Reigate, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

This “great family pub” – “aka The Inn on the Green, part of the small Grumpy Mole chain” – attracts a fair number of reports and “is a delightful spot overlooking the Surrey countryside”, with a “relaxed atmosphere” and a “tempting menu” that ticks most boxes. “The only issue is that you have to book a long time in advance for Sunday lunch”.

“Steve Drake is at the top of his game” and “continues to turn out beautifully prepared dishes, visit after visit” according to practically all reports on this much commented-on fixture: a “smart destination suited to a special occasion” in the centre of “lucky Dorking”. There’s “a very high level of professionalism in both kitchen and front-of-house” and the result is “a brilliantly devised, modulated and presented menu” full of “inventive and original flavours”; together with “an excellent choice of wines”. One caveat, though – “check your bank balance before booking!”

2023 Review: This “lovely” mid-Victorian boozer (believed to be the only ‘Haycutter’ in the country) earns solid ratings for its “good old-fashioned pub grub” and “brilliant” all-round performance. It is now part of the Brunning & Price group.

“A great addition to the local Oxshott/Cobham area” – this smartly converted pub in the heart of the plush commuter belt from chef Matt Larcombe and front-of-house Simon King is universally applauded for standards that are a cut above in all respects. But even fans note that “while superb, it’s definitely on the pricey side”, to the extent some consider it “expensive for what it is”. Top Menu Tip – “good and varied wine list”, with one or two trophy vintages (at well over £1,000 per bottle).

Food TV staple José Pizarro’s first outfit outside the capital – and first gastroboozer (with rooms) – is set in “a not-completely-obvious location” in the Surrey ‘burbs. Reviews were slightly muted this year: while most praised the “great modern Spanish food” (including “fabulous tapas”), others noted a lack of atmosphere (“wouldn’t be hard to make it feel a bit more intimate”).

The Rarebreed Dining Group’s boozer is far from your regular beast: the in-house butchery and smokery turns out “excellent” meaty cuts including chateaubriand, t-bone or sous-vide sirloin; in August they also run an outdoor cinema if you’d like some celluloid after your steak.

From a growing popular chain of ‘no membership’ clubs, this comfortable venue has a bar, lounge, orangery and terrace, along with “fun” all-weather igloos on the roof, in which to graze on a pretty standard all-day menu of Italian-inspired dishes, including pizza and pasta. Not a culinary fave rave, but handy for many occasions.

2021 Review: “Good Italian food in the Surrey Hills” is to be found in this substantial village pub, now operated by an Italian team that ran restaurants in Guildford for three decades. The bar menu of pizzas and pasta is complemented by a more formal menu in the restaurant.

2023 Review: “Good solid food” and a “large outdoor space for eating” makes this country pub a handy refuelling spot for visitors to the RHS gardens at nearby Wisley.

“Set in a delightful village” in the Surrey Hills, this 17th-century red-brick cottage now houses a “delightful restaurant” where the “mild Moroccan influence on modern British food makes for a superb dining experience” (“I live in London and go specially”). “The staff cannot do enough to make your meal enjoyable – and that includes the charming owner”, Jack Forrest Foster.

“Fairy lights, greenery and charming decor create a warm and cosy atmosphere” at this still-expanding group, which is most popular as a “reliable and friendly brunch option”. Its Med-inspired tapas is typically rated somewhere between “tasty” and “nothing special” and scores overall are dragged well down by those experiencing “chaotic service” and “food that doesn’t live up to the pretty dining room”.

2021 Review: A refurbishment/relaunch a few years ago added to the charms of this good all-round boozer, handy pre- or post catching the nags at Sandown Park, whose food was consistently well-rated last year.

“Truly beautiful and with superb food” – “the gracious room with stunning gardens beyond (including a unique walled kitchen garden) help make for a very special experience” at this “fabulous location” – an Elizabethan country house deep in the Sussex countryside (whose grounds were laid out in the 1880s by its then-owner, a famous landscape gardener). A hotel since 1958, it was relaunched in 2018 with a new “brilliantly architecturally conceived modern dining room” – a “light and airy space” whose “gorgeous views” mean “you actually feel it’s part of the outside”. And – having largely sunk from view in terms of gastronomy – nowadays its “quietly impressive” performance under chef George Blogg is establishing itself as one of the top 10 most commented-on destinations outside the capital in our annual diners’ poll. He “has significantly upped the kitchen’s game, with a three-course menu, perfectly prepared and exquisitely presented, incorporating wonderfully fresh herbs and vegetables” backed up by a heavyweight wine list. Top Tip – stay the night and “breakfast is every bit as good as dinner!”

2022 Review: Five minutes’ walk from Norbiton station, “a great local” (dating from 1893) which was revivified in recent times by Hippo Inns with a quality food offering including “a fabulous Sunday roast”. “Well worth a visit if in the local area”.

This “great country pub” – a free house dating from the sixteenth century – benefits from inglenook fireplaces and beams inside and an inviting garden in the summer, and offers some “delicious” grub. It makes an “excellent stop when touring the local gardens”.

2021 Review: The “very pleasant surroundings” of an “excellent dining room overlooking Cannizaro Park” are let down by the consistently disappointing meals and “don’t care” attitude of staff at this Hotel du Vin outfit. “Someone rescue it – it’s a waste of a fantastic space”.

“Fairy lights, greenery and charming decor create a warm and cosy atmosphere” at this still-expanding group, which is most popular as a “reliable and friendly brunch option”. Its Med-inspired tapas is typically rated somewhere between “tasty” and “nothing special” and scores overall are dragged well down by those experiencing “chaotic service” and “food that doesn’t live up to the pretty dining room”.