The historic East Midlands city of Lincoln may not be the first you think of for a gastronomic getaway in the UK. But to dismiss this charming cathedral city’s culinary chops would be to miss out on a place of rich food heritage, deeply rooted in its agricultural traditions and superb local produce.
From medieval times, Lincoln’s fertile lands have provided an abundance of fresh vegetables, grains and meats, forming the backbone of the local diet and dishes. Over the centuries, the region’s agricultural prosperity has introduced iconic products such as the coarse-textured Lincolnshire sausage, the rich and marbled Lincoln Red beef, and the award-winning Lincolnshire Poacher cheese to the culinary canon. These ingredients, along with traditional dishes like Lincolnshire plumbread, haslet and stuffed chine, have become synonymous with the region’s cuisine. Personally, we can’t get enough of it!
But where to find the best restaurants in Lincoln, the ones that reflect the region’s rich culinary history? Here’s where; in our guide on where to eat in Lincoln.
The Bronze Pig
Sitting pretty right in the heart of Lincoln, in a narrow strip of terraced housing on Burton Road, and something of a focal point for the local foodie community, The Bronze Pig looks a little incongruous on the approach – kinda domestic, kinda residential.
Don’t be put off or think you’re in the wrong place; The Bronze Pig is Lincoln’s best restaurant, in our view, making its mark with its dedication to locally sourced and sustainable ingredients, but delivered in interesting, inventive ways. The meats and vegetables come from local farms, and seafood is sourced from British shores, on day boats whenever feasible, ensuring freshness and quality in every dish.
Sure, the the whole-wall murals might call to mind a particularly terrifying DMT breakthrough, but on the plate, it’s pure harmony. There are two menus to choose from here, which run concurrently; one steak, and the other a regularly changing, themed tasting menu.
Right now, and running until the end of October, the latter focuses on ‘The Americas’, and for £42 you can enjoy a jerk chicken lollipop, blackened monkfish with roast corn, a dulce de leche doughnut and more. Using locally sourced ingredients but giving it a global spin, it’s ace. The wine pairing is an extra £36, meaning, all-in, you’re not going to be topping £100 a head for a real treat of a meal.
That wine selection includes both Old World and New World varieties, perfect for the thematic elements of the taster. And should you overdo it, the Bronze Pig also has 15 uniquely designed boutique en suite bedrooms for guests looking to extend their visit. Or, you know, simply roll into bed after a thoroughly good feed.
The Bronze Pig is the only restaurant that’s made the influential Good Food Guide, with a rating of ‘Good’ for their food.
Address: 6 Burton Rd, Lincoln LN1 3LB
Washingborough Hall Hotel
Publicans Edward and Lucy Herring have transformed the former nightclub Washingborough Hall Hotel into a premier dining destination since its acquisition a decade ago.
Far removed from the beer-soaked carpets of its previously incarnation, the Washy (as it’s affectionately known round these parts) is now a country-chic hotel, wedding venue and restaurant. We’re here for the latter, and under the experienced hand of joint head chefs Mark Cheseldine and Anthony Smith, the kitchen here has excelled.
So much so, in fact, that Washy Hall now holds two AA Rosettes, which is an accolade that’s certainly not to be sniffed at. In the words of the AA, this equates to “higher standards, better consistency, greater precision and obvious attention to the selection of quality ingredients”.
After trying the skilfully cooked sea bass fillet – crisp skin, tender flesh, you know the story – with gnocchi and king prawn bisque on a recent visit, we couldn’t agree more with that assessment, particularly the ‘precision’ part. Whilst it’s one of Lincoln’s more prestigious eating experiences price-wise (that sea bass main will set you back £27, for instance) it’s well worth those extra few coins for a special occasion.
The hotel’s charming ambiance – all football pitch perfect green lawns, manicured hedges and the kind of gravel path entrance that feels a bit like a red carpet – makes it the ideal Lincoln location for a celebration, while the relaxed bar area provides a perfect spot for more casual dining.
Befitting a hotel and restaurant with such a rarified air, there’s also an acclaimed afternoon tea service, priced at £28.95 a head.
Address: Church Hill, Washingborough, Lincoln LN4 1EH
The Jews House Restaurant
Okay, we promised a little history and heritage from our guide to the best restaurants in Lincoln. So, next up we’re heading to the Jews House Restaurant, one of Lincoln’s most historically significant dining venues, housed in a building dating back to 1170-1180.
