Diners' Choice: Innovative restaurants in Chester

OpenTable

Updated May 05, 2026

Looking for the best restaurants that are fit for foodies in Chester? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Shrub

4.9

4.9 (1536)

£26 to £40

British

Chester

About the restaurant

Welcome to Shrub.
Modern Cafe Culture in the heart of Chester.
Whether it's a coffee in the morning, a light lunch on the terrace with a glass of wine from our eclectic selection, to an intimate dinner for two in the restaurant, we aim to offer something for everyone at every time of the day.
If you're not hungry join us for drinks in our bar area where you can sample some of our delicious in house cocktails.
Whatever the time, whatever the occasion we look forward to seeing you.

Top review

Mark

Dined 6 days ago

Great lunch - excellent service. Highly recommend

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4.9

4.9 (205)

£41 and over

French

Chester

About the restaurant

Covino is a small wine-led restaurant and bar in the heart of Chester City Centre.

Our one-chef kitchen offers a menu of seasonally guided small plates rooted largely in French cuisine, whilst our cellar boasts a thoughtfully chosen selection of over 130 different wines from around the world, ranging from iconic classics to the more leftfield.

Top review

Alec

Dined on Apr 25, 2026

We had a great experience - superb food and great wine selections. Perfectly looked after by the friendly team at Covino. Thanks!

The Chefs Table

4.8

4.8 (3982)

£26 to £40

British

Chester

About the restaurant

Lunch Offer - Two Courses for £40 / Three Courses for £45

We are an independent restaurant in the heart of Chester offering microseasonal dining with menus designed around what's growing on our farm in Daresbury. Menus change every four to six weeks.

Vegan / GF / DF Menus available

Climate controlled premises.

- - -
If your preferred time is not available please make a note on your reservation and we will try our best to accommodate you in the event of a cancellation. If you don't see the time you would like, please email us at info@chefstablechester.co.uk with the preferred time, party size, and telephone number and we will check our availability.

Top review

Carmel

Dined 2 days ago

We thoroughly enjoyed our anniversary lunch at the chefs table, food was delicious especially the Persian lamb dish. Service is excellent. We would highly recommend.

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Experience

6 Course 'Taste of the Menu'

Experience

Lunch Offer : 3 Courses £45

The White Horse Churton

4.8

4.8 (1192)

£26 to £40

British

Churton

About the restaurant

The White Horse in Churton, the very first pub from Elite Bistros, the award winning team behind, Sticky Walnut, Hispi, Wreck and Usher's Bakehouse.

You'll find a warm welcome, a great range of beers and well stocked bar plus all the fantastic food you have come to expect from Elite Bistros. Our toasty open fires are perfect to while away the hours with the newspapers or when the sun shines you can enjoy our terrace and beer garden.

Our kitchen is open 7 days a week, 12.00-8.00pm Mon-Thurs, 12.00-9.00pm Fri-Sat and 12.00-7.30pm on Sundays.

We can't wait to welcome you all and show you around.

Top review

Siobhain

Dined 1 day ago

Delicious food and friendly service cannot wait to eat here again!

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4.7

4.7 (710)

£25 and under

Pizzeria

Chester

About the restaurant

Urbano32 is a pizza restaurant, bar & social meeting place.
The focal point of the restaurant alongside its amazing rustic, industrial interior is the handmade clay pizza oven from which we serve sourdough pizzas alongside antipasti & daily specials using only the freshest quality ingredients.
With a thriving bar scene both before & after dining, fantastic service & great food Urbano32 is perfect for any occasion. A bespoke wine list together with a small but well defined cocktail list & a selection of craft beers will satisfy guests with even the most diverse of tastes.
Urbano32’s welcoming staff will provide you with great service and that coupled with the amazing food & drink makes us a fantastic addition to Chester’s dining scene.

Top review

Angharad

Dined 3 days ago

If I could rate higher. I would. Fantastic food quality. Fantastic service. Wonderful atmosphere

Sticky Walnut

4.7

4.7 (2996)

£26 to £40

Bistro

Chester

About the restaurant

The flagship restaurant of Gary Usher's Elite Bistro group. Simple, straightforward, bistro food, always. Named one of UK's top 20 restaurants by National Restaurant Awards in 2018, with glowing reviews in The Times and The Guardian.

Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.
Stop by after shopping for lunch or join us for some early evening dining with our set menu. And see you Sundays for a delicious roast!

Visit our sister restaurants across the North West at Hispi in Manchester, Wreck in Liverpool and our pub The White Horse in Churton.

