyone enjoyed the relaxing informal event. The room was full of Victoriana and the children loved the experience and also the opportunity to explore the garden (with adult supervision). Our family tea at Mabel's was everything we wanted for our special day. Huge thanks to Martine and Sara for all their beautiful hospitality and care.

There are plenty of things that Shaun Rankin @ Grantley does superbly, and I guess that raises a key question - at ten courses for £160, what are you after? If it is everything *around* the food, then this place absolutely nails it. If it is specifically the food with the rest a bonus (as tbf it is for us) then there are places that will make more of a similar spend. The decor is ridiculous. In all the grandest, most opulent / OTT ways, Grantley Hall nails it. From the ridiculous drive up the gated front drive, to the tour past the Rolls Royces and McLarens out front, to the overflow car park with (as Jay Rayner notes in his review of the brasserie) mystery soft piano jazz rolling out of the shrubbery. The setting is immaculate; and for outright opulence / grandness hasn't been topped by the 20 or so Guide Michelin places we've visited in North Yorkshire. Sofas / seating for pre-dinner drinks, immaculate - comfortable, spacious, ridiculously grand. Perhaps not our core cup of tea, but superbly done, and delivered on. Could quibble the art, but that would be a quibble. Service, astonishing. Just superb, again. Friendly, prompt, efficient, looking to help in every possible way. Not intrusive. We perhaps got a slight sense that teetotalers are the exception rather than the rule (the champagne trolley appeared to be expected) but there is a decent array of interesting / worthwhile non-alcoholic drinks. Again, this is absolutely nailed down - service is bang-on, tremendous. The food is where Shaun Rankin stuttered for both of us a bit. Is it good? Yes. Is it very good? Yes. Is it outstanding? For the most part, not really, and that felt like a bit of a shame as it is the main reason we went. There were some absolute highlights - the crab was superb. Light, sweet, almost fruity. Whoever is on desserts / pastry deserves a medal - rhubarb is my partner's thing, and a rhubarb sponge with rhubarb assortments was her dish of the night. The Jerusalem artichoke magnum was magnificent - familiar flavours, superbly executed. I think we're used to petit fours being quite good but rarely the highlight of a meal, but again, whoever is on pastry knocked these out of the park. Every one something new / surprising, hints of herbs in a couple, just tremendous. I think this is what we've come to expect of the best places - the places that keep us coming back, that draw us in. You know, everything, just meeting and exceeding expectations (and often surprising them). We were reminded of this a while back when we visited the Pheasant in Harome on a Saturday (not great but ok) followed by the Lime Tree Inn @ Ouseburn for Sunday lunch, and the way that literally nothing could have been better for what it was at the Lime Tree reminded me of what I'm kind of looking for in the best menus. Rabbit pasty? Not complicated, but astonishing. Rich, succulent, perfect pastry, etc. Perfection in everything that is delivered. Anyway. The rabbit pasty test was sort of where a fair few courses just didn't quite get there. Snacks were fine; the croustade could have been croustadier, the gougière was akin to a very good cheese straw, the charcuterie fine (the parfait with blackcurrant WAS exceptional). Bread was the only 'big' course, and it was huge; neither of us were very clear what the large bone full of whipped (?) dripping added, did try it in multiple combinations of bread / butter / salt, but perhaps not entirely for our tastes. The accompanying beef tea WAS superb. Sous vide and fried sweetbread, great flavours, but a not the kind of texture my partner enjoys and she could not finish hers; fine, that is an 'us' problem. Turbot and wagyu both fine. Familiar, well executed, but nothing very surprising, varied, 'knock your socks off' good within them. As an aside, this may be the first one-ounce steak I have seen. I think we both had a familiar feeling of hoping that the next course will be the one that gets there and explains why e.g. this place but not York's Grey's Court / Bow Room has one star, and not quite finding those expectations / hopes fulfilled. We have subsequently heard similar views from a couple of friends, one of whom has strongly recommended Bar EightyEight. We may well give this a go. This was an intriguing night, and again the decor and setting was astonishing. Plenty to talk about there, etc, etc. No regrets about going, it was quite an experience. Purely in terms of food, at a similar price the Black Swan and Mysé are both fairly close, both one-starred, and both deliver consistently more remarkable menus. Chartwell and Greys Court (the Bow Room) are not starred, but both deliver consistently more remarkable menus. And Pignut is a good chunk less and, you've probably seen this coming, delivers a consistently more remarkable menu. My partner would definitely add Melton's / York to this list, though it does only offer 5ish courses! None of these beat Grantley for sheer grandeur, so do make your decision on what works for you.

