Fat Duck

Fat Duck Review

One of the top restaurants in the country, and ranked by some reviewers among the best in the world, this extraordinary, discreet (there's no sign; look for the duck-inspired implements hanging outside) Bray establishment packs in fans of hyper-creative, hyper-expensive cuisine. "Culinary alchemist" Heston Blumenthal is famed for bizarre taste combinations—scrambled-egg-and-bacon ice cream, for example—and the laboratory-like kitchen in which this advocate of molecular gastronomy creates his dishes. The 12 items on the menu (£180) include such dishes as snail porridge, salmon in licorice gel with vanilla mayonnaise, and whisky wine gums. Like the food, the interior blends traditional and contemporary elements—modern art, exposed-brick walls, and ancient wooden beams. Reserve a table two months in advance.