Header image Maria Bell photography

A quick walk through an almost perfect woodland and visitors are confronted by 24’s pavilionesque, space ship aesthetic. With its reflective and angular aluminium sides, it could hardly be more of a contrast to the verdant trees and foliage it stands between but it’s a statement design, for sure; something special beckons. Inside, bright vertical op art gleefully greets us. There’s no reception desk but a long corridor lit purely by skylight. Within the dining space, a notable calmness dominates; London is another city. The ceiling is a couple of storeys high so much of the sound dissipates above but even the open plan kitchen feels mollycoddled by a respect for the countryside which envelops it and is emphasised by 24’s large windows. If, inside, the overall illusion is one of convening with nature, there’s also a large outdoor terrace that destroys the illusion and makes it a reality.  

We remain inside and sit in the furthest corner from the entrance. A Yayoi Kusama sculpture yellows the greenery of a distant field. Nearer by, shadows flit on walls and cut geometric patterns. We order glasses of Rathfinny Classic Cuvée from East Sussex, a crisp and clean cut way to help us dissect the small menu which includes ‘Nibbles’, ‘Small plates’ and ‘Dessert’, except on Sundays when ‘Roasts’ are added. From the former, the homemade Sourdough is a must; light and fluffy but with a playfully crisp crust and marmite butter, which adds salty but subtle flavour. 

Our waitress recommends four to six plates, depending on hunger levels. With one exception which we ordered later, the plates arrive at the same time, which presents a small challenge to fit them on the table. The Seabass Crudo swims in a green flecked olive oil and is decorated with a sweet apple and cucumber salsa and three sliced jalapeños for a little kick. It’s an unusual but delicate and elegant combination. Likewise, the Sussex Fishcake; watercress pesto offers a sour twang to the saltier caper mayonnaise, both of which add succulence to the crispy, fish-laden cake.

The Goodwood Lamb Shoulder and the Chalk Stream Trout are the closest the menu has to mains. The former is super tender, slow-cooked and delicate, much like pulled pork in texture. The latter is chargrilled and clean and is accompanied by a bisque sauce. Both come with their own sides but we order more ‘dedicated’ ones. In visual terms, the Potato Fritter is the meal’s biggest surprise. Orange coloured in an orange sauce, it resembles a cubic asteroid, lands with all the exuberance and excitement of an unidentified flying dessert and is the closest option to comfort food. I stay away from the Charred Cabbage but my friend is very excited by it.

The 70% Chocolate Mousse follows in a similar vein to the above; traditional British cuisine with twist. The mousse is heady and silky and smooth and might even have a small slick of caramel on its bottom. On top, a cluster of nut crumbs mingle with honeycomb chunks for a decadent way to finish our meal. We sat down to eat at around 1.30pm and left for a walk around 3pm. Last entry is 4pm and the estate encourages visitors to leave by around 5pm.

With only two hours, we were a little tight on time, especially when there’s two small exhibitions to take in. The main gallery is dedicated to deceased American ‘land artist’ Nancy Holt, best known for her large-scale earthworks and site-specific installations. Including poems and type-writer art, Holt shows communication was way more frivolous and fun back in the ‘60s. There’s a 16mm film about the construction of her famous concrete Sun Tunnels and, most impressively, a specially constructed shiny aluminium fan/exraction system taken from Holt’s original design. Not only does it look like an integral part of the gallery’s structure but it also expands outside to look like a deliberate part of the exterior. The smaller gallery is devoted to Eva Rothschild who practices ‘material dissonance’ and often deals in brightly coloured, if not fluorescent objects of both two and three dimensions. Two tapestries have been specially commissioned for the space and were woven locally at West Dean College’s Tapestry Studio.

Other artists on display include Lee Ufan, Hélio Oiticica and Isamu Noguchi. Rachel Whiteread has one piece which looks like slick space age coffins beamed down from another dimension and one which represents her more urban and concrete ‘negative space’ period. With her erect and flesh coloured sculpture which resembles both an arm bursting from the ground and something(s) more phallic in nature, Rose Wylie suggests there’s more enjoyment to be gained in the countryside than anyone might imagine. Yayoi Kusama’s instantly recognisable sculptures seem a little over-exposed these days but the sight of two large, iconic, yellow and black spotted pumpkins slumped together in a massive English field is an undoubtedly joyous moment. That said, the standout piece for me is a site-specific aural installation by 2010’s Turner Prize-winning Susan Philipsz. Hidden in several trees, loudspeakers burst forth every seven minutes with music and lyrics derived from Elizabethan songs. Words evoke the woods as a site of gathering, exile and refuge, perspectives change and the audio is so crisp that I half expect the singers to reveal themselves. Although uplifting and pure in nature, it also conjures up images of witchcraft and Wicker Man-type horror films.