Wendy is a goddess. Food is OK. Stop hitting me Wendy! Food is great. Beer is the best. Company is a bit rubbish (see photo), but not the pub’s fault. This is what a pub should be.

How Posh Pigs gets rated higher than this wonderful place is quite beyond me. Don't get me wrong, anywhere else PP would be the best in the area by a country mile, but MA's Airfied Diner trumps it easily on all counts. The ingredients are better quality, the atmosphere is far better, it is much more welcoming and the breakfasts and superb home cooked dishes are considerably superior. Plus they fry fried bread instead of boiling it in oil which is an abomination. I too would prefer china instesad of paper plates but you have to consider the practicalities they face in trying to keep their prices so reasonable vs. staff costs for washing up (only two max in the kitchen, and they work flat-out cooking). For food this good I'll happily live with that (very) minor popint. Everyone I take there says it is the best breakfast they've ever had. 'nuff said.

Straight forward pub food done with real style and flavour. I had gammon steak with beef dripping chips - best gammon I have ever had! Oh and great beer

Great food at good prices, nice staff. Good quality coffee and food. Also, I’m having to write this extra bit to take me over 100 letters

My friend & I booked for a meal one lunchtime, we arranged to meet at the venue, obviously requiring a parking place each. On arrival we found there was only room for 6 on the forecourt because the owner & presumably staff were parked there. My friend managed to park & I had to go on the pavement along the road. The restaurant is nice inside with good decor & nice & clean. The waitress came for our order swiftly, but we hadn’t decided, so had a coke each. The menu was good, but I felt everything was priced high. So we ended up choosing the cheapest option, 2 slices of white sliced cheap bread with 3 pieces of bacon, and an egg, much the same as what I would of been given in a greasy spoon café & it was about £7 each. Nice coffee, priced at usual coffee price. We ate up & it was ok, but the owner came out & made a sarky comment about us having the cheap option, which I was shocked at. After all the hassle with parking as well, I will not return. Top tip Park under the railway bridge heading into Ambergate & walk to the venue.

lovely relaxed atmosphere in this licensed cafe on a campsite and very good food, large portions too. Service was friendly and efficient. Prices reasonable. Really can't fault it. The campsite was a different matter, one of the worst I've ever been to. So stay somewhere else but pop into the cafe, they deserve your business.

Absolutely fantastic stay at this hotel. Close to all amenities and bowness just around corner. It does need a update but for location and price i could not fault it.

This was a Birthday celebration for my son's 40th. We had cocktails in the bar before going to the restaurant for an excellent 3 course meal. The food and service could not be faulted and the decor fantastic, this all made it a wonderful memorable evening.

Just had lovely gluten free hake and haddock and chips .owner was very helpful with food choice and the shop was very clean and tidy

Fantastic food - great friendly service - excelllent location - varied and extensive menu - relaxed atmosphere - good price

Ate lunch here severally times when visiting Vatersay beach. Soup and various cakes need a special mention. Staff really friendly.

Asked server if I could swap the rice for chips, was told by her I wanted extra chips, explained 3 times then she called another server over and said I wanted a curry I said I didn’t want chips and same again, cancelled order and was asked if I wanted the curry still very poor service won’t be eating here again