It’s been a stellar year for eating out. Gourmand Gunno chalked up his century of restaurants visited in 2025 on 5 December, with several more bookings still in the diary. He had the privilege to visit 10 countries across 3 continents in the past 12 months. These trips provided many wonderful dining opportunities. Just over 40 new reviews were posted to the website. Below follow the highlights –
Best overall experience: Gorse in Cardiff. Few places anywhere win a Michelin star within 8 months of opening. Gorse could also have featured in the “best new openings” and “best high-end” categories.
Best new openings visited: Notting Hill’s The Fat Badger gastropub, that perfectly captures the current zeitgeist; and, Ambassador’s Clubhouse, for decadent Indian dining. A shout-out too to The Tamil Prince, a perfect pub-curry crossover. Although 3 years old, your reviewer only got to it in 2025 – but loved it so much, he’s now been twice.
Best high-end experiences: Core (excellent, as ever), Elystan Street (ex-Square chef, Philip Howard, has created a neighbourhood classic) and Kai (best Chinese in Mayfair).
Best non-UK experiences: undoubtedly Michelangelo Mammoliti’s La Rei Natura in Italy’s Piemonte region. It was mind-blowingly original and recently received its third Michelin star – just after we visited. Elsewhere, plaudits to San Francisco’s The Progress, featured on the Global Gunno page. Your reviewer also enjoyed three days of top dining in Spain’s Priorat region.
Old favourites that continue to deliver: No new reviews, but delightful dining once again in The Crab House Café (seafood, Dorset), Da Daniela (pizza, Maida Vale), Delamina (Middle Eastern, Marylebone), Guinea Grill (old school British, Mayfair) and Randall & Aubin (seafood, Soho).
New local discoveries: If the environs of W9, then check-out Kotta Sushi or The Seymour Kitchen (which is Middle Eastern in style). Both had not been visited by your reviewer prior to this year but will merit return trips.
Fun miscellany: (1) on being freed from reviewing restaurants - almost (2) on being the only diners in a down-at-heel venue which served excellent Hunan food (3) on three days checking out the food scene in Kinsale, Ireland.