The Goodwood estate may be better known for its horse and car-racing events but owner, Duke of Richmond, is just as keen, if not more so, on art and with his art foundation, he’s amassed an impressive display of internationally renowned artists to prove it. From woods to fields to the occasional quarry or open space, the array of sculptures elevates the already beautiful landscape into a surreal and beguiling one. The sense of discovery, the anticipation for what might lurk around the next tree bark, the happy confusion as to how the sculptures interact with nature renders the experience magical and intriguing and fully engrossing.  Add the delightful 24 into the mix and this experience has all the trappings of a perfect day out. 

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Txema Palacio is Bilbao-born, trained in kitchens across northern Spain and the south of France, and his cooking reflects those influences. The technique, the sauces, the stocks and the respect for product come from the Basque Country. The olive oil, the generous wines, and the charcoal grill come from Andalucía.

Malva beach is beautifully designed, distinguishing it from a typical chiringuito restaurant on the coast. Elegant wood furniture, warm, sophisticated interiors and day beds and loungers set out on the sand, shaded by palms and parasols. The restaurant sits right on the Rada beach, with the Mediterranean as the backdrop to everything.

The menu opens with sharing plates. Txema Palacio’s own gildas, the Basque anchovy, olive and pepper pintxo. Pil pil prawns from Huelva. Galician mussels with piparras peppers and oloroso sherry vinaigrette. Carabinero croquettes with prawn tartare. Then a raw section with Gillardeau oysters served natural or with ponzu, Bloody Mary or ají amarillo, bluefin tuna sashimi with yellow chilli and ponzu, and a steak tartare prepared fresh with egg yolk, hollandaise and crystal bread.

The grill is central to the kitchen’s identity. Sardines al espeto, red prawns from Garrucha, langoustinos from Sanlúcar, sea bass, red snapper, turbot, and a matured cowboy steak all cooked over hot coals. Fire gives character and depth, and it is one of the defining elements of Palacio’s cooking. Among the chef’s recommendations, the roasted Málaga goat shoulder with celeriac, artichokes and a Palo Cortado emulsion, and the bacalao al pil pil on a bed of fried vegetables both signal the depth of what this kitchen can do.

The wine list is impressive for a beachfront restaurant, with strong representation from across Spain and a particularly good selection of Andalusian fortified wines, including Barbadillo Reliquia sherries aged over 100 years. There are champagnes from Dom Pérignon to Cristal, and serious reds from Vega Sicilia Único to Château Margaux. The cocktail list includes classics as well as house creations like the Santorini Spritz and Matcha Martini.

A six-course tasting menu is also available for those who want to experience the range of Palacio’s cooking.

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The launch was marked at an event in Edinburgh on Wednesday evening, and coincides with a final episode of Glenmorangie’s Once Upon a Time in Scotland campaign, directed by Joel Edgerton and shot at Ford’s home in Wyoming last November, which Ross from The Luxury Editor was kindly asked along to the event.

Ford first visited Tain last year to shoot the campaign, in which he plays a version of himself slowly, grudgingly won over by the Highlands. Between takes, Dr Bill Lumsden walks Harrison through the warehouses, pulling samples and watching what he gravitated toward. After Harrison flew home, the conversation continued in liquid form: Lumsden drawing samples in Tain, shipping them to Wyoming, waiting for notes, refining, drawing fresh ones. The blend went through several rounds before they landed on a final version.

What Harrison kept asking for, it turned out, was bite. Glenmorangie’s house style is famously elegant. Honeysuckle, citrus, that long, soft Highland finish. He liked all of that. He also wanted something to push back. Taking that on board, toasted red wine casks for grip and tannin were added in.

In the glass, it pours sunset orange. The nose unmistakably Glenmorangie. Orange peel, honeysuckle, something faintly waxy. The first sip does what Harrison asked it to. Seville orange and grapefruit arrive with real texture, then settle into baked bread, apricot, and muscovado. A curious mentholic note hangs around in the background. The finish is long and slightly leathery. Very good, in other words.

 “I loved my time at Glenmorangie and have enormous respect for the team at the Distillery. They are true craftspeople. Collaborating with Dr Bill was a real treat – a chance to get inside the mind of a maker who combines art and science to create incredible single malt Scotch whisky. We tasted many casks together on our search for a Glenmorangie that would speak to my taste. Truth be told, I liked a lot of them – but the Glenmorangie Harrison Ford Limited Edition is everything I want in a whisky. I’m immensely proud of our creation. I hope you enjoy it. I certainly do.”

The Glenmorangie Harrison Ford Limited Edition is on sale now, bottled at 46.5% ABV and available from glenmorangie.com, the distillery visitor centre, and selected specialists.

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I have known Sea Grill for well over a decade, and this latest chapter feels like the most focused. The restaurant now occupies the upper level of the resort’s sea facing pavilion building, with the new La Petite Maison taking the lower, direct sea-facing space. Sea Grill is a more intimate, more cohesive space, and it suits the restaurant well.

