Café Kitty, London: ‘Right in the heart of things’ – restaurant review

Soho has moved on, but there is still plenty of theatrical character to savour at Café Kitty

Harrods opens private members’ club in Shanghai costing £16,500 a year

Private jet flights and rare whiskies on offer at 250-member club aimed at wealthy Chinese people

‘If our food is good enough, they will come’: the hidden dining gems at Australian petrol stations and carwashes

As rents skyrocket, chefs and restaurateurs are turning to unconventional locations – you just need to know where to look

Café Lapérouse, London: ‘Dismal, expensive, and I had to cadge bread from the next table’ – restaurant review

I have low expectations of spendy London restaurants, and this one lives down to them

Guinea fowl pie, spiced chickpeas, sherry syllabub – Jeremy Lee’s ‘Betwixtmas’ recipes

After all the fuss of Christmas, dazzling dishes to share with friends any time before the new year bells toll

Whisky and peat go back a long way together. But is it time to put planet before palate?

With a possible ban on industrial peat use in Scotland, some whisky makers are experimenting with other aromatics

Blueberry pastries in Warsaw, 80p samosas in Blackburn – the best things we ate in 2023

From Andi Oliver’s fire-roasted vegetables in Stratford-upon-Avon to Tomos Parry’s cheese on toast in Puglia, cooks and food writers remember this year’s highlights

From a deep dive into Chinese cuisine to a celebration of cakes: Observer Food Monthly’s books of 2023

Ten titles to buy for adventurous eaters, gardeners or committed cooks. In no particular order, here’s OFM’s pick of the year

Prue Leith: ‘The audience was all whooping, ‘We love you Prue!’ Who doesn’t want to hear that?’

The Bake Off judge on her stage show, the days she was lost for words – and the secret to her Christmas trifle

Phil Howard’s secret ingredient – tinned anchovies

Not everyone likes them – but they add punch to a plate of food

Christmas cakes, bakes and desserts – tested by Ruby Bhogal

The 2018 Bake Off finalist and food writer tastes and rates black forest mince pies, tiramisu panettone and winter orange cheesecake

Christmas party food and drink – tested by Jessie and Lennie Ware

The Table Manners podcasters give their verdict on festive snacks, crisps and booze

Christmas cheese, chutney and chocolate – tested by Poppy O’Toole

Chef and TikTok’s Poppy Cooks rates centrepiece stiltons, truffled sheep’s cheese and festive flavoured chocolates

Deanes Meat Locker, Belfast: ‘They have the good stuff’ – restaurant review

At this excellent steak house, great cooking and unstuffy service show the way forward

Mustard mash at home, eating in pubs not restaurants – this has been my year of ‘easy-fancy’

I’ve been spending more on good ingredients and just going to familiar, trusted places when I’m out. It costs less, and I know I won’t be disappointed