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Best Restaurants in Chester

Find all the best places to eat in Chester here

Restaurants in Chester to suit all tastes

You can see our choice of the top restaurants in Chester below and we can guarantee you’ll find something to suit your tastes because Chester has everything from Michelin star dining to great food and drink offers if you are eating out on a budget or love a bargain.

Scattered throughout these beautiful and historic streets and alongside the scenic river Dee you will discover delicious worldwide cuisine side by side with traditional British food and fabulous Sunday lunches.

If you or your fellow diners have food preferences or specific dietary requirements you can easily find places to eat at restaurants to suit everyone at your table with great vegan and vegetarian eateries, gluten free options, allergen friendly restaurants and Italian restaurants.

Restaurants With Outdoor Dining

Discover the best places to eat and drink with outdoor seating

Food & Drink Offers

Wine and dine without breaking the bank

Vegan & Vegetarian

Plant based and vegetarian dining

Best Sunday Lunches

Even better than your Mum's cooking

Child & Family Friendly

Take the whole family out to eat

Discover Your Favourites

Filter your restaurant in Chester options by all your personal preferences

Choose from the best restaurants in Chester… 

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Best Chester Restaurants

Fabulous food on plentiful platters and plentiful platters on tantalising tables.

Welcome to Chester, the food and drink capital of Cheshire with dining to suit every taste, every budget, every day.

We can’t tell you what to choose but we can help you to choose with a vast range of Cheshire’s best pubs, restaurants and eateries all in one place.  

Find an old favourite with us.

Find a new favourite with us.

Find an open table and pull up a chair and we won’t be far away as we continually search for new venues, new offers, new experiences for you.

Have you created a plan yet? We can help with that using our extensive listings of a range of food and drink venues scattered around Chester. We also have some the best restaurants in Chester city centre.

Have you got a sketch showing what you want to do while you are with us? We can help with that too as our gallery of pubs, restaurants, cafes and bars will allow you to truly taste Cheshire.

So, you have navigated the rolling beautiful countryside of Cheshire and you have arrived in the foothills of Chester to begin your stay. Stay for one day, one week or forever and you will always be welcome and well fed. 

Right now though, you just want summit to eat, yes? Foothills, summit, following the analogy? So, who you gonna call?  Go on, say it, you know you want to…. Ghostbusters!! The food and drink venues of Chester are no place for ghost busters, but we do have plenty of spirits and plenty of spirit, so use us as your guide and let’s eat!!

Food and Chester… a story running for almost 2000 years

The cities of the United Kingdom are blessed with some wonderful restaurants but there is only one Chester. This beautiful, historic city nestling in the idyllic countryside of Cheshire is unique.  The city walls which date back to the Roman occupation of around 70AD wrap around the bustling, eating, shopping and entertainment centre of CH1, the heart of Chester.

Within the history-soaked footprint of the walls is a journey that you simply must take around the cuisines and cooking styles of the world. Traditional, contemporary, vegan, Thai, Indian, fusion, Vietnamese, Italian, French or just a satisfying burger, where do you want to eat today?

The good news is you don’t have to walk around CH1 looking for something you fancy to eat.  All the eateries and restaurants in Chester which are featured on our website provide details of what you can expect, how to get there, when they are open and best of all, the ability to contact them and book your table right here, right now. 

Book a Roman Street Walking Tour

Coffee or cakes, salad or steaks

The bars, pubs, eateries, hostelries and best restaurants in Chester are waiting for you, so where can we take you?  Here is just a taster of the food and drink menu of Chester. Stay with us and use us to find your perfect venue, perfect menu in the perfect location to perfect your stay in this delightful city. 

Got a passion for pasta, then why not try The Yard on City Road? Open Tuesday through to Sunday and with a head chef who has worked under the inimitable Gordon Ramsay. It offers delicious Italian food with a modern twist.

Maintaining the Italian theme, there is Veeno on Northgate Street where the harvest from their very own vineyards is proudly presented with a wonderful and tempting range of Italian wines accompanied by cheese boards and fresh crusty bread.  Veeno overlooks the historic Chester Cathedral, so it is the perfect blend of Italian grape and English history.

