The Spring Bank Holiday weekend is upon us and, with the weather now looking a little more like it should in May, it’s time to get the family together and head out for the weekend. Here are some popular places to go with the family, along with recommendations from the Michelin Inspectors of where to eat afterwards.
Birmingham, England
Where to go:
-Cadbury World (a self-guided exhibition tour through various chocolatey zones)
Where to eat:
Craft, The Terrace, The International Convention Centre, 8 Centenary Square, Birmingham, B1 2EA
Craft sits within the ICC and comes with a large bar, imitation cherry blossom tress, a striking glass-walled private dining room and futuristic ‘dining pods’. Their tagline is: ‘Crafted together with the great artisans of Britain’ and the ambitious, creative dishes have harmonious flavours.
Blackpool, England
Where to go:
-Blackpool Pleasure Beach (the family-owned, record-breaking amusement park founded in 1896)
Where to eat:
Twelve, Marsh Mill, Fleetwood Road North, Thornton, FY5 4JZ
Bib Gourmand awarded Twelve sits beside one of Europe’s tallest working windmills. It’s a passionately run place characterised by exposed brickwork, reclaimed wood and graffiti art – and comes with a great cocktail bar. Cooking is hearty and wholesome but has a refined edge.
Cartford Inn, Cartford Lane, Little Eccleston, PR3 0YP
Gutsy, tried-and-tested classics come with a twist at this pub set beside a small toll bridge on the River Wyre. It comes with five greenhouses for all-year dining and you can take something home with you from the deli or farm shop. Book in for afternoon tea Friday-Sunday.
(Closed Bank Holiday Monday)
Cheltenham
Where to go:
-Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park (interact with the animals and learn about farming and rare breed conservation)
Where to eat:
Old Butchers, 7 Park Street, Stow-on-the-Wold, GL54 1AQ
As the name implies, this is an old butcher’s shop, but it now comes with quirky décor, colourful chairs and ice bucket and colander lampshades. The menu offers plenty of choice from old favourites to dishes with a Mediterranean slant. It’s worth taking a look at the ‘bin end’ wine list.
Falmouth
Where to go:
-National Maritime Museum Cornwall (nautical exhibitions, boat collections and a lookout tower)
Where to eat:
Hooked on the Rocks, Swanpool, Falmouth, TR11 5BG
It’s all about seafood at this spacious bistro by Swanpool Beach. It’s a pleasingly laid-back place with several terraces and great views. Much of the shellfish comes from the bay and crab and lobster are cooked to order.
Manchester, England
Where to go:
-Science and Industry Museum (explore 250 years' worth of ideas that started life in Manchester)
-The Lowry (partial-opening – access to galleries for the LS Lowry collection and an exhibition exploring local lockdown experiences)
Where to eat:
El Gato Negro, 52 King Street, Manchester, M2 4LY
This buzzy tapas bar holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for its good value cooking. The ground floor houses a bar, the first floor plays host to an industrial-style dining room and the top floor is home to a private events space with a retractable roof. Appealing tapas dishes include meats from the Josper grill.
The Bull & Bear, 4 Norfolk Street, Manchester, M2 1DW
Tom Kerridge’s spacious brasserie is a hit with one and all. Start with a cocktail in the bar beside the marble fireplace, then head through to the ‘bear pit’ – the elegant former trading room of the Manchester Stock Exchange – with its marble pillars and wonderful domed ceiling. The menu offers an appealing mix of British brasserie classics.
Windsor
Where to go:
-Legoland Windsor Resort (theme park and resort themed around Lego)
Where to eat:
Greene Oak, Oakley Green, Windsor, SL4 5UW
The Greene Oak’s modern bar has a pleasingly laid-back feel and the quirky horsebox tables on the terrace certainly add something a little different. Menus use the best of the British larder and offer an appealing mix of dishes. The 45-day aged rare breed steaks are a speciality.
Edinburgh, Scotland
Where to go:
-Camera Obscura & World of Illusions (five floors of illusions and great rooftop views)
-Museum of Scotland (global artefacts encompassing geology, archaeology, natural history, science, technology, art and culture)
-Royal Yacht Britannia (Queen Elizabeth II’s royal yacht from 1954-1997, which travelled more than a million nautical miles around the globe)
Where to eat:
The Lookout by Gardener's Cottage, Calton Hill, Edinburgh, EH7 5AA
Take in some of the best views of the city from the full-length windows of this modern cantilevered building on the top of Calton Hill. The room has a minimalist, almost Scandic feel – and the cooking mirrors this. Contemporary, pared-back dishes allow each core ingredient to shine.
Conwy, Wales
Where to go:
-Conwy Castle (one of the most well-preserved medieval fortresses; built for King Edward I between 1283-1287)
Where to eat:
Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias, The Promenade, Colwyn Bay, LL29 8HH
This striking beachside brasserie comes with faux industrial styling, blue leather banquettes and a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. The owner is proud of his Welsh roots and this shines through on the menu of pleasingly unfussy dishes, where local seafood is to the fore.
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Where to go:
-Titanic Belfast (the story of the Titanic from conception to maiden voyage; located where the boat was designed, built and launched)
Where to eat:
Deanes at Queens, 1 College Gardens, Belfast, BT9 6BQ
This bustling modern brasserie holds a Bib Gourmand for its great value cooking. Head for the bar if you’re after either morning coffee and cake or an evening cocktail – or make straight for the terrace if it’s a warm summer’s day. Refined modern dishes are full of flavour and the Mibrasa charcoal grill is something of a feature.
