It’s worth mentioning that, while the food has improved dramatically over the last decade-plus, Stanley restaurants still have their ups and downs.

For the largest selection of groceries, there’s the FIC’s West Store (Ross Rd. and Dean St., tel. 27660), which has also opened a café and a delicatessen. Open early, The Bread Shop (Dean St., tel. 21273) has outstanding fresh bread, pies, pizzas, sausage rolls, sandwiches, and Chilean-style empanadas. Jacs (John St., tel. 21143) offers pastries, cupcakes, and coffee.

There are several good takeaway choices, starting with the Woodbine Café (29 Fitzroy Rd., tel. 22696, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Tues.–Sat., 6:30–8:30 p.m. Mon., Wed., Fri.) for fish and chips, and Michelle’s Café (2 Philomel St., tel. 21123), which also serves breakfast and lunch.

Tobacco-free Shorty’s Diner (Snake Hill and Davis St. E., tel. 22855, www.shortys-diner.com, 9 a.m.–8:30 p.m. daily, 9 a.m.–8 p.m. weekends and holidays) has panini and other sandwiches, short orders such as sweet-and-sour chicken (£6), and desserts. It is licensed to serve alcohol with meals.

Deano’s Bar (40 John St., tel. 21296, 10 a.m.–11 p.m. Mon.–Thurs., 10 a.m.–11:30 p.m. Fri.–Sat., noon–10:30 p.m. Sun.) serves pub grub including fish and chips, burgers, and curries and fishcakes.

With a new chef from the United Kingdom, the conservatory restaurant at Malvina House Hotel (3 Ross Rd., tel. 21355) has taken over the top spot among Stanley restaurants, with full meals in the £16 range but also excellent lunch specials for only about £5–6 per entrée. Appetizers include upland goose páté; entrées start with succulent roast lamb in a country where the default option used to be aging mutton. It's popular enough that reservations are advisable for both lunch and dinner.