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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Hannah Twiggs

National Restaurant Awards 2024: The Ledbury named UK’s best restaurant

PA/Getty

The Ledbury in Notting Hill has been crowned the UK’s best restaurant at the prestigious National Restaurant Awards (NRAs), reclaiming the top spot for the fourth time in its history. Chef Brett Graham’s three-Michelin-starred establishment first won the accolade consecutively from 2010 to 2012.

Held last night at Magazine London, the annual ceremony recognised the finest in the UK’s dining scene, with votes cast by over 200 top chefs, restaurateurs, food writers and critics. The Ledbury’s comeback is particularly noteworthy, having closed in 2020 before reopening in 2022 with a refreshed approach. Known for its precise and technically brilliant dishes, The Ledbury continues to offer an exceptional fine dining experience.

Stefan Chomka, editor of Restaurant magazine, which organises the awards, praised Graham’s leadership and the restaurant’s ethos, stating: “Brett Graham leads by example in the kitchen and is one of the hardest working chefs cooking at this level in the country. The Ledbury is revered for its produce-led dishes that arrive strikingly plated but also for the refreshing down-to-earth nature of its cooking, with the team always prioritising deliciousness over culinary showboating. It’s an outstanding restaurant, one that fully deserves to be recognised as the best in the UK.”

London dominated the awards, with 53 out of the top 100 restaurants located in the capital. Notable among these was Tomos Parry’s Mountain, which claimed the number two spot barely a year after its opening. Parry’s other venture, Brat, also made the list at number 47.

Other high-ranking London establishments include Bouchon Racine (4), Kiln (6), Da Terra (7), The Devonshire (9), and Ikoyi (10). The Devonshire, notable for being the first pub to win Opening of the Year, was also named Gastropub of the Year.

Outside London, Moor Hall in Lancashire secured the third spot, while last year’s winner, Ynyshir, dropped to fifth place. The awards also highlighted new entries like Claude Bosi’s Josephine Bouchon (24) and Brooklands (34), and Adejoké Bakare’s Chishuru (31), with Bakare winning Chef of the Year.

Michel Roux Jr was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising his contributions to the culinary landscape through Le Gavroche, which closed in January after 57 years of service. Other special awards included the Estrella Damm Sustainability Award for The Bull Inn in Totnes, Chef to Watch for Ayo Adeyemi of Akoko, and the Service Award for Stuart Raiston’s Lyla in Edinburgh.

The NRAs, organised by Restaurant magazine, celebrate the best in the UK’s dining industry, showcasing both established and emerging talents. This year’s awards highlighted the resilience and innovation within the industry, particularly in the wake of the challenges posed by the pandemic.

The top 100 restaurants in the UK 2024

  1. The Ledbury, London
  2. Mountain, London
  3. Moor Hall, Lancashire
  4. Bouchon Racine, London
  5. Ynyshir, Wales
  6. Kiln, London
  7. Da Terra, London
  8. Opheem, Birmingham
  9. The Devonshire, London
  10. Ikoyi, London
  11. The Glenturret Lalique, Scotland
  12. Restaurant Pine, Northumberland
  13. The Ritz, London
  14. Mana, Manchester
  15. Endo at the Rotunda, London
  16. Higher Ground, Manchester
  17. Myse, York
  18. Kitchen Table, London
  19. A Wong, London
  20. L’Enclume, Cumbria
  21. Dorian, London
  22. Paul Ainsworth at No.6, Padstow
  23. Akoko, London
  24. Josephine Bouchon, London
  25. Sabor, London
  26. Solstice, Newcastle Upon Tyne
  27. Kolae, London
  28. Lyla, Edinburgh
  29. The Sportsman, Kent
  30. Hjem, Northumberland
  31. Chishuru, London
  32. Core By Clare Smyth, London
  33. Trinity, London
  34. Brooklands by Claude Bosi, London
  35. BiBi, London
  36. Sollip, London
  37. The Angel at Hetton, North Yorkshire
  38. Woven by Adam Smith, Sunningdale
  39. SOLA, London
  40. Frog by Adam Handling, London
  41. The Black Swan at Oldstead, North Yorkshire
  42. Inver, Scotland
  43. Fallow, London
  44. Luca, London
  45. The Little Chartroom, Edinburgh
  46. Upstairs by Tom Shepherd, Sheffield
  47. Brat, London
  48. Cycene, London
  49. Kol, London
  50. Erst, Manchester
  51. Parkers Arms, Lancashire
  52. Solo, Aughton
  53. Morchella, London
  54. The French House, London
  55. Ugly Butterfly, St Ives
  56. The Unruly Pig, Woodbridge
  57. Heft, High Newton
  58. The Midland Grand Dining Room, London
  59. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London
  60. Lumiere, Cheltenham
  61. Crocadon Farm, St Mellion
  62. The Fordwich Arms, London
  63. Manteca, London
  64. Osip, Bruton, Somerset
  65. The Cedar Tree, Brampton
  66. Grace and Savour, West Midlands
  67. Annwn, Narbeth
  68. The Clove Club, London
  69. Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham
  70. Chez Bruce, London
  71. Singburi, London
  72. Wilson’s, Bristol
  73. Hide, London
  74. Northcote, Lancashire
  75. Forest Side, Grasmere, Ambleside
  76. Lyle’s, London
  77. St John, London
  78. Restaurant 22, Cambridge
  79. Lisboeta, London
  80. The Harwood Arms, London
  81. The Muddlers Club, Belfast
  82. Aulis by Simon Rogan, London
  83. Interlude, Horsham
  84. Manifest, Liverpool
  85. Maison François, London
  86. Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons, Oxfordshire
  87. Sune, London
  88. Smoking Goat, London
  89. Evelyn’s Table, London
  90. Trivet, London
  91. Etch, Hove, East Sussex
  92. The Grill by Tom Botoon, London
  93. Gymkhana, London
  94. The Palmerston, Edinburgh
  95. The Quality Chop House, London
  96. Updown Farmhouse, Deal
  97. Planque, London
  98. The Seahorse, Dartmouth, Devon
  99. Sette, London
  100. Camille, London

And the special awards were:

  • Chef of the Year: Adejoké Bakare (Chishuru)
  • Restaurateur of The Year: Joshua and Victoria Overington (Myse)
  • Opening of The Year: The Devonshire, London
  • Chef to Watch: Ayo Adeyemi (Akoko)
  • One to Watch: Skof, Manchester
  • The Sustainability Award: The Bull Inn, Totnes
  • Gastropub of the Year: The Devonshire, London
  • The Service Award: Lyla, Edinburgh
  • Wine List of the Year: Trivet, London
  • Cocktail list of the Year: The Dover, London
  • Lifetime Achievement Award: Michel Roux

For more on the awards, head over to the official site.

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