The best places for foodies in the UK
Date published: 8 Jan 2026
Planning a feast–first escape? Here are the best places for foodies across the UK – from street–food sprees to white–tablecloth treats – all easy to pair with a spontaneous getaway. Bring an elasticated waistband and a healthy appetite.
Need ideas for foodies that double as brilliant short breaks? Think market–to–mouth cities, vineyard–dotted countryside and coastlines where lunch practically swims to your plate. We’ve cherry–picked destinations where the produce is prime and the portions generous.
Because this is last–minute travel, every pick works for a quick dash – arrive hungry, graze happily, roll into a cosy base and repeat. Book late, eat well, zero regrets.
London
Come hungry – London is a buffet of everything. Start with Borough Market for oysters and doughnuts, then zigzag to Brixton Village for Caribbean spice or Peckham for natural wine and small plates.
Dinner could be a white-tablecloth tasting menu, a cult curry on Drummond Street or a Chinese banquet in Chinatown. Finish with a martini in a grand hotel bar, because why not. The joy is in the hop – markets, pop-ups, old-school institutions – all crammed into one glorious city.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh plates up Scotland’s larder with swagger – langoustines, hand-dived scallops, venison and a dram or three. Graze Leith’s waterfront bistros, dive into the Old Town for cosy, candlelit suppers and seek out whisky bars that take their casks seriously.
Contemporary Scots cooking lives happily alongside excellent Indian, Japanese and Middle Eastern spots. Between courses, climb Calton Hill to make space for pudding. It’s refined without fuss – beautiful produce, confident kitchens and a city that knows how to host.
Manchester
Manchester’s food scene is pure momentum. Ancoats buzzes with bakeries, pasta labs and small-plate stars; Chinatown keeps it classic with roast meats and dim sum; Rusholme’s Curry Mile still delivers late-night joy.
Add indie breweries, smart wine bars and neighbourhood stalwarts from Chorlton to the Northern Quarter. It’s a city that eats well at every price point – a pastry breakfast, bao for lunch, fire-kissed steak for dinner – all powered by Northern charm and a proper pint.
Birmingham
Michelin stars? Tick. Balti Triangle? Double tick. Birmingham swings between precision dining and comfort curry like it was born to do both – because it was. Start with market-fresh bites at Moseley or Stirchley’s indie haunts, then book a starry spot for a tasting menu that knows its technique.
Next day, sleeves up for a sizzling balti with naan the size of a duvet. Craft beer, inventive cocktails and serious coffee round out a city that quietly aces it.
Bristol
Sustainability meets swagger in Bristol – think nose-to-tail menus, ferment-friendly kitchens and harbour views with your hake. Nab a cinnamon bun in Wapping Wharf, sip natural wine on a sunny terrace, then settle into a bistro that treats vegetables like VIPs.
There’s brilliant street food, destination bakeries and a cider scene that actually understands apples. It’s creative but grounded – chefs who care about farms and flavour, and a city that loves eating with a conscience.
Cornwall
Sea-to-plate heaven with a side of surf. Lunch is a paper-wrapped pasty on a harbour wall; dinner is turbot, lobster or day-boat mackerel cooked simply and perfectly. Padstow, Port Isaac and St Ives pack in chef-led rooms, while beach shacks serve grilled fish and cold rosé with toes in the sand.
Farmstead cheeses, Cornish gin and outrageously good ice cream do the rest. Come for the views, stay for the seafood – and seconds.
Cumbria & the Lake District
Big fells, bigger flavours. From Cartmel’s temple of tasting menus to farmhouse dining rooms championing Herdwick lamb and local cheese, Cumbria punches well above its weight. Graze on sticky toffee pud, fall for farmhouse butter and raid specialist delis for picnic gold.
Pubs do roaring fires and proper pints, while bakeries keep walkers fuelled with pasties and pastries. It’s indulgence with mud on your boots – and that’s exactly the point.
North Yorkshire & Malton
Malton bills itself as Yorkshire’s food capital – and for good reason. Expect smokehouses, chocolatiers, markets and smart inns pouring local ale. The wider county plays to its strengths – Dales cheeses, Wensleydale lamb, Whitby crab and flaky pies that could start family feuds.
York adds bistros and tearooms with serious scone energy, while coastal fishmongers keep things briny and fresh. It’s traditional at heart with a modern knack for doing things deliciously.
Newcastle & Northumberland
From quayside small plates to coastal suppers, this corner of the North East feeds you well. In Newcastle, expect inventive kitchens, cracking coffee and lively markets.
Out on the coast, it’s crab sandwiches, Lindisfarne oysters and kippers from Craster – best eaten within sniffing distance of the sea. Country pubs nail pies and pints, while indie bakeries keep mornings sweet. Come for the friendly welcome – stay for the portion sizes and the views.
Kent
Kent brings vineyards, orchards and shoreline in one neat bundle. Slurp English fizz at a winery, then tuck into a vineyard kitchen’s seasonal menu.
On the coast, Whitstable oysters and proper fish and chips are non-negotiable. Inland, farm shops and country pubs champion asparagus, berries and hops – often in your glass as well as on your plate. It’s fresh, local and best enjoyed lazily – with a boot full of produce for later.
Abergavenny & Monmouthshire – Wye Valley
Food-festival pedigree meets fertile valleys. Expect artisan cheese, rare-breed meats and bakeries that sell out by lunchtime. The Wye Valley sprinkles vineyards and cider makers between handsome market towns, while country pubs serve elevated comfort with real polish.
Walk the river, earn your pudding, then order the cheese board anyway. It’s lush, generous and quietly world-class – a rural larder that punches well above its postcode.
Belfast & the Antrim Coast
Modern Irish cooking with swagger. Start at St George’s Market for hot griddle breads, smoked fish and sweet treats, then book a table for contemporary plates that make heroes of local beef, game and shellfish.
Distilleries and breweries add clink to the itinerary, while the coast promises sea-fresh suppers with cliff views. Expect warmth on the plate and in the welcome – Belfast knows how to feed you properly.
Ready to turn cravings into a getaway? Browse our last–minute cottages across the UK – close to markets, Michelin magnets and farm–shop finds – and make your foodie break taste even better.
Meet the author
Ian LewisIan's worked in travel for over 15 years and has written about destinations across the whole of the UK (and beyond). He loves all kinds of getaways with every member of the family on two legs or four, seeking out the more unique and interesting properties wherever he can.