Just down the cobbled road from the awe-inspiring Lincoln Cathedral, and as one of the oldest surviving domestic buildings in England, it offers a unique dining atmosphere that combines medieval architecture with relatively contemporary culinary flourishes.
Back to that building, though, which is as striking as it comes, showcasing a Norman style with thick stone walls and rounded arches. It is a rare remnant of medieval Jewish life in England, reflecting the once-thriving Jewish community before their expulsion in 1290. Now a Grade I listed building, this remarkable setting provides the backdrop for a tasting menu-only affair that shoots for the stars and largely hits them.
Available in either four or six course (for the whole table) at £90 or £110 a person respectively, dishes like roast saddle of lamb, sourced from Lavinton farm, with pastilla of shoulder, smoked chickpeas and anchovy dressing, show the ambition and skill of the kitchen here. A ‘cheese course’ of aged gouda with beetroot and liquorice shows their playful side, which is refreshing in such esteemed surrounds.
Interestingly, the restaurant’s wines by the glass are poured via the Coravin system, an ingenious method that allows access to wine without pulling the cork. Instead, a needle pierces that cork, enabling the removal of the wine while replacing it with argon, an inert gas. This process keeps the wine fresh without interrupting the ageing process and, most importantly for diners, helps the restaurant offer premium wines from the cellar by the glass, without them having to splurge on the whole bottle. Accordingly, the by-the-glass wine list is affordable, expansive and full of surprises.
The Jews House Restaurant is only open for dinner, and is closed on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays.
Address: 15 The Strait, Lincoln LN2 1JD
Ole Ole Tapas Bar & Restaurant
It doesn’t all have to be tasting menus, vintage wines and hushed tones when eating out in Lincoln, though. Indeed, there are two thoroughly decent tapas bars in the city, too, both just a short walk from Lincoln’s 100 hectare West Common, and close to some of Lincoln’s main student accommodation. Unsurprisingly, the restaurant is popular with student parties, adding to the busy, vibey atmosphere here.
Of the two, we start at Ole Ole Tapas Bar & Restaurant, who do the simple things right, with tapas classics delivered just as they should be, and plenty of outdoor seating both out front and out back for the warmer evenings when you want to fantasise about being on the Costa Blanca.
It’s hard not to like this place; it’s got an extensive tapas menu (the patatas bravas are particularly good) with pretty much everything under a tenner, and it’s open all day (well, between midday and 9:30pm) daily. Ole Ole is, accordingly, just the type of place you sink into for a late and leisurely lunch and find you’re still there at closing time, still grazing and definitely not still sober. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
Website: The Lawn 3 Ingleman Place, Union Rd, Lincoln LN1 3BU
Olivares
If you can tear yourself away from Ole Ole, then perhaps we might interest you in a tapas crawl of Lincoln?
Granted, ‘crawl’ might be a bit of a grand way of saying there’s a second great Spanish restaurant in this cathedral city just a two minute walk away, but hey, after all the sangria you’ve been having, you might well be crawling…
Authenticity is the hallmark of Olivares, though the interiors here channel the somewhat cosier vibes of the Pyrenees or San Sebastien, rather than sunkissed Seville, say. Not to worry, we’re in England after all, so settle into the rug adorned, woodclad booths and order a round of marinated anchovies, tortilla (onions? check. oozing? check.) and albondigas, here the meatballs made with both beef and fatty pork, and the texture just the right side of bouncy. So good, so satisfying, and so hard not to order a second round.
Don’t leave without trying the crema catalana for afters, here presented with a little flourish and theatre. We won’t spoil the surprise!
Website: 3 Castle Hill, Lincoln LN1 3AA
The Pyewipe
Despite having a name that sounds like a playground insult, the Pyewipe is anything but juvenile. A family-run establishment since 1998, this traditional Lincoln inn offers a quintessential British pub experience but with contemporary amenities (as in, you won’t be flushing the toilet with a bucket or dining, involuntarily, by oil lamp).
