Glass boxes perched on coastal bluffs, slick rooftop eateries that gaze across cityscapes, and country inns whose gardens open up to rolling hills and dense forests. Some of the UK’s best restaurants happen to be set amid some of its most beautiful landscapes, and they certainly make the most of them. From seaside terraces to fine dining spots whose windows frame famous landmarks, these are some of the UK’s best restaurants with brilliant views.

Seafood is the main focus at Scotts, which overlooks the sheltered marina of Troon Yacht Haven on the Firth of Clyde. There’s a kind of perfection in feasting on freshly caught lobster, oysters or a stunning plate of fish and chips while gazing out to the ocean. Views stretch past bobbing boats and yachts towards the Isle of Arran and Ailsa Craig, framed by floor-to-ceiling windows.

With its distinctive lettering, copper spire and prime position by the River Thames, the 18th-century OXO Tower is a real London icon. Its top-floor restaurant and bar are wonderful too, with a brasserie menu of impeccably prepared British favourites. Big windows and the terrace, which stretches out above the river, make the most of the vistas, from St Paul’s Cathedral (pictured) to bridges spanning the water and boats cruising by.

The only way to dine closer to the sea would be to have a picnic on the beach. Award-winning restaurant Coast is a stone's throw from Coppet Hall Beach, so diners have wide-open views whether they’re seated on the terrace or in the restaurant, where floor-to-ceiling glass and bi-fold doors bring the outside in. The menu does the same, with seasonal plates showcasing beautiful Pembrokeshire produce from cheeses to seafood.

Local favourite The Windrose is loved for exemplary dishes like lobster thermidor and sticky ribs, and for hearty breakfasts like avocado and poached eggs on toast or a full fry-up. Perhaps even more so, it’s loved for its views, with tables perfectly positioned by the marina and harbour. There’s a heated patio too, so diners can get close to the water and experience the sea breeze even if it’s a little chilly outside.

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The windows at The Botanist frame what’s regularly voted one of the country’s most beautiful thoroughfares: Newcastle's Grey Street. High-perched views take in Grey’s Monument, a 19th-century landmark, before sweeping down the street lined with Neoclassical buildings, including the grand Theatre Royal. The interior is pretty too, with the chain’s signature cheery, bloom-filled decor, while the diverse menu has everything from Korean chicken burgers to cheese platters and Sunday roasts. The cocktails are pretty special too.

The views that surround the elegant Manor House Country Hotel are pretty impressive, and its wonderful The Belleek Restaurant enjoys the best setting of all. The dining room is wrapped around by tall windows that gaze over Lough Erne, backed by the Cliffs of Magho and with Bay Island so close it feels like you could reach it with a hop. The interior, with velvet-backed chairs and a shimmering chandelier, is suitably lovely, as is the menu of dishes like Irish Sea trout and duck breast with rhubarb.

The Cottage in the Wood's name is charmingly misleading, because it's more like a grand hotel on a hill, really. But it hardly matters in such an incredible location. The hotel’s 1919 Restaurant and Bar is the best place to appreciate the scenery here in the Malvern Hills, with views swooshing down and across the forested slopes, orchards, farmland and villages of the Severn Valley. The restaurant serves afternoon tea and a dinner menu of innovative, seasonally focused dishes with ingredients plucked from the landscape.

Named for its chef-owner, Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand thanks to its exceptional menu, which beautifully showcases Welsh produce through dishes like lobster linguine, lamb and grilled mackerel. If there was a separate award for views though, it would surely hold three stars. All tables are perfectly positioned so everyone can gaze over Porth Eirias’ beach towards the ocean.

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The National Trust–owned The Hidden Hut is a simple lunchtime spot in a simple shed-like structure. Getting here, however, is anything but simple. It’s a short trek from the car park to Porthcurnick Beach, down granite steps to the sand and then up a different set of steps to a hill where the secluded café finally reveals itself. The setting is spectacular, with views sweeping over the golden sand and ocean bluffs. Throw in salads made with just-caught mackerel, veggies from the allotment and delicious cakes, and you pretty much have perfection. Over summer, there are usually open-air dinner feasts too.

Attached to the Isles of Glencoe hotel in the Scottish Highlands, Waters Edge really is right by the water, so close that diners can’t see anything between them and Loch Laven but a pane of glass. Not even that, if it’s warm enough to sit outside on the terrace. The lake and nature reserve is home to breeding ducks and backed by forest-clad mountains. The menu draws from land and water, featuring Loch Leven mussels, roasted rump of lamb and a venison burger.

