One of the great things about living on an island is the bounty of fresh fish and shellfish available to your local eateries. The chefs at the UK and Ireland’s best seafood restaurants have access to an abundance of daily caught produce, which they showcase in dishes ranging from the proudly minimalist to the deeply luxurious. Here, we take you through the key areas and restaurants to know about when planning your next seafood feast.
Whole fish at Fish Shop in Ballater, one of Scotland's best seafood restaurants. © Alex Macleod
Seafood Restaurants in the Republic of Ireland
It makes sense that the seafood in Ireland is so good – after all, so much of it is coastline! Many of the Emerald Isle’s big cities, from Dublin to Galway, are within touching distance of the sea, meaning fine Irish seafood invariably makes its way onto menus at the country’s top restaurants. County Cork is perhaps the most seafood-loving of the regions, with some terrific spots for diners to explore.Find out where to enjoy all this delicious fish with our guide to Ireland’s best seafood restaurants.
Seafood Restaurants in Scotland
Some of the finest seafood you will find anywhere in the world was caught off the coast of Scotland. It’s the reason you’ll see Scottish place names popping up on menus across the UK – because chefs know that in the case of ingredients like Orkney scallops, a Scottish origin has become a byword for quality. Much of the best produce is landed along the East Neuk of Fife, a stretch of coastline known for characterful fishing villages like Crail and Pittenweem.Explore our rundown of the best places to find great seafood in Scotland.
Immaculate seafood cookery from MICHELIN-Starred Outlaw's New Road. © Kate Whitaker
Seafood Restaurants in Cornwall
In England, no county is more synonymous with fishing than Cornwall. Restaurants well outside the region will proudly proclaim that they serve Mylor prawns or Fowey mussels, telling you all you need to know about the quality of ingredients round here. When it comes to restaurants, the two big guns have long been Rick Stein, the elder statesmen of British seafood cookery, and Nathan Outlaw, who has two MICHELIN-Starred restaurants in touching distance of each other, the Fish Kitchen and the New Road.Don’t overlook other Cornish spots like North Street Kitchen, Prawn on the Lawn, Pilchards and The Shore. There are also several great dining destinations located right on the coastline, with brilliant waterside views. Discover them all here.
Seafood Restaurants on the South Coast
A little more accessible than far-out Cornwall, England’s south coast is similarly a hotbed of seafood restaurants. Moving from west to east, you can delight in the fresh catch at: family-run Seahorse in Dartmouth; The Galley in Topsham, holder of a Bib Gourmand; the characterful Catch at The Old Fishmarket in Weymouth; Guildhall Tavern in Poole, with its slightly nautical décor; the waterside Shell Bay in Studland; and The Little Fish Market in Brighton, where creative flourishes are brought to the produce.City Guides:
One of the many fish dishes from Angela's in Margate, holder of a Green Star. © Lee Coad
Seafood Restaurants on the East Coast
The east of England is home to the nation’s other major coastline, stretching all the way up from Kent to Northumberland. In the former, you’ll find a cluster of terrific fish-focused spots in the form of Angela’s in Margate, Kebbells in Broadstairs and The Whitstable Oyster Company in Whitstable, a family business serving oysters grown right outside the restaurant. Further up the coast, Norfolk and Suffolk are known for top produce such as Cromer crab – the likes of which you’ll find on the menu at The Suffolk in Aldeburgh. Head about five hours north and you’ll find the welcoming Number 20 in Port Mulgrave.Seafood Restaurants in Cities
A city centre isn’t the first place you expect to find a top-notch seafood restaurant – but despite being some distance from the coast, there are still plenty of city-dwelling restaurants that will transport you to the seaside with just one bite. In addition to the many seafood restaurants in London – which you can discover properly here – you could visit Osters in Newcastle, wilks in Bath and either The Oyster Club by Adam Stokes or Albatross Death Cult in Birmingham.
A spread of seafood dishes from Oyster Box in Jersey. © Oyster Box
Seafood Restaurants on Islands
Last, but certainly not least, there are the UK’s handful of restaurants located on the smaller islands surrounding the mainland. To the north, there’s MICHELIN-Starred Loch Bay on the Isle of Skye; to the south, there’s the stunningly located The Hut on the Isle of Wight. Finally, if you’re willing to traverse the Channel, you’ll get to Oyster Box in Jersey’s Saint Brelade.For a comprehensive list of all the best seafood restaurants in the UK and Ireland, we’ve got you covered:
MICHELIN Guide Seafood Restaurants in the UK
MICHELIN Guide Seafood Restaurants in Ireland
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Hero Image: A shellfish platter from Oyster Box in Jersey, one of the best seafood restaurants in the UK and Ireland. © Oyster Box