Staying on Northgate Street and open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday is Chip’d. Now it is no secret that we love chips in this country and Cheshire is longing for the perfect chip, hence Chip’d.  Using a Dutch recipe and range of traditional Dutch dressings and sauces, during your visit to Chester, make sure you get Chip’d.

Street Dining or Take Out Menu

Don’t waste your stay walking around trying to find a lovely location, a vacant venue or a mouth-watering menu; stand still and let your fingers walk through our listings of the best Chester and Cheshire has to offer.  No need to falter just refine and find and feast.

So, with Italy and The Netherlands represented on Northgate Street, we need to mention 9 Elephants for a fabulous Thai cooking experience with lots of twists and turns. Whether you fancy Tuesday lunch time or Thursday evening or any point in between, the doors of 9 Elephants are open and the open kitchen is waiting to take your order.

Simon Radley at The Grosvenor is the only Michelin starred restaurant in Chester and arguably the best fine dining experience in Cheshire if not the whole of the North West. Explore dishes created by Simon and his team and discover wines from around the globe in the world beating wine cellar.  Booking is recommended as diners travel from far and wide to savour the Simon Radley experience.

Ok, ok, where are the burgers, we hear you say!

 Get yourself down to Bridge Street and stumble upon Burger Shed 41 where New York inspired brisket burgers are the centrepiece of the menu.  Compliment your burger with chilli cheese fries and a milkshake or a float or a craft beer and you have casual dining heaven.

We really want to tell you about The Botanist on St Werburgh Street where the vegan and vegetarian and gluten free options mean their doors are open to every diner.  This intriguing venue welcomes everyone, families with children, dogs, or just diners looking for cocktails, craft beers, close up table magic and musical bingo.

Commonhall St Social which unsurprisingly is on Commonhall Street is a hidden gem of a pub tucked away down a side street but don’t miss it.  It offers craft beers from small and artisan brewers and delicious food in a warm and inviting former mill. The venue also has a secret room upstairs available for private parties, weddings, birthdays or whatever you want to celebrate secretly.

There is always room for one more at our table when you choose to dine in Chester and you will find a plateful of passion in a plethora of places. 

Don’t say it with flowers, say it with food 

Chester Casual Dining including cheap family menu options

Do you remember that year the special someone in your life gave you flowers on Valentine’s day? No, nobody ever does but do you remember the year you went to that Greek place on the high street? Not sure the dancing on the table went down as well as it could but you remember it though.

When Valentine’s day comes around on the calendar in Chester, we don’t say it with flowers, we say it with food and so will most restaurants in Chester.  Every pub and restaurant seize the opportunity to bring the theme of love to the menu with passionate dishes, steamy cocktails and sensual offers to entice those looking for love, deeply in love or disappointed in love. 

January may be fighting off the post-Christmas blues but February is the month of Cupid’s Arrow, Sex on the Beach, Painkiller, Hanky Panky, Love Martini, Gentleman’s Choice, White Lady and a whole load more dubiously titled cocktails.  February is good food, great wine, delicious craft beers, devastating desserts and love, love, love.H

Just as Chester dates back to Roman times so St Valentine’s day does too. The annual celebration of love and romance appears to have its roots in a pagan fertility festival known as Lupercalia. The festival is said to have involved lots of naked people running through the streets spanking the backsides of young women with leather whips, supposedly to improve their fertility. 

Like many of the pagan festivals, the early Christian Church appears to have hijacked the celebration and repackaged it as they are rumoured to have done with large elements of what we now know as Christmas. At least two early Christian martyrs, apparently both called Valentine, met their ends on February 14th

Having said all that, we probably have a Frenchman to thank for forging the link between Valentine and love.  After being captured at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, Charles, the Duke of Orléans, was writing to his wife from his prison cell in the Tower of London. In his letter, he refers to her as “my very sweet valentine” and the greetings card industry was delighted.

Now you are unlikely to find any naked spanking in the pubs and restaurants of CH1 although Cheshire itself is a big county with miles of remote countryside…  

However, you will find a bewildering range of pubs, cafes, restaurants, eateries, bars, hostelries and quirky venues all putting St Valentine’s day at the heart of their offering. When Valentine’s day comes around for you and that special someone, find your way to the heart of Chester and Chester will find its way into your heart.

