Hilltop anchovies

Vinous Table: Hilltop Kitchen, Godalming, UK

Vinous Table, United Kingdom

Neal Martin, May 2023

I adore Hilltop Kitchen. It offers delicious, perfectly-sourced, well-executed fare with minimal fuss and maximum care.

Solar ham

Vinous Table: Solar dos Presuntos, Lisbon, Portugal

Vinous Table, Portugal

Neal Martin, Apr 2023

Solar dos Presuntos fulfilled my expectations. It is a very impressive large-scale restaurant that operates like a well-oiled machine.

Ramiros scarlet shrimp

Vinous Table: Cervejaria Ramiro, Lisbon, Portugal

Vinous Table, Portugal

Neal Martin, Apr 2023

Cervejaria Ramiro is the ideal way to commence your Lisbon epicurean odyssey. As the taxi driver put it on the way back, it’s a favorite with locals because it lacks pretentiousness and offers value for the money.

Woodsman venison

Vinous Table: The Woodsman, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK

Vinous Table, United Kingdom

Neal Martin, Apr 2023

I must confess, I became rather star-crossed by The Woodsman. It delivers without pretension, the careful sourcing of ingredients plain to see and obvious to taste in every mouthful.

Wiltons grouse

Vinous Table: Wilton's, London, UK

Vinous Table, United Kingdom

Neal Martin, Mar 2023

Wilton’s delivered. It’s not London’s trendiest restaurant. It predates Michelin stars and will probably outlive them. Wilton’s is the epitome of a gastronomic institution whose immutability is its strength, not a weakness.

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Vinous Table: Ci Siamo, New York, NY

Vinous Table, United States: New York

Antonio Galloni, Mar 2023

Ci Siamo, a recent addition from Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, has fast become one of my go-to spots in New York City for delicious, hearty food and fabulous wine. I can’t say enough good things about Ci Siamo. Two recent dinners have been nothing short of superb.

Kitchen w8 mackerel

Vinous Table: Kitchen W8, London, UK

Vinous Table, United Kingdom

Neal Martin, Mar 2023

Kitchen W8 is well worth seeking out. I enjoyed the local, relaxed ambiance, perhaps things moving at a slightly slower pace here than elsewhere in the city. Prices are more reasonable than many, especially for lunch and early evening, and the quality of cooking is very assured and unpretentious.

Cote dessert

Vinous Table: Côte, Guildford, UK

Vinous Table, United Kingdom

Neal Martin, Mar 2023

It had been a thoroughly satisfying meal that delivered above my modest expectations. Not everyone yearns to dine at high-class restaurants or can pay for it. Many contentedly live their life within limited culinary horizons. Côte caters to them and does it well. The fact that guests can BYOB is an added bonus. Having teetered on the brink of survival a couple of years ago, it’s important that chains like these are thriving. I will be back.

Ledbury sea bass

Vinous Table: The Ledbury, London, UK

Vinous Table, United Kingdom

Neal Martin, Mar 2023

This is just the opening pages of a new chapter for The Ledbury. Give it a little time. Intuition tells me that Brett Graham will pull a few more tricks from his sleeve. In the meantime, let’s rejoice. The Ledbury is back.

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Vinous Table: Napa in the City 2022: The BYOB Gala Dinner

Vinous Table, United States: California

Antonio Galloni, Feb 2023

Napa in the City is an event we have wanted to do for many years. The logistics of hosting such large events are pretty daunting, so the moment never seemed right. But, in 2022, as we emerged from the COVID-19 lockdown, the time finally did seem right to bring together a number of reference-point Napa Valley winemakers, our readers and the city’s top sommeliers for a weekend of great wine, food and conviviality for the inaugural edition of Napa in the City.