Wellness Hotel Koliba

Everything about this restaurant is striking: its location on the eight floor of a converted water tower; its quirky interior design that feels like it’s been pulled from a HG Wells novel; and of course, the superb quality of its cooking. In a distinctly flamboyant setting, the chefs ensure their dishes are still the most memorable part of the experience, with clever construction, depth of flavour and technical skill combining in supremely satisfying fashion. Slow-cooked, meltingly soft beef rib with a gentle chive coating is a standout example.

This villa in a somewhat secluded location in the mountains is home to a small hotel with seven rooms, a spa and a terrific outdoor event area – and this elegant modern restaurant. In the beautiful light and airy glass pavilion with a round floor plan, ambitious contemporary dishes are served à la carte or as a seven-course set menu, with wine pairing on request.

Situated within the alpine resort of the same name, the views at this charmingly run restaurant are a serious draw. Whether seen from the terrace or the dining room, the sweeping countryside vistas are a treat. The cooking provides a worthy accompaniment to the setting with both an à la carte featuring aged Polish meats and a tasting menu showcasing the chef’s love of the region, via complex, occasionally nostalgic dishes based around prime local produce.

There’s a characterful industrial-meets-traditional feel to this restaurant housed on the lower floor of an imposing 19th-century manor house. Smartly dressed tables sit within a red-brick room with vaulted ceilings and exposed pipework, while modern artwork enlivens the walls and mature gardens surround the building. The dishes are equally impressive to look at and deliver on flavour too, with excellent produce at the heart. Their take on a tiramisu is a real winner.

Situated on the ground floor of a converted water tower, this is the informal little sister to Steampunk eight floors above. The influence of the French bistro is clear to see around the room, with simple wooden furniture and vintage-style colourful posters on the walls. The cooking has a similarly classic feel, albeit with a few Mediterranean influences incorporated too, in unfussy, generously flavoured dishes like beef tartare, bucatini carbonara and chocolate fondant.