Located along Britain’s oldest man-made waterway, the Pyewipe provides a picturesque setting for dining on a familiar roster of gastropub staples like breaded prawn with aioli, chicken liver parfait, slow cooked pork belly (skin crackled), sage and cider sauce and mash potatoes. Sure, there are no big surprises on the plates here, but sometimes, that’s just the point. Low on frippery but big on flavour, the Pyewipe knows what people want to eat after a couple of Old Speckled Hens.
The addition of the Lodge and Big Hat Tipis makes the Pyewipe a popular venue for weddings and special events, and moves the focus outdoors, which is a wise move as the pub’s extensive outdoor seating right next to the slow-moving, peaceful Fossdyke Canal is its strongest suit.
Though the Pyewipe is a little out of Lincoln city centre, the 45 minute waterside walk to the pub is one of the loveliest ways to spend a morning working up your appetite. And, a fine excuse to walk off your lunch afterwards, too.
Address: Saxilby Rd, Lincoln LN1 2BG
Bunty’s Tea Room
Bunty’s Tea Room offers a nostalgic journey back into the arms of traditional Lincolnshire hospitality, doilies, floral chintz china, pinkies in the air, and the rest.
Serving as something of a pit stop on Lincoln’s famous Steep Hill (clue’s in the name), and specialising in all-day afternoon tea, the tearoom serves a delightful range of homemade cakes, scones, and light lunches like the famous local plum bread with butter. The tea for two is particularly popular, featuring an assortment of sandwiches and freshly baked scones that coat the roof of your mouth so thoroughly that you won’t be able to argue about whether cream or jam goes on first.
The staff’s passion for what they do is evident in the attentive, gentle service and the homebaked quality of the food, making Bunty’s a beloved spot for both regulars and first-time visitors. Just saying the word ‘Bunty’s’ is kind of fun, too!
Address: 18 Steep Hill, Lincoln LN2 1LT
Hobbsons Pie Shop
Hobbsons Pie Shop, another on the historic Steep Hill, has been a cherished Lincoln dining spot for decades. Formerly known as Browns, the restaurant is renowned for its traditional hand-pressed pies, each crafted to showcase the best of Lincolnshire’s produce.
From Lincoln Red beef and Doom Bar ale pies to haslet sausage rolls, the menu offers something for everyone. The building’s history, once home to Lawrence of Arabia and later an antique shop, adds to the charm and allure of the dining experience here. Whether dining in or taking away, Browns Pie Shop delivers local comfort food at its finest, and is one of the best places in town to get a taste of true Lincolnshire culinary tradition.
Address: 33 Steep Hill, Lincoln LN2 1LU
Thailand No.1
All that pastry has got us craving something spicy and vital, and so it’s to Thailand No.1 that we’re turning. Thailand No.1 – one of three branches across the East Midlands, with one also in Nottingham and one in Matlock – brings that much-needed invigoration that only Thai food can deliver after a page of pies, cakes and sarnies, with the selection of salads here giving you just what you need at this gluten-heavy juncture.
Go for the laab gai – that spicy, refreshing minced chicken salad that hails from the North East but is eaten all across the Kingdom. Chase it with a plate of gai yang (grilled chicken), some sticky rice and a cold Singha, ideally enjoyed over ice, just as it should be, and you’ve got yourself a well-rounded meal that will put the hairs back on your chest and give you enough energy for one final cheese course.
Address: 80-81 Bailgate, Lincoln LN1 3AR
The Cheese Society
The Cheese Society does just what it says on the tin – it delivers a unique dining experience centered around local cheese, and feels like the perfect way to conclude our roundup of the best restaurants in Lincoln.
This small, 16-seater café specialises in classic cheese dishes and offers an impressive selection of artisan, farmhouse cheeses. The menu includes favourites like double baked cheese soufflé, raclette, and macaroni cheese, all served using local cheese.
There have even been international awards. Voted UK Cheese Shop of the Year for 2019/20, and, in June 2022, awarded the title of Inspirational Cheese Retailer 2022 by Le Gruyere AOP of Switzerland and Speciality Food Magazine UK, the Cheese Society also provides cheese deliveries, allowing customers to enjoy their products at home.
The combination of a light, airy café setting and high-quality cheese makes it a must-visit for cheese enthusiasts. Be sure to check out their cheese and wine pairing nights to truly enjoy the full, immersive experience here.
Address: 1 St Martin’s Ln, Lincoln LN2 1HY
And with that, we’re off for a much deserved lie down – we can feel food congealing in our stomach.