Tripadvisor reveals UK's best restaurants - including a mashed potato bar

A Lake District restaurant has been named the best fine dining eatery in the world, while a mash shop in Scotland was judged the most comforting of all.

The Old Stamp House Restaurant in Ambleside has claimed the coveted top spot for a second consecutive year in the 2022 Best of the Best Restaurants list.

Housed in the former office of William Wordsworth, the restaurant boasts a Michelin Star and celebrates the food and cultural heritage of Cumbria.

The Old Stamp was awarded the gong by Tripadvisor, which has also drawn up top tens across their six categories, Fine Dining, Everyday Eats, Picture-Perfect, Date Night, Hidden Gems and Quick Bites.

The eateries have done well in all of the categories.

The Old Stamp was judged to be the best of the best (Google Maps)

Another winner in the Fine Dining category is Paul Ainsworth at No. 6 in Padstow, which was judged to be the tenth best in the world.

The Michelin star restaurant is located in a stunning Georgian townhouse in Cornwall and is renowned for serving incredibly fresh seafood.

In the Ultimate Comfort Food category - which ranks foods which are delicious and comforting, but won't break the bank - perhaps unsurprisingly a Scottish eatery came out on top.

Makars was judged to be the most comforting restaurant in the world (Google)

Makars Gourmet Mash Bar serves up nine different variations of mash potato including chilli spicy, smoked bacon and spring onion, and black pudding mashes, all to accompany a variety of classic Scottish dishes.

Makars serves plenty of veggie and vegan dishes, and is now providing customers in London with delicious mash at its Covent Garden branch.

As much as the awards are dominated by well celebrated venues, the Must-Try Hidden Gem category shines a spotlight on the up-and-coming, perhaps overlooked places where you can grab a bite.

Paul Ainsworth at No. 6 came in the top ten globally (Google)

Fifth in the world league tables is Doncaster Spanish tapas restaurant, La Fiesta.

Reviewers praised the restaurant for its all you can eat tapas option and great atmosphere in the restaurant, which has an untouchable five star rating from nearly 2,000 reviews.

Those looking to fall in love over a piping hot dish, or catch the eye of a potential suitor over the waiter's shoulder, could do worse than heading to the Salamander Restaurant in Mevagissey in Cornwall.

La Fiesta in Doncaster is a hidden gem (Google)

It was ranked 13th in the Best of the Best Date Night Restaurants category due to its very intimate setting in a fishing village still home to many operating pilchard boats.

For a romantic restaurant on a global scale, the love-struck are advised to head to Brazil to check out the Altto Ristorante & Lounge Bar.

With a breath-taking view of the Bay of Armação and unparalleled gastronomic experience, it is all but guaranteed to make you fall in love.

“Dining out is an internationally beloved pastime: for many restaurant-goers, it's frequenting their favourite neighbourhood eatery and for others, it’s snagging a table at a top-rated restaurant on holiday," Lauren Murphy, vice president of hospitality solutions at Tripadvisor said.

A very romantic night can be had at the Salamander Restaurant (Google)

"More than half of consumers in a recent survey* told us that food is the most exciting component of their trip.

“Like searching through a big menu for the perfect meal, recommendations can be helpful in decision making, and our community’s guidance makes choosing from the wide array of restaurants easier.

"Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards, decided by people who visited and reviewed these places in the past year, offers authentic recommendations for the best places to eat no matter the occasion."

Top 10 Date Night Restaurants in the UK

1. Salamander Restaurant, Mevagissey, Cornwall
2. Jackson’s Bistro, Bowness on Windermere, Cumbria
3. Ditto Restaurant, Whitby, North Yorkshire
4. Paul Ainsworth at No. 6, Padstow, Cornwall
5. Kysty Ambleside, Ambleside, Cumbria
6. Antidote, Ilfracombe, Devon
7. One Fish Street, St Ives, Cornwall
8. The Jumble Room, Grasmere, Cumbria
9. The Bank Restaurant, Barmouth, North Wales
10. The Kitchen, Polperro, Cornwall

Top 10 Everyday Eats Restaurants in the UK

1. Makars Gourmet Mash Bar, Edinburgh
2. Simla Restaurant, Newcastle, Tyne and Wear
3. Rio Brazillian Steakhouse, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire
4. Bonoo Indian Tapas, London
5. La Fiesta Restaurant, Doncaster, South Yorkshire
6. The Laundrette, Manchester, Greater Manchester
7. Harvey’s Bar/Kitchen, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
8. Teppanyaki Chinatown, Manchester, Greater Manchester
9. Greek Taverna Bold Street, Liverpool, Merseyside
10. Baqueano, Brighton, East Sussex

Top 10 Fine Dining Restaurants in the UK

1. The Old Stamp House Restaurant, Ambleside, Cumbria
2. Paul Ainsworth at No. 6, Padstow, Cornwall
3. Hide and Fox, Hythe, Kent
   
4. Frog by Adam Handling, London
5. The Olive Tree, Bath, Somerset
6. Galvin La Chapelle, London
7. The Gannet, Glasgow
8. The Mahal, Cheltenham, Cotswolds
9. Dean Banks at the Pompadour, Edinburgh
10. Gem42, Newport, South Wales

Top 10 Hidden Gems in the UK

1. La Fiesta Restaurant, Doncaster, South Yorkshire
2. MUSE Brasserie, Cheltenham, Cotswolds
3. Taste Vietnam, Coventry, West Midlands
4. The Herd Steak Restaurant, Bath, Somerset
5. Buongiorno, York, North Yorkshire
6. Myrtle Tavern, Meanwood, Leeds, West Yorkshire
7. Spasso, London
8. Myra’s Kaiseki, Dorchester, Dorset
9. Himalayan Restaurant Belfast, Belfast
10. Corarima, Wakefield, West Yorkshire

What's your favourite restaurant? Let us know in the comments below.