Theion

Theion is a Greek restaurant in Guildford, and it sits at the more considered end of what the town offers. Not a taverna, not a quick plate of meze on the way somewhere else. The two AA Rosettes it holds put it in a specific bracket: kitchens at that level are judged on technique, consistency and the quality of what they buy in, and the award is reassessed rather than granted permanently. It is a meaningful marker in a town where plenty of places serve perfectly good food without ever being assessed at all.

The price band is £££, which is the middle-upper reach for Surrey. Expect to pay more than a high-street chain and less than a destination tasting menu. For most people that means a meal you plan rather than fall into — a booking made a few days ahead, not a decision taken at six o'clock on the way home.

Greek cooking at this level tends to be the interesting part. The repertoire is built on grilled fish and meat, olive oil, herbs, lemon, pulses and vegetables, and a refined kitchen has to work with those materials rather than bury them. The existing description of the restaurant points to bold, honest flavours and careful presentation, which is the right ambition for the cuisine. What is actually on the menu is not something to take on trust from a note like this — check directly before you travel, particularly if you have dietary requirements or are hoping for a specific dish.

Who it suits: it is listed as a date-night restaurant and that reads accurately. A two-Rosette kitchen and a Mediterranean menu is a good combination for a table for two who want to sit for a while. It would also work for a small celebration, or a dinner where you want the food to carry the evening without anyone having to perform enthusiasm. Whether it handles larger groups well, or does a lunch service, is not something the facts here establish — worth asking when you call.

Before booking, two practical points. First, ask about opening days and times rather than assuming; independent restaurants in Surrey market towns often close early in the week. Second, if you are coming into Guildford by car, factor in the town's parking, which is paid and finite on busy evenings. The station and the town-centre car parks are the usual routes in.

Guildford has no shortage of places to eat, and a fair few of them are competent without being distinctive. What Theion offers is a cuisine that is under-represented at this price point locally, backed by an assessment that suggests the kitchen is being held to a standard. That is a reasonable basis on which to give it an evening.