National Restaurant Awards 2024: The Ledbury named UK’s best restaurant
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
The Ledbury, London
Mountain, London
Moor Hall, Lancashire
Bouchon Racine, London
Ynyshir, Wales
Kiln, London
Da Terra, London
Opheem, Birmingham
The Devonshire, London
Ikoyi, London
The Glenturret Lalique, Scotland
Restaurant Pine, Northumberland
The Ritz, London
Mana, Manchester
Endo at the Rotunda, London
Higher Ground, Manchester
Myse, York
Kitchen Table, London
A Wong, London
L’Enclume, Cumbria
Dorian, London
Paul Ainsworth at No.6, Padstow
Akoko, London
Josephine Bouchon, London
Sabor, London
Solstice, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Kolae, 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
The Black Swan at Oldstead, North Yorkshire
Inver, Scotland
Fallow, London
Luca, London
The Little Chartroom, Edinburgh
Upstairs by Tom Shepherd, Sheffield
Brat, London
Cycene, London
Kol, London
Erst, Manchester
Parkers Arms, Lancashire
Solo, Aughton
Morchella, London
The French House, London
Ugly Butterfly, St Ives
The Unruly Pig, Woodbridge
Heft, High Newton
The Midland Grand Dining Room, London
Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London
Lumiere, Cheltenham
Crocadon Farm, St Mellion
The Fordwich Arms, London
Manteca, London
Osip, Bruton, Somerset
The Cedar Tree, Brampton
Grace and Savour, West Midlands
Annwn, Narbeth
The Clove Club, London
Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham
Chez Bruce, London
Singburi, London
Wilson’s, Bristol
Hide, London
Northcote, Lancashire
Forest Side, Grasmere, Ambleside
Lyle’s, London
St John, London
Restaurant 22, Cambridge
Lisboeta, London
The Harwood Arms, London
The Muddlers Club, Belfast
Aulis by Simon Rogan, London
Interlude, Horsham
Manifest, Liverpool
Maison François, London
Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons, Oxfordshire
Sune, London
Smoking Goat, London
Evelyn’s Table, London
Trivet, London
Etch, Hove, East Sussex
The Grill by Tom Botoon, London
Gymkhana, London
The Palmerston, Edinburgh
The Quality Chop House, London
Updown Farmhouse, Deal
Planque, London
The Seahorse, Dartmouth, Devon
Sette, London
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.
