Tillington Restaurant Guide

2023 Review: A “smart hotel” with its own lake set in the Staffs countryside, where the “cosy restaurant serves good value food using local produce”. Tuesday night is grill night – on other evenings steaks and pub classics feature on the menu alongside somewhat fancier fare.

Opposite a leafy churchyard in a small town south of Stoke-on-Trent, this unassuming “gem” is rated on ongoing upbeat feedback from a small, dedicated fan base, praising its “fantastically skillful food with a brilliant balance of flavours”. Sophie Hardman & Jake Lowndes are celebrating their tenth year of business in 2026 and offer imaginative cuisine from either à la carte or tasting menus, the latter is £90 per person.

Too little feedback this year for a full review on this intriguing eatery in The Potteries – part of the World of Wedgewood experience – whose high-profile founding chef, local Staffordshire lad Niall Keating, left after three years in May 2024. There is a full-on chef’s table blow-out, but most visitors opt for the relatively affordable posh-brasserie menu (which is the formula price given).

‘Heavy scran. Natural wine. Loud music’. Well, don’t say you weren’t warned if you visit this maximalist shop conversion in the heart of downtown Stoke, where – according to the posters on the wall – ‘The working class strikes back’ and ‘We hate the fucking government’. The menu of funky dumplings and other Asian dishes changes daily and an interesting drinks selection of low intervention vintages, fruit flavoured Soju and a variety of craft beers help it win local fans (from albeit limited reports) as “an all-round excellent favourite”. Not enough feedback yet for a full rating, but The Observer’s Jay Rayner fell in love with it on his September 2024 visit, including the “genius move” of his salted fried Mars Bar pudding…