We took a seat at our table and ordered a Negroni, prepared tableside from a trolley, served with an ice cube pressed with the Sea Grill logo and a neat circle of orange peel. Generous and well made. I had the cocktail of the day, whisky with a carrot liqueur made from the resort’s own farm, shaken and served in a coupe glass. Superb. From the bar you look straight across to the marble seafood counter on the east side, where the day’s catch sits on a bed of crushed ice under a continual flow of dry ice, framed by a view out across the terrace to the gardens and the sea beyond. On the day we visited, a ronqueo carving of a whole bluefin tuna was taking place behind the counter. It is the kind of scene that tells you immediately this kitchen lives by what it says about provenance.

Tables are set with white linen with dark blue water glasses and bespoke plates. Each is white with a blue rim and a small stamp, topped with a signature plate featuring three blue sardines. Fun, and distinctly Sea Grill. Blue velvet banquettes line the west wall, vintage-style ribbed glass globe lamps with maritime brass fittings hang from the white wood and glass pergola ceiling, and on the north wall, bespoke hand-painted ceramic tiles of fish, octopus and shells frame a wide cinematic hatch into the open kitchen. The team in white shirts, blue chinos and aprons move through the room with relaxed, attentive confidence. The one note I would lose is the terracotta pot of fresh herbs on each table, which feels at odds with the otherwise pared-back, refined aesthetic.

Bread arrived in a small iron skillet, soft buttery rolls like a light brioche, accompanied with a marble tablet of two house-blended butters. One a rich salted and the other with green algas. Irresistible. Then the smoked salmon, carved tableside from a trolley, a time-honoured recipe with a deep, authentic smoke flavour. Alongside, the classic accompaniments in miniature, including finely chopped hard-boiled egg, capers, red onion. Beautifully done, simple and elegant. The tuna tartare with Japanese mayo was a delight.

The artichokes, pan-fried in olive oil, were among the best I have had in Andalucía. A genuine highlight. The yellowfin tuna steaks, prepared à la roteña with tomatoes, onions and peppers, one of six ways the kitchen offers to prepare your fish, were less memorable, though the fresh asparagus alongside, dressed with olive oil and black pepper, was good.

Desserts are evocative of Spanish classics and traditional treats. The flan was one of the finest homemade Spanish-style flans I have tried, soft and creamy, flecked with ground vanilla pods. The bread, olive oil and chocolate was less successful in my opinion, the mousse too runny with too much oil, but served with crisp toasted slivers of crystal bread to enjoy. Both are evocative of Spanish childhood treats, the bread and chocolate a nod to the merienda, the afternoon snack of a bar of chocolate on bread. With coffee came a warm magdalena, generous after an already substantial meal.

The house white, a Nekeas Blanco 2025 from Navarra, was a good, enjoyable glass. In fact, the by-the-glass selection is extensive, and the full wine list, overseen by Wine Director Alejandro Marcos, holds over 1,400 references with two consecutive Wine Spectator awards. The dessert wine pairings alone, from a 1984 Don PX to Château d’Yquem 2022, tell you everything about the ambition of this cellar.

The quality across the board is reflected in the pricing. With a couple of starters, a fish course, dessert and a glass of wine each, lunch for two will comfortably reach almost €300. It is worth knowing before you sit down, but for this level of produce, preparation and service, it feels fair.

Sea Grill continues to earn its place at the centre of this landmark gastronomic resort. More intimate, more personal, and with a daily-changing menu that gives it a clarity and honesty genuinely rooted in the land and the sea around it.

This was a hosted lunch.

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Hovering almost angelically above the city, with wraparound 360-degree views of Edinburgh’s skyline, João’s Place has always felt like one of the city’s better-kept secrets. Named Cocktail Bar of the Year in 2025 at the Scottish Hotel Awards and listed among Condé Nast Traveller’s best rooftop bars in the city. The redesign has almost doubled the floor space, turning what was formerly the W Lounge’s chef’s table into an enhanced lounge area within the bar. Outside, the wraparound terrace offers views that stretch over Princes Street on one side, round to Arthur’s Seat and across to Calton Hill, and on a clear night like the night I was there, the Firth of Forth and its bridges glint faintly from the other side of the terrace. And fear not, gas fires take the edge off even the sharpest Scottish chill, keeping you comfortably outside well into the night. On the evening I was there, the sun was setting on one side while a full moon rose on the other, a truly magical moment.

The cocktail menu is where the Liberdade story comes to life. Rare Japanese whiskies feature Yamazaki 18, Hakushu 18 Peated Malt, and the extraordinarily exclusive Highland Park 30, while those marking a milestone can choose to open an evening with a bottle of Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Edition #26. Signature cocktails embrace the São Paulo-Tokyo concept. Evening at Liberdade is a layered composition of Nikka whisky, Kahlúa and Mozart liqueur, dark and rounded. Margarita Piquant is its opposite, bright and zesty, built on Patrón Reposado, Illegal Mezcal and a jalapeño padron pepper soda. And if you go, make sure to try what ended up my favourite, the Maria, Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac, Port of Leith white port and oloroso sherry, coconut syrup and black walnut bitters. It’s bold and almost whisky-like in its delivery.

