Rolling hills, shimmering seas, twinkling cityscapes… there’s no end to the stunning scenery that a prime restaurant table can provide. Yet all too often, the food doesn’t always match the view – and no matter how spectacular the surroundings, food lovers will always want to seek out great cooking before anything else. With this list of Inspector-approved spots with a backdrop to die for, you’ll never have that problem again.
1887's dining room, providing a great vantage point to soak in the Scottish Highlands. © The Torridon
1887, Achnasheen
Make a list of the most breathtaking landscapes in Britain and we’d put good money on several of them being in the Scottish Highlands. For lovers of wide-open vistas and rural tranquillity, these sparsely populated lands are a dream come true. One of the finest spots to drink it all in is The Torridon hotel and its restaurant, 1887. Both provide outrageously picturesque views of the grounds, woodlands and Upper Loch Torridon. As you look out onto this snapshot of Scotland, you can taste it on your plate too, via a bounty of superb local produce.
The best seat in the house at Fallowfields, with unadulterated sea views. © Anthony Greenwood
Fallowfields, Lizard
It’s no surprise that one of the very best restaurant views can be found on The Lizard, a peninsula famed for being mainland Britain’s most southerly point. Located inside the Housel Bay hotel and perched on a cliffside, Fallowfields is decked out with cool, Nordic-esque minimalism – all the better for keeping the focus on the view and the food. The detailed cooking comes in the form of a tasting menu with playful dish names like ‘As two roads cross’. If you’re lucky, you might find yourself at the sought-after table in the bay window.
The Lan y Môr dining room overlooking the less-frequented but gorgeous Saundersfoot Bay. © Aaron Williamson
Lan y Môr, Saundersfoot
Its name translates as ‘seashore’ and that’s exactly what you’ll see at this perfectly placed spot overlooking Saundersfoot Bay – a lovely, quieter alternative to nearby Tenby on the Pembrokeshire coast. Floor-to-ceiling windows make it easy to admire the water but even better is the terrace, which is enclosed by a glass wall to ensure you are sheltered but your view is uninhibited. The very waters you gaze over may well supply your dinner, with lobster and fish of the day from Saundersfoot helping to populate a wide-ranging menu.
A sun-soaked terrace overlooking the Owenmore River. © Barry Murphy
Owenmore, Ballynahinch
Visiting rural Ireland can be like watching a slideshow of one spectacular landscape after another. Hikes and road trips are great ways to explore the country, but the most relaxing option is to sit back in a restaurant like Owenmore. Located inside a grand 18th-century hotel, it boasts a classical formal elegance, with the prime window seats offering views of the spectacular grounds. As you watch the light shimmer off the surface of the Owenmore River, fringed on each side by lush greenery, there are few places you’d rather be.
The counter at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High, facing towards the exceptional view of London. © Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High
Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High, London
Rural landscapes are undoubtedly spectacular, but there’s something to be said for a great city view too – and Gordon Ramsay has found himself one of the best in the business. Located in the heart of London’s financial district, this 60th-floor spot features window-facing counter seats that act as a breathtaking vantage point for spotting such landmarks as The Shard and Tower Bridge. Food-wise, the experience is an unabashedly luxurious one, with highly skilled chefs utilising the very best produce from lobster to lamb.
A table making the most of the glass-walled Seafood Ristorante in St Andrews. © Seafood Ristorante
Seafood Ristorante, St Andrews
St Andrews is mostly known as a golf town, home to one of the world’s best courses and its streets lined with shops selling everything from golf clothes and golf shoes to golf clubs and golf balls. With all the golf going on, it’s easy to forget that St Andrews is one of Scotland’s prettiest coastal spots, with spectacular North Sea views at every turn. Making the most of these is the Seafood Ristorante, a striking glass cube built on the hill’s edge for maximum impact. As the name suggests, expect prime local seafood prepared with an Italian touch.Love all things MICHELIN?
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The Tyne Bridge as seen from Six in Newcastle. © Rob Withrow
Six, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Another sky-high spot with a prime city view, Six is perched on top of Newcastle’s Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, making it the perfect place to admire the River Tyne in all its glory. These breathtaking vistas are accompanied by bright and colourful dishes that show great respect for the high-quality ingredients used. If you’re celebrating a special occasion, then perhaps look into booking the Viewing Box private dining room, which comes with the best panoramas in the building.
A perfectly framed window showing off the gardens and golf course at The Oak Room. © Paul Lehane
The Oak Room, Adare
There are few places that offer a better ‘complete package’ than this. The MICHELIN-Star restaurant – a place where outstanding produce is the norm – sits inside Adare Manor, a Three-MICHELIN-Key hotel that lives up to its name with opulent bedrooms, a top-tier spa and a golf course so highly respected that it will host the Ryder Cup in 2027. The gardens are pristinely manicured too – something you can appreciate from a window seat in the grand old dining room or, even better, a spot in the enclosed ‘terrace’ room.
A table at The Pierhouse overlooking the ferry crossing from Port Appin to Lismore. © James Anderson
The Pierhouse, Port Appin
It’s called The Pierhouse for a reason. This remote little spot is right next to a short jetty that serves as the landing point for the ferry from mainland Scotland to the Inner Hebrides island of Lismore. As you’d expect, that means simply superb views of the water from both the terrace and the dining room with its lovely bay window. The menu is as seafood-loving as the location would suggest, with the mixed platters particularly hard to resist. Stay overnight in one of their bedrooms to bask in the view a little longer.
The sun setting on Windermere, as seen from The Samling's dining room. © Pete Canning
The Samling, Ambleside
Of course the Lake District had to appear on this list eventually. This National Park is known as one of the UK’s most scenic spots and The Samling provides one of its finest vantage points, overlooking both Windermere (the largest lake in England) and the rolling hills around it. It’s this surrounding area that drives the cooking, featuring excellent produce cooked with MICHELIN-Star skill. Can’t get enough of the view? Wake up to its majesty by staying overnight in The Samling’s Two-MICHELIN-Key hotel.
Speyside views from TimeSpirit, part of The Macallan's stunning distillery complex. © TimeSpirit
TimeSpirit, Aberlour
The primary reason to visit TimeSpirit is that it’s a whisky lover’s paradise – but the view isn’t bad either. Situated amidst the vast rural beauty of Speyside, this is the flagship restaurant for The Macallan’s strikingly modern distillery, with floor-to-ceiling windows that make the most of the setting. Whisky flights are available to accompany the menu, which fuses Scottish produce and creative Spanish influences, thanks to the involvement of the renowned Roca brothers from Three-Star El Celler de Can Roca in Girona.
The glass-clad dining room and terrace at Zacry's, with views over Watergate Bay. © Lewis Harrison-Pinder
Zacry’s, Watergate Bay
There are plenty of stunning sea views from Cornwall’s restaurants (look out for Porthminster Beach Café, argoe and Outlaw’s New Road in particular) but Zacry’s is right at the top of the list. Perched on the sea wall itself, its expansive windows allow you to look out onto the sea and sand of Watergate Bay from within the comfort of the relaxed dining room. The open kitchen provides a gentle buzz while the chefs prepare dishes that utilise prime Cornish seafood with skill and originality.Related Reads:
Hero Image: The breathtaking vistas from The Pierhouse in Port Appin, one of the UK & Ireland's best restaurant views. © James Anderson
