The Best Restaurants in the UK for Winter Dining

The fells take on a quiet drama of their own during the winter months - muted colours, early dusk and the kind of calm that makes every sound feel amplified.

After a brisk walk beside the water, stepping into SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel and Lake House feels like entering a cocoon, with this Michelin starred dining room the perfect counterpoint to the frosty landscape you have left behind. Under the watchful eye of Executive Chef Ollie Bridgwater (formerly of Heston Blumenthal’s legendary Fat Duck) the kitchen creates winter tasting menus built around local game, preserved vegetables and broths that reveal their flavour slowly. All the while, the staff guide the evening with a quiet confidence that suits the season.

Just over the county line, Northcote elevates seasonal dining into a true occasion. The Michelin starred restaurant has a playful edge which you notice from the first bite. An Orkney scallop arrives with orchard apple and walnut; red leg partridge with pumpkin and duck liver follows with rich, generous flavour, while a salt aged beef fillet finished with marrowbone and triple cooked chips is the sort of dish you think about long after the plate is cleared.

Winter sharpens the air over the moors and the shift from open landscape to candlelit dining room feels instantly restorative.

At Mallory Court Country House Hotel and Spa, you ease into an atmosphere, all original oak panelling and period features, that feels built for falling temperatures. Overseen by MasterChef: The Professionals winner Stu Deeley, the culinary team draws on Britain’s cold weather ingredients to create winter tasting menus with confidence, resulting in plates shaped by heritage roots, game, Jerusalem artichoke and slow cooked beef.

An hour’s drive away, The Elms Hotel and Spa takes a more relaxed approach to winter dining. Here, the joy lies in plates that resemble upgraded British comfort food: braised meats with silky textures, roasted winter vegetables, handmade pastas and desserts that echo the richness of the season. You feel welcomed as soon as you arrive, and the room encourages you to settle in. This is where you might return to when you want a cosy UK restaurant that understands what winter evenings truly ask for.

Across the Cotswolds, winter softens the hills and guides you toward dining rooms that feel naturally inviting.

Arriving at Whatley Manor on a crisp evening feels like stepping into an elegant retreat. Inside, the highly acclaimed Michelin starred restaurant, The Dining Room, is a gastronomic delight, never more so than in the depths of winter. Drawing heavily on produce cultivated from the hotel’s own Kitchen Garden, you can expect a seasonal menu imbued with subtle theatrical touches and crafted with remarkable care, from Gigha halibut with mussel cream to beautifully prepared venison. Even as plates change, the cooking remains one of the clearest expressions of seasonal British menus in the region.

For a more casual but equally charming style, head to The Painswick. Capturing everything we all love about the UK’s cosy restaurants, this 18th century gem overlooks one of the region’s most picture-perfect villages. Here you can tuck into delicacies such as Atlantic cod, proper beef wellington and Cornbury Park Estate venison, while the room itself has a way of slowing you down and persuading you to linger well past the final course.

The South Downs blend coastal breezes with crisp country air, giving the region a bright, invigorating edge in winter.

At Ockenden Manor Hotel and Spa, the timbered ceilings and Elizabethan details frame a dining experience that suits winter down to a tee. The restaurant, under Head Chef Stephen Crane, draws on the finest local ingredients, from creamy homemade Sussex celeriac soup and double baked Sussex cheddar cheese soufflé to warm peach tarte tatin.

Along the coast, you’ll find Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa at its most irresistible as the nights draw in. Step inside and you’re wrapped in medieval charm - mullioned windows, tapestry-draped walls and secret corners that are made for lingering. Winter dining in the UK becomes something you genuinely look forward to: a cream of langoustine soup finished with truffle and fresh chives, butternut squash Wellington and hot cherry soufflé. A glass (or two) of delicious locally produced wine makes for a memorable accompaniment.

Brighten your winter with a moment indoors that swaps the capital’s chill for a rather more inviting experience.

In the sophisticated setting of Knightsbridge you will feel a sense of calm the moment you step over the threshold at The Capital Hotel Apartments and Townhouse. Tom Brown’s kitchen interprets seasonal British menus through dishes such as roasted white fish with winter greens, slow cooked meats lifted with citrus and puddings built around chocolate or preserved fruit. The dishes might change regularly, but the refined tone stays constant and feels exactly right for the colder months.

A short walk away, The Hari offers an Italian take on winter at Il Pampero. Here you can indulge in handmade pasta, long cooked ragù, celeriac, pumpkin and leafy greens used in ways that feel indulgent yet grounded. The kitchen effortlessly combines British seasonality and Italian techniques, creating a distinctive interpretation that feels both stylish and comforting.