The 50 Best Sunday Lunches

2. Gallery Restaurant
Scotland’s old master-packed National Gallery got a multi-million pound makeover not so long ago: good news for art-lovers but also for foodies, who can now enjoy the surprisingly good Gallery Restaurant. “This tiered eating space is a useful spot for a light but satisfying lunch of grilled mackerel or roast red onion risotto,” says Donald Reid. “It’s a great way to set you up for an afternoon of culture.” Children eat free on Sundays when adults order from the set menu.
Where: The Mound, Edinburgh (0131-624 6580; www.searcys-scotland.com)
Lunch times: 11.45am to 4pm

3. Harbourmaster
“Exquisitely located on the harbour side of this pretty little West Wales port, this small hotel, with a restaurant and bar, manages to be both beautifully styled and totally without pretence,” advises Simon Wright. “It has a huge andwarm Welsh personality, too, which is reflected in a menu that makes the most of the local bounty and the proximity of the ocean.”
Where: Pen Cei, Aberaeron, Ceredigion, Wales (01545 570755; www.harbour-master.com)
Lunch times: 12noon to 2.30pm

4. The Old Harkers Arms
This former chandler’s warehouse is a favourite with Chester’s commercial classes, attracted not just by the clubby atmosphere of the book-lined bar but by the nosh: from sardines on toast to Gloucester Old Spot sausages, the menu reads like a guide to all that’s great about British comfort eating. “A recent discovery for me, it offers great food – lots of it local – cooked well,” says Simon Rimmer, “plus there’s also a great selection of guest beers.”
Where: 1 Russell St, Chester, Cheshire (01244 344525; www.brunningandprice.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12noon to 9.30pm

5. The Griffin Inn
Matthew advises readers to work up an appetite and earn your lunch with any number of walks in this historic Sussex location, then settle down for a fantastic roast at the award-winning Griffin Inn. “It uses excellently sourced produce, much of it local.” With roast halibut, fresh crab and rack of Romney marsh lamb on the menu it’s a long way here from the bad old days of scampi-and-chips lunches.
Where: Fletching, Nr Uckfield, East Sussex (01825 722890; www.thegriffininn.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12 noon to 3pm

6. Village East
“When it comes to Sunday lunch, Village East is definitely at the trendy end of the scale,” says Matthew. “This is a large venue with lots of different spaces – both formal and informal. The cuisine includes both aNew York-style brunch and a modern European menu put together by friendly and knowledgeable staff. Fantastic food served from the open kitchen is a just reward for a morning spent browsing the numerous galleries and studios nearby.”
Where: 171-173 Bermondsey St, London SE1 (020-7357 6082)
Lunch times: 12noon to 4pm 

7. Beatrice Kennedy
There’s nothing subtle about the bright pink and black façade of this restaurant, in Belfast’s leafy south side. Happily, the same can’t be said about the cooking. At £17.50 for three courses, the Sunday menu represents impressive value. Local produce with an international twist is the style, which means dishes such as pan-fried skate with crushed cannellini beans and chilli gremolata.
Where: 44 University Rd, Belfast (028 9020 2290; www.beatricekennedy.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12.30pm to 2.30pm

8. Mud Dock Café
Set in a converted warehouse, and above a bike shop, this relaxed, mellow café is just the place tomopup a Sunday morning hangover. The menu started out with a definite Spanish flavour, with chorizo, Serrano ham and other deli-style nibbles high on the list, but it has now broadened out to include simple but well-done European classics such as comforting risottos, mussels, salads, chargrilled tuna and lemon tart.
Where: 40 The Grove, Bristol (0119 934 9734; www.mud-dock.co.uk)
Lunch times: 10am to 5pm

9. The Glasshouse Brasserie
“When the history of modern British cooking comes to be written the name of Shaun Hill will feature heavily,” predicts Simon Wright. The Ludlow restaurant he founded, the Merchant House, helped to first put the town on the foodie map and now he is drawing a newfollowing at the Glasshouse in Worcestershire. “This chic edge-of-town brasserie offers hearty and deceptively simple cooking founded on top-notch raw materials,” sums up Wright – including an excellent Sunday lunch.
Where: Danesbury House, Sidbury, Worcester, Worcestershire (01905 611120; www.theglasshouse.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12noon to 2.30pm

