Craving a proper ale and hearty meal, we head through Oxfordshire towards The Chilterns for a stay at The Crown Inn, Benson and dinner at The Chequers Inn, Berrick Salome. Expect crackling fires, local pours from Hook Norton Brewery and refined British plates in beautifully restored, Grade II-listed village surrounds.

As rural pubs close at alarming rates, The Chequers Inn, Berrick Salome stands as a defiant celebration of community and craft. Led by chef Danny Thomas, the restored village inn pairs seasonal British cooking with local purpose, proving the country pub remains a vital, evolving hub worth championing and sustaining.

Every spring, a particular stretch of northeast Scotland prepares for its busiest week of the year. The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival returns from 29 April to the early May bank holiday in 2026, reaffirming why this corner of the Highlands is a must-visit for whisky enthusiasts worldwide.

I expected the food in Abu Dhabi to be good. After all, I was due to visit a handful of restaurants in one of the world’s most celebrated hubs of luxury living, where the warm waters of the Arabian Sea meet centuries of tradition and trade. I didn’t expect the three restaurants I visited to be quite this game-changing.

I thought I knew all there was to know about my personal preferences when it comes to spirits. As is so often the case, I’m delighted to be proven wrong, and even more gleeful about the idea there’s so much more out there to fall in love with. Enter The Curatist.

Nora is a Canary Wharf restaurant offering gastronomic flights of fancy from the ‘Turkish avant-garde’. Committed to bringing ultra-modern Istanbul dining to the glittering spires of this corner of London, Benjamin Norris was blown away by its generosity.

Dinings SW3 presents an assured and quiet confidence, where pristine service, relaxed elegance and – most importantly – utterly sensational food come together in spectacular fashion. Benjamin Norris falls more than a little in love with ‘gill to tail’ Japanese dining in Chelsea.

My appreciation for Veganuary is long-rooted in the experimentation we see in ingredients and menus at this time. Caxton Grill’s Veganaury menu is an impressive celebration of plant-based dining, regardless of its introduction by a restaurant famed for its butcher's block.

British seafood isn’t just good – it’s right up there with the very best in the world. There’s something about the icy waters of the North Sea that allows our most prized specimens to grow slowly and beautifully, allowing for sublime flavours and generous portion sizes.

New Year’s Eve at Park Chinois ramps up the opulence to new heights, as it very well should. Their concept for the closing chimes of 2025 has been revealed as ‘Jade et Lumière’ – a radiant celebration of elegance, indulgence and theatrical flair.

Let’s jump in and take a look at The Last Concierge’s list of English wines that deserve pole position in your wine rack for New Year’s Eve and beyond, and the wineries that are worthy of your attention, love, adoration and fervent fanaticism. Cheers!

Whilst Gordon Ramsey’s Plane Food has been a mainstay of London’s Heathrow Terminal 5 since its opening in 2008, December 1st marked a significant shakeup in its offerings with the introduction of Plane Food Market.