We look forward to welcoming you soon.

Top review

Allyson

Dined 5 days ago

We were a group of 4 and had a fantastic lunch from the fixed price menu. Could not fault anything. Food and service were excellent and the room was a perfect temperature on a hot day. We will definitely be back.

Twenty Eight

4.7

4.7 (361)

£26 to £40

British

Chester

About the restaurant

Situated within Chef's Table, Twenty Eight is a relaxed lounge and dining space with a full restaurant menu, designed for the way people enjoy an evening now- whether that’s a glass of champagne and a few small plates, or settling in for a long and leisurely evening.

Designed to pair beautifully with champagne, cocktails and classic wines, the menu centres around seasonal small plates, refined snacks and indulgent fare, including our wagyu burger, fried chicken with caviar, and lobster frites alongside salads and an 'on toast' menu using our own freshly baked bread.

Equally suited to a spontaneous drink, a relaxed catch-up over food with friends, or an intimate date night, Twenty Eight also makes the perfect stop before or after dining at Chef’s Table next door.

Head Chef : Jay Tanner
2024 Condé Nast Traveller Restaurant Awards Winner : Reader's Favourite
1 AA Rosette • Square Meal Top 100 Restaurants 2025

Top review

Alison

Dined 3 days ago

Twentysix was everything g we'd expected and more from dining at The Chef's Table. The ambience was romantic, food and service excellent. They also had some personal recommendations for us to try. An outstanding experience from start to finish.

Opera Grill - Chester

4.5

4.5 (554)

£26 to £40

Grill

Chester

About the restaurant

Located in the heart of Chester, Restaurant Bar & Grill Opera Grill is one of the city’s most iconic dining destinations.
Spanning three floors, the venue features stylish restaurant and bar spaces, a live music lounge with stage, a south-facing rooftop terrace, private dining room and vibrant cocktail bars perfect for celebrations, drinks and all-day dining.
Inspired by global flavours and premium ingredients, the menu showcases signature steaks, fresh seafood, grilled dishes and crafted cocktails in an experience-led setting.
Open from lunch until late, seven days a week, Opera Grill Chester is ideal for brunch, dinner, celebrations, private events and late-night dining.

Top review

Victoria

Dined 7 days ago

The atmosphere was great, the food was fantastic and the staff were all just brilliant. From the moment we arrived nothing was too much trouble, we were well looked after and enjoyed truly great service and really excellent food. We had such a gorgeous time and will definitely be back.

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Experience

Gospel Sunday by Sing Out Music

4.4

4.4 (550)

£26 to £40

Contemporary British

Chester

About the restaurant

AA 2 Rosette restaurant. The Forge Restaurant in Chester is one of Chester’s best restaurants with delicious food and unrivalled service. With a passion for wild, sustainable British ingredients, and a love of simple cooking over fire and charcoal. The Forge has its kitchen front and centre in the middle of this lovely, and elegant space. Incredible dry-aged beef and wild venison will be found in the maturation cabinets, awaiting their turn on the amazing forge grill, to be lovingly grilled and roasted over beech logs. Head chef Dan Regan, a passionate chef, heads up the young, vibrant team in the kitchen. Combining amazing, wild, sustainable ingredients from land and sea into sumptuous creations that form really memorable eating experiences. We focus on British ingredients, as local to Chester. Our venison, always a hugely popular part of our menus, is harvested from herds on estates that focus on improving biodiversity and deer health – a process we call Farming the Wild.

Top review

David

Dined on May 9, 2026

our first visit and it didn't disappoint. the food was amazing and the staff couldn't do enough for us. we will return for sure

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The Ivy Chester Brasserie

4.3

4.3 (311)

£25 and under

British

Chester

About the restaurant

Situated on Newgate Street in the heart of the city centre, The Ivy Chester Brasserie offers a sophisticated yet relaxed environment for every occasion. From casual lunches to leisurely dinners, guests can enjoy a thoughtfully crafted menu in a beautifully designed space.

Top review

RichardGold

Dined 5 days ago

We’ve visited The Ivy Chester a few times now and have thoroughly enjoyed every visit. The restaurant has a lovely atmosphere, and the menu is varied with plenty of both à la carte and set menu options. The food is always excellent quality, beautifully presented, and most importantly, the service is fantastic. On each occasion we’ve been looked after by Richard, who is friendly, attentive, remembers our drink choices, and remains incredibly efficient despite how busy the restaurant is. We’ll definitely be returning again soon.

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Experience

Father's Day at The Ivy

Explore Diners' Choice best of Chester