10. The Sheep Heid
“Positioned near the foot of Edinburgh’s Arthur’s Seat, just along from the bird reserve of Duddingston Loch and with its own traditional skittle alley, the Sheep Heid is the kind of pub that makes you think about indulging in some bracing activity before lunch,” says Donald. “Whether you actually get round to it or not, try to end up here for good pub grub, Sunday roasts, decent real ales and, if you get the weather in the summer, a pleasant beer garden”.
Where: 43-45 The Causeway, Duddingston, Edinburgh (0131-656 6951; www.sheepheid.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12noon to 8pm

11. Sofra
Although it has five different restaurants in London, Sofra never feels like a chain. Food is Turkish with an international twist, and particular attention is paid to healthy eating. “I like to retire to the St Christopher’s Place branch after the chaos of a morning’s shopping on Oxford Street for mezze platters,” says Matthew. “It’s a bit of an institution – choose the lunch menu and await the food parade. Reservations are usually necessary and outdoor heated seating is available.”
Where: 1 St Christopher’s Place, Oxford St, London W1 (020-7224 4080; www.sofra.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12noon to midnight

12. Balloo House
This former 17th-century coaching house turned pub has been given a new lease of life of late by head chef Danny Miller. The more luxurious upstairs dining room is closed on Sundays, so the more relaxed bistro downstairs picks up the slack with hearty rustic classics such as rack of lamb and venison, as wells as locally caught seafood, such as freshly shelled Kilkeel scampi.
Where: 1 ComberRd, Killinchy (028 9754 1210; www.balloohouse.com)
Lunch times: 12noon to 8.30pm

13. The Welcome to Town
It may describe itself as a “country bistro”, but there’s nothing rustic about this restaurant just outside Swansea. Chef-owner, Ian Bennett, is a former stalwart of Michel Roux’s Waterside Inn, so the menu is much more sophisticated than your traditional Sunday roast. Expect “classic French-influenced cooking in a relaxed atmosphere with an emphasis on great local produce”, says SimonWright.
Where: Llanrhidian, Gower, Wales (01792 390015; www.thewelcometotown.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12noon to 2pm 

14. The London Carriage Works
“With the London Carriage Works, Paul Askew has upped the bar for food quality in Liverpool and his passion for quality, locality and damn good cooking is a joy to behold... his pork dishes are legendary”, raves Simon Rimmer. Set in the swanky Hope Street Hotel, the restaurant is less pretentious than it might be. Mains range from gourmet fish and chips to beef with salsify, baby leeks, celeriac, horseradish and potato purée.
Where: Hope Street Hotel, Hope St, Liverpool (0151-705 2222; www.hopestreethotel.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12noon to 3pm

15. Daylesford Organic Café
“The Daylesford empire is based near one of the Cotswolds’ most pristine villages, Kingham. Stroll among the various farm outbuildings before settling down in the mezzanine café for lunch,” advises Matthew. “Looking over the wondrous farmshop will leave you salivating, but a hearty organic lunch catering to a variety of tastes – and outdoor seating and barbecue when the weather allows – ensures a good time for all.”
Where: Daylesford, Nr Kingham, Gloucestershire (01608 731700; www.daylesfordorganic.com)
Lunch times: 12noon to 3pm

16. Galvin Bistrot de Luxe
With its wood-panelling and white table clothes, this Marylebone gem – which won a Michelin Bib Gourmand this year – speaks of a distant, more elegant age. Simon Wright is a fan. “What better way to spend a Sunday thanworking your way through three courses of French bistro classics in a lively, informal atmosphere? Food of this quality is rarely seen at such accessible prices and the head chef, Sian Rees, is a Welsh treasure.”
Where: 66 Baker St, London W1 (020-7935 4007; www.galvinrestaurants.com)
Lunch times: 12noon to 9.30pm

17. Monachyle Mhor
“An absolute treat tucked away in the depths of the Trossachs, the hotelier and chef Tom Lewis’s superb three-course Sunday lunches are filled with home-reared, hand-picked and hand-made food,” says Donald. “Remarkably popular for somewhere at the end of a sixmile single-track road, the sense of tranquillity amid the Highland wildness makes the road home even harder.” Combine with a visit toRob Roy’s grave in the nearby village.
Where: Balquhidder, Perthshire (01877 384622; www.monachylemhor.com)
Lunch times: 12noon to 1.45pm

