Where the Light Gets In

With no menu and esoteric wines, Where the Light Gets In doesn’t adhere to the typical fine-dining formula. But it’s been a success for Stockport, thanks to chef-patron Sam Buckley’s belief in doing things his own way.

His aim is to create ‘a dining experience from the day’s catch, harvest and slaughter’ and to treat staff ethically and as part of the restaurant’s collective consciousness. His efforts were rewarded when Where the Light Gets In was awarded a ‘green’ Michelin star for sustainable gastronomy in January 2021, making the Stockport restaurant one of only 31 in the UK and Ireland to be given the accolade.

With there being no menu, the experience changes with the days and seasons, but dishes we’ve enjoyed in the past include chestnuts foraged that day in Delamere Forest, lemony sprats with curd-topped scrap of poppadom, and deep-fried slivers of bull’s testicles, smeared with tart quince puree.

Wines are a fair match for Buckley’s ethos. Often natural and biodynamic, several are sourced from specialists such as Settle’s Buon Vino.

The UK’s most exciting ‘no menu’ restaurant: open-minded diners are welcome