For reasons that may already be apparent—and that are currently playing out on BBC One—I spent much of 2025 watching people cook scallops and soufflés in a windowless television unit in Digbeth, Birmingham. Working on MasterChef, while one of the most exhilarating jobs a girl can have, consumed most of my waking hours this year, making my free time extra precious. So the very best restaurants I found—those with zinging hospitality and heart-thumpingly good food—became equally crucial.
I’m talking about places like Tropea in Harborne, just down the road from the TV studio, where I’ve spent many Saturdays eating butternut squash arancini, fresh tagliolini, and whopping great deep-fried salted cannoli. Over in Bristol, two absolute gems revealed themselves on the same trip: Ragù and Lapin, both in Wapping Wharf and housed in repurposed shipping containers, yet entirely different. I described Lapin as a “peculiar, meta, slightly earnest, and definitely delicious” slice of France, serving asparagus with sauce gribiche, gnocchi Parisienne, and, of course, lapin itself whenever local hunters manage to bag some rabbits. Lapin will add caviar to any dish if you ask, they play ’80s French pop, and serve a mint-green, menthe-over-club-soda diabolo for those French exchange school trip vibes. Ragù, meanwhile, may simply be one of the greatest dinners I’ve eaten this decade: crespelle in rich tomato brodo, artichoke fritti, and chocolate budino with sour cherries and amaretti—flawless cooking in completely understated surroundings.
Largely because of those TV commitments, I made it to Manchester only a couple of times this year, but those visits gleaned Bangkok Diners Club and Winsome, both terrifically good ways to fill your stomach and leave happy. Bangkok Diners Club, in Ancoats, is a Thai restaurant tucked upstairs at the Edinburgh Castle, an elegantly restored 19th-century pub where rich, golden beetroot massaman curry is served with decadent chicken-fat rice, and delicate plates of raw bass come with calamansi nam jim and rice bran, followed by fruity rice ice-cream lollies. Winsome, on the other hand, is a stonkingly good modern British restaurant with a wonderful, warm, devoted crew led by Shaun Moffat, whose food is “a scoop of Fergus Henderson, a nod to Mark Hix, a dash of London’s Quality Chop House, and a teeny touch of Toby Carvery.” They serve roast dinners, wild mushrooms with pease pudding, and rhubarb jelly with custard.
Another fabulous night spent expanding my waistline was at Bellota in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, a Spanish tasting menu experience where seats are limited but well worth the bunfight to get in. Elsewhere, I was bowled over by Juliet in Stroud, where the local boho community of artists and eccentric toffs currently celebrate their high days and holidays. And, just last month, I loved Dave Hart and Polly Pleasence’s new place, Franc, where simple French cooking and a very limited menu are the order of the day: we had world-class duck breast with caramelised endive and a big bowl of fresh chips. Another great dinner in 2025 involved a trip to the blustery British seaside for hake with orange-y sauce Maltaise at Harry’s in Camber Sands.
Back in the capital, however, many over-hyped London restaurants left me cold, though there were odd moments of greatness. The Ukrainian restaurant Tatar Bunar in Shoreditch, for instance, is fabulous for plump mushroom varenyky and borscht. Plus, I’d advise you to run, not walk, to the new Kudu in Marylebone, London’s prettiest new restaurant this year, for its confit trout.Our braai and the “Kudu Kit Kat.” Or even just for a loaf of its warm, fresh bread with a bowl of outrageously good curry-leaf butter. I should also remind you about Town in Covent Garden, which I still recommend to everyone to solve their dinner-planning dilemmas—it’s big, bold, delicious, and glamorous; take a date, take a client.
View image in fullscreen: ‘A whopping great deep-fried tube stuffed with cream, salted caramel, and chocolate sauce’—Tropea in Birmingham’s fried lemon cannolo. Photograph: Jack Spicer Adams/The Guardian
I also find myself always talking about Osteria Angelina, a Japanese-Italian fusion in Shoreditch, and the delightfully eccentric, mock-historical pleasure palace that is Lilibet’s in Mayfair. It will first bewilder you with its wild, monarchical, faux old-world charm, then win you over with an exemplary Dover sole in Café de Paris butter and heaps of profiteroles. Finally, sneaking in at year’s end, there was upscale Caribbean at 2210 Natty Can Cook in south London—think ackee and saltfish spring rolls and deep-fried apple crumble.
Yes, time might have been a bit tight this year for lounging in restaurants, but I gave it my best shot and can confirm the dining scene is thriving. Bring on 2026: the future looks delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs based on Grace Dents 2025 restaurant picks framed around her sentiment about overhyped London restaurants
General Beginner Questions
1 Who is Grace Dent and why should I care about her picks
Grace Dent is a wellknown and influential restaurant critic for The Guardian Her annual list is highly anticipated because shes known for her honest witty and downtoearth reviews that cut through hype
2 What does many overhyped London restaurants left me cold mean
It means that in 2024 many restaurants that received a lot of buzz social media attention or flashy marketing failed to impress her They often felt styleoversubstance expensive or simply not worth the effort to book
3 So what kind of restaurants does she like for 2025
Based on her past preferences and this statement she likely favors restaurants with genuine passion consistent quality great value and a relaxed unpretentious atmosphere over those that are just trendy or Instagramfamous
4 Where can I find her official 2025 picks list
Her official list for 2025 will be published in The Guardian and on their website towards the end of 2024 You can also follow her on social media for updates
Advanced Practical Questions
5 What are common traits of the overhyped restaurants she criticizes
These often include impossibletoget bookings via chaotic apps tasting menus with too many underwhelming courses excessive theatre over good cooking high prices for small portions and a focus on being a destination rather than a place for a reliably great meal
6 Can you give examples of the type of places she might pick for 2025
While we dont know her exact picks looking at her 2024 list gives clues neighborhood gems excellent ethnic cuisine revamped historic pubs and chefled spots focusing on brilliant ingredients without gimmicks
7 How can I use this philosophy to choose my own restaurants
Look beyond Instagram and TikTok hype Seek out places with consistent good reviews over time that locals love and that focus on a specific cuisine they do exceptionally well Prioritize
