The Hand & Flowers, Tom Kerridge’s pub-restaurant in Marlow, has been voted the UK’s best restaurant at the 2013 National Restaurant Awards, snatching top spot from The Ledbury, which held the title for three years.
Now in their sixth year, Restaurant magazine’s National Restaurant Awards recognise and celebrate the 100 best places to eat out in the UK, as voted for by 150 industry experts.
Brett Graham’s The Ledbury (2) slipped by just one place on the list this year after three successive years at the top, whilst Jason Atherton’s Pollen Street Social also moved down by one to take up third spot. Atherton’s latest London venture, Social Eating House features at number 33.
Simon Rogan’s Cartmel restaurant L’Enclume moved up by seven places to number four, and The Clove Club, Isaac McHale’s crowd-funded Shoreditch restaurant, came in at number five and was also this year’s Highest New Entry.
Proper Pub Food
The Hand & Flowers ultimately stole the show, capping what has been a remarkable year for Kerridge. The chef, now presenting the new BBC series Proper Pub Food, also collected the Gastropub of the Year award for the second year running.
Other food-led pubs also enjoyed the night: The Sportsman in Seasalter, Kent (7) was also in the top 10, and their head chef Stephen Harris won the coveted Chef’s Chef of the Year award for his revival of artisan cooking techniques.
Special Awards
Special awards were also given out on the night: The Kitchin (Best in Scotland), The Hardwick (Best in Wales), and Shu (Best in Northern Ireland). And 10 Greek Street was hailed as having the Best Wine List, and Aiden Byrne’s new restaurant, Manchester House, was highlighted as this year’s One to Watch.
The Sustainable Restaurant of the Year Awards, given in conjunction with the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA), went to Bruno Loubet’s recently-opened vegetable-focused restaurant Grain Store, which also entered at 9 on the night.
Voting system
For restaurants to make it onto the top 100 list, they must be voted for by members of the National Restaurant Awards Academy. Made up of 150 restaurateurs, chefs, food critics and journalists across 12 regions, the rules state that members of the voting panel can vote for up to five restaurants in their own region with two remaining votes for restaurants outside their region.
Nobody is allowed to vote for their own restaurant or restaurants they have a commercial interest or formal involvement with and voters must have eaten in the restaurants they have nominated within the last 12 months. For more information, visit www.nationalrestaurantawards.co.uk.
National Restaurant Awards 2013: full list
1. The Hand & Flowers – National Restaurant of the Year and Gastropub of the Year
2. The Ledbury
3. Pollen Street Social
4. L’Enclume
5. The Clove Club – Highest New Entry
6. Restaurant Sat Bains
7. The Sportsman – Chefs’ Choice (Stephen Harris)
8. The Square
9. Grain Store – Sustainable Restaurant of the Year
10. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
11. Dabbous
12. The Fat Duck
13. The Kitchin – Best Restaurant in Scotland
14. Hedone
15. Bocca Di Lupo
16. Brasserie Chavot
17. Restaurant Andrew Fairlie
18. 10 Greek Street – Best Wine List
19. Le Gavroche
20. The Hardwick – Best Restaurant in Wales
21. Hibiscus
22. Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons
23. Quo Vadis
24. Restaurant Nathan Outlaw
25. Midsummer House
26. The Waterside Inn
27. The Quality Chop House
28. The Walnut Tree
29. HKK
30. L’Anima
31. The Seahorse Restaurant
32. Hawksmoor Air Street
33. Social Eating House
34. Chez Bruce
35. Paul Ainsworth at Number 6
36. The Elephant
37. Michael Wignall at The Latymer
38. Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs
39. Alyn Williams at The Westbury
40. Le Champignon Sauvage
41. Viajante
42. St John
43. Ondine
44. The River Café
45. The Royal Oak Paley Street
46. Barrafina
47. Polpo
48. Galvin La Chapelle
49. Zuma
50. The Chilli Pickle
51. Casamia
52. Koya
53. Bar Boulud
54. Timberyard
55. Zucca
56. Bistrot Bruno Loubet
57. The Pipe & Glass Inn
58. La Petite Maison
59. Locanda Locatelli
60. The Pig
61. Green Man & French Horn
62. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
63. Jose
64. Arbutus
65. Tyddyn Llan
66. Bone Daddies
67. Loves Restaurant
68. Lima
69. Gidleigh Park
70. PittCue
71. Galvin At Windows
72. The Seafood Restaurant
73. Hix Soho
74. Restaurant Martin Wishart
75. Purnell’s
76. Tom Aikens Restaurant
77. MeatLiquor
78. The Star at Harome
79. Balthazar
80. The Pass at South Lodge
81. Duck & Waffle
82. The Vineyard at Stockcross
83. Rocksalt
84. Drake’s
85. Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester
86. Shu – Best Restaurant in N. Ireland
87. Hartnett Holder & Co
88. Hutong
89. Cinnamon Kitchen
90. Aumbry
91. Galvin Bistrot de Luxe
92. The Hinds Head
93. Goodman Mayfair
94. Hereford Road
95. Restaurant Story
96. Dinings
97. Newman Street Tavern
98. The Montagu Arms
99. Flinty Red
100. Roka