The food offering has expanded, too, with a larger light-dining selection, designed for sharing. Options now include items like sushi rolls with whisky-cured salmon and snow crab, wagyu empanadas with sweet ají panca and California rolls layered with Cornish brown crab, avocado and a drizzle of truffle oil. My personal favourites of the night were the crisp plantain chips served with ají amarillo, and warm, pillowy pão de queijo paired with a piquillo pepper aioli.

For live music enthusiasts, the bar hosts Sounds of João’s, an intimate acoustic session from Scottish-based musicians, running each Sunday from 4 pm to 7 pm.

The W Edinburgh is one of my favourite spots in the city for a drink and stay (read full hotel review here), and this enhancement to João’s Place further enhances its appeal. Open Wednesdays to Sundays from 3 pm – 1 am. Pre-booking is advisable, which can be made online here.

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The restaurant is running a curated wine menu created in partnership with writer, author, and broadcaster Hannah Crosbie, alongside Lucas Löwi, Estate Director of the celebrated Terrazas de los Andes winery. The pairing is available across all nineteen Gaucho restaurants nationwide during May.

Terrazas de los Andes occupies a rarefied position in the world of fine wine. Founded three decades ago in Perdriel, Luján de Cuyo, the estate built its reputation on an “Ascension Journey”, a quest to plant vines at ever greater elevations across Mendoza’s most coveted appellations. From the historic Malbec parcels of Las Compuertas at 1,070 metres to El Espinillo in Gualtallary, perched at 1,650 metres and recognised as the highest productive vineyard of the Uco Valley, the winery’s philosophy is one of altitude as artistry.

Crosbie’s choices showcase the breadth of the estate. The Grand Malbec 2022 leads the lineup full-bodied, layered with violet, thyme, blackberries, and a lift of citrus. Besides it, the Reserva Malbec 2024 offers something more generous and immediate, its black fruits laced with mountain spice and a whisper of chocolate.

The menu reaches beyond Malbec, too. A bright, expressive Cabernet Sauvignon 2024 and a Reserva Chardonnay 2024 round out the selection, demonstrating that Mendoza’s high-altitude terroir has rather more to say than the country’s signature grape alone.

The wines find natural partners in Gaucho’s most expressive plates. Hand-cut steak tartare arrives with chimichurri, crispy wonton, and cornichons, a dish made for the herbaceous lift of a young Malbec. The Gaucho churrasco sirloin, spiral-cut and marinated in garlic, parsley, and olive oil, is the kind of bold, flavour-forward classic that the Grand Malbec was practically built to accompany. To finish, a dulce de leche Basque cheesecake, caramelised, molten-centred, unapologetically rich, provides an indulgent closing note.

The curated menu is available now across Gaucho restaurants nationwide. Reservations can be made via gauchorestaurants.com.

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Adnams 9 Year Old – English Rye Whisky

A single-cask English rye from Adnams in Southwold, Suffolk, one of the country’s most quietly accomplished craft distilleries and a benchmark producer in the category. Matured in a French oak wine cask and bottled at 46.6% ABV, the nose and palate lean into orange cream, ginger, Victoria sponge and honey, creamy, gently spiced and notably approachable. Limited to 340 bottles.

An English Distillery 12 Year Old – English Single Malt

A cask-strength single malt from an undisclosed English distillery, matured in a bourbon cask and bottled at a robust 54% ABV. Bold and structured, neat, it opens out generously with water to reveal melon rind, molasses, ice cream and waffles. A persuasive case for the seriousness of mature English single malt. Llimited to 240 bottles.

A Highland Distillery 12 Year Old – Highland Single Malt

An Oloroso-matured Highland single malt from an undisclosed distillery, bottled at 46.3% ABV. The nose is fruity and nutty with a friendly, sherried lift; the palate brings roasted nuts, sultanas and a balancing thread of salt and sweetness. Beautifully composed and eminently drinkable. Limited to 350 bottles.

Ben Nevis 27 Year Old – Highland Single Malt

The headline release of the collection and the rarest. Distilled at Ben Nevis Distillery in Fort William in December 1998, the month Scotland last appeared at a World Cup, this single cask has matured through refill and refill PX hogsheads before being disgorged in March 2026. At 47.5% ABV, the nose offers layered oak, spice and herbal notes; the palate moves through tropical fruit, melon rind and molasses, finishing with the kind of graceful complexity that older Ben Nevis is increasingly prized for. Limited to just 129 bottles.

Irish Whiskey 8 Year Old – Double Cask

A blend of two casks from an undisclosed Irish distillery: a 13-year-old red wine barrique and an 8-year-old first-fill bourbon barrel, married and bottled at 43.4% ABV. Fresh and fruity on the nose, with fleshy sweetness, oak and tannin on the palate, finishing on grapes, melon and vanilla custard. The smallest outturn in the range and limited to just 66 bottles.

