The best restaurants in the UK for 2017 have just been announced, and it’s big news for The Sportsman who’s earned themselves the number one spot for the second year running thanks to their Michelin-starred gastro pub food in an English coastal surroundings. If you’ve been postponing a visit until they’re less busy, you may want to stop putting it off...
The full 2017 list, announced at a raucous party at the Hurlingham Club in London last night, has a healthy collection of fresh faces in the top 10, which feature three London Asian restaurants, A. Wong, Kiln and Som Saa (which made the jump from title holder of last year’s ‘One To Watch’ award to 4th place). There’s also a noticeable influx of casual restaurants on the list, like Hoppers, Padella, Smoking Goat and of course, the ever-popular Bao Soho, highlighting the ongoing swing to more relaxed, laid back dining.
Other names that have made the top 100 again include The Clove Club in 7th and Gymkhana in 22nd, while there’s the new additions of London restaurants like steak-and-cocktail joint Blacklock Soho in 64th, taqueria El Pastor in 59th and Bethnal Green’s Typing Room in 65th.
Restaurateur of the Year went, deservedly, to Jason Atherton, who's continued going from strength to strength with the opening of his fantastic Victoria-based pizzeria and Italian, Hai Cenato.
Key prizes (and London winners) were:
- The Estrella Damm National Restaurant of the Year: The Sportsman
- The Service Award - The Ledbury
- Lifetime Achievement - Shaun Hill
- Restaurateur of the Year - Jason Atherton
- Chefs’ Chef of the Year - Claude Bosi
- Chef to Watch: Elizabeth Haigh (ex-Pigdin, next Shibui)
- Cocktail List of the Year - Hawksmoor
- Wine List of the Year - Noble Rot
- One to Watch - Red Rooster
Meanwhile, the full list of restaurants is as follows - 8 out of the top 10 are in London.
1. The Sportsman
2. The Ledbury
3. A Wong
4. Som Saa
5. Barrafina Adelaide Street
6. Casamia
7. The Clove Club
8. Elystan Street
9. Kiln
10. Hedone
11. The River Café
12. Lyle’s
13. Hoppers
14. The Palomar
15. The Fat Duck
16. Restaurant Sat Bains
17. L’Enclume
18. Coombeshead Farm
19. The Dairy
20. The Walnut Tree
21. The Waterside Inn
22. Gymkhana
23. Claude Bosi at Bibendum
24. The Elephant
25. The Raby Hunt
26. Midsummer House
27. Restaurant Nathan Outlaw
28. Brawn
29. Bulrush
30. 64 Degrees
31. Primeur
32. The Coach
33. 108 Garage
34. Temper
35. Chez Bruce
36. Noble Rot Restaurant & Wine Bar
37. Frenchie
38. Le Gavroche
39. Padella
40. Clipstone
41. The Hand & Flowers
42. 40 Maltby Street
43. The Quality Chop House
44. The Little Fish Market
45. The Man Behind the Curtain
46. Trinity
47. Sticky Walnut
48. Bocca di Lupo
49. The Smoking Goat
50. Lake Road Kitchen
51. The Crown
52. Adams
53. Gidleigh Park
54. Hispi
55. Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
56. Jikoni
57. P Franco
58. The Black Swan at Oldstead
59. Typing Room
60. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
61. Margot
62. Timberyard
63. Black Axe Mangal
64. Blacklock Soho
65. El Pastor
66. Holborn Dining Room
67. Pollen Street Social
68. Street XO
69. Bao Soho
70. Moor Hall
71. Paul Ainsworth at Number 6
72. Quo Vadis
73. The Marksman
74. The Pony & Trap
75. Rochelle Canteen
76. The Seahorse
77. Freemasons at Wiswell
78. El Gato Negro
79. Hawksmoor Air Street
80. Kricket
81. Sosharu
82. The Star Inn
83. The Hardwick
84. Wine & Brine
85. Box-E
86. Morito
87. Restaurant Andrew Fairlie
88. Norn
89. Ondine
90. Portland
91. Lorne
92. Murano
93. The Beehive
94. The Kitchin
95. St John Bread and Wine
96. Simpsons
97. Forest Side
98. Pizarro
99. The Pig
100. Gunpowder
