The Best Restaurants in How Wood, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom (2025)

The combination of fresh ingredients and skilled preparation made for a memorable meal. I had an amazing experience with this! The customer service was top-notch. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for delicious food and excellent service.

Came here for my girlfriends birthday this afternoon, and we both thought it was amazing. From the service, to the taste, to the atmosphere inside, it’s a true gem of a place. The guy who served us was a top bloke, made us laugh and was super friendly. We’ll definitely be back and would recommend this to anyone in St Albans or in the surrounding areas. Top place.

We tried the hot honey halloumi toast. Disappointed that you only get 1 poached egg with all the meals and had to order an extra one. At the prices they charge there should be a minimum of 2 eggs. Shocking!

Great atmosphere big portions and super tasty food. Service was superb they were super friendly and polite, really good with kids! Would definitely recommend and definitely come back.. see you soon team toast

It was by chance that I found this restaurant on Google. I am pleased that I booked it for my birthday lunch with my husband. The moment I entered the restaurant, I immediately loved the Moroccan vibes. The waitress who served us was very friendly and welcoming. When I told her that I've booked a table, she mentioned my name for my reservation. I'm impressed that she is well aware of the booking. The food was absolutely delicious and desserts too. We'll definitely be back again to try the other dishes. I would recommend this restaurant if you appreciate the authentic taste and atmosphere.

Absolutely amazing experience. Food is so flavourful and fresh with authentic Moroccan vibe. We felt so cozy and warm immediately after entering the restaurant after an unexpected spring shower with a bit of chilly atmosphere outside. The service was amazing and the attentiveness of the server was also notable. They honestly suggested the main dish to be shared with two kids, which we otherwise over ordered. Great wine selection and desserts as well. We will come back to St Albabs just for this restaurant.

My friend and I had a really nice experience at this restaurant that we booked as part of our trip to St Albans. The staff were attentive and friendly! Food was fresh and tasted delicious, we throughly enjoyed the 6 mezze dishes and mint tea.

Such a lovely place to visit. The food was absolutely great. Well made, rich flavours, great drinks. The atmosphere is very cool. A big party place upstairs as well. Awesome service. One of the best places to eat Moroccan / Mediterranean food.

This must be one of the best Italian restaurants in Hertfordshire. All of the staff are super friendly but also very efficient. Really great food in a lovely environment. Prices are reasonable for the quality of the food and drinks. This place exceeded my expectations. Slightly out of the way but definitely worth an Uber trip!

This was our first visit to L’Olivo and we will definitely be back. We had a fantastic meal, three courses from both the menu and the specials, with some great wine.

Had a great meal there on my wedding anniversary. The food was brilliant but my favourite was the simple affogato dessert which was superb.

The best restaurant around, We love visiting and highly recommend the amazing food, incredible service and friendly atmosphere. We can not wait for the next visit Many thanks as always :)

A buzzing, busy place, with a bit of a wait on the Saturday we went, but the staff were very helpful and fair with the tables. Four of us had a lovely table outside. I had an English breakfast and a mocha, both good. Really helpful and kind people.

Popped in here today after a recommendation and absolutely loved it! Food was creative and innovative, very tasty and warm! The ceasar salad was 10/10 highlight and the buffalo chicken burger was lush. Staff were the perfect level of attentive and helpful, very impressed. Only 4 stars for atmosphere as it was a little too loud in there for a conversation, but was a big building so as expected and the loos smelt a bit like pee pee! Can’t wait to return (for the food, not the pee pee loos) 😂✌🏼

Great food, perfect spot, amazing service. Buffalo benedict is a must try (pictured) as are the loaded hash browns (pictured). Came on a sunny day and the outside area was really nice, plenty of space inside too. Really friendly and helpful staff, decent price for what you get.

Had a bite to eat before watching a show. It is a very modern restaurant and very comfortable. The food was amazing. All the food that came to the table was top notch. All food looked very good on the eye. The service was very good on the whole, my only minor complaint it got a bit slow towards the end. They were very busy so not a massive grumble. The atmosphere was good, a very busy restaurant but that comes with good food. A great place to eat, give it a try.

