Food and friendliness: Britain’s most welcoming restaurants

I went to a well-known Michelin-starred restaurant a few weeks ago and I hated every minute. The food was remarkable, of course, with every dish a picture and each morsel technically perfect. But the restaurant itself was ghastly and sterile. Fellow diners stared glassy-eyed at their plates, terrified of raising their voices. The prices were eye-watering and the staff arrogant and complacent. They seemed to hate us all.

Two days later, I found myself in a much humbler establishment. The fare was first rate and the atmosphere jolly and bustling, but it was the warmth of the welcome that really struck me.

It’s easy to find fine food; it’s less easy to find places that welcome you as if all they want in the world is your happiness. Here below – in no particular order – are ten such places, all of which I’ve enjoyed hugely over the last few weeks.

Upstairs at The George

The George is a fine, beautifully restored 18^th century boozer in central London.