The oven is always on in CH1… use our website to navigate around the culinary corridors and well catered alleys of Chester and find your food fantasy. 

Shop, coffee, shop, eat, then shop some more, early dinner?

Whilst food and drink (restaurants in Chester) accounts for a significant number of venues in Chester, the sector is delighted to be happy bedfellows with another passion, shopping. 

Chester is a retail haven and home to many of the premium brands including French Connection, Hugo Boss, Laura Ashley, Morgan and Annabella of Chester.  Indulgence is lunch in La Brasserie within the Chester Grosvenor with a little tipple from the champagne bar followed by picking something out from Boodles, the jewellers next door. 

Shopping in Chester is pure delight. Enjoy the quirky alleys and cobbled streets, the undercover shopping malls and the two tiered galleries known as the Rows dating back 700 years. Lace this together with fashion, gifts, jewellery and delicatessens and you have a full day ahead. All we need to do now is feed you.

Just read the reviews, Chester is a ‘must taste’ landmark on the food and drink map of the United Kingdom.

The city welcomes thousands of visitors from across the globe every year and they all arrive hungry and leave happy. 

Can we suggest Artichoke in the Steam Mill on Canalside?  An ideal venue for catching your breath and enjoying coffee and homemade cakes. This warm and child friendly bistro is open from breakfast to midnight on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, now that is good to know. 

How about Paysan on Bridge Street for a simple offering of coffee, wine and cheese? A relaxed wine bar with a wine list which is as unique as it is extensive. The doors open at 1pm every day until late so plenty of time to have a coffee, get some more shopping done and return for an indulgent glass of wine.

If time allows as you gird your loins ready for round two or three of shopping, how about the Brewhouse on Love Street? Craft beers and ales are brewed on site right in front of you and someone is always on hand to explain what is going on.  The opening hours are 11am to almost midnight, every day of the week for the best Chester restaurants.

A festival of flavour, sunshine and sensational variety

Just a quick note to mention the Chester Food & Drink Festival which takes places at Chester racecourse in April.  The event is an annual opportunity for food lovers and connoisseurs to enjoy a tremendous celebration of food, rub shoulders with celebrity chefs and pick up recipes, tips and produce. 

The pubs, cafes and restaurants of CH1 do not let this event pass them by and the days during, before and after the festival are a highly recommended time to find an open table or book a table at Chester’s best eateries.  The chefs in all these food palaces are at the very top of their game and that provides an absolute treat for the diners.

Burgers, bhajis, banoffee or brulee; downtown, up town, in town or out of town – there is only one place to find the very best food and drink on offer in Chester and Cheshire.  Well done you on finding us, now let us find your next great menu, cocktail, beer or flavoured gin.

Every season, all year, Chester’s kitchen is never closed

Some of the best places to eat and drink including healthy or a treat

The joy of Chester and Cheshire is that there is something for every visitor to see and do every single day of the year.  Within Chester, the kitchen is never closed and so the pubs, cafes and restaurants in Chester and of the city are ready to feed you every single day of the year. 

The direct relationship we have with the best pubs, cafes and restaurants in Chester means we are your catalyst to an open table and to a satisfying lunch, delightful dinner or drinks with friends.

Brush aside the January post Christmas blues with a lovely evening spent chatting with friends and planning the year ahead.  It may be cold outside but there is always a warm welcome in the pubs and bars scattered around the city. 

Cocktails in The Boardroom on City Road are as delicious to watch as they are to drink, prepared by this venue’s expert mixologists. 

Just out of the city is The Suburbs on Charles Street, a traditional pub with a twist and a fine line in swag and style.  Whether eating out or seeking out a decent drink, The Suburbs hits the spot.

Looking to put a smile on your face in gloomy January? Seek out Bridge Street and pull up a chair at the bar in the Cavern of the Curious Gnome, where European beers sit alongside beers from around the world.

As February arrives and we either embrace or shun the romantic meanderings of Valentine’s day, the cold outside is still forcing us inside.