18. Gurnard’s Head
“A walk around the coastline followed by Sunday lunch at this wonderfully laid-back inn is a life enhancing experience,” states Simon Wright. “The Inkin brothers did it in Wales with the Felin Fach Griffin and this, their Cornish outpost, shows it was no fluke”. Set in the far west, near Zennor, the company motto is “the simple things in life done well” and that extends to the food, which has just won the title County Dining Pub of the Year 2008.
Where: Nr Zennor, St Ives, Cornwall (01736 796928; www.gurnardshead.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12.30pm to 2.30pm 

19. Cock & Hoop
This reinvented Victorian pub in Nottingham’s Lace Market district is all cosy corners and comfy chairs. It’s also as buzzing on Sunday lunchtimes as it is on Saturday nights, only in a slightly less head-pounding style. From club sandwiches and fishcakes to Lincolnshire sausages, most tastes are catered for from the bar menu. If you want to go the whole hog, meanwhile, a traditional roast lunch will set you back £10.95. Dogs are welcome too.
Where: 25 High Pavement, Nottingham (0115-852 3231, www.cockandhoop.co.uk)
How much: 12noon to 3pm

20. Anchor & Hope
Founded by graduates of St John and the Eagle, this unprepossessing (from the outside) gastro pub is unsurprisingly popular. “Boisterous, boozy and chaotic,” are the three adjectives Simon Wright chooses to describe it. “You’d have to have a heart of stone and a stunted appetite not to fall in love with this brilliant dining room. There is absolutely no standing on ceremony, the food is utterly without pretence and the service is rudimentary. A lesson in how to relax.”
Where: 36 The Cut, Waterloo, London SE1 (020-7928 9898)
Lunch times: 2pm to 4.30pm (one sitting only)

21. The Ship Inn
“With its views over the water, the Ship is the prime spot on a Sunday afternoon in this holiday town on Fife’s East Neuk,” advises Donald. Thefood for the most part is pub fare done simply and well, with a menu that includes fish and chips, steaks, smoked haddock crêpes and crab sandwiches. On many summer Sundays, there are also barbecues in the beer garden or you can simply park yourself with a pint of Pimm’s and watch the Ship’s beach cricket team play on the wide expanse of white sand.
Where: The Toft, Elie, Fife (01333 330246; www.ship-elie.com)
Lunch times: 12noon to 3pm

22. The Ginger Pig
“A stylish, friendly pub serving traditional food with a modern twist, think less ‘gastropub’ and more dining pub,” advises Matthew. “Décor is rustic French bistro meets Habitat glamour. The menu is inventive, unfussy and short. If you’re passionate about good ingredients and great cooking, this place will make you feel like a pig in muck.”
Where: 3 Hove St, Hove, East Sussex (01273 736123; www.gingermanrestaurants.com)
Lunch times: 12.30pm to 4pm 

23. The Albion
“This expansive gastropub is a carnivore’s delight,” according to Matthew, “and one of the finest and, therefore, busiest, in north London. The whole suckling pig is impressive (order in advance), shared roast beef platters ensure the tables groan and comfy seating and a lovely garden give this a decidedly far-from-London feel. Not one for vegetarians, though.”
Where: 10 Thornhill Rd, Barnsbury, London N1 (020-7607 7450)
Lunch times: 12noon to 6pm

25. Le Gallois Y Cymro
“Established as Cardiff’s finest restaurant, this stylish and contemporary venue is nevertheless friendly and easygoing in atmosphere,” says Simon Wright. “Sunday lunch is a cheerful, bustling event, offering imaginative food at wallet friendly prices”. As the name suggests, it is jointly French- Welsh run, so while local ingredients are made the most of, there’s an interestingly international flavour to the menu.
Where: 6-10 Romilly Crescent, Cardiff (029 20341 264; www.legallois-ycymro.com)
Lunch times: 12.15pm to between 2.30pm-3pm

24. Firebird
“This is a relaxing spot,” says Donald, “contemporary, easy-going and genuinely child friendly. The pizzas are excellent, as are salads, and it’s just across the road from the absorbing Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, the jewel in Glasgow’s cultural crown.” Groups of four may be tempted by the new-season leg of lamb, slow-cooked for seven hours in the wood-burning stove, but you’ll have to book at least 24 hours ahead.
Where: 1,321 Argyle Street, Glasgow (0141-334 0594; www.firebirdglasgow.com)
Lunch times: 12.30pm to 12mdn’t