The Master of Malt Independent Bottlings Football Special Edition range is available exclusively at masterofmalt.com now

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The entrance is a narrow climb, literally, twelve steps up from the courtyard. Inside, Sartoria kow-tows to unfussy and timeless elegance, where white cotton table cloths and napkins still rule supreme but bronze lamps hold court. Everything is dramatic in its darkness and minimal in decoration, although the handful of moody black and white photos don’t display Sophia Loren, Ferrari or Dean Martin but rather the technique of dress-making. A couple of busts, one of an unnamed Roman Emperor, the other, a saucy and sozzled moon face advertising a product called ‘Rossi’, add playful decoration, confirming the space is more than a stiff paean to stuffiness. Overall, the entrance is transformative; goodbye England, hello Italy. 

I was running twenty minutes late, so I needed an immediate pick-me-up/calm-me-down. Sartoria’s main menu offers three aperitivos: Peach Bellini, Campari Spitz and, my go-to, a Negroni, which was pretty perfect and did its job impeccably. That said, for more choice, make sure you don’t miss the bar menu as we did. It lists a load of Signature Cocktails, including the evocatively titled Saville Stitch, Weekend in Milano, Il Sarto and Via Brera, all of which take the restaurant’s mythology and run with it.

Between Cicchetti e Pane, Antipasti, Primi Piatti and Secondi, it’s never an easy decision working out which courses to have and how many portions thereof. After a quick QnA session, our waiter advises and comes up with what sounds like a five-a-side football formation. Cichetti e Pani sits on the bench in favour of a two-two-one or a two-one-two. We opt for the latter. 

Antipasti is certainly a tough call with both Insalata di Polpi and Carpaccio di Filetto garnering lengthy discussions, but we eschew both. The Vittello Tonnato (Veal Carpaccio with Tuna and Caper sauce) presents simplicity as elegance. The veal slices are thin and perfectly pink, the tuna mayo is fishy, maybe with some anchovy, but not overpowering, while pickled, coloured cauliflower adds a crunchy texture and capers, a tang. The Crudo Di Tonno is a less pure tuna tartar than some, spiced up and flavoured with dill, tomatoes, Tropea onions and a green oil, but is moreish to the last. 

The Calamarata Alla Pescatora garners immediate murmurs of admiration from both my friend and I. This pasta belongs to the paccheri family and receives its name from squid, which it resembles in its tubelike form. Large enough to hide some of the seafood inside, or like clunky finger jewellery,  there’s a magnificence about this pasta. Its size and al dente chewiness make it feel like the main event and, of course, the succulent mussels, the finely cut, tender red prawns and the lobster bisque type sauce make it a joyous dish. My friend even notes its worthy of her favourite restaurant in Venice.  

I take a glass of Dolcettta d’Alba, Brezza, Piedmont with my Filetto al Pepe Verde. The Aberdeen Angus is sustainably raised and grass-fed and comes medium rare. It’s thick and chunky and is presented in a green pepper sauce full of fresh peppercorns, which burst with herbaceous crispiness. My friend takes a San Vincenzo, Anselmi, Soave with her Tonna Alla Puttanesca. The finger-sized strips of tuna are super rare, super tender, taste like they’ve been thrown in a hot pan and ripped out almost immediately. A reductive and rich tomato sauce with basil leaves, olives and capers renders the dish a romance for my friend. Special mention goes to the Patate Al Forno contorti, super fluffy on the inside, light but super crispy on the outside; an unexpectedly pure potato offering which wipes up the sauce from both Secondi dishes. 

Special mention should also go to Sartoria’s Italian themed playlist, geographically specific but stylistically and chronologically expansive. Expect therefore, anything from sixties Doo Wop to seventies Prog Rock to eighties Synth with everything in between including Mambo, Disco, Spaghetti Western, and House music. If it sounds distracting, it most certainly isn’t; eclectic it may be, exuberant it most certainly is.

Dolci consists of four choices but Tiramisu wins out as it always should and, much like in every Italian Restaurant, design and taste are idiosyncratic in the best way. Served at the table from a deep, seventies-style glass bowl, we share one portion. On closer inspection, it looks like slabs of marble sunk into concrete. It certainly isn’t as viscous as some, is relatively firm in texture and doesn’t fall apart upon first spoonful. Amaretto seems more located in the sponge, which is less soggy than many whilst the cream is thick and fresh. We love it. On our way out, the chef flits by. We have time to congratulate him on his great work, but not to ask if the Tiramisu is a family recipe. Either way, his mother would be very proud. 

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Sushita has been a fixture of Madrid’s dining scene since 1999, founded by Natacha Apolinario, Sandra and José Manuel Segimón. The brand has built a loyal following among the city’s smart set. The founding team and their R&D chefs have travelled extensively through Hong Kong, Canton, Singapore, Shanghai, London, and Paris to develop a fusion concept that goes well beyond sushi, drawing on techniques and flavours from across Asia and Europe.

