Upton Restaurant Guide

“Three generations of the same family have been pleasing visitors” to this Thames Valley bastion of traditional haute cuisine, owned by the Emmanuel family since 1972 and with a first-class position overlooking the water at Sonning Eye. The famous signature “roast duck on the spit is the best”, while “the fab wine list is worth taking home to salivate over”. While a minority of reporters caution that it is “very good but too expensive”, most feel the high quality justifies the investment.

“Out-performing many more feted restaurants” – Michael Mcdonald “runs a fantastic family- run restaurant that never fails to hit the spot” at this “quiet and discreet” fixture, which occupies part of a house that was once home to TS Eliot. The dining room itself is “small, but well laid out” and buoyed along by its “very good, friendly and professional service”. “The menu is limited, but every dish is enticing” and all-in-all it provides “a proper dining experience” that’s “consistently great value” (and one of the 100 most-commented-on outside London in our annual diners’ poll).

This “absolute gem of a neighbourhood restaurant” sits on a side street off Chiswick’s bustling main drag, and – like its cousin Chez Bruce – has earned a London-wide reputation over the years thanks to its “fine modern British dining”, “well-drilled service with a smile” and “comprehensive list of fine wines”. There’s been some “changing of the guard in the kitchen” in the last 12 months with Greg Wellman, formerly of The Glasshouse, Kew, taking over at the stoves. But whereas some fans say “it hasn’t undermined what remains a very strong offering”, others are less certain and ratings are not what they were: “I’m still the ‘fan from E18’ who schleps across town to go here, and remain a supporter, but it seems to have lost some of that elusive lustre that previously made it so special”.

“A local treasure” – Eric & Sarah Guignard’s long-established “little gem” in “a tree-lined road 10 minutes walk from Surbiton station” (“handy if you wish to enjoy their brilliant wine list”) remains a shining and much commented-on beacon in the ’burbs. “Eric and his team consistently create high-class modern French cuisine while Sarah and her front-of-house team provide very professional, very genuine service – dining here is first-class”. Even those who note “the somewhat unpromising shape of the room” say it “continues to provide an excellent experience year after year” and one that’s “very good value”. Top Tip – “they also have a great little pastry counter next door”.

Experience excellent food and fine wine in the 4 silver star Crowne Plaza Marlow’s newly refurbished Glaze Restaurant in Marlow, AA Rosette awarded for its culinary excellence. Having recently undergone a huge refurbishment project, the Glaze Restaurant is no...

Tapas Inspired by Spain and Lebanon What does Dar mean? It’s Lebanese for “lounge” and Spanish for the verb “to give”. And that’s a perfect combination with Spanish and Lebanese-inspired tapas as well as fine wines in a relaxed and convivial ambience. This new restaurant is un...

Giancarlo & Katie Caldesi’s country venue – a counterpart to their Marylebone flagship – offers classic Italian cuisine in “a lovely atmosphere with fabulous service”. It’s “good-value”, too – at least certainly compared to the nearby Fat Duck and Waterside Inn…

2023 Review: “Still going strong” – this comparatively un-foodie pub has thrived in this gourmet village by offering an attractive and traditional backdrop for easygoing British cuisine, realised with wit: fish finger sandwich, steak, top burgers and so on.

“Just a thoroughly super place to eat innovative food, beautifully presented, enjoy good company and feel thoroughly pampered!” – Ryan & Liam Simpson-Trotman’s rural star has firmly established itself since 2010 as a major highlight near Henley. Set in a converted pub, service is charming, but the root of its appeal is the “outstanding” modern European cuisine, which is available à la carte during quieter services but is usually presented as either a six-course tasting menu for £100 per person or ten courses at £150 per person.

Nestled in the heart of picturesque Buckinghamshire, the Crazy Bear Beaconsfield stands as a beacon of extravagance and unique style, blending traditional British heritage with an audacious twist. Our restaurant prides itself on a diverse range of exquisite ...

“Love this pub”, hailed by fans (often parents) for providing “one of the best Sunday lunches” in this part of southwest London, just outside Richmond Park in East Sheen. Over the years, TV chef Paul Merrett has transformed the rambling Victorian tavern into a boutique hotel with a large garden and spacious conservatory for dining.

New luxury 4 silver star Crowne Plaza Reading East, provides a stylish, contemporary look and feel to suit the business traveller, leisure and spa guest. The hotel, set in landscaped podium gardens, delivers exceptional dining experiences. Serving both modern British & authen...

“The food is always fantastic” – “especially for the price” – at this dining pub owned and run for five years now by chefs Mike Wall-Palmer and Dave Adams, who met working at top chef Steve Drake’s former venue in the village.

Meimo's is one of Windsors finest restaurants Meimos Restaurant has an extensive menu with dishes that will suit all tastes and a friendly atmosphere. A real locals' favourite and definitely not a tourist-trap! With popular dishes such as Lamb or Chicken Tagine with exotic...

The Crazy Bear Beaconsfield introduces an exquisite Thai dining experience, where modernity meets tradition in a symphony of flavors. Our Thai cuisine is celebrated for its originality and provenance, embodying the essence of authentic Thai culinary art with a contemp...

“A very worthy successor to the beloved Glasshouse (RIP)” – this new Kew favourite is co-owned by its predecessor’s former manager, Patra Panas. Service is particularly “well-drilled and friendly”; and regulars are “delighted to find that little has changed” after a “seamless” changeover, with “many of the furnishings still in place” in the agreeable (a few feel, “slightly uninspiring”) dining room. Diners dispute whether the “intelligent and carefully crafted” cuisine, from chef and co-owner Josh Hunter, is a step up or down from before, but practically all agree it’s “very competent”, and say “we shall definitely return and recommend it highly!”

A surprise find in an ancient sixteenth-century pub on the high street – Atul Kochhar’s “superb upmarket Indian” is a “delight”, where the set menus are “outstanding value” (“would happily have paid more”, says a fan) and service “very attentive from the outset”. The ambience is sometimes rated no better than “OK” – for some tastes it’s not as immensely characterful as one might think given the venue’s cameo in ‘Four Weddings’, as the backdrop to Hugh and Andie’s romance.

“Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant.....and tucked away in sleepy Amersham”; Laurie Gear’s “classy” venue is celebrating over 20 years in its sixteenth-century grade II listed site in Old Amersham (although it took Michelin until 2019 to cotton on and give it a star). It is one of the most commented-on venues in our annual diners’ poll on the fringes of the capital. “Stunning”, relatively traditional cuisine is “served by people who actually understand the job of hospitality”, in a Scandi-influenced interior.

“Atul Kochhar’s Marlow outpost is in the charming Compleat Angler hotel by the side of the Thames” – a marriage of traditional British setting and Indian cuisine that’s proving enduringly popular. At night the room is less characterful, “whereas in daylight, there is the fabulous view of the River Thames’s Marlow Weir”. “Service is top notch and very welcoming” and the cuisine “is an inventive fine-dining take on Indian cuisine, beautifully presented” – “every element is spiced marvellously and cooked perfectly”. There are “interesting wine pairings too (I’d never previously heard of mango wine. I certainly wouldn’t have ordered it had it not been selected for us… it worked well!”)