Top 100 UK Restaurants 2011

It seems to be the season for handing out awards. Following the early publication of the 2012 Michelin Guide, the National Restaurant Awards for 2011 have taken place. As usual, I have listed the London-based ventures within the 100, along with their overall ranking.

There have been a few big moves but not at the top, where the Ledbury holds on to the prestigious honour of being number one. Coupled with a spot on the world's 50 best restaurants earlier this year, Brett Graham's Notting Hill stronghold seems to be riding a wave. As I found when I went there, it certainly is a special restaurant, but maybe not quite what I would expect from a two-time best in the UK winner.

The biggest achievement for me is the new entry at number two for Jason Atherton's Pollen Street Social. Not a bad month, considering it started with a Michelin Star. It seems as if this place is right at home in the west end already. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal also shot in at number three (one place above the Fat Duck interestingly) to go along with its new recent star also.

Four other restaurants did well to hold on to roughly the same positions they had been in for the previous couple of years: Hibiscus, The Square, St. John and Chez Bruce all show the value of consistency and quality in this year's list. It's good to see some of the best recognised as such.

Have a look and start devising lists of where you want to go in the coming year. As usual, there is loads of quality food to be eaten in London - 57 of the top 100 UK restaurants are here - and a hell of a lot of enjoyment therein.

1 The Ledbury

2 Pollen Street Social

3 Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

6 Hibiscus

7 The Square

10 Bar Boulud

11 Le Gavroche

13 St John

15 Chez Bruce

16 Roganic

18 Hawksmoor Seven Dials

20 Arbutus

21 Viajante

23 Koffmann's

25 Polpo

26 Brawn

27 Galvin at Windows

32 Scott's

35 Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley

37 Bistrot Bruno Loubet

38 Galvin La Chapelle

40 L'Anima

42 The Ivy

43 Restaurant Gordon Ramsay

44 The River Cafe

46 Bocca di Lupo

47 Hélène Darroze at The Connaught

50 Texture

51 Zucca

54 José

55 The Gilbert Scott

56 The Dock Kitchen

57 Murano

61 J Sheekey

62 Opera Tavern

64 Terroirs

65 Zuma

66 Nahm

68 Hakkasan Mayfair

70 Bentley's Oyster Bar & Grill

71 Les Deux Salons

73 La Trompette

75 Goodman Mayfair

76 The Quilon

78 Cambio de Tercio

80 Hereford Road

81 The Cinnamon Club

84 Nobu

88 Koya

89 Hix

90 The Greenhouse

91 Locanda Locatelli

92 L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon

94 Medlar

97 Theo Randall at the Intercontinental

98 The Modern Pantry

99 The Bingham

London Restaurant Festival comes around again

Hello everyone you, it's been a while, eh? Not to worry, reviews are being written as we speak (so to speak) and there is lots more to come in terms of food I have eaten both last and this year.

In the meantime, why not treat yourself to a spot of set-menu cheap eating in October? London Restaurant Festival is back and that means two weeks of discounted decent restaurant eating for all and sundry. There are some pretty fine places signing up for this year's adventure, so have a gander at the website and get stuck in. I fear this year may only see me attend one or two places, but money talks. Or yells vociferously in my case at the moment.

As well as restaurants, there are the usual multitude of events, lectures, debates and tours on offer. They cost a bit more, but (assuming they're better than the Big Roast from two years ago) they are a good day out too.

The restaurant offers have been divided into four separate sections this year: £10, £15, £20 and £25 for two courses. A lot of the old familiar faces are back (sadly not The Square, though Helene Darroze is), with a few new additions. Have a look below and treat yourself to a meal or two in mid-October. There's a lot to enjoy out there.