26. The Holly Bush
“A world away from Hampstead High Street, this veritable warren of antiquity has roaring fires and jenga – which to my mind is an unbeatable combination!” says Matthew. “Reservations are a must but are well worth it for the goose-fat roasted potatoes and mains of beef in beer gravy alongside an extensive wine list.” Lesser appetites will appreciate the range of small plates, including quail eggs and pints of prawns.
Where: 22 Holly Mount, Hampstead, London NW3 (020-7435 2892; www.hollybushpub.com)
Lunch times: 12noon to 9pm

27. Art Lover’s Cafe
“Situated in the House for an Art Lover, Glasgow’s remarkable tribute to Charles RennieMackintosh, which was built from the architect’s drawings 65 years after his death, this restaurant-cafe has a serene location that’s perfect for Sunday lunch,” according to Donald. “It also has a sophisticated and adventurous menu, including dishes such as pan-fried seabass with sautéed juniper or a salad of diced feta with grapefruit.”
Where: Bellahouston Park, 10 Dumbreck Road, Glasgow (0141-353 4779; www.houseforanartlover.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12noon to 4pm

28. The Three Fishes
The owner Nigel Haworth “has been something of a pioneer of top-notch northern cooking,” says Simon. “This bustling, child-friendly pub is accessible and vibrant but has a sense of place and dedication to local produce,” he adds, referring to a menu that runs from Lancashire cheese fondue and lamb hotpot to potted shrimp and proper fish pie. Simon Rimmer agrees, adding that Howarth has “created fine dining quality food in a pub”.
Where: Mitton Rd, Mitton, Nr Whalley, Lancashire (01254 826888; www.thethreefishes.com)
Lunch times: 12noon to 8.30pm 

29. The Bay View Inn
“I went on holiday to Cornwall a few years ago and had the most delicious lunch in this jampacked restaurant, with great views and even better food,” says Simon Rimmer. Fresh, unpretentious dishes are the order of the day here – the restaurant keeps a selection of “Bay View best sellers” on the menu throughout each season, which tend towards homemade fish pies and gourmet burgers – and children are especially well catered for.
Where: Widemouth Bay, Bude, Cornwall (01288 361273; www.bayviewinn.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12noon to 8pm

30. The Appletree ago
If you’re looking for a pub in a pretty setting, serving great food, you need look no further, according to Matthew. “All the food is locally sourced – the beef is reared, literally, down the lane, the cheese is produced in the area, and the fish and seafood come from nearby Whitby. The Appletree also sells homemade jams, chutneys and biscuits made with produce from their orchard. It’s friendly, too, winning National Dining Pub of the Year last year.”
Where: Marton, Nr Pickering, North Yorkshire (01751 431457; www.appletreeinn.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12noon to 3pm

31. Sheraz
“I like to spend Sunday morning in London’s Brick Lane, pottering around the market – which is great for everything from junk to French cheese and vintage treasures – then have lunch at one of the many Indian (actually they are Bengali) restaurants on Brick Lane,” says Matthew. “There are many to choose from and most are pretty good, but the first one after you pass through the Banglatown Gate, theSheraz, often wins me over”.
Where: 13 Brick Lane, London E1 (020-7247 5755; www.sheraz.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12 noon until late

32. Knockderry House Hotel
“The perfect way to enjoy Sunday brunch at this lovely Arts & Crafts house, by the banks of Loch Long on the Clyde Estuary, is to arrive by yacht and avail yourself of the hotel’s moorings,” says Donald. Chef Johnnie Aitken’s menus concentrate on produce from the surrounding sea lochs and pastureland, with current lunch offerings that include Peaton Hill venison burger, sticky-orange chicken served with a fig and pear salad, and custard tart with rhubarb ice cream.
Where: Shore Rd, Cove, by Helensburgh (01436 842283; www.knockderryhouse.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12.30pm to 2.30pm

33. The Hardwick
Book in here and you can expect “one of Britain’s great modern chefs neatly blending country-pub rustic with his years of experience in the upper echelons of UK cooking,” according to Simon Wright. So highly regarded are chef-owner Stephen Terry’s skills, in fact, that he is currently competing in this year’s BBC Great British Menu series cook-off. “Ingredients are impeccably sourced and they serve a great pint too,” adds Wright.
Where: Old Raglan Rd, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales (01873 854220; www.thehardwick.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12noon to 3pm 