Amazing experience from start to finish! From the moment we stepped in, it felt special and the live jazz singer really added to the vibes. The food was incredible - flavours we wouldn’t have thought to pair but worked perfectly together. We ordered the complete small plates menu for 3 of us, along with focaccia and triple-cooked chips for dipping. Standout dishes were the ham hock and parmesan croquettes, cod’s roe, and comté panisse - each one delicious! We’ll definitely be back to try the larger plates! 10/10

A great addition to the St Albans restaurant scene. Small and cosy, creating ‘tables’ from every available space, so some place settings wouldn’t be to my taste. The food is excellent; very different taste combinations but all good. Great staff and efficient & friendly service. I loved the vinyl; the DJ creating a great vibe/atmosphere. Not cheap but worth every penny; will definitely return.

We had a beautiful evening at Hazéls, the service was impeccable from start to finish. Everyone was so friendly, the service was quick and efficient and very well organised. The waitresses we had were SO friendly - they all went above and beyond and it genuinely made such a difference. We had the table by the window and it was a really gorgeous experience. The food was absolutely incredible - each dish was presented beautifully and tasted so good. The gluten free options were brilliant, there were only 4/5 things on the menu I couldn’t have. We were celebrating my birthday and they brought me out a complimentary dessert with a candle, which was such a nice touch. Would recommend this restaurant again and again.

Exceptional! Loved our time here at Hazéls and really appreciated the effort put in by the team here to make our night perfect. Close attention was paid to my partner who had specific dietary requirements and the staff were very discreet about it. The food was beautiful - each dish a delight on the palate. The sharing plate style was really welcomed as one starter and one main would have definitely not been enough to satisfy. However, in saying that, the quality of the dishes alone would have been enough for me to have been happy with just one. The wine was also to die for and I can certainly see myself going back just for a few glasses. Overall a wonderful experience!

Just had an outstanding meal at Thompson, every course was a taste sensation and beautifully presented, staff were friendly and knowledgeable, we will definitely be going back

Firstly the not so good points, I took a friend for a birthday meal, we sat at the bar and we still had to pick from the menu even for the 9 course tasting menu. We were presented with a menu each which had prices for the meals, a little embarrassing. The lighting in the main room was bright and harsh, the waitress did try to dim them and for a bit it was a better atmosphere but they started to flicker so back to bright. And the pasta on the tortellini was thick an a bit gloopy but the taste was fantastic. Now for the positives. Every other course of the 11 courses we had, the 9 courses plus the chefs choice and cheese were just delightful, my favourites being the mushrooms and the birds liver pate. The staff...attentive, polite, knowledgeable on what they were serving and just absolutely lovely. The wine we chose was out of stock, however the alternative suggestion was very drinkable. Crockery beautiful. We just had a wonderful time and my guest felt very special. Thanks guys.

The food we had was exceptional and so was the wine. Works of art with excellent attention to detail. Ingredients top quality. Great attentive service but not rushed. So glad we have this gem of a place on our doorstep. Highly recommend.

This was our first time visiting this amazing restaurant in St Alburns! We were served by Nick and he gave us the best service ever, even put my jacket around my shoulders for me! Personal touch and massive attention to detail! The food was exquisite!! Huge commitment to the chefs the gnocchi I had - was the BEST I have ever had - and I used to be a chef myself. We can’t wait to come back here and experience the tasting menu! We had cheese board as pudding and it was off the dial. We LOVED everything about our first visit here ! Well done all.

The most delicious carbonara I've ever had! The lemon tart was also absolutely wonderful. Highly recommend this place — we're definitely coming back for the pizza! 😃

Had lunch with my sister. Usually go to the one in Berkhamsted. The decor is just as beautiful and food same excellent quality. Service was amazing. Staff very polite and helpful. My favourite main is the Lobster Ravioli - would recommend this dish for everyone to try. We both had the same! For starters we had the Funghi Trifolati (it is a beautiful mushroom starter sautéd with garlic and then finished off with cream and cheese served on sourdough toasted bread) and Garlic Pizza Bread with Mozzarella. Lovely atmosphere! Will be heading back there soon. Thank you!

