My favourite restaurants: Mark McCabe

Mark McCabe first appeared on our radar as the owner and head chef of The Ethicurean in Bristol - a restaurant that was well ahead of its time in terms of sustainability and produce. We were huge fans of The Ethicurean, which made it all the more sad to see it close at the tail end of 2023. Since then, Scottish-born McCabe has relocated from Somerset to the Lake District, joining forces with another sustainable, farm-to-fork pioneer in Simon Rogan at Henrock at Linthwaite House. 

It's a match made in heaven, and Somerset's loss is Cumbria's gain as Mark is helping to take this magnificent Windermere restaurant to new heights. Henrock delves into Rogan's international inspirations more than his other restaurants, taking influence from Rogan restaurants in Hong Kong, Malta, and Thailand. At the same time, McCabe and team work closely with Rogan’s Our Farm to grow and preserve the more exotic ingredients required for the menu. It's a huge, complex undertaking, but one that McCabe is uniquely prepared for.

'As a chef I have always been compelled and inspired by nature, seasonality and sustainability and so the Simon Rogan way of sourcing and cooking aligns so closely with my own personal ethos, it feels like the perfect continuation of the work I have dedicated my career to so far,' he said, when he and Rogan announced the move.

Aside from his extensive kitchen achievements, Mark reached the final of the National Chef of the Year competition in 2023, all whilst competing on the BBC's Great British Menu TV series in the same year, representing Scotland. 

Mark's journey has also taken him to kitchens in Paris, Lancashire, and Dorset, where he worked at Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall’s River Cottage, before establishing The Ethicurean in 2010. His travels up and down the country have given him a unique set of restaurant recommendations, spread between Somerset and Cumbria, with a little of London thrown in for good measure. 

Root, Bristol and Wells

Mark says: 'Root is owned by Bristol legend Josh Eggleton (from The Pony Chew Valley) and run by the amazing Rob Howell. Both the original Bristol site and the newer Wells premises offer seasonal, veg heavy small plates that are always interesting and super tasty. The one in Wells used to be close to my home and it was always my go to for a meal out in the area. Having trained in some of the best restaurants in the area, Rob’s style of cooking is precise and always on point without ever seeming fussy or over complicated. It’s such a joy to eat his food.'
Where: Unit 9 Cargo 1, Gaol Ferry Steps, BS1 6WP; 12 Sadler Street, BA5 2SE
Book now: Root Bristol; Root Wells

Crocadon, Cornwall

Mark says: 'I had the pleasure of spending a few weeks working at Crocadon towards the end of last year and found it the be one of the most inspiring times I’ve had in years. The restaurant is right in the middle of a beautiful farm, where Dan Cox and his team rear livestock, grow produce and forage for the ingredients they use on the menu. The restaurant focuses on operating as close to a circular economy as it possibly can, meaning everything is used up and there is very little waste. It’s an incredible achievement and I hope it can be used as a blueprint for the rest of our industry to show what can be done if you really want to be sustainable. On top of this, and obviously equally important, the food is delicious!
Where: St Mellion, PL12 6RL
Book now: Crocadon

Upstairs at Landrace, Bath

Mark says: 'Landrace was my favourite bakery before they opened a restaurant in the rooms above and became one of my favourite restaurants too. Run by Rob Sachdev and his partner Jules, it's the perfect neighbourhood restaurant. Delicious, unpretentious food using the best ingredients, well sourced wine and great hospitality. One I’ll definitely miss now I’ve moved north!'
Where: 61 Walcot Street, BA1 5BN
Book now: Upstairs at Landrace

Base Pizza, Lake District

Mark says: 'A new find for me, having just moved to the area but I’m thoroughly enjoying the sourdough pizzas at Base. Really good, chewy dough and great toppings. I can see this becoming a regularly haunt for me - possibly too regular! I mean, who doesn’t love a great pizza?'
Where: 97 Lake Road, LA23 3BJ
Book now: Base Pizza

Frog by Adam Handling, London

Mark says: 'One of the best tasting menus I’ve had in ages, Adam Handling’s flagship restaurant is him through and through. Big and bold and completely uncompromising. The food was perfectly executed and so tasty, with a few surprising moments of really theatrical joy thrown in. What really struck me though was the hospitality and warmth of the whole team. They made us feel one in a million, and that’s something to savour. I’ll definitely be back.'
Where: 34-35 Southampton Street, WC2E 7HG
Book now: Frog by Adam Handling

Read more of our recent interviews with the UK's top chefs. Read our interview with the UK's first black, female chef Adejoké Bakare, and find out where chefs like Vivek Singh, Nuno Mendes and Paul Ainsworth like to eat.