Thursday, 14 October 2010

Top 100 UK Restaurants 2010

The NRA rears its ugly head again. I'm not talking about gun nuts from America, but the National Restaurant Awards. They have seen fit to bestow us with another list which aspiring gourmands, critics and gluttons (I'm all of the above) can ponder and peruse as we set ourselves places to visit in the coming 12 months.

As usual, the full list is here, but I've picked out the London specific eateries for your pleasure. Notable changes are the huge falls from grace for Corrigan's Mayfair (shame), Bentley's Osyter Bar & Grill (good) and Tom Aikens (worrying). In general, the list seems to have been hit with big falls and substantial new entries.

The most notable newcomer is bang in at number three with Bistro Bruno Loubet of Clerkenwell shooting almost to the top of the list in its first year. Hot on its heels is Bar Boulud, the new Knightsbridge-based venture opened by world-renowned Daniel Boulud, famed for his stellar New York restaurant. Galvin La Chapelle, the not-quite-yet-last season venture of the Galvin brothers (who have three places in the list), steams in at 10 and various other notable newbies punctuate the top 100.

However, the name everyone is applauding is The Ledbury, for jumping up 30 places to number 1. The small place in Notting Hill is on my list and a review will be published here before the end of the year. It's been on the radar ever since I wandered past there by accident a couple of years back, and I hope it's every bit as glorious as its ranking suggests.

So here's to London, with over half the best restaurants in the UK within our fair city's walls. (Yes, I realise I've made some huge semantic errors there but let's assume that this list is correct and London is still walled. And fair.) There is a city of fine eating out there, not always at ludicrous prices, and it's up to us to enjoy it.

The London venues within the UK's top 100 restaurants:

14 Hix
32 Maze
39 Roka
54 Zuma
96 Koya

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