Clayton's Kitchen

Clayton's Kitchen opened in Bath in 2012, built around chef Robert Clayton's career rather than a concept dreamed up separately. He trained in London under Antony Worrall Thompson at Menage a Trois, then worked with Nico Ladenis at the three-Michelin-starred Chez Nico, before earning his own Michelin star at 25 while running the kitchen at Hunstrete House Hotel - one of the youngest chefs in the country to do so at the time. He went on to hold a star for seven straight years as head chef at The Bath Priory.

That background shows in a menu that leans French and wider-Mediterranean, changing with the seasons rather than sitting fixed. Pembrokeshire crab, salmon with natural yoghurt, saffron and fennel, and free-range duck breast with dauphinois potatoes and celeriac puree are typical of the kind of cooking on offer - simple in description, precise in execution, built around quality ingredients rather than showy plating. It's a restaurant for people who want serious cooking without the full tasting-menu theatre, in a city centre setting on George Street.