My husband chose Chester for our anniversary day trip because he knew it would have everything I love — history, beautiful architecture, incredible food and an atmosphere that makes you want to stay longer than you anticipated. From Roman walls to tacos and cocktails, it ended up being one of our favorite UK day trips so far.
Exploring Chester’s History & Streets
One of the things we loved most about Chester was how much history is woven into every part of the city. Everywhere we turned there was another beautiful building, historic landmark or street that made us want to stop and take it all in.
We actually began our day at Chester Market completely by accident after the car park we found happened to exit straight into it — which honestly turned out to be the perfect start to the day. The market had such a lively atmosphere filled with food stalls, independent vendors and people simply enjoying the vibe.
Before exploring the city, we grabbed a delicious blueberry matcha from Mrkt Café and a vegan honeycomb milkshake from The Pudding Parlour, which immediately set the tone for the foodie-filled day ahead.
From there, we made our way through the city and walked along Chester’s Roman city walls, which are the most complete city walls in Britain. The views over the city were beautiful and it was such a unique way to experience Chester while taking in both the historic architecture and the lively atmosphere below.
We also stopped by the Roman Amphitheater, which was fascinating to see in person knowing it once hosted entertainment and military training during Roman Britain. It added so much character to the city and made Chester feel completely different from anywhere else we’ve visited.
One of my favorite parts of the day was simply wandering through the Rows — Chester’s famous two-level covered walkways lined with Tudor-style half-timber buildings, independent shops and cafés. It felt like there was something beautiful around every corner.
Before reaching the River Dee, we strolled through the Roman Gardens, which felt like such a peaceful hidden pocket of the city surrounded by historic ruins and greenery. The gardens eventually led us down toward the waterfront area along the River Dee, where we slowed the pace a little and enjoyed watching the boats pass by.
We also spent time around the cathedral area, which added even more charm to the city. Chester somehow manages to feel historic, lively and relaxed all at the same time, which is part of what made us love it so much.
Where We Ate & Drank in Chester
Lunch at Death by Tacos
We had lunch at Death by Tacos, which came highly recommended, so we already had high hopes going in — and somehow it still exceeded them.
The atmosphere inside was unlike anywhere else we visited during the day in the best possible way. Loud heavy metal music (not typically my thing, but it worked here!), edgy décor and a small open kitchen created such a cool energy throughout the restaurant. One of my favorite things was how passionate everyone working there seemed. You could genuinely tell they loved what they do, and that energy carried through the entire experience.
The food and drinks were incredible from start to finish. They had a fantastic guest can called Lab Rat from Ossett Brewery — an apple and blackberry crumble sour that was absolutely delicious.
We ended up ordering two specials: the heritage tomato salad and the carne asada tacos. The tomato salad came with habanero and achiote dressing, Yorkshire made quesillo cheese, house-made habanero Tajin, coriander (cilantro) and jalapeño oil, and lime pangrattato. It was unbelievably fresh, vibrant and full of flavor.
The carne asada tacos were equally amazing — 24-hour marinated grilled steak with salsa roja, pickled red onion and habanero, fresh guacamole on corn tortillas. Every bite was packed with flavor and perfectly balanced.
Between the food, drinks, atmosphere and impeccable service, we left already saying we’d absolutely return next time we’re in Chester.
A Sweet Stop at Roly’s Fudge Pantry
We also stopped into Roly’s Fudge Pantry, which was such a cute little spot to wander into while exploring the city.
We sampled the rum raisin and butter beer and honestly had one of those moments where you immediately look at each other after tasting something because it’s that good. It completely melted in your mouth and tasted unbelievably rich and creamy.
Gin Tasting at Providence Gin
Before dinner, we decided to pop into Providence Gin hoping to grab a seat outside, but the terrace was full — which actually turned out to be a blessing because it meant we got to experience how charming the inside was.
The space was beautifully decorated and had over 400 different gin selections, which immediately made it feel like such a unique experience.
We chose one of their tasting boards — the dessert board — which included Cherry Bakewell, Solway Apple & Caramel and Jaffa Cake flavored gins. I genuinely could not believe how accurately they captured those dessert flavors. Each one somehow tasted exactly like the name suggested.
Before leaving, we decided to share a sticky toffee pudding gin with ginger ale, which felt like the perfect final touch before dinner.
Anniversary Dinner at Rio Brazilian Steakhouse
For dinner, I surprised my husband with reservations at Rio Brazilian Steakhouse, which felt like the perfect special occasion restaurant.
It’s definitely more of a splurge, but completely worth it for the quality of both the food and the service. We were pleasantly surprised by how attentive and welcoming everyone was throughout the evening.
The salad bar had so many incredible options to accompany the endless meat selections being brought around the restaurant. Some of our favorites included the caramelized pork, ribeye, chicken wings, ham and sirloin — although we tapped out very quickly from being way too full.
One of the sweetest moments of the evening was when they brought out strawberry ice cream presented on a board wishing us a happy anniversary. It was such a thoughtful touch and made the evening feel even more special.
After spending the day exploring Chester, it’s easy to understand why so many people love this city. Between the Roman history, beautiful architecture, riverside walks and incredible food scene, every part of the day felt memorable in its own way.
I honestly would recommend every single place we visited, from the atmosphere and tacos at Death by Tacos to the gin tasting experience at Providence and our anniversary dinner at Rio. Each place added something completely different to the day and made the entire experience feel so well-rounded from start to finish.
The hardest part about returning to Chester will probably be convincing ourselves to try somewhere new because we already want to revisit all of the same spots. At the same time, it also feels like we only scratched the surface of everything the city has to offer — which is the perfect reason to come back again soon.
Plates n Places 