Places to eat in Warwick

When it comes to the best restaurants in Warwick, a good place to start is La Mesa. It specialises in fusion cuisine and offers a truly gastronomic experience themed around the Spanish idea of tapas. The restaurant is located in the heart of old Warwick and prides itself on its intimate atmosphere and informal service. A similarly Iberian dining experience can be expected at Tasca Dali, which is famed for its five-course tasting menu. This changes every week but can include all kinds of Mediterranean treats such as swordfish, lentil and chorizo soup and stuffed pimientos.

Micatto is one of the most popular Italian restaurants in Warwick, with a vibrant atmosphere and an authentic range of dishes from carpaccio to calamari. It’s not the kind of place that does pizza but it does have a mouthwatering range of pasta choices, featuring everything from crab, lobster and monkfish to aubergine and porcini mushrooms.

Fusion is also the order of the day at Fusca, but this time with the emphasis on vegetarian and vegan dishes. It’s a cellar restaurant that boasts eclectic surroundings and an unusual menu with Asian, African and Middle Eastern influences. Popular dishes range from vegetable and smoked cheese tart and pakoras to nut roast. Some of the desserts are pretty exotic too – pink Himalayan salt shortbread isn’t something you see every day!

Fusca does have some curry dishes on its menu but if you’re a real fan of Indian restaurants, try Jambavan. Named after a character from Indian mythology who was forced to live as a bear, this modern restaurant prides itself on embracing local cultural influences as well as Asian ones – so, as well as offering king prawn tandoori, salmon tikka and Bombay potatoes, it also has its own Jambavan IPA beer brewed by the local Church Farm brewery.

Of course, there are also plenty of places near Warwick which deal in traditional British fare. The Falcon at Hatton, only 10 minutes’ drive from our Warwick hotel, is a popular country pub. With fillet steak, sausage and mash, fish and chips and Sunday roasts on the menu, you can rest assured all your favourites are there.

As cafés go, the Thomas Oken Tearooms are about as delightfully quirky as they come. Located close to Warwick Castle – one of the highlights of our recommended list of Warwick activities – they have an irresistible charm, from their china teacups to the higgledy-piggledy nature of the beautiful old half-timbered building where they’re based. Named after the philanthropic merchant who first built it 500 years ago, there’s a wonderful choice of loose leaf teas on offer here.

It’s unlikely that Thirteen Bakers are contractually obliged to have that number of people busy baking at one time but whatever the number, their output is pretty impressive! Situated in Old Square, this bakery and café specialises in artisan bread and deli sandwiches. When it comes to hot drinks, they like to keep it local, with their coffee roasted by Monsoon Estates near Stratford-upon-Avon, and tea provided by Warwick’s own Golden Monkey Tea Company. 

Close by is another highly-rated café called the Market Place Pantry, which is regarded as something of a hidden gem despite its location. Here, light lunches and a wide range of coffees, teas and hot chocolates rub shoulders with some cakes and other sweet treats that are frankly hard to resist.

A queue of people outside a café stretching out onto the pavement is usually a good sign that what’s going on inside is pretty special. And that’s certainly the case with Coffee Architects, which is less than a 15-minute drive from our Warwick hotel, or you could consider staying at our central Leamington Spa hotel. It’s a cosy spot which seems particularly popular with students who are attracted by its sumptuous array of speciality coffees and delicious breakfasts and snacks, ranging from the healthy to the naughty but nice.

If you don’t mind travelling a short distance from Warwick to get your caffeine fix, it’s worth the trip to the Hatton Locks Café. As well as enjoying a hearty breakfast, hot drink or cake in a scenic canalside location, it’s fascinating to learn about these historic locks, which date back to the 1930s.