The UK's Best Date Night Restaurants To Hit Up On A Mini-Break

Whether you’re on your first date – or your 100th – it can be hard to find a restaurant that’s perfect for romancing. But if you’re after something a little special, maybe you need to head west. Way out west.

Tripadvisor has revealed its top 10 date night restaurants around the UK – and four of them are in Cornwall.

Take a trip to the picturesque fishing village of Mevagissey, Cornwall, whose cosy, family-run Salamander restaurant claimed top spot on the list. 

The restaurant is small, so booking is a must. Famed for its seafood dishes, travellers love its “friendly and relaxed” atmosphere and “lovely varied menu”.

Second on the list is based in Bowness on Windermere, Cumbria. Jackson’s Bistro offers a range of European and British cuisine, which reviewers love for its “excellent service and good atmosphere”. You’ll need a big appetite for the hearty dishes it serves. Expect rib-eye steak, scallops and – of course – sticky toffee pudding.

Next up – in third place – is Ditto Restaurant, Whitby (North Yorkshire), which one reviewer described as “unbeatable”.

Offering a mixture of European and British cuisine, expect a more refined selection of dishes such as the salt cod, potato and cheddar croquettes; or the braised beef shoulder, buttery mash and sweet spiced red cabbage with a parmesan and parsnip puree. We’re not salivating, you are.

The list was shared as part of Tripadvisor’s annual top rated restaurants in the UK and around the world – aka the Traveller’s Choice Awards.

Here’s who else made the cut...

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

The awards also crowned a Lake District restaurant as the best fine dining restaurant in the world. The Old Stamp House Restaurant in Ambleside took the coveted title of number one fine dining restaurant for the second consecutive year.

Housed in the former office of William Wordsworth, The Old Stamp House Restaurant boasts a Michelin Star and celebrates the food and cultural heritage of Cumbria. Run by two brothers, the restaurant is revered for its intimate, unique setting and tasting menu.

Others featured in the fine dining category, include Paul Ainsworth at No. 6 in Padstow (which also featured in the top list of date night spots); Hide and Fox in Hythe; London’s Frog By Adam Handling; and The Olive Tree in Bath.