34. The Royal Oak
“The Columbia Road flower market takes place every Sunday on the doorstep of this real-ale pub in London’s East End,” says Matthew. “Take in the herbaceous and, frankly, welcome greenery of the market and then head to theRoyal Oak. There is an upstairs restaurant, but they also serve downstairs where a raucous crowd get stuck into well-prepared mains and well-kept real ales.” Rock oysters, roasted pork loin and baked quince with cinnamon give a flavour of the menu.
Where: 73 Columbia Road, London E2 (020-7729 2220; www.royaloaklondon.com)
Lunch times: 12noon to 4pm

35. Sangam
“I love a good chicken tikka masala, tandoori lamb chops and a juicy veggie bhuna,” says Simon Rimmer. This kind of food’s great for Sunday lunch if you don’t want to go down the roast route andwhere better than Sangam, which means “meeting place”? House dishes include fish rosti and jingha bhuna (large king prawns), while there’s also an extensive Thai menu.
Where: 202Wilmslow Rd, Heald Green, Cheadle, Cheshire (0161- 436 8809; www.sangam.co.uk)
Lunch times: 1.30pm to 10.30pm 

36. Sutor Creek
Situated by the harbour in the historic Black Isle town of Cromarty, Sutor Creek specialises in pizzas during the week but on Sundays it lets its hair down. “When the last customer has left on Saturday,” says Donald, “the Highlands’ only wood-fired pizza oven is turned down to give a selection of local butcherGordon Moir’s prime cuts a long, slow roast. By Sunday lunch, the meat is succulent.”
Where: 21 Bank Street, Cromarty, Black Isle (01381 600855)
Lunch times: 12noon to 9pm 

37. El Rincon de Rafa
According to Simon Rimmer, El Rincon is Manchester’s bestkept secret. “It does the most authentic tapas this side of Madrid,” he promises, adding that the meatballs (albodingas) are “to die for”. Tucked away down an unpromising side street, if you’re looking for something a bit different from the usual Sunday roast, this is well worth the effort of tracking down.
Where: Longworth Street, off St John Street, Manchester (0161-839 8819).
Lunch times: 12noon to 9pm

38. The Crown and Castle
According to Matthew, the Crown and Castle is a foodie destination in its own right, with “an excellent heritage, welcoming interior and fantastic food”. The location, in Orford, is “absolutely captivating”, he adds. “Set among an East Anglian nature reserve, the atmospheric and expansive wetlands make this an other-worldly place and a real adventure.”
Where: Orford, Woodbridge, Suffolk (01394 450205; www.crownandcastle.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12.15pm to 2pm

39. The Herne Tavern
The Herne’s head chef Ben Hogget used to work at Bibendum and the current menu includes pea, spring onion and goat’s cheese risotto, Herwick lamb rump with puy lentils and rocket and free-range burgers. “The garden is the real draw at this child-friendly pub opposite Peckham Rye park,” says Matthew. “With a real fire, good beer range and fantastic fittings.”
Where: 2 Forest Hill Rd, East Dulwich, London SE22 (020-8299 9521; www.theherne.net)
Lunch times: 12noon to 4pm

40. The Bonham
“Chef Michel Bowyer’s well thought- out local sourcing gives an uplifting edge to the dining room in one of Edinburgh’s best hotels, tucked away in the city’s West End,” says Donald. The menu includes mackerel rillette, braised shallot tart with Dunsyre blue cheese, pan-fried chicken with saffron and herb gnocchi, as well as the signature summer berry pudding.
Where: 35 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh (0131-274 7444; www.thebonham.com)
Lunch times: 12.30pm to 3pm

41. The Coppa Dolla Inn
“In the village of Broadhempston, between Newton Abbot and Totnes, the Coppa Dolla is a lovely country pub and arguably the home to Devon’s best roast lunch,” enthuses Matthew. “Phenomenal all-the-trimmings roasts with cauliflower cheese, Yorkies, and massive helpings for not much money, plus a champion of a landlord make this awelcome Sunday retreat.”
Where: Broadhempston, Totnes, Devon (01803 812455)
Lunch times: 12noon to 3pm 

