12 Best Restaurants in Stratford-upon-Avon and the Heart of England, England

This sophisticated restaurant within one of Chester's most resplendent hotels is a real splurge of an experience, but completely worth it. The tasting menu, which features delicious British ingredients such as native lobster with Isle of Wight tomatoes or Scottish mussels will delight and surprise.

Visitors and locals alike head for the half-timber Hobsons Patisseries to indulge in the famous savory pies or scrumptious afternoon teas. Just a couple of minutes walk from Shakespeare’s Birthplace, it’s an almost obligatory lunch stop.

Sit downstairs to appreciate the hardwood floors and oak beams of this local epicurean favorite; upstairs, the look is a bit more contemporary. The updates of tried-and-true dishes include herb-crusted rack of English lamb and panfried calf's liver with creamed potato, wilted spinach, pancetta, and crisp shallot. Desserts are fantastic here, and daily specials keep the menu seasonal. The two- and three-course fixed-price menus (not available for Monday lunches) are good deals.

One of Malvern’s best restaurants, L’amuse Bouche specializes in French cuisine with a contemporary English edge. Start with the Severn and Wye Valley smoked salmon before sampling the Herefordshire fillet of beef or the twice-baked mature Godminster Cheddar soufflé. It also does a very good afternoon tea for two for £40. The restaurant is part of the Cotford Hotel; if you feel like making a night of it, the pleasantly traditional rooms start at £150 for a double.

Business moguls and sophisticated foodies alike can be found sampling an aperitif in a comfy armchair before moving to the sleek, slate-floor dining room at this establishment run by a Michelin-starred chef. Located in a Victorian terracotta and redbrick building, this is where chef Glyn Purnell creates his adventurous modern British fare. In addition to a few à la carte options, you can choose from a couple of different, whole-table tasting menus, depending on how adventurous you’re feeling. The "Purnell’s Journey" option includes haddock and eggs served with cornflakes, alongside monkfish masala. Chef Purnell is also finally turning his hand to vegan cooking and he also runs a bistro and cocktail bar (Purnell’s Bistro and Ginger’s Bar) on Newhall Street, which is a good deal more affordable. Prices at lunchtime are half what they are in the evening.

A vogueish dining room is the perfect setting for the inventive Punjabi cuisine at this popular curry palace and cocktail bar on bustling Broad Street. White linen tablecloths and accents of gold and amber create a plush dining setting, and the food doesn’t disappoint either. Try the spinach and prune cakes to start or the chef’s selection of five appetizers, the Pushkar Panorama, if you want to to try some unexpected flavors. Your server will guide you on the main, depending on how spicy you like things—the house specialty Tariwala Murgh is a good medium-spiced option and the buttered naan is heavenly. For dessert, try the Gajar Ka Halwa Tart, a bed of grated carrots with condensed milk and spices and a side of pistachio ice cream.

Plain wood floorboards, comfy sofas, sturdy wooden tables, and solidly good food and drink set the tone at this contemporary gastro-pub with rooms on the town’s main square. It’s popular with locals, and the owners take pride in offering seasonal food with a focus on sustainability that mixes British and international influences with only the best ingredients. It has a good area for outdoor dining too. There are moderately priced bedrooms that provide stylish lodging in the pub and across the lane.

This bright and modern restaurant with rooms housed in a gleaming Georgian villa is known for its French-influenced cuisine with resolutely British ingredients. The assured and welcoming service makes it easy to savor specialties such as Aberdeenshire beef bavette and cheek or quail with elderberries and parsley, which have secured its Michelin star since 1999. A mile south of the city center, it's an excellent dining choice and has won accolates for its plant-based approach to cooking, too.

There's a bit of buzz about the food scene in Hereford at the moment, with lots of restaurants using some of the region's bountiful produce to turn out delicious dishes. This spot in the regenerated Old Market area is leading the march, with much thanks to one of Herefordshire's most prized assets that makes frequent appearances on the menu: Hereford beef. The burgers are big and messy but very tasty. The cool diner vibe, with leather booths and low-slung lighting, along with a menu of boozy milkshakes and a cracking playlist, make this a place people want to be.

Open for dinner service six days a week, this restaurant, set up under the watchful eye of Michelin-starred chef Glynn Purnell (also known as the "Yummy Brummy") is located within the Delta Hotel Warwick. Fine dining dishes are served in the large dining room, with no shortage of surprise twists—think beef rendang with scorched lime.

Theatergoers tucking into an early supper to the strains of the piano in the bar, grandmothers enjoying afternoon tea, and couples lingering over candlelit suppers can all happily be found at this restaurant with rooms, which is part of the Brakspear Brewery. Chefs source the best ingredients locally where possible and serve up dishes such as oven-roasted duck breast and whole grilled plaice. There is also a good value pre-theater menu (£15 for two courses and a glass of wine for £3.50), which even includes steak.

Run by chef couple Ben and Carla, half the excitement here lies in the ever-changing menu, which is genuinely committed to using local and seasonal produce. All the vegetables come from the restaurant's walled garden in nearby Ford, and the resulting dishes are impressive. Set menus make the price easier to swallow.