Chinitas, Beautifully Reimagined

For their ninth opening and first outside the capital, Sushita chose Málaga, and specifically the building that housed El Chinitas, one of the city’s most emblematic addresses, historically linked to flamenco and the local artistic scene. The space has been beautifully reimagined. On the ground floor, a long bar runs along one side, leading to the partly open kitchen. Tables are set by the windows, in the middle of the room and in intimate alcoves. The decoration is inspired by Parladé, heavy on blues, with pieces sourced from antique dealers in Málaga, Seville and the south of France, including 17th-century Sevillian ceramic plates. The walls are painted with hand-executed murals by Johina García Concheso. Original features have been kept, including the wooden shutters, the entrance lanterns, the wrought-iron staircase railing with its worn marble steps and smooth wooden handrail.

Eugenia&Sushita tableware

The group’s collaboration with Eugenia Martínez de Irujo, the Duchess of Montoro and daughter of the late Duchess of Alba, on the Eugenia&Sushita tableware collection reflects the playful yet timeless elegance of the restaurant group, a hint at why it’s such a hit. The restaurants attract a well-connected crowd for the elegant, joyful dining experiences.

On the ground floor a table is dressed with dishes, trays and pieces from the Eugenia&Sushita collection, designed exclusively for this Málaga opening and the first place in Andalucía to offer the Eugenia&Sushita tableware. It is a lovely touch that immerses guests in the aesthetic from the moment they walk in.

We dined on the first floor, a salon with a small bar, a long table for the group and a series of charming alcoves. The walls are lined with books and ceramics, with wall lights made from sea shells. The third floor appeared set up for private events.

Tasting Menu

The cocktail list sets the tone, with author creations that fuse classic cocktail-making with an oriental twist. The Ginger Paloma with Patrón tequila and ginger syrup and the Mango Picante Colada with coconut, pineapple and a Tabasco kick are typical of the approach.

The tasting menu moved through a generous number of courses, and the kitchen’s approach was clear from the start. This is not the restrained precision of traditional Japanese sushi. This is colourful, playful, visually generous food, decorated with edible flowers, fish eggs and sauces. There is a lot going on, and it works. The flavours and textures are a delight. The kitchen works with sustainable Norwegian salmon, local Málaga producers and proximity ingredients, keeping the quality high and the sourcing considered.

The gilda de atún rojo, a riff on the Basque pintxo with red tuna and pickles, began the lunch, as we mingled with other guests. The carabinero croquetas with kimchi were a standout, the kind of dish that shows the range of the menu, fusing Spanish bar culture with Asian heat.

Once at the table, the gyozas de churrasco arrived. They were barbecue-glazed with a crisp shell and deeply flavoured. The tempura of red prawns with sweet chilli was tasty.

The sushi arrived on large boards, ready for sharing. The salmon nigiri with foie and truffle, the toro tuna gunkan and the spicy tuna maki roll were all generous and prettily presented, with that same emphasis on visual impact and Western-friendly flavour combinations.

We ended with coffee accompanied by a tiny bite-sized tarta árabe.

Final Thought

It is a fun, sociable restaurant in a beautiful building, with food that does not take itself too seriously but takes quality very seriously indeed. For Málaga, it is a welcome addition.

This was a hosted lunch for media.

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Located off Massachusetts Avenue NW, this 20,000 sq ft Japanese food hall is unlike anything else in the city. Broken into four different dining experiences, all tied together by a long red hallway inspired by the torii gates of Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari shrine. Dear Sushi specialises in omakase, celebrating both traditional takes on sushi. Beloved BBQ, a high-end yakiniku steakhouse with smokeless grills at the centre of each table where diners can grill their own Japanese A5 Wagyu and American-raised beef. Hiya Izakaya, a high-energy Japanese bar with whisky highballs and other inspired cocktails plus sake, beer and wine. Japanese bar foods on offer include skewers and bites prepared over a robata grill, and Love on the Run, the most recent addition, a fast-casual spot serving fried chicken sandwiches, ramen, sushi rolls, salads, dumplings, soba, udon, ramen and their famous heart-shaped doughnuts.

Chef Makoto Okuwa’s career started in Japan, where he spent ten years training under master sushi chefs from the age of 15 before moving to Washington, D.C. Here, he secured his first job at Sushi Taro in Dupont Circle, and a few years later, left to work with Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. Chef Makoto would eventually assume the role of head sushi chef at Morimoto’s flagship in Philadelphia, as well as at his outpost in New York. Two years later, he fulfilled a lifelong dream of opening his own restaurant, Sashi Sushi + Sake Lounge in Manhattan Beach and then he went on to open restaurants in Miami, Mexico City, Panama, and São Paulo before coming full circle back to the capital. Partnering with restaurateurs Eric Eden and chef David Deshaies, who run L’Ardente (a favourite of Barack Obama’s) next door, Love, Makoto opened in 2023 in the growing Capitol Crossing.

