Tasting menus are a great alternative to a traditional à la carte menu, giving diners the opportunity to try a little bit of a lot of dishes. They can take away the quandary of what to order, or the disappointment of wishing you’d had something different.
The premise of this type of menu is a carefully curated selection of dishes created by the restaurant’s chef, designed to complement each other and served in a designated order.
For a while, it seemed tasting menus might disappear in favour of small plates and street food. But the Guardian cites Brexit, Covid, and the conflict in Ukraine as causing a U-turn. Tasting menus offer some stability to restaurants, with advance bookings, set prices, and prescribed ingredients meaning they can order exactly what’s needed and plan resources accordingly.
So, a win-win for both sides of the culinary coin. If you’d like to give a tasting menu a go, here are six of the best from around the UK.
1. Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham, East Midlands
Tucked away underneath a flyover outside the city, you’re unlikely to just “happen” across Restaurant Sat Bains. But with two Michelin stars, this small, family-run business prides itself on offering seasonal ingredients, balanced choices, and sumptuous tastes, all reflecting modern, classic gastronomy.
Offering a range of rooms, each with a slightly different menu, the unique nature of Restaurant Sat Bains is in its cosy ambience and big, bold food choices.
Choose from the restaurant or the tasting room for more traditional dining, or the kitchen bench for a full-on, immersive experience. Here, you’ll be up close to all the kitchen action and served directly by the chefs.
Expect to pay between £149 and £249, depending on the menu and room you choose.
2. Home, Cardiff, Wales
Dining at Home offers a complete surprise in terms of the menu, as the food on offer is based entirely around what’s in season, so you’ll have a different experience each time you visit.
The modern British cuisine is presented by head chef James Sommerin, and the rest of the small team is very much a family affair with James’s wife, daughters, and sister-in-law all involved.
The “surprise” aspect continues with the interior, which is deliberately kept steeped in mystery, with the aim for guests to arrive and feel at home, relax, and unwind for their time there.
Expect to pay between £70 and £145, depending on the number of courses.
3. KOL, Marylebone, London
Imagine Mexican food produced with British ingredients. That’s the concept behind KOL, which uses a range of alternative products to recreate the taste of Mexico. You’ll find hempseed guacamole, sea buckthorn, wood sorrel, and nettle, among other eclectic ingredients.
The Michelin-starred restaurant also features a private dining option in the shape of the Chef’s Table, which can accommodate up to 20 people.
Expect to pay around £95 for lunch, and £185 for dinner.
4. Cail Bruich, Glasgow, Scotland
Executive chef Lorna McNee was a previous winner and judge on The Great British Menu.
Her Michelin-starred restaurant focuses on modern European cuisine, with seasonal ingredients sourced from local suppliers where possible.
Choose to dine at the Chef’s Table for an up-close-and-personal view of the service kitchen, watching the team at work as you eat.
Expect to pay around £100 for lunch, and £125 for dinner.
5. Mýse, Hovingham, North Yorkshire
Placing a firm focus on regenerative farming and sustainability, the team at Mýse source ingredients from small-scale producers from Yorkshire and beyond in the British Isles. Foraging plays a large part in their ethos, with foraging courses and tasting menus on offer alongside their lunch and dinner menus.
The food is designed to be a respectful reflection of the area, offering a twist on the Yorkshire traditional cuisine and serving seasonal produce, carefully curated wine, and non-alcoholic drinks.
Head chef Josh Overington is joined by his wife, head sommelier Victoria, to welcome their guests to the Michelin-starred restaurant.
Expect to pay around £115 for lunch, and £145 for dinner.
6. Wine & Brine, County Armagh, Northern Ireland
Dining here is a truly sensory experience. Fusing age-old traditional processes such as pickling, brining, and fermenting with contemporary style, the restaurant offers delicious flavours and unique combinations, all served with artistry.
Ingredients are sourced locally, using healthy herds and poultry that freely graze. Choose from the brightly lit kitchen restaurant, or one of three intimate private dining rooms.
Freshly grown botanicals enhance the purees and syrups used in the ever-changing array of cocktails, all designed to complement the flavours of the food.
Expect to pay around £80 for six courses.
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Please note:
This blog is for general information only and does not constitute financial advice, which should be based on your individual circumstances. The information is aimed at retail clients only.