Perched over Folkestone Harbour, Rocksalt enjoys some of the loveliest views on the Kent coast – and it has some pretty strong competition. Tables are arranged on a terrace, right next to the water, or in the dining room whose floor-to-ceiling glass doors offer a clear view out to the English Channel. On warm days, the whole restaurant is opened up to the soft sea breeze. The menu, unsurprisingly, focuses on seafood and seasonal ingredients.

Perched, well, 20 storeys up in Manchester’s dynamic Spinningfields district, 20 Stories has 360-degree views across the city, so don’t be surprised if dining there sparks an impromptu game of 'spot the landmark' (Manchester Cathedral is among the recognisable structures that can be seen). A menu of modern British dishes and cocktails is served on the garden terrace, with tall trees and cosy fireplaces, or in the dining room surrounded by glass.

Part of Portmeirion village, Castell Deudraeth is a 19th-century castle-house, sensitively restored and reopened as a brasserie in 2001. The dining room is rich in period features and local materials such as Welsh oak and slate, but it’s the views through the windows that really wow. The village is built into the cliffs overlooking a private peninsula, with diners able to take in vistas of the dramatic Meirionnydd mountains or the castle’s immaculate Victorian gardens, while enjoying dishes made with locally sourced ingredients.

The View certainly sets expectations high with its name but somehow manages to exceed them. Enormous picture windows frame dreamy views across Portree Loch to parts of Skye’s coastline and other islands beyond. The food is equally delightful, drawing on the best Scottish produce for dishes with just-caught scallops, crabs and lobsters, and locally sourced venison. Even the salt is from the island.

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Dining at Le Pont de la Tour is like straddling London and Paris. The riverside spot combines the French flair of a brasserie-style menu and live jazz with clear views of Tower Bridge. Picture windows bring the views inside but it’s the terrace – jutting towards the river and sheltered by a striped awning – that best frames the setting. Diners can sit out all year-round too, with heaters, throws and blankets cosying things up in chillier months.

On the top floor of the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, housed in a former flour mill and looming over the River Tyne, Six is the sort of restaurant people book for a special occasion, or just because they feel like splashing out. The food is incredible, with modern British dishes like ham hock terrine with hen eggs and roast cod with a chorizo crust. But, really, it’s the view that people come for. The glass and steel surrounds frame bridges looping the Thames and vistas of Newcastle and Gateshead.

The windows at White House aren’t just floor-to-ceiling – they’re also wall-to-wall, which means everyone dining in the restaurant can soak up the verdant surroundings. Located in the village of Rhuallt in north Wales and set within immaculately landscaped gardens, the restaurant with rooms focuses on elevated comfort food with dishes like slow-braised pork belly, house-made pies and juicy burgers.

The beer garden is the best place to enjoy the sea views from Jamaica Inn, with tables right by the water – perfectly positioned to watch the waves and boats pass by. The big blue can still be appreciated from the charming dining room and bar though, with a diverse menu of dishes from smoked haddock risotto to spiced chickpea fritters served in the cosiest of settings.

The Oyster & Fish House is known as one of the best seafood restaurants in Dorset, owned by renowned chef Mark Hix and serving beautifully prepared fish (the menu changes daily, depending on what the fishing boats haul in). It’s also perhaps the most beautiful, with a wrap-around terrace open to dramatic Jurassic Coast views that seem to go on indefinitely. Luckily the scenery can be enjoyed in all weathers, with floor-to-ceiling windows bringing the beach, marina and ocean inside too.

It must be tough for diners at Percy French Inn to concentrate on their food, because what’s outside is incredibly distracting. The restaurant, named after the writer, artist and composer, sits at the foot of the Mourne Mountains on the grounds of the Slieve Donard Resort and Spa, but it’s the view of the sea – captured by a huge picture window – that really mesmerises. Luckily the dishes, showcasing locally sourced ingredients and seafood, are worthy of attention too.

The highest fine dining spot in Liverpool, Panoramic 34 showcases the city’s skyline from the 34th floor of the West Tower. Tables are perfectly positioned so everyone can gaze out of the floor-to-ceiling windows that surround the restaurant for 360-degree views. Diners can enjoy dishes such as king scallops with razor clams and sirloin of beef while looking out at the river or city landmarks.