Dear Sushi is a bright open space with light raw wooden furniture, almost Scandi in design, sitting against Prussian blue banquette seating which curves along one side. Vast linen shades hang above, while a sushi bar runs against the window.

Here it is all about the omakase; everything is thought out in precise detail, the menu presented in typewriter font as if perhaps an old love letter. Ceramic soy sauce dishes reveal a heart when they are filled. A set of iwai-bashi chopsticks dresses the table alongside a linen napkin, and a dish of ginger arrives with a quenelle of freshly grated wasabi sitting in ying and yang harmony.

We start with a lacquered box of edamame and a covered bowl of hatcho miso soup, the miso’s umami complexity leaving you craving for more. Two hand rolls are then presented on a wooden rack. The new and old school format, a signature of Chef Okuwa’s cooking, is virtually present in the white soy paper on the left and the classic nori wrapping on the right. The left filled with spicy tuna with jalapeno, wasabi, cucumber and soy, while the nori swaps a delicious baked crab filling and dynamite sauce.

Following this, sushi arrives on a single ceramic plate, eaten in a clockwise rotation, starting with Sakura tai snapper with kombu oil and sesame. Then King salmon with ponzu and sakura salt, finished with sesame. Bluefin tuna with soy marinade and wasabi, Hamachi with light soy and yuzu salt, topped with a confetti of citrus and dried flowers, and O-toro, a fatty tuna, finished with house soy and jalapeño koji.

Eating as a group, we also ordered a few dishes to share. The Hamachi with serrano chilli arrives as four thick slices of yellowtail laid out with rounds of fresh serrano on each. A spicy cucumber with shiso, the cucumbers smashed rather than sliced, dressed in chilli oil and sesame, topped with crispy shallots, dried nori. The zuke bluefin tuna with shiso ponzu, comes as four slices of soy-marinated bluefin in a shallow ponzu bath, scattered with pickled shallots, toasted sesame, shiso and tiny purple flowers.

The wagyu fried rice deserves a paragraph of its own, partly for how it tastes and partly for how it arrives. The bowl comes to the table looking austere, diced wagyu arranged in a ring around a trembling onsen egg, the whole thing buried in katsuobushi flakes. The server then mixes it in ceremonial fashion, folding the egg through the rice and meat until the whole thing becomes something richer and more yielding than the sum of its parts.

The lunch closed with cherry creamsicles, served still frozen on a wooden board, cherry blossom at dusk in colouring and drizzled with frozen berry coulis.

Header image and additional images courtesy of Love, Makoto

Final Thoughts

Dear Sushi is open 11 am–2 pm and 5–10 pm daily with Omakase priced at $85 per person, $45 for lunch and à la carte items ranging from $6–$45, correct at the time of writing. 

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The distillery’s credentials are well established. Tracing its roots to 1814, Loch Lomond operates from a site in Alexandria just a few miles from the loch itself and has built a reputation for one of the most technically flexible approaches to spirit creation in Scotland. Its signature straight-neck stills, which are unique in Scottish whisky, give Master Blender Michael Henry exceptional control over reflux and flavour development, shaping the fruit-led, honeyed and gently smoky profile that defines the brand. Add to that one of only four onsite cooperages in Scotland, and Loch Lomond has long had the technical means to tailor whiskies around specific occasions.

“Royal Birkdale holds a special place in the history of The Open. As one of the purest tests of links golf, it has provided the stage for some of the Championship’s greatest moments. Through these new expressions, we have sought to explore the spirit of the course, the players and the craft that defines this historic venue. Each whisky is unmistakably Loch Lomond in character, showcasing our ability to create depth, balance and complexity while remaining true to our house style.” says Michael Henry.

Packaging for both 2026 editions features artwork commissioned from UK design agency Bucket List Prints, whose vintage travel poster aesthetic captures the romance of golf on England’s north-west coast.

The Open Course Collection 2026

The flagship release, bottled at 46.9% ABV, is limited to just 3,000 bottles worldwide. Matured for 19 years in American oak before spending a further six months in Tawny Port casks, it’s a whisky built for considered sipping. The outer packaging carries the date, venue and winner of every Open Championship, from Prestwick in 1860 through to Royal Birkdale in 2026.

On the nose, toasted oak, apple, ginger and vanilla. The palate opens into toffee, pineapple and lemon, with cinnamon spice and the Port influence adding red berries and dried fruit sweetness. The finish is long, with warming oak spice and Loch Lomond’s characteristic thread of soft smoke. At £195, it sits firmly in collector and enthusiast territory.

The Open Special Edition 2026

Created in collaboration with Colin Montgomerie, this expression follows a similar path, American oak maturation establishing the house style, before a six-month finish in Argentinian Malbec casks steers it toward a deeper, berry-led character.

The nose offers dark berries, redcurrant and citrus zest alongside vanilla, honey and soft malt. On the palate, blackberry, raspberry and peach syrup lead, layered with crisp apple, toffee sweetness and gentle spice, while a subtle smoky note keeps it firmly within the Loch Lomond family. The finish is medium in length, with lingering berry sweetness, soft oak spice and light smoky warmth.

