Notting Hill's Ledbury has been crowned the UK's best restaurant at the prestigious National Restaurant Awards (NRA), regaining top spot for the fourth time in its history. Chef Brett Graham's three-Michelin-starred establishment won the award for the first time consecutively between 2010 and 2012.
Held last night at Magazine London, the annual ceremony recognized the best of the UK food scene, with votes cast by over 200 top chefs, restaurateurs, writers and food critics. Ledbury's return is particularly notable, having closed in 2020 before reopening in 2022 with a renewed focus. Known for its precise and technically brilliant dishes, The Ledbury continues to offer an exceptional dining experience.
Stefan Chomka, editor of Restaurant magazine, which organizes the awards, praised Graham's leadership and the spirit of the restaurant, saying: “Brett Graham sets an example in the kitchen and is one of the hardest working chefs at this level in the country. . The Ledbury is revered for its produce-based dishes that arrive on a striking plate, but also for the refreshing, down-to-earth nature of its cuisine, and the team always prioritizes deliciousness over culinary spectacle. “It is an exceptional restaurant, which deserves to be recognized as the best in the UK.”
London dominated the awards, with 53 of the top 100 restaurants located in the capital. Among them stands out Tomos Parry's Mountain, which took second place just a year after its opening. Parry's other company, Brat, also makes 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 the Opening of the Year award, was also named Gastropub of the Year.
Outside London, Moor Hall in Lancashire secured third place, while last year's winner Ynyshir dropped to fifth place. The awards also highlighted new proposals such as Josephine Bouchon (24) and Brooklands (34) by Claude Bosi, and Chishuru (31) by Adejoké Bakare, with Bakare named Chef of the Year.
Michel Roux Jr was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing 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 Lyla by Stuart Raiston in Edinburgh.
The NRAs, organized by Restaurant magazine, celebrate the best of the UK food industry, showcasing both established and emerging talent. This year's awards highlighted resilience and innovation within the industry, particularly in the wake of the challenges posed by the pandemic.
Top 100 UK Restaurants 2024
- The Ledbury, London
- Mountain, London
- Moor Hall, Lancashire
- Bouchon Racine, London
- Ynyshir, Wales
- Oven, London
- Da Terra, London
- Opheem, Birmingham
- The Devonshire, London
- Ikoyi, London
- The Glenturret Lalique, Scotland
- Pino Restaurant, Northumberland
- The Ritz, London
- Manna, Manchester
- Endo in the Rotunda, London
- Highest Ground, Manchester
- Myse, York
- Kitchen table, London
- To Wong, London
- L'Enclume, Cumbria
- Dorian, London
- Paul Ainsworth at number 6, Padstow
- Akoko, London
- Josephine Bouchon, London
- Flavor, London
- Solstice, Newcastle Upon Tyne
- Kola, London
- Lyla, Edinburgh
- The Sportsman, Kent
- Hjem, Northumberland
- Chishuru, London
- Core By Clare Smyth, London
- Trinity, London
- Brooklands by Claude Bosi, London
- BiBi, London
- Sollip, London
- The Angel at Hetton, North Yorkshire
- Woven by Adam Smith, Sunningdale
- SOLA, London
- Frog by Adam Handling, London
- Black Swan at Oldstead, North Yorkshire
- Inver, Scotland
- Fallow, London
- Lucas, London
- The Little Card Room, Edinburgh
- Top by Tom Shepherd, Sheffield
- Brat, London
- Cicena, London
- Kol, London
- First, Manchester
- Parker's Arms, Lancashire
- alone, aughton
- Morchella, London
- The French House, London
- Ugly Butterfly, St Ives
- The Rogue Pig, Woodbridge
- Weight, High Newton
- The Great Hall Midland, London
- Gordon Ramsay Restaurant, London
- Lumiere, Cheltenham
- Crocadon Farm, St Mellion
- The Fordwich Arms, London
- Butter, London
- Osip, Bruton, Somerset
- The Cedar, Brampton
- Grace and flavour, West Midlands
- Annwn, Narbeth
- The Nail Club, London
- Sat Bains Restaurant, Nottingham
- Chez Bruce, London
- Singapore, London
- Wilson's, Bristol
- Hide, London
- Northcote (Lancashire)
- Woodland side, Grasmere, Ambleside
- Lyle's, London
- St. John's, London
- Restaurant 22, Cambridge
- Lisbon, London
- The Harwood Arms, London
- The Muddlers Club, Belfast
- Aulis by Simon Rogan, London
- Interlude, Horsham
- Manifesto, Liverpool
- François House, London
- Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons, Oxfordshire
- Sune, London
- Smoking goat, London
- Evelyn's Table, London
- Trivet, London
- Engraving, Hove, East Sussex
- Tom Botoon's The Grill, London
- Gymkhana, London
- The Palmerston, Edinburgh
- The Quality Chop House, London
- Updown Farm, offer
- Planque, London
- The seahorse, Dartmouth, Devon
- Sette, London
- Camille, London
And the special prizes 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
- Sustainability Award: The Bull Inn, Totnes
- Gastropub of the year: The Devonshire, London
- 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 information about the awards, visit the official site.
