We are delighted to announce that there are 16 new Bib Gourmand restaurants in the 2021 Great Britain and Ireland selection. Named after Bibendum – the Michelin Man – our Bib Gourmand distinction highlights restaurants offering good food at competitive prices and is a real hit with our readers.
In total, 126 restaurants have been awarded a Bib Gourmand in our 2021 selection. Below are all the new awards:
London
City of Westminster
Fallow, Mayfair
A new addition to the 2021 guide, this modern restaurant – run by two young chefs – is located just off busy Regent St. Its living wall contrasts with the industrial styling and gives a nod to the many plant-based dishes available. British ingredients, including cheaper cuts of meat, are used in well-balanced dishes which are packed with flavour: think beef scrumpet, Dorset snails with lovage and bone marrow, and kombu fries.
Mo Diner, Mayfair
This fun, joyfully run spot – little sister to next door Momo – is another addition to the 2021 guide. It takes its inspiration from a 1930s American diner and blends it with bold, eye-catching décor and a subtle Moroccan theme. Colourful small plates are influenced by the cuisines of the Med, North Africa and the Middle East: take your pick from choices like bouillabaisse, merguez in a blanket or duck confit with pomegranate.
Paradise, Soho
Vibrant, contemporary sharing plates fuse Sri Lankan family recipes with British, Portuguese, Malay, South Indian and Dutch influences at this well-run addition to the 2021 guide. Choose from such delights as mutton shoulder rolls with fermented chilli; yellow cod curry with coconut, fenugreek and crispy cod's skin or fried aubergine and jaggery moju. Meats come from some of the finest farms in the UK, whilst vegetables and spices come from Sri Lanka.
Volta Do Mar, Strand and Covent Garden
Another new addition to the 2021 guide is this colourful, double-fronted Georgian townhouse in Covent Garden. It’s not just the flavours of Portugal that are celebrated here; dishes from its trading routes also feature, from Goa to Mozambique, Macau to Brazil, so expect dishes like fish tempura with wasabi mayonnaise alongside 24 month acorn-fed Ibérico ham or farófias. The all-Portuguese wine and drinks lists are definitely worth exploring.
Southwark
Flor, Southwark
Little sister to One Michelin-Starred Lyle’s, this compact bakery, wine bar and restaurant is set in Borough Market and is new to the guide this year. Original, daily changing dishes like smoked eel with sourdough waffle and black figs or red mullet with chermoula and herb salad take their influences from the Med, the Middle East and North Africa; produce is superb and flavours pack a punch. The pastries and soft drinks are enticing and brunch is delicious.
Legare, Southwark
Another new addition to the guide is this unpretentious Italian restaurant set in one of the converted Shad Thames warehouses. The seasonally influenced menu uses British produce, with the in-house pasta a particular highlight. Dishes like tagliatelle with violet artichokes and pecorino, and fett’unta with chicken livers, pancetta, parsley and shallots are relatively simple but their flavours are bold – and the unfussy, friendly service really suits the style of the place.
Peckham Cellars, Peckham
This neighbourhood bistro and wine bar is warmly and enthusiastically run by three friends, who all hail from this part of South-East London. Well-priced, original small plates like burrata, pickled pear and walnuts or duck liver parfait with pickled shallots are rustic yet refined and full of flavour. They’re made for sharing, so most people choose three or four each, but if you’ve come in a group, you can just order the whole menu!
England
Kentish Hare, Bidborough
Behind this smart dining pub’s clapboard façade sits a spacious bar with bookshelf wallpaper and a modern extension where you can watch the chefs cooking steaks on two Big Green Eggs. Care is taken both in sourcing and cooking, and dishes such as shepherd’s pie with purple sprouting broccoli, line-caught mackerel with beetroot and horseradish, and vanilla panna cotta with Sicilian blood orange are boldly flavoured and well-presented. The set menu offers particularly good value.
Stag & Hounds, Burrough on the Hill
This traditional village pub – a new entry to the guide – is located next door to the Parish Brewery, which supplies their house ale. The concise weekly menu offers fresh, seasonal and very tasty dishes which show that there’s an experienced hand in the kitchen; choices could include smoked haddock fritters with heritage potato and chive or fillet of plaice with courgette, basil and tomato. Lunch is great value and Wednesday is steak night.
The Square, Porthleven
A small harbourside bistro where, in summer, you can bag a table on the terrace and, in winter, cosy up and watch the waves crash on the harbour wall. Coffee and cakes give way to snacks and sharing platters, then to carefully cooked modern classics which fly the flag for great quality Cornish produce; maybe hake with purple sprouting broccoli and new potatoes or smooth Cornish duck and port pate, with pickled apple, date & apple chutney and toasted brioche. They also have a deli and ice cream shop next door.
The Royal, St Leonards on Sea
An addition to the 2021 guide is this friendly town centre dining pub run by three friends; it’s set within a boldly painted Victorian building and comes with a lovely vintage feel. The appealing menu focuses on top quality local produce, and dishes have a British heart and Mediterranean influences; perhaps roast hake with fennel, tomatoes and aioli or pork schnitzel with purple sprouting broccoli. They also serve sharing dishes for two.
Scotland
Noto, Edinburgh
Following the success of Aizle – and time spent in New York – Stuart Ralston opened this small plates diner in the heart of Edinburgh; a new addition to the 2021 guide. Well-conceived dishes display influences which span the globe, with a particular focus on Asia; maybe bibimbap or duck sausage roll with plum sauce. Three dishes per person should suffice – just make sure you save room for the luscious Michel Cluizel chocolate and miso dessert!
Republic of Ireland
Volpe Nera, Blackrock
Nestled in a small parade, new entry to the guide ‘Black Fox’ takes its name from its position midway between the suburbs of Blackrock and Foxrock. Carefully cooked dishes respect classic Mediterranean principles and have a modern edge; choices could include veal sweetbreads with olive potato, pied de mouton and thyme, or spinach and ricotta malfatti with onion squash and sage butter. Personable service adds a touch of formality to the contemporary surroundings.
Goldie, Cork
A lively, on-trend seafood bistro with an open kitchen and a stripped-back feel; the tight-knit team offer friendly service and the feel is relaxed and informal. The daily menu at this new entry to the guide offers well-priced, modern dishes which use a ‘gill-to-fin’ approach, making use of the whole catch from the smaller day boats. Choose from dishes like crunchy fish spines; buttermilk fried pollock with lime aioli, and pan-fried ling with braised chicory.
Spitalfields, Dublin
Another new entry to the guide; it’s set in a historic area of the city and, whilst drinkers are welcome at its two bars, most come to this friendly, characterful, traditional-looking pub for the food. Carefully cooked, enticing dishes are fresh, flavoursome and great value. Choices on the menu could include oxtail and bone marrow Parker House rolls, Iberico pork Secreto schnitzel with redcurrants, beetroot, smoked eel and horseradish or pork chop with apple and truffle.
Table Forty One, Gorey
Having worked in various hotels and restaurants around the world, Gorey native Andrew Duncan has returned home to open this cosy, welcoming restaurant: a new entry in the 2021 guide. The wine list is short yet well-priced and the concise seasonal menu offers classic, technically adept dishes with a great balance of texture and flavour; perhaps a French onion tart with goat’s cheese, candied walnuts and crispy kale; or confit duck leg with apple, spiced red cabbage and a blackberry jus.
This year, the guide is being published in a digital format only, both on our website (UK and Republic of Ireland) and via the iOS app.