The Open Course Collection 2026 (46.9% ABV) and The Open Special Edition 2026 (46% ABV) are available now from lochlomondwhiskies.com and other online whisky outlets.

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Not far from Buckingham Palace, a stone’s throw from Victoria Station, situated on the corner of Ebury Street and Lower Belgrave Street, Uni is refreshingly located in a largely residential area. With its fresh and tidy white exterior contrasted by a black awning, some shrubbery marking its border, and a handful of tables placed optimistically on the pavement (in a dreary and cold mid-March), the outside could easily be mistaken for a smart neighbourhood French bistro or Italian trattoria. 

Inside, a bronze plaque boldly announces the restaurant’s name, making sure you know exactly where you are, but if you don’t know where you’re going, upstairs and downstairs are options. I head downstairs, where I’m unexpectedly transported to what feels like a 1920s-type cruise liner. Five oceanic coloured, curved booths fit into a large right angle. Each has a round marble-topped table and what could be windows looking starboard but are, in fact, mirrors. Below them, even more unexpectedly, two private dining rooms are set within historic caves, practically hidden away and rendered invisible with dark curtains. 

Upstairs, the first thing to catch any diner’s eye is the enticing golden glow of the equivalent of a wine cellar for sake; the first visual sign that Uni is, indeed, a Japanese restaurant. If there was any doubt, the sushi counter around the corner confirms it. Topped and bottomed by slick, slatted wood and bronze railings, six seats stand in front of six red lanterns in front of three hard-working chefs.

The space stretches to the right with more slats and golden wallpaper emblazoned with red flowers and white blossoms. A mirrored wall at one end offers the illusion of an area larger than the reality and we find ourselves seated at a table which should be looking out of a window but is surrounded on three edges by black velvet drapery. Uni serves forty-seven covers and definitely makes the most of its space, which is intimate and cosy.

Cocktail menu offers both classics and Japanese twists on classics, so expect Sakura Sour, Geisha, Raichi Collins to sit alongside Mojitos, Margaritas and Martinis. Usually, I aim for the restaurant’s more specific offerings but my friend utters the words ‘Espresso Martini’ almost before we’ve opened the menu and I can’t shake it out of my head. My friend defects to a Lychee Martini, which is, happily, less sweet than many served in the capital, whilst my Espresso is thick and cool and served with three coffee beans. 

The menu includes several subsections, including Nigiri, Rolls, Sashimi, Uni lux,  Izakaya style, Salads, Tacos and even the Latin American Parilla and an Omakase option. A handful of different Sea urchin options include Risotto with Parmesan and chives, and an extravagant Sea urchin with caviar gunkan. We keep proceedings relatively simple and start with a handful of baby corn cobs and an Indian inspired Fatty tuna Pani Puri. The former comes with an appealing Tajin wasabi mayonnaise, which conveys the piquancy and flavour of the root vegetable but none of its brutal kick. The menu describes the latter as ‘make your own’, so that’s what we do. There are five small crispy baskets in which to add not only the exemplary tuna but a smoky and spicy paste, barbecued corn niblets and a mojo verde type dip. 

We cleanse our palate with a bold but refreshing Wasabi Caesar salad. It’s light and crispy and again, the wasabi doesn’t overpower. The truffle gnocchis are warming, the pecans caramelised and sweet and the radish slices zesty.

The sushi comes both as nigiri and maki. The seared Tuna nigiri disintegrates impressively, the Salmon is spruced up with a small dollop of cucumber paste, which almost overpowers the salmon and the Yellowtail is lightly basted in some kind of aniseed derivative for an unusual but winning nigiri. 

Buzzing from my Espresso Martini, I return to my original intention of trying something more in line with Uni’s aesthetic. ‘Sakura’ is Japanese for ‘cherry blossom’, so I opt for a Sakura Sour, which veers towards a pink colour, is frothy on top and decorated by a purple and yellow petal. Gin-based and with cherry blossom liquor, it’s light and refreshing and rather blissful, a liquid version of a bunch of pear drops. 

We share Chilean Sea Bass which is covered in a Miso and basil paste. Pad choi, chimichurri sauce in a wooden spoon and Gohan (white) rice sprinkled with furikake accompany. There’s no Black Cod on the menu so, chunky, tender and slick, the sea bass is undoubtedly a worthy competitor to Nobu’s sublime signature offering.

For dessert, the Mochi’s look tempting, but we finish with an extravagant off-piste option worthy of any of London’s finest patisseries. Layered with flavours and textures, green pistachio sponge is divided by a yellow Yuzu jelly and a creamy top. Striations of liquid chocolate decorate, and an egg-shaped, violet coloured ice cream vies for attention opposite.

Uni likes to consider itself a neighbourhood restaurant, but even if you don’t live in Belgravia, it’s definitely worth a visit. 

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