A third of Brits now choose hotels based on the restaurant: OpenTable share their top 50

More than a third of Britons have booked a hotel because of its restaurant, according to research published by the booking platform OpenTable this week, indicating that dining is increasingly shaping decisions about where people stay and travel in the UK.

The survey found that 40% of Britons have booked a hotel specifically because of its restaurant – a figure that rose to 53% among Generation Z respondents and 49% among Millennials. The data suggests that dining experiences are becoming a significant factor in the overall booking decision, rather than an afterthought to accommodation.

The research also showed that hotel restaurants are increasingly used by people who are not staying overnight, with 92% of Britons saying they have eaten at a hotel restaurant without being a guest, 54% within the past six months.

Some 30% regarded hotel restaurants as dining destinations in their own right, and food emerged as a key reason for travel. More than half of respondents said they had chosen a travel location because of its food scene, and 43% of those travelling this summer said restaurants would influence where they went. Over a third said a strong local food reputation would encourage them to visit a hotel restaurant even without staying overnight.

To coincide with the findings, OpenTable published its Top 50 Hotel Restaurants in the UK for 2026, a list compiled from more than 810,000 reviews by verified diners and metrics recorded between May 2025 and April 2026. The list, presented alphabetically by area rather than ranked, includes venues all over the UK, Scotland and Wales (see below for the full line-up). The survey pointed to interest in local stays as well, almost half of Brits having booked a hotel in their own city or nearby area – a figure that rose to 58% for Gen Z and 53% for Millennials.

More data revealed that choosing a suitable restaurant remains a difficulty for travellers. Nearly half said finding restaurants near their hotel or planned activities was the hardest part of deciding where to eat while away. On average, people in the UK spend 57 minutes researching and booking reservations for a trip, with Generation Z taking the longest at an hour and six minutes. Around 35% per cent said they planned to use AI tools to discover and book reservations while travelling this year, which is lucky because OpenTable say they have updated Concierge, their artificial intelligence dining assistant. It’s now available on the platform’s homepage and allows users to describe what they are looking for in natural language to find options across its network of more than 65,000 restaurants.

James Hutton, director of enterprise and hotel groups at OpenTable, said: “Hotel restaurants are having a moment. They’ve shed their guest-only reputation, with diners increasingly seeking them out for the food first, from planning a staycation around a celebrated restaurant to booking a table close to home. For many, the restaurant is no longer just part of the trip, it’s the reason for it.”

He added: “Our Top 50 Hotel Restaurants in the UK for 2026 list makes it easier for diners to discover and book standout spots, whether they’re checking in, staying nearby or playing tourist in their own city.”

Here is the full list of selected hotels in OpenTable’s Top 50 Hotel Restaurants in the UK for 2026 guide:

Bath/Somerset
Pen Mill at Pen Mill Hotel
The Olive Tree at The Queensberry Hotel

Birmingham/West Midlands
Isaac’s Restaurant at The Grand Hotel Birmingham

Derbyshire
The Dovecote Restaurant at The Morley Hayes Hotel

Dorset
Tiien Thai Restaurant at The Bournemouth Highcliff Marriott Hotel

Edinburgh/Midlothian
The Canny Man’s at The Lane Hotel
The Huxley at The Rutland Hotel & Luxury Apartments

Glasgow/Lanarkshire
Hazel at AC Hotel by Marriott Glasgow

Kent
Firepit Restaurant at The Cave at Cave Hotel and Golf Resort

Lincolnshire
The Kingsway Hotel at The Kingsway Hotel

London
Berners Tavern at The London Edition
Bombay Delight at Antoinette Hotel Wimbledon
Cecconi’s at The Ned London
Ekstedt at the Yard at Great Scotland Yard Hotel
Electric Bar & Diner at The Ned London
Indigo at One Aldwych
JW Steakhouse London at London Marriott Grosvenor Hotel
Korean Grill Kensington at Millennium Hotel and Conference Centre Gloucester London
Lucky Cat Mayfair at London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square
Lutyens Grill at The Ned London
Mercer Roof Terrace at Vintry & Mercer
Millie’s Lounge at The Ned London
Min Jiang at Royal Garden Hotel Ltd
Ned’s Sunday Feast London at The Ned London
Nipa Thai at The Lancaster London Hotel
Nobu Restaurant at Nobu London Portman Square
Ormer Mayfair at Flemings Hotel London
Paper Moon London at Raffles Hotel at the OWO
Pavyllon at Four Seasons Hotel London Park Lane
Radio Rooftop at ME London
Sticks’n’Sushi Shoreditch at One Hundred Shoreditch
The Lanesborough Grill at The Lanesborough
The Library at London Marriott Hotel County Hall
The Winter Garden at The Landmark London
Tozi Victoria at Park Plaza Victoria London

Manchester
Refuge MCR at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel

North Wales
Y Bistro at Aberdunant Hall

Northern Ireland
Berts Jazz Bar at The Merchant Hotel
Jospers at Ten Square Hotel
The Cloth Ear at The Merchant Hotel
The Great Room Restaurant at The Merchant Hotel
Wolff Grill at Titanic Hotel Belfast

Oxford/Oxfordshire
Parsonage Grill at Old Parsonage Hotel
Quod Restaurant & Bar at The Old Bank Oxford

West Sussex
Terra Restaurant at Tottington Manor

West Wales
The Nags Head at Nags Head Inn Abercych

Yorkshire
Forest at Galtres Lodge Hotel
Sky Lounge at Doubletree Hilton Leeds
The Pickled Sprout at The Yorkshire
The Rise Restaurant at The Grand York

Food Desk

For further information about OpenTable’s Top 50 Hotel Restaurants, visit the organisation’s website here.