Top 10 Restaurants That You Need To Visit in Guildford Town Centre

Guildford is a great place to visit with it’s cobbled streets and historic buildings. It also has an excellent food scene with plenty of unique independent restaurants and some great chain restaurants too. Having lived here for most of my life, I’ve managed to try out plenty of restaurants and these are my top 10 restaurants in Guildford. Many of these places have offers or set menus for lunch or dinner making them super affordable. The restaurants below are all located in Guildford town centre and all of them are walkable from Guildford station. You can book a restaurant in Guildford here.

Top 10 restaurants in Guildford Town Centre

Positano

Named after one of the most beautiful towns on Italy’s Amalfi Coast, Positano is a traditional Italian set in the heart of Guildford. It’s located in a historic Elizabethan building that’s bursting with character.

The waiters and waitresses all seem to be Italian so the moment you step into the restaurant you feel like you’ve been transported to Italy. The staff are extremely welcoming and friendly and the food is delicious too. They have a lunch set menu for £10.95 which is a really good price for the excellent quality of food. The restaurant serves a range of pizzas, pastas, risotto, fish and meat. They also have an extensive cocktail so why not try an Aperol Spritz or Espresso Martini. There’s plenty of Italian restaurants in Guildford town centre but this is one of my favourites.

Giggling Squid

This is one of my favourite Thai restaurants, the quality of food here is excellent and I also love their Thai tapas lunch set menu as it’s so affordable. The set lunch ranges from £10.95 – £12.95 and you’ll get four small dishes, if you order one giggling squid you get sleeping honey duck, wholesome cashew stir fry, Thai spring rolls and jasmine rice, so it’s great value for money. On the menu is a variety of curries, stir fries, noodles and tapas.  They also have a range of cocktails to choose from such as the Silky Pink lychee martini which sounds tasty. Guildford has plenty of Thai restaurants to choose from but Giggling Squid is definitely worth a visit, you can read my Giggling Squid review here.

Olivo

This Italian restaurant has plenty of charm with its traditional decor and welcoming staff. On the menu you’ll find plenty of traditional dishes such as pizza, pasta, salad and fish. They also have 2 course set lunch menu for £11.99. If you visit in the summer then definitely try and get a seat out on their outdoor terrace. They also have a large drink menu serving traditional Italian liqueurs.

La Casita

A great little restaurant for anyone who loves Spanish food and tapas. Enjoy the relaxed environment and share some authentic Spanish tapas or a large paella. The tapas selection caters to vegetarians and anyone who is gluten free with a wide variation of dishes. You can even get a set lunch menu for only £10.25 Monday to Friday from 12pm until 3pm and Sunday 12-5pm.

Turtle Bay

This fun restaurant and bar serve up tasty Caribbean dishes and drinks. The interior is colourful and spacious with a relaxed Jamaican vibe. They serve curries, jerk chicken and burgers. Some of the dishes are a bit too spicy for me but I particularly love their cocktail list. Their set menu is £12 for 2 courses or £15 for 3 and it’s available Sunday to Thursday. From 7pm-9.30pm you can get 2 for 1 cocktails, if you like rum make sure you try out the Raspberry Reggae drink. 

Cote Brasserie

If you’re looking for delicious French cuisine then look no further, Cote Brasserie offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. Serving traditional French dishes such as french onion soup, a variety of fish, crepes and steaks. They also serve some light and healthy salads or refreshing cocktails. You can order from the a la carte menu or opt for the lunch and early evening 2 course menu for £11.95 and 3 courses for £14.50.

Address: 35 Castle St, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 3UQ

Thai Terrace

This fancy Thai restaurant is the ideal location for lunch with a great view over Guildford. The dishes are flavoursome, authentic and delicious, on the menu you’ll find plenty of curries, fish dishes, noodles and duck dishes. This restaurant is on the pricey side but it’s great for special occasions. However if you visit for lunch you’ll be able to get a set menu for £10.95-£12.95. They also have a bar serving a huge range of cocktails. 

Bills

Bills is always a great place to go for brunch but make sure you book ahead as it can get busy. Bills restaurant is part of the Angel hotel, set in a beautiful old coaching inn in the centre of Guildford. It’s open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and cocktails. They also have a set dinner menu with two courses for £17.50 and three for £20.50. The menus are quite varied serving burgers, salads, pasta and steaks. 

GBK

If you fancy a burger then you can’t go wrong with GBK, offering classic burgers or ones with a twist. Why not try the Taxi Driver burger with American cheese, homemade onion ring, Cajun relish, chipotle mayo, dill pickle and salad. Order some fries and their famous baconaise dip. If you’re vegetarian or vegan they have a few options to choose from. GBK is only a short walk to the cinema so is a great dinner option before or after seeing a film. 

The Tea Terrace

The best place for afternoon tea is the Tea Terrace located on the top floor of House of Fraser. The cafe has a pretty pastel vintage style decor, with its pastel pink chairs and fancy floral tea sets. It’s a modern take on the classic English tea room. The cafe serves a large variety of teas, cakes, breakfast or lunch. They even have different scones to choose from such as cranberry and white chocolate or apple and cinnamon. Try and get a table by the window for panoramic views over Guildford. You can even book a fairytale afternoon tea served in a princess carriage!

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