42. The Stag Inn
Situated at the meeting of two old drovers’ roads, this place reeks rustic charm, from the tiny bar with its 200 pub jugs to its refusal to countenance recorded music. Chef Steve Reynolds offers one of the best-value Sunday lunches in the country: his three courses at £14.90 include a choice of four starters, two roasts, fish and vegetarian options, plus any pudding from the à la carte menu.
Where: The Stagg Inn, Titley, Kington, Herefordshire (01544 230221;www.thestagg.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12noon to 2pm

43. Chinese Experience
“Sundays aren’t always about big hearty pub lunches,” says Matthew. “In Chinese culture, this is a family day, so a wander through Chinatown’s throbbing streets followed by dim sum with a contemporary twist at this modern but friendly place is a great alternative.” Features a wide range of congee dumplings followed by green-tea pudding and pumpkin cake.
Where: 118-120 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1 (020-7437 0377; www.chineseexperience.com)
Lunch times: 12noon to 10.30pm

44. Italian Caffe
“Despite Glasgow’s reputation as one of Britain’s main shopping cities, there aren’t that many decent restaurants open in its centre on Sundays,” says Donald. “This fairly stylish recent arrival has hints of a classic Italian enoteca, and as most of the dishes are small tapas-sized offerings, lunch has a tendency to go on and on.” With dishes such as fagioli, chickpea and pepper stew, vegetarians are very well catered for.
Where: 92 Albion St, Merchant City, Glasgow (0141-552 3186).
Lunch times: 12noon until late 

45. Hinds Head Hotel
“Definitely not Heston Blumenthal lite, the great man’s pub outlet remains a hostelry with great beers and a menu majoring on British classics,” enthuses Simon Wright. “The contrast with the Fat Duck over the road is enormous but the commitment to quality is common to both.” Choose from reinvented classic British dishes such as rabbit and bacon terrine or oxtail and kidney pudding.
Where: The High St, Bray, Berkshire (01628 626151; www.thehindsheadhotel.com)
Lunch times: 12noon to 3.30pm 

46. The Bell at Skenfrith
This 17th-century coaching innturned- restaurant with rooms was voted the UK’s pub of the year 2007 by Michelin. Menus focus on unfussy, seasonal dishes with locally sourced ingredients – some grown in the Bell’s own kitchen garden – and the set lunch (£21.50 for three courses, or £18.50 for two) is pick of the bunch.
Where: Skenfrith, Monmouthshire, Wales (01600 750235; www.skenfrith.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12noon to 2.30pm

47. Gilpin Lodge
With pumpkin velouté, pan-fried sea bream and roasted quail on the menu, Gilpin Lodge feels a long way from your traditional Sunday pub lunch. A small, country house hotel, it’s physically a long way from most other places too, set in a picturesque patch of Lake District landscape. That doesn’t mean it’s quiet though, as regulars will drive a long way for its Michelin-starred cooking.
Where: Crook Road, Windermere, Cumbria (01539 488818; www.gilpinlodge.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12noon to 2pm

48. The Sportsman
One of the first true British gastropubs, the Sportsman is still going strong nearly a decade on from first opening, serving up its faithful recipe of great food in relaxed surroundings. The prices are a little higher than those of your typical local (there is also a tasting menu), but the standard of cooking and attention to detail are hard to fault.
Where: Faversham Road, Seasalter, Whitstable, Kent (01227 273370; www.thesportsmanseasalter. co.uk)
Lunch times: 12noon to 2.30pm

49. West Beach Restaurant
This award-winning fish restaurant keeps things fresh by buying in its fish every day. Current favourites range from simple beer-battered haddock to luxury fish pies and home-made fish finger sandwiches. There’s also a good choice of oysters and shellfishwhile those of a non-pescatarian persuasion can choose from a few meat and vegetarian dishes.
Where: Pier Approach, Bournemouth, Dorset (01202 587785; www.west-beach.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12noon to 3.30pm 

50. The Commander
This Notting Hill gastropub prides itself on doing simple modern British fare well, trad pub grub such as burgers sitting alongside more sophisticated fare. “I like the ever-changing menu, good Yorkies and the sofas to collapse into after you’ve eaten,” says Simon Rimmer. On a bright summer day, the sheltered patio at the back is a leafy refuge from city stress.
Where: 47 Hereford Rd, Bayswater, London W2 (020-7229 1503; www.thecommanderbar.co.uk)
Lunch times: 12noon to 10.15pm