If spectacular décor is your thing whilst you drink a delicious cocktail, then The Alchemist on Saint John Street is the venue for you. They open just before lunchtime every day and they close when your glass is empty.

Even if we are not blessed with the sun in Chester in February, we can always imagine it as we enjoy authentic Spanish tapas in Porta on Northgate Street.  The no booking policy provides for a busy, bustling, high energy venue.

Spring is hopefully showing itself in March and April along with the many attractions and offers around Easter.  Many of the best restaurants in Chester are evolving their menus to include delicious, local fresh produce and heralding the early signs of warm, sunny salads and al fresco dining. 

Michelin star or a snack before the car, as you stay another day or pack and head away… Chester.com, the website where you can reach the best of the best in food and drink.

Perhaps escaping the city for a while in search of wild daffodils in the hedgerow is a good plan. In which case, head to The Ring O’Bells in Christleton for a mouth-watering Sunday roast or stone baked pizza in a quaint Cheshire village pub.  A wonderful menu to suit all dietary needs along with a splendid setting to take the children, the family dog and visiting friends.

Chester in May opens up sitting by the river and perhaps an ice cream but for the more energetic, head out to the Peckforton Hills for a gentle stroll or pacey ramble.  Having built up an appetite, set a course for The Pheasant in Tattenhall and feast on wholesome, honest pub grub in a five star venue. The location is Cheshire at its finest. In fact, the location is England at its finest.

Looking for something in the city but completely different, then it is time to go to The Church on Newgate Street.  This beautifully restored and unique venue caters for everyone whether you want to take a pew in the bar, look to the heavens from the outdoor terrace or get up amongst the gods in The Gallery Restaurant.  This characteristic location is open every day including Sunday.

As the Summer months drift along, weddings become a feature of seemingly every weekend and you seek any excuse to enjoy al fresco dining.  Let the sun cascade its rays upon you by finding an open table at The White Horse at Chester Racecourse, 1539 Restaurant & Bar on Nuns Road, or Twenty2 on City Walls.  Each of these venues is absolutely worth a visit with distinctly different ambiences.

The onset of Autumn and the months of September and October allow the food and drink venues of Chester to introduce their Winter menus with stomach filling, warming, satisfying dishes to suit every dietary need – vegan, gluten free, vegetarian, chocoholic and more. 

Everything in Chester revolves around food and everything in Chester revolves around you.  Whether you are visiting Cheshire from across the world, across the country or across the street, we can’t wait to guide you to fabulous tastes and sensational flavours.

Stumbling upon the odd Halloween party or bonfire party is sure to keep you entertained as you gambol through November towards the food and drink monolithic event of every bar, café, restaurant and pub’s calendar… Christmas.

The taste of Christmas in Chester

Christmas in Chester is magical. During the day the beautifully decorated streets and alleys of CH1 bustle with excited shoppers, festive lunchers and works outings which extend beyond the allocated hour. 

In the evening, the Christmas lights draped in the streets become more sparkly, the Christmas windows in the shops more inviting and the pubs, bars and restaurants in Chester heave with merriment and parties.  It is enchanting. The streets have a Dickensian charm. The party people have an absolute ball.

Black ties and cocktail dresses leave The Grosvenor with the piper still ringing in their ears. Jeans and sweatshirts leave Alexander’s Live with the last punchline still tickling them as they stroll down the street. The children with Mum and Dad leave Dough Dough with the last piece of pizza that they couldn’t quite finish in a doggy bag.  The children are chattering excitedly and savouring the opportunity of being out late. 

It is Christmas in Cheshire. It is Christmas in Chester.

Mates, dates and empty plates

Chester is the food and drink capital of Cheshire.  We invite you to sample as much as you want and as much as you can.  We are here to be your guide. We are here to help. Whether it is a business trip or a leisure trip.  Whether it is family or friends. Whether it is work colleagues or loved ones. Whether it is a good pub, a great café, a boisterous bar or a sublime restaurant, the food and drink are so good here, it really is the home of mates, dates and empty plates.

Find an open table and pull up a chair and join us in Chester.