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There are glorious views everywhere you look on the Isles of Scilly, a sunny archipelago off the Cornish coast. Yet, somehow, Ruin Beach Café has managed to grab such a privileged spot that it must be the envy of the islands. The laid-back café, in a former smuggler’s cottage, overlooks Raven’s Porth beach. Its menu of wood-fired pizzas and Mediterranean-inspired fare perfectly complements the views over the sand to the island of St Martin’s.

Offering freshly caught seafood and good old fish and chips all year-round, Harry’s Shack proves that simple is sometimes best – at least when it comes to beautifully prepared produce and equally delicious views. The shack is right by Portstewart Strand with sea and sand views that look equally lovely in sunshine, during a storm or at sunset. People can book for a set menu dinner or pop by for a casual lunch.

Between the mountains and the sea, Ynyshir’s setting is about as spectacular as they come. The restaurant with rooms looks out onto the verdant mountains of Snowdonia National Park with the burnished gold sands of Borth Beach nearby, so diners can enjoy some of the country’s best cuisine against an equally impressive backdrop. This two Michelin–starred restaurant’s tasting menu is ever-changing but always showcases prime Welsh ingredients, which completes the experience.

Every table at Riddle & Finns beach restaurant overlooks Brighton’s famous seafront, making it a favourite spot for lunchtime feasts and sunset suppers. Huge windows frame the beach and the endless blue of the sea, along with the eerily beautiful remains of the West Pier. The restaurant, tucked beneath the promenade, serves delicious dishes packed with fresh seafood, from oysters served all ways to whole grilled lobster.

Part of beachside hotel The Godolphin, Shutters is perfectly positioned to enjoy some of the finest views over the Lizard Peninsula and out to St Michael’s Mount (pictured). The terrace is something of a sun trap during the warmer months, although the dining room’s many windows and folding glass doors allow the scenery to be enjoyed even if it’s blowing a gale. As with many of the best restaurants in Cornwall, the focus is on seafood – the fish and chips is especially good – and other delicious local produce.

Cafe Fish occupies the upper terrace of the white Calmac building, right at the edge of Mishnish Pier for views over fishing boats and out towards the Sound of Mull. So, you can effectively see exactly where your lunch or supper came from. The café’s own fishing boat brings in its daily catch each afternoon, unloading langoustines, lobsters, hake and oysters just an hour or two before they land on diners’ plates. There are also lovely views of the rainbow-hued houses that perch above the pier, so there’s really no bad seat in the house.

Pizzatipi proves that views don’t have to come with fancy tablecloths or a steep price tag. The restaurant, run by four brothers, sits on the banks of the river Teifi with tables under a tipi or on a terrace jutting right over the water. As the name suggests, the thing to order here is pizza, baked to perfection in a wood-fired oven and served with a range of salads and a great selection Welsh craft beers and wines.

Tucked four storeys up in a building on Castle Street, it would be easy to stroll right by Chaophraya and miss out on some of the best food and views in the city. This gem of a restaurant serves innovative Thai dishes in an elegant, sleek dining room that knows better than to compete for attention with what’s outside: a dramatic view of Edinburgh Castle, showcased by the glass walls.

How many restaurants have their own punt station, complete with handcrafted punts (flat-bottomed boats) available to hire for a jaunt up the river? Surely not many, and that’s just one of the things that makes Cherwell Boathouse so charming. There’s also the restaurant, which serves seasonal dishes in a Victorian working boathouse, and the views: of the tree-lined river and of the boats drifting past.

On the seventh floor of the swanky Carlton George hotel, Windows Restaurant has incredible views over the city. Diners can feast on dishes made with seasonal, top quality, regional produce, from Scotch beef to langoustines, while gazing over Glasgow’s rooftops, spires and chimney pots. The dining room, as the name suggests, is surrounded by huge windows that frame the views, and there’s a rooftop terrace for warmer days and nights.

Hare & Hounds is just outside Bath city centre, yet feels like it’s right in the middle of the countryside. The stone-built inn serves a gastropub menu of British classics like steak with peppercorn sauce and fish and chips surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens and gazing across to the Iron Age fort of Solsbury Hill. Huge windows bring the vistas into the traditional pub-style dining rooms, but it’s the tables on the terrace and lawn that really feel immersed in the landscape, with views stretching for miles.

Gara Rock perches on a clifftop in East Portlemouth near Salcombe, and the views are as glorious as that might suggest. Picture windows fill with green-topped bluffs and shimmering sapphire ocean as guests dine on dishes made with locally caught seafood, seasonal vegetables and meat sourced from nearby farms. In summer, the air is scented with woodsmoke from fire pits outside.

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