Small but mighty: Chester is home to just under 100,000 people, but punches above its weight when it comes to its food, as we discovered.
Chester’s 13th century buildings at the centre of town – known as The Rows – offered the benefits of multi-storey shopping long before Westfields were a thing – it’s thought the stone basem*nts were built to protect against fires. And over the course of a short walk, you’ll find interesting shops and eateries in some of these 800-year-old galleried buildings, including wine bars and award-winning pizzerias.
Of course Cheshire is known for its cheese, home to one of Britain’s most famous cheeses of the same name. If you’re after a taste of the good stuff, head to The Cheese Shop, who sell over 200 different kinds, most of which are made in the UK by local producers in England and Wales. Cheshires from Appleby’s and Bournes are the ones to look out for if you want a souvenir. Then, when it’s a sit down bite or meal you’re after, here are our top picks…
Best for coffee and pastries
Kookaburra is an Australian-owned bakery – the clue is in the name – owned by self-taught baker Jessica Reynolds. Learning viennoiserie in lockdown via Bread Ahead’s bakery courses, Jessica has now been running her highly successful cornershop bakery for 4 years. Specials change frequently but you’ll always find Jessica’s popular cheesymite croissants (made with Vegemite), and Smarties cookie dough croissants for the sweet toothed. Tim Tams, lamingtons and Cherry Ripes are available for the Ozophiles and coffee comes from All Caps, based in the North West.
When coffee and cake calls, the Jaunty Goat answers. This bustling café is also a coffee roastery and is a mini-chain, boasting two sites in the city. The acoustics at the popular Bridge Street shop make for a wake-up call (almost as much as the excellent coffee), but that’s just one of the drawbacks of beautiful ancient brickwork. Service is friendly and the cakes and brunch are freshly prepared.
Best for lunch
Ranked 18th best pizzeria in Europe and 3rd best in the UK in the 50 Top Pizza awards 2024, Stile Napolitano is a success story and it’s easy to see why. Their Naples-style dough is big and floppy in the best way, and their toppings include moreish options like a parmigiana pizza with aubergine, smoked mozzarella and basil, Neopolitan ragù pizza, or a white pizza with courgette cream, ricotta and fried courgettes. A perfect lunch on Watergate street.
Under one roof at the New Chester market (closed Mondays), you can find Thai food, tacos, and a traditional butcher. The venue is full of ample seating, so it’s a great place to stop by for a quick bite and a sit down after a day of site seeing. Local bands and musicians often provide a soundtrack to your meal in the evenings, too.
There is a lot to be said for taking a quiet break in a beautiful library when on holiday, and Storyhouse is a unique library indeed. A renovated Art Deco 1930s building, it’s a complete cultural hub, housing one of the city’s best independent cinemas and theatres. Upon visiting, you’ll probably leave thinking ‘why don’t we have one of these where I live?’. As well as all this, The Kitchen restaurant offers pizzas, mezze plates and a range of brunches at reasonable prices.
Best for a special occasion
The produce at Twenty Eight all comes from the farm after which its named, Field28, a local pesticide and biocide-free farm 18 miles away near Daresbury. Head chef Jay Tanner’s lunch menu is available for a very reasonable £20 for 3 plates, and dishes are inventive and full of those full-flavoured vegetables. Menu highlights might include a trout pastrami with dill pickles and sweet-and-sour rhubarb, or Kentucky fried courgettes with smoked garlic honey and aioli and Cheshire tomato with local vinegar and rapeseed and lemon basil oil. This is the kind of food that leaves you full, but smug at how many plants you’ve consumed in one sitting.
You could bring a vegetarian to Upstairs at The Grill, but it would be pretty mean. For here, it is all about the steak. Inspired by the steakhouses of New York, this restaurant offers cuts from as far away as Australia and the US, but it’s the British and Irish beef steaks that really impressed us. Stand-out starters include homemade cheese scones and a prawn co*cktail that’s big enough to be a main course, made with not one but three types of shellfish (and served in a silver octopus-head vessel that’s as grand as bowls come…).
Best for evening drinks
Wine enjoyers could do a lot worse than sup a few glasses inside Vin Santo, which has been a wine merchant for 200 years and is housed in a (wait for it) 800-year-old building. Owner Simon and general manager Tom know an impressive amount about their bottles and run tastings twice a month, with private tastings bookable for the same price. They frequently visit their winemakers, and their vast knowledge means they’ll be able to offer all kinds of recommendations to suit your tastes.
Where to stay in Chester
Situated canal-side, overlooking disused factories (it’s better than it sounds honest), the Moxy provides big North West energy with everything you’d be after in terms of luxury and modern comforts – plus it’s a short stroll from the station and the city centre attractions. Rooms include coffee and tea facilities, 42-inch TVs with quality sound systems, and plenty of room to relax. Available from £69 a night.
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