London Restaurant Festival

Booking a Table

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:

1 The Ledbury
3 Bistro Bruno Loubet
4 Hibiscus
7 Bar Boulud

8 The Square

10 Galvin La Chapelle

12 Pied a Terre

14 Hix

15 l’Anima

17 Terroirs

18 Arbutus

21 Wild Honey

22 Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley

23 Bocca Di Lupo

25 The River Café

28 St John

29 Galvin Bistro de Luxe

30 Polpo

32 Maze

35 Hakkasan

37 Trullo

38 L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon

39 Roka

42 Chez Bruce

43 Restaurant Gordon Ramsay

45 Harwood Arms

46 Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester

47 Koffmann’s

49 Petrus

51 Hereford Road

53 The Modern Pantry

54 Zuma

55 Le Café Anglais

57 Galvin at Windows

58 The Quilon Restaurant & Bar

59 Viajante

60 Zucca

62 Le Gavroche

66 Great Queen Street

70 Gordon Ramsay at Claridges

72 Corrigan’s Mayfair

73 Racine

75 Launceston Place

77 Kitchen W8

82 Scotts

84 The Cinnamon Club

87 Cafe Spice Namaste

88 Indian Zing

89 Hawksmoor

90 Barrafina

93 Tom Aikens

96 Koya

98 Murano

100 Yauatcha

Top 100 UK Restaurants 2009

Restaurant magazine recently published the National Restaurant Awards 2009 listings. Comprising the top 100 restaurants in the UK plus some other choice prizes, the winners podium is an interesting read. Click here for the full list of winners and the specific awards. Below is a list (along with positions) of all the London-based restaurants in the top 100:

2 Hibiscus
5 Corrigan's Mayfair
7 Chez Bruce
9 Arbutus
10 St John
11 Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
13 Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley
15 Pied à Terre
16 The Square
17 L'Anima
19 Maze
20 Terroirs Wine Bar & Restaurant
22 The River Café
23 Scott's
25 Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester
27 Theo Randall
29 Bocca di Lupo
30 Le Gavroche
31 The Ledbury
36 Le Café Anglais
38 The Capital
39 Wild Honey
41 Hakkasan
43 The Ivy
44 Murano
45 L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon
46 Locanda Locatelli
47 Moro
48 Roka
50 Zuma
53 Texture
54 Tom Aikens
55 Bentley's Oyster Bar & Grill
61 Yauatcha
62 Odette's
64 L'Etranger
65 Quo Vadis
67 Tayyabs
68 Hélène Darroze at The Connaught
70 Galvin Bistrot De Luxe
71 Umu
72 Hix Oyster & Chop House
74 Racine
76 Beauberry House
87 Hereford Road
89 Harwood Arms
100 Hawksmoor

Money-Saving Tips for Eating Out

Now, without trying to get too autobiographical, I'm not rich. I'm certainly in no financial position to be eating out all the time...at fully-priced restaurants. There are two main reasons I can afford to produce the volume of reviews that I do. The first is being pedantic enough to document just about every meal I eat out of my house; the second regards money-off deals.

Pretty much every booking I make is done through TopTable. Many of you may already know about or use this website, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. They run offers all the time, some of which have allowed me to eat some stunning meals across not just the capital, but other cities and even other countries (they currently run reservations in 14 different nations). I cannot recommend trying this franchise out highly enough. You accrue points as you attend more reservations and these can eventually add up to a free meal or gifts.

The second, more recent, deal-maker I have been using is the Taste London website (they of the festival fame). They operate on a similar scheme to TopTable, but you also get a fancy card to go with your application. The main difference between the two sites is this one costs money. £70 for the year, it's worth investing in for their 50% off deal with Pizza Express alone. There are a good few restaurants across the capital that subscribe to their scheme, and their search facility is excellent. Whilst not as detailed as TopTable, it still outlines the procedure you need to follow for booking and dining with a Taste London card at any particular restaurant. (For example, some you may need to call ahead and mention the card, others may have a limited usage.)

Both schemes are fabulous and hugely important in bringing decent eating to more than just those with an income surplus. I like both sites and both serve excellent purposes, but my preferred one at this moment in time is TopTable, simply for the great depth they can give you with menus, pictures, reviews and information on their site. Great newsletter too, and it's free!Look into these if you feel you need to start eating out more.

TopTable

Taste London