First time visiting for lunch with my family, who had just arrived after a 14-hour flight. We arrived 15 minutes early and were seated quickly. Staff were very attentive, especially helping us order due to my toddler’s cow’s milk allergy, which is tricky with Italian food. The food was delicious — pasta was cooked perfectly, and the risotto was outstanding. Some dishes were a bit spicy for my family, who aren’t used to spicy food. Desserts were lovely too; the tiramisu had a lighter coffee flavour than we’re used to, but still very enjoyable. Only downside: the wait for the main courses was quite long (about 45–50 minutes), and with a 1.5-hour dining limit, it felt rushed. Would be better if desserts could be ordered together with the mains. Overall, a great meal with friendly service

What a great place to have lunch. The team here are attentive, friendly and welcoming. We were so happy with the way they could accommodate us with our 1 year son, bringing the food promptly. Our meals were hot, fresh and delicious.

This is one of our favourite places to eat for a special occasion. Sunday lunch special is excellent and the service is second to none. Great place

A fine dining restaurant in a lovely old building with beautiful views overlooking a lake. Food quality and presentation is excellent; probably the best in the area. Service now is friendly but a lot more relaxed than it was many years ago. Despite the lovely views, the decor in the restaurant feels really outdated. And the choice of 80s pop background music is quite bizarre. The lounge area, however, is much more stylish and great for a pre-dinner drink. Drinks outside on a warm summer evening are also a pleasurable experience.

Excellent meal last night. Food was very very good. Staff were attentive and looked after my wife who had a dairy allergy very well. Really nice atmosphere in the restaurant with some music in the background which I enjoyed as I don’t particularly like restaurants where I feel I can hear other peoples conversations. Only small downside is they were low on beer which considering it was 7pm on Saturday was a little strange. Highly recommend and will be back.

The staff were all really well trained and professional in accommodating everyone and making people feel comfortable. I was so impressed by how kind and understanding they were! I could tell their manager really paid attention to training each staff. The food was lovely, some of the best salmon dish I've ever had. The ambience was perfect as well.

We had celebrated a belated valentine here with perfect choice. Wednesday have Jazz with piano was very relaxing. Food was very fresh and quality. If you are fish people very recommend,fish very fresh. Really impressed. Staff was very nice and friendly. Everything smooth as expected and very happy in the romantic time.

Really pleasantly surprised by this restaurant! Chicken schnitzel was really juicy - all the plates were good. It is like going back in time in terms of decor and service, in a good way! The only criticism is that it was super quiet which does affect the ambience but otherwise will be happy to go back.

Lussmans Hitchin was fantastic! I attended with a large party of 8 for a celebration; from the reservations team (via email) to the waitresses and waiters, I could not fault the excellent service. They were particularly attentive which was especially impressive given we were a large party, also notably friendly and welcoming. The food was lovely - not overly fancy, just real, hearty, good food. So tasty and a great variety of options! 10/10 experience for both food and service!

It took a little while for us and the couple in front to be acknowledged and subsequently seated but the staff were then friendly and efficient. We appreciated being given water straight away and our drink orders were taken promptly. The wine we chose was very good and the kipper pate starter was great. For our mains we chose the Featherblade of Beef and the Hake with side orders of vegetables. Both were delicious & couldn’t be faulted. For dessert we opted for the carpaccio of pineapple and the apple crumble. The crumble was particularly amazing. The attentive service died off at this stage and we struggled to find someone to take our Baileys coffee order. When the coffees arrived they were barely tepid in temperature, so not great at all. Just about drinkable. We would have requested hotter ones but couldn’t be bothered to try to find someone to assist at that point. Finally it took another while to be able to request the bill, which took the shine off the evening a little. If it hadn’t been for the drop off in service and tepid coffees it would have been outstanding.

I have always l loved Tabure, it used to be our favourite St Albans spot. But the last few trips the portions have been getting smaller and the prices going up. Would love for them to have a look at this and get back to their best!

Our regular dinner place is Tabure. It is a fantastic spot for a casual meal or a special night out. The food is fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented, with standout dishes are the pulled lamb dish and the house dips - just delicious. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the staff are friendly and knowledgeable. Tabure delivers a consistent, great dining experience. Highly recommended!

Easily the best Turkish food I’ve had! Everything was so tasty and unique to try. Staff are very friendly (shout out to Abraham who has been great every time we’ve been), and while the price is high for St Albans restaurants, the quality of the food and drink fit the bill. If I had to critique, I’d say the view from the window is bad. A brick wall, commercial bins, and white flood lights aren’t particularly the vibe. Perhaps the restaurant will put up a curtain in the future (or